I just had my first taste of Alliance bakery today and I'm quite impressed. You know how there's a good kind of burnt and a bad kind of burnt on cakes and brownies? Like when you make a perfect cake you have to burn the edges and corners a little for some variance in flavor, texture, and taste... I know you feel me, those are always the first pieces to go. Anyway, this place has got that glory taste down pat BUT without actually burning anything. I don't know how they do it but the cupcakes look slippery and moist... almost like fake restaurant food displayed for the daily specials except it's real and oh so edible. Anyway, it has the delicious, organically burnt taste that lingers a bit and is somehow not crusty at all. I'll defo be heading into Alliance sometime soon... PS- thanks to Laurie C. for the fabu birthday cupcake. :) I can't wait to get some "you're adopted" cakes for friends' b-days.
(4)
Maija D.
I have never known of this Alliance Bakery, but after my incredible experience, all I can say is Tres Bon!!! Oh My God, I can still taste and see the sensational cake I just had a bite of. I was trying to find a beautiful and tasteful cake - which is not easy, apparently it's one or the other as the guy at Sweet Mandy B's told me, and he suggested I come here. Wow was he ever right! I ordered a beautiful fondant cake in the shape of a Tiffany box with a big white bow on top, and my daughter in laws name in beautiful font on the front. It was huge and gorgeous, and the vanilla cake had 3 layers with mixed berries and a custard filling. Under the fondant was the lightest creamy frosting...it was like heaven must taste. The owner, is a former French pastry chef for Sofitel Hotels, and the Fairmont. He has the medals to prove that he knows his stuff! He goes to Paris every year and takes his chef, too. He is committed to his creations, so when this AR says she thinks their baked good are just "meh" as she put it, wrong!!! I had several of his incredible cookies and a fabulous "homemade" croissant! Made fresh at this bakery! The cake was so gorgeous and people at tour party were saying " it is the best cake" they have ever tasted!! I know where I am going to future cakes. They are very busy and popular, so order way ahead of time,
(5)
Clare S.
I've stopped in here twice on a whim while having dinner/brunch nearby. Both times I got a red velvet cupcake, once plain with cream cheese frosting, and the second time with a raspberry filling and an italian buttercream. Both cupcakes were delicious! I was very impressed by their italian buttercream. My friend got a vanilla cupcake, which was unfortunately on the dry side. The cakes in the window are BEAUTIFUL. I've not been to the cafe yet, but I've heard great things, so I'm sure I'll be back soon!
(4)
Willie B.
I love this place. Everything is so detailed and they cut no corners. From wedding cakes to tiny macaroons, everything here is rich and delicious. It's what a bakery should be.
(5)
Carrie S.
Alliance Bakery confuses me. Its exterior is old school while the goods and fancy cakes are modern and cool. Is it a hipster bakery run by hipsters? Seriously, I walked in here for my first Wicker Park Stitch and Bitch and didn't know what to make of the place. The delicious treats are classic while the staff is throughly hipster. I got the usual hipster glare as I walked in. Thanks for staring me down in your ugly, oversize ironic glasses and flannel t-shirt. After reviewing the cases, I chose a key lime bar for my treat and a chai tea as beverage. The key lime bar was alright, frankly nothing special and memorable. It was almost too sweet and too tart. I knit at the adjacent cafe space which felt hipster-ish. It had a lot of old furniture trying to give off that cool, ironic vibe with very non hipster artwork lining the walls. The cafe's decor and space confused me just as much as the bakery. Alliance as a bakery is alright. I'm not sure if it's a classic bakery with tasty goods or if it's trying way too hard to be cool like the other bakeries in Chicago.
(3)
Amanda T.
I fell in love with Alliance as soon as I walked by and saw an edible display of "The Nightmare Before Christmas." I try to avoid bakeries as much as possible but I couldn't resist this one. By suggestion I ordered a red velvet cupcake. I'm not a big red velvet fan but this baby was the best red velvet cupcake EVAR. I also got a vegan cupcakes, and it was surprisingly good. I doubt I will ever be a vegan, but if I did it's good to know there's at least one place in the world where I can get a humane tasting baked good. The cafe is very quaint and quiet. A wonderful place to grab a sweet, an espresso and get some work done.
(4)
Mike K.
I can't believe I never wrote a review for Alliance! I used to go there for coffee all the time when I lived nearby, and sometimes I'd get a lemon bar or a black and white cookie. Everything was of top-notch quality. The staff are very cool and friendly, and the interior has a great old-timey feel. Very classic atmosphere, but very hip attitude.
(5)
Stephany C.
One slight drawback - walking outside to the cafe area while trying to balance personal effects, a pastry, and coffee may be challenging. Anyway, fantastic baked goods and coffee - great place to hang out! Macaroons (lots of interesting flavors) and almond croissants are some faves!
(4)
Samantha K.
I have not been in the lounge (yet!) so this is just about the bakery itself. We just moved to the area and this is the spot I have been the most. Not only do they have Intelligentsia coffee but anything you get with it will be delectable. I've tried their breakfast pastries, desserts and lunch time spread (curry chicken salad sandwich is wondrous!) and have yet to be disappointed. I feel the price is in line with the quality and the fact they are open at 6am will keep this my top bakery in the area.
(5)
Adam K.
Yeah man! Love this place. Here is why: Crazy cakes in the window that always change, they make some really unique looking cakes for people, a butterfly one, a cat in the hat cereal box one, a female chesticles one, a man package one, a big strawberry one, you get it. Its cool Macaroons: Holy mountain mother mary immaculate sisters ladies mountains of guadalupe. Soo good, and gluten free for you porkers. My fav's are the Passion fruit chocolate and the salted caramel. I got one of each kind they had and a cute owl cookie and it was like $13. Coffee: I like my sugar with this and cream. Tea: Good selection without being too snobby about it. Adjoining couch / chill area: What a great idea. Separate the cash register from the area hipsters pretend to do work in and POW! You have a, um, nice area to work in? I don't know but this area adjoining the bakery is very comfy and chill. To sum up, try it, or at least stop by the window to see what crazy cakes they have made for some rich a-hole.
(4)
Suzy D.
For croissants and breakfast pastries I give this place a 4 For cupcakes/macarons/other sweets I give this place a 3.5 On Saturday, my husband went and get massages at the Pain Stop, then we walked over to Mana for lunch and then we figured we should try out Alliance bakery. So we came in here after we were already stuffed from our lunch at Mana, but everything looked so delicious we had to get a box and try everything. We got one of each flavor of the macarons. We got an almond croissant, a red pepper/goat cheese croissant, a chocolate croissant, a chocolate beignet, this danish/croissant looking thing with apricot and orange, and a red velvet cupcake. Amazingly, we ate everything by the end of the day too. For us, we thought that the croissants were the stand out. They do an amazing job with breakfast pastries. We weren't blown away by the cupcake. You can get better cupcakes at Molly's/Swirlz. The macarons were tasty and there were a lot of flavor options, but they had been in the case for a bit, and some of them were kind of hard. We will definitely be back for croissants though. Yum!
(4)
Jonah G.
I go to the Alliance Bakery a few times every week to study and I sit in the lounge. The Alliance Bakery is great. Every pastry, coffee, tea, sandwich etc. I've gotten there has been reasonably priced and good. Service is friendly and fast. They ask you to pay cash for orders under $5, but in the event I don't have it, they let it slide and are pleasant about it. The lounge has been completely redone, and it is absolutely fantastic. To be fair, I have never ordered a large elaborate cake, so I can't speak to that and the pricing. Based on pure aesthetics, the cakes look pretty damn impressive. Alliance Bakery has got it going on.
(5)
Anne O.
I came here nearly every morning for coffee before I moved from the area. The iced coffee in summer is the shit, and soy lattes are cheaper than across the street at sbucks when I'm craving those. Sometimes the cookies are decorated so well I buy them even though cookies aren't my fave to eat. The counter staff is awesome awesome and the newly remodeled study room is super cool because its just a room, no staff, no anything, just space to eat and hang, and it's usually empty during the morning hours.
(5)
Jason Z.
It's great living just down the street from this amazing bakery. Also could explain why I don't seem to be losing weight when I stop by after working out at the gym across the street. We've stopped in to purchase cupcakes on serveral occasions. They always amazing, and have a great selection (so far, my favorite has been the carrot cake. Hell, even the chocolate peanut butter one is great, and it's VEGAN!) We've also ordered 2 cakes from them for birthday parties. They are amazing, and beautifully decorated. The bakery itself is very small, and a small line will make the bakery itself very crowded. However, they have a large sitting area right next door, with tables, chairs and couches for those who want to hang out and work, or chat with friends.
(5)
h h.
TRUE STORY: One of the employees was talking to some girl that walked into the place. Being the responsible Yelper....I listened in..... Employee: So what's your situation? Girl: It's been kind of hard. I've been spending the last few months looking for a job. Employee: Oh wow. I totally know how you feel. it's been rough on everyone...especially with the economy the way it is. Let me see if I can do something for you. I can see if their taking any applications. I can put in a word for you? Girl: Ummmmm.. nooo. . Why would I want to work here? I actually have a realllll job now!! Just got it! Where I make real money! The people at this coffee shop are classy, work hard for their money, and put up with a lot of BS. Don't add to it by acting like this girl did. If I see anyone acting like this, i will make it a point to put them in their rightful place from now on. Everyone deserves a certain level of respect. Regardless of what they do for a living. The garbage man and the CEO of a Fortune 500 company deserve the same level of respect. Why? Because their both human beings. Being classy has nothing..absolutely nothing do with how you dress....and everything to do with how you carry yourself. People who are classy, look even more classy when they dress classy. If that makes sense? er. lol Dressing classy when you're a scumbag just makes you look like a fraud. It shines through. Open letter to bitch: Dear Girl: You're a tactless bitch. If I see you again, I will cross the street in fear of catching your tactless bitch behavior. Better yet? Give me your schedule for the rest of your life, so I won't have to be within 100 miles of where ever you are. Anyways: One Star- for friendly service. Another Star for having a study room for Hipsters. I don't study there, but I observe the Hipsters through the glass window. If you shake the room up like a snow globe, sometimes they'll fight each other. One Star - for having pretty good coffee! The final star for having some delicious baked goods. They are really delicious. I think the coffee cake was kind of a miss. FYI: I understand that it is hypocritical and ironic to talk about being classy, and then go on a tangent and call someone a "bitch". But I was trying to prove a point. snap. okay. you got me. Another disclaimer- the events that happened in this email happened about half a year ago..maybe longer. It just made me so angry I had to yelp about it. Thank-you. Check out my podcast.
(4)
J-Bird G.
Macaroons. what more shall i say? Go there and try every kind they have. Then return the next day and try more flavors, as they mix it up quite frequently. Excellent coffee as well.
(4)
Katherine M.
Being lifetime Chicagoan, I have been to maaaany bakeries and I loved my baked goods. I also was a fan of the old Alliance when I was a kid, and I like the under new management's artistry. Alliance bakery in the last few years has some great things going for it, including flair and great flavors, but a major drawback is Hygiene. I have been here on numerous occasions, many times, and my reviews would range from 1 star to 5 stars so I finally have decided to write a review and settle on a 3. The 5s--flavors of the macarons, custom cake decorating, the lemon bars The 1s--hygiene and behavior of some of the staff Hygiene is a very serious thing in any food establishment and the staff have to be *TOLD* what good food hygiene is and take it seriously--the cues and directives come from the top. Too bad if they are your friends or family--people have to wash their hands if they pick their noses or handle garbage before they handle food (I've seen it here), and shouldn't be barehandedly touching food with long dirty broken fingernails, UGH. YES I have said something only to get Whatever from the staff; I should have talked to the manager. I suppose I should have never come back but the cookies etc are good and I kept hoping for change. But what spurred me to write a review was the products are pretty Good (5 star) but there is still lax hygiene! I was in last week and I was about to tell the woman behind the counter about a large fly (or maybe two as the buzzing was all over the case) in the cupcakes Case when a woman with a kid ahead of me pointed it out. The staff replied, "Oh yeah...it's been in there all day" *1 STAR* Are you kidding me?! If I were the owner that would be her last day on the job. I noticed the cupcake case was open--Epic Fail. When you have a large housefly on your food...GET RID OF IT and if it has been landing on your frosting cupakes throw them out too, yuck. Houseflies land on garbage and poo. And then they lay eggs too! So I do not know if I will go back after seeing and hearing that!
(3)
Sibi J.
Now this is a bakery that gets better and better every time I go in. The bakers are great to talk to and the lounge is a good place to sit down and get some work done. If you are ever in the area and want some killer macaroons, this is place to go. Salted Caramel, Rosewater and Red velvet are my favorites. The only thing puzzling to me is the $ sign that Yelp is showing for Alliance, since I have never ever spent less that $10 here !!
(5)
Betsy T.
Amazing-looking cupcakes and macarons in the display case, but I was in the mood for something savory so I got the quiche with my coffee. Their quiches are deep-dish and generously sliced and delicious. The interior of the cafe is beautiful, with a gilded ceiling and other baroque details. My brother swears by the croissants here. I hope they make a savory croissant!
(4)
Candace S.
After oohing & ahhing for months over Alliance's window display that showcases a cute Panda cake & a Nightmare before Christmas cake I had to finally stop by and see what all the fuss was about. Normally I stray away from bakeries because all they do is tease me with their non-vegan goodies, but I was pleasantly surprised to find they had a vegan apple streusel, chocolate chip cookies, and vegan cupcakes! Their ice coffee was also equally as amazing & they didn't charge me extra for soy as they had it out w/ all of the other creamers. My boyfriend had a cinnamon roll which he said was one of the best he's ever had. Always on the lookout for new study spots I checked out the Alliance lounge next door and saw that they have free Wifi & lots of seating. Will definitely be back soon to study here & try some new vegan baked goods.
(4)
Colleen C.
Oh, and if you are in need of a library that serves coffee, provides wifi and has no books...the lounge next door to Alliance is where it's at. :) The seating area is the quietest, most focused group of people I have ever witnessed. No complaints, just don't come here for a chat with friends...you'll get the evil eye. Solitude, silence, focus...yes. With caffeine. And sugar. The perfect library. Without books.
(5)
Summer N.
Super sad because I found this bakery just a few months before I moved and am addicted to their macaroons. The flavors change from week to week, and sometimes I'd come too late in the afternoon and all the macaroons would be completely sold out. Liked all the flavors (although the rose macaroon tasted a little perfume-y, but still pretty good), but passion fruit was my favorite. I think the key is the cookie part is crispy and not gummy like some other macaroons. Still haven't found a place in Hawaii that quite compares...
(4)
James B.
My fiance & I recently got married and chose Alliance to create our wedding cake. We had some difficulties with our reception venue and their contracted cake vendors. Our cake was to be included in our reception package, but after much frustration - we were given the option to take a credit, and arrange our cake on our own. Since we live in the neighborhood, we thought we would go by Alliance. We met with Mitchell for the tasting and everything was great. They were friendly, professional, and had much more reasonable pricing than other bakeries. The cake was delicious, decorated exactly how we wanted, and delivered to our venue on time. The whole experience was perfect.
I literally just finished eating two ginger snaps at Alliance. I am still sitting here! They were so amazing, I has to tell someone ASAP, and the guy sitting next to me seems really into his book, so...Yelped!
(5)
Ariane S.
I really wish I could be obsessed with this place since Iive right around the corner but I'm not a bready baked goods type of person so it fails me every time. The cookies are crunchy so if you're into that sort of thing this is your place to go, and their bars are not as gooey and delicious as they look, in fact they are rather dry and bland. It depresses me to be writing this, because like I said if I could just freaking like this bakery my life would be so much simpler. However, the lounge aspect of the bakery is pretty neat. You can pretty much stay in there for however long you'd like and not buy anything and they will never know because its not connected to the bakery. Unfortunately, I like be surrounded by some sort of pleasing design and the lounge is essentially an outdated college cafeteria lounge. Their coffee however is delicious. So if you are walking past and would like a down to Earth simiple coffee than jump on in. Also, their window displays really make me smile. Have I mentioned I would really love to love the baked goods from this place?
(3)
Sam M.
Have been here twice, the first time I was really confused about where I was going to sit after I got there. Didn't realize that the door for the seating area section was right next to the front door. Good coffee, not the best atmosphere. Haven't tried any of the bakery items, but I've heard good things.
(3)
Gloria E.
FIRST AND LAST TIME WALKING INTO THIS PATHETIC PLACE! Walked in here to get some French macaroons for teachers appreciation week and the lady here acts like I walked in here to beg for free sweets. I ask her for the box of macaroons and she places the box by the cashier. She gets on the phone and I ask her for a red velvet cupcake she stops dialing and gets the cupcake with an attitude. She proceeds to pick up the damn phone again about to dial again. I tell her that we are not finished and she puts the phone down with an attitude. I swear I should have taken those overpriced shitty pastries and threw it at her face but I wanted to get outta there and have something for my sons teacher. I got 1 cupcake, 15 (quarter size) macaroons, lemon tart and some small passion fruit cake....$49.75..what???? I said to the ignorant lady...she rang up the order again and just stared at me with her dumb ass face. Why did I not slap her?? Why the hell did i purchased this shit?? I asked my husband why did you not slap me for paying for this shit??? I don't know. I am sorry but you all at Alliance Bakery can stick your pastries up you ass!!!!!! The other lady who put my order in the bag (with tattoos) was nice though. It's the lady with the black hair that needs to get slapped across the bakery..just so stupid and a nasty attitude!!!
(1)
Lauren M.
The cookies here are pretty awesome, I try to inconspicuously buy a small box of half and half cookies and sprite cookies and not think later about the gluttonous shame of eating it all by myself. The service is good and sometimes it gets crowded since it's a tad small but it's not terrible. I don't much care to stay and drink my coffee around the college students on laptops or the bad music, the connected lounge part isn't the worst I've experienced though uncomfortable and unfriendly when you're trying to have a conversation with a friend. The coffee is fair and the cookies are relatively good but there are a lot of cakes and stuff that aren't too hot.
(3)
Brett F.
Alliance gets two enthusiastic thumbs up in the bakery category. I don't end up here too often since it's not really in my 'hood, but when I find myself even moderately close to AB I'll swing in for one of their red velvet or vanilla cuppiecakes and at least a dozen cookies. AB carries some of the larger cupcakes you'll find amidst the ubiquitous 'cupcakeries', I find them a good value, and have never been served one in any other fashion than moist and fluffy. They are an institution in this city whether you like them or not... just ask Starfruit, Berry Chill or any of the other local businesses now that boast they carry Alliance cupcakes for your tasting pleasure. Arguably, their cupcakes are the best thing here but I love that it's not the ONLY thing. Variety is the spice of life babe, if you'd rather some frosted cookies (yum!) or a lemon bar... perhaps a brownie or raspberry tart even, you have choices that aren't limited to nouveau trends or vegan offerings. Alliance is your more 'standard' bakery, the type of place you can find a good 'ol fashioned B&W cookie and not just a mini-dry-soy-wheat-grass-cupcake decorated to look like one.
(4)
Brooke M.
I ordered my son's 2nd birthday cake from Alliance after seeing their incredible cake decorating at another party. They can do anything you want in terms of design, decoration and theme. The cake that impressed me so much? Shaped like Prince's guitar. The cake we ordered? Shaped to look just like Brobie's cake from the Yo Gabba Gabba episode Brobie's Birthday. And the cake is also one of the most delicious I have ever eaten from any bakery. Everyone was amazed with how the cake looked at the party and how great it tasted. Sometimes great looking you lose the taste and get taste doesn't always look so hot but this was the best of both.
(5)
Char Y.
I dropped by first thing in the morning to get some croissants and macarons. The croissants are the best in the city so far! both the chocolate and the almond was authentic and delicious! the macarons perfect!
Quite a unique place. The bakery and its "lounge" next door have not been remodeled, and the bakery itself is small, but the fondant draped cakes in the window displays and the smells that seep out of there just draws you in. There are two cases of pastries, mainly cookies and little cakes. My girl friend and I came here to grab portabello foccacia sandwiches, mint iced teas, 1 strawberry almond tart, and 3 macaroons, which totalled $22. I don't think they post prices, which was a little annoying. But everything was tasty! Surprisingly, the portabello focaccia sandwich too, even though it looked boring. However, the foccacia bread was a little hard, which I think was a result of it being stored in the refrigerated case. We took our food next door where there are tables, A/C, and free wifi - until it started raining. Love that there is that much seating and free wifi, especially for studiers and workers who need sweets to fuel their brains!
(4)
Christy Q.
I clearly am not getting something here. I'm missing something. I don't get the high reviews. I thought it sucked, overall. The setup is cool, I'll grant that. But otherwise, the food sucked. I've tried 4 different things here on different occasions and nothing impressed me, at all. On a hot summer day I was craving a lemon bar- so I headed over to Alliance Bakery! It sucked. I'm sorry, but it was the WORST lemon bar I've ever had. I've had better lemon bars from hotels at work meetings. It had zero lemony flavor, and the consistency was totally dry. Dry Dry Dry. It was way gross. I couldn't finish it and tossed it in the trash. Then I had a pecan bar of some sort. It was blah. It was truly blah. Again, I didn't finish it and just tossed it. I tried a third time with this bakery. This time I got 2 cupcakes- one red velvet cupcake and one yellow cake with the vanilla frosting. The verdict? They both wound up in the trash. The red velvet was better than the yellow cake. But the cream cheese frosting was actually too airy. Which I rarely say about frosting- usually with a cupcake I feel like there's just too much frosting- it overwhelms the cake. In this case it was just airy- cool whip airy. Like cream cheese cool whip. The yellow cake/vanilla frosting- SICK. It tasted EXACTLY like Jewel grocery store's cupcakes. EXACTLY. The frosting was identical and the cake was exactly the same. Not to mention the cake was D.R.Y. Not to mention the people working there are too cool for school. The people I've met refuse to make eye contact, or greet you or smile. I get that they are super duper cool, skinny pant wearing, tattooed, pierced dudes and dudettes, but come on. That's not how you run a business. Smile. Greet a customer. Make small talk. Something- some sign of life... please? Give me some reason (other than the lousy baked goods) to return. I will never ever return. I've given this place 3 chances, I've ordered 4 different things, and I've disliked it all. I can't figure out why people rave about this place. Lucky for Alliance Bakery, I seem to be in the minority. I just don't get it. When there are bakeries like Dinkel's's and Molly's Cupcakes in this city, who in the world would rave about this dump?
(1)
Michael S.
Alliance.. Really good treats.. So delicious, but yet sooo bad for you! I've had quite a few baked goodies here on several occasions. I even had a simple blue car iced cookie here and that was really good! Actually, I've never been anything, but impressed with the products here! The cakes while I've never had also look amazing. Must ask how much one of those specially made cakes are next time I go..
(4)
Anita S.
I've been a huge fan of Alliance in the past, I love their baked goods and their coffee is always delicious. Today, however, when I went in to order paczkis the staff was extremely rude. There was a line of about 2 or 3 people and I patiently waited in it for my turn. When it was my turn the woman behind the counter asked the man behind me for his order instead of me, when I was clearly the next person in line. It seemed that they knew each other and he was a former regular. I would've overlooked this if not for what happened next, the woman behind the counter noticed that I was clearly overlooked and did nothing, then the man behind the counter helped another woman behind me in the line. I finally spoke up and said "I think I'm next." I ended up spending about half an hour in line this morning before work. I probably should've said something but hate making a scene, instead Alliance won't be receiving my business again. They'll probably be just fine without it, I'm just sad about the way I was treated.
(1)
Dave G.
I really liked the staff and the cupcakes were great. They also offer beautiful little individual custards and cheesecakes in addition to the cupcakes. Delicious Black Cat espresso was perfectly drawn.
(4)
Jane T.
Yep, I still love Alliance Bakery! A friend of mine recently threw a Mexican fiesta dinner and I felt like I should bring something, so I turned to the trusty Alliance Bakery. Initially, I wanted to get some red velvet cupcakes but after peeking at the site, I went for a whole red velvet cake. I submitted my order online, thinking that I was too late to get any sort of decorated cake order in but the chef contacted me a day later and told me it was absolutely plausible. The cake was 100x more gorgeous than I'd imagined it would be (photo uploaded!). Thank you, Alliance, for such a gorgeous and delicious treat for our fiesta.
(5)
Karim H.
Excellent service, amazing french pastries and croissants, and really frickin' good cupcakes! We stopped in during the Renegade Craft Fair and I was quite surprised at the quality of their baked things. They also have a lounge next door with free wifi which might very well become my new favorite spot to study! If this were in walking distance, I'd be 10 lbs. heavier by Christmas
(4)
Jenny S.
I needed a cake for a birthday party so I called Alliance since I'd enjoyed their cupcakes and other desserts before. The first time I called the woman on the phone was super helpful. She went through the different sizes for me and the prices and the prices of the add-ons, etc. I thought about it and decided on a cake and called back to double-check on prices. This person on the phone wasn't as helpful. One word answers and had to keep looking things up. Whatever, it's all good. I ordered my cake online (speaking of, ordering would be a heck of a lot easier if they'd just list base prices of cakes online!). Picked it up and it was beautiful. They went above and beyond with the design. Plus it was delicious. So very very tasty. The only downside (if this can even be a down side when it comes to a tasty cake) it was HUGE. So let that be my tip to you---if you're ordering a cake and are wondering "Should I go up a size or down a size?" go down a size! I think I have 1/2 a cake left over.
(4)
Diane H.
The sign in the window saying "macarons" drew me in. I've had a lot of macarons in the last couple of years-- at boutiques in Las Vegas, in boxes shipped from France, at local coffee shops in Detroit. The fig and pistachio-cherry macarons were, hands down, the best I've ever tasted-- toothsome and wonderfully flavored. My husband, who has weathered my macaron obsession with skepticism, was impressed by how good these were. I've had plenty of macarons where I couldn't tell what flavor they were even supposed to be, and you won't have that problem here. The latte we ordered wasn't quite phenomenal; my husband thought it tasted more like a tea latte than an espresso drink. I thought it was OK but preferred the latte from Milk & Honey down the road.
(4)
Jennifer S.
We walked down to Alliance Bakery after a yummy lunch at Smoke Daddy. They are about a half block from each other and I am a dessert-freak, so my hubby suggested it and I happily agreed. Um, it was kinda weird. The front window has beautiful cakes and made me want to talk in. It was a Sunday afternoon and the cases were a bit picked over, so I struggled with what to order. Wish I had read Yelp ahead of time and tried a macaroon! Anyhow, I ordered an apricot almond pastry and a cranberry bar of some sort. Both were okay. Neither were fabulous and I don't think I will go out of my way to spend $7.96 on two "meh" pastries again. Also, the staff was a little off...I can't really explain it, but it wasn't that warm, fuzzy feel that I usually get in a bakery. Thanks, but no thanks.
(2)
Caroline M.
S l o w service. Cramped space. The stroller in there literally took up 1/3 of the waiting area. Sad cupcakes. The icing was very disappointing :( Their spring specials board had some yummy sounding items (pineapple upsidedown cake) but it was nowhere to be found. One star for the free doggie treat with any purchase. My hot boy's dog scarfed it down. Another star for the loading zone out front (rockstar parking if you can get in and out of there in 10 min, which is pretty unlikely).
(2)
Katie P.
Alliance made my wedding cake and did a truly splendid job. For starters, they accommodated our need for three people at the tasting and were pleasant and easy to deal with from our first contact. To be honest, I never intended to have a traditional wedding cake. But, it was included as part of our contract with the hotel we had our wedding and reception at. And when it's included you go for it! I've never really ever enjoyed wedding cake. It's usually dry and the icing is gross. I was so surprised when during the tasting I actually enjoyed our final choice. I mean, I really liked it! We ended up going with a hazelnut cake, strawberry preserve filling, and a buttercream frosting. It tasted like strawberry shortcake (my favorite dessert!) and how perfect is that for a summer wedding! I didn't hold out tons of hope that the cake would actually taste that good at the wedding but the final verdict was fantastic! I won't lie. I never actually got to have a piece that cake at my wedding. I was so busy making the rounds that I just never actually got to eat it. That said, it was absolutely how we had envisioned it and I've received so many complements on how tasty it was. Actually, when it's all said and done I've probably gotten more comments about how good the cake was than anything else!
(5)
Dee V.
I am so happy with how my son's 1st birthday dino cake came out!!! I will be coming here for future bday cakes! A little on the expensive side but I thought it came out so good & it was delicious.
(5)
Robin W.
Still my favorite cup of coffee in town. Loving the new vegan chocolate chip cookies! I love pastry options:)
(5)
Jamie F.
I know every girl says this, but I usually don't write a negative review. For real though, I work in the restaurant industry, and I know how quickly and easily some people can fly off the handle and damage a place's rep. That being said, I truly was very dissapointed in my experience with Alliance. I pace their window all the time, admiring the artistry that goes into their cakes. I must admit that I usually get my cakes from Bittersweet, as I've had great success with their product. However, I needed a 'shape cake' for a good friends 30th birthday - something Bittersweet doesn't do. So, my second choice, was Alliance. I called them up, spoke to Peter, and made an order for a White Sox jersey-shaped cake with chocolate for the flavor and cappucino moussed for the filling. I go to pick up the cake right before heading to my friends birthday dinner. As they allow me to inspect the cake, I was greeted by an adorable little jersey that, for some reason, was missing my friend's name on it. Something which I had gone over with him several times. No biggie, easy fix, and I get to the party on time. The real rub came when, upon cutting into the cake for our guests, I see a VANILLA cake staring back at me. I ordered chocolate, my friend's favorite. REALLY?? You pride yourself on your artistry, but can't get a cake's simple flavor right? Keep in mind that this was a 10 inch cake at the cost of $220.00. Not a bargain by any means. I called the very next day to complain, natch. My response upon telling them that they got the flavor wrong was, "Oooh...that's not good." Yeah, tell me about it. I was offered 50% off of another cake, which I don't need, or 20% back on the cake in question. So, $40.00 for getting the most essential part of the cake, the flavor, incorrect. Wow. Maybe it's just me, but that's not the way I would do business. Bittersweet, here I stay. Thanks for nothing, Alliance.
(2)
Annie M.
I love Alliance Bakery!!! I ordered a cake several years ago for my husband's birthday - absolutely fabulous. Chocolate cake, banana filling and chocolate ganache. Amazing. And most recently I ordered a cake for my sister's birthday... amazing and moist!!! It was a two tier cake: bottom tier vanilla cake with dulce de leche filling... top tier red velvet with cream cheese filling and both tiers with vanilla bean butter cream frosting. YUM!!! The design was amazing as well! I found an image I liked online and emailed them a copy. My sister and all of our guests raved about the cake. Also... Mitchell and Peter are great! They respond to emails fairly quickly... which I completely appreciated. LOVE ALLIANCE BAKERY!!! Thanks soo much for the wonderful service and product!!!
(5)
Erin B.
I have a feeling I'm going to get really fat by going here. The hazelnut & vegan peanut butter cupcakes were really good as was the coffee! I cannot wait to try more of the goodies in here! My favorite part was the vibe...it reminded me of all the amazing patisseries in Brooklyn that I always wish Chicago had more of.
(4)
Sonya X.
It's a bad thing that this place is so close to my house because I have a secret addiction to their cupcakes!!! They're just so moist and yummy and come in wonderful flavors. Anytime I have guests over I pick up dozen or so of these cupcakes in various flavors and they always turn out to be a hit. Also not to mention, whenever I have out of town guests visiting I always make sure to take them to Alliance so they can see all the pretty cakes in the window.. my favorite being the hamburger cake! Now if I could only convince one of my friends to get me a cake from Alliance for my birthday......
(5)
Becky S.
This review is more of 3.5 stars but that's not an option. 1. We showed up for our tasting and the counter staff was swamped but not particularly nice. We constantly felt like we were in the way in the small storefront with the coffee and macaroon customers streaming in and out. 2. The girl who led our cake tasting was very nice. She had everything ready, helped walk us through everything and generally did her job. 3. We chose to upgrade from the base package included with the catering at our hotel so we had to pay extra - no biggie. Although we wouldn't necessarily have upgraded our package to get an extra layer of cake if they had told us at the beginning that we'd get a voucher for our 1 year anniversary to get fresh cake. All in all, not a big deal. 4. The cake was beautiful. We left the general details up to the designer since neither my husband nor I are artistic people. They did a beautiful job. 5. The layers were wrong - we had requested that specific tiers be specific flavors so we'd get more of our favorites. Also, the top tier which we ate the day after was the wrong flavor and we had 2 of our favorite - the bottom and the top - so we didn't get to eat it. My dad tried all of the layers of the cake and the grooms cake and said he didn't like how any of them tasted which is disappointing since I liked them at the tasting. I cannot say if I liked them or not - except that the top layer wasn't so great the next day but that could have been because it hadn't been properly stored by the hotel - but ultimately the taste of the wedding cake wasn't super important to me. 6. The reason for the half star upgrade: the grooms cake. The bakery helped me surprise my groom with a cake shaped like his most prized possession: his truck. I snuck them photos at the tasting and the cake itself was pretty awesome. My husband was super excited and hasn't stopped bragging about how accurate it was. All in all, I'd recommend them. The mistakes that were made were minor and the beauty of the cakes has been talked about by my guests (the bridal caked featured the Chicago skyline) and I was very happy with how everything looked and the designers' choices.
(3)
Brad C.
If you're like Caroline M, and you're walking around wicker park with the stroller this might not be the place for you. Sure its small, but there is a bunch of outdoor seating and next door. And I'm sorry but a 9pm closing is late for a bakery. Great friendly service, and very tasty treats! My fianc thought the cupcakes were awesome. I just moved right around the corner so this is going to have to be my new weekend coffee spot, sorry Milk n' Honey. The vibe reminded of bleeding heart on Chicago Ave.
(4)
Katie R.
Oh wow, how did I forget to write a review of Alliance? I ordered a small cake from here for a friend who was moving away from Chicago. The first time I called, I got put on hold for a while and gave up on the call. The second time I had no problems, so I'll give benefit of the doubt here and assume the first was an accident. The gentleman I talked to was terrific. I knew I wanted chocolate mousse as the filing and vanilla cake. However, the frosting was a toss-up, so I asked the person taking my order what he would recommend. He immediately recommended vanilla buttercream. This cake was perfect. Delicious. Lovely. The decoration was so tasteful. One cake-eater told me a few weeks later that she was still thinking about the cake with love. It clearly inspired her to want another. I will order from here again when I have the time to travel to pick it up. Great experience. While the picture exists, you can see it here: yfrog.com/ekgd7fj
(5)
Tuyen N.
UPDATE: 05/03/10 Back again. I ordered an iced green tea but was told they have green tea, its just mixed. I said sure... apparently its just peppermint tea. LOL. Oh boy... then as I head into the "lounge" no outlet around the couch works. Now I know why this place smells. They have a plug-in air freshener but its plugged into a non-working outlet! DUH! I've removed one star for lack of green tea and working power outlets!
(2)
Stephanie D.
ORDER YOUR CAKE HERE! My mom and I wanted to surprise my sister with a fancy cake for her graduation from film school so she sent me on a hunt around Chicago for a cake that could rival the ones seen on "Cake Boss." If you're willing to throw down a bit of $$$ for a cake that is truly a piece of art, turn to Alliance Bakery. Their friendly staff took time to sit down with me and go through options to make a cake that fit into our budget. The end result was a cake that turned into a film reel with black and white frosting... it was so gorgeous and unlike anything I had ever seen. At our dinning table to feast on this cake were the harshest critics on earth: both of my grandmothers. I have to admit that when we sat down to eat it we were all worried that the fondant wouldn't taste very good and that the black coloring would give the icing a bitter flavor. Much to our shock this cake tasted even better than it looked. Everyone had a second piece. There was a lot of moaning and eyes rolling into the back of heads. Normally at the end of dinning on a cake that we brought to a restaurant we give the rest of the cake to the server to eat w/ their coworkers but there was no way we were going to give this baby up.... we at the rest for breakfast the next day! LOL It's been months since all ate that cake and it has been brought up numerous times by not only my grandmothers but also the rest of my family. We can't stop talking about how frickin' delicious it was. As granny said: "That cake was worth getting fat on." Now if only I had another special event coming up so I could justify ordering another. Guess I'll have to get married or something :P
(5)
Janelle B.
Alliance made my wedding cake in July 2013 and they did an excellent job! I wanted a pretty simple design but they made it beautiful, and of course delicious. They were very flexible with options to combine two cake flavors (I had to give my fiance at least one thing he wanted in the wedding planning process...) and they were more than happy to deliver special desserts for our vegan and gluten free guests. Jennifer was really helpful with the few questions I had and our tasting was fun. I highly recommend Alliance Bakery!
(5)
Meghan B.
Stoped in on a walk last night...the sign indicating they had French Macaroons lured me in. I ordered one of each of the flavors they had and have to say the flavors were incredibly rich and fabulous, unfortunately the texture did not deliver. This were much chewer and harder than the macaroons I've had in the past. I was looking for something that would basically melt in your mouth and this was not it. Would defiantly go back, but not for the macaroons....they had very cute iced cutout sugar cookies in 50+ designs!
(3)
Colleen R.
I feel compelled to bump Alliance up to 4 stars during the summertime. The presence of their outdoor patio on Division's generously-sized sidewalks provides a lovely setting to sit and chat that doesn't feel like a library sponsored by Apple. Plus, their macarons? Outta this world!
(4)
L Y.
I. LOVE. this BAKERY! their macaroons are delicious and so are their other baked goods. I got my roommate's birthday cake here (red velvet) and the girls behind the counter were nice enough to write "Happy Birthday" on the cake. The workers are friendly, the desserts are yummy, and their adjacent "lounge" area is great. It has a very cozy neighborhood feel to it. they also have dog treats and any local business that has a consideration for dogs is A-okay in my book :)
(5)
Elle M.
I just recently read that I have what they call a Type 3 sugar addiction. I will drive to the ends of the earth if that is where the sweets are, so I am on a constant look -out for bakeries, cafes, candy stores, or any place where I can get sweets:) I was actually looking for a different bakery when I saw this place by accident. Boy, am I glad I stopped in! They have the BEST almond croissants!!! I have been back for more since then....
(4)
Claire M.
I love this place. i love the cookies the sandwiches the coffee.. i love the every changing cast of characters behind the counter that are sweet and annoyed simultaneously. Im glad they redid the everything in trhe cafe side.. it was u g l y .. it is now nice and cozy and totally unoffensive. but my favorite part is the sitting outside on a spring or summer day just watching division go by. i dont know. i wouldnt guess that i would want to sit on division, but there at alliance, i truly don't mind...
(5)
Sarah B.
Alliance Bakery NEVER disappoints! I've never walked out of there with less than 3 treats and a drink or two. While the actual store front itself is on the small side, it's delectably cozy and comforting. I would even go so far as to say that it reminds me of being in a lov-ER-ly pâtisserie in France, without having to purchase a plane ticket. But don't fret! Everyone who works there is warm and helpful, and you certainly won't feel like a foreigner in this haven on Division. I hesitate to describe their wondrous selection of items to choose from, because we'd be here all day. But their sweet treats are always beautiful, fresh, and often intricately full of color. Even their display cases exude an angelic, halo-like aura that suggests you are, in fact, in a divine place, and you'd be a fool for not indulging in all that this heaven has to offer (I was not high during the making of this review). Let's just say, I now know what Eve was facing when she went in for that apple... On a more Earthly note, Alliance offers something for everyone. They have everything from huge, fluffy, flaky , croissants with hearty cheese and goodness to mini key lime pies. They have vegan scones, an array of cupcake options, a decadent tiramisu, and the best muffins I've had in the city. They also have quiche, parfaits, and some salads, oh my! In addition to perfecting all of the bakery basics, they always offer some incredibly unique, and seductive desserts that often coincide with the season. My last trip included this layered pistachio awesomeness, I think they called it an "Ellen" (maybe from Cakes by Ellen?). It started with a puff cream pillow, then pistachio crumble, topped with pistachio cake and a thin layer of hardened marbled white chocolate as the base. The memory of that pastry will serve as my "happy place" for while. Their beverages, coffee drinks, Italian sodas, and especially the iced chai, are just as splendid and complimentary to anything you eat there. With Fall approaching, I am envisioning many a morning with the perfect couple: Chai latte and Banana Nut Muffin. In this "Ode to Alliance", I have to note how wonderful the staff is as well. They are so helpful and informative without having to ask or deal with weird looks from them as I blubber around in indecision. It's immensely refreshing to walk into a place where there staff is obviously passionate and happy about what they do. An establishment like Alliance reinvigorates my appreciation for the baking and pastry arts as a whole, from mixing bowl to belly. I realize we're talking about cake here, but Alliance is truly doing something HUGE with the little joys in life. I could not be more thankful to have them in the neighborhood. * I went ahead and gave them 5 stars, because I'm obviously obsessed, but I do have one small complaint. I really like the fact that their dining/cafe area is in a completely separate building next door, but the atmosphere in there definitely leaves something to be desired. The separate seating area is much more conducive to getting work done or studying without the distraction of customer traffic, but I can't help but feel uncomfortable while I'm in there. I'm not quite sure if it's just the dark lighting or furniture setup or what, but I never stay there very long.
(5)
Candace M.
I was at an event recently and Alliance Bakery was kind enough to grace us with an array of sweets. I must say that I have had their cake before at a wedding I planned and it was delicious, but... ...now I have fallen in love with their mini chocolate mousse tarts with a hint of raspberry at the bottom. I won't disclose how many I ate but all I can say is OMG! It doesn't get better than that and it just doesn't make any sense for anything to taste that darn good!
(5)
Laura N.
When I lived in the neighborhood, it was a requirement that anyone who visited me had to take a quick trip to the bakery for some cookies, brownies, or cupcakes (my treat, of course). Although they are not the best cupcakes and cookies in the world, they're pretty damn good and I'm hooked. Not only are they delicious, but some of their creations are beautiful to look at -- I fear eating them will destroy them! I'm sad I'm no longer in the neighborhood and cannot walk a couple blocks for a quick treat anymore. I do look forward to going back!
(4)
Jennie T.
They have a great selection of macarons here. They even have cupcakes. I was going to have dinner with a friend and when I saw this bakery, I knew I just had to go in and buy something for her. My eyes wandered over to the cupcakes but her favorites were macarons so I bought her a little box of one of each kind. There were about 7 different flavors. My total came out to be around $11. Yeah, they're not really cheap. But she enjoyed them so I'm happy.
(4)
L G.
Love this place!! I only get there on occasion - as this place is a special treat for me. Perfect stop to make on the way to a party for something to share - or pick up for a birthday treat for someone special. They will rave about whatever you choose. The service is always good - even when it's kinda hectic inside, everyone has always been super freindly and helpful when trying to decide. Keep doing exactly what you are doing!
(5)
Amanda Z.
Thank you, Alliance, for rocking my birthday girl's world with your red velvet goodness. I popped in on a Wednesday, in need of a cake for Saturday. The staff was very pleasant, brought out a cake to show me the size and what it would look like. Once it was determined that I would not be wanting THAT cake (come on, she had to have a FRESH cake) he set me up, and I ordered it with my desired message. Of course, I couldn't leave empty-handed, so I took a Key Lime bar and a Cheesecake bar to go. Yum. The Key Lime bar was tart and not too sweet, my general desire, and the Cheesecake bar made me look like a rock star girlfriend. Awesome. Cake was ready promptly on Saturday, the icing looked gorgeous, and I was outta there in 5 minutes. Impressive given the Renegade insanity outside. Oh, and Intelligentsia? Sure, I'll take a couple of iced coffees to go. (Perfection on a warm September day.) Fast forward to the party. Cake displayed to the tune of the birthday salsa (LOVE). Birthday girl given the task of cutting the cake (HILARIOUS). And everyone ooohed and aaahhhed, despite red velvet not really being on anyone else's radar. The cake looked wonderful, and tasted even better. I'll be back for more bakery needs, rest assured. Oh yeah, and for the coffee too.
(5)
Len L.
Tried to order a B-day cake, went online to look at designs for the cake and found one that I liked. I noted the name of the cake and tried to order the cake over the phone. The person from the bakery had no clue what cake is online and was told to go online to order the cake or come in. Later that night, I went by the bakery and the person in the bakery said that the internet is down and should come back the next day or call. The next day I called the bakery and the baker said that he does not know what cake is shown online or had any pictures of the cake online. Bottom line-The cake I've wanted was not the cake I received and does not look like the cake described online. The cake was too sweet and was dry.
(1)
Karen B.
The employer I work for ordered a cake there for their reception. It was very well done! You could tell they spent alot of time perfecting it. And the staff is super nice.
(5)
Kunal K.
I needed to buy a box of cookies to give to my landlord for making a complete ass out of myself (Shocker!) whilst being wasted the night before. I got locked out and had to wake them up at 5 am to let me into my house. Or so I deduced the next morning since I don't actually remember it. So the cookies had to be pretty damn good. And they were. I also got a mocha to get rid of that strange throbbing pain in my head (wonder what that was about?!) and don't tell anyone but I sneaked in a couple of cookies from the box. I really liked the ginger one. And no, that's not the cute redhead sitting across from me in the lounge. But I really liked her too.
(4)
Berlin G.
The deserts are really good! The cakes are also really pretty. And the people serving you are kind of hot *wink wink* hahaha. I especially like the raspberry oatmeal bar. Soooooo good. I'm not sure if I'm coming back for the raspberry bar or because I think they guy that works there is a totally hottie. Either way, I'll be going back and I definitely recommend this place. haha
(4)
Izzy N.
I was craving some cake and decided to walk into Alliance. No cake slices but cupcakes, I'll settle. Kinda pricey for 3+ a pop and the picture on yelp is inaccurate. They don't label their cupcakes anymore, nor prices. So you'll have to guess from the looks of it or ask as to what cupcake is what flavor. What did my sweet tooth get? Lemon cupcake with passionfruit filling and a red velvet as well as two coconut lime macarons and a dulce de leche bread pudding. The bread pudding was devine after I warmed it up a little. So rich and not too sweet. The cupcakes were pretty good, moist but I don't like the airy light frosting. It melted down too easily, I prefer the frosting to be a tad thicker. The passion fruit filling was a real treat though because it wasn't too sweet and the right amount of tang to it. Yum! The macarons were alright. I loooove lime flavors but kinda hate coconut but this was a nice balance and the coconut was subtle enough where it didn't ruin the experience with the lime. Nice guys and they have good pastries too. A big plus is that they are open everyday until 9pm!
(4)
Brittney L.
I adore cupcakes and so I was really excited to check out my neighborhood cupcake shop. I stopped in after work one day and I asked the girl behind the counter what her favorite one was. She was rude and didn't really care to give me her opinion (so much for passion for your product). I finally squeezed out that the red velvet was her favorite so I ordered that and an italian soda. They didn't have the soda water for the italian soda so I got an orange juice instead (which they charged 3.00 for a tiny bottle!) So I was being charged over 7.00 for a cupcake and an orange juice, but after eying the cakes in the windows for the few weeks I had been walking by, I let that go and went outside to enjoy my treat. Not only was the cupcake dry as a bone and flavorless, the icing was gooey and bland. SUCH a waste of my money and calories. With all of the fantastic cupcake shops in Chicago I won't be coming here again any time soon.
(1)
imran k.
I came in here after getting my physical done. I came to celebrate because my doctor told me that I am in perfectly healthy shape: perfect blood sugar, perfect blood pressure, and get this: perfect BMI. So I gallantly entered Alliance and asked the barista to make me something with a lot of whipping cream. He looked at me puzzled for a second, but I reassured him: I was serious. He made me a mocha with LOTS of chocolate and LOTS of whipping cream (as requested). As he gave it to me, he said, "This might be the most unhealthy beverage I've ever made." I thanked him for taking such accurate directions. For kicks, I also got a lemon poppy seed muffin. And walked into their lounge. There, I started formulating this review. The music perfectly complimented what everyone was doing. Whether it was reading articles for class (me), working on laptops, or quietly gossiping (two hot girls), the music was neither snooze-worthy nor too distracting. The coffee was brilliant. Strong, but didn't give mama the jitters. Comfortable seating, not cozy enough to make me nod off, but definitely better than other chairs you can find at various coffee shops around the city. It was just perfect. I got so much done. In a pleasant environment. Nice work, Alliance. I'll be back.
(4)
Becca F.
It took us 3 tries just to get a taste of their treats. The first two times we visited, we entered and found no clerk was present. We had several minutes alone to drool over the selection before the clerk returned. When we spoke up to place our orders, the clerks informed us they were closed. CLOSED - Yet the lights were on, the doors were ajar. This happened TWICE. Both times we entered before closing time. Once, a clerk informed us they had already counted the till. We then offered to pay w/o receiving change and he still refused to serve us. The third time we did get a cookie and cupcake. However, the treats weren't delicious enough to erase the sour taste left behind by the poor customer service we had encountered previously. Now, we just go down to Letitzia's for delicious treats and great customer service (plus they are open late!).
(1)
Mary F.
I've been here a couple times to grab things for dinner parties, etc. I'm just not sure what the hype is all about. For the amount they charge, everything should be great. Some of the cookies/ cupcakes I've had were pretty good. But not great. A few of the treats were either bland or dry. Not good. The bakery is overpriced. I would have given it 2 (maybe 3) stars but... We just ordered a cake for a friend's Birthday party. Birthday person gets what they want. The cake was expensive. It's cake. Not gold. Again, what the birthday person wants... But - the name on the cake was misspelled! It was spelled correctly on the ticket attached to the box... This tells me a couple things - the person writing the icing did not check the ticket. The person handing over the cake did not check the cake. When we said something, we were told we'd have to talk to the manager (not there)... The customer service received was less than ideal, border line rude, and the initial offer to make us happy was insulting (essentially offered to take sales tax off). Not cool, people, not cool.
(1)
Alex K.
They always had awesome pastry but people who work there are acting like they don't want to be there at all. They have great seating outside. They have a cherry bliss bar that I love. Anything I have tried in the past has been amazing. It's just people that work here don't really care if you buy or not buy anything. Kind of off-putting. From what I"ve heard they make great cakes and know a lot about weird wedding cakes. Hopefully their staff for that is nicer.
(3)
Jaime C.
the goodies are pretty much all delicious, with a few standouts amongst the crowd (key lime bar OHMYGOD). there's outdoor seating, as well as an adjacent room where people can drink their coffee &/or get themselves stabbed if they forget to silence their phone. alliance's dine-in clientele are bookish at best, zombie-like at worst, & that side room is a MORGUE OF SILENCE where the slightest cough can elicit A THOUSAND YEARS OF STINK-EYE. speaking of stink eye, it would seem that they've recently hired on a slew of new baristas, a couple of whom are working on their masters in 'TUDE. really? your conversation on doggie biscuits was that vital? oh, fret not. you totally got me good with this warm "iced" coffee. i'm feeling the passive aggressive burn, don't worry. i'll never interrupt again. my visits here have become fewer & farther in between since the new hires came, as i really don't enjoy being treated like a troll that just crawled out from under a bridge. but those key lime bars...well, at least i've cut down.
(3)
klassy k.
i want to hire a clown to smash their cupcakes into my face all day, are you kidding me? they're "da bomb" like the young folks say. on my way to work, i often stop in to eat one of their filled croissants (the turkey and cheese or the spinach are my faves) it is a little pricey, but well worth it! the cake display in the window is so cool! a cake art gallery! why anyone goes across the street to the starbucks (except to peep the cute bearded barista there) is beyond me!
(5)
Richie D.
I stopped in here after an across the street visit to Angels and Mariachis. Their cupcake frosting is good, but the rest of the cupcake wasn't too great. Their pecan bars were soft and chewy, mmmm. They have some interesting croissants with different fillings which was neat. Not the best bakery I've visited or come across, but not bad either. Just average. I just checked out the bakery and nothing else, so I can't rate on it more than that.
(3)
Lindley E.
The best thing going for Alliance is the wi-fi study room and the sidewalk dining. Billy and I met at Alliance to write a short story that was solicited by some pervvy guy on Craigslist. I bought us a dry cappuccino (pretty darn good), an earl grey tea, and two sweets -- a lemon scone (too much vanilla) and a coconut macaroon (the icing was excessive). As we typed out absurdity after absurdity ("I got my period when I was 9 because I ate too much hormone-tainted chicken"; "I wrote to Oprah and asked her if I was dying of cancer"; "neighborhood boys paid me to look at my chest") we made some real headway into the sweets...but none of them really delivered. I won't make a special trip to Alliance to eat sweets, but if I had some work to do and couldn't get my internet to work, Alliance would be a top choice for me. Updated 5-13-08 I added one star because these guys know their way around laminated doughs - the breakfast pastry are great! Loved the coffee cakes and danish. Cupcakes=not worth the trip, but the great danish (and yummy eclairs) make up for them.
(4)
Stevey P.
It was a difficult decision to decide between the red velvet cupcake, chocolate chip cookie and the hazelnut chocolate cupcake. So I was like screw it, and got them all. Unfortunately it was so stinkin hot outside on their cafes tables (but it was a beautiful afternoon, so whatevs) everything started to melt quickly and since I was already feeling like a HEIFER, I never got to the red velvet. With that said the hazelnut chocolate was amazing -- thick creamy and voluptuous. All I could think of was the band from the movie "Coming to America" -- Sexual Chocolate. The fudge stuck to the roof of my mouth -- it was heavenly. The cake itself was pretty good, and was flecked with bits of hazelnut (the actual nut!) Nice!! The server here was very helpful in steering my fat ass to the pastries of choice. I definitely recommend this place. It's worth every single of my 5 stars and then some.
(5)
Andrea H.
I went to Alliance for my wedding cake after Rolf's bakery closed down so unexpectedly. With my wedding near, I panicked but alliance assured me that they could replicate any Rolf's cake at my tasting. the price was higher, but I wasn't worried because after looking at sample pictures I felt confident my cake would look fabulous. Not so much....the cake looked like the designs I'd seen in pics and online that I knew I DIDN'T want. The "lace designs" simply looked like squiggly lines made out of icing on the fondant and even the designs that were supposed to mimic the moulding in the banquet hall just looked like drawn on crooked lines. The guests all though the cake looked great, but looking at the cake on my wedding day for the first time was an utter disappointment. If Alliance hadn't assured me they could replicate my original design choice, I would have just chose something different altogether.
(1)
Amanda Y.
My husband and I stopped by Alliance to grab a quick bite before being stuck in rush hour traffic for an hour to head home to the suburbs. We ordered quite a few things: 2 sandwiches (roast beef and tuna), macarons (chocolate and vanilla), a chocolate croissant, and a couple cups of coffee to keep us warm. We didn't know that there was a separate sitting place next door so we sat the ONLY seating available right when you enter the bakery. The sandwiches were quite delicious. The tuna salad sandwich was served on a croissant and it was not your typical tuna salad: it actually has herbs in it to enhance the flavor! We loved the macarons, the flavor combo were different and I can't remember exactly what filling went into the chocolate macaron and what went into the vanilla. We look forward to going there more and try their other stuff!!
(4)
Christina S.
I've been coming to alliance since i was a kid, when it was a real polish bakery with real prices. and real yummy yummy pastries. nowadays, their baked goods are a-ight. nothin to write home about. I go in there now if i'm near the parental unit and need an espresso.
(3)
Anjali B.
Macarons fit for a princess, and only a stone's throw from the palace! Delish. I love the Raspberry Rose, Coconut Lime, and Chocolate + Salted Caramel. Polite staff. I had to text a friend to see if they needed anything from Alliance, and the gentleman helping me asked if I minded if he skipped over me to help others, instead of standing, waiting, huffing and puffing, making it all awkward, etc. Promptly served a few people, and came back to me and was happy to make me an iced Americano and suggest his favorite macaron flavors to me. I'll be coming here on a regular basis, awesome.
(4)
Dk N.
YUMMMMM!!! I bought an apple tart or something like that. And, I totally inhaled the pastry in seconds. OMG!!! This is SO good. Everyone who works or lives nearby knows this place. Heck, I should go there now...
(5)
naomi S.
Kind of sad to be writing alliance a two star review but the place has really gone down hill the past year or so.... I have always order cakes from there for friends parties/ my little ones birthdays ect.. Their cookies/ croissants are average and wayyyyy over priced.. They don't make most of their baked goods and they never carry bread anymore... But I really loved alliance for their cute cakes!! I was going to get a small teddy bear shaped cake ( for 20 people) for my little ones first birthday and they wanted to charge me $ 400.00... Ridicules!!! They made a cake last year for my other sons birthday for 30 people and it was $175.00 and I thought at the time that was a bit high but I went with it because I love their designs and I like to shop local but 400.00 (440.00 with tax and would make it $20 a slice) for a 20 person teddy bear cake is just wrong! They are popular with wedding cakes ect.. Their bakery seems very disorganized too ( they've misplaced two very important orders that I ) Plus I had placed a large cookie order with them for a shower and they used the wrong colors and the cookies looked really sloppy and tasted stale....
(2)
Liz S.
I wish I loved this place as much as other people, but I just didn't. Small detail which only probably bothers me, but, I walked in and I felt like I was walking into a sauna. I shared a cupcake and a cheesecake bar with a friend, and once again I wish I loved this place. The cupcake was a vanilla cake with buttercream frosting. I suppose if you like dry cupcakes this is the place to get them, but I like moist cake (since the frosting isn't something I even eat). The cake part was such a let down. However, the cheesecake square was heavenly. It melted in my mouth like all cheesecakes should, and it had the perfect amount of crust to cake. I'll be back for the cheesecake square, but, most likely never a cupcake. I'll have to just feed my craving with my own for now.
(2)
Bry H.
My fiance and I got our birthday cake from Alliance and it was amazing. Not only did it taste great, but it was so classic looking. It was everything that we wanted and more! I also think they have the best cookies. I love their insult cookies, don't ask why. I'm not particularly mean spirited, but they were really funny. Plus I love their frosting on the sugar cookies. I will be getting my next birthday cake here!
(5)
Ashley B.
i will have to come back for something other than just a cupcake and an italian soda. this place was very charming, although not necessarily because of the staff. does it really look like i'm from the suburbs? the cake display in the window looks amazing. i will have to think of an occasion for which i would need an outlandish cake. the display inside was reminiscent of a french pastry shop. even for the end of the day they seemed to have a good selection. i got a banana cupcake of some kind with carmel filling and creamcheese frosting. while the size didn't reflect the price, the taste did.
(4)
Evann G.
Finally! I got to try Alliance Bakery. First of all, it's so cute. And it's in such a cute area. It made me want to move to Wicker Park. We ordered six cupcakes and 14 cookies. But in our defense, there were three of us, and we spaced the gorge-fest out over a couple days. Still. The guy serving us was nice and didn't make fun of us AT ALL, so plus points there. The red velvet cupcakes were the best, but quite messy. They're so DENSE. It's like 3 cupcakes mushed into 1. And the frosting was diviiiiine. My 2nd favorite was probably the hazelnut fudge, because the cake part was so interesting and the chocolate frosting was so PURE HEAVEN. The chocolate cupcake was delish, and I loved the actual cake, but the frosting was that sugary kind that I expect to get on grocery-store-bakery cupcakes, not cupcakes from an actual bakery KNOWN for its cupcakes. The frosting on the vanilla cupcake was the same way, so vanilla gets 4th place (plus, the vanilla cake was more dry than the rest of the flavors). All in all, fabulous cupcakes, I'd just prefer a creamier frosting on the chocolate and vanilla. The cookies weren't AS good. We got the kind that looked like miniature moon pies, and they tasted like... nothing. Literally. And we also tried the spritz (sprinkle) cookies, because I am obsessed with butter cookies, and they were good but not the best I've ever had. My bf got decaf coffee and said it was cold. I got a soy tea latte and it was decent. I'm glad I got to try it before it changes hands later this month... I wonder if it'll be significantly different afterwards?
(4)
Colleen J.
This is a quaint and quiet bakery/coffee shop. It's a great place to go buy a coffee and a cookie and browse the internet (wi-fi). The staff is friendly and hipster. The decor is slightly dull, but it's not the main draw of the place. It's along Division; you can sit outside and people watch all day long. It's open until 9 pm most nights. Oh, and the cakes they make are amazingly creative and fun.
(4)
Laura R.
#NAME?
(5)
W S.
For the price it is really not great, but the fact that questions to the staff are met with disinterest or annoyance is unacceptable. For a bakery that looks to be so inviting, I hoped for a lot more.
(1)
Asa K.
How to build trust with your patisserista* by Peter Kaplan 1. Wander back and forth endlessly between two gorgeous delices: the Michelle and the Dee. Note that there are no other customers to hide behind. 2. Engage your patisserista Rae in an extended discussion of the pros and cons of each. Begin attracting attention and pity. 3. Ask your friend Meg what she would do, but then, without being excessively dismissive, decide you're unwilling to go with her judgment anyway. 4. Sheepishly ask your patisserista Rae -- who shows no sign of running out of patience -- which she would pick. Secretly hope it's the one you're secretly leaning toward. 5. Listen, confounded, as she picks the other one. 6. Determine that you still can't decide, and ask your patisserista Rae to just make the determination (but don't tell!) and bring it out to the back room where you'll be waiting. 7. When your patisserista Rae appears after 2 minutes that felt as endless as they were brief, absolutely love that she didn't flinch and brought her suggested Michelle despite your hopeless waffling. 8. Make sure to smile and blow a kiss on the way out. 9. Write a Yelp review two months later in the fool's hope that Rae will someday read it. Love, Peter __________________________________________________Â___________ * The word "patisserista" is copyright 2010 by Meg Olson. All rights reserved.
(5)
Reina C.
This place is good for studying/working. The space is next to the actual bakery- which has GREAT baked goods and coffee. This is not a place to get a lunch with coffee- but the baked goods rock and on occasion I have some of their pre-made lunch items (there is usually a limited variety). The working space is large and the noise and music is maintained at a working level. Plus the cakes in the window look awesome.
(4)
Local G.
Meh. I had a carrot cake cup cake and it was good but it wasn't amazing. The chocolate chip cookie and oatmeal cookie were good too, but again not something to rave about. The place is kind of a dive which gives it charm. Nice ambiance, although it would be nice it they played some old school jazz music etc as background music. Free wi-fi makes it a nice place to bring a laptop and relax.
(3)
Rahshonda K.
I feel ya Carrie S I was confused as well by the old school exterior while the cakes in the window are works of art! The red velvet cupcakes were so moist and delightful. Delightful doesn't even completely describe them they were magically delicious! I was trying to do tasting to figure out what type of cake I wanted for my birthday and they were so nice and helpful. Still a bit pricey but I guess its worth it if you are paying for art!
(4)
Amelie D.
It's really hard not to love a place that puts a Louis Vuitton purse cake in its window. Also really hard not to love a place that is so tiny, visually pleasing, and authentic. However, the lounge area is lacking. Like some of the other people have said, I, too do not enjoy getting stared at as I gingerly open the door and look for a seat. My guess is that these people do not LIVE here, no? In fact they might have had to enter the lounge and look for a seat as well? So why the hushed stares as if I am violating some unspoken rule of decorum? My only other complaint has nothing to do with Alliance; rather an anecdote of what you might encounter if you come here. There were not other seating options save for a couch that swallowed me. I took a spot a good three feet away from where another patron was camped out. About five minutes later, she TOOK OFF HER SHOES and put her feet up on the couch and began to do this strange stretching/meditating thing. All of which would be completely acceptable in another environment, but the smell of wet Ugg feet as I'm drinking my coffee, no thanks.
(3)
Bonnie B.
The chocolate cupcakes were dry! I was so excited to try this place because of all the great reviews, so I picked up a bunch of cupcakes for dessert for a dinner party I was attending. I was embarrassed as I bit into a chocolate cupcake and it was very dry. I worriedly looked around at the other dinner guests' faces and apologized. If you're a bakery and you can't give me a good chocolate cupcake, and there are a lot of other bakeries in Chicago... well, I'm glad you appear to have enough loyal fans that you don't need my business.
(2)
jamie k.
I have always wanted to like Alliance more than I have in the past. It's always been so so for me.. BUT I had never really given it chance.. Last night in a last minute decision to have the whole family back over to the house for Birthday cake, I ran over there. Decided on a cute little carrot cake, the man behind the counter was super sweet and they even personalized it and supplied a few free candles. This made me happy enough! But what made everyone happier was the cake. It was delicious! I was half expecting something overly sweet and dry (as carrot cakes can sometimes be at other places) -This was the opposite. Hooray! I will go back there again to check out their cakes any day!
(4)
Sarah W.
I've had a couple different experiences now with Alliance and overall thought it balanced itself out to be pretty good. Delicious pastries, suitable coffee and a pretty tasty quiche, but it loses points on me for atmosphere at the lounge next door. I'm quite picky with the atmosphere of coffee shops and I think the space is a bit gloomier than I would like to relax at. Its not so much the fault of Alliance, because they try to mix it up with a little loungy couch area in addition to an area reserved for tables, but they just fall short. It's great that they have free WIFI and plenty of outlets. But, that doesn't change the fact that the space itself is a big clunky rectangle shape with furniture that does the job, but isnt necessarily aesthetically pleasing. As others have mentioned, its also super silent in there. Its like library-quiet in there, and even the music is barely there, so I felt like a rude pants when I forgot to put my phone on vibrate and it rang out loud.. If you like the silence, power to you and lounge it up, but otherwise you might prefer to take your tasty pastry and coffee to go.
(3)
Annie W.
Cozy atmosphere with a very earthy feel. They definitely promote local businesses and endeavors--if you go into the lounge, it's loaded with tons of brochures and fliers of local artists, musicians, etc. My friend and I got cupcakes: strawberry lemon (buttercream frosting) and the red velvet (cottage cream frosting). I wasn't fan of either frosting--they're too thick and actually quite hard but my friend preferred the cottage cream over butter cream. The cakes itself are pretty firm (and slightly stale) up top and get softer and moisture closer to the bottom which makes me wonder how long they've been sitting there for. So my take on their cupcakes is only OK. I really do like the quiet lounge next door. Slightly low lighting as it gets darker but it has spacious tables and big chairs.
(4)
Angela P.
This was the second, and final stop on my mini crawl. I LOVE the vibe of this place, very cozy, dark-ish...I really liked it in here. I, again, asked what flavors of cupcakes they had and the man behind the counter was so descriptive about all the flavors it was hard not to want to try them all! =] I ended up going with the chocolate with a salted caramel filling, vanilla/vanilla and the red velvet. I also saw some savory croissants and just had to try the turkey/swiss. So...the good...the croissant was AMAZING! It was crunchy where it needed to be, soft, flaky and tender in the center and the contrast of the slight sweetness of the pastry and the sharpness of the swiss was perfection! The cupcakes...I LOVED that salted caramel filling in the chocolate cupcakes, it was dense, almost buttery with a great flavor. Now the cakes themselves, all of them for that matter, were just okay. I just wasn't wowed by the flavor of the cake or the frosting. They were a bit dry...let's just say I wasn't feeling it. Don't get me wrong, the cakes displayed in the window were truly pieces of art, and I would consider doing a cake tasting to see if the larger sized cakes have a better flavor than the cupcakes because the designs were THAT good! So we will see in the future about that...but I would definitely stop in again for one of those savory croissants! Mmmmm...
(3)
Tracy K.
After reading all the great reviews, I'm a bit disappointed. The sign outside advertised paczkis with ten or so filling varieties for Fat Tuesday. Exciting! The guy behind the counter was very friendly, but apparently he did not know which flavor of paczki was which because what I ordered was not what I received. And sadly, I did not find this out until I started eating.. at home. I'll try them again if I'm in the area, but I'm a little miffed that my rose paczki is actually filled with pineapple because these special treats are only available once a year (they do have custard-filled year round). Edit: The owners contacted me to apologize after they read this review, and I thought that was sweet. Also, the rest of the paczkis I tasted were very tasty, so I upped my star count.
(4)
Kim J.
I like Alliance Bakery a lot. I've only ever had a few of the pastries, but what I've had has been quite tasty. I mostly like to go to Alliance to study, and the lounge next door is the perfect place for that - quiet, lots of outlets, good wi-fi signal, and access to tasty pastries and coffees. And I love looking at the cakes in the window - if they taste half as good as they look, I'd have to take one home every day!
(4)
Jenn R.
Alliance had my heart before I walked in the door. It was the kind of place that persuaded me to move to the area last year just by it's charming sign and inviting "we've been here and haven't changed since 1951" persona. When I heard from a friend that they're infamous for their ridiculously awesome cupcakes, I knew it would be a dangerous neighbor. Almost a year later, I finally made it inside with orgasmic-like anticipation. CUPCAKES! COFFEE!! ...and CUTENESS!!! Ok, that's pretty generic but I was taken immediately. I ordered the 2.50 or so carrot cake cupcake and handed the friendly girl my debit card. She said, continuing the thematic cuteness, that there's a five dollar minimum and that she's really really sorry. Sorry?! No, no. I have cash you little sweetheart, it's ok! And even if I didn't, I would have gotten another! She was just so sweet about something no-big-deal. I was handed my cupcake in a cute little to-go box. And walked away with a cute little smile. It turns out that cuteness is both edible and delicious. The carrot cake cupcake was all of that cuteness in a crumbly beautifully presentable sweet tooth satisfier. Even the cupcake wrapper was cute and all 1951. Again. Cupcakes. Coffee. And cuteness. Alliance is perfect. And not at all generic.
(5)
Moe f.
Had a little business meeting in the lounge this morning. It's huge and a tad confusing as it was not attached to the bakery(seprate doors). Great coffee, a really good cranberry walnut bar, and free wifi. Had no idea it was this popular after seeing all the reviews. Will have to come back for more baked treats.
(4)
Sarah L.
Today I was lucky enough to sample some birthday cake from Alliance. The cake was beautifully decorated in a nice green butter cream with a pretty paisley print. Inside, the cake was yellow with fudge filling. The cake wasn't too rich or sweet. Just the perfect balance! It didn't taste like the Jewel sheet cakes that I'm used to, yuck!! I will be ordering my birthday cake from Alliance this year! It's a big year, I will be turning the big 3-0.
(5)
Mary E.
At the time of the writing of this review there are currently 176 reviews for Alliance. Therefore, I'm keepin' this short. Great little bakery and coffee shop. I've mostly purchased the cupcakes. Nice, heavy, sweet buttercream frosting. When fresh, the cupcakes are heavy and moist. They are usually delicious but I don't think they are baked fresh everyday.Therefore, sometimes they are a *little* dry. That's what the one star subtraction is for. Coffee is excellent.
(4)
Michael B.
Tried them 20 years ago when there were very few bakeries in the area. Pastries tasted no better than bake goods at Jewels or Dominick's. Fast forward to this past weekend. We had visitors for breakfast so I decided to try them again. Wrong! Still no better than grocery chain bake goods. In addition the looks on their faces when I entered told me they still think people of color in that area are there to do harm.
(1)
Shelly W.
My friend had a cake made for my grand opening party from Alliance Bakery and they did a great job! Ashley was given creative freedom to do as she may and she was on point with her design work! Kudos to Ashley and her amazing work. Thanks (:
(5)
Ellen M.
I gave up all dessert a few months ago - it was my Kryptonite, and it had to go. Still, I visit Alliance Bakery every few weeks and have no plans to stop. No, no, it's not for me any more... For the kids: Chicago baseball team-decorated huge-ass cookies. When attending dinner parties: French macarons! Oh God, yes! I miss the macarons more than ex-smokers miss their cancer sticks. Chocolate, coconut, passion fruit, berry, banana, and others, I usually get a few of each to bring to my dinner party outings. Nothing creates a buzz like a box full of macarons. Sucking up to the boss: I haven't done this yet, but word is my boss loves carrot cake, so I have good intentions of scoring a carrot cupcake and leaving it on her desk, anonymous style. She'll know it was me. Birthdays: Duh. The cakes are so light and delicious, and very pretty. And they have coffee, so there's a lot to love.
(5)
I J.
The macaroons are amazing, plus there's this employee who is extremely cute and friendly. Definitely coming here again! It's an awesome bakery.
(5)
Nina I.
Really like the cake display but more so the taste of all the treats. My main squeeze here is the macaroon selection. Definitely a huge fan of the rose, nutella, and pistachio flavored ones! The staff is also friendly. If you're in the area just stop by and take a bite.
(4)
Marie G.
I was really excited that my sister wanted to stop in Alliance today. I haven't been in a while and I remember it being a great, friendly place. What happened?? My sister was thrown off when she tried to order because Alex was really rude. I mean heavy sighing, eye-rolling rude. I caught his name as he was on the phone trying to help someone and getting annoyed that the cake artists were not going to be in until the morning. My sister was flustered and almost in tears with his impatience and I told her to "Yelp it". That was met with a smirk. Really? Who do you think you are? The negative energy between Alex and Kimberly (?-She mumbled when I asked her name) made it such an awkward experience that I had to rate this review soley on the people behind the counter. There are way too many great bakeries to put up with rude service people. This was the first experience in years in my neighborhood that I wanted to just turn around and walk out. I almost died when my sister ordered a coffee after all of that and didn't know which kind to choose. Nobody should EVER feel like that and we were the only two people left in there. What a shame.
(1)
Richie S.
Quirky bakery on W. Division. Very friendly staff. I was pulled in for their macarons. The maple-bacon was mostly maple and no bacon, but the rose water was lovely. Wife didn't share any others.
(3)
Aimee M.
For a while I was obsessed with Macarons, and Alliance was my go-to spot when I wanted a bit of Macaron delight. But who am I kidding, I still love Macarons and I love that Alliance has a nice selection of inventive flavors for Macarons. I've had cupcakes and quiche from here and they have been consistently good. I wish they'd put more passionfruit cream in their filled passionfruit cupcake, but that's just cuz I'm a sucker for anything passionfruit. So that being said. Me lovey the passion fruit Macarons! My all time favorite here at Alliance. I love the tart and sweetness of it, the little crunch of the meringue shell and the bit of chocolate that complements so very well. The most recent time I visited I tried the balsamic fig Macaron--reminiscent of a fig newton, but so much better and so much more adult. Lime coconut, raspberry, vanilla--my other go-to's when I'm treating myself to Macarons. Friendly service. They seem to love it when my eyes open wide and I say Ooooooh, when they describe one of the pastries/desserts I've asked about. So sad that I don't live very close. But it's always worth a stop when I'm in the area.
(5)
e n.
Alliance recently shut down 2/3 of their extra seating next door which is super disappointing. So, there is no public bathroom anymore. Their sign does not indicate whether this change is temporary or permanent.
(3)
Bonnie A.
Their macarons are delicious! I've been on a best Chicago macaron hunt and Alliance Bakery definitely has one of the better macarons in town. The macarons are fluffy, not too sweet, and once you finish biting into it, you taste the filling. The texture of the filling is palatable. I try not to come here too often because I splurge here. Gotta leave some money in my wallet to try other awesome food!
(4)
Marie S.
I HEART Alliance Bakery! A few friends have ordered various cakes from here recently and they have all been simply amazing - BOTH the decoration and the taste. I feel like I have to point that out because so many bakeries can't seem to get both right. Perfect density, moistness, flavor, and filling. Also, their other baked goods are equally good. Cupcakes, french macaroons, specialty pastries .... all yummmm! However, Alliance has won a special place in my heart, not for all the sweets they offer, but for their lounge next door. Its warm, cozy, inviting, and makes you feel at home. During the day, its the perfect spot to work and/or study. There's a bunch of smaller tables if your'e solo and several areas for larger groups, too. The added plus is a plentiful supply of power, with an outlet near almost every table. In the evening, skip dessert at dinner and head to Alliance. The lounge is a perfect spot to hang out with a few friends while you satisfy your sweet tooth.
(5)
Meredith K.
I just have to get this off of my chest - I ordered online and I requested chocolate frosting. Instead I got vanilla. Its ok because it may have been too rich but if you know me then you know what a chocoholic I am. That being said such great service and the cake was wonderful. We were quite pleased. Like I said I ordered it online and the very next morning she called to collect payment and confirm. At this point I don't know who was supposed to speak up, but we should have probably gone over the cake, filling and icing. Oh well. When I went to pick it up there was a bit of a wait. Maybe that's how I ended up w/ vanilla? I dunno. I need to let that go. The shop is super nice and everything looks so good! Maybe that's why they make you wait b/c they know you're going to want more things :-) The people were very helpful and brought my cake out. It was for my nephews' birthdays. I had almond vanilla w/ fudge on the inside. Wow that was great. Moist, rich, sugary and just right. Everyone went back for a 2nd piece. I think the almond was a nice change from just yellow. I would definitely order from here again. The product was so delicious that it only lasted for about 20 mins after I cut the first piece.
(4)
Imran N.
Great coffee, great macaroons, great cake pops, great baked goods. Excellent little gem.
(3)
Angie M.
Despite not being a major fan of the bakery, I can bump up the starts to Alliance for one reason. PACZKIS. Happy Fat Tuesday, ya'll. My raspberry rose paczki is the best treat ever.
(3)
Vanessa V.
The adorable cakes in the window display drew us in, and suddenly we're on the lower east side of Manhattan 30 years ago. Awesome well-maintained space that brings me back to childhood. The "authentic" macaron was clearly the wrong choice, and M's "beignet" was equally un-exceptional. And also not a beignet. The coffee was decent and the bagels looked pretty good. They also have a lounge space next door that I wish we'd had time to utilize. There has to be good stuff here... we just didn't happen to order it. I hope.
(3)
Raychel Y.
I have ordered 4 cakes from there.. All delicious and beautiful! They always look better than I expect. Pricing is not too bad if you don't want fondant etc. I got the yellow cake with a yummy milk chocolate icing ... Everyone loved it! I could say a more decorative cake to feed 15-20 people could cost you $70. They are always busy but I love getting my special occasion cakes there :)
(5)
Susie C.
My fiance ordered a birthday cake for me from here. It's a Funshine birthday cake (Funshine is the yellow Carebear). He sent them an image via email for them to draw on the cake. When we got it the cake, it was so cute! The cake was moist and not too sweet, just the way we like it. I must say that the artwork of Funshine and the sunshines surrounding the cake made the cake so appealing! I love my birthday cake...and I know it costs a lot of money, too. They made my Funshine bear in a fondant.
(4)
Kelly B.
They made my birthday "Death Star" cake and it was beautiful and delicious. I highly reco them for any cake design you can think of.
(4)
Grace E.
I don't easily give out 5 stars, but Alliance Bakery, you're a winner in my books. i tried two lovely little cakes the other day for my father's birthday, and I'm sure I ate more of it than he did. Oops. But how could I help it when the raspberry chocolate mousse was as delicious as it was? The other dessert I had was a three-layered cake of passionfruit mousse, chocolate mousse, with textural surprises of rice krisps sprinkled lightly in between the layers, and a chocolate cake bottom. It was heavenly. Thanks for the ethereal dessert experience, Alliance!
(5)
C D.
Alliance used to be my neighborhood bakery...this is where I would always get my Birthday Cakes, Sunday Brunch treats, decorated cookies for the kids. I'm going down the street from now on, because apparently they don't need my business. I wish the people in the Front of the House were as great as those in the Back of the House at Alliance. The last couple times I came in for treats, the food was great, but it seemed like it was painful for the hipsters behind the counter to help me with anything. I felt like it was an inconvenience for them to make me tea, and asking about the variety of iced cookies pushed them over the edge. I get that it's cool now to be a bit edgy, but Hipster Rude is still RUDE.
(2)
Diane G.
I am a study room collector. I can't focus at home for the life of me, and I get about 1000% more work done when I'm at a cafe or library. Libraries are too quiet and depressing, and Starbucks are too crowded. Alliance is juuuust right for studying. They have a room of tables (some big, some small) full of people just like me seeking company and sanity while studying. Music is indie and relaxing, wi-fi is free. Their coffee drinks are so far, so good. A plethora of syrup flavors (ranging from amaretto to pumpkin spice) to spice up your latte, as well as good 'ol espressos and hot cocoa. Whatever floats your boat. Their baked goods look AMAZING but I've yet to try them. Though I still favor the decor of Filter, I have an alliance with Alliance mainly for its value as a study room! =)
(4)
Ashley V.
Went to Alliance bakery to try their macarons since I'm on the hunt for the best macarons in the city. Got the Mexican Chocolate, Pistachio, Rasberry, and Nutella. My favorites were Rasberry and Pistachio. Nice crunch to the macarons and soft on the inside - good but not near to the best I've had. They also had a nice selection of macaron flavors available so I will be coming back to try more if I'm in the area!
(3)
Andrea F.
rude.
(1)
Realtor Karl B.
The Red Velvet Cupcake was moist and the topping was so good, but is it really worth $3.50? As a guy no I don't think so, but girls eat that up! They sell some crazy looking cakes, so if you want to do something different, then you should come here. They also sell coffee, cookies, macaroons, and a whole bunch of other bakery stuff that I haven't tried yet. Looks delicious, but the prices are just too high for my sweet tooth.
(3)
Steven M.
After 445 reviews do you really need to hear from me? Absoutely! By the time I walked in at 8:30 they were pretty much cleaned out of everything. It was my friends birthday and you can't have a celebration without cake! I saw the cupcakes, but the selection was down to two. Then the turtle cheesecake that was hiding in the corner started screaming at me. Thank God, because there were only two and the lady in back of me took the last one. So much for, one for me one for you! It looked like a fun place and the seating outside was full. I was told that it was delicious! Thanks! Next time. I'm stuffing my face first and then worring about what is left for the birthday girl.
(5)
Maria H.
We used Alliance for our wedding cake. The tasting process was efficient, smooth and the sales staff was awesome in helping us execute our creative vision and staying within budget.. overall the cake was beautiful, and the guests raved on how terrific it was. thanks Alliance!
(4)
Anna S.
Shh. Don't tell anyone, b/c I'm on a diet. Don't tell anyone I snuck in, & don't tell my nerdy family that I said "snuck." Don't tell anyone about the chocolate cupcake with caramel filling and the logo on top of it that looks like a paper label but is actually more delicious frosting. Don't tell Miss Manners that I snarfed the whole thing down in about three seconds. (My only complaint: using plastic Solo cups for take-out instead of something more eco-friendly. Still, the verdict: LOVE.)
(4)
susan m.
This was my favorite cupcake place because they had more than cupcakes. It must have been a bad day. The staff were not too friendly. Tolerant, I would say. I bought a coconut (vanilla?) cupcake and almond croissant. The almond croissant was not what I remember. Prior, it was a fabulous experience. This time it was just good. The cupcake on the other hand. I thought maybe having brushed my teeth and using hydrogen peroxide in the morning that day messed with my tastebuds. It was a horrible cupcake. I don't remember this. I saved half for the next day to see if it was me or not. Nope. Mouth is fine; cupcake was not. I think the coconut was spoiled. It was waxy, with little flavor and very bitter. A tasteless cupcake is just a bad cupcake, but there is something wrong when it is bitter. I felt stupid for thinking this was my favorite place, so I prolly won't go back here for a long time. It seems as though this place has good days and bad days. I just hit the wrong one. The two stars is because I am giving them a break because I think I just hit it on a bad day. I am really wanting to write a good review! The summer eating season has just begun. Yay.
(2)
Linda H.
World's best macarons. Hands down. They are a bit expensive ($1.75 each) but full of flavor with just the right amount of pillowy softness contrasted with chewy bite. Additionally, they have delicious cupcakes and other fancy pastries. The cake to frosting ratio is perfect with not-overly-sweet whipped frosting piled on light, fluffy cake. One of my favorite perks of Alliance is the neighboring lounge area. If you exit the bakery and turn right, you can enjoy your treats in their attached lounge, complete with couches and tables. You can buy one cup of coffee and sit there all day, which is what I did when my internet hated me for 2 days.
(5)
Mark K.
I like their macarons, like the ambiance, and the location is great. Their almond croissant is merely ok, but still worth trying out. One day I'll have more of their baked goods and desserts and, undoubtedly, will find them at the very least good. Decorative-wise, their desserts look amazing. I find the staff to be a little gruff. I'm nitpicking here, but it's not exactly a friendly and welcoming place as far as service. It gives off that hipster vibe with equal parts impatience that you're there wasting their time buying things. The next door seating area is great if you want to sit down and do work, enjoy one of their delicious items (macarons...) and watch the street.
(4)
Melanie S.
I was shopping along Division Street and spied Alliance Bakery. I had always meant to try it and after an ill-fated trip to Hoosier Mama Pie (in which I came away empty handed because they were sold out of everything), my sweet tooth was calling out to me. I didn't go too overboard with my ordering because Alliance was uncharted territory for me and they have to earn my spending lots of money. Based on the two things I tried and their beautiful selection of pastries, there is no doubt that much of my discretionary income will be earmarked for Alliance. It was hard to decide what to choose because everything looked delicious. In fact, it looked so good that I was skeptical that it would taste as good as it looked. I opted for a blueberry scone and a lemon cupcake with strawberry buttercream frosting. The scone (which may or may not have been vegan) was positively bursting with blueberries and had a nice crumbly texture. I tell you what - if this was vegan, it was pretty darn good, and if it wasn't, well, I'd still get it again. The real kicker is that I just polished off the cupcake because I forgot about it. It literally knocked my socks off and it was three days old! I wasn't expecting much, but it was incredibly moist and light and the buttercream tasted just like fresh strawberries. The cake part was lovely, with a faint lemon flavor. I've had some bad lemon cupcakes in my day (think Lemon Pledge) and I typically don't order them anymore because most of them taste artificially flavored, but this one made a believer out of me. And again, it was three days old! If a cupcake can be that good after three days, they've more than earned my business. Can't wait to go back for croissants, tarts and other delectables!
(4)
Nic N.
Alliance makes my favorite soy latte in Chicago...period. I don't know what they put in their coffee drinks but they are doin' it RIGHT. Their carrot cupcake is ridiculous and I really like the peanut butter chocolate cupcake. A word to the wise is to get your special orders in well in advance. I wanted them to bake a dairy free cake for my girl's birthday and even with a week's notice they weren't able to do it. Other than that I've had nothing but good experiences there and I will definitely keep going back as often as possible!
(4)
Ian A.
I ordered a cake from Alliance for my girlfriend's birthday. They worked with me to customize it, and there were no issues when I called back a few days later to change the size. The cake looked great and tasted even better. It was a big hit - It seemed like everyone was talking about how good the cake was. I brought leftovers in to work and had the same reaction. For what it's worth, I bought a chocolate cake with a strawberry reduction filling, with vanilla icing. I highly recommend Alliance.
(5)
Ariel L.
Good coffee and free Wi-Fi. That about sums up all you need to know. They have a nice room to sit in an study or read, and the ham & cheese croissant is excellent. I need to come here more often. I like their rules also. "This is not a library, talking is allowed" Right on brothers. Power to the people.
(4)
Sarah Y.
I've been here a couple times for their macaroons and coffee. The macaroons are above average, and they have a rotation of different flavors. My favorite was the bacon maple macaroon. Yumm! I think they have a slight consistency issue with their macaroons because even on the same day, some flavors of macaroons were better in quality (not flavor!) than others. As macaroons tend to be, these little suckers here are expensive...something like $1.75/ea. The coffee drinks here are well made and well balanced. They have such a big assortment of tantalizing desserts that I hope to try next time if I can prevent myself from zero-ing in on those macaroons.
(4)
Happiness L.
Yummy! Yummy! Yummy! Thank you for making this place. The guy who helped me this morning was super nice and very informative and fun to talk to. I am a first timer and bought a selection of sweet and savory. How fresh and delicious! The only recommendation is to add more tables and chairs for dine in or sidewalk dining. A new favorite for sure.
(5)
Kee V.
2 stars for both the offerings and the lounge. I had dinner with friends at Yuzu and decided to go a few blocks to Alliance for some sweets. Ended up getting a few macarons and some small pastries....after 15 mins of the lone employeee ignoring us. I tried to get her attention but she would only glance back and then go back to doing, what I can only describe as, nothing. When she finally decided to help, we were met with a fake hello. The macarons were so damn hard I swear they were display models. One of the girls took a bite of one and immediately grabbed a napkin to spit it out. It was her first time trying macarons and she asked if they were supposed to be hard. No Hannah, they aren't. The other desserts (Lola and a layered pistachio pastry I forget the name of) were average at best. We took our desserts to the lounge and were hit with a smell I believe to be a potpourri of moldy rags/armpit/extremely ripened cheese. It was freezing outside and we had nowhere else to go, so we stayed just long enough to finish what we bought. NO wonder there was no one in there. Some of us hadn't seen each other in a while so we tried to endure the stench to catch up but in the end, the beast won. Even if we wanted to stay longer, we couldn't have. The lone employee working informed us because she was working alone, she would be closing up early. Maybe she was just trying to do us a favor.
(2)
shannon s.
I stop by this cafe almost every Saturday morning to get myself a treat before my 6th day of work for the week. The coffee is always good, the staff is always friendly, and they have tasty pastries. I'm not into the remodeled big room, though. Even with the slightly slanted tables pre-renovation it felt more comfortable and roomy. The tiny tables make it difficult to do much and the spacing is a little close for comfort. Still a favorite place in Chicago.
(4)
Andrew W.
Came here to buy some cupcakes for a friend's birthday. I didn't end up eating any since I only bought three JUST FOR HER, but she said she loved them and thank you and Andrew you're so kind I love you. I bought and ate some macarons as a reward for being such a kind and generous and nice friend. The whole macaron field (or French desserts in general) isn't really my specialty, so I can't give an educated comparison of Alliance's macarons with those of other bakeries, but I really enjoyed the three that I had here. The (two) people behind the counter were very attentive and quick to respond to customer needs. There were a few people in line ahead of me, but I was served very quickly. The prices here are great, and it's located in a nice spot along the strip of restaurants on Division, so I can see myself coming here often after eating elsewhere. Or eating here first and then going to other restaurants to eat again, because desserts are the best.
(4)
Kat M.
I am giving it 4 stars because I will love this place no matter what and it's my #1 destination for french macarons (not macaroons) in Chicago. But I have to complain... What happened to the cool creative macaron flavors. They would normally have one or two new odds out of the regulars and it would always be a surprise. Now, it's same old all the time. And one more thing. Why do they always run out of Red Velvet cupcakes. Why not just make more next time! Supply and demand... Still, looove the place!
(4)
Tim S.
Been a few years since I updated this one. I like to escape the house occasionally for a little variety during the work week and find myself coming down here to jump on line. From the delicious choices in behind the glass, great service and wonderful coffee/teas that they serve it is still my go to in the neighbourhood. Their space next door is set up well for the person looking to jump on line or visit with a friend. Good music in the background hi enough to hear but low enough to talk over and not be heard by the next table and/or to put your headphones in and have to crank it. Thanks to the patrons that understand and respect others personal space. Ample outlets for laptops that need some juice as well.
(5)
Porscha W.
This place is awesome! Had a 3D cake made for my birthday. Not only was the design beautiful but the carrot cake that it was made of tasted so good, it was nice and moist :). I put the picture in the photos on here, it's of a film reel. It costs a little bit but it was well worth it. It helped make my birthday one to remember.
(4)
Allyson A.
I guess I should start this review by saying I am a fan of all baked goods, so I'm pretty hard to disappoint in that area. That being said, I can still say honestly that Alliance is good and worth a trip if you're nearby. I like to go to pick up some macarons. I don't actually know what flavors they offer though because I usually just get one of each (luckily they had pre-made variety boxes last time I was in). I never had a flavor I didn't like. Cupcakes are also a good choice. it's on the pricier side, but it's not healthy to be picking up cupcakes everyday anyways. And the staff is hit or miss -- I've had one guy help me who made me feel rushed and forced me to frantically pick cupcake flavors and another that I wanted to be best friends with before I left the place. Guess it depends on the day.
(4)
julie q.
I decided to boycott this place forever when they told me that they wanted to charge $25 for a cake tasting for my wedding and then when I asked what happens to my $25 if I don't pick them I got "Well, we're very sure you'll pick us, but if you don't, thank you for your $25 donation." F. U. Anyhow, since that was over a year ago, I decided to walk in and let their bakery goodness overshadow their cake confidence. I'm happy to say that I'm glad I went in. I had a hazelnut and chocolate cupcake and Oh Mm Gee was it fantastic. Husbo had the tiramisu...Crazy freaking good. Do I still hold a grudge against alliance? Of course. I'm not very forgiving, however, another bite of one of their scrumdidilyumptious cupcakes helps my grudge slowly dissipate.
(3)
Ana H.
Great cake and pastries. You must try all of their cup cakes at least once.
(5)
Yiyun F.
Most desserts there are bit too sweet for me, but the Tramisu there is really delicious, one of the best in Chicago.
(3)
Bill S.
I've only been to Alliance Bakery once but the first visit knocked me out! I picked up a small assortment of pastries and sweets to try at home. Everything was terrific - the cinnamon roll stood out in particular, particularly when served warm. I was also impressed by the vibe and service. Everyone in the shop was extremely friendly and seemed genuinely interested in helping me despite being very busy at the time. Seems that the folks who run the place have established a great culture among the employees. Can't wait to go back and visit the lounge.
(5)
Bri M.
Alliance made my daughter's baptism cake. It was as beautiful as it was delicious. Granted it was the most I have ever shelled out for a non-wedding cake, based on my guests complimentary ummms, it was well worth the price. The 10" round was enough to generously serve 15 adults and two cake-loving kids, with about a quarter of the cake to spare. Working with Alliance to create my custom confection was a breeze. I produced a couple photos of design ideas and a color scheme and then left the creative work to the pros. The almond vanilla cake, vanilla buttercream frosting with whip cream filling was flavorful, moist, and not too sugary. Much love and thanks to Alliance!
(5)
Breanne G.
Alliance is a cute little pastry and coffee place. They serve intelligentsia coffee and have a great variety of pastries. I personally enjoy everything they bake, especially the almond croissant. The only exception is the cronut. I'm not sure what to think of it and will not be ordering it again. The place next door is great for relaxing and enjoying your coffee and pastry. If it's nice outdoors, then their patio is a place to hang out. Alliance is definitely worth a visit.
(4)
Yen D.
Fun neighborhood cafe and bakery; SO GLAD that I live across the street from this charming place. Very good free wifi. They've been remodeling their lounge for the past two months or so and it's a little schizophrenic/smells like paint but I have high hopes for it! The new furniture is nice and I like the set up with the big table/s in the middle and several small side tables, plus the couches in the front. It's a QUIET lounge, more like a library. People are free to talk in it, but I think in a quiet way is best (there are those couches for chatting). Excellent place to get work done in the evenings before 9, when it closes. A few tips: macarons are all amazing. Take the advice of anyone working there. We've tried maybe a dozen by now and I loved them all. The balsamic fig! The pistachio! The rose! The pumpkin spice! They change pretty often. Decent tea selection, other baked goods also look amazing but I've only ever gotten macarons and sugar cookies. Tip: sometimes the pandora station they sit on in the lounge dies off and wonders if we're all still there listening, so just walk back over to the bakery and ask them to turn it back on.
(5)
Yanyao N.
HOLY MILK CHOCOLATE PASSIONFRUIT MACARON. (um, the happiest flavor party of September 2010 in Yanyao's mouth.) You should also probably get a chocolate creme filled banana cupcake as a side because moist banana cupcakes rule the world. My body is thankful that I do not live remotely close but my mouth and heart are already itching for more sweet treats. Total bakery swoon.
(5)
Krysten T.
I love this place and not just because I live 5 minutes from here. The service was fantastic and I love their pastries. The line gets pretty long though but it's worth the wait! Oh and kronuts weren't that great.
(5)
Michelle M.
Did you know? Alliance bakery has amazing macaroons for $1.75 each! I honestly wish I remembered which flavors I had gotten. They were all so delicious. I was in the neighborhood and wanted to pick up some macaroons to try. My fiance and I are planning to put them into favor boxes for our wedding in May. Almost every town we stop by, we pick up some macaroons. We've even tried the famous ones next to the Penninsula hotel, but these are definitely TO DIE FOR! Typically, all of the other places we've tried are green tea, coconut, vanilla, simple plain flavors. Alliance makes very creative flavors that taste amazing. I think I had the fig + mango, which was so delicious. We ended up refrigerating the rest for 2-3 days and they were still good! They will definitely be getting our wedding order! FYI, they have a $5 minimum credit card order, but it shouldnt matter bc all their macaroon flavors are a must try!
(5)
Stephanie B.
The 3-star rating is only because I can't rate this up there with some of the places I've rated 4 stars, but I'd definitely consider it above average. I've been here 3x and have always had great experiences service-wise. The employees are really nice and can offer recommendations if you ask. My sister and I have never had macaroons before we started frequenting Alliance. The rose was interesting- definitely floral but tasty! The pistachio was also good, but I think more one-note, especially after the flavorfulness of the rose. The passion chocolate was probably my favorite so far- you get the chocolate middle part first, and then the passionfruit hits you and takes over in the best way possible. The balsamic fig- ugh, pass. The breads and cookies are really good- I grew up eating what I consider the world's best baked goods from the local bakery (Deerfield's) so it's hard to give an honest assessment. Prices are pretty reasonable. If you're in the area you should definitely stop in!
(3)
Catlin P.
Cronuts. You heard me right. It may or may not be a real word, or just something the owner made up, but it's what you're going to get. If you don't, you will live in a perpetual state of loss, and your taste buds will die from curiosity. Maybe I should explain; a cronut is a donut made from the bread of a croissant. Therefore, this is a flaky donut, smothered in icing, and cream filled. What more could you ask for from a pastry?
(4)
Jackie M.
I had the coconut lime, pistachio bradied cherry, passionfruit, and poppyseed macaroon. Its a WOW!! Each bite is soo delicious and takes the stress away. It was still good and soft after I left the macaroons overnight. the red velvet cupcake and the vanilla passion curd was okay, it was soft, but just okay. The Lola (mango and passionfruit mousse) was very tasty. This is one of my favorite bakery.
(5)
Andrea Z.
I can't begin to rave enough about our wedding cake from Alliance Bakery! Working with Jennifer and the rest of staff was a total breeze and our cake was delicious. We came armed with a photo of what we would like our cake to look like and they nailed it, it was exactly what we were looking for and the cake itself was amazing. Especially given the fact that we had such a negative experience elsewhere, working with Alliance was even better. We can't thank you all enough and are anxiously awaiting the anniversary cake :)
(5)
E M.
Why so sad here? You sell baked goods. Fun stuff like cupcakes, cookies, and cakes...that would make me smile. I went in over the weekend and there was NO ONE here yet I couldn't even get a "hello" or "thank you" from the staff. Bizarre. The cookie was pretty good but I require a little friendly interaction when I decide to hand over my $ to a local business. I'll head to Letizia's next time.
(2)
Alejandro G.
I went out of my way to get their almond croissants which are fantastic, but their holiday cupcakes and cinnamon buns were rather bland, and dry. And at that price, I was highly disappointed. Yes, they have some interesting items to pick. and I suppose that maybe more than a half are worth it, but, I think I'll be more careful on what I choose and hit some other bakeries before or after I visit this Alliance. Their doggie biscuits used to be free if you purchased a certain amount price. But that's a thing of the past. Guess I'm better off getting some regular doggies treats someplace else. This used to be the Polish National Alliance bakery many years ago. And I must admit that their goods were superior in taste and quality. And they sure didn't last long in the house.
(2)
Jose C.
Ok , when My wife and I looked into this place we were excited , we decided to order our wedding cake from here , we did the cake taste a 35$ cost that they deduct from your total if you do decide to order from there. Our expectations were met but only from the exterior , the cake look great and everyone including my self were dying to try a piece of it , everyone was hype up because we had order a cake from the famous Alliance bakery , but as soonest my wife and I took a bite we both were completely disappointed , the cake tasted nothing like it did during the cake taste, the pastry was dry and without a flavor , the filling ..? ehhh what filling .? the cake had a tiny amount of filling , not as promised by the representative when we ordered the 600$ dollar cake. I would recommend looking for a different bakery if you decide to order a wedding cake or any cake at all.
(1)
Anonymou S.
I've always loved Alliance Bakery but my last visit there was less than stellar. My sister and I, pleasant and polite people that we are, arrived and attempted to make our usual complimentary small talk with the staff as we looked at all the treats and placed our orders. We didn't expect to be met with eye rolling, impatient sighs and complete lack of verbalization..it was pretty uncomfortable. We felt as though we were bothersome and barely tolerable to Alex, who seems to possess an encyclopedia of dirty looks and aloof mannerisms meant to make customers feel like shit for the mere crime of placing an order or complimenting the pretty cakes. My sister, watching this dramatic display of his, (loudly) told me to just yelp it. Alex then slammed my package down on the counter in front of me and stalked off with a smirk. When I opened the little box with the tiny, beautiful cake inside I brought home for my daughter, I found it was placed in the box on it's side, and I'm sure the slamming didn't help matters, either. It was a mound of goo rather than it's original, perfectly decorated self. My daughter and I enjoyed the sloppy deliciousness of it anyway (God it was good!) but it was just unreasonable callousness for Alex to do such a thing. As lovely as the bakery treats are (and we've also ordered cakes for many occasions over the years) I won't be going back again. Sorry Alliance, your customer service is atrocious.
(1)
Annie N.
I might be one in a million, but I honestly don't see what the hype is about this place. I've been here couple times and tried some of their baked goods, and I desperately want to give them a better rating, but nothing, really, hit the spot. First off, my boyfriend brought me a red velvet cupcake from here once. It had some sort of berry filling with cream frosting, and i just thought the flavors did not go well together. Nevertheless I decided to wait for future visits before I'd give this place a review. I came back again to get coffee, and everything was fine, but again not worth writing a review. So finally this past weekend, when I suffered from a chronic craving for croissants that we stopped back in here for our morning coffee and snack. Honestly, I think most of their baked goods are overpriced. The spinach & feta cheese croissant was almost 4 bucks, and it was big, but light as a feather. Their normal croissants were 2.50, and I hate paying that much for something I can inhale in under 2 minutes. Although, it seems to be the normal price for croissants in this city. It was good, but not out of this world. It cured my current pain, but of course not too long after I was again craving for some better croissants (I told you it's chronic). The boyfriend got 2 bagels and they were both ok. Coffee was good (Metropolis), and employees were nice. We sat next door in the lounge area for a while. It was around 10:00am, and I was surprised to see the place so crowded with many people on the computer. The lounge area itself was very clean with tons of natural sun light, and I can see it being a perfect place for studying or even a short convo. I do very much appreciate their creativity, which shown on their displayed cakes and baked goods. But honestly, some of the cakes were a bit disturbing for me personally (at the moment it's the human heart being displayed - I assumed - for valentine?).The next time I'm stopping by, I'll buy some macarons, and then I'll have some better judgement. But for now, it's more of an average spot for both desert and coffee.
(3)
Laura C.
This is a great place to stop by and pick up little brownies, lemon bars, raspberry oatmeal bars, etc. to bring to someone's party when you are too lazy to bake. :) Cut them in half diagonally and you have cute little triangles to share with your hungry friends! The cupcakes are nowhere as good as Sweet Mandy B's, but the other baked good hit the spot.
(4)
Stephanie C.
Nice place. Came here when I was on the hunt for macarons with my cousins :) they were both macaron virgins...so of course we had to go get some! They have a great selection of favors and their other desserts looked pretty good too. The guy behind the counter wasn't that friendly, unfortunately. He was actually kind of condescending and I think he was sort of laughing at our excitement when we saw all the macarons... But not in a nice way- in a "you guys are stupid" kind of way. Other than that, the macarons were good.
(3)
Sam S.
Pretty good spot. The wifi is excellent, the coffee pretty good, the bakery not too bad. The lounge area could use an interior designer and some ambiance and culture. The bake shop itself is a cool little dive. Their sign outside is classic. And they have a great storefront display. I'm a fan.
(4)
Helen L.
This is the place to buy macaroons! Price is good and lots of selections.
(4)
Kiki N.
We ordered our wedding cake and grooms cake from Alliance. The groom's cake was for our rehearsal dinner and was amazing. I gave them a picture of our college mascot and they created a beautiful and delicious lemon cake. For our wedding cake, it turned out exactly how I imagined. We chose red velvet with cream cheese frosting and yellow cake with a strawberry filing. Our guests commented on how it was the best wedding cake they had ever had. The problem was they forgot to deliver our sheet cake. So only HALF of my guests got cake (my parents didn't even get a piece!). The next day we called to find out what happened and they were less than apologetic. They "forgot" to deliver it. Your business is making cake and delivering-- I think that this is completely unacceptable. They did refund us for the sheet cake, but it was a minimal amount. I'm sure this doesn't happen all the time, however- it was really disappointing that half my guests missed dessert due to this mistake. The cake itself was designed perfectly and tasted great.
(3)
Mandy P.
I had a fabulous experience with Alliance pretty much up until the guy who boxed my cake broke the "30" on the top of it. I wasn't thrilled however; I wanted to try it before I decided what my general review was going to be. Had the cake been dry, I most definitely would have only given the bakery 3 stars because despite that, it was a work of art. I was happily surprised when I actually got to try it; it was a true culinary delight! The cake was so moist and flavorful. I had chocolate with vanilla buttercream on the base layer and red velvet on the top. The red velvet wasn't anything special without cream cheese icing, but it was still better than some others I've had. I definitely recommend Alliance for special occasion pastries or just any day pastries.
(4)
Kris L.
Came here for my wedding cake tasting. Mitchell organized our tasting and was very helpful. He knew more about the flavors than the design, but he spoke w/the bakers after the meeting. We wanted a elegant but work intensive design, and the bakers didn't think this would be a problem at all. The flavors during the tasting were absolutely amazing and we can't wait to see the final project. We are so excited and alliance was a pleasure to work with.
(4)
Becky A.
Great coffee, delicious pastries, and a nice outdoor patio.
(5)
Leila N.
I wish I could give a Alliance a higher review... but their cupcakes are just too overpriced! My husband and I ordered 2 dozen cupcakes for our baby shower, half vanilla, half chocolate. The chocolate cupcakes were absolutely delicious!! Moist and decadent. The vanilla were just okay. But it turns out that they charged 3 dollars a cupcake (!) I was hoping that we would get some kind of discount because we were ordering in bulk, but no luck there. I'd recommend this place for a snack, but not for catering. The price is just too high.
(3)
Mick B.
Alliance Bakery was the starting point of our recent "Bakery Crawl" which I have to say was a novel experience. Other reviewers have covered the ins and outs of Alliance baked goodies, but I wanted to mention that Alliance serves Intelligentsia coffee and even have their own special "Alliance Bakery Blend" which you can purchase whole bean (or ground) by the pound. I enjoy Alliance's special coffee blend but please note that I am a smooth coffee drinker (which does not mean "weak") and I think that certain major chain brand coffee beans taste burned to my palate rather than robust; I feel there is a noticeable difference between the two. I can always tell someone in the Wicker Park area that has been to Alliance recently because they have just a hint of cupcake frosting on their face! It's so hilarous!
(4)
Will M.
The pastries are ok, though perhaps over-priced. The coffee is Bowtruss roasted, though perhaps carelessly brewed. Overall the bakery is decent, though perhaps overrated.
(3)
Jane Y.
my coworker/friend had bought me a cupcake hereeee it was delicious! i came in last night literally at closing hours.. desperately trying to get my macacron fix which was a fail at ba le they let me in! so sweet of them i tried the blueberry which was pretty good raspberry was the best! pistacio was mehmeh and the mexican chocolate was not too bad either!
(5)
Jane E.
One among the many good bakeries in Chicago. I love going here for the treats as they truly are irresistible. And the cafe makes great coffee worth every penny. Also, studying there can be fun - if you can find a place to sit. Oh yeah, finding a place to sit during times that are busy - difficult, if not impossible. And you have to jump rope over the various power cords that dart the area. It's worth going to if you're all by yourself and want to kick it on off hours - heavy hours, forget it.
(5)
Jessica W.
This review is only for their pain au chocolat and their ambiance. I'm 8 months pregnant at the moment, and all I can think about is their chocolate croissants, which sucks for me, cause they're not really close to where I live. They're really good. So we've been going every weekend for breakfast. The inside has a nice bakery feel. I hate when I walk into a bakery and it feels dirty. This place has a great balance going on. Feels clean, but warm and not sterile. I haven't tried their coffee (I usually get our croissants and eat them at caffe streets). I suppose I owe it to them to stay and have a cuppa with them this weekend.
(5)
Stephanie K.
I think I got my hopes up too high when I came here to indulge my fat kid tendencies. I've been a few times and have tried their red velvet, sugar cookies and the macaroons. Good, but for the price I don't think it was worth it. I'm probably biased though because I can get delicious cream filled cupcakes in my hometown for 1.50..Mmm diabetes. Their cake displays are gorgeous and so creative though! I loooved their Nightmare before Christmas one
(3)
Jake W.
I was inspired to come to this place because of a conversation I was having with my hairdresser at Swagger. I mentioned how I liked the neighborhood because it reminded me of San Francisco, to which the hairdresser replied how hipsterific she found the area. She said she was afraid to even go into Alliance because of the nasty attitude permeating off the workers behind the counter. Of course, I always take such invitations to abuse as a challenge to annoy and overwhelm the hipster chromosomes with a false air of sunshiny happiness. So I decided to dress up in a collared shirt and dress pants, put on a backpack, turn off the Toxic Narcotic and put on the Katy Perry to show them how this firework can sparkle. Well, my apparel change was unnecessary, because the girl behind the counter was wonderful and helpful, easily engaging in playful banter and making suggestions. I ended up getting a Moroccan Mint tea and some pastries that looked good, then wandered over to the next door lounge. It had a giant open area with a leather couch and chairs, tons of tables and chairs, and a bunch of back rooms that feel like old 1920's parlor rooms in an F Scott Fitzgerald novel. It is the perfect place to study and the clientelle is a mixture of punkish people, hipsters, trendsters, and the general public. I have been back a number of times and started doing my study with cookie breaks.
(4)
Basil D.
Read all the way through: Let me say that I love the bakery here, but I'm absolutely livid. I was told when I walked in this morning that the beignets were still being made and that there was a new person making them. So I had my coffee and worked in the lounge. An hour later, I went back, and I got my beignet, which was stone-cold. It was obviously not being made fresh, but defrosting from the freezer! More so, they have amazing breakfast sandwiches, but if you ask to have it heated, they put it in the microwave! What the hell? What self-respecting bakery that takes pride in its work will put perfectly excellent bakery and throw it in a microwave so it will get all "gummy". AND...AND....if you ask if they can warm it in the oven in the back, you are promptly told, "no"! Geez people.... so close to being one of the greatest bakeries in Chicago..... Ike H....the same lady was the one who LIED to me about the beignet! I agree, she is NOT the most pleasant person to deal with...everyone else there is pretty cool. So, I went and spoke to the owner about my experience this morning. He informed me that the beignets were in fact made fresh, but that the new girl making them put cold filling in a fresh, out of the oven, hot beignet, which is what caused the problem. So I changed my 2 star to a 4 star. The owner was extremely proactive, very pleasant, and offered me another beignet tomorrow!
(4)
Julia S.
Desserts here are heavenly. I'd like to marry the pastry chef if possible. The fluffy macaroons and oh so delicious, perfect amount of cream, dough and frosting eclairs are my favorites. Great place to get dessert for a dinner party or if you just want to treat yourself a bit.
(4)
Kim B.
I had a cake made for my boyfriends birthday, and it exceeded my expectations w/ both the design and taste. this is my new go-to bakery!
(5)
Melissa S.
Strolled by here yesterday and decided to walk in after spending a good 10 minutes admiring the cake art in their window display. Friendly staff, yummy treats, I'm into it! I made the person helping me repeat the macaron flavors about 10 times before I realized they were written right in front of my face, but she didn't complain. I'm eating a rose macaron right now, in fact. I'll return! I do wish they had just a couple more gluten-free options around. Oh, and they should make maple macarons, that's a really underrated flavor, IMO. But, you know, not every place can cater to me.
(4)
Megan C.
2 million Yelp points for creativity and decorating BEAAAUTIFUL LOOKING CAKES HERE!! (-2 Yelp Stars for so so cupcakes and too sweet frosting. Blah! " ___|___ | | HAVE YOUR CAKE -------------------- ...and eat it too! | | --------------------------- | | ___________________ ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||Â|||||||||| ||||| ||||| ||||| ||||| ||||| ||||| ||||| ||||| ||||| ||||| WOW! What a following! I heard this place was pretty well known but 100 + reviews! We had to buy the only cake left for my Mom's friend who was having a birthday and I just honestly wasn't impressed. I also bought two cupcakes to try them (hoped they would be better than Magnolia in NYC) and was all but let down by the taste. Cake was slightly moist frosting was toooooooo sweet. Not my bag. I'm posting the photos now from the cakes in the window. Unbelievable! Love the purse cake and the ice age cake! Great little sitting area outside and all of the pastries looks really great but I didn't have a chance to try them. Let's just say I think this place is the cooler hipper "Magnolia" of Chicago. Face it everybody the cake wouldn't impress a sweet tooth. Try Billy's in Manhattan or head on back home to your Mamma's kitchen. Date Rating: 5 Pick up Scale: 4 Strong Suggestions: If you're interested in cake. Be specific, know what you want, and get ready to see some creative genius.
(3)
Brett K.
My new neighbor and best friend. Breakfast sandwiches on the weekends are becoming and obsession and all the standards are awesome. Dipped into the cakes and pie case for the first time this weekend with parents in town visiting and was not disappointed, cheese cake turtle and key lime graham, mmmm.... Great coffee, people, outdoor seating, dog treats, etc etc etc
(5)
Mary Ann C.
We now order all of our birthday cakes from Alliance. They do a fabulous job! We have had them create a Prada handbag cake, cow cake, and Angelina Ballerina cake. Obviously, the handbag was the one for me....and our little one liked the other cakes! The cakes are moist and delicious! Love buying cookies, scones, and any other treat out of the cases when we are in the neighborhood. My favorite bakery!
(5)
Jane L.
I had a terrible experience with Alliance when ordering a cake for my gender reveal party. I clearly explained to the sales clerk that we were planning to find out the sex of our baby with our family and handed her an envelope from the doctor's office which listed the gender. Sadly, instead of pink AND blue frosting on the outside like I had requested, our entire cake was pink when my husband picked it up the day of the reveal party. So, instead of together with family, my husband found out the sex of our baby alone at Alliance bakery...not exactly how we'd imagined it. Alliance did make us a new cake so that we can could go on with the surprise for the other 20 guests that were coming. They told us the owner would call us to refund the price of the cake, but no one ever called to explain what happened or refund the price of the cake. It's just very disappointing that our local bakery made such a big mistake and was so unapologetic about it..
(2)
Helen C.
I love the cakes in the window, butI love the stuff inside that I can eat even more. On our exploration of Wicker Park adventure, a cupcake and a brownie from Alliance Bakery set us up nicely for the day. The brownie was HUGE and delicious; the cupcake deserves the same description. I thought it was a bit expensive but the cakes are pretty rich, they'll last you a while! Some of the pastries etc. looked too beautiful to eat (though I would eat them without hesitation) and the Michael Jackson biscuits made me laugh even while Stacey surreptitiously took a photo.... If I explore Wicker Park again, I'll be back to Alliance for sweet sustenance.
(4)
Tony F.
I've been going here for years. An ex-girlfriend actually introduced me to this little bakery in Bucktown/Wicker Park. I come here usually for a cup of coffee and once in a blue moon have a sweet tooth. I think their pastry's are a bit pricey but worth it....if you are craving something petite and delicious.
(4)
Victoria D.
Chai-yi-yi...delicious but not overassuming. I definitely did not need to add sugar to enjoy. Don't pass up on the apricot oatmeal dessert bar. It definitely made my day.
(4)
Teri Y.
This review is based on the macarons. My fiance surprised me with macarons from Alliance Bakery when I was getting my hair done at Strange Beauty Show. He knows my love for macarons. I agree with one of the reviewers-- why is it so difficult to get good macarons in Chicago? Is it just Chicago? After traveling to different parts of the world and having the luxury to taste excellent macarons (and I'm talking about Pierre Herme macarons.... he is the god of macarons, IMHO), I was always disappointed at the lack of good macarons in Chicago. Alliance Bakery's macarons look so pretty and they taste so fantastic. Ok granted, no one can beat Pierre Herme. He is after all, the god of macarons. But still, Alliance Bakery's macaron is pretty damn good! Another best part is that the macarons here are only $1.50 each. OMG seriously? I'm so glad I found a place for my macaron fix.
(5)
Anahit G.
This is one of my favorite cages in Chicago. Their macaroons are amazing, and I know my macaroons!!! They make delicious pastries and coffee, and beautiful cakes (and offer wedding cake tastings!). The only drawback is the lack of room in the cafe for seating, and the constantly crowded lounge next door. But, for treats to go, it's perfect.
(4)
Sarah G.
The cakes are so cool and its really cute there, but the staff is always so rude and unhappy to see a customer, it ruins the experience.
(1)
Jelena Z.
The cakes at Alliance are beautiful sculptures. Every single time I walk by their storefront, I linger in front of the window with the Louis Vuitton handbag cake. Admit it, I know you have too! I tried a lemon bar because it's my own personal gauge of goodie greatness. Outcome? Success. I've sampled a slice (or 8) of my friend's birthday cakes over the years and always manage to smuggle a piece home, even if I have to wrap it in a napkin (is that the tacky equivalent of plastic left on a sofa?). Oh well, then I'm a perpetrator. And the cafe next door is perfect for getting work DONE. It's definitely not social hour so move along if you're feeling Chatty Cathy-ish. Yep, like Colleen C says, it's indeed a library sans books. I love my lattes here and right this very moment, I'm enjoyed hot tea that tastes like liquefied Jello. Sweeeeet.
(5)
Angel S.
Amazing! Went here during the summer to grab a cup of coffee and some pastries. We walked in only expecting to grab one item, but ended up grabbing a few things because we couldn't make up our minds. Everything was perfect- not overly sweet or overly rich, but the perfect balance. I'm definitely waiting for the first excuse to return!
(5)
Kellie W.
First, let's talk coffee. I usually go for specialty drinks instead of drip when I'm at a coffee shop. But the alliance blend is so delicious that I'd always suggest drinking drip here. I've also had their vanilla latte and mocha, but the alliance blend just can't be beat. It's very rich, without being too heavy. Their croissants are fantastic and super flakey in the french style. Very solid bakery.
(4)
Luka E.
They do not bake here. They sell baked goods from other bakeries. So how does this shop qualify to call itself a bakery? Their bread comes from Chicago Ave. Their bagels come from another shop. I believe their croissants (which are not anything near a real croissant) also come from another bakery. So how does this shop qualify to call itself a bakery? If you want coffee and to hang out somewhere, they are ok at best. Filter is a much better option that does not pretend to be something they are not.
(2)
Kym P.
Alliance produced three cakes for our wedding in August. Wow! They were show stoppers. We wanted unconventional cakes, with a kooky theme, but they worked with us and came up with the most amazing designs and then executed them flawlessly. Just as cool as anything you might see on one of those Food Network shows. I have a picture of them that I framed, really, great job.
(5)
Jims L.
There's one thing that I've enjoyed at Alliance Bakery - their lemon bars. Have been coming back at least once a week since November to try something new, never to be impressed. Will not be stopping by anymore. Was attempting to put on a bakesale for a charity organization and got in touch with four bakeries on Division. Alliance, and especially Michael Nitschky, the retail manager, was the least accessible and professional of them all. To get just a *response* - what ensued: I stopped in, told to email; emailed, never got a response; stopped in again a few days later, was told Michael would get the letters/brochures I printed out by 9AM; received no call, even though they were aware that the sale was happening in the afternoon; finally called again past 11AM when I received no word; he answered the phone with "this is Michael" and I had to brief him about everything as if he hadn't really gotten any messages. It's not a big deal if you can't help -- the least you can do is respond when the decision is so clear-cut on your end and keep us from waiting around with our hopes up. It was easier to get a hold of (and positive response from) more corporate Sprinkles Cupcakes.
(1)
Seth F.
Maybe I haven't given this place enough of a chance. The Yelp community obviously adores it and it's been a mainstay of my neighborhood for far longer than I've been here. But I've been twice and both times I was exceptionally underwhelmed with what I had. Suffice to say, the amazingly stylized cakes in the window project a false image of quality that I've found unmatched by the stuff they make that's actually edible.
(3)
Huifang H.
Love their flourless chocolate cake! so rich but not too sweet~~
(4)
Cristina C.
I recently wanted a specialty cake made for a special occasion. I have never had a large specialty cake made so I was a little nervous, but Alliance went above and beyond during every step in the process. . When I first called the bakery to describe what I wanted and when I wanted it, they gave me several ideas and suggested several days/times to come in to meet with a cake decorator to design the cake. When I went into the store to design the cake, I met with a great designer who put together a few ideas and then called in the owner who really took it to the next level. My original design would have had very little cake, so the owner came up with a new design that would not only feed my guests but also look great. When I picked up the cake, it looked better than the original sketch. The cashier offered helpful tips to keep it fresh and cool as well as to bring it out to my car. At the party, everyone was very surprised by the design and then thrilled with the taste of the cake. It was extremely moist and had the perfect amount of peanut butter filling for the chocolate cake. All in all, a huge and delicious success!
(5)
Derrick T.
Excellent coffee, great pastries, and a nice study area (along with free wifi) make this one of my go to places for studying and snacking. Things I have tried thus far: Crossaint - Flaky, buttery, airy. Near perfect. Almond Crossaint - Stickily sweet... more dessert than breakfast, but delicious. Blueberry scone - Now this is a scone... none of those crappy Starbucks bricks has the right to bear the name of scone, but this soft, moist, sugary treat? This is a scone. Macaroons - Mind you I have never had a macaroon before, but these things have been delicious. White chocolate raspberry was delightful, and the chocolate ganache smeared in the banana chocolate one was very memorable. Cakes - You know, I brought a cake back for my parents for dinner one evening, and the differences textural layers and separate but complimenting flavors was phenomenal. This was not a standard cake, and I'm not sure what the name was, but it made me a lifetime fan of Alliance. Lemon Bar/Lime Bar - Tasty, and very flavorful. You can tell the purity of ingredients from the flavors. Almost too tart, but I'm a fan of tart over sweet at times. So why four stars you ask? I noticed that their bakery items definitely carry over to the next day. I had macaroons one night, and stopped in again the next night to get some more, and noted that the same macaroons along with many other bakery items were still there. As a business person, i fully understand the need to sell all of your items, but this makes me wonder how long the items are sitting in the display case before they are tossed or given away. Now I could be wrong and they may have turned over all their items in the 24 hours that had passed, but from my inspecting eye, it sure didn't look like it. May I suggest an Au Bon Pain approach and discounting your items between 8:00 and 9:00 PM right before you close? I feel like you may draw the local crowd and it would help relieve your items and make way for fresh items the next day. Of course, it's important to make a profit (which I have no doubt Au Bon Pain does even discounted) but this may be the cause of people's complaints that the brownies/cupcakes/cookies are too dry...
(4)
Nicole T.
Cute bakery with outdoor seating and a separate lounge next door with free wi-fi. The lounge is usually pretty quiet, which is good if you need to get some work done. They are also open fairly late. I usually order iced or hot coffee and most often they have soy milk out with the usual condiments. They also have about 8 different varieties of loose tea. I've tried the vegan cookie and the vegan apple streusel. I've had better vegan cookies but theirs is ok if you want some sweet carbs on the spot. I like the apple streusel much better. Sweetened apples with some raisins and granola bits. Yum.
(4)
Jen G.
I haven't had a cake from here yet, but considering how good the cupcakes are, I can only imagine they must be delicious. Those cupcakes couldn't be more addicting if they put crack in them. Just thinking about them makes me crave one. My favorites are the red velvet and the double chocolate. The sandwiches and the quiche are also great for lunch. And I love their chai lattes too. Great neighborhood gem.
(4)
Andrea R.
Once upon a cupcake Alliance Bakery had the best red velvet cupcakes in all of Chicagoland. These days they are pretty mediocre- the cake is dry and the frosting doesn't do much for me. Don't get me wrong...they are edible, but Sweet Mandy B's wins my cupcake prize these days.
(3)
Lucien H.
I was never a red velvet fan until I tried a slice of red velvet from here. Oh my, the cake here is tasty indeed. It's ultra moist and the icing just melts in your mouth. The downside is, the portion is kind of small and it's pricey for what you get. A small velvet cake is $30. Cupcake I think was somewhere around $3~$4 and it's not even the standard size. It's a thin, skinny cake. Aside from that, the cakes are really yummy so it's definitely worth checking it out.
(4)
Jessica D.
Alliance is pretty awesome. I mean, everything I've had has been quite good, but I'll admit that I've only had the macarons (proper French and the American style w/ coconut and an extra "o" German chocolate version). My girlfriend tries the Milette once, but I didn't since I suspected it might have gelatin and gelatin and I are enemies. Oh, and we've both had perfectly tasty but disturbingly similar veggie sandwiches here (both w/ pesto and tomato but one with mozzarella and one with goat cheese and red peppers). I really enjoy the food here. Good macarons are not easy to find and Alliance has some tasty and interesting flavors (raspberry-rose is one of my favorites). But the service here is always a little aloof, the people up front aren't aware what ingredients are in which pastries (I asked today which things contained gelatin so that I could avoid is and the girl at the counter didn't know and made no attempt to find out, only stating that, "Probably just the things with mousse in them," which doesn't clarify much since that's 50% of the display). I think the fact that the people working in back don't really talk much to the people working the counter makes this a big problem for them. What about people with food allergies? They always treat you as if you've no idea what things are, explaining that they are fragile, best at -blank- temperature, etc. and it gets a little annoying hearing that every time you buy something. Also, I have to agree that the Alliance Lounge next door is a little unwelcoming. There appear to be regulars and they don't like their peace and quiet interrupted. I went there once, and only once, with two friends and we felt eyes on us every time we talked. Not the best atmosphere for a lunch with friends. So, in conclusion, the food is lovely, but the service is less than thrilling and the seating options are a little intimidating.
(4)
Erin C.
Not the best cupcakes I've ever had, but they are pretty damn good. I actually recommend the raspberry oatmeal bar or the pecan caramel bar - they are rich and delicious. The specialty coffee drinks are delish; during the winter they have a Mexican Cafe Mocha that is the perfect drink for anyone craving chocolate and coffee. There is free wifi, but the adjoining room gets pretty crowded and the furniture could be a bit nicer/more comfortable.
(4)
Jennifer G.
This place was really cute and JAM PACKED on a Saturday morning. I hate that pressure you feel when people are yelling, can I help you, are you ready, can I help someone.....of course, they are trying to be of service but it just makes me jittery and nervous. Anyway, I finally decided on the b& w cookie and a few macarons. Since it was really only a sampling of the many things they had, I hate giving such a blah review but....they were pretty blah and for 10.75 I just had 3 little macarons and 2 cookies. I appreciate the work that probably goes into the macarons but 1.50 for something the size of a quarter, not sure if I would do it again...
(3)
Tricia F.
This place is lucky to get 3 stars from me...seriously. PROS: good coffee, and good espresso drinks. really fun looking cakes. and they give away free dog bones---which is great if you're a dog. finally, the raspberry scone I had was really good. CONS: This place annoys the crap out of me. I can't figure out if I have bad luck when I go in there, or if my annoyance meter is weekening, because everyone else seems to love it. I go here when I have to because I refuse to walk into Starbucks...but EVERY time I do, some kid is behind the counter who seems to have half his/her brain cells in tact. I know that's harsh, but when the music is so loud they have to keep asking customers what they want there's just one option left to fix the problem (since they're already shouting): TURN DOWN THE ABSTRACT NOISE ROCK! note to barista: if a customer asks you: "What's a soy (something-or-other)?" Don't tell her: "I don't drink soy." That's not what she's asking. lastly, if they're going to charge $1++ for a small cookie, they better make damn well sure it's fresh.
(3)
Amanda M.
While the cakes are awesome, the cupcakes aren't so much. They are pretty dry which is such a disapointment. Also, when I was here last I tried a chocolate chip cookie which was *almost* as hard as a rock. Booo
(3)
Julia W.
Travels extremely well. To my thighs. Not really (well, yeah, actually...), but yes--Alliance Bakery goods travel very well--the tarts and cupcakes provided at the Elite event at Exhale last night were lovely and delicious. I think I should've stuck with the tarts, though, because that pumpkin cupcake was gargantuan--a good thing in a cupcake, to be sure--but maybe not-so-much when the Core Fusion class door opens and little stick women walk out as I shovel in more pumpkin-y goodness and blobs of rich cream cheese frosting.
(5)
Rachel B.
So I haven't tried the pastries and I've never ordered a cake, but the coffee's decent and I'm a BIG fan of the lounge area, which is one door down from the actual bakery. It's very quiet, the music is nice, and the seating is comfortable. This might not be ideal for everyone, but I KILL to find places like this to read, write and relax. Also, as someone who spends countless hours in libraries, this is SO not a library. The fast and password-free Wi-Fi is a huge plus--in fact, I'm writing this review on it right now.
(4)
Johan K.
Alliance has some of the most carefully crafted and beautifully put together cakes I have ever seen. They manage to merge creativity and quality taste to make their own indelible mark in the realm of baked goods. Make sure you stop through and experience this Chicago landmark.
(4)
Bruce N.
For a place that has such wonderful people working there, and for their delightfully elegant looking treats. Flavor and texture don't nearly meet the desire to pay $7 for a pastry again. The Lola is dry, flavorless, and the chocolate is probably carob. Cookies aren't moist or sweet-at all! The coffee is so bitter I went to Starbucks. The French Macaroons are delicious, and I've heard good things about the cake. And if you care about your dog, don't take the free biscuits. Me thinks not!
(2)
Julie H.
Alliance Bakery is one of my favorite spots in Wicker Park; I love how laid back the vibe is, yet it also has a very authentic Polish bakery feel. Lucky for me, I live around the corner and I get to walk past the window display of beautiful cakes every day! Aside from the coffee, some of the stand out items are the spinach/feta croissants, and the cupcakes (love the carrot, strawberry, and red velvet). In the summer, Alliance has a great place to sit outside and relax on Division, while in the winter it is a nice place to stop inside and warm up. Plus, my dog, Olive, loves the fresh baked dog biscuits. UPDATE: I finally made my first visit to the seating area next door to Alliance Bakery and it kind of sucked. First of all, a cloud of dust surrounds you the instant your ass hits the cushion of any seat in there. And god forbid you open your mouth to speak: one of the hipsters in there will shush you over the top of his or her laptop. My advice? Take their delicious cupcakes elsewhere so you can actually enjoy them!
(4)
Amy G.
My favorite coffee shop in the city! I'm an actuary, so I'm always on the lookout for a quiet place with wi-fi and yummy coffee to study all day. Not only does Alliance have those necessities, but their onion bagels are to die for - and they don't skimp on the cream cheese either. The pastries are so gorgeous, I have to pinch myself to avoid saying "one of everything please!" and ruin my diet. I've tried a few and have zero complaints. Staff is courteous. They have Intelligentsia coffee (my favorite!), free wi fi, and a room filled with quiet people that help motivate me to study. #70 bus picks me up three blocks from my apartment and drops me off half a block from my study haven.
(5)
Sharon Z.
Amazing cupcakes! I usually pick up a 1/2 dozen or so to bring to birthday gatherings (get a few varieties, cut them up and share). My mom absolutely loves the chocolate macaroons and I am now required to pick them up for her every time I head out to the burbs for a visit. The sidewalk cafe is a great place for coffee, a bagel, and newspaper on a warm Saturday morning. Bring your dog and he/she will get lots of friendly attention!
(4)
U P.
I've been craving red velvet cupcakes so I tried one here. It was very mediocre- won't go again. I love red velvet for its cheese cream frosting, and this one tasted more buttery and out of the can, than anything else. The dough was pretty gooey. It's not terrible, just not worth the money. For 32 cents more I get an AMAZING red velvet at Sugar Bliss in downtown. At least it made me stop craving red velvet now.
(3)
Kimberly C.
Alliance Bakery was the first stop on this weekends cupcake crawl. This place got some nice feedback on my recent talk thread so It was a must-see on the list. I'd like to make the point that this is a review of the cupcake we chose, and not of the entire bakery, but any bakery that makes BLACK AND WHITE COOKIES already has some serious street cred with me. I'll admit, I was totally distracted by the black and white cookies when I walked in. Hey, I was hung over. What do you expect? But I eventually got back to the quest. So, Ms. Ellen, her lovely boyfriend and I split a red velvet cupcake. Ms. Ellen did not like the cupcake (you can read her review below), her lovely boyfriend was "a big fan" and as he has never had a cupcake before (he's British) he admitted he really had nothing to compare it to. I really liked the choice. This was not a cutesy cupcake by any stretch of the imagination. In fact, it did not look much like a cupcake at all, it was just a small, round cake. The cake was dense and moist, not too sweet. The frosting had that perfect touch of savory and didn't stick around in your mouth. It wasn't the prettiest cupcake but for the $2 price, was well worth it. I think it makes a good statement about the quality of the bakery. I'll definitely be back for a dozen of something, a cake, or just a treat for passing the time away next door. And I loved that damn clock.
(4)
Trey M.
Super awesome treat selection, good coffee, plus a cool, completely separate room to shove my self-admittedly pretentious face into my Macbook. Is cool; feels cool.
(5)
Nana H.
I was just here on Tuesday, and hung out with a pack of wolf dogs while sitting outside. This is a great spot to stop by before you start strolling division. I wouldnt really drive around town just for this place though... I got a spring cookie- that was not only cute, but tasty ( not too sweet and just buttery enough) and a small coffee for i think $5.00 bucks. My cookie was like 2.25, and totally worth it, and shareable. I'd really like to get a cake here for my birthdayyy!
(4)
Cassandre P.
I'm sorry but I think I have a god-given right to judge a bakery by their cupcakes when they have them in the cases and are charging people for them. And I have to say that the cupcakes at Alliance are consistently dry and awful. Wait, scratch that. The 25 cent, two-day old Easter cupcakes I got there were EXCELLENT. My roommate got a freshly-made red velvet cupcake that tasted like chalk but my old chocolate cupcake with a big plastic bunny on it was moist and delicious. I also have had coffee that was so badly burnt that I had to throw it away. The only reason I give Alliance three stars instead of two is because their lemon bars make me feel warm and snuggly inside. Mmmmmmmm.
(3)
Michael S.
Alliance Rocks... They have the best coffee there and little pastries/treats all over the place. I used to go to get the Mexican hot chocolate which was wicked sweet. However they no longer serve the Mexican hot chocolate. Apparently the coco beans come from some remote region of Mexico and are exported via mule's. From there I think they might either Air lift them to Chicago or some sort of high speed freight train. Either way I love the Alliance Bakery & Cafe and if you are wise you will go there soon.
(5)
Ingrid G.
I go here almost every day. I was going to the starbucks across the street but it ws giving me some evil yupster vibes that were not fun in the morning, so I switched to Alliance. The gals at the counter are nice. I usually only get coffee. I always get a skim latte, medium. It is 3 dollars. Not bad. I have seen their cupcakes and cookies with witty sayings. Sure, they are witty but 2.50 or 3.00 seems like a lot of money to pay for a funny saying you could put on yourself. But you judge for yourself. They also have hummus in a cooler and sandwiches and bagels. But sometimes the sandwiches are stale. Oh yeah, also, one time these two old ladies were there, and they got a loaf of bread and asked to have it sliced. And they were told that Alliance no longer had a bread slicer. So don't expect to get your bread sliced there, buddy! UPDATE: Just found out Alliance was sold last week to a high end pastry chef. What will happen now?
(3)
Rachel Y.
I was in the area for a business meeting and had an hour to kill before it started, so I went to Alliance Bakery without every hearing of it before, bought a heated-up ham and cheese quiche and a vanilla latte. Not only were both items oh so tasty, but the comfort and ambiance of the study room next door was fantastic! I don't go to this neighborhood that often, but I may make excuses down the road to revisit!
(5)
Rachelle G.
After trying the delicious red velvet cupcakes at the recent Yelp event, I knew I had to stop by and check out the bakery for myself! Driving down Division, you can't miss it, there is a huge neon sign above the door. The bakery itself is a bit small, and has a few tables outside to comprise a patio. The prices were extremely reasonable. A whole cheesecake for $13, the red velvet cake for $20. Cupcakes averaged $2-3. One thing I should note is that the size of the actual cupcakes seems to be a tad smaller than those that were served at the Yelp event. They look delicious, however, it seems as if some of the nicer details may have been lost in the shuffle from kitchen to display case, as some of them were a bit mushed. They also were a bit dry, I prefer my cupcakes to be a bit more moist. Employees were nice and took the time to answer the few questions I had to the best of their abilities. I will definitely be coming back. I would be interested to see how others who only tasted the cupcakes at the Yelp event would rate the bakery after actually having gone to the store itself.
(4)
Maija T.
Why would you go to Starbucks when this is right across the street? I have to say though - I'm pretty sure you have to be hungover to work here. Which obviously isn't a problem with me. 4 stars... Oh wait, I'm obsessed with the cakes in the window. I have no idea how they make them with such detail - especially hungover like that.
(4)
Matt R.
For me, Alliance seems like a typical bakery serving every type of baked goods. Some items are better than others. Mostly everything is of fine quality. What is really outstanding are some of the specialty cakes Alliance displays in their window. If you're in the area, Alliance is definitely worth a try.
(3)
Erica S.
I popped in here while running errands because I desperately needed a snack. . I ordered a piece of focaccia expecting it would simply be something good enough to feed my face, but not make me crash. It was an inspired slice of baking. The bread was moist, spongy, and airy. It was lightly covered in a really flavorful, well-seasoned tomato spread that made the top really creamy. There might have been a little bit of cheese on top that contributed to the creaminess. Regardless, the foccacia is not to be missed.
(4)
Phillie P.
Kinda pricey for chocolate chip cookies... but then I had this macaroon that was definitely awesome and helped me with my sweet/chocolate fix. Yum! Can't really review it as a cafe because I haven't really been there as a cafe. Just a walk-in/buy something bakery.
(3)
Alicia V.
Alliance Bakery puts "Ace of Cakes and "Cake Boss" to shame. The European fine pastries are to die for like the mini cholotate eclair made with imported chocolate from France and dusted with gold. However, I also love their cupcakes, especially the coconut and chocolate with whip cream filling. The coffee drinks are great. Although, I can't wait for summertime when I can order the amazing Hibiscus drink. This one is a MUST try. The custom designed cakes are super impressive and delicious. Executive pastry chef Peter Rios is very talented. Chicago is lucky to have him. Now I see why he has been featured on Food Network and TLC. The bakery has a cute adjoining dining lounge with FREE wifi. Check out the new refrigerated, exotic and decadent desserts served in glass and topped with handblown colored sugar pieces. Wow!
(5)
Esther Y.
I agree with Cassie P. and I have to say, I am judging them on their cupcakes. Cupcakes = dry as hell. My cupcakes from a box were more moist than theirs. Cassie is a nicer person than I am, I couldn't give them more than 2 stars.
(2)
Bonnie H.
Alliance lounge is great. Saves me a 2.5 hour commute to the office on the days I need to upload large files. The people who work there are friendly. You can come and go as you please. I also like how they don't make you feel bad for being there for a long time. Think their food is okay. Have only tried their chocolate croissant. Tasted very good. Chocolate was rich but not too sweet, how I like it. Croissant flaky and buttery. Size could be larger. Turkey sandwich - bread is hard. The healthiest option they have for lunch. The only gripe i have is that sometimes i cannot sign onto their network. I've heard other customers complain at the cafe as well. I was still able to find a different network to sign onto, but it didn't have the same upload speed that i needed.
(4)
Jennifer P.
My favorite thing about this place is that I used to live a block away. Oh, how I dream of those better days (let's give a round of applause to building foreclosure!) ANYWAY. This place is seriously amazing. Great mug of coffee and I'm very keen on their almond croissant/cheese croissant/any croissant...basically i gained 10 lbs from eating these things and I'm OK with it. Their cookies are so-so. Cupcakes are usually good, especially the red velvet and carrot, unless you get a stinky old one that tastes like dry, crumbly garbage. Cakes displayed in the window automatically pull you in (it's like some creepy gravitational pull they must have). What's really awesome is that you can be extremely productive (for real) next door in the wi-fi lounge. Every chair is pretty much filled and if you even THINK about talking gossip in there with your friends, you will automatically feel ashamed and lazy in comparison to the surrounding people on their laptops. Yep, this place is pretty dang cool. My recommendation combo: coffee. croissant. that paper you put off writing.
(4)
Kira B.
Alliance is great! They use Intelligentsia for their coffee products and the pastries are always delicious. The lounge next door is comfortable and great for studying or doing work.
(4)
Hzl M.
i was looking to get a cake for my brothers baby shower; we went to a couple of places, and we liked alliance. i called multiple (4) times, i wanted the 1/2 sheet, red velvet, w cheese cheese frosting. this is where i get upset, all the times i called, their was a different ppl so i had to say "1/2 sheet, red velvet, w cheese cheese frosting," they always quoted me $88, all 4 times; however, when i ordered the cake, the total was $105.... i asked to speak to the manager, they said he was busy. the difference between $88 & $105 is $$17, thats not a lot, but if they had told me either the 1st or 2nd time, it would have been fine. i still bought the cake, but i told them i was gng to on yelp. so i did.
(2)
Gfiddy F.
I could not have been happier with everything from pistachio-pepperment and raspberry-rose macarons to a couple of the more unusual pastries, as well as the the beautiful and delicious cake. I used to think that I had to be so organic that I hand milled every grain of flour and bake everything at home when I provided eats for a party. I know this may sound ridiculous but I believed it - at any rate, thinking back on that unrealistic back-everything notion, I am above all relieved to stop by Alliance bakery instead. Also, very good quiche.
(5)
Laura A.
I live across the street from this place. I managed to avoid it for several months, but now I go in once a week to treat myself to a red velvet cupcake. Actually, I lied... it's more like 2 red velvet cupcakes, 3 black and white cookies, and a croissant. I always take it to go and walk back across the street to my apartment so I can begin the self-loathing...
(4)
Ellen R.
This was a stop along the cupcake crawl yesterday. I wasn't inspired to say the least. I had the red velvet cupcake. The cake part had absolutely no flavor, I know it's red velvet and it doesn't have any particular flavor that one can describe but come on! Why take in all those calories to have a piece of flavorless crap? No thanks. The frosting was blah and the red substance drizzled on top was putrid. It tasted like pure chemicals, you know like the fake strawberry sauce used at low-par ice cream shops? Yeah that kind. Oh and the wrapping was quite possibly the most annoying thing to try to take off before consuming your treat. The appearance of the pastries overall, is pleasing. Nothing spectacular but pleasing. It definitely had a cozy, comfy, old fashioned bakery feel to it. The cakes are absolutely gorgeous and I highly recommend it for a special occasion cake as they seem to have a wonderful grasp on the proper usage of fondant icing. Make sure to check out the pics on the walls as well as their cake book for options. The staff there was, by far, the friendliest of all the bakeries visited yesterday. They look like the typical crunchy, grungy bunch you will find working at most Wicker Park establishments but they were informative and helpful. And, dare I say it, they smiled at us when we first walked in (ok maybe that was my overly optimistic, delighted mind at work playing tricks on me). The other bone I have to pick is the cleanliness. It just wasn't up to my standards. I felt as though at any moment I could be sharing cupcake bliss with a friendly neighborhood roach. Not very appealing. It's definitely not the worst I've seen and it wasn't horrible but I would havepreferred it to be a bit more tidy. It wasn't a bad experience and if I have the occasion to order a cake this is the place I would go back to hands down. If you are just looking for a sweet I would say to skip it, get your calories somewhere else.
(2)
B H.
I am sooo in LOVE with their cupcakes-esp. red velvet. Also the almond croissant is to die for. A great bakery that I am still trying to try new things each time I visit...and still haven't had everything or any complaints. Did I tell you I LOVE this place!? Please take me next time you go!
(5)
Manda H.
for the time being I'm giving 2 stars, I do plan on coming back and trying a few new things. The cakes in the display window are amazing by the way. As for the food I tried, I purchased a cupcake and the chocolate flour-less cake. Both were an, Eh, in my book. I didn't feel that there was anything over and beyond what I could get at any other bakery. There were a few other sweets that I would like to try, including the usual sprinkled cookie's. Hopefully I will be able to change my rating experience on my next visit.
(2)
xoxx C.
I got a birthday cake here and custom cookies for a couple friends birthday, the idea I had they nailed it. I tried a red velvet cupcake too and it was the best I've ever had from the chicagoland. Their tea is pretty good too. I would be a more frequent customer if it wasn't so far from me!
(4)
Stacey P.
I liked my cupcake here from here, and tried a friends and also liked hers. I've only had cupcakes though, so can't speak for the other stuff. Both people in the store were nice and helpful. I'm super indecisive and they actually helped me to pick a cupcake in record time!
(4)
Bonnie G.
While the hazelnut cupcake's best part was the chocolate frosting, the service here was great. They had so many options for coffee drinks, all available with soy, that is blew my mind...so I asked for decaf. How lame am I? I was walking out of the clean, well-lit bakery when I took a sip...and it wasn't very warm. The very bane of the decaf-drinkers existance. I know I know...what the FUCK is the point of drinking decaf? But I ...I love the taste of coffee but the caffiene makes me tweak out, and crash and burn horribly, resulting in a mug shot resembling NIck Nolte. ANYWAY. So I ask the sweet woman there if she can just nuke it or something (it was kind of chilly out there). And she said...she would just make a new pot. How cool is that? So I ended up smoking cigarettes outside, making conversation, nibbling on my yummy frosting and she even brought the cup out and got me soy milk to put in it. Now THAT is sweetness-even for a bakery!
(5)
Jared H.
Good Coffee- but they need a door from the shop to the lounge .. in my humble opinion.
(4)
Diana N.
I have a love-hate relationship with Alliance. I used to spend hours and hours using their free wireless and basically mainlining their house coffee. But I walk by Alliance everyday and feel a little resentful towards the place. I'm not one to support Starbucks (one and a half blocks east on Division) but frankly, if I'm stopping for coffee on my way to the Blue Line, I'm stopping at Starbucks. And to tell you the truth, I despise Starbucks' black coffee, but I can't take the risk with Alliance. 9 times out of 10 in the morning, it's going to take upwards of 6 minutes to get my coffee at Alliance, but I've waited more than 15 minutes for the baristas to get their acts together. While the cakes in the window and the pastries in the display cases are mouthwatering, they look better than they taste. And I'm the type of person that will take all manner of abuse from baristas, servers, or hostesses if the product is good. But their cupcakes are dry and crumbly, the croissants look delicious but are always half-burnt, and a medium coffee will run you $2.25, AND they make you wait for it. In addition, the tables in the "study" area are creaky and off-balance. When you're trying to type and every depression of the keys makes your table rock and the tattoo-ed philosophy student next to you glare menacingly, it kinda makes you resent Alliance and the world at large. But I still go there. Love-hate relationship, I told you.
(2)
Kristina B.
If you love the smell of fresh bread and cookies baking, go here. If you love the TASTE of fresh bread and cookies even more, you REALLY need to go here. The smells are wonderful, and the tastes are even better. The people there are super friendly and almost always willing to accomodate your order. And get some cookies while you're there. They're DE-lish!
(4)
Nash G.
Great coffee, great pastries. I may be a tad partial, since I used to live upstairs (my entire apartment would smell like baking bread by 4:30 in the morning), but if you're in or near the neighborhood, you should definitely give this place a shot.
(4)
Nina G.
Charlie - I think what happened here is not unique to the bakery. Judging from other stories I've heard over the years, what happened was probably this: It was a slow night, the employees were anxious to go home, so they cashed out early. Serving another customer meant re-opening the cash box and working beyond closing time. I was guilty of doing this myself - once. The boss heard about it and politely but firmly explained that retail is a "customer service" business and the customer must be served if his/her body is on the premises any time before the official closing time. The four stars here are for the pastries and home-made caramel candies, which I find to be almost uniformly excellent. Too bad the Hot Cross Buns, sold before Easter, were either dry and hard, or already sold-out.
(4)
Jourdan S.
see first review
(2)
Peter L.
Tried a few things in the bakery and they were pretty decent. Key lime bar and turtle brownie. Just a warning -- the study hall next door is like super quiet. Kind of like a hipster library. Some people get things done when it's silent, but it drives me crazy. And then when one person gets a phone call, everyone in the place can hear the whole conversation. The people who work there are nice though.
(3)
Deanna C.
I have procured 3 cakes from Alliance for other people's birthdays, wedding and baby showers. Each time, the guests (many of whom I didn't know personally) have come to me and asked me where the cake was from, and used the words "best cake I have ever had." I am more popular, have smoother skin, shinier hair and am thinner when I bring one of these cakes.
(4)
Yaidi A.
I live off their Hummos & spinage dip. Their specials are incredibly cheap, and the fact they have free wi-fi? Heck, it's home for any compu-reading nerd. -Yaidi
(4)
Melanie D.
Amazing, amazing, amazing croissants and coffee. I don't need to go to France if I can go here. Well, okay, I'm totally exaggerating--but the croissants are that good, it's hard to stop at just one.
(4)
jame s.
If you think firm cake and stiff frosting is good, then this is your cupcake destination. The frosting on the red velvet cupcake was yummy cream cheesy and smooth, but the frosting on the vanilla cupcake was literally stiff. When I bit into it, the entire layer of frosting lifted off the cupcake. The red velvet cake was fairly moist and palatable and the vanilla cake wasn't all that memorable. Now, they do get points for colorful frosting, but my first criteria for frosting is creamy! As for price, I did not feel sticker shock.
(3)
Kristina F.
I used to have the pleasure of walking past Alliance every morning on the way to work. Even on the very few days I didn't go in, it was fun to take a look at the beautiful cakes in the window (the Halloween display was great) and the selection of treats is broad and wonderful. The staff is friendly and will come to know you if you're a regular. It's always nice to be greated by a friendly acquaintance handing you a tasty treat in the morning. They also have a jar of free dog treats for your best furry friend. Highly recommend it! P.S. Sorry to the person who had a bad experience with the eggplant sandwich. It's actually one of my favorites and one I've purchased repeatedly. The peppered foccaccia is superb.
(5)
Iris F.
I'm not going back, the lady was pretty snippy and it hasn't been the first time. The pastries are okay, I've had better. See ya.
(2)
Theresa K.
Some of the best cupcakes I've tried in Chicago!
(5)
Beth N.
We chose Alliance for our wedding cake because we wanted a small bakery in our neighborhood. Alliance really delivered! Our cake was beautiful and incredibly delicious. Our guests raved about both flavors--chocolate cake with vanilla pastry creme and white cake with raspberry filling. Our tasting was a wonderful experience, professional and delicious. Lindsey was very helpful in working with us to choose design options that suited our tastes and budget. I'm not an easy person to work with when it comes to design, but Lindsey accommodated my desires with the utmost professionalism. My bachelorette party cake was also from Alliance and was, in a word, amazing. If you need a cake for anything get your buns to Alliance.
(5)
Rachel H.
I came into Alliance in search of a substitute for my beloved pumpkin cookie, star of a now defunct bakery in my hometown. The cookie here wasn't an exact match but it was worth the $2 I paid for it. The service was friendly, they have a ton of seasonal coffee drinks as well as caramel apple cider, and seriously if you can't wait til Christmas time for a gingerbread latte, you can get one here. Everything in here looks delicious. Mmm sugar.
(4)
Coco C.
Cupcakes - subpar. They've always been dry as dust when I've gotten them (and I've tried them mutiple times). And not delicious-but-dry, just dry. Paczyki - deeeee-licious! Though I had them in 2006, and my sister just had them this year and said they were, what else, dry. I like the cakes they have in the window, though...
(3)
Mika K.
I recently went to Alliance to order some cupcakes for my sisters birthday party. I went a couple days before hand because I was going to be out of town and made my order. I was very specific on what I wanted and the woman behind the counter was rather rude as I made my order, but I stayed polite and paid for my order making sure that it would be ready a few days later in order for the party. She assured me multiple times that they would be ready. So, the day of the pickup I got a phone call from my sister saying that they had no record of an order and she was not able to pick up the cupcakes for her birthday party. I would not have written a review if I thought it was a one time thing but right after this I heard a story of a cake being ordered and not delivered as it had been promised for an anniversary. I would not count on Alliance to cater any thing for a special occasion that is for sure!
(1)
Corinna K.
I still love this place and I love the accommodating staff, but it's not vegan-friendly. I know that I shouldn't expect much from a bakery, but there's only one thing that's semi-vegan-friendly and it contains honey. I just like to go here for a coffee or tea and to use the lounge. This is one of the few coffee shops I've found in Chicago where people actually go to study or write.
(4)
Clare K.
hint: don't make a red velvet cupcake if you apparently don't know what it is. it is NOT a white cupcake with lots of red food coloring and splotches of batter that missed being colored. gross. that being said--the chocolate with vanilla frosting was the best standard flavor. nice, substantial cupcakes and i like the wrappers they bake them in. the vanilla cake is a little dry though. the seasonal pumpkin cupcake was DIVINE. moist without being gummy/chewy like they sometimes can be. perfect cream cheese frosting. a definite winner.
(3)
Meghan B.
love, love, love. go and get one of the amazing banana cupcakes... mmmm... it's filled with chocolate and has delicious frosting. i've had nearly all of their cupcakes, but that banana one sticks with me. so yummy. counter staff is helpful and nice :)
(5)
Zach C.
I got a cheese danish and it was pretty good. I wouldn't say go out of your way to go there or call home about it but if you are in the area stop by. It is good for breakfast and their coffee is pretty awesome.
(3)
Andrea C.
Just moved here from CA, and love sweets. The cakes looked beautiful, their presentation is awesome but actual taste and flavor not so great. My boyfriend is a huge cookie fan and had the oatmeal raisin, he said it tasted like the batter wasn't mixed completely. I tasted it, you could kind of taste the flour in one part and the butter in another. Not impressed. Had the lemon bar, which was equally as bland. Quite disappointed.
(2)
Mister S.
Ha! Friends don't let friends buy Starbucks! The sticker on the cash register makes me keep coming back. I always get coffee here on my way to roam about Wicker Park to do Wicker Parkish things.
(4)
Ji Hye K.
I walk by this bakery every morning on my way to work and it takes a lot, I mean A LOT, of will power not to stop by and pick something up. That's even after consuming close to 1000 calorie breakfast at home. But I gave into the allure of Alliance a few days ago - bought the 'everything' bagel with cream cheese. Yea, this bakery has awesome cake, pastries, little cookies full of joy and even surprisingly tasty 'harvest' salad. But the BAGEL. O. M. G. For once, I couldn't wait to get to work, sit down, spread the cream cheese all over the bagel and stuff it in my mouth. Seriously, every bite of that bagel, even when not toasted, was so amazingly good. Bready, hint of sweetness, soft yet tiny bit crunchy on the outside, with pungent garlic and onion bits, plus just the right amount of rock salt bits here and there. I say, there was a party in my mouth. I'm not sure if they make the bagels there. Regardless. Best bagel ever. I like Alliance a whole lot, but the only reason I give it 4, instead of 5, stars is that the sitting area could be brighter.
(4)
Chayla B.
Good coffee, the danishes/pastries look good (I didn't have one, but they look good), the music was nice and low until just now (Red Hot Chili Peppers- ew and no thanks), uncomfortable bench, but nice lounge area. The internet is super slow, though. It is really cramping my style. I have a ton of work stuff to do, and this is slowing me down. Almost to the point of me leaving and finding another wifi location. Lame. You have to spend more than $5 to use your credit/debit. This is a horrible review, but this place has made me crabby.
(3)
Natalie B.
The best cake in the city. This place is dangerous--you cannot have "just one bite".
(5)
Poma Celeste T.
This sweet place with friendly workers is a great stop on your way in/out of the neighborhood, or a great place to chill and hang out alone or with friends. They have the cutest cookies (unafraid of ironic statements too) and other yummy desserts. They are above and beyond Starbucks for sure.
(4)
Sarah B.
So tons of stars for the adorable old school sign out front and the outdoor seating area. Not so many stars for the cupcakes. I mean, what's with the trying to reinvent the actual paper cup that holds the cupcake? And I think the ratio of frosting to cake (a crucial factor when judging cupcakes) was off. Also had their spinach and feta and turkey and swiss croissants. All in all, not a bad place but nothing that I'll be dying to get back to.
(3)
Briana J.
There was nothing about this place I liked.....which is odd because I love baked goods. However, both my strawberry/lemon cupcake and my double layer chocolate cherry bar were crap. They both did not taste fresh. Additionally, I had to seek out help...apparently standing in front of the cupcakes with my wallet out was not an indication that I was wanting to purchase something!
(1)
Katie H.
Visiting Alliance in search of cupcakes feels like going to the Soup Nazi for some bisque. The product itself is amazing, however you have to deal with some rude employees in order to actually obtain what you want. I don't mind hipsters. Really I don't. It's just when they give you service with a heaping side of "fuck you, peasant, what are you doing in my shop?" attitude.... there's a problem. Like tonight I went in for a cuppitty-cake and the shop was empty. I took a minute to root through my bag (my purse was recently stolen so I currenly don't have a wallet and just chuck money into my bag) to try and figure out if I had enough cash or I was going to need to use my card. When I looked up, Potato-face Clerk is giving me the dirtiest of looks as if I'd just crapped on her clean floor. I wasn't holding up a line!! Jesus. Then I asked her as politely as possible if there was a minimum for cards and she held up five stubby fingers and shot me another look of disdain. This isn't the first time I've had to deal with a More-Indie-Than-Thou worker in this joint.... I'll keep coming back though because really... it's that good.
(4)
Linda S.
Best bakery for birthday cakes in chicago. I've been to Lutz, Bittersweet, House of Fine Chocolates, Vanille, Sweet Thang, you name it, and nothing competes with the quality and prices at Alliance. Check out the photo of the cake I recently ordered! Absolutely beautiful! They also offer free wifi in next door with a purchase from the bakery. There's plenty of outlets and the connection is excellent. I must say that the furniture smells pretty musty here.
(5)
Leticia L.
I have to admit I am addicted to sweets. I love Alliance. They have an awesome red velvet cupcake. They are one of those special bakeries that can come up with a dessert that is both elegant and delicious. Their pastries really melt in your mouth. I would like to go there more often, but parking is often difficult to find. :(
(4)
Emily T.
Today I went to Alliance for the first time, and tried the "Chocolate Hazelnut Shooter." It was very tasty, and kind of expensive. A lot of the pastries are expensive, but then again, I'm a college student--everything is expensive to me! This place is great if you want to try something different, it's not your typical bakery. The cakes in the window are really cool. I liked the outdoor area seating, where I enjoyed my shooter and the view of Division Street.
(4)
K M.
I wrote a scathing review about the cookies and cupcakes at Alliance. Then they changed hands in ownership. Then they did it again. I would say I owe them another try. I'm planning a fundraiser in the neighborhood and called the bakery for a donation and spoke with the new owner - and they happily offered up cookies for our event. Maybe it's a new recipe, maybe it isn't - but I have a new found interest and spot in my heart for Alliance.
(5)
Robyn S.
This bakery in our neighbohood has fantastic lattes and even better blueberry scones - huge compared to other local bake shops, with lots of powdered sugar. Our dog loves the homemade treats, but then again, she doesn't have the most discriminating palette. Wifi in their attached cafe can be slow at times, but it's a quiet cozy corner. This is a regular stop on the Sunday-morning circuit.
(4)
Eliza M.
Excellent coffee. This place also gets a lot of little things right about how to be a good coffee house - the music is the right volume, the staff are the right balance of helpful and laid-back, and the wi-fi works all the time. Can't speak for the baked goods.
(5)
Jenny A.
Hands down the best bakery in Chicago! I love them. I'm a wholesale customer and re-sell their treats for catering and in my cafe. I can't tell you how wonderful these people are. I have had several occasions where I needed something last minute or I totally forgot to place an order and Peter or Mitchell always hook me up. Always. Their pastries and cakes are divine and my customers always ask where we buy them. I've never had a bad experience with them and will continue to use them as a supplier. Thanks Alliance, you're the absolute best.
(5)
Stephanie T.
This place is like Cheers.
(5)
Leigh K.
I was putting together a list of places in my hood and somehow I never reviewed Alliance? It tends to be out of convenience rather than craving that I go here, but I do end up here once or twice a month. I've had a couple of the fun-sounding lattes and they were alright, but I really enjoy their hazelnut chocolate cupcake. Not my favorite in the hood though.
(3)
Sarah F.
With a chill environment and helpful staff, this place gets some brownie points in my book for sure. The deserts are heavenly, so I haven't made it around to trying some of their food items, such as hummus and red pepper dip.
(5)
Melissa B.
We stopped for cupcakes after paying a ton of money to get our car fixed. We were looking for a pick me up in the form of cake. I had the red velvet. It was good. The bf had the carrot cake. It was meh. Its missing something in my opinion, nuts and stuff. We actually split them, each eating half. I would get the red velvet again and skip the carrot. The icing was good on both, nice and rich but not to sugary.
(3)
Tiff B.
This place is overrated. Their cupcakes aren't all that great. In fact, they're about as good as any cupcake you can buy from a grcoery store bakery. And the service is marginal at best. The people behind the counter stood there and talked to their friends (who were blocking the display cases and just being annoying in general) while a line of customer formed. Skip this place. There are so many other great bakeries in the city. I didn't try their coffee though it supposedly pretty good.
(2)
heather w.
you people are kidding, right? this place sucks! my brownie was flavorless and like a brick, the lovely looking and enticing-sounding layered dessert was bland and had the texture of phlegm, AND the coffee sucked. to make matters worse, it all LOOKED fabulous, so i was double disappointed when it tasted bad.
(1)
Stella S.
After hearing all about those stupid red velvet cupcakes I was obsessed and had to have one. So I made my hubby drive up there tonight with me, I bought 2 of them, and also a carrot cake cupcake and a lemon bar. So far I've only tried the one red velvet cupcake, and it was great! The cream cheese frosting is divine! I don't know about the rest of the stuff in the box, but I'm sure it will be great!!
(4)
Melanie E.
this place is one of my favorite coffeeshops in chicago. the atmosphere is laid back, the food is yummy, and there is free wireless internet. also, most of the people who work there are really nice. they offer special drinks for the seasons. the best is the mint mocha, and the apple cider in winter. for summer they will have a lovely mint iced tea. i lalso love the spritz cookies and the cranberry walnut bar. one con is that this place can get cold if you are sitting there for awhile in the winter. but it's great to sit outside on the patio in the summer. i definitely recommend hanging out here!
(5)
Sara G.
Well I've only been here once, while on a visit to Chicago, so I can't give a comprehensive review. But my red velvet cupcake with cream cheese frosting and a cup of hot chai (no milk) was lovely. The cupcake was moist and flavorful and the frosting was tasty, not cloying or greasy. My companion's lemon bar was rich and crumbly and buttery, which is just how it should be. It didn't hurt that it was a warm, sunny day and we sat outside (unlike most of my other Chicago visits, which have had uniformly abysmal weather). But the room next door seemed like a nice space to sit and read and drink your coffee, as well. A special note has to be made of the fabulous decorated cakes in the window. They had cakes that looked like designer handbags, lovely wedding cakes with trees and vines on them, and a hamburger cake. Does anyone else remember when hamburger cakes were kind of trendy in the mid 80s for a while? Around the same time as those "Where's the Beef?" commercials? Am I dating myself? damn... Anyway, I loved my cupcake.
(4)
N Y.
I used to go here alot for baked goods on my way to work. but sometimes they didnt have any rasberry coffee cake so only four stars. when they do have it though, its AWSOME
(4)
Suzanne C.
I l-o-v-e!! this bakery...eat me , says the cranberry bar cake thing and so I did and Ill do it again! The coffee is fantastic, anyway you like it cuz I just about tried them all and hey..did you know they even have a coffee club? buy so many and get one free cards are available right on the counter :) yeah! and while you are there... you HAVE to have one of "my sisters caramels" which are in a basket or jar at the counter...dont miss those. absolutely sugary yummy caramel from an absolute caramel lover! ENJOY! and dont forget to bring your pooch...they have bags of doggie home baked doggie treats too! yeah!
(5)
bill s.
I just went here with my fiance for the first time the other day and even though I only had an Iced Decaf Coffee.. Americano or something like that.. I definitely had a good first impression of the place. I am not the biggest fan of sitting outdoors at cafes ,but my fiance is so we sat outside, because she always wins and it was pretty comfortable out there. The chairs weren't painful or wobbly, the tables aren't too close to one another, and their garbage wasn't inside the seating area. Of course the garbage wasn't out there at all but that probably won't bother most people.. I'm just lazy. When we were done, we went back in so i could get another for the road... actually for the sidewalk, because we walked along the block shopping for awhile. (You can see my opinions of those places on my page also.) Then, we stopped into another part of the place to use the restroom. I was completely unaware that this side existed. I thought they only had an outside place to sit because this part's separate from the part where you buy stuff. Anyways, this side looked really cozy and ideal if you wanted to just relax and read something or surf the web on a mobile device, or write screenplays.
(5)
Rachelle T.
I think this place is completely overrated. Everyone raves about their cupcakes and honestly I think they were crap. I would give them one star but I don't think it's fair to base an entire 'bakery' off of some cupcakes so I'll be generous and give them two. First off this place is a rip-off. Over $2 for a small cupcake is redic, or it better taste heavenly. They did not. I tried the red velvet and another hazelnut one and both were dry and somewhat tasteless. I didn't even finish either of them b/c it felt like a waste of calories. Don't belive the hype and if you want a bakery with truly great cupcakes try Sensational Bites on Southport - $1.30-2.00 a cupcake and they are sooooo yummy!
(2)
wayne s.
Mmmmmm, pastries. Seems they have a lot to choose from. Didn't have any coffee though. I did see a Bushmill's whiskey cake on the wall, these people have skillz! They did have a sidewalk patio avenue, i didn't use it due to the sprinkling skies.
(4)
Malcolm K.
Study hall plus free wi-fi, pastries and coffee. What's not to like?
(5)
MP B.
5 stars on carrot cake cupcake alone. Red velvet is delicious, most and sweet too. Friendly haircutsters behind the counter slinging pastries and Intelligentsia. Adorable space. God Bless and Keep The Alliance!
(5)
emily h.
mmm...red velvet cupcakes... staff could use a lesson in customer service, but that seems pretty common all over the "customer service" industry.
(4)
Aileen O.
Went here on a mini cupcake crawl. The shop looks very mom & pop, which I really liked. It made the goodies look even more homemade and yummy. I tried the red velvet cupcake, which was huge! Unfortunately I found the cupcake too dense and not sweet enough for my liking. It was still very good, but not the best I've tried. I'd like to go back and try some of their other goodies, especially their cakes.
(4)
elizabeth n.
I tried Alliance Bakery for the first time last night at the Yelp Party and was so impressed with their cupcakes! FIrst of all the cupcakes are huge and so delicious! The red velvet were wonderful but the carrot cake cupcakes were my favorite! I can't wait to go to the bakery and try more of their delicious items!
(5)
paulina B.
great comfy chairs, it can be a hassle to park yourself on a busy sunday afternoon great mochas! great window for people watching and working!
(4)
Derek S.
i spent most of this month working from home because i was sick of commuting downtown. every morning i'd get my tired ass over to alliance and get a coffee or a cafe au lait, sometimes adorned with a stuffed croissant (turkey and swiss, maybe ham and cheddar). i'd sit outside logged onto the net doing worky-shmirky stuff (or calling my assistant and making her handle everything) and enjoy some sun and scratching the scruff of some local puppy. staring across the street at starbucks, thinking it looked like the new soldier field (is that an alien ship or a starbucks?)...revelling in the intelligensia. the place is a killer mix of coffee-shop and bakery. i feel like i might meet my future girl here.
(5)
Lisa S.
This is honestly the best bakery I have come across yet. The outside of the bakery decieves you into thinking it may just be a hole in the wall, but once you come in, you are amazed at all the amazing looking cakes and pastries that are visible. The cakes resemble the kind of cakes that are found on the show, "cake boss." The pastries are unbelievable too as you just dont know which to choose, they all look amazing!!! I am currently on a mission to try each and every one, and so far I have no complaints, they each taste as good as they look! YOU MUST TRY THIS PLACE!!
(5)
Frank W.
Friendly, lots of great baked goods at a cheap price. Not everything is out of this world amazing I'll admit, but the price, friendliness, and overall quality are great. Coffecakes (you can buy halves, which is nice) are very good as is the marzipan-frosted carrot cake which I once had for my birthday, and was maybe my favorite birthday cake ever.
(5)
Sunil A.
Great local coffee shop and bakery. Plenty of seating indoors and outside with free Internet. Great place to grab some coffee and get some work done. Some of the tables need repair or changed out and more working plugs. Baked goods are good but not they best ever. Awesome cake designs.
(4)
April A.
In my opinion this place is over hyped. The baked goods and coffee are good if you are taking them to go. If on the other hand you want to sit with a friend and have a conversation it is not the place to go. I have stopped in a few times and its always the same scenario, dead silent and the patrons seem pissed if you speak. Is this a coffee shop or a library? I give them 3 points on the service and products but can't do more than that based on the atmosphere.
(3)
Leang E.
I was supposed to be on my way to a friend's house to watch the Sunday night football game, and saw that the bakery was opened. This really surprised me for some reason, and reminded me that I had to get a birthday cake for my boss. So, I took a chance to see what the earliest date was that I could get a cake made. My boss loves key lime pie, and the bakery had this filling - so it was perfect. They also gave it a fish theme, since my boss likes to go fishing and just came back from a trip. They decorated it in a lovely light blue shade for the water and had green seaweeds frosting on the sides of the cake and a bright orange fish. It was beautiful, and tasted great too! It only took like a day and a half for them to make. I feel sorry for the staff because they are so busy, but I can certainly understand why - they make delicious stuff! The lady that helped me was very nice and accommodating. I was so tempted to buy other things here - the danishes and cupcakes. If you easily give in to temptation, you best stay away from this place. The cake was reasonably priced for the work that they did. Everyone at work liked the cake, too! I'll definitely be back here to try the other items. They have a nice outdoors seating area. Families come in here, as well as the snobby types who rudely interrupt you while you are getting helped on. It's dog friendly and there's free wireless.
(5)
Erin B.
Wow, I was a red velvet cake virgin until last night. I was so glad I conjured up the courage to try something new, and I was so happy I did. YUMMY! Their little mousse tarts were phenomenal too! Highly recommended!
(5)
Bianca J.
Best red velvet cupcakes in the city. I have no idea if the other stuff is good because that's the only thing I ever order!
(4)
Skylar C.
I had a cake made at this bakery for a special occasion and it was absolutely beautiful! It was also very delicious as well. I did try some of the pastries when I went to pick up the cake and I think I"ll have to go back very soon to try some more. It's also great to know from the reviews that they have free wireless.
(5)
Trish C.
Customer service? what happened guys? The staff is incredibly rude and uninterested (with the exception of one or two people), but the coffee is very good and the cupcakes are top notch. They also have a great lounge next door with free internet and is usually quiet and good for getting work done.
(3)
Trish B.
Alliance sees me every weekend for a bagel and coffee...or when I'm off of work, or it's a holiday and I need a special occasion cookie or cupcake. Working from home always turned into working at Alliance. A great addition to the UK Village that I hope never leaves, because I can't as long as it is there.
(5)
Natalie S.
One of the top 5 cupcakes of my life. Also, the black and white cookie. Live out all of your Seinfeld fantasies without actually having to be a self-centered asshole.
(5)
J K.
Agreed that not all the baked goods are top-notch, and the separate room thing has always struck me as odd, but I was there last week and the coconut macaroon bar is to die for.
(4)
susana e.
I've never been disappointed here. I bought a chocolate cheesecake a couple of weeks ago for my sister's birthday. It was heavenly. It was rich. Definitely didn't taste like those refrigerated cream cheese types. The consistency was more like a very dense mousse. My sister is a cheesecake connoisseur and she LOVED it. I tend to buy cupcakes here and they are always moist and fresh. I love the options in flavors and also, they look more like 'mini cakes' instead of the typical muffin (although they also have those). My favorite thing to get here (next to their olive baguette - soooo fresh!) are the cookies. They are fresh and delicious sugar cookies with stuff like "you suck" or "loser" written in frosting on them. I get them for my co-workers sometimes. They recently had some halloween cookies, and once even a Stewie Griffin (from Family Guy) cookie! They have a place to sit and relax next door, and in the summer, you can sit @ their sidewalk patio and watch yuppies walk their dogs who take craps right in front of you. By the way, they sell doggie treats in the shape of bones. I kinda want to try one :-o The staff is nice. Prices are reasonable. Their eggplant sandwich is one of my favorites. It's big and has hummus too. I'm not crazy about their other sandwiches, but their quiche looks quite good.
(5)
Ilina K.
Free internet and decent coffee, the baristas can be funny to interact with but are pretty useless when it comes to fast and efficient service. That's why I shamelessly go to Starbucks across the street when I'm not looking to make a night of it with my laptop. Filter-type crowd, but much quieter as people are actually working. They have cutesy elaborate cake window displays and a fantastic pastry selection. Everything I've eaten there that wasn't sweet was stale or just blah.
(3)
Jen T.
I can't say enough good things about their cakes!
(5)
Kevin M.
I randomly wandered in here one day to see what the crowd was all about. I'm usually not a big sweets guy, but this place really did it for me. Great cupcake (i believe it was the hazelnut). I keep meaning to go back here so hopefully I"ll get there soon.
(5)
Trent M.
Alliance is my bakery of choice in Chicago for a quick sweet snack or ready-made cakes. The carrot cake and Red Velvet are unmatched, the croissants are unbelievable, and their other assorted cookies and treats have never treated me wrong. Their fondant artist is STELLAR, the custom cakes are beautiful, classic yet modern... anyone needing a wedding cake in Chicago should give these guys a shot. Intelligensia coffee and free wifi are also added bonuses.
(5)
N Y.
good coffee and scones socially awkward staff
(2)
Bright N.
I went to Alliance Bakery today around 4:00 pm. The wonderful cakes in the window make you want to go in. There were two counters with one person ordering at each one. So we waited behind one of those people thinking that we would be next. While waiting a few other people came in. They waited on one other person at "the other" counter and TWO other people at the counter where we were standing waiting to order. There were at least three employees behind the counters waiting on people. They would have taken another customer before us as well if we hadn't finally said something. I know, we should have said something immediately but we try to be nice, it happens so fast and then you figure ok well no big deal we will be next...however, that did not happen in this case. (We were standing right up at the counter looking at the employees. In case you are thinking maybe we were off to the side or doing something else. We were right in front of them ready to order!) There was a strange feeling inside of Alliance Bakery. If they had taken our order right away we would have ordered more. So we ordered 4 cupcakes : 1 (unfilled) Red Velvet, 1 Carrot Cake, 1 German Chocolate, 1 Banana. Three out of four of these small cupcakes were dry and didn't taste like much. If your stock is old then you put it in a day old bin and sell it half price or you remove it from the case and do not serve it. They were so bad we could not believe it. The red velvet was not bad. It was fresher. It was not great though. What a waste of our money and time! We have been plenty of places where people act like they are the greatest thing ever. The difference is that they take a customer's order promptly....and they actually have a reason to act that way...they serve good tasting quality food. We have also been places that will not serve you something if it is not fresh. They do not want you to get a poor impression of the quality of their items. I respect that. We often give places a second or third chance. Alliance will not be getting a second or third chance to take our money. My recommendation - don't waste your time or money here. There are good places within walking distance.
(1)
Julia C.
I'm not sure how anyone could refer to Alliance Bakery as horrible. I havent tried their cookies, but the cakes and cupcakes are some of the best I've found in Chicago. I can't even walk by this bakery anymore because I can't help but buy 5 cupcakes!
(5)
andy b.
Place is small and crouded. Yet the food and coffee are AWESOME. Not a good place to hang out... but if you want to drive by jump out of the car and get a great treat, this is your stop.
(4)
Emma L.
They make the most amazing cakes ever! I've never actually been in the store, but I've been to a few parties with an Alliance Cake. Beautiful and they taste amazing!
(5)
Melissa C.
Great pastries! Check 'em out!
(4)
Michelle W.
This place has amazing sweets, definitely good enough to put a wrench any diet. The designs and decorations of Alliance can even make you look as you are driving by. Kudos to them for having an outdoor patio in the summer months. One of the things that makes Chicago and Wicker Park very cool!
(4)
Melanie B.
alliance has amazing croissants. if i wanted to get fat, i would eat them all the time. as it is, once a week is prolly too much -- but still. they're very, very good. try the chocolate! or the raspberry... we stumbled upon alliance one day and ended up getting a carrot cheesecake bar. hello. amazing. we couldn't stop oooing and ahhhing. the only thing i wish could change about alliance is their customer service. i've seen them be extremely friendly with regulars -- but my gf and i have been in at least a dozen times in the recent past and they still hardly look at us during our transaction. the last time, they began to help another customer before they'd even given us our change. is this a trend with bakers? still, i'll never stop being french and loving croissants, and all i know is alliance has done 'em right.
(4)
Rebekah K.
Good coffee, but not great. I have only had savory here, so I may be skewed... but they microwave their quiche into a rubbery mess, and their bread is scratch your throat dry or worthlessly soggy, their wrapped sandwiches are very displeasing and expensive. The staff was not specifically ruuuuude but kind of snotty and impatient, and charging for refills at the price they charge for a cup? Ok, it's $.50, but still! I seem to be the worst review on here, so if you like the sweet stuff this place seems to be where it is at.. As for the free wifi, Filter and some Starbucks still charge, but there is a ton of free Wifi all over the city now; Even laundromats have it!
(2)
Oona B.
despite the yippies (yippies + hippies), typing on their ibook, listening to their ipods and jibbering on their iphones, this cafe is a nice place to get coffee, bite into sweet treats and surf on free wi-fi.
(5)
Rob L.
I've been here a few times, including the cupcake crawl of '07. (Strange I thought I had written a review at the time) I've had their sandwiches, cupcakes and brownies. The actual bakery seems a little cramped, but come warmer weather there is more than ample space outside and their loungey coffee shop atmosphere room next door. The sandwich I got was a very tasty tomato, pesto and fresh mozzarella on a wonderful crusty bread. The bread was great, the mozzarella was tasty and the rest was good. The cupcakes I thought were good, but a little too much for me. When I think of a cupcake I think of a little cake that I can eat in three or five bites, here they are a little dense, much more like a small cake, (yes, I know that cupcakes were originally meant to be tester cake portions...), but a little overwhelming. Their brownies are ok, not great, but ok. The service can be okay too, I've had really great service, but also slow service with a meh kinda attitude. A little out of my way, but I don't mind stopping by here when in the area.
(4)
cathy a.
i have ordered two cakes from alliance - one for a wedding shower (almond cake with vanilla buttercream frosting...amazing!) and the other for my son's first birthday (chocolate with a hazelnut/praline mousse). both were outstanding - moist, delicious, reasonably priced, and beautifully decorated. the decoration on my son's birthday cake was fantastic (they replicated his invitation motif perfectly!) - we (and our guests) were incredibly impressed. honorary mention to their stock Niagara Falls cake, which is also a favorite in our house! thanks again, alliance!
(5)
Emily S.
Got my wedding cake (carrot cake) from Alliance. It was beautiful and guests really liked it. It was a little pricey, but the cake came out just as I wanted it. I would recommend if you are looking for a wedding cake.
(5)
Jackie S.
Was once my favorite bakery in my once favorite neighborhood. Still has good Intelligentsia coffee, but the pastries are dry.
(3)
Sony L.
gorgeous display cakes, even more scrumptious desserts (personally tried the keylime bars, choco cookie, carrot cupcake, and bread pudding) with good portions, and of course free wifi with functional electrical outlets to work/study! good studying place as room on the side usually quiet. what more can i ask for? oh yeah, and their coffee is good. only weird part is that their room for people to hang out is COMPLETELY separate from where they sell their goodies... maybe consider putting a door in the wall to connect the two??
(5)
Kelli T.
alliance is my stop most mornings. the thought of that intelligentsia espresso is what drags me out of bed. i'm a fan of straight up espresso over ice with some half and half thrown in (to widen the waitline). but now that it's cold weather i need to find a new drink of the day. most of the people behind the bar recognize me at this point...and are even offering suggestions for my new warm drink of choice for the bitter mornings. i like their suggestions. maybe i'll just mix it up all winter. i like the attention.
(5)
Lee P.
What can I say. If you haven't tried this place yet, DO IT. They make you feel at home.
(4)
Finger S.
The baked goods and coffee are great, however if your going there for the internet, you'd better bring a book or a newspaper because it is so slow, you'd be better off going across the street to blend.
(3)
Tracy M.
Absolutely delicious! I could eat those fruit tarts all day long and I was actually just thinking I may have them cater a holiday party for me so I can enjoy the leftovers! They also make some really creative, not to mention delicious, cakes.
(5)
Michelle C.
This is newly my favorite place to spend cafe time. The baked goods are delicous - not overly sweet, wholesome-tasting and elegant, but the real stand-out is the space! Seating is in a different storefront than the bakery/cafe counter, so it's freaking QUIET and wonderful! Comfortable enough seating, well-lit, patronized by considerate (and generally not bad-looking 20 - 40 year olds... like a library but you can have your cake and eat it too! Free wireless...
(4)
Chicago 1.
I wanted to like them more. Really, really wanted to like them as I am not used to dropping close to $200 on a birthday cake for 20 people. I asked for a cake with a man in a boat and emailed them a picture of the boat, mentioned in the phone conversation that the boat was white and green. Did not send them a picture of my husband (actually didn't think of it), so the appearance of the boat was really the only tie to it being my husband driving the boat. And they got the colors wrong. So it looked nothing like the boat I sent a picture of. They did try and rectify it, but at that point they could only add another stripe of the color everything was supposed to be. No one got the joke. The cake was huge, but pretty much everyone took one bite and left the rest to be thrown out. The remainder is in my freezer and even my kids are not asking for it. sigh. I really wanted to like this place. I really wanted to feel justified in buying a cake 10x the price of one at Dominick's . But no dice. The macaroons are tasty, but not worth the trip from the 'burbs.
(2)
Michael P.
living near by i frequent alliance for the cupcakes for sure - where else can you get red velvet cupcakes and they are awesome - they have wonderful baked goods and their larger cakes are out of this world - in the morning i USED to like stopping by for all the hotties on the way to work - but the negative snarky attitude of the staff is a major put off - well now is a great time to start my carb free diet -and now there is sweet cakes and i just found Bleeding Heart YUM
(2)
Tisha W.
There are so many good things to say about Alliance: free wi-fi, plenty of space, cool clientele, lots of light, an outdoor seating area in the summer, and it tends to be really quiet (partially because cellphones don't seem to work in the building). My experience with their food has been a little hit or miss. The cranberry bar is out of this world, as are the cupcakes, but I wouldn't recommend the lemon bar. The cookies are generally rock hard, they always seem to have 10 different kinds of sugar cookies, and a friend once had a very unfortunate experience with an eggplant sandwich. Overall though, Alliance is great and one of my favorite places in the city.
(5)
Nancy T.
Alliance created the most wonderful 40 cupcakes for my baby shower. My favorite was the red velvet, but the vanilla, chocolate and carrot cake were also amazing. This is a great place to cater your dessert bar or to stop in for a quick bite. They have great teas for enjoying in their too-cool sidewalk area.
(4)
k s.
I wish I had an occassion to order a cake. They do look amazing. I like the baked goods straight from the display case. The quiche is even tasty. I haven't tried out the new annex next door, but, maybe, maybe, if my treats make if next door...
(5)
One T.
This is one of my favorite summer spots. Get some iced coffee, a good book and a seat out in the patio. Nice and relaxing and makes you feel pleasantly alone in a big city . **Add this part on 12.27.07 Of late I've been getting friend's birthday cakes there, which have always been a huge splash at their parties. They're a bit pricey but well worth it, in every way. Normally when my friends have birthday parties no one really eats the cake, but every time I bring an Alliance cake they get eaten within a half hour. Also, their cupcakes are great. My fiancee and I always stop in here to grab treats and coffee when we visit my friend who lives a block away and they love it! so, yeah, I dig the place and you should definitely check it out.
(5)
Kurt O.
Alliance is a great spot to sit and sip an Inteligencia brew on a Saturday morning and watch the world go by. The cakes are excellent. The cupcakes are even better -- like best in the city (forget that 'cupcake' place in Lakeview). My wife raves about the apple turnovers, though I find some of their pastries to be a bit tough, like they don't use enough butter, at least compared to some of the old school bakeries in the city where you need a lesson in Polish before you order and a cholesterol test before you leave. (See Weber's bakery on Archer).
(4)
Max E.
I have ordered my niece's birthday cake from here every year (going on 3 years now - she'll be 4) and they've been fabulous! For her 2nd birthday, the theme was a luau and they created standing palm trees, etc. It wowed everyone! Last year was the ballerina cake and this year...dinosaurs. (Can't wait to see what they'll do!) The cakes are as delicious as they are creative.
(5)
Patrick F.
For sugarhounds, a nice selection of cookies, cupcakes (so good!), brownies, and other pastries awaits at alliance. They also offer fresh breads, coffee drinks, and sandwiches. The next door seating area has free wireless internet, so you can enjoy some goodies while being productive. I have also had the pleasure of enjoying an Alliance prepared birthday cake (red velvet with fresh rasberry filling) and it was fantastic!
(5)
Nicole S.
My nail tech just moved to a salon down the street from Alliance so I came across the place by accident (pulling up to park at the MUTHAFRIGGIN HIGH @$$ Parking Meter). So anyway..... as I walked by I noticed all the cutesy pastries in the window. On my way out since I still had 5 minutes on the meter so I went inside to grab something. Everything "looked" good. I decided to try the cupcakes in three different flavors. First of all the cupcakes are way overpriced. I don't care how cute they are. Give me a an ugly cupcake at a reasonable price. I got one chocoloate/chocolate, one red velvet, and one carrot cake. The chocoloate was super dry. I actually had to stop and get something to drink. The red velvet was good especially the frosting. However, I'm not sure how the carrot cake was because when I went to eat it the next morning with coffee it was super dry and the frosty was rubbery. This pissed me off. They should package them to last at least a day. They should also lower their prices or at least offer a package deal like 3 for 5 or something like that. 2.75 is WAY TOO MUCH. We are talking about flour, eggs, sugar......... I've had better cupcakes from Dominicks.
(2)
Brandon T.
This place is not too shabby. It's not that bad. If there was a 4.5, I'd give it to them, but there isn't. They can still make improvements. Well, the coffee there is not bad, although I prefer coffee from Atomix and the Barista Coffeehouse place. Now, this spot has some nice cakes. The thing that hits me is the cakes. The cakes are really good. Everything else I really haven't tried, and I can't say I recommend it, except for the cookies. The cookies are pretty good. Now, this is an independant business, so give them credit. Of course they can improve on a few things, but I think it's a decent place. The only thing they can use is some more space, maybe nicer staff, and to experiment on some of their "goodies" in order to get the best flavor and texture. I recommend it for the cake, and cookies. Everything else, you are on your own. Not a bad spot at all. Oh, did I mention, Free Wi-Fi? P.S. Don't bring your desktop. ;)
(4)
robert q.
Alliance is a bakery that doubles as a decent coffee shop. The coffee shop part is a bit strange, because it's not attached to the bakery part. I don't know why they couldn't figure out a way to put a hallway connecting the two, but all right. You buy your coffee and walk down two doors to the 'Alliance lounge', a living room full of a mixture of vintage furniture, cafeteria tables, and absolutely dead silent people with their faces buried in laptops. There's a serious "college library on finals week" vibe to the place, which can be great if you're like me and you go to coffee shops to escape the numerous distractions in your apartment. Also, the 'lounge' is curiously lacking in outlets, considering how many students hang out here, and some are even dead. You guys couldn't spring for an electrician? The coffee was decent, but nothing to write home about. I also got an overpriced albeit delicious croissant. I'll be back.
(3)
Laila K.
we checked out Alliance on Sunday for the Yelp knitting event. since my birthday is coming up, we've been on a search for a place that has beautiful AND tasty cakes (it seems the two ideas can't be found together without spending tons of money). Alliance blew us away. We tried the pumpkin cupcake, which was moist and tasty, like a lovely pumpkin bread with yummy cream cheese frosting. the vanilla actually tasted like vanilla, with again a perfect texture. the red velvet is close to perfect deliciousness with a subtly fruity flavored and cream cheese frosting. But the BEST is the hazelut cupcake, now i'm not a huge fan of chocolate frosting (I prefer my chocolate in the more dense truffle or bar form) but this fudgy frosting was great, rich and deep not overly sweet. The hazelnut cupcake has this great aroma and rich flavor that pairs well with the chocolate (I could also see it pairing well with a cherry or berry preserve filling if being used for a cake). Despite the fact that there was a line out the door, the employees spent time with us discussing options for custom cakes, good combinations, their most popular selections, etc. turn around for custom cakes is quick, service is great, designs are beautiful and innovative, and best of all the taste is hands down the best! what more could you want
(5)
K J.
Dangeriously delicious cookies.
(4)
yvette n.
this place is terrible. I have received some old sandwiches, cakes, and cookies. The cookies are pretty but tasted horrible! one time my server couldn't even get the change right, totally off. They do have good cupcakes though. However, I would rather go to milk and honey up the street.
(2)
Lynnette T.
the macarons are really not good. i don't think they even use almond flour. i will say, though, that the buttercream in the chocolate one was really good. but after spending $20 on those cookies, you would think more than just the buttercream would be good. this was the first time i've been here - passed by during do division - and it was really really busy, so it must be good. i'd give it another go - all these positive reviews can't be wrong. i just know i won't be trying the macarons again.
(2)
Zachary A.
good coffee, awesome pretty pastries... the cakes are beautiful. tv cakes. free wifi is a rarity and a BIG plus in this city. the seating next door makes me feel at home... it really feels like they ripped this place out of the faubourg-marigny. kudos, alliance. kudos.
(5)
daniel t.
why oh why does your internet go out all the time? great cupcakes
(2)
Christine F.
We got our 4-tiered wedding cake from Alliance and it was perfect! I had a vague idea of what I wanted it to look like, and Jennifer gave us a rough sketch that captured my vision. As our wedding neared, she added some additional detail as we finalized the design. The best part: the cake was DEEELICIOUS!!!!!! I love cake, so the taste and moistness of the cake was really important to me, particularly because this was the only dessert we had at the wedding. But it was perfect. The caterer couldn't cut the cake fast enough. The amount of cake was perfect as well - we only had a small portion leftover. I will go back to Alliance for any cake that we need in the future! YUM!
(5)
Nancy T.
The only reason I won't give Alliance 5 stars is because I learned that their cakes that are already made and ready to be picked up are not as delicious as their special order cakes. I purchased a chocolate cake that was ready to go same day and it was just ok. But that same day I placed an order for a small red velvet cake to pick up a week later and it was fantastic! My mother, so picky when it comes to cakes, loved it!!! We all did! It is a little pricey, but the great taste is worth it! The staff is very friendly & helpful, too!
(4)
Angela P.
Beep beep! Alliance Bakery, last stop on my Fat Tuesday paczki crawl. This bakery is much smaller than others I stopped at for paczki, and waiting behind three people is hardly what I would call a line. I placed a pre-order anyway (you have to phone it in) for a Raspberry Rose and a Blueberry Lemon paczki. The variety of flavors is lacking, but those two flavors stood out to me. The standard custard and apple are also available. The Raspberry Rose on its own makes Alliance worth a stop. There was tons of tart, raspberry filling, with a light rose flavor that wasn't too perfumey or overwhelming, but certainly exotic enough to make the trip. I'm not lying when I say I'll probably order a dozen or so from Central Continental, but I'll stop at Alliance (kind of, but not really, on the way home) just for one or two Raspberry Rose. The dough is a little more dry than other bakeries, and I didn't like the blueberry lemon at all. The blueberry filling lacked any sweetness. What drew me to Alliance also is that they sell macarons. I figured that in the late morning, on Fat Tuesday, nobody's thinking about macarons. But I was really disappointed when the two I wanted (balsamic fig and rose) were sold out. They still had eight other flavors for $1.75/each, and they sell pre-packaged ones for $20. Next time I'm in Wicker Park I'll stop by for the macarons. There's also a lot of great shopping in the area, so it's totally worth adding Alliance as a destination.
(4)
emily h.
The best bakery for wedding cake and favors! Nora at Alliance was so helpful and easy to work with when selecting our wedding cake and wedding favors. My husband and I aren't big cake people so we wanted a smaller cake for the "cutting the cake moment" at our reception. We weren't planning on cutting or serving it, only for the moment for my husband and I. Nora was super receptive to this idea and made us a 10 in, beautiful white and gold cake, exactly what we wanted. She was open to me sending her a picture of the design and colors that i wanted, and made the cake exactly to what we pictured! We were able to take our cake home, eat half and freeze the other half! Not only did it look beautiful, it tastes amazing! even a week later, the cake is still moist and yummy! Where Nora and staff at alliance were so helpful was with our favors. We chose to give our guests each a french macaroon, one purple and one white. My mom made the boxes that each cookie was to be presented in, and alliance was more than happy to work with us in putting each cookie in the box we provided. This was a huge cost savings to us and looked so good! Everyone was eating and loving the favors as they left the wedding reception! We live very close to Alliance and often go for coffee or treats, but now we know they are truly the best for cakes and macaroons!!! I would highly recommend working with alliance for any baked needs you have, not to mention, they delivered the cake and cookies to our venue!
(5)
Lindsay p.
Ordered a cake online, received an email with the pricing asking me to confirm. I did, and got another email asking me to call with a credit card number to reserve. I did. I went to pick up the cake, and they did not have the cake, and had no record of my order (despite the fact that I had the email exchange to show them). Fine, you made a mistake. But then they did nothing to try to help me. A discount on a comparable cake, maybe? Or cupcakes? Or something? (There were a bunch of people at my house for a birthday). They seemed to be satisfied with the fact that they hadn't charged my credit card for the cake that they never made.
(1)
XTreats X.
Macarons are nice and soft. Lemon poppy seed was a little sweet. Didn't have any other pastries but they looked good. Not the largest selection. What gives this the 4th star is the Bow Truss coffee, cool lounge and nice staff.
(4)
Liz B.
This review is for a custom cookie order. I saw cookies on Pinterest that I wanted to have replicated for a baby shower, so I emailed the photo to a couple of Chicago bakeries, including Alliance. They were so quick to respond with a price quote (I emailed with Nora), and when I said that price per cookie was too high for me, they made suggestions about how the design could be tweaked to lower the price. When I picked up the cookies (which were ready and waiting when they said they woudl be), I was blown away by how perfect they were! They were somehow even more amazing than the original picture I had sent in. The colors were awesome and the design was flawless. While custom designed cookies are never cheap, I would certainly go back to Alliance for a future order.
(5)
Chris S.
The quality of the products coming out of this bakery is easily some of the best I've had, anywhere in the world. The macaroons are representative of the expert craftwork that's going on at Alliance; too frequently, macaroon flavors are unremarkable, textures border on stale, and prices are absurd. Alliance macaroons are none of this, and everything this treat should capture. Their cakes are creative and delicious, and the cake pops are excellent versions of the larger delicacy.
(5)
Athena A.
We ordered our wedding cake from Alliance Bakery. Nora and Jennifer perfectly coordinated our cake tasting and the setup and delivery of the cake. We live in California and they made discussing and choosing a cake design so easy. We got a two-tiered raspberry buttercream cake with the frosting design of our choice. I should add that they did a fantastic job of reproducing the exact design that we wanted. We got lots of compliments on the elegant design of the cake in addition to how delicious it was.
(5)
Leigh C.
How cool are the wedding cakes in the window? Well, we got our wedding cake here and it was not that cool at all. We were promised one thing and given something completely different. I insisted I wanted buttercream because it tastes better, and they said they could do a small design around the base in fondant and the rest buttercream, but instead we were lied to and the whole thing was fondant. Second, we never got a design blueprint, despite asking for one every other week for a long time!!! The gray color did not match the swatch I dropped off, the inscription was written in two lines so it didn't match the round inscription on the dome, the design was plain and frankly ugly looking. If you told me I was paying for fondant, I would have picked a much crazier idea and went for looks than taste. In the end, nobody ate the cake either and we were given a full tall 8" top tier round to take home. Terrible experience. Terrible communication about the design. They were not interested in working with is at all. Price was exorbitant. Don't come here if you have a summer wedding. They're just too swamped and don't put the time into working with you.
(2)
Saul A.
The pastries and service here are great but the cake we ordered for my 2 year old sons birthday last year was petty bad. My girlfriend placed the order about 3 weeks in advance. She had me pick it up and I seriously should have rejected it because of how crappy it looked. It was a Thomas the train cake but Thomas looked like he had a bums beard and had been drinking for quite some time. He was very bloated looking. I had no choice but to take it as it was picked up on the day of our little guys birthday and we were traveling to see family. I am not sure if it was an off day for the decorator or what but I will not buy another birthday cake from this place again. I will look for pics and try to upload later so you guys can see that I am not exaggerating.
(2)
Melissa A.
I discovered Alliance Bakery one evening after dining at Carriage House (one of my favorite restaurants) since they're a few storefronts over. I've only been here a handful of times but I can vouch for their cupcakes, macarons, spinach feta croissant, and coffee! The cupcakes that I've tried (red velvet, salted caramel, and maybe a hazelnut??) were awesome and I don't throw that compliment around easily. Their cupcakes are moist, not overly sweet, and frosting was delicious and not too heavy. The coffee they serve here is Bow Truss (local Chicago based coffee roasters) and it's pretty darn good. I'm sure anything you order here won't disappoint!
(4)
Jill M.
Nora and the Alliance team are incredible! The staff is so talented, creative and their customer service is impeccable! No one does cakes better than Alliance Bakery! Thank you for always delivering when I am in a pinch :)
(5)
Sara J.
Yikes. This place upsets me so. I live down the street and need cupcakes on a weekly basis to survive. There cupcakes are edible, that's right edible; yet so so expensive. Who are they kidding with those prices? Maybe if the cupcake was phenomenal it wouldn't sting as much. Also I've ordered a Cherry pie to take to a dinner party and it was so artificial tasting. The cakes in the display are darling but it's more so like a museum than a bakery; look don't eat. Sorry Alliance, I will not be visiting again.
(2)
C C.
Second best in the Second City, Their almond croissant is what I crave most-- truly amazing! There is only one other that's better, and you need to be in Hyde Park for that one, I've had their other sweet rolls- all very, very good. I haven't tried a lot of there stuff yet-- it's a bit too neo fancy for me, but if you like that kind of stuff, my guess is that it is good, too. It's taking me a long time to write this because some of the waitstaff often seem to sort of "shut down" when they serve me. I'll see them yakking it up with people in front of me-- okay, you know them, I get that. But, the extreme detachment mode when it's my turn is a turn off. and, this from those employees/owners? who have worked there for a long time. Maybe I'm not a "regular enough" customer? FYI, I've been going there since it was a Polish bakery where English was barely spoken and the various saints "namedays" were written on a huge, chalkboard calendar. So, it makes me an oldster, but don't I qualify me for "regular enough" status? I can handle consistent rudeness when a place is good, but what's with the off/on friendliness?
(4)
Tiffany C.
Alliance feels like a neighborhood fixture. That's one of the best things about it. They had a wide array of cupcakes to choose from, but the cheesecake is what won me and my sister over. We shared their small fruit cheesecake as a mid-afternoon sweet pick-me-up on a cloudy summer day. I personally really liked it because it WASN'T as dense as cheesecakes normally come - it was actually a bit more airy/mousse-like in its consistency, which made it feel like each mouthful melted easily on my tongue. My only bone to pick with this place is that their coffee was pretty awful. I'm not a coffee drinker normally and even I could tell this was watered down and dreadful. Oh, and their inside seating is completely monopolized by students/Mac-addicts plugging away at their computers. They look up irritably as you enter and attempt to invade their space by daring to eat dessert in the quiet zone. As a result, we relegated ourselves to the outside patio, where thankfully none of these zombie patrons were in sight.
(4)
Cerene P.
De-LI-CIOUS!!!!! Today we celebrated 2 birthdays in which we had carrot and german chocolate cake cupcakes. I only tried the Carrot Cake Cupcake, I must say it was AWESOME. Moist, fresh, perfect cream cheese frosting -definitely one of the better cupcakes i've had through out chicago. Perfect treat for a stressful week.
(4)
Gina G.
Nothing makes me happier than a place I can pick up a delicious cupcake and macaroons after dinner time! Yummy :D
(5)
Stefanie B.
I have to say hands down Alliance Bakery has the BEST almond croissants I've ever had. They don't have much variety in their bakery but what they do have is really good and all you really need is the almond croissants. Last time I was there I tried macarons which I'm not really a fan of but they were really good here and I actually liked them!! They had different flavors than the ordinary ones. The staff is so sweet and friendly...5 STARS!
(5)
Mira S.
Good, fresh macaroons in some interesting flavors. The yuzu was refreshing, and bright green to boot. The fig and raspberry were also good. They do a pumpkin spice latte, and they make the syrup themselves, and know where all of the ingredients are from. It's subtle, and it didn't taste like the syrup had much sugar, if any, it was just flavor--I'm a big fan of that. Friendly staff. Awesome looking cakes, including one that looks like a fairy tale book, with a big dragon behind it. I'm sure the cakes are delicious, if they're half as good as they are well decorated.
(4)
Zorin D.
So I was walking along the street when I happened to see macaroons out of the corner of my eye. I had to stop and try them as the assorted colors drew you in. It was a great desert and my favorite was the sea salt caramel along with the rose. I did a little mental math later that angered me a little bit. I paid $19.25 for a box of ten macaroons and they were being sold for $1.75 each. This place would have gotten an easy 5 stars for me if I didn't feel like I was getting ripped off a bit to buy a box. I didn't think about it until after we left though. All things considered. Everything I tried was good. Just remember to buy individually instead of the box.
(4)
Jennifer L.
I was in the area shopping for a treat to bring to a family gathering for Easter. I had originally intended on getting a pie from another bakery in the area, but quickly changed my mind upon seeing the beautifully decorated cakes in the shop's window. I just had to see if the cakes tasted as good at they looked. I bought a red velvet cake, which was decorated like an Easter egg. We ate the cake after dinner the following day and it still tasted great. I can only imagine how good it would have tasted had I eaten it right away. There was a thin layer of cream cheese frosting in between the cake and the frosting was not overly sweet either. My only critique would be that I would have liked to have more cream cheese frosting inside the cake. The family enjoyed the cake as well. I also bought a raspberry macaron and a key lime tart. The macaron was definitely the best raspberry one that I have sampled so far! I enjoyed the crisp outside and the raspberry filing inside was absolutely delicious. The key lime tart was made to perfection. I loved the thickness of the crust, which held the filing for the tart nicely. I also enjoyed the whipped cream that was on top of it. I ate the tart over the course of two days and it still tasted great on the second day. Overall, I was highly impressed with Alliance Bakery and definitely will be back to try some more of their goodies when I return to the area.
(4)
Mark D.
I walked in and ordered a beverage. They made the order and I pulled out my debit card to pay. The guy at the counter told me that I needed to spend at least $5 to use a debit card (lol) but he also explained that the bigger issue was that their credit card machine was broken. He asked me if I wanted to write my debit card number on a piece of paper so that they could charge it when the machine was working. I said no. I probably won't go back here. Two stars because I have a feeling a one star review would be filtered.
(2)
Maia D.
The macarons are deeeelicious. The people who work in the shop are great, too. The tres leches cake was really good, but I thought there was too much whipped cream on top but not enough cake (other than that, fabulous). Will stop by again soon!
(5)
Michelle L.
I wanted to give this place a shoutout for great service. I was staying across the street at the Ruby Room inn when I got locked out of my room, and no one was around to let me back in. I headed across the street to Alliance and their counter staff Sam and Abie not only let me use their phone to call, but let me stay in the bakery for ninety minutes waiting for someone to come let me in, and served me a coffee and pastry even though I didn't have my wallet on me at the time. They were so patient with me and so helpful with looking up contact information. I'm seriously grateful to them! Oh, the cortado I had was also fantastic. I'm looking forward to bringing some of their macarons home to New York, especially the balsamic fig flavor! Thanks so much guys. :-)
(5)
Nicole H.
Many of the reviews were pretty accurate and helpful to me. The area where you buy items is small but there is outdoor seating as well as seating next door. Thanks to the Yelper who pointed that out because I would have missed that. It seemed kind of dark when I went. Maybe they were saving energy or something. What I like about Alliance is that all of their items, including the mayo, are made in house. After perusing the case, I decided on a chocolate hazelnut cupcake, turkey sandwich, pistachio & chocolate cookies, coffee and hibiscus lemonade. I enjoyed the items. I never pass up lemonades that are from scratch or anything hibiscus. This one did not disappoint. The sandwich was just okay, but the mayo really jazzed it up. I thought the cupcake was done pretty well. The filling and frosting were well textured and the cake itself was moist. This place is worth checking out.
(3)
De Ann W.
This bakery is really cute and old school bakeshop style but the macarons suck! At $1.75 a piece I was really expecting better. I absolutely love pistachio french macarons and the pistachio macarons from Alliance are pretty disappointing. The flavor and texture are both misses for me. The macadamia bar, on the other hand, is amazing! I would like to try the other tarts and cupcakes because they look delicious but will definitely not be purchasing the macarons again.
(3)
Shaina B.
Seriously phoned it in on their paczki. Mostly dough with a dime size amount of filling - how did this end up on ANY type of list of where you should get paczki for Fat Tuesday? Disappointed to say the least...
(2)
Shayna Y.
French macaroons are delicious - try salted caramel! The large outdoor patio is lovely during the summer. They also serve Bowtruss coffee which is one of my favs!
(4)
Samah K.
This place has exotic and fun desserts. And there desserts are delicious. Didn't like the earl grey orange peel macaroon but otherwise loved the salted caramel, nutella, and chocolate macaroons a lot. I loved that they have a study room right next door so there is a quiet study area that i will be sure to use next time.
(4)
Kelly T.
Ordered a custom cake for our son's graduation. Cake was beautiful and very tasty - a great hit. They were very flexible in helping me figure out what the design should be, etc. and easy pick-up. Only concerns were the time to get back with a quote (I had to send several reminders) and the cost. That said - you do get what you pay for and I would definitely come back here for custom orders in the future.
(4)
Tanker C.
I hosted a baby shower for my daughter. I searched the web and loved the look of Alliance because the State Street location is near me and I wanted macaroons as well as a cake. I went to State Street but was met with indifference about ordering- OK, coffee shop workers -- went to the website and emailed a request ..which was answered in a basic way. So on calling them I was explicit about the boy baby thing, made an order for my cake (baby blue) with scrolling.. I had my own ornament for the top.. and macaroons too..well over $100. Delivery to my River North home was quoted at $35 which I declined! On the date and time instructed my husband went to Division to pick up the order. Lo and behold, the cake came out..pale pale blue (?white?) with St. Patrick's Day scrolling. The macaroons were "not ready"... my husband stood his ground and the cake was redecorated and the macaroons found. The cake was delicious... but the frosting buttercream and not fondant as ordered. Bottom line: great tasting goods but TERRIBLE SERVICE. Haven't even described the mistakes over credit card number, indifferent attitude etc. etc.
(2)
Danny M.
My friend wanted to come here because he wanted to try their cronut. Unfortunately, they didn't have any, so we went ahead and ordered some macarons and a few cupcakes. The macarons are kind of expensive at $1.75 each. I tried 5 flavors: rose, hazelnut, peppermint mocha, pistachio, and raspberry. My favorite was the hazelnut and pistachio but even then, it was just okay. They were kind of hard and crunchy, not soft like the macarons that I'm used to. We tried the vegan chocolate with peanut butter frosting cupcake. The cupcake was dry but the frosting was good. We picked this flavor because the cashier said it was his favorite. My friend tried the red velvet and he said it was dry too. Maybe it was towards the end of the day but even the cupcakes from Mariano's taste better than this and it would have been cheaper. I wouldn't crave to come back here anytime soon.
(2)
Fay H.
I want to give a surprise to my friend at her birthday , so I decided to order a cake with a "Sailor Moon" figure at Alliance .When I received it I was a little disappointed...But later when I carefully carry this cake to my friend's place , the figure of the cake fell apart ...! I paid this cake for $155 + tax , it's not worth this price at all . Even the taste of the cake is not good as well . I'm a constant customer of Alliance Patisserie in downtown , so I thought this Alliance Bakery could not be bad . But honestly, it could not be worse .
(1)
Mei K.
Update: I tried the original cronut from Dominique Ansel Bakery in NYC and confirmed that this knockoff version is crap. That is all..
(1)
Maria R.
I had a carrot cake cupcake, yum, my favorite! I also had the bread pudding, this is my all time favorite dish but not here. The chocolate croissants are wonderful, they would be my recommended choice.
(4)
Blaise H.
Alliance does a lot of things really well. Whether things are made in house or purchased elsewhere, I'm almost always happy with what I get. My only bad experience there was with a specialty cake I ordered. It came out looking nothing like what I had ordered an was expecting, and it was just too late to do anything about it. Given their ornate window dressing (fabulous looking cakes), it was a BIG disappointment. But as I said earlier, overall it's hard to go wrong. I'm a big fan of their bagels, their Macarons, their quiche, and their cookies. They brew some solid coffee as we'll, using local roasters. And of course having the seating area next door and outside just adds to the perks.
(4)
Aj M.
Their savory croissants are amazing! Everything is delicious, you can't go wrong with Alliance.
(5)
Sara A.
This place is so good I wish it doesn't become more popular and crowded. So don't come here people ok? This place is just for me
(5)
Jonathan S.
Recently placed an order for a fairly last minute birthday cake (about a week's notice). Alliance had no issue with my request. My beautifully designed custom cake was ready that weekend. First impression: the design was beautiful and matched my expectations (a custom Chicago city flag cake). Also, I customized the inside with custard, strawberries, and vanilla and chocolate layers. Over the outside, we used vanilla buttercream. Overall, the cake was a hit and tasted amazing. Also: a great value.
(5)
Sarah A.
I could not be happier with the way my cake turned out! Alliance Bakery totally nailed it!
(5)
Kat A.
After eating at Carriage House my friends and I saw that Alliance was just a couple store fronts over so we figured, why not stop in to see what they have? We checked out Yelp reviews and saw that it got good ratings. I got one of each flavor macaron and a red velvet cupcake. The macarons are good, but not the best I've had. The red velvet cupcake on the other hand was awesome. Nice and moist, with the smooth cream cheese frosting. It was not overly sweet, which I enjoyed. Next time I go here, I want to try their cakes and cake pops!
(5)
Ashley K.
Alliance bakery provided me with last minute engagement cookies for my sister and her fiancee. I called on a Tuesday with a need for custom made cookies, and they were able to have them ready exactly when I needed them (which was on Sunday). I specifically wanted to have 5 engagement ring shaped cookies, with one cookie customized to their names and engagement date. I was really excited to surprise the engaged couple with this and was so happy with the results of the cookies. Beautifully designed, and extremely tasty. We would have finished them all, but want to save two as a great memory. Thanks to Alliance Bakery for the great customer service, and wonderful results!
(5)
Josh W.
I've been to coffee shops all around the city and this is my favorite by far. Great sweet treats and they served great bowtruss coffee last time I was there. The best part was the second room they had next door full of tables and couches for reading and studying. It was so quite and quite comfortable. Definitely not your average Starbucks.
(5)
Lupe A.
Our new go to bakery!!! They are 100% dedicated to pleasing their customers and are flexible to work with your budget. The cake was delicious and beautiful. We will be back for all our birthday cakes!!
(5)
Diana J.
The single lonely star is solely based on their macarons! I normally always get my macarons from Vanille Patisserie, however since it was labor day Monday, they were unfortunately closed. Since I promised a friend I'd bring her some that day, I quickly turned to yelp and found Alliance bakery to be close by. Their selection was as expected, with about 8-10 different flavors to choose from. I made two bags of 5 macarons each which totaled to ~$20. Now it gets bad: the macarons were cold like they just came out of a freezer (which is fine I guess) but then they started to melt.... all of the fillings oozed out and made a bloody mess in the bags. I've brought macrons from Laduree all the way from NYC and they have held perfect shape for several days! Okay, so they are just really ugly looking now... I can get over that if it still tastes good.... boy was I wrong. One of my favorite flavors is rose- their version tasted like the pink liquid soap in divey bar bathrooms. My bf spit his half out immediately. The rest were not any better (pistachio, strawberry, hazelnut, etc.). I was sorely disappointed. We definitely will not be coming back.
(1)
Colleen M.
Love this place! The macaroons are amazing. You must try the strawberry shortcake, the salted caramel (which I never even knew existed until recently- previously they were always sold out!) or the rose ones. Amazing!! I tried the German chocolate macaroon before and was slightly disappointed. The coconut was hard as a rock, stale I'm guessing? The staff is so nice, always ready with a smile!
(4)
Rachel W.
I love alliance, the people are super friendly and it's a great vibe in there. Their vegan cupcake is a little dry unfortunately, although the peanut butter frosting is awesome :) Great coffee and a really nice patio out front for people watching.
(4)
Kathleen C.
Not a town to let New York pass us by with a fad (Cronut)...we have to have our own, thank you very much.... And Alliance is apparently the spot for a cronut in Chicago. Now, I'm not sure if I am just not a cronut person, but I wasn't completely wow'd by the cronut here - though I will say that it was beautifully presented and had a lovey rose glaze. The spot itself is pretty cute and I've had coffee and other treats here before which I have always enjoyed. However, I would pass on the line for the cronuts and stick to their other specialties...which also results in you having more time to eat your treat and a quicker fix!
(4)
Linda S.
Went by here for the sole purpose of buying macarons. They were $1.75 each and I got one of each of their variety of 11 different flavors. Haven't finished them all yet but from the ones I've tried, they're amazing! I'd say they are average size and the "hats" and "feet" were perfect with a good amount of filling! Aside from my delicious macaron, the service was great. I was greeted immediately when I walked into the store. I told the worker what I wanted and she immediately boxed them up and sent me on my way. Will definitely come back here again if I'm ever in the neighborhood!
(5)
MeFarrahDay D.
3 seconds out of this bakery and completely terrible experience. Be warned... preorder is not a preorder! I ordered a few things to drive to family in Michigan and was told "you get what we have left." Even after confirming 2 hours prior to pick up that I'd be there for my "pre"order. You can be the best place in the world, but 1 bad experience had made me never want to even pass by again.
(1)
Matt M.
Sad to say but the last three visits have been underwhelming. So much so that I won't be coming back and I've gone out of my way to visit since moving neighborhoods. The frosted sugar cookies look great but are dry and almost inedible. Ginger snaps were also dried out and devoid of flavor. The real surprise was how awful their cupcakes were. We had a red velvet and a German chocolate and both were so bland that I actually threw my half out after one bite. I could make better at home and it pains me to say that. The macaroons are their strength and I'll continue to recommend them.
(3)
Jessica M.
There were 11 of us to share a box of some 25 macarons. In other words, each person is rightfully allowed to have 2.27 macarons. That does not sound like an easy number to work with. Therefore, the best approach is to ally with a partner in crime and divide each of our four macarons into halves. We tried vanilla bean, passion fruit, lemon poppy seed, and raspberry. Halleluiah! I think I just stepped into Mr. Willy Wonka's chocolate factory.....except there are aisles and towers of macarons instead. Each bite sent me frolicking around the room! Each piece of macaron had a smooth crust. The flavors were ever-bursting as I bit through the crust and reached its moist filling. It wasn't overly buttery and the fruit flavors were very vibrant. I can actually snack on it for hours had I let my addiction overcome me. The downside is the macarons were a bit soft. It was a hot day because we left it in a warm environment for too long.
(4)
Jewel L.
So Disappointing. :-( I used to have a red velvet cupcake everytime i walked past Alliance but after my last two experiences, I no longer stop in. They're too expensive to be this awful. The cupcakes were overcooked and dry..nothing like the cupcake I fell in love with. The croissants were over cooked, dark brown and dry. Did the baker change? What happened? Good bye for now old favorite :-(
(1)
Melissa C.
I was so excited to learn Alliance was selling Packzis. Only to find out that these aren't packzis, they are $2.50 donuts (and not even good donuts at that). As someone who's been eating these once/year delights my whole life, I was sorely disappointed to find Alliance's dry, bland, and lacking filling. Additionally, I asked for each flavor except apple. Welp, I got an apple and no strawberry. What a disappointment. I look forward to this day each year and made a total fail this year by going to Alliance.
(2)
Monica J.
This is for their vegan peanut butter cupcakes. They are excellent and the frosting is done right. AFter trying this, you won't even realize it is vegan. The frosting is the right consistency and sweetness as well. Coffee and granola are good, too.
(5)
Melissa C.
Came in while I passed by, specifically for the macaroons. The cakes in the window looked gorgeous! Since I was in a hurry, I took one of each of the macaroon flavors since I couldn't decide on which....some were delicious...some were interesting. Overall, the texture was awesome and all the fillings were the perfect amount. Overall they had great macaroons: Lemon Poppy: VERY lemony! It tasted very natural, however a little more on the tart side Rose: I was excited for this one, and I can't decide if I liked it or not. I'm always one that is willing to try the interesting and unique flavors in desserts. When I bit into the macaroon, it definitely tasted like a rose! So much so that it seemed like I bit into a rose. Again, the flavor was true to it's name....just not sure if I liked the flavor! Vanilla: just like the other two, very true to it's name. Nice and sweet...not too sweet, but you could taste the vanilla very clearly. Blueberry Cheesecake: This was a good mix of creaminess and blueberry....not sure what the center was, but it seemed cream-based. Raspberry: This was probably the most fresh raspberry macaroon I've had! Usually I've had raspberry with a jelly based center. This one had a cream based center with pieces of fresh raspberry in it....the only reason I could tell though was because there were seeds in the center. Mexican Chocolate: This was the second one where the verdict is still up in the air! When they say mexican chocolate, it's definitely spicy....to the point where it took me a while to eat the cookie! This is definitely not for the spicy faint of heart.....however the mixture of the heat and the dark chocolate center was delish!
(4)
Saima S.
We ordered our wedding cake from Alliance Bakery for about 115 people (ended up with only 80 guests in the end so we had a ton of cake left over). The cake was absolutely delicious - we had three different flavors, all with Italian meringue buttercream frosting: lemon cake with vanilla bean cream and passionfruit mousse filling, vanilla cake with strawberry preserves and chocolate mousse filling, and lemon cake with raspberry filling. Our guests loved every single flavor. There were some issues with communication; sometimes it took a week or so to get responses to emails, and it was tough to reach someone via phone on the day of the wedding. However, the cake was made, decorated, and delivered as planned and on-time. The cake was beautiful, and the quality of the cake itself was wonderful. I would definitely recommend Alliance Bakery to my friends.
(4)
S.E. A.
Great place to sit and get work done. Delicious pastries and good tea & coffee. It's nice that the seating area is separate from the room with the cash register. Happy that they are open until 9 every day, since many cafes on Division close earlier.
(5)
Jasmine J.
I order custom cookies from Alliance. I only wanted 3 cookies, and they have a minimum of like 4 per kind, but they lowered It to 3 per special cookie I wanted. I sent pictures of what I had in mind and expected some sort of cartoon likeness of what I sent. The price quote I got back was semi high but I went with it. I got my cookies today. WHOA. Beat my expectations beyond belief. They are true artists. My cookies were such a great hit. Tasty. Really beautiful. For how amazing they are, the price is a steal. Thank you alliance gor making this affordable and possible.
(5)
Gino W.
The whole hipster landscape has overtaken the independent boutiques and eateries in Chicago. With that comes a bit of a detachment in the customer service department - unless you are a hipster on the "buying" side of the counter. Alliance Bakery & Cafe has all the trimming of a "hot spot" for the hipsters in the know. I bought a latte, one that I ordered through a slightly reticent barista - or it may have been my British accent that was a little off putting for him. Considering I was able to drink the latte without any sweetener, that spoke to the quality of the coffee and I will cosign that it is definitely worth the purchase. I can't speak to the other products that Alliance offers, as I shy away from baked products that are on display in a surplus fashion. (You never know if the baked goods are being recycled from one day - or week - to the next.) For those who go to Alliance, I would recommend their coffee. As I mentioned, I can't speak to the baked goods. And I would suggest that you have an idea as to what you want without pause and guesswork.
(3)
Christie B.
I never really gave much thought to macarons. I figured they were just those coconutty sweet mounds that were delicious and nice with a cup of coffee. Never knew that real macarons were something entirely different. So I go over to Alliance for their famous macarons, figuring I'd give it a try. First of all, I was mildly affronted that a tiny macaron cost, well a lot. I can't remember how much, but I do remember thinking, dang man. But maybe they knew something I didn't, so I bought a sea salt caramel one and a pink one. I also bought 2 decorated sugar cookies because I'm a sucker for those things. They just look so gorgeous right? My total bill was around $13. In another, saner world, I might have asked myself what was I thinking to blow so much money on 2 tiny macarons and two (admittedly) really cute cookies. So I bring these macarons home to try with my boyfriend (now husband). We try the sea salt caramel one. It's good. It's really good. I mean really good. I had to sit down because it was so good. The price? No wonder I can't remember. The deliciousness of this macaron drove the price right out of my head. I'm telling you now. These things are worth every penny. And the cookies? It almost seemed like a mortal sin to consume something so gorgeous and perfect. But I did. They are all inside me now and I think I feel better about the world just for having had this bakery experience.
(5)
Anna L.
Love their lounge area; clean, quiet, and inviting! It's away from the purchasing counter, next door, to be exact, which is nice! It's quieter & less distracting (if studying). Had a red velvet cupcake & chamomile tea, 'twas delicious. They do have macaroons, which never hurts a bakery ;) will have to try them next time. Parking wasn't much of an issue, or maybe we got lucky? Either way, go! You'll enjoy yourself
(5)
Jackie L.
Great service, delicious treats! Had a wonderful experience on the phone and via email working with Alliance on a cookie order. When I picked up the 50 individually wrapped cookies they looked just like the image I had sent over, but cuter! Delivered them to a client and received a WOW note. Thanks for making me look good Alliance! Also grabbed some macarons for my team and they were scrumptious!
(5)
Jade C.
Was disappointed in my experience with this bakery, especially after reading all the great reviews. I ordered 6 king cakes to share with my students. I asked them to be made with the little plastic baby inside, in keeping with tradition. When I picked up the cakes, the person who helped us looked at the note on the boxes and confirmed that the plastic babies had been placed inside. However, when I got the cakes to school, and as the kids ate their way through them, we never found a single baby. Such a bummer, as that is the best part of the king cake tradition! When I called to report, the person who answered the phone was unapologetic and did nothing to rectify the situation besides offering to "tell the kitchen." I understand that mistakes happen - though king cakes are supposed to be a specialty of this bakery! - but the poor customer service means I will not be back to this bakery.
(2)
Jessica K.
I have to thank this place for humbling me. I had decided to check this place out because my usual wicker park cafe (Lovely Bakery) was becoming a bit.. pretentious. Or at least that's what I thought. But Alliance.. they take pretentious to a level I'd never experienced before. As harsh as this sounds, I think of all the coffee shops I've ever visited in Chicago, it is here at Alliance where I received the worst service ever. And let me tell you, I've been to A LOT of coffee shops in the 5 years that I've lived in Chicago. A lot. I'm not even going to write about the specific incident that made me decide to never return here. It's not even worth the effort to write anything more than I am already. Yes, the pastries and coffee are good but they don't stand out. Go to Lovely Bakery or Just Indulge down the street. Their bakeries taste the same if not better. Alliance's baked goods are pretty small too. So if you're a bang for the buck type of person, I'd stay away. And if it's about the distance and you're looking for a cafe/bakery within walking distance, check out the Starbucks across the street... The place is messy. There is never an actual line. It's just a free for all. When it's busy, it's HORRIBLE. And the employees. They actually complain about not only their job and their stupid lives, but about you and how much they hate you in front of your face. Very classy Alliance..very..classy. I just don't think it's worth supporting a business that treats their customers like crap. It's really not worth it. Bad service, ok baked goods but extremely expensive.. just.. don't bother.
(2)
Elaine V.
We came here after having sushi at the horrible place across the street in the hopes that a nicely pulled double espresso would clear our palate. We were absolutely delighted with the offerings. We chose a macaroon each, "raspberry rose" and "coconut lime." The espresso was pulled by hand, and as a former barrista at a hoity-toity espresso house, I could tell the barrista there knew how to steam milk properly, so I'll be back to sample the lattes! The pastries were pure art. My husband and I made a vow to come back and try everything once. There is an annex to the bakery that you have to go outside to get inside of, which-- even in 6 degree weather, added charm. There was music playing in the background and well-worn eclectic furniture spread over a large, open, high-ceilinged, single room. Photos of their artistic pastries covered the walls. Clearly a place committed to quality, but without the haughty atmosphere it had the potential to sport. On the eve of the infamous battle between the Bears and the Packers for the Superbowl berth, they had little cookies that had a swiss-cheese pastry cutout pattern with a red "X" through it that said, "Packers stink." So cute!
(5)
Noura K.
I have to give this place a 5 star rating for the delicious bars that they make. I have tried many bakeries in chicago hoping to find good pasteries that are not too sweet nor too creamy. so far I loved everything I and tried at Alliance, expecially the cranberry, coconut, and lemon bars. the reason why I am not giving it a 5 star is because of their chai masala tea that tasted NOTHING like the name! and the waitress insisted that this is what a chai masala taste like.. and she kinda rolled her eyes. I didn't insist too much and just ignored it, but I would have loved to ask for my money back. Anyway.. I will keep on going there for more cranberry bars!
(4)
Samantha C.
I have no complains about this place. How could you? Their treats are amaaaaazzzinnnggg! An iced soy latte in the summer with a red velvet cupcake: heaven. A hot soy coco in the winter with an almond croissant: HEAVENLIER (word?) A red velvet birthday cake with chocolate butter cream frosting and layered with berry sauce: an odd combination, but AMAZING none the less! The service is always super friendly and they know what they're doing when it comes to baked goods. The coffee drinks are good, but not as good as say.. *star lounge*. And that's the only reason they don't get that extra star.
(4)
Natasha P.
Hands down, the best red velvet cupcakes you'll ever come across. (In the greater Chicago area) I mentioned before that I love bakeries for different reasons, mainly because I love certain cupcake flavors at certain places and this place is red velvet cupcake heaven. Moist, tasty and the ratio of sweet icing to cake is perfectionnnnn. I have to admit I only come here for the red velvet cupcake and the lounge adjacent to the bakery but their other pastries here are pretty tasty. I picked up 8 cupcakes for my co-workers birthday today and everyone really enjoyed them. Alliance is a wonderful staple in the Wicker Park 'hood. Done.
(4)
Michelle G.
I worked at a small bakery for over three years and have baked my entire life aside from that, so I will always, ALWAYS try any bakery I come across and I'll be brutally honest about it. So Alliance has some really realllllly delicious stuff (the German chocolate macaroon might be one of my favorite things) but I wouldn't put their sandwiches on that list (they are fine, just not especially great). I will often pop in just to grab something small and sweet and different from what I can get most other places nearby. The main reason for a three star review is the seating situation... I'm really glad they are so busy that it's difficult to find a place to sit without having to ask somebody to condense their stuff and share one of the big tables, and I also don't really mind that the... lounge?... isn't actually in the same space as where you buy the treats. *And* it's okay that it feels like a library in there- I just know that I can't bring friends or chat up a stranger without a bunch of dirty looks from some very serious web surfers. It is a room for reading, typing, daydreaming, and checking out attractive people, sans conversation. Got it. Okay, so I guess that's a little annoying but it's a personal preference... But mainly, my only *real* problem with Alliance is that it smells funny. I mean, has anybody else noticed this?? Just the lounge area, but seriously, it's a weird weird smell and it's been there my past three (short) visits. I won't describe it here the way I described it to my roommate but yeah. I hope somebody will investigate that.
(3)
Anjee J.
I had a pumpkin cupcake from here and it was soooo not worth the $3+ I paid for it. Tiny, not very moist and lacking in flavor. I don't get the hype. My search for the perfect cupcakes continues... :( I also tried some pumpkin pie from here on Thanksgiving and found it to be good, but average. It probably cost way more than it should have. And yeah, the workers are a bit standoffish and pretentious, but it's in Wicker Park, so what do you expect?
(2)
Denise M.
Whenever I go here I get the tasty iced coffee for $2. It's way better and cheaper than Starbucks down the street. They also have good pastries for the price and the staff is always friendly. I also really enjoy the unique fact the the sitting area is next door. It's great to go their and read a book in a comfy chair without the usual cafe clatter.
(4)
Rebekka T.
The newness of Alliance has worn off from when I first moved here. The drinks and food are ok, but the new sitting area looks like a conference room. Also, sometimes there's music playing but if there isn't, it's deathly quiet you can hear every conversation.
(3)
Patty S.
I ordered a wedding cake for 225 people over the phone, sent a picture, with out ever, having a tasting. The carrot, and the chocolate, were delicious, and very moist. I talked to Jennifer, from start to finish, she made the entire process so smooth, and effortless.
(5)
Eliot J.
super cool cakes and pastries. their food products aren't the best i've had, but they're decent. i often use this place as a study venue and, for that, it's a great destination (although it fills up often) - nowhere near as noisy as a starbucks, and you're supporting independent local business. sadly, the coffee sucks. but i think starbucks' coffee sucks, too, and i'm clearly in the minority on that opinion. the jaded hipsters working the counter aren't particularly friendly, but they're not slouchy. i emailed inquiring about a birthday cake order once via alliance's website but never got a reply.
(3)
Jackie N.
If you want to buy and devour a $6 pastry in front of a hipster that looks like their vegan self could benefit from the aforementioned glucose,and if you have fantasies about a film worthy library outburst, this is the place to do it. However, if you ARE a hipster, steer clear. You're skinny jeans won't fit after the pastry is consumed,and the library vibe will only remind you that you studied five years for a degree in the Norfuk language with a minor in the history of alchemy.
(4)
Grrlscoutgoneba D.
Ive been living down the street from Alliance for around 10 years now and I've watched it change hands many times. I keep giving it another chance hopeing to relive the glory days of the late 90's. I stopped in their last night to grab a sandwich on my way to work. The male barista was so chatty fast and amped up I was wondering if he had to much coffee or mabye to much speed. My caprise sandwich was just ok, a bit to much bread and not enough filling. What grossed me out was seeing the male Barista behind the counter barefoot! then watching him walk outside into the seating area and back into the kitchen BAREFOOT! GROSS!
(2)
Krsna V.
One of the best bakeries in the neighborhood. I always get the chocolate croissants. They sell Intellegentsia coffee by the bag. They make excellent chocolate cake. The staff make this place cool and hip. The minus one star is for not stocking up on baked good and opening late on weekends. They do not open until 7 A.M. I understand the yuppies in wicker park do not get up early on the weekends because they are out all night but, there are people like me who get up early. Also, they run out of most pastries before 11:00 a.m. on a weekday or 10:00 a.m. on a weekend.
(4)
James A.
I stop by here on some mornings to get coffee on my way to the train. I think their americano is the best in the neighborhood - my go-to drink. The Alliance blend intelligentsia coffee is great as well, a bit on the sweeter side. I've never felt the need to add either sugar or cream to a coffee drink from here, since it is always perfectly smooth and mild tasting. Great croissants as well!
(4)
Sara M.
I got married this past weekend and Alliance Bakery made our wedding cake. From the moment we met with Jennifer (who was wonderful to work with) and had our tasting we thought how incredible the cake was but when your guests all tell you how much they loved the cake, you know you did something right. I would recommend Alliance Bakery for anyone who is hosting a special occasion and needs a cake. You won't be disappointed!!!
(5)
Chad C.
I had a chocolate chip cookie, which was pretty decent, and also some of a german chocolate drop, which was not so great. All the cakes in the window do look pretty impressive, but I'm not typically in the market for crazy designer cakes. And the eating/hangout/study room next door seems pretty cool too, not a bad place to chill or read or whatever. I also had the tres leches cake, which was pretty moist, a fairly well done tres leches. I'd give it a 7/10.
(3)
Natalie R.
Alliance did our wedding cake in April, it turned out amazing! The design was great and it tasted great too!
(5)
Gretchen O.
Alliance is my first stop in search of a replacement for Mercury Cafe. I'll need about three cafes to serve all the purposes Mercury used to - one for studying, another for a place to hang out with my friends, another for cheap, tasty coffee and food. Alliance fills my first need very well. The fact that the seating area and the serving area are in two different buildings helps - the seating area is completely silent, save the music. Whispering is conspicuous. I could never meet a friend here to catch up, but there's literally nothing to distract me from several hours of paper-writing. Pros: The internet is free, the coffee is decent. The whimsically decorated cakes in the front window are highly entertaining (I am easily entertained, but you'd have to be pretty cold not to smile at a severed foot cake.) They have a dinosaur with a shark in its mouth on the counter in front of the register. Cons: There's usually only one barista, so the line isn't commuter-friendly. There isn't that much seating. The food selection is limited once you leave the pastry food group. It is a bakery, after all. Mercury, you left a gaping hole in my consumer's heart, but I'll be stuffing it with lots of gauze. Some of it will come from Alliance Bakery.
(4)
Stacey B.
We ordered our wedding cake from Alliance. Not only was the tasting excellent (they actually gave us choices to taste instead of slices from the case like other bakeries), but Mitchell was a delight to work with. He had lots of creative ideas and totally worked with us so we could have exactly what we wanted within our budget. All of our guests thought the cake was beautiful AND was delicious. We got many, many compliments on it. I would highly recommend them due to their professionalism, ease to work with, and both the cake's appearance and taste.
(5)
Katherine L.
The perfect place to work in a low-key, casual environment. Great cakes, from the looks of it; haven't tried them, but loved their cuban espresso. The perfect mix of sweet & *strong* (caffeine-wise)!
(5)
Sam A.
I was looking for an alternative for StarB's and saw this place on yelp so I tried it. I hate giving places bad reviews but I'm just not crazy about this place. I think it's mainly the ambiance that turned me off. It just doesn't have that cozy coffee house feel (maybe because it's not a coffee house type place, or is it?) Staff: Very friendly and fast Cappuccino: Very good but def had better. They use intelligentsia coffee beans. Why doesn't anyone around here use Illy? Turkey Sandwich: Nothing spectacular, just a regular turkey sandwich. Bottled water: Amazing lol The lounge is two doors down so you order your drink/sandwich/pastry and walk over two doors. Someone needs to plug in a few air fresheners because the smell in there was not so good! Maybe it was just one person who knows. Definitely worth trying, you might love it. I didn't.
Thank you "Alliance" for creating an exceptionally beautiful birthday cake for my daughter's birthday. I found "Alliance" online and on Yelp. I loved the cakes' clean modern design. I decided to take a chance, and ordered a cake long distance (from Out of State) without ever meeting the staff. My daughter is in Chicago, she misses her cat very much as he doesn't travel well. Amazingly "Alliance" - with Peter's (the owner) meticulous attention to detail, his care and effort to make sure we were on the same page design-wise, in addition to Jennifer's patience (in taking notes) were successful creating a cake portraying our cat (spot on!). You and your team were able to translate my drawn idea into a classy, clean-lined and beautiful cake! Yes Peter, my daughter is very surprised and happy with the cake. She just informed me that the cake (vanilla with fresh berries) were delicious, light and fluffy and fruity. Perfect for summer! You have an amazing team with excellent talent and artistic taste in producing beautiful creations to meet your clients' high expectations. Congratulations! You and your team are the best in the field! Thank you again Peter for taking the time to really listen to your client's wishes.
(5)
Elizabeth B.
The lovely Kellie K. got me a brownie from here last week to fix a bad day. It definitely did the trick. Today I find myself sitting in the Alliance Bakery 'computer lab' searching for jobs, sipping coffee, and mowing-down a cheesecake brownie. My roommate said she once got food poisoning from eating here but I don't care; I am trying to lose weight before swimsuit season and there is nothing like a week of diarrhea to get me into a smaller size. The brownie was awesome. The coffee is piping hot and the internet is fast and free. Plus, there are enough hottie dirrrty boys in here to keep me from being bored. I expect to have to continue searching for jobs until my balls drop or for the next 20 years, whichever comes first. For that reason, I will be back here when I need a change of pace from my home internet and crappy homemade baked goods. I took one star off because the music in here makes me want to slit my wrists.
(4)
Amanda F.
I have been searching for the perfect coffee shop in Chicago...going around town to continuously be disappointed with the shops here...It seemed like nobody has exactly what I was looking for and I was getting frustrated. I just wanted to find something where I felt like I could come often and feel comfortable. On a recent icy and snowy day, I last-minute decided to come to Alliance-it's only 2 blocks from my house, which I ironically never come to for one reason or another. I absolutely loved it there. It's the perfect shop. Quiet, open, airy, light, comfortable seating, nice sized tables, unpretentious, just plain right NORMAL. I will come back again and again. Moral of the story and reflective point of the day---sometimes the answers are right there, under your nose, and you just need to look more closely. And sometimes what you need most is the overlooked way, or the way that seems the least exotic, simply because it's close to home. :)
(4)
Mia P.
Great coffee. Awesomely tasty and moist cupcakes. And the Pumpkin macarons. They were melt in your mouth delicous, so delicous that I wanted to try more flavors. That's where Alliance loses a star. Stale macarons are probably the worst things you could possibly eat. When they're good, they're amazing. But when they're bad, they're basically inedible. And it's luck of the draw unfortunately. Buuuut I will be back.
(4)
Jennifer L.
Peter at Alliance did a good job designing a special cake for my 5th wedding anniversary, which happened to fall on the day of a football game between my school and my husband's. The design was creative, the chocolate cake was delicious BUT it had the wrong filling! Peter was very apologetic and offered free cupcakes to make up for it. Hopefully he'll make good on that promise. On another note, it seems like a lot of the people who work there are a bit spacey. Nice, but spacey. There've been times when I'm not 100% sure that an order is going to turn out the way I've requested (although it has, except for the one time).
(4)
Justin G.
Nice little bakery that smells amazing. I had a hard time not stopping in here for cookies on a regular basis.
(4)
Julia T.
Alliance was on my way home and I decided what the heck, let's give it a try since I pass it all the time. First thing I noticed was they serve Intelligentsia coffee - big plus in my book. They have these adorable cakes displayed in the window and the decor inside is very warm and fuzzy. The staff was super friendly. Tons of sugar rush options to choose from - cookies, cupcakes, pastries, etc. I decided to try their double chocolate cupcake as it is my decision making item of if a bakery has won my heart. I have one word for their cupcake - SCRUMPTIOUS! The cupcake was so moist that it melted in your hands and mouth. It was decadent with its oh so goodness perfect whipped chocolate frosting. The frosting was so light but carried the chocolate flavor through. I've experienced a lot of bakeries that whip their frosting, do not get the flavor through and it just tastes like plain whip cream. Great job Alliance! I will be coming back to try their Tiramisu and many more! I'll be back to review my second adventure. Stay tuned.
(4)
Rosie R.
Went here yesterday to pick up some kind of comforting baked good because I was jacked up only having tea and no food so I was jittery. Anyways, it was the 2nd time I've been here and I was looking for their gourmet "fig newton" but they didn't have it. So I went with their cherry scone and a red velvet cup cake price was 5 something for both, but it was worth it!! The Scone was the best I ever had!!! The cupcake (even though it was small) was delicious and cracklicious! A nice place to go to when you want to reward yourself and indulge!
(4)
Amy H.
Yesterday I had a little devil and a little angel pop up on my shoulders and the three of us had a little conversation that went something like this... Devil Amy: You look like crap, Amy. Angel Amy: Don't listen to her, dear. You do look like you don't feel well. Amy: I'll be ok. I just went to the pharmacy and picked up this big bag of drugs and now I'm going home to rest. Devil Amy: SWEET!! Let's go home and get high!! Amy: Alright, alright. Keep your horns on, devil. I have to figure out what I'm going to have for dinner, because once I get home I don't want to leave again. Angel Amy: You deserve to treat yourself to something nice. Maybe a cheeseburger from that place you love...or a taco from the restaurant down the street... Devil: ...or cupcakes. Amy: Cupcakes? For dinner?? Angel: Don't be silly, devil. She can't have cupcakes for dinner! She should have a nice well-balanced meal. Something that is good for her. Devil: I"m sick of that healthy crap she's always eating. I want cupcakes!!!!! Amy: Cupcakes? Devil: Yeah!!! CUPCAKES!!!! CUP-CAKES-CUP-CAKES-CUP-CAKES!!!!!! Angel: Where would she find cupcakes? Amy: Well, Alliance Bakery is on my way home...I could stop there. I've heard that they have some good cupcakes. Angel: Well, I guess that just this once it's ok to have cupcakes for dinner. Just as long as we don't make a habit of it. Amy: Really angel?? I can have cupcakes for dinner?!?? :) So off we went to Alliance Bakery. I got a red velvet cupcake for the devil, a vanilla cupcake for the angel, and a carrot cupcake for me. The red velvet was good but the frosting:cupcake ratio was a little off...it needed a bit more frosting. Same with the carrot cupcake...yummy with fresh shreds of carrot but needed a smidgen more frosting. The vanilla was ok...the frosting was too sweet and the cake was a tad dry. Just in case devil, angel, and I were still hungry after the cupcakes we also bought a black and white cookie and a pecan bar. Both ok, but didn't knock my socks off.
(3)
Richa A.
I wish I lived next to this place. This is exactly the kind of bakery I love and seek out in a city. I got a dark chocolate mousse cake which was garnished with what appeared to be really teeny tiny macaroons, and then some kind of vanilla filling with a peanut butter crunch thrown in. It was amazing. I eat a lot of good dessert on a regular basis, but this blew me away. Next door to it is the Alliance Lounge which you can go sit down in if you want, although everyone already in there were using it as a place to do work and it wasn't exactly a fun or cozy cafe vibe.
(5)
Morenike K.
So far, one of the best bakeries in the city. The service was great and the food was great.
(4)
Ben A.
Great Chai Tea Latte! I also enjoyed my black and white cookie... two worlds coexisting on one delicious cookie. Cool study lounge next door to the bakery as well. I saw a giant Cookie Monster cake being given to a customer and I was amazed at the level of detail on it! This is the place to buy fun cakes that is for sure!
(4)
michaelia f.
I want to like this place, I really do. I love pastries, and was on the hunt for a place to study after the demise of Filter. Alliance was one of the first places I tried because I live ridiculously close. I came here on a Wednesday afternoon to get some work done and indulged myself in an iced chai and a red velvet cupcake. Service was slow; it seemed like each of the counter workers had no idea what the others were doing. I got my chai, which was quite nice, if a bit too sweet to my tastes. Their seating area is next door, so I took my delicious-looking cupcake and settled into a table near the wall. The cupcake looked beautiful, but when I bit into it, it was a dry and crumbly mess. I took a bite of the frosting, which was grainy and inedible. I was so disappointed I couldn't finish it. Now, I thought this was just a fluke; maybe they just had an off day and forgot about some cupcakes in the case. No big deal. So I went in again, because the seating space is ok and hardly ever busy. I got a brownie, which unfortunately suffered from the same problems as the cupcake: dry, crumbly, and like it was at least a day or two old. Alliance gets an extra star because their bagels are decent and their seating area is not usually busy. Avoid the pastry.
(2)
Ashley L.
These folks made my wedding cake and good Lord was it delicious. They let us choose a different flavor and filling for each tier and all of them were amazing. I absolutely recommend the almond cake with chocolate filling. It's phenomenal (if you like almond). I had a ton of people at my wedding asking me who made the cake. They were also really easy to deal with and very nice folks. They let us choose the almond cake for no extra charge (normally it would be extra with the package we got). The cake itself looked great, too, so that was a plus. Overall, I highly recommend Peter and his team at Alliance.
(5)
Joscelyn M.
I find it a true testament to my willpower that I pass this place every day, twice a day and have only been in a few times. Trust me, if chocolate was calorie-free, I would be all over this place. I've had the bars, brownies and cupcakes and have been in heaven with every bite! Now about that calorie-free chocolate, Alliance... Hmmm? However - I have to say the baby shaped cake is a bit weird, but who am I to judge?
(4)
Erini S.
Whenever I'm working in Wicker Park, I tend to stop by Alliance. It's a nice place with good treats. Their lemon strawberry cupcake was pretty awesome. Mostly, I love their sugar cookies. It's a basic sugar cookie, but well, they just look awesome. They re-purposed the easter bunny cookie to make owls (which were amazingly cute!), and then a week or so ago they had NES controllers! The geek in me squealed -- then tweeted a picture of it. I think my only complaint of them, ever, has been that they aren't necessarily the speediest, but it wasn't tragically slow. More like Sunday Morning slow. Which normally I wouldn't mind, I just had a shop of my own to open up.
(4)
Frances C.
The bakery itself looks pretty cool, but that's not what I want to talk about. What I want to talk about is the fact that the adjoining "lounge" is always chock-full of macbooks, and their too-cool-for-school owners. I'm a writer, ok? So, sometimes I need to get out of the house and go somewhere so I can concentrate in order to get my very, very important, Pulitzer-esque WORK done in a timely manner because I work on a DEADLINE, ok folks? However, on the Sunday afternoon I walked into this dump, I was blinded by lit-up apples, flannel and it wreaked of stale PBR and bike locks. I made a face (think lip snarl, head cock, eyebrow raise with a sudden jolt of the neck) to all of those jerks and took my own MACBOOK PRO elsewhere (Starbucks, so disgusting and not at all cool).
(3)
Will C.
Alliance is by far the nearest and most convenient coffee shop to my apartment and I love it when it's not packed to the gills with people and when the radio station in the lounge isn't playing Coldplay and The Dave Matthews Band. I mean, for Christ's sake, really...really? But...but...why? I hear you playing your iPod in the room with the cash register, why can't you rewire it to include the lounge? When I don't have to hear contemporary easy listening crap and tune out the inane conversation of some recent DePaul grads this is a great place. Sadly, far too rarely is that the case. :-(
(2)
Natalie M.
I'm giving this place 2stars based mostly on the experience I had trying to order a custom made cake for a 50th bday party I was planning. After coming across Alliance on line, I called to make an appointment for a tasting for a custom made cake. I was informed in a snooty tone that they only did cake tastings for WEDDINGS, not birthdays (though the price of the cake would have been equal to a wedding cake if not higher) but I was free to come in and buy a cupcake to try it out. Perhaps it is irrational for me to believe that money is GREEN no matter wait type of cake you are buying and the fact that just because my cake was not for a NUPTIAL I would be denied the full range of customer service was laughable. I went to the bakery to simply explain my reasoning to the manager, but the cashier at the counter wouldnt even allow me to talk to the manager. Again treating me as if asking for a tasting for a $500 or more priced cake made me "high maintainence" simply because it was not for a wedding. I was tempted to say "well Im not ordering a birthday cake any more, Im ordering a groom's cake- can I get my tasting now??" but I did not, as I choose to give my money to another establishment who would provide me with the type of service I felt $500 or more dollars deserved.
(2)
Becca H.
I love their window displays!! They're crazy cool and unique. I've only really gone there for coffee on the weekends, but their coffee is bomb. Not to mention the cute guys who work there! Their bakery items always look really good. Alliance would probably be the first place I'd go if I needed some grab some desserts. I've tried some of their cookies and cupcakes, and they have always been outstanding. Very cute bakery.
(5)
Julia S.
This place must be hurting for money-because they will charge you more than what you actually should pay. Typically, I love this place. In the last year, I have purchased several treats here for birthdays and special occasions. Yesterday, I stopped in at 6AM to pick up some treats for a co-workers birthday. However, once I boarded the L train and thought about it, I realized I overpaid. My bill was $24, when is should have been $16. (Shame on me for not paying closer attention at 6AM). After work, I took the trouble of going back to Alliance, and kindly explained to the guy behind the counter what happened, showed him my receipt, and asked for the difference back (seems fair, right?). Since the receipt was not itemized, he told me that he couldn't be sure what I bought, and therefore could not give me the difference back. This was so insulting. Being a loyal, repeat customer I was offended that he even thought I would try and "rip him off". I was only trying to pay the correct price for what I bought and I was being fair with him (I would have gladly eaten another $8 of pastries!). Instead, he laughed off my request and I have never left a retail establishment feeling so low. While the pastries are good-there are plenty of other bakeries in Wicker Park and I will not go back here. It is an insult to my character to think that I would lie about my bill. If you go here-PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR TOTAL...they will charge you more than what they should. So keep my $8 Alliance...you obviously need it more than I do.
(1)
Blossom C.
I have become a regular here! They have delicious coffee, and great pastries. I have yet to try one of their cakes, but they sure look cool and they are obviously very talented. I also really like the hang out area next door.
(5)
Elizabeth H.
If I lived in Wicker Park there is a good chance that I would have the body of that bedridden man that had to be airlifted out of his house. The hazelnut cupcake is bliss, plain and simple, and for a shop that specializes in sweet treats, the sandwiches are quite tasty as well. I thoroughly enjoyed the portobello sandwich on foccia with goat cheese. yum yum yum! See ya again soon Alliance!
(5)
Jennifer B.
There are so many reviews on Alliance bakery....their following is huge. Plus, something about knowing that this bakery has been open forever gives it brownie points (pun intended!).... I'm not gonna lie, I came in here for a cupcake because cupcakes are like my crack, and Yelp is my like my dealer, letting me know where I can find them. Everyone raved about the cupcakes here so I had to give them a shot. And well, they're okay. I didn't care for the chocolate cupcake I ate but we also got a turtle brownie that was a-mazing!!! And dog bone desserts for only $0.35? My dog thanks you, Alliance. I don't think the cupcakes were anything special (and I think all cupcakes, like children, are special) yet I would return for their other desserts, and because the cakes in the display window are just too cool.
(4)
Susan marie C.
All i can say is, I'm not impressed. too much hype and no delivery. disappointed...very disappointed
(2)
mariah c.
Alliance wins my award for best chai of the month. Some of the chain coffee shops use chai mix which is far too sugary for my tastes. I don't know if Alliance uses a mix or not, but the balance of sweetness is juuust right. The array of cakes, cookies and other baked goods is pretty astonishing. I love cake-shop windows, and Alliance's is delightful to me. It would never occur to me to get a cake shaped like a purse, but dang, that Louis Vuitton cake looks amazing! I was pretty stuffed when I last stopped in, but the cute little sprinkled meringue I got was the perfect melt-in-your-mouth dessert. The lounge (next door to the bakery) is a quiet place to work. However, the emphasis is on *quiet*, so as Colleen mentions, if you want to get chatty, you're better off taking your laptop and friend elsewhere. When I was in the lounge working yesterday, there was a 2-3 year old who was inexplicably obsessed with "Smoke on the Water." I'm not sure that has much to do with Alliance -- except for the fact that I was really amused and thought to myself, "If I'd chosen to work at a Starbucks, I doubt I would have happened upon such a Deep Purple-loving little lad to brighten my morning!"
(4)
Daphne D.
As the other review said, one word sums up the marvelousness of this place: macarons It is very rare to find macarons in the US, let alone ones THIS good. Plus the flavors are creative, overall true decadence!!
(5)
Marie J.
3 words.... Red Velvet Cupcake. Enough said.
(4)
Mill V.
I was in the neighborhood and also wanted to try them, so I did. Oh boy, I wish I didn't. I got 4 French macarons and 1 vanilla cupcake. And all came to be $8. The cupcake was absolutely just gross. Buttercream had strong corn starchy taste. The cake part was what made me gag. So dry, so stale, so eck. My French macarons were such a disappointment. I love these guys, almost to an obsession. The cookie part was too dry, and didn't have THEE essential chewy-ness that these wonderful cookies are suppose to have. Buttercream center was "alright". It's cute in appearence, but looks alittle rundown and alittle dirty. I am not coming back to you, sorry babes. I have better at Jewels, bitches. That's pretty gross....
(1)
Ross R.
Pretty good donut, but disappointed by the palpable condescension of the hipster cashier who felt it necessary to correct my calling it a donut...it's a beignet.
(3)
Amaliya L.
Everyone and their mama has been raving about cupcakes. What the hell is the fascination? I have been fighting this craze for the past year. I'm old school, so screw you cupcakes, I refuse to be converted! Just like a missionary...these damn cupcakes came to me..they were on a mission to show me the way to sweet salvation and all that glory. My little sister, once again had to show me a thing or two about food. Tucked away in a neat little box were 5 of the most beautifully decorated "cupcakes". It's blasphemous to call them cupcakes. They are mini cakes dammit! I tried the pumpkin spice, the chocolate hazelnut, red velvet, and they are damn good! I'm a believer now..and I just might stop by if I'm ever in the area.
(5)
Kate G.
I really don't know what to do about Alliance. I want to love it and it just doesn't want me to. So we had Alliance make our wedding cake. It turned out beautifully, exactly how we wanted it (an art deco motif they made from scratch) and it tasted even better. I mean this was a delicious, gorgeous cake-- perfection in every way it counts in a baked good. But the process that lead to getting that cake wasn't really that pleasant and subsequent visits to the cafe have just annoyed me. I don't need over-zealous, happy people to attend to me when I go into a business. Really, I don't. But the people who work here are so unfriendly and aloof they are practically surly. They make me feel like I am asking a HUUUUUUGE favor when I ask to purchase a cookie or a cupcake. It's a popular place and I am sure they are constantly slammed with orders, but everyone who walks in doesn't have to be a chore. The service relating to ordering our wedding cake was honestly not much better-- transactional and a little disorganized. All in all, food is amazing and beautiful. Service is just a drag.
(3)
B G.
Me likey the macaroons and dah coffee. Goooood! Nice people. Nice nice nice. Nice.
(5)
Quynh-An P.
Mmmmmm macarons. The boyfriend is usually not as eager to go to bakeries as I am. We stopped by here because I had heard the macarons were tasty. I ordered a few macarons and he got the almond croissant. The croissant was delicious...but the macarons were even better. I gave the boyfriend one bite of my vanilla macaron and he was begging for me. It was so good, that he insisted that we stop by there before our flight back to Seattle. We ended getting a box of the passion fruit and vanilla macarons to go and they're already gone now (we flew back last night). We plan to go to Chicago again and I'll be heading back to this place definitely. YUMMY!
(5)
Alexis P.
Super delicious cake! The next b-day cake I order is definitely going to be from here. Coffee and pastries are also top notch. A little more effort could be put into the lounge area next door in terms of ambiance. I was in there one day and they were playing this awful Stained/Nicklebackish music and it felt like a cruel joke to be in a room where the people who were controlling the music weren't the ones that had to listen to it.
(4)
RJ E.
I am the most impatient person in the word. While service is somewhat slow here, it is because this place is not a factory. I would wait an hour for a coffee from Alliance. I would wait a day for the scone to go with it.
(5)
Tyler B.
Cappuccino and pellegrino. Friday afternoon in the sun. Alliance is that classic portrait of the pastry shop of yesteryear. It's the neighborhood bakery. Friendly faces serve you treats and intelligensia coffee. And designer cakes too in a showcase window. A certain sense of nostalgia. Find yourself patio side, sitting back sipping and nibbling; observing the walks of life go by- scurrying about, to and fro, there they go a' commuting. People watchers' paradise and fine treats too. Stop by.
(5)
Luis L.
Alliance bakery is amazing. I've had cupcakes from lots of places, but the cupcakes here are some of the best. The ingredients must be of the highest quality, and the head baker's skill is obviously superlative because EVERYTHING I've had here has been amazingly good. My absolute favorite cupcakes are the lemon strawberry ones; the lemon flavor is intense, and the strawberry frosting is buttery and has the prefect sweetness. Gosh, I have gorged on these pieces of pure delight. Anytime a loved one has a birthday, I always try to get him or her a cupcake from here. However, I always have to order more than what I intend to give, because I can never control myself and end up eating at least two on the way. (Also, I'd just like to briefly insert that oddly, a few other reviewers see alliance as a coffee-shop/hang-out/study place, which it kinda is, but really isn't. It's essentially a bakery, not a hang-out. You're essentially sitting in a bakery's seating area, so I think you've got to be really silly if you complain about it.) When I've been there, the staff has always been courteous and professional. The place is small, but also rather old-school and charming. I've never had their cakes, which are incredibly fancy looking (and too pricey to just splurge on my own), but I intend to splurge on one soonish!
(5)
Rick J.
What Alliance lacks in food and rink, it makes up for in atmosphere. The best coffee shop to work or study at in the area, easily. I live near Alliance and head there regularly to do all of the usual coffee shop things. The staff is always attentive, friendly and professional and the coffee is consistently good. There's better coffee out there, but I haven't had a bad cup at Alliance. I wouldn't recommend any of the espresso drinks, though. The americanos are good, but any of the milk espresso drinks can be passed on. Maybe I haven't found the right treat yet, but most of the cookies and pastries I've tried as Alliance have been underwhelming. You're paying for presentation. The real draw to Alliance Bakery is their lounge next door. It's usually fairly full, but you can almost always find a table for yourself. Being separate from the kitchen noise of the bakery helps to keep the lounge nice and quiet, and aside from the occasional conversation the clientele tends to preserve that quiet. It's perfect for working and studying. There isn't a better coffee shop in the area if you are looking to hang out for a while. THE END.
(4)
Andre W.
I went in again and yes I am now double addicted! The staff thinks I am as well. I got the red velvet cupcake and the cinnamin buns and they were better than the last times I had them. This is a great staff! I will try something else when I go next time, but keep up the great work Alliance
(5)
Misse D.
How have I skipped a review of Alliance? My bad. I dream of their frosting. It is so good and thick that I cannot help but day dream when I am eating a super healthy lunch, like today, of veges and string cheese. Their cupcakes are my favorite. I had had a few of their cookies, which I recommend. They are good but not the best. I love their cake so much that my husband and I came here for a wedding cake tasting. The cake was good but not the Best in the City. Their designs are good but again, not the Best in the City. I prefer to stop in one a cold day for a red velvet cupcake. Yum.
(4)
Monica S.
Alliance has decent enough coffee & pastries, but the the best part is the seating area next door with free wi-fi. It's kind of weird because the counter and the seating area have two different entrances so you have to get your coffee and then leave the shop and walk outside to go into the seating area. The seating area has lots of room and plenty of people. On a Sunday over a holiday weekend there were a lot of people chatting and hanging out, so it's not a place to go for quiet reading. Also, don't sit near the door in the winter, the door opens and closes every 2 minutes and it's cold. The pastries at Artemio on Milwaukee are way cheaper, almost feels like a rip off to pay for them at Alliance. But they are a bit more upscale with interesting decoration.
(4)
Lisa F.
Alliance, Alliance, Alliance. I want to love you, I really do, but I don't. You are steps away from my apartment, you have nice outdoor seating and you make two things that I live for ( Coffee and pastries) yet, everything I order tastes awful. I have heard around the block that you have new management, maybe this will help, but I still am not wasting my time or money.
(1)
Heather D.
What can I add to these reviews? Alliance is awesome. It welcomed my boyfriend and I with open arms and helped convince us that Chicago was the right city for us. The large annex has tons of space for you to work with the complimentary wifi. We spent many an hour here when we had first moved and didn't have internet yet. The place is very casual and relaxed - you don't feel you are mooching because they really don't care. But you don't go to a coffeeshop for wifi alone. What keeps you coming back is the quality of the coffee. And the Alliance baristas know how to make espresso. Alliance wistfully reminds me of professional coffee shops in Seattle. The espresso has a full flavor without a touch of the bitterness that uneducated baristas include. Alliance is a stalwart in this neighborhood. It's difficult to stroll down Division without stopping by.
(4)
Gia S.
My husband and I chose Alliance Bakery as it was one of the vendors included in our hotel weddubg package. After comparing options, I could see not only were their designs fabulous but they had a wider variety of flavor choices than the others. We went with a sleek and simple design which turned out gorgeous, mimicking the pattern on our invitations. It was a 4 tiered cake and they let us alternate flavors. One was lemon cake with lemon curd and raspberry. SO fresh and delicious. Then we went with a unique take on the traditional chocolate, regular cake with a salted caramel filling. The design, the taste, the planning experience with Jennifer and the team... perfect. They even give you a fresh cake topper for your 1 year anniversary. I'd highly recommend Alliance to anyone!
(5)
Fred R.
This review applies to a sandwich I bought. While I'm sure the baked goods are good, the sandwhich honestly had one slice of meat...it was comical they could call it a sandwhich. It was such a poor attempt at a sandwhich I'm not sure why they sell them.
(1)
Timothy M.
Color me slightly underwhelmed. I've been meaning to come into this place for about 2 years now, but every time I find myself in the area, it's after their lame 9pm closing time. 9pm, seriously? I do like the quietness. In any case, the baked good I had (a danish-type concoction) was decent, though dry and the Intelligensia was also passable. Strong stuff, but not much flavor - and no non to-go cups. Maybe they're taking a page from Starbucks. Speaking of which, this place is strikes me a little as a bakery-intensive Starbucks for people that don't like Starbucks. I liked the Bowie's "Starman" and Dylan's "Rainy Day Women", but Dave Matthews Band? My iPod comes up with some embarrassing choices sometimes, but at no time ever should DMB be playing in any coffee shop, unless you are, in fact, at Starbucks. Don't get me wrong though, a free wi-fi, free refills, douchebag-free scene is totally my thing. I am definitely going to try some of those other treats - a cilantro-infused cake? Yes. I won't travel across town for Alliance, but I wish I had one near me - since I'm one of those people that don't like Starbucks. EDIT: I am deducting ONE star for the SECOND Dave Matthews Band song I heard in one sitting.
(3)
Charlie G.
I would love to write a review about how delicious the baked goods are, but I can't... Alliance is open until 9:00pm. I walked in their open door at 8:54pm to buy some cookies that were sitting in the glass case, only inches from my grasping fingers. Instead of taking my cash for some cookies (that would sit out all night if they weren't bought), the hipster behind the counter told me that the bakery was closed. She refused to sell me the cookies. In disbelief, I politely asked her if she really wanted to turn away a purchaser and informed her that she was losing a customer. She responded by saying, "no, it's really YOUR loss." Unbelievable. No matter how sweet, the cookies in that place must be bitter from all the attitude. I've never been back. I only regret that I didn't hunt down the owner and inform him or her of the offensive "customer service" on offer.
(1)
Betty B.
Before I moved away, my friends and I had a running gag to try to get the craziest cakes made here (See Jill L.'s post for more examples). Yes, they were mad expensive. And sometimes they didn't even taste *that* good. But, man, did they look bitchin'. I was particularly moved by the "You're Adopted!" birthday cake that was made for my dude's birthday (see pics). Nice work, Alliance.
(4)
rebecca s.
Alliance has really gone down hill. i think a lot of people go here because of what it used to be... still hoping it will be the same...but it isnt. all the baked goods are typical. nothing catches my eye. it is a bummer because its so close to my house. i end up going a lot further to find good baked goods.
(2)
Kristy N.
Once again Alliance Bakery did a FABULOUS job! I had a surprise party for my husband this past weekend and had Alliance do a cake that looked like a present! It was beautiful! And tasted DELISH! Thank you Alliance and the design team for making another great cake!
(5)
Lakshmi R.
Alliance Bakery is an important establishment: they have a creepy neon sign outside the main entryway. It's one of the few vestiges of how great this neighborhood was before the Lincoln Park kids took it over. The coffee is good, the food excellent. I consider it as crucial to my boyfriend and I getting together (along with The Coffee Studio up in Andersonville). And I credit it with the consumption of thousands of unnecessary yet utterly worthwhile calories from the likes of their cupcakes, almond croissants, cookies and who knows what else. In the weeks following Blago's indictment, Blago cookies appeared, replete with insane frosting hairdos. Let me explain how this place is set up. You go into the tiny, closet-sized bakery, ogle their goodies, and get your food/coffee (which is all good, I promise). Then, if you're nerdy like me and the bf, you exit, take three steps to the right, and re-enter the building through another door to a room that is a bit grubby and filled with tables and chairs and.... grad students!!!! It's silent as a tomb in there. Then you hang out for the rest of the day, studying and eating cupcakes and trying to look as cute as everyone else who comes to this place. So go to Alliance Bakery! Support what's left of once-cool Wicker Park/Bucktown! And Blago too, of course.
(5)
Ellen F.
The last time I was here, I think the girl behind the counter helping me was super stoned, or just really spacey (hence slowish service), but whatever, she was nice and the focaccia I had was good. And don't even get me started on the red velvet cupcake. Mmmm...delectible. The lounge is next door and you have to go outside to access it, which, for some reason, I think is kinda funny and I like it.
(4)
Kelsey K.
I REALLY wanted to love this place because it was so darn cute and their cupcake flavors were so awesome, but they were really dry. I'll go back there because it's close to my house and we spend a lot of time in that area, but I just wish that they were moister. I went specifically for the cupcakes (it's what I do) but I think I'll order a tart next time because they looked so awesome. The staff was really helpful and the presentation was incredible, but for the best cupcakes in the city, that award still belongs to Sweet Mandy B's.
(3)
Tam H.
Free Wi-Fi, quiet place to get things done and too die for pastries...This is a place you really want to continuously frequent. On a lovely sunny day, you may want to sit outside. Although the bakery may be a bit expensive, I still think its worth the investment. It's definitely better than being in Starbucks any day of the week. When I visited, I indulged in a Red Velvet Cupcake and a Iced Mocha Latte. Both were very tasty... The folks behind the counter are nice as well. I really enjoyed my experience here.
(4)
Elle F.
Alliance Bakery did our wedding cake for our 5-28-11 wedding. The cake was exactly what we asked for as per our colorful and funky design, and it tasted great! We had 3 layers -- 2 chocolate/raspberry, and 1 chocolate/apricot. YUM!
(5)
Christina V.
how can a place have delicious food but horrible service. completely disappointed in the fact that our wedding was last year and they delivered the wrong cake for me and my husband to cut. it was taupe and frosting, not black fondant. they had the nerve to say that is what we ordered when we gave them an invite showing that our colors were green, black and white. because of the mix up, they hesitantly said we could come back for our year anniversary to get what we ordered. we also had cupcakes so we wanted to get some of those instead of the cake. they said we only get 6, fought to get 12 at least. needless to say our year was over a month ago and they just gave us the cupcakes. we couldn't get them on our year because they "didn't" make any. i will NEVER go there again with the service and owner not cooperating when our wedding pictures have a different cake in it and they just don't care! i can live with the cake being different but own up to it and keep your customers happy.
(1)
Kristine B.
I stopped in here for the first time because I was bringing desert to a dates house and didn't want to overwhelm him with an entire cake, or with the effort of making my own desert (It was only our second date afterall!). I found precisely what I was looking for when I feasted my eyes on the cupcakes. Two red velvets and one Double Chocolate later, I made my way out. They were beautiful to look at (yes!), smelled delish (yes!) and looked much more expensive than they were (yes!). I didn't want to take them to the said date's nicely prepared dinner unless I knew they were good (hence why I got three), so I have to say - the double chocolate was amazing. It was moist and flavorful. The frosting complimented the flavor of the cake nicely - it wasn't overly sweet (and I love them sweet!) but it was perfect. Don't ask me about the Red Velvet though.. We just didn't have time :) I'll ask him for an update though so stay tuned!
(4)
Michelle M.
I love their food so much that I'm willing to pay for its price!!! Why does everything have to be so ridiculously expensive here?? You're killin' me Smalls. I love those red velvet cupcakes - and the ones with filling... OMG Great coffee!
(4)
Sara B.
You'd think after a brunch of decadence and about four cups of coffee, I'd think twice about stopping in at Alliance. But I'd heard about Intelligentsia for so long that when I saw they served it here, my friends and I had to pop in for a coffee and a cookie. I ordered a cappuccino and a chocolate macaroon and immediately headed out front to scarf streetside. The chocolate macaroon was absolutely amazing, melt-in-your-mouth perfect -- a satisfyingly chewy coconut cookie topped with a creamy dollop of chocolaty gooeyness on top. And despite this not being an actual Intelligentsia cafe, the barista did my cappuccino up right -- rich, flavorful espresso and expertly foamed milk. By all rights, I should have had a massive coronary right there. Maybe there is a god after all.
(4)
RC R.
Just stopped into this place to pick up some pastries and have not tried the desserts just yet, but only one way to describe the service: rude. The woman behind the counter was unhelpful and seemed overall inconvenienced. After paying, she threw the box of pastries at me, and also forgot to give me back my credit card. Ridiculous. Will not stop here ever again.
(1)
Terri N.
My cousin Mistey had me on a French Macarons craze. Literally. So, one evening, after picking me up Tony told me he was going to take me to Fritz pastry but by the time we got there they were closing. He turned and said don't worry, there's another place called Alliance Bakery that sold French macarons as well. So Tony, tamia and I headed there instead. Open for business, Alliance had only one worker that evening. Walking in, you can tell it's a cozy little bakery. I was amazed of all the beautiful cakes on display filled with intricate designs. Anyway, the server asked us if we had any idea what to order, since there was another patron in the store we told him to serve her first. When she left we were still clueless on what to order. Tamia decided on a simple chocolate cupcake, which she had devoured in the car. She loved that it was moist and not overwhelmingly chocolaty. I order two almond croissants for my sister and she said it was AMAZING! Tony ordered practically all their macarons (pistachio, chocolate, lemon, rose with rose cream, vanilla, rose with chocolate). The pistachio macarons were awesome. Light, crisp and moist, none of the flavors overpower the other. The rose was refreshing, very airy and definitely taste like rose. The lemon was my favorite; it reminded me of biting into a lemon meringue pie. The chocolate and vanilla tasted stale and old. That was a huge bummer. Overall, Alliance is a nice hidden place and has a great amount of sweets on display. I know that their macarons flavors are seasonal so you just have to wing it for that particular day and hope it's as great as it looks. I need to come back for their almond croissants and hopefully I can pick up some more macarons. We are kind of staying away from it since Tony went a bit overboard in ordering all of it. 6.5/10
(3)
J P.
Alliance designed our wedding cake and it was absolutely gorgeous and delicious! We worked with Mitchell and he was super helpful throughout the process. At our cake tasting (one of the best perks of planning a wedding), he explained all the different flavors and frosting options and left us alone so we could talk candidly about all the choices. To stay in our budget and also have enough cake for all our guests, our actual wedding cake was pretty small (served 75) and we had extra sheet cake of the same flavors in the kitchen that made it enough for all 230 peeps at our wedding. Everyone raved about how good it was. Would definitely recommend to a friend.
(4)
becky R.
I heart this place. I must admit i mostly order espresso and croissants. Occasionally i will get the key-sh (phonic spelling for the sake of a chronic misspeller). I am really picky about my croissants. If you make a good croissant you basically have my heart just dont fuck up the coffee. So they do a good job at that. I usually dont get other things on the menue cause its all a bit out of my price range.... apparently people pay that much for their snacks. Anyway, its super cute. I have never had a problem with the hipster staff. They get the job done. Mostly, i have found that they smile back and thats really all it takes for me. Their other room is very quite. Its true. I like it, cause i usually go there to do job hunting stuff. BUT the thing with the radio station is DRIVING me NUTS! I feel like it is a relatively new phenomenon. I have even requested that they put something else on cause the Menards commercials were driving me nuts.
(4)
Joe M.
The best part about Alliance Bakery and Cafe is that they are positioned directly across the street from Starsucks... (I like Starbucks coffee. If you say you don't then you are a liar. There is just something wholesome about the idea of supporting the locals rather the multinationals) I don't know who their pastry chef is but this guy needs to go on the Ace of Cakes! Have you ever looked in the window of this shop? It's like peaking into an artist's gallery! And the coffee isn't too shabby either.
(5)
Kyle H.
Stopped here with a friend early on a Friday night. Got a key lime bar and mint tea, both which were FAB! The main indoor seating area you actually have to leave the bakery side and walk outside and go in another door. We were here for an early evening chat and tea. The room was as quiet as a morgue! People were either studying, or on laptops. There was no piped in music and we had to whisper. Don't "shush" me Alliance!
(4)
Joe S.
Just a little bit expensive for a bakery but OK I'll pay it. I suppose it's a fair trade that I can pull up to a meter sans quarters and be in and out before getting slapped with a ticket. Cute cookies for about $3 a piece might help you out if you get in a fight with your girl or boyfriend. ("I got you a cookie with a shamrock on it baby and it's St. Patrick's day...forgive me?") Select coffees and teas. Division St. sidewalk seating provides entertainment and hotties walking to the Blue Line when the weather's nice. Support local independently owned businesses.
(3)
M M.
Was my cake pricey, yes; but was it worth it, double yes! I worked closely with Lindsay as we collaborated on the idea for this cake. I had a metallic themed party and love disco balls and would certainly come here and buy a special occasion cake again! The cake tasted beyond yummy and all of the party goers felt the same. Almond cake with chocolate pastry cream - DELISH! Thank you Alliance - you came thru and helped make my 30th birthday memorable - not to mention the cake lended itself as a super nice decoration element.
(4)
Jess R.
I am basing my review on the vanilla/vanilla cupcake I ate yesterday. Our office had lunch catered by the restaurant in our building. Cupcakes were the dessert. It was the best cupcake I've had in a long time. The cake was moist and had just the right density, but the frosting was the star. It was a sugary butter cream piled almost as high as the cake was tall which made for a great frosting-to-cake ratio (even if I did get frosting on my nose with every bite). It was not overly buttery like most of the bakeries around town seem to go for. It was fluffy yet sturdy and was adorned with just a few pastel colored mini disc sprinkles. Along with the vanilla, we also had chocolate/chocolate and red velvet with vanilla frosting. It took all my will power to stop after the one I had because the raves everyone else were giving the other flavors really tempted me to try them. I asked one of the caterers about the cupcakes and found out they were from Alliance Bakery. I can't wait to try more treats from there.
(5)
Jennifer Y.
Been coming here for a while to study. Admittedly, not a great place to hang out with friends and chat but it is a GREAT place to come and study. Quiet, free Wi-Fi, etc. Well, as long as homeless people don't come in and start talking to themselves. Not that I have any thing against homeless people -- it's just not what I expect. The staff here is alright -- I don't think they're especially friendly, but they are friendly enough. Coffee drinks are aiiiiiiiiiight, nothing to write home about any time soon. Baked goods look good -- I had a hazelnut chocolate cupcake which, again, was nothing to write home about any time soon. I really like it here. Oh, except they should put soap in the bathroom.
(4)
Eric M.
A small little bakery that makes a ton of food. The front window alone will keep your attention for a few minutes as you gaze over the latest cakes that have been created. With my most recent visit there was a giant hamburger cake, an edible six pack of beer (each can was a little cupcake), and a giant towering cake with each layer looking like a giant strawberry with chocolate drizzling down. Once inside there are plenty of items to try. I went with the cinnamon roll and my fiancee the red velvet cupcake. Both were very good with a nice chewiness on the roll and a moistness on the cupcake. I look forward to going again and again and again.
(4)
Jenny L.
On my visit to Chicago, I decided to try out a couple cupcake places, Alliance being one of them. Walking up to the bakery, I can say that if it wasn't for the reviews on yelp, I would have walked away. The place looks like it needs a makeover and some better lighting. The cakes in the display window look like they've been sitting there since the early 90's and need desperately to be modernized. I was happy to see that they had red velvet cupcakes (my favorite), and also got one each of the carrot and mocha cupcakes. Overall, the cupcakes had good flavor but are a little on the dry side. Flavor and taste wise they reminded me a lot of Sprinkles in LA. Not a bad dessert option if you're in the area.
(3)
JC D.
Intelligentsia taste for the S'bux price. Not cheap, people. Soy latte was good, and believe it or not, it's easily fucked up. The plain croissant was not too buttery and nice and moist...yummy. I didn't try the pastries, but they looked creatively decorated and good. This place like every joint on Division has an outside patio, but it also has a large room with comfy couches and tables to do your work or homework.
(4)
tom b.
For me, if you idiots judge a pastry shop by there cup cakes you need a kick in the ass .the way i see it one day martha stewart had a show on cup cakes and all these wacked out prozac queens could not find vanilla extract because they drank it .so they made it some elses problem ..now it is a cup cake marrygoround out there .bull shit ..... Alliance has some great product eat that and shut up...
(4)
Christine J.
After I wrote my review of Alliance, the owner emailed me to tell me that the macaroons weren't stale, but were taken out of refrigeration too early. My, that was a relief.
(3)
Audrey H.
We went early on a Sunday morning and there was no wait. I had a ham and cheddar croissant that was delicious. They offered to warm it up for me, and we ended up sitting outside on the patio. I love the coffee here and I thought the staff was super nice.
(4)
Michael M.
Don't let the aging cakes in the windows fool you, this place has the freshest deserts, the best tasting coffee, friendliest staff, and awesome free Wi-Fi. Not to mention they have a nice outside patio seating option (though Division St is Loud) and an adjacent coffee lounge indoors with lots of comfy chairs. I love Alliance!
(5)
H C.
I don't want to say anything bad about Alliance because I feel I might be doing something wrong because of all the great reviews I've read but I was soooooooo disappointed in my cupcake! I got the chocolate mocha and the frosting had this weird texture but the mocha flavor was really good and the cupcake itself wasnt too bad, a little on the dry side though. I also bought a white chocolate blondie which was also disappointing. I don't know, like I said I don't want to say anything too bad about this place because I really want to like it. I will try it again except this time maybe if I go a little earlier in the day I'll get something a bit more fresh.
(2)
Lorraine L.
I revisited my old favorite recently to nosh on some good pastries and take advantage of free wi-fi (sadly free wifi or coffee shops are hard to find in Albany Park where I was visiting my mom). I walked in and immediately noticed the remodeling. I think I liked Alliance better when it wasn't all pastel blue and trying to look like an upscale-yuppie bakery. They also scaled down the size of their pastries and upped the prices. Another bummer. Their delicious cupcakes are about half the size now. I also had a latte which was pretty mediocre. The cookies are still very good and they did add some more variety in the pastries which I was very excited about (mini fruit tarts!) The room next door was also remodeled and now has more tables and comfy couches, but half of the back room is now off-limits. It seems they do their wedding cake consultations back there. Despite the changes it remains one of my favorite independent bakeries. I'm going to keep coming back whenever I'm home.
(4)
Eric B.
I can't think of a better place to spend a nice summer/spring day. The outdoor seating area is located pretty close to the mess that is Division Street, but for some reason the exhaust and noise doesn't bother me. The coffee is always great and the baked goods are usually right on target. I haven't tried the sandwiches but I have been meaning to as they look delicious. This is one of the few coffee places where I actually tip the employees since they're ALWAYS courteous and friendly.
(5)
melissa g.
I received an incredible chocolate cake with whipped cream from here for a pre-birthday celebration while in Chicago. The chocolate cake itself was done very well and is comparable to my favorite Mazetti's in SF. The artistry that goes into these cakes are phenomenal. Fortunately for me the cake I received was of the same quality.
(5)
Lori M.
Just had an iced tea and a spinach feta croissant, which was rather delicious. The room next door to the cafe with couches and tables reminds me of a place I'd hang out in, if I was still in undergrad. That's not to say it's not cool or anything - I am rather fond of those days - but half of the power outlets don't work and I'm not sure when anything was last cleaned. Overall pretty groovy, but on a Monday afternoon, I think the clientele would chase me out of here if I sat with a friend and tried to have a conversation. Meaning it works for the quiet book reader or the cool chick with a Mac but not so much for soulful chats or conference calls (I must sign off now to walk to the rental car where I can gab without disturbing anyone else).
(3)
Alexis H.
Alliance Bakery just doesn't cut it for me. Their cakes and treats look so enticing, but they just don't have that much flavor. Their prices are similar to most bakeries, but if I'm getting a specialty cookie or cake from a bakery instead of the grocery store I expect it to be of higher quality. I've also had stomach aches after a visit or two - never a good sign. People rave about Alliance so there's got to be something good there, I'm just not willing to go through the trial and error to find it.
(2)
Yukari T.
I'm infatuated with Alliance Bakery. I think about it all the time and I have to talk myself out of taking a quick stroll to grab a coconut macaroon bar. (If only I knew the nutrition facts...) I'm usually in and out of there real quick because there's something kind of embarrassing about going into a bakery and buying goodies for yourself. If you only buy one thing, it's pretty obvious that it's for yourself. But if you grab a FEW things, it could seem like you're going over to a friends place for some afternoon tea...at least that's my justification for picking up more than one delectable item. I've never been in the lounge and after reading the reviews, I don't think I will, ever. I'd rather enjoy my baked goods in private and not have to pretend to study.
(4)
Sara B.
This is a really cool little joint. The cafe is separate from the bakery so it is a little weird yet cool to walk outside and next door with my plate but the atmosphere of both sides was pretty neat. I had a yummy cup of coffee and a little treat called the Michelle. It looked cute and sounded really yummy. Chocolate, peanuts and berry stuff....yummy...I was shocked, a little disappointed but yet mildly intrigued and satisfied by the fact this little pretty $5 thing tasted EXACTLY like peanut and butter jelly sandwich. Texture was pretty on point too. Their cakes looked awesome and they have a bunch of awards on the wall for them. The attitude of the place was pretty cool too so I will be back and will definitely keep them in mind for future cake orders.
(4)
Janet X.
Absolutely fantastic hazelnut cupcakes, but a bit on the expensive side considering it takes about three bites to eat the whole thing. Macaroons were great also. However, the seating area next to the bakery feels like courthouse -- rather spare and utilitarian. Even though they have helpfully added stickers to the tables that say, "This is not a library, you can talk here," people still tend to give death stares to people who do talk.
(4)
Dawn L.
My roommate is always surprised when I'm not familiar with a particular cafe since I know so many of them (and can usually be found working or performing in one!). But this is my first visit to Alliance Bakery, and I'm typing this from my laptop via their free wireless connection. I ordered a mocha (they use Intelligensia coffee) and a turkey and swiss croissant, and I have to say that both were fantastic! It's a little strange to have to go next door to find a place to sit (the seating area is two doors down from the bakery itself, which has no seating), but I can easily see spending a few hours here comfortably. It would be difficult to order more food since that requires walking outside and bringing my stuff with me only to come back again, but that's the only real downside I see.
(4)
S B.
The pastries at Alliance are the best in town. The tarts taste as good as they look. Definitely not for anyone on a diet! The coffee is Starbucks quality.
(4)
Kevin C.
Alliance Bakery is hands down one of the best bakeries that I have been to in Chicago! I have been suckered a few times into going into "organic" bakeries and have despised every bite that I have had to take after finding out that they were organic. They just don't taste the same as the good ole frankenfoods that we are used to eating. The inside is small, quaint, and cozy with a touch of nostalgia. Inside decor is fairly old fashioned and walking in gives you a sense of stepping back into the 1920's. Looking around on the walls you will find the numerous awards that the owner has won in pastry contests. Nice touch! The people here are always extremely nice and the pastries are a great value. You are sure to find something that will tickle your stomach here!
(4)
Ron L.
Do not be fooled by the cakes in the pictures. They completely messed up an important order 6 mos ago and only offered to refund the difference in ingredients cost - what??? Then at my wife's request we tried them again last week for 2 birthday cakes and again, completely messed them up. Do not trust these people with an order for an important event, they suck and do not even provide basic customer care even when they acknowledge that they messed up. That is 3 cakes completely screwed up folks - you decide. Also, the owner Peter is a complete Jerk and refused to provide a any type of credit other than the price of the missing ingredients. If I didn't care about the cake, I would go to Jewel and buy a 10.00 cake, at least then you know what you are buying. They will provide whatever cake they feel like baking that day regardless of what the ticket states There are a lot of talented bakeries in the city that appreciate their customers - Try Bleeding heart or Floriole
(1)
Brenna O.
Stop #4 on the Cupcake Crawl. I really liked the cozy side room adjacent to the Alliance bakery, but I felt bad that everyone else got kicked out for our private cupcake party! It worked out well though as we were all able to sit down and chat and sample some of the delicious cupcakes Alliance had to offer. For our first chocolate cupcakes of the day we had the chocolate chocolate, and the hazelnut with chocolate frosting. Both were excellent, and you gotta get a forkful of frosting with the cake to balance it all out right. We also tried the carrot cake one which was nice and moist, but not as good as the carrot cake we had at Sweet Cakes. There was also a big container of coffee for those who drink such things, and the guy who helped us out was very cool and friendly. A great way to end the great Cupcake Crawl 2007! Thanks Rob! Update: We went back for a treat, and I was kind of disappointed with my strawberry lemon cupcake, so I'm moving my 5 to a 4. There was nothing special about the lemon cupcake, it tasted like it could have come out of a box and I had hoped for some more lemon flavor. Also the strawberry part was all in the pink icing, which again did not taste that much like strawberry. I guess it was too subtle for my taste buds.
(4)
Eric M.
Wow! For those of you familiar with Tartine in San Francisco, consider Alliance to be Chicago's version, less the attitude! Ordered an almond croissant and a vanilla latte and was very pleased. The cakes looked awesome, just like the ones you see on Charm City. Alliance has seating and wifi available in a room next door. The guy at the counter was great but seemed more like he should be working at a skateboard shop which added a "cool" dimension to the place. I pledge that I will visit here the first Saturday of every month despite the minor inconvenience that we live 2 hours west!
(5)
Sophie D.
This place is right around the corner, so I go often. As in almost every day. My lattes are a little inconsistent (sometimes not enough caramel, sometimes too much, sometimes a little heavy on the milk, and -wait- is it sour? next time i'm getting soy... etc.) But who needs a latte everyday anyway? I love the vibe and the cakes in the window and the outdoor seating area, which is superb hipster (and otherwise) watching. I used to give a thumbs-down to their pastries (and it's very hard for me not to like something sweet), but I think they recently changed ownership and, perhaps, pastry chef as well? Either way, I've had some wonderful treats there over the last couple months. The cupcakes are adorable, although the icing on all but the vanilla one tasted a bit oily to me. and most of the items with coconut have done me right. As for savory, on a Sunday morning, I'll usually find myself there enjoying either a turkey and swiss croissant or a slice of spinach quiche. None of it leaves me feeling exactly slim, but that's what i get for hitting up a bakery nearly every day. maybe staying in logan square's solitude wasn't such a bad idea afterall... There's also a big room to the left of where you order (enter from the street), which smells like a library (love it) where you can eat, drink, read and/or web surf. You can almost always find a spot, even on its most crowded days.
(4)
Lois A.
Great quiche but the sweets leave me wishing I'd spent my money at Bake or various other bakeries. The lemon bars are bad. No lemon flavor and kind of like gooey cement. Eat a lemon bar at Birchwood Kitchen and then try the one here (or don't!!) and you'll know what I mean about how a lemon bar should taste. The coconut macaroon and turtle bars are too hard and just don't have that creamy amazing quality they should have. Too hard, too much sugar taste, not enough love. The sweets are not cheap enough to get away with tasting so mediocre. It's a cute place though.
(3)
Shauna B.
I don't know what I would do without Alliance's savory croissants for breakfast. I can't decide if I prefer the turkey and swiss or the ham and cheddar, but both boast perfectly flaky croissants topped with perfectly browned cheese. Delish! The pastries are moist and tasty, and dangerous! I lay awake at night thinking of the mini carrot cake--so good. The bakery itself can be crowded (and staff overwhelmed) at peak hours, but most of the time they wait is short and service pleasant. The bakery annex next door is a great place to settle into a couch and read or work, and the sidewalk seating is perfect for people watching in good weather.
(4)
Noah B.
Good pastries and decent coffee. The staff is friendly and talkative, or will leave you alone if you're just there to use their free wi-fi and study. The TV flipping through their slideshow of pastries they've made is almost hypnotic.
(3)
kristina w.
When I lived in Chicago I went here almost every morning for a latte and treat!
(5)
Jenna H.
07/25/2010: Hmmm. Reading my earlier review made me miss the Alliance of yore. The couple trips I've made over the past year have all been disappointing. The baked goods seem to have gone downhill, and I think the coffee is following suit. & the place has a weird, unpleasant odor more often than not... more befitting of a beer-soaked dive bar than a bakery. Not good. Sadly Alliance, I've lost that loving feeling. & now it's gone...gone...gone...woooooe ohhhh ohh. I LOVE Alliance! Bakeries, even good ones, can be so hit-or-miss, and while I have plenty of favorites (the red velvet cupcake, most of their cookies) I've yet to try anything that bombed/wasn't finished in 5 minutes. The window displays are so cool they'll make a happily single girl consider cake-induced lifetime commitment. The coffee drinks are tasty, & unlike the crowd (which can have a few too many too-cool-for-school hipsters) the staff is nice & helpful. Which is saying a lot since there's been more than one weekend where I've made a morning appearance hungover & still in my clothes from the night before. YES, even after a few too many tequila shots Alliance will get you out of bed. Which is more than I can say for my alarm clock.
(2)
Anna B.
I love that the indoor seating, during the week anyway, is like a library. Just tables of people working and reading and drinking great coffee and tea. When someone's cell phone rings, they go outside to answer it! Of course there's the occasional exception, like the time I had to listen to a hipster make follow-up calls to places he'd sent his resume, during which time he also cracked open a microwave container of Spaghetti-Os and started slurping away. Gross. For the most part it is a very subdued, chill, group of people, which makes this a great place to work if you need some peace and quiet. In the wintertime I liked sitting in one of the arm chairs near the front of the room and soaking up the sun... --------------------------------------------------Â------------------------------------------- I'm a writer who has trouble working in her own home. (Distractions include books, magazines, DVDs, phone calls, snacks, cleaning to be done, the Internet as a whole, and a very large cat.) I tend to work for several hours at a stretch, so the library isn't always an option. Over the course of the past five years I discovered some amazing coffee shops in Chicago and worked there happily. Since moving to LA in 5/07, I've realized just how picky I am about coffee shops: I haven't been able to find one I really love! In my quest for the perfect coffee shop, I have devised my own star rating system for the shops I review on this site. Each attribute below is worth one star, which makes it possible for a shop to lack desirable attributes yet still receive a perfect Yelp rating. Anything with a perfect Yelp rating is a place in which I am happy to sit for hours on end. * well lit * cozy atmosphere with comfortable seating * wifi (free or not) * open late * serves loose leaf tea * variety of affordable food and beverages * interesting people-watching, whether it be out the window or in the shop * not too crowded (I hardly ever go on the weekends because I know the odds would be against me) I understand that my rating system is unique to my own needs but hopefully I will be able to highlight qualities that others may be interested in. If anyone has any coffee shop suggestions for me, I am all ears! I would also like to state that I always try to spend enough money &/or leave a large enough tip to make my long-term presence tolerable to the cafe staff. I cringe when I see people ordering a $2 iced tea and then follow it up with free tap water while they sit and read "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" in its entirety.
(5)
Claudine M.
Went here to buy some breakfast pastries and it did not disappoint! They have great varieties of croissants (both savory and sweet), Danishes, scones, cinnamon rolls, sticky buns, bagels, and even their version of cronuts! We got different croissants: ham and cheese, goat cheese and peppers, almond and regular. We also added a cinnamon roll since it was recommended. My favorites were the almond croissant, then goat cheese and pepper croissant, and the cinnamon roll. They also have a gorgeous array of French macarons and small cakes. You can also order a cake there which they decorate beautifully! We saw a lady pick up a huge bumblebee cake for a party. Very cute! Lastly, they have doggy biscuits as well which my boyfriend's sister's dog gladly devoured!
(5)
Craig T.
Came for a late breakfast and ate a Ham and Cheese Croissant. Walking distance from the subway. Since I make macarons for a local bakery, I wanted to talk to staff about the process. Kristin was very welcoming and responded my questions. She has an advanced degree in physics and explained several baking concerns and gave me valuable information. She even recommended Stan's Donuts within walking distance. I completed lunch with an Anne and two macarons, a strawberry shortcake and a salty caramel. Somewhat difficult to eat the Anne with a plastic fork. It would likely be better to wait for the Anne to melt so it would be easier to eat, but did not have the time. Everything was on point and it's easy to get to in a trendy area. Highly recommend. Heard they have cronuts on weekends and would love to try if I'm in Chicago on a weekend.
(5)
Eliza E.
Love!!! I could eat their delightful macarons every day. They are light, flavorful, and just a perfect treat. Recently, I had a cake decorated for a special occasion and it exceeded my expectations. The cake was perfectly moist and delicious, and the decoration really captured not only the picture I provided but also the fun feel I wanted.
(5)
Liz C.
This review is specifically for only the macarons. Overall, I would give Alliance 3.5 stars. I love macarons and visiting Chicago had me on the search for some macarons! I ran into Alliance Bakery while walking through Wicker Park. After seeing that sign that said "Macarons," I knew that I had to get some! If you purchase 5 macarons, they'll start putting it into the cute little boxes. Otherwise, it comes in a little bag. I tried the three macarons that I thought were not the normal ones you could find anywhere. Pina Colada - This beautiful, sunshine yellow macaron tickled my taste buds and made me smile. It was phenomenal! The texture was perfectly crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. I love the surprise bit of pineapple jam in the very center. You could taste the pineapple in this without it being too overpowering. The macaron was light and so refreshing. Key Lime - This alien green macaron did have a nice tartness to it. The only downside was the texture. The key lime was so underbaked and just fell apart when I bit into it. It was way too wet on the inside. If it was baked right, I think this macaron could have been a hit. It wasn't too sweet but not too tart either. Chocolate Passion Fruit - I've never seen this macaron flavor so I was really interested. It's yellow with a dusting of cocoa powder on top. I didn't mind the powder, but it did leave my mouth a little dry. I think it could have used a little less cocoa powder on top. In contrast with the key lime, this macaron was unfortunately overbaked. The inside was very dry. However, the passion fruit shell was delicious and I did like the richness of the chocolate cream inside. The problem with the macarons here are not the flavors, just the texture. The consistency of doneness is a little off. Pricing is fine with the macarons being about $2 each. Service was great, the guy was really patient and friendly. This bakery has some amazing cakes on display, as well as some awesome treats in the display case! The slices of cakes, tarts and cookies looked scrumptious! Maybe next time I'll get those. If this place shipped across states, I would probably order a dozen Pina Colada macarons because they were just so good.
(3)
Amy D.
Alliance Bakery was included in our wedding reception package, and we're so grateful! They were so easy to work with and everything was delicious. The tasting itself was fun to mix different flavors. I brought in friends to help my now husband as I'm gluten free. It was easy to pick the cake design. I went off one of their previous design and made some modifications to make it unique for us. Everyone complemented how beautiful it was, and how good it was.
(5)
Joann H.
Love love loved the macarons. Amazing! Great outter shell with the classic chewy texture and delicious filling. Loved my croissant sandwich as well. Good latte, not out of this world but good. I'm just disappointed at the blah service. I came here for the first time on valentine's day with my husband. I was so excited and our girl at the counter just didn't care if we were there or not. Not "can I help you? , first time here?" Nada. Just figure it out for myself. Oh well. But the dude making my coffee had a smile on his face. Won't go out of my way to get here but if I'm in the neighborhood I have to have a macaron. Those macarons were on point. Delicious!
(3)
Jamie B.
Good bakery items, delicious hibiscus lemon iced tea. We had the Ann cake, it was mainly chocolate ganache and was quite tasty. Docking a star for super slow service.
(4)
Carolyn T.
I've been to Alliance twice now: once to get a key lime pie as a birthday present and the other time to pick up two Annes and a savory croissant. The first time we dropped by in the late morning on a weekend, we really wanted to try the Anne, which had been featured recently ona list of the best pastries in Chicago, but they were already sold out. (We didn't want to order a Big Anne because that's full-sized to serve many people.) The key lime pie was a gift, but the recipient said she really liked it. Next, we dropped by for the Annes and the croissants. The Anne was absolute decadence. WOW. I am definitely a big fan! There's a chocolate outside and a delicious chocolate mousse interior. There are little macarons decorated on top of the Anne, also. The bottom is solid chocolate. Score! This certainly is one of my favorite pastries I've tried in recent memories and I long for the next time that I'm in Wicker Park so I can pick one of these up. The croissants were pretty good, but did not taste like they had been made that morning, unfortunately. I'm not sure if they make the croissants there or if they purchase the croissants, then add the filling themselves. I would probably stick to the pastries next time. Also, I had ordered a vegetarian croissant, walked out, and realized I was given one with ham. We walked back, waited in line again, and the worker seemed a bit distressed/annoyed about the mistake. She didn't apologize. She did, however, give me the croissant I wanted and my boyfriend kept the ham croissant to eat himself. I also picked up cookies for Mother's Day that were really cute-looking, but the royal icing and the cookie itself were a bit hard and not too flavorful. Overall, I do think it's accurate to say I'm a fan of Alliance for the Anne!
(4)
Kari H.
I came here looking for macaron ice cream sandwiches but they didn't have any. I think they said they serve it in the summer, but I'm not sure if I remembered that correctly. I got 7 macarons instead: raspberry, pistachio, piña colada, vanilla, peanut butter and jelly, Nutella, and strawberry cheesecake. Raspberry macaron was my favorite. Staff was friendly and helpful. The free raspberry macaron given to us was a good pick. They were closing in 20 minutes but invited us to stay anyway, but we decided to go on a walk and eat our macarons elsewhere instead. Thanks!
(4)
Shradha A.
We stopped by to ask about gluten-free cakes and they don't have options. They did have a flourless cake, which we grabbed one of to try. It was too rich when we had a few bites while at the cafe but when we brought it back home and microwaved it, it got moist and much more decadent. I also picked up a stuffed croissant for my fiance and he enjoyed that.
(3)
Jenn T.
I'm not a vegan by any standards, but the vegan chocolate chip cookies here are fantastic, and by fantastic I mean they're better than most normal chocolate chip cookies. Other things that I've tried include the carrot cake cupcake, the red velvet cupcake, and the almond croissant--all were very good. Other than baked goods though, Alliance is probably one of the best places in Wicker Park to study/get work done. Their separate lounge next door (with free wi-fi!!) has been very quiet both times I have gone. Note that the lounge isn't too big so come earlier or get ready to possibly be a bit cramped.
(5)
Celeste S.
The customer service here wasn't that good. The clerks there did not welcome us initially. It was a bit busy, but even after it cleared up we weren't helped immediately. The cake was very beautiful and tasted wonderful.
(3)
Bao L.
The almond croissant here is fantastic! Buttery, flaky, and has the perfect amount of sweetness. I'm not a huge pastry person either and I loved this. Make sure to pair it with a nice cup of coffee. I'll definitely be coming back here when I'm in the area
(4)
Sonya P.
This review is strictly for their Fat Tuesday paczkis only. I normally enjoy Alliance, especially their macarons, so this year I put in an order for their paczki specials for Fat Tuesday since they were much closer to my place than many of the other bakeries. The pre-ordering process was a bit of a mess (but I think the employee was particularly out of it that day), but I didn't make much of it. Come Fat Tuesday and we get our 6 paczkis. Some of them were decent but some of them were direly lacking in filling (I've posted a picture of it above), and all of them were dry as hell. Really disappointed. If I had known I would've just gone to another bakery... I hope they step up their game next year. Not like I'll be back for them for paczkis, but still. For all the other clueless (non-Polish) people out there, I guess.
(1)
Plamena G.
I had dinner with a girlfriend close by, and on our way home we stopped by Alliance bakery for dessert. We each got a macaroon, and they were sooo delicious. I had the Nutella and she had the Salted caramel one. They were just the perfect little piece of sweetness! I'll be going back for more!
(5)
Ron Z.
I mean! The best!!!!! The cake was so delicious. Nora is the star! She works it like no other and has an incredible team. They were AMAZING!!!!!!!
(5)
Tavi J.
3.5 Stars I had never heard of Alliance Bakery before, but we were strolling through the area and me and my sweet tooth had to stop in. It makes me happy when I see so many well presented good looking desserts on display (I know sad). After browsing my friend decided to try 3 macaroons (lemon poppy seed, strawberry short bread, and I forgot the other one). She loved the strawberry and said the lemon poppy seed was just okay. She did enjoy how many variety's they had to choose from. I had the Macadamia Bar cake. The cake was spongy. I was looking for it to be a bit more moist and dense. I however, did love the topping. Chocolate covered with crunchy nuts...YES please! :) I may have to go back and try more when I am in the area and update this review.
(3)
MARISOL P.
Best cake ever. They made a Minecraft cake. It was amazing and was tasty. Everyone loved it. I would definitely recommend and order from them again.
(5)
Mia C.
I was browsing for places with ready to order cakes in the Lincoln Park area and this bakery showed up. It is more of a $$ kind of place. We picked up a small Chocolate raspberry cake for kiddo's birthday with no trouble. It fitted our needs, was 35$ for the 6" cake.
(3)
Customer X.
My husband and I had macarons and a chocolate pastry. We preferred the ones at La Duree and Lenôtre in France. The service was prompt and friendly.
(3)
Clarissa D.
I LOVE THIS BAKERY. I haven't gotten a cake here before, but I enjoy Alliance as a local coffee shop. My go-to is a iced dirty chai with almond milk, which is always perfect. Their baked goods are wonderful too - I've never gone wrong. Breakfast croissants are delicious, cupcakes are on point, and fancier pastries are pricey but well-made. The other night, I went in and as they were closing, the two guys were playing K-pop! I love that this place has character AND consistency. Great neighborhood spot.
(5)
Lydia M.
DON'T GO HERE...because I want all the macaroons to myself! I love this bakery. They have the best macs in the city. My favorite is the rose macaroon. If you're in the area you have to try at least one. You won't be disappointed.
(5)
Ed V.
They made the most beautiful cake for our wedding. The cake had 4 tiers and every other tier was a different flavor. We ended up choosing banana cake with strawberry cream filling and chocolate cake with buttercream. Not only was the cake beyond our wildest dreams, but it was delicious!
(5)
Ruby D.
What makes this place amazing is not only the awesome Happy People that work there but the products itself that are made with love and care. I absolutely adore coming here and look forward to the new location on State Street.
(5)
marilyn c.
Had their macarones and cake pops for a birthday celebration. Thought the macarones were as good as Laduree in Paris.
(5)
Dan R.
Hands down the BEST BIRTHDAY CAKE my husband Ever bought for me! DELICIOUS! Perfectly moist, perfect amount of frosting, perfect filling -- the "strawberry filling" was amAzing. Nhomnhomnhomnhom. Thank you!
(5)
Hollina U.
Hmm more like a 3.5 stars. The macarons are okay-- I tried the strawberry shortcake, blueberry and something else I can't remember, and gave the nutella one to my coworker because I couldn't do any more sugar. The strawberry shortcake one was better than the blueberry in that there was more of a crunch on the outside and soft sweetness on the inside. Ordered the macadamia bar, which was rich goodness that I wanted to devour but couldn't bring myself to since Halloween is coming up and these abs need some working on. I called in for a 10 inch chocolate flourless cake for my coworkers birthday, of which they have a strict policy of 48 hours notice, ringing in at $50. My coworkers all loved it and said it was fudgy and delicious. Also ordered a 8 inch cheesecake for $40 that was devoured. The bakery was nice enough to write messages on the cakes, but they misspelled the birthday girl's name-- well I guess I should have checked before leaving. But they didn't clarify the spelling of her name over the phone either, but she doesn't have an abnormal spelling. Oh the tiny things. The cakes displayed in the window are pretty impressive. $5 minimum credit card charge, which is reasonable.
(3)
Hannah H.
My cousin and I came here to try out their French macarons - We shared a Passion Fruit and a Lemon Poppy Seed - I preferred the latter as it had a great amount of poppy seeds on its exterior with a lemon curd filling in the middle; nice and tart. The passion fruit was okay, but it was more on the sweeter side. There was limited seating inside, but we were happy to take it to go. +Lemon Poppy Seed macaron
(3)
Kelsey G.
Pastries were good. The key lime tart was my favorite dish of the night. So creamy and good!! Could eat those over and over again! Chocolate chip cookie was good as well! Customer service wise, Alliance employees were nice and helpful when it came to suggestions. This was my first time and I wanted to check it out. Only one thing turned me off, the male barista making the drinks had a shirt on that was a sleeveless, and it was 40 degrees out. I thought it was GROSS!! As he reached for different materials you could see his arm hair. What if arm pit hair or sweat dropped into a drink. I work in the food industry and I know how warm it can get overtime moving around but keeping things like arm pits covered is important and also sanitary. Better safe than sorry.
(3)
Rafia J.
Very cute little bakery. Ordered Lola and macaroons and they were both delicious! Will def go back!
(3)
Evelyn R.
I had a custom cake made from here for my sisters baby shower over the weekend and it turned out to be fabulous!! From the beginning they made the process so simple (1st time getting a custom cake) & they were so helpful. I gave them a picture of what I wanted and they estimated it for me and it turned out just right! And it was super delicious! So many compliments on how it looked and how it tasted. I did a great job choosing Alliance for this special occasion and they did great in every way in return. I want to thank Jory and everyone else there for making this special day/event even more special with such a great cake!!! Thank you! PS.. The cupcakes , macaroons, & coffee are all worth it here too!!! So happy I found this place.. I will definitely come back for all they have to offer!
(5)
Allan A.
I wanted a Star Trek cake to surprise my cousin with for his birthday. I e-mailed Alliance and they responded within a day with a link to several Google images for Star Trek cake designs. I found one that I really liked, and continued to communicate via e-mail to discuss pricing, size of the cake, and other details related to the order. The whole ordering & communication process went very smoothly and I even spoke with someone else to place the order and the experience was very easy. Now, the best part, the cake was AMAZING. And it was beautiful! The cake was made exactly like the image I selected on-line (from Google, not from an Alliance bakery gallery mind you). I ordered vanilla cake with buttercream frosting. The taste, moisture, icing, everything was wonderful. My cousin, who has lived in Chicago for 15 years was very impressed. And we all enjoyed the delicious cake and beautiful design. And, the second best part, this cake kept in my fridge for another week (maybe longer), and besides the cake parts that were exposed to air - of course they dried out a bit - but when sliced off there was only fresh, moist, sponge like caky goodness inside. So I enjoyed the cake two more times before I finally parted ways with it. I would definitely order a cake from Alliance again. And I'm excited to see what other kinds of designs & creations they can come up with. Highly impressed, I will return!
(5)
Teresa N.
We stumbled upon this place while walking around wicker park. So glad we decided to step inside! The workers are super friendly and even took the time to jot down a few places for us to check out while in town. Their cheesecake was also really tasty. We'll be back next time we visit Chicago!
(5)
April S.
Macaroons and cappuccino are the BEST I have ever had!! Take it from a foodie and JUST GO!!
(5)
Jay I.
This place is separated into two parts, which seem to look like two separate places if you didn't figure it out. There is a bakery with no seating, but then right next door, there is an unattended space with table and couch in which you can freely sit and do whatever. They provide complementary wifi, and the table is larger. Since this part is very quiet you will be able to get some work done. As for the food I liked the macarons and almond croissant. I saw the cronut the other day (only serves on weekends). Looks like it is quite popular since they were all gone when I went back an hour later. Compared to Cafe street this is more of a bakery shop when a lot of baked goods. Definitely worth a try.
(4)
Peg C.
A big shoutout to the creative people at Alliance. My teen wanted a fondant cake shaped like a Napoleonic/ Revolutionary War colonel's hat--they are obsessed with Alexander Hamilton and there's a famous painting showing him wearing one. The bakers and decorators supplied us with a very good rendering of the hat, complete with a medallion inscribed to the birthday kid. I had been wary of the idea of a decorated cake like this, I had heard tales of dry uneatable cake and weird tasting fondant. But the red velvet cake was moist and delicious, the cream cheese filling very tasty, and even tho the fondant is almost pure sugar, it wasn't too bad. We made all arrangements over the phone, they created the cake based on images I sent them via email, it was all very painless. Not cheap, but worth it for the offspring's golden birthday.
(5)
Lauren A.
I ordered a cake from Alliance last weekend for a baby shower I was hosting and it was literally the best cake I have ever had in my entire life. I was dreaming about it that night and then daydreaming about it the next day. I am not much of a cake person, but obviously that is only because I have been wasting my time eating crappy cake. Best cake ever.
(5)
Patrick S.
Had a specialty cake made for my boyfriend's 30th birthday. I brought them my idea and they delivered way beyond my expectations (which were high to begin with -- have you SEEN the cakes in their window?). Not only did the design come out great, the cake tasted good too. The staff was very friendly and easy to work with. I also snagged a chocolate praline cronut while I was waiting for them to package up the cake -- delicious. Highly recommend, especially for specialty cakes!
(5)
Allison R.
Came here on a food walking tour - Sidewalk Food Tours of Chicago so I was only able to sample the french macaroons. Flavors were innovative. I tried the Rose and it was floral, nicely colored, and moist. I was visiting from San Francisco so feel like I've had better but it was a nice finish to the day. Overall the display cases looked nice and the service was friendly.
(3)
Cheryl I.
Thanks Alliance Bakery for making my friends 30th bday an amazing one! She absolutely loved her cake and it turned out better than we could have ever imagined.
(5)
Phill C.
Checking out a new bakery is always fun, because there's a chance I might strike gold and find my favorite dessert on Earth - the French Macaron. You know, the little pastries that look like tiny burgers, that come in dozens of different flavors and colors. The macarons here are a bargain compared to other places that make quality macarons, at $1.50 a piece. They didn't have the price listed, so I was shocked my total was so cheap. I've only been able to try a few flavors, since they were running out when I stopped by. I tried the Pistachio w/ Dark Cherry, Coconut Lime, and Passionfruit Chocolate, which were all really good. Their macarons pack a flavor punch and have a perfect airy chewy texture. They also make a variety of other pastries, including cupcakes, cookies, croissants, bagels, cake pops, as well as sandwiches and java. They make nicely decorated mini tarts, cheesecakes, and other sweets, perfect for giving as a gift. If you're looking for a unique cake, they whip up some nifty designs, which you can check out in their window display. The 3D bloody heart with an arrow through it looked pretty sweet. The bakery itself only has a tiny table, but they do have a lounge next door where you can take your baked goods. Free wifi, macarons, and coffee - sounds like the perfect place to get some work done or read a good book. This place is now my go-to macaron joint and I'm looking forward to going back for their other flavors.
(5)
Fred F.
I love the cakes here however I just had a very disappointing experience. I ordered a custom cake with Nora a couple days before the birthday event of a friend. On the day of the event (today), I arrived at the store only to be surprised by a plain white cake. The decorator apparently already left the building and forgot to decorate my cake. Thank you Alliance for ruining my friend's birthday surprise cake. What a lack of professionalism you have! Note: Tried to escalate the issue on Alliance Facebook and they immediately deleted my posting.
(1)
Darren F.
ordered the key lime tart, red valvet cupcake, and a roasted chocolate almond cup cake.. red valvet cup cake was really dry the almond cup cake was eh... definitely had better ones before.. key lime tart falls apart after i picked it up and it tasted kind of weird to me..
(1)
LaDarian D.
A pastry fanatic's DREAM! Cookies, cupcakes, pies, macaroons, cappuccinos, lattes are all a win. I would say it's becoming common these days where fluffy is taboo in the cupcake world. I miss it, but everything was delicious. You made a former fat guy happy
(4)
Terrence W.
Even after over five years of patronizing this place (great pastries), I am unable to bring myself to ever walk through its doors again after the discourtesy shown me on the morning of Friday Oct 25. On the other hand, it forced me to look for other options for my pastry fix, and I'm very glad to have found Vanille Patisserie. Business Owners, the only competitive advantage you have is customer service; there's nothing you offer the market place that is so totally unique as to treat any potential customer/client in an unprofessional manner and keep their loyalty.
(1)
Rebecca R.
Crazy little bakery with a place to sit and work or chat next door. Order your coffee and head back outside and over to find a space in the converted house full of chairs, couches, and tables. Coffee is pretty good and the bakery items are ok too. Cakes looks so awesome but I have never had the opportunity to taste one.
(4)
Sarah S.
I went to Alliance Bakery yesterday because the cakes in the window lured me in! They were cute & quirky (see pictures) like having a giant heart with a knife in it...a super cute Panda cake...and Nightmare Before Christmas cakes! Love! The shop was super busy for a 530pm on a Saturday so I had a great feeling about it. Long line that didn't ease up our entire time there. Based on my personal preference of how I like my cupcakes (with thick, sugary frosting...not the light airy stuff that so many boutique shops use), these can't take the claim of being amazing cupcakes for me. Buh~buh~buh~break down: Double Chocolate Cupcake - Wasn't a big fan. Cake was slightly too dry. The frosting didn't have a rich flavor or hardly any chocolate flavor to it at all. Vegan Chocolate & Peanut Butter - I'm all sorts of healthy, dontcha know~ so had to try this one (check sarcasm). The chocolate cake had good flavor buy verged on being too dry...it was just barely passing for a good level, but I wouldn't call it moist. As I said, not a fan of this airy frosting but on this cupcake, the frosting tasted straight up like peanut butter. I love me some peanut butter but in a cupcake frosting, the flavor left a lot to be desired. Chocolate Ganache with a Salted Caramel center - The ganache on this cupcake was great! The filling was just like frosting in the center...I was hoping for a thick but not sticky salted caramel center, not the same airy frosting that their cupcakes are topped with so I was a bit disappointed. This shop has so much more to offer than cupcakes, like their awesome inventive cakes plus tons of other goodies. I would absolutely come back to try some of their other items, but will skip the cupcakes.
(3)
M P.
Very tasty pastries and quiches - plenty of variety to choose from. I'll have to come back for some macarons.
(4)
Fiona C.
This review is for the macarons - I've had better. The fruit ones are only okay. There's this cinnamon one that is just spicy and not pleasant on the palate when you're expecting a sweet treat. The cakes however look absolutely amazing. I wish I had gotten one of those instead!
(1)
Britt C.
MACARONS!!! I tried 6 flavors while I was there are they were all pretty good but here is how my list would be ranked: Lemon Poppy Seed Coconut Lime Pistachio Manjari Hazelnut Raspberry Bacon Maple I was surprised I wasn't in love with the bacon maple...I do love bacon. My friend who regularly seeks out macarons also said that they were larger than the average macaron she comes across, so that's a plus to me!
(5)
Jessica B.
I ordered two cakes for my wedding reception. One was a basic 9" German chocolate cake. The other was a surprise for my groom, a 3D cake of a monster from a relatively obscure video game (a leech from Final Fantasy XI Online). I used their online form to order both cakes. I attached a collage of screen shots of the monster from the game. I had no real idea what to expect, and was pretty nervous since I wasn't picking up the cake and wouldn't see it until the reception. But they did an AMAZING job. It looked exactly like the monster came alive and decided to sit on the dessert table. I could not be happier. It was also delicious--vanilla cake with chocolate mousse filling. Most of my guests had no idea what it was, but they loved it anyway. And the ones who did know where so impressed. The German chocolate cake was also beautifully executed and very tasty (I'm not a huge fan of german chocolate, but the groom looooved it). Star off because every time I called they seemed a little disorganized, and because their prices are a bit high. Regardless, I will definitely go back if I need a 3D cake made.
(4)
Ayo R.
The best red velvet cupcakes ever!!! They are so rich!!! They also make the best birthday cakes to order that are delicious. They have a variety of cheese cakes and sandwiches to choose from. This is a cute little cafe spot!!! The professionalism is always on point!!!
(5)
Andrea T.
Alliance Bakery & Cafe made my wedding cake and it was delicious. We worked with Jennifer. At the tasting, everything was so good, we used all three flavors - vanilla with vanilla pastry cream on the bottom, chocolate with chocolate fudge in the middle and red velvet on top. Hint: don't miss the Italian Meringue Buttercream - it's divine. When picking our bakery, flavor was our biggest priority, not decoration. I'd rather have a great-tasting cake than a masterpiece that has little flavor. That said, I still think my cake tasted great AND was beautiful. I'd use Alliance again in the future and am looking forward to my free 1-year anniversary cake :)
(5)
Thea K.
I was first attracted by the ridiculously talented cake decorating in the window the last night, then today I had a craving for cookies, and found the TASTIEST vegan choco chip cookies here, so chocolatey and chewy (which to someone with egg and dairy intolerances and a well-developed sweet-tooth like myself is like finding a golden goose). The fella behind the counter was so charming that if I lived in Chicago I'd make him my friend; he even did a Cookie Monster impression for us. I wish I could teleport this place home with me.
(5)
Angela S.
I'm so mixed by my recent trip to Alliance. After wanting to stop in for a very long time, I have to say my experience was meh...darn! The Lounge - Depends on your definition of a lounge I recently met a friend I haven't seen in a very long time at Alliance with my 6.5 year old twin boys. Knowing we'd most likely be sitting in the next door lounge for a conversation, I'm thankful for the reviews that mention how it's not conducive to chatter. I came prepared with books and paper and warned them not to make a peep or they'd for sure get the stink eye. I was also a bit worried that the conversation with my friend would be disturbing to the quiet bunch on their laptops, but we sat up front by the door and managed to keep our voices down. A lounge that's not really a lounge, I would have been upset if I happened to walk by with a group of friends wanting to have coffee and a chat. No place for clever conversation, perhaps there should be a warning somewhere on the outside door. The Goods - Come here for cake! My vanilla latte made the Angela cut with it's delicious ever-so-slight burnt flavor, but my chocolate croissant was honestly the worst I've ever had. Having been a baker, I can attest to the fact that there is absolutely no way it was fresh. Completely dry and disappointing, I suggest to opt for the cupcakes or the cookies. A beautiful cornucopia of colors they looked amazing, and in retrospect I should have gone with my gut (and the reviews). On the flip side, this is THE PLACE to go if you want a specialty cake. They are true works of art, and if you can't stop in, check out their window displays. The Service - Exactly what I expected For a funky neighborhood I expected service with a cool city vibe, and this is what I got. I was curious to see how welcoming they would be to kids, and the guy behind the counter was very accommodating and didn't seem to mind being patient (but we were also pretty quick to order). I appreciate the nostalgia of this place and like the idea of supporting local. If I wanted a quiet place to study, I'd spend days on end here with their good vanilla lattes. But, for conversation, I understand why Starbucks was packed!
(2)
Erika U.
I wanted to take this opportunity to rave about Alliance Bakery to all of my Chicago friends. They were absolutely fantastic and fit us in (virtually last minute) for a wedding cake after our original baker cancelled. Not only was the cake beautiful and affordable, but it was equally delicious. I highly recommend them to anyone looking for a cake for a special event.
(5)
Jennifer H.
The first couple of times I came here I must admit I wasn't hooked. Until I met "Anne". Anne was a lonely one, sitting peacefully behind the glass waiting for someone to find her. Well, I found her. After purchasing Anne there was some awkward silence, I feel we didn't know what to say to each other at first. So I took her out of the box and and decided to take a bite. Anne changed me as a man. Not many things cause me to question my existence, but Anne succeeded in doing so.
(4)
Michelle I.
Yelp to the rescue! I found this place while cruising around. I wanted to get some birthday cupcakes for the husband. I made him pullover, and told him to wait. Not very incognito but whatevs. The cupcake selection looked amazing. I tend to go hard on cupcakes...I find them trite and super easy to make (from scratch). I often will try them at certain bakeries and I know I can make one that is twice as better at home. The ones here were pretty good, so far one of the best ones I've had in the area. I picked out four, various flavors including red velvet and chocolate peanut butter. My favorite was the one with the chocolate ganache. The girl behind the counter, despite our initial weirdo encounter, was nice and even sweet enough to throw in a birthday candle. I also decided to grab about a half a dozen macarons. Not the best I've had, but they were pretty tasty. My favorite was the pistachio. They held up well since I decided to refrigerate them overnight and ended up eating them while driving home. Overall, a pretty solid bakery. I wouldn't mind checking out the cafe next time I'm in town.
(4)
Luke D.
This review is based only on Alliance's awful cronuts and macarons. Alliance's cronuts are terrible filled croissants in a circular configuration. We bought one each of vanilla, chocolate and "strawberry." I have the last one in quotes as it was described as being strawberry and mascarpone, but actually tasted like a combination of rosewater and dishwasher detergent. This was thrown in the trash after one bite. The icings and fillings on the other two were fine, but the cronut itself was so bad that we couldn't make it through any of them. Croissants should be light, flaky and buttery. These were dense, dry and oily. At $5 each, this was a total waste of money. Alliance is probably selling a ton of these based on the current cronut craze, but these are simply awful. AVOID. Their macarons were a little better but still poor. The shells had huge air bubbles and exploded after one bite. We had the Nutella, pumpkin and pistachio variations. The fillings were generally OK but the shells were inexcusably bad. I cannot justify buying macarons like this when there are superior alternatives like Hendrickx and Floriole nearby.
(1)
Ted C.
I'm pretty happy with Alliance Bakery as a spot to sit and just relax. They have their 'lounge' space where you can just walk right in and sit down. Before you do you should probably go next door and check out their baked goods, because they're good. The first time I went I bought a box of their cupcakes but I was on a no carb, no sugar, no fun, tremendous b-hole kick and didn't have any while I watched everyone around me enjoy the tasty, well-made treats. I did like the fact that their cupcakes weren't just giant mountains of frosting. I did have their oatmeal raisin cookie and a chocolate-y croissant-y thing and a Mexican coke, because I love real sugar. I liked the quiet, easygoing 'lounge' area. I think I could have just sat there anyway and no one would have bothered me, as long as I kept quiet and still, like everyone there seemed to be doing, no conversation, no chatter, it was a little disconcerting. I think what I'll do next time is just buy my baked treats and run away like a bandit, because the Hipster Stepfords next door kind of weirded me out.
(3)
EDILSA E.
I stopped here by chance a month ago. I ordered a cake from here for my son's confirmation. It was a round cake for 12-16 people, red fondant, a white sugar cross, white cake, strawberry and custard filling. The cake was very pretty and of course delicious ($86). I also decided to get some macaroons. I bought two different ones, a Nutella one and a raspberry one. I can say I think about their macaroons a bit since then. The Nutella one wasn't that tasty but the raspberry one was completely delicious. It's super rich and the outside is flaky. The bakery was a tasty discovery. I have stopped here twice after the cake to pick up the raspberry macaroons. I would give it 5 stars I it weren't for their workers. They are pretty dry people. The one that took my order for the cake wasn't friendly or even smiled. He wasn't informative when I was ordering the cake even though I mentioned it was my first time stopping in there. Customer service does go a long way. A smile, a thank you, and even a helpful suggestion can make the experience much more pleasant.
(3)
Vanessa K.
The 2 stars are STRICTLY for the "Cronuts" that they advertise heavily about. My friends and I ordered 10 because we thought it was just THAT good... but unfortunately it really wasn't. My girlfriends and I made Alliance Bakery the top of our "noms" list as soon as we landed in Chicago and was just so so disappointed. The Cronuts were stale and really hard, one had a funky taste and we left after spending 10 times $5.00 = $50.00 per cronut... it was so sad. We were so sad, the rose one was the weird tasting one with a too-sweet-rose-esque flavor on top, the chocolate was ok, it tasted like chocolate and nothing special and the other raspberry one was the only decent one and that was still super below average. The only redeeming part is that they have a lounge area right next to the bakery and the flowers were fresh and the area was really cute where we could sit down and relax and take some cute pics. Once again, so sad... :( I can't speak to their other bakery items but def. do NOT make the hike here for cronuts if you knew elsewhere....
(2)
Matt B.
So...what's up with that "cafe"? I put that in quotes because it's really just a room with some furniture in it. Apparently, the deal is that you get your coffee and baked goods at the store a couple doors down, then bring it over to the "cafe" to eat in cold, unforgiving silence. Because that's what I and my two companions experienced when we stepped into the "cafe"...a bunch of individuals, all seated at this-is-my-personal-space distances apart, with headphones and laptops engaged, and a sterile blanket of silence enveloping them all. And their brief, dismissive stares, redolent with veiled tinges of hostility, flatly instructed us to not even THINK about sitting down and having a conversation with another breathing, carbon-based life form. As such, we sat outside, and enjoyed our coffee and cupcakes, with the glorious burning sun massaging our shoulders and reminding us that yes, we are alive.
(3)
Ashley B.
I got "The Ann", a chocolate hazelnut mousse cake and it was absolutely amazing. It was everything I had hoped it would be and more. It was definitely a good choice for a chocoholic and 100% satisfied my chocolate craving. Not only was the cake to die for, the staff were very friendly and patient. I will definitely be going back!!
(5)
Lulu L.
I ordered a custom cake for a shower. The ordering process is a little frustrating and the customer service when picking up the cake was not good. They didn't include the personalized sign that was included on the order form. Cake tasted good though! When ordering the cake I came in with an idea & pics for a 2 tiered cake to serve 30. The person at the counter was friendly enough and walked in the back to talk to the cake decorators for a price. She came back stating it was over $200.00. Not what I wanted to spend so I said what if we change this and this. Again she talked to these mysterious cake decorators and said if you remove one of the fondant items (which I said I didn't want anyway) then it would be $15.00 less. Not the amount of price change I was looking. Luckily I had a second, very simple idea which she took to the decorators and the price came back that was acceptable. Why couldn't I just talk to these elusive decorators myself? When I picked up the cake the person I presumed was the manager said the guy (lets all him Dude) would help me carry it to my car and that he'd cut a hole in the box top for me so the 2nd tier would fit. The Dude came back with the cake with no top, just the bottom of the box. I thought it would have more protection than that. Then the Dude hands me the cake over the counter, whoa!. Juggling a 2 tier cake with a purse on your shoulder is not easy. Dude just looks at me. Then I was like, Dude, can you open the door for me and open my car door? Duh! There was another worker on the phone, let's call him "Bro" who was clearly mortified by the Dude's lack of awareness. Dude opens the door and then opens my car door while I try to put the cake down without my purse slipping off my shoulder, which could have led to disaster. Whew, it was close. Bro had hurried out and was super nice but I wish I had dealt with him the entire time. Thanks Bro! After all that, I get home, put the cake in the frig and notice that the fondant sign that was supposed to be included and was on the order form that said "Welcome to the World Baby X" was not included. The ONE item that personalized this very expensive cake was no where to be seen. I had too much to do to prepare for the shower so I didn't call or go back, and am instead writing this passive aggressive yelp review. Next time I'm just ordering a cake from Mariano's.
(2)
April K.
Stopped for macarons. Maybe I ate em too quickly but the texture was a little stale. Wasabi-white chocolate sounded fantastic but didn't deliver. Odd flavor combo. 1 star Pistachio-brandied cherry was much better. I dug the whole cherry in the middle. 4 stars Chocolate-salted caramel was the tits. 5 stars. $1.50 for each cookie. Not the best I've had but A-Ok
(3)
Alice L.
I'm torn because the food and drinks aren't bad and the study space next door is nice and bright and cozy, but the girl behind the counter last time I visited was SO rude. Hoping it was just an off day...
(3)
Leah B.
We bought macaroons from the new River North store. They were awful. It seemed like most of them were stale. It was my husband's first time trying macaroons, and he says he will never eat them again. This was such a disappointment, especially for how expensive it was. I will never patronize this store again.
(1)
Melanie R.
A bakery in Wicker Park with a mouth-watering selection of French Macarons? Yes please! Very charming storefront! The window display proudly showcases some of their cake creations, including a -- hold the phone -- MACARON TOWER! Amazing! Mental note to snag such a treat for my next special occasion. Or, a random Saturday night.. Alliance is above all, a bonafide mecca for macaron lovers. If I lived closer, I would flock to this place daily - with my cash as an offering to the macaron gods. Their flavor listing has something for everyone - from the tried and true Pistachio (with some brandied cherry for a perfect twist), to the slightly savory Maple Bacon. Some of my personal favorites include the 'Coconut Lime' (which, topped with toasted coconut shreds, tastes just like a key lime pie) and the 'Salted Caramel' (which reminds me of a salted hot chocolate). I tend to get one of each of the flavors they happen to have remaining that day, and aside from some of the fruit-inspired flavors (whose filling is more akin to a jam - not quite my style) - Alliance has yet to disappoint! I usually get a cupcake for good measure, and they can certainly hold their own - even with all the macaron excitement that is happening in the neighboring display case. The Red Velvet (my go-to cupcake benchmark) measured up to my standards, with a perfectly moist cake and an unmistakable traditional cream cheese frosting. Yum! With ever-smiling service and quaint outdoor seating to boot - Alliance takes the cake (couldn't resist - pun intended!) as far as my favorite spot to score some macarons!
(5)
Michael U.
For our finally mid-day bite in Chicago - this one on day two - we opted for an older member of the culinary scene that I'd actually walked into once prior during the Renegade Art Fair but neglected to buy from due to the line; Wicker Park's own Alliance Bakery. Again scoring free parking and making our way to the shop with ease as hipsters and families alike dined on the sunny patio a stop at the window was mandatory first simply to witness the masterful cakes ranging from Green Eggs n' Ham to Macaron towers to three tiered wedding cakes. With the doors open letting in a cool breeze (and letting out the wonderful smells of butter and vanilla) we next made our way in to see what Chef Peter Rios and a team of youngsters (both in the kitchen and at the counter) had on display and after a few tough decisions we emerged from the shop to enjoy our choices on the patio. Beginning first with the French classics, my mother selected two Macarons - one Blueberry Cheesecake and the other Passion fruit chocolate - both textbook in texture with a crackling shell giving way to lovely filling, but the Passion fruit Chocolate so cloyingly sweet that between two of us the $2 cookie went unfinished. Thankfully the Blueberry Cheesecake fared much better. Moving next to two of the standards by which I judge a bakery my aunt's and my selection were a Red Velvet Cupcake and the Dulce de Leche Bread Pudding. Beginning first with the cupcake, a $3.50 selection with good notes of cocoa and a tangy cream cheese frosting started out with a good base, but was unfortunately a bit dry - so much so that when my aunt took a bite the back half fell off landing directly on her chest; a comedic event to be sure, but not exactly the way a cupcake should be remembered. Moving next to the Bread Pudding which was served in a small tin topped with a sugar lacquered strawberry and powdered - it was dense and it was sweet, no more and no less but thankfully only $2.50.
(2)
J D.
WHAT HAPPENED!?! This used to be my favorite place for macarons! They were soft, chewy yet textured first bite, with that smack you in your face flavor. For 1.75 each, I expect consistency.... Last visit (granted it was the end of the day) I got 5 macaron cause variety is necessary. All of them were so hard I could hear CRUNCHING when chewing. They were hard and unpleasant to eat. Salted Caramel and Hazelnut flavor was great. Pistachio seemed a little off.
(3)
Michael J.
Not impressed. Had a chocolate cupcake -- the frosting tasted EXACTLY like the store-bought can. Expected much more from such an esteemed establishment.
(1)
Veronica S.
I live right around the corner and have been a customer for years, but I have to say their food and drinks can be hit or miss and they can be a bit pricey. DRINKS: I was seriously disappointed in the last chai tea latte I got from here last week. The thing was a watery mess and it didn't even fill the cup to the rim. For almost $4.00 they should do better. For coffee drinks, I hate to say it, but I can get better for less money at the Starbuck's down and across the street at Division and Paulina. FOOD: I no longer buy their cupcakes or pastries because I think they are too expensive for the size and the last few I bought tasted stale. Their decorated cakes are beautiful, but I've never ordered one, so I can't comment on those, but they do carry some good sandwiches and I can highly recommend the couscous salad--very tasty! LOUNGE: The separate lounge area two doors to the west of the bakery is a good concept, but I tried to work in there once and found it to be too noisy. SERVICE: The place is tiny and wait times can be long during busy periods, but servers have always been friendly. If you are in the neighborhood and don't mind walking half a mile to the west, I recommend you go to Letizia's Natural Bakery at 2144 W Division Street for coffee drinks, cookies, and pastries.
(2)
Reuben H.
Oooooooooooh you bastards... With your irresistible quin aman! Delectible bignets and croissants... Macarons that are really good as well... You make a damn fine cup of caffe au lait and to top it off- aren't over priced and very close to home. Recipe for disaster if you ask me! All that dairy fat and excess carbohydrates go straight to my hips...
(5)
Steve F.
My review has two parts. The first part is related to the cookies and second part relates to integrity. This is a cute bakery with wonderful treats. I tried their Blackhawks cookies and bought a bunch of delicious cookies for kids, they loved them all. While at the bakery my son forgot his tablet that he loves watching movies on and playing games. We didn't know where we left it and the bakery actual emailed me a few days later with the device, and had it ready for pick up. Thanks a ton! In life, integrity goes a long way
(5)
Keith R.
If you happen to have a day like me where you ended up eating dessert(frozen yogurt) first, then AYCE sushi lunch, which the fro yo made you too full to really partake fully in, and then for whatever odd reason, the fat guy inside you decided another dessert was in order after the sushi.... come to Alliance Bakery. You can indulge your sweet tooth without going too crazy with fullness. How is this possible? By getting an awesome nearly giant macaron! Of all the macarons I've eaten in my lifetime, I believe Slurping Turtle and Alliance have the largest ones I've seen. And props to Alliance for carrying my favorite flavors, Pistachio, Red Velvet, Hazelnut Chocolate and my newly found friend, Blueberry Cheesecake. I think their cupcakes are lovely as well, and fairly priced IMO. And if you're in need of liquid consumption to go with your cavity makers, they have a great selection of loose leaf tea on the shelf behind the counter. Don't want either? Just check out the art, inside and in the window display. The cakes look too good to eat. Seriously. If I ever bought one of those, I'd pretend I was going to cut it up for the guests, but I'd also have some genero Costco sheet cake that I would actually allow people to eat, while I'm getting the cake bronzed in a super double secret ceremony. Inside, check out the elevation drawings illustrating just exactly what goes into a Marie or an Ellen, layer by layer. The former architecture major in me is in love... Come on down to Alliance. Like me, it's small but packs a punch.
(5)
A R.
I've lived around the corner from Alliance for almost 7 years now so I've paid many visits there. It's about time I wrote a review. The goods. There's no doubt they make a beautiful cake. Their showcase speaks for itself. I just learned that they're known for their macaroons so I will have to check them out. But the other baked goods...they're sooooooooo...meh. I have had scones, cookies, cupcakes, etc. And they're allllll sooooo average. I go out of my way for a good dessert. Especially a good cupcake. Can't you guys change your recipes? Molly's and Sweet Mandy B's are winning here (cupcake wise, at least). The staff. I'm going to agree with a comment below about the staff there. Not so nice. Most (not all) of them have that whole snotty, too-cool-to-smile hipster thing going on. It get's old. The price. Way too high for the quality. But probably due to the location. Or so I'm guessing. The space. It's okay. Free wi-fi, which is nice. They redecorated their room next door, which is nice. But it's alright there, I guess. It's always nice sitting outside, I will say. Sorry Alliance, I hate to bring my neighborhood bakery down but I gotta be real. I go here only cause of convenience.
(2)
Paul S.
I've had exactly 1 cookie from here, but it was pretty amazing, especially for a vegan chocolate chip cookie. Tasted buttery and chewy and crispy, you know what I mean, so perfect. I'll be back!
(4)
Pack C.
i went pick up some today. There were amazing with reasonable price: 1.75 each but they are big! It is not as sweet as the traditional one e.g. Laduree. So, i like it even better. we tried fig, mango, rasberry, and blueberry cream cheese. our favorite are fig + mango. Definitely go back again! it's GREAT!
(4)
Lois A.
Great quiche but the sweets leave me wishing I'd spent my money at Bake or various other bakeries. The lemon bars are bad. No lemon flavor and kind of like gooey cement. Eat a lemon bar at Birchwood Kitchen and then try the one here (or don't!!) and you'll know what I mean about how a lemon bar should taste. The coconut macaroon and turtle bars are too hard and just don't have that creamy amazing quality they should have. Too hard, too much sugar taste, not enough love. The sweets are not cheap enough to get away with tasting so mediocre. It's a cute place though.
(3)
Shauna B.
I don't know what I would do without Alliance's savory croissants for breakfast. I can't decide if I prefer the turkey and swiss or the ham and cheddar, but both boast perfectly flaky croissants topped with perfectly browned cheese. Delish! The pastries are moist and tasty, and dangerous! I lay awake at night thinking of the mini carrot cake--so good. The bakery itself can be crowded (and staff overwhelmed) at peak hours, but most of the time they wait is short and service pleasant. The bakery annex next door is a great place to settle into a couch and read or work, and the sidewalk seating is perfect for people watching in good weather.
(4)
Noah B.
Good pastries and decent coffee. The staff is friendly and talkative, or will leave you alone if you're just there to use their free wi-fi and study. The TV flipping through their slideshow of pastries they've made is almost hypnotic.
(3)
kristina w.
When I lived in Chicago I went here almost every morning for a latte and treat!
(5)
Jenna H.
07/25/2010: Hmmm. Reading my earlier review made me miss the Alliance of yore. The couple trips I've made over the past year have all been disappointing. The baked goods seem to have gone downhill, and I think the coffee is following suit. & the place has a weird, unpleasant odor more often than not... more befitting of a beer-soaked dive bar than a bakery. Not good. Sadly Alliance, I've lost that loving feeling. & now it's gone...gone...gone...woooooe ohhhh ohh. I LOVE Alliance! Bakeries, even good ones, can be so hit-or-miss, and while I have plenty of favorites (the red velvet cupcake, most of their cookies) I've yet to try anything that bombed/wasn't finished in 5 minutes. The window displays are so cool they'll make a happily single girl consider cake-induced lifetime commitment. The coffee drinks are tasty, & unlike the crowd (which can have a few too many too-cool-for-school hipsters) the staff is nice & helpful. Which is saying a lot since there's been more than one weekend where I've made a morning appearance hungover & still in my clothes from the night before. YES, even after a few too many tequila shots Alliance will get you out of bed. Which is more than I can say for my alarm clock.
(2)
Craig T.
Came for a late breakfast and ate a Ham and Cheese Croissant. Walking distance from the subway. Since I make macarons for a local bakery, I wanted to talk to staff about the process. Kristin was very welcoming and responded my questions. She has an advanced degree in physics and explained several baking concerns and gave me valuable information. She even recommended Stan's Donuts within walking distance. I completed lunch with an Anne and two macarons, a strawberry shortcake and a salty caramel. Somewhat difficult to eat the Anne with a plastic fork. It would likely be better to wait for the Anne to melt so it would be easier to eat, but did not have the time. Everything was on point and it's easy to get to in a trendy area. Highly recommend. Heard they have cronuts on weekends and would love to try if I'm in Chicago on a weekend.
(5)
Eliza E.
Love!!! I could eat their delightful macarons every day. They are light, flavorful, and just a perfect treat. Recently, I had a cake decorated for a special occasion and it exceeded my expectations. The cake was perfectly moist and delicious, and the decoration really captured not only the picture I provided but also the fun feel I wanted.
(5)
Jamie B.
Good bakery items, delicious hibiscus lemon iced tea. We had the Ann cake, it was mainly chocolate ganache and was quite tasty. Docking a star for super slow service.
(4)
Celeste S.
The customer service here wasn't that good. The clerks there did not welcome us initially. It was a bit busy, but even after it cleared up we weren't helped immediately. The cake was very beautiful and tasted wonderful.
(3)
Bao L.
The almond croissant here is fantastic! Buttery, flaky, and has the perfect amount of sweetness. I'm not a huge pastry person either and I loved this. Make sure to pair it with a nice cup of coffee. I'll definitely be coming back here when I'm in the area
(4)
Anna B.
I love that the indoor seating, during the week anyway, is like a library. Just tables of people working and reading and drinking great coffee and tea. When someone's cell phone rings, they go outside to answer it! Of course there's the occasional exception, like the time I had to listen to a hipster make follow-up calls to places he'd sent his resume, during which time he also cracked open a microwave container of Spaghetti-Os and started slurping away. Gross. For the most part it is a very subdued, chill, group of people, which makes this a great place to work if you need some peace and quiet. In the wintertime I liked sitting in one of the arm chairs near the front of the room and soaking up the sun... --------------------------------------------------Â------------------------------------------- I'm a writer who has trouble working in her own home. (Distractions include books, magazines, DVDs, phone calls, snacks, cleaning to be done, the Internet as a whole, and a very large cat.) I tend to work for several hours at a stretch, so the library isn't always an option. Over the course of the past five years I discovered some amazing coffee shops in Chicago and worked there happily. Since moving to LA in 5/07, I've realized just how picky I am about coffee shops: I haven't been able to find one I really love! In my quest for the perfect coffee shop, I have devised my own star rating system for the shops I review on this site. Each attribute below is worth one star, which makes it possible for a shop to lack desirable attributes yet still receive a perfect Yelp rating. Anything with a perfect Yelp rating is a place in which I am happy to sit for hours on end. * well lit * cozy atmosphere with comfortable seating * wifi (free or not) * open late * serves loose leaf tea * variety of affordable food and beverages * interesting people-watching, whether it be out the window or in the shop * not too crowded (I hardly ever go on the weekends because I know the odds would be against me) I understand that my rating system is unique to my own needs but hopefully I will be able to highlight qualities that others may be interested in. If anyone has any coffee shop suggestions for me, I am all ears! I would also like to state that I always try to spend enough money &/or leave a large enough tip to make my long-term presence tolerable to the cafe staff. I cringe when I see people ordering a $2 iced tea and then follow it up with free tap water while they sit and read "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" in its entirety.
(5)
Claudine M.
Went here to buy some breakfast pastries and it did not disappoint! They have great varieties of croissants (both savory and sweet), Danishes, scones, cinnamon rolls, sticky buns, bagels, and even their version of cronuts! We got different croissants: ham and cheese, goat cheese and peppers, almond and regular. We also added a cinnamon roll since it was recommended. My favorites were the almond croissant, then goat cheese and pepper croissant, and the cinnamon roll. They also have a gorgeous array of French macarons and small cakes. You can also order a cake there which they decorate beautifully! We saw a lady pick up a huge bumblebee cake for a party. Very cute! Lastly, they have doggy biscuits as well which my boyfriend's sister's dog gladly devoured!
(5)
Liz C.
This review is specifically for only the macarons. Overall, I would give Alliance 3.5 stars. I love macarons and visiting Chicago had me on the search for some macarons! I ran into Alliance Bakery while walking through Wicker Park. After seeing that sign that said "Macarons," I knew that I had to get some! If you purchase 5 macarons, they'll start putting it into the cute little boxes. Otherwise, it comes in a little bag. I tried the three macarons that I thought were not the normal ones you could find anywhere. Pina Colada - This beautiful, sunshine yellow macaron tickled my taste buds and made me smile. It was phenomenal! The texture was perfectly crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. I love the surprise bit of pineapple jam in the very center. You could taste the pineapple in this without it being too overpowering. The macaron was light and so refreshing. Key Lime - This alien green macaron did have a nice tartness to it. The only downside was the texture. The key lime was so underbaked and just fell apart when I bit into it. It was way too wet on the inside. If it was baked right, I think this macaron could have been a hit. It wasn't too sweet but not too tart either. Chocolate Passion Fruit - I've never seen this macaron flavor so I was really interested. It's yellow with a dusting of cocoa powder on top. I didn't mind the powder, but it did leave my mouth a little dry. I think it could have used a little less cocoa powder on top. In contrast with the key lime, this macaron was unfortunately overbaked. The inside was very dry. However, the passion fruit shell was delicious and I did like the richness of the chocolate cream inside. The problem with the macarons here are not the flavors, just the texture. The consistency of doneness is a little off. Pricing is fine with the macarons being about $2 each. Service was great, the guy was really patient and friendly. This bakery has some amazing cakes on display, as well as some awesome treats in the display case! The slices of cakes, tarts and cookies looked scrumptious! Maybe next time I'll get those. If this place shipped across states, I would probably order a dozen Pina Colada macarons because they were just so good.
(3)
Amy D.
Alliance Bakery was included in our wedding reception package, and we're so grateful! They were so easy to work with and everything was delicious. The tasting itself was fun to mix different flavors. I brought in friends to help my now husband as I'm gluten free. It was easy to pick the cake design. I went off one of their previous design and made some modifications to make it unique for us. Everyone complemented how beautiful it was, and how good it was.
(5)
Joann H.
Love love loved the macarons. Amazing! Great outter shell with the classic chewy texture and delicious filling. Loved my croissant sandwich as well. Good latte, not out of this world but good. I'm just disappointed at the blah service. I came here for the first time on valentine's day with my husband. I was so excited and our girl at the counter just didn't care if we were there or not. Not "can I help you? , first time here?" Nada. Just figure it out for myself. Oh well. But the dude making my coffee had a smile on his face. Won't go out of my way to get here but if I'm in the neighborhood I have to have a macaron. Those macarons were on point. Delicious!
(3)
Carolyn T.
I've been to Alliance twice now: once to get a key lime pie as a birthday present and the other time to pick up two Annes and a savory croissant. The first time we dropped by in the late morning on a weekend, we really wanted to try the Anne, which had been featured recently ona list of the best pastries in Chicago, but they were already sold out. (We didn't want to order a Big Anne because that's full-sized to serve many people.) The key lime pie was a gift, but the recipient said she really liked it. Next, we dropped by for the Annes and the croissants. The Anne was absolute decadence. WOW. I am definitely a big fan! There's a chocolate outside and a delicious chocolate mousse interior. There are little macarons decorated on top of the Anne, also. The bottom is solid chocolate. Score! This certainly is one of my favorite pastries I've tried in recent memories and I long for the next time that I'm in Wicker Park so I can pick one of these up. The croissants were pretty good, but did not taste like they had been made that morning, unfortunately. I'm not sure if they make the croissants there or if they purchase the croissants, then add the filling themselves. I would probably stick to the pastries next time. Also, I had ordered a vegetarian croissant, walked out, and realized I was given one with ham. We walked back, waited in line again, and the worker seemed a bit distressed/annoyed about the mistake. She didn't apologize. She did, however, give me the croissant I wanted and my boyfriend kept the ham croissant to eat himself. I also picked up cookies for Mother's Day that were really cute-looking, but the royal icing and the cookie itself were a bit hard and not too flavorful. Overall, I do think it's accurate to say I'm a fan of Alliance for the Anne!
(4)
Kari H.
I came here looking for macaron ice cream sandwiches but they didn't have any. I think they said they serve it in the summer, but I'm not sure if I remembered that correctly. I got 7 macarons instead: raspberry, pistachio, piña colada, vanilla, peanut butter and jelly, Nutella, and strawberry cheesecake. Raspberry macaron was my favorite. Staff was friendly and helpful. The free raspberry macaron given to us was a good pick. They were closing in 20 minutes but invited us to stay anyway, but we decided to go on a walk and eat our macarons elsewhere instead. Thanks!
(4)
Shradha A.
We stopped by to ask about gluten-free cakes and they don't have options. They did have a flourless cake, which we grabbed one of to try. It was too rich when we had a few bites while at the cafe but when we brought it back home and microwaved it, it got moist and much more decadent. I also picked up a stuffed croissant for my fiance and he enjoyed that.
(3)
Jenn T.
I'm not a vegan by any standards, but the vegan chocolate chip cookies here are fantastic, and by fantastic I mean they're better than most normal chocolate chip cookies. Other things that I've tried include the carrot cake cupcake, the red velvet cupcake, and the almond croissant--all were very good. Other than baked goods though, Alliance is probably one of the best places in Wicker Park to study/get work done. Their separate lounge next door (with free wi-fi!!) has been very quiet both times I have gone. Note that the lounge isn't too big so come earlier or get ready to possibly be a bit cramped.
(5)
Sonya P.
This review is strictly for their Fat Tuesday paczkis only. I normally enjoy Alliance, especially their macarons, so this year I put in an order for their paczki specials for Fat Tuesday since they were much closer to my place than many of the other bakeries. The pre-ordering process was a bit of a mess (but I think the employee was particularly out of it that day), but I didn't make much of it. Come Fat Tuesday and we get our 6 paczkis. Some of them were decent but some of them were direly lacking in filling (I've posted a picture of it above), and all of them were dry as hell. Really disappointed. If I had known I would've just gone to another bakery... I hope they step up their game next year. Not like I'll be back for them for paczkis, but still. For all the other clueless (non-Polish) people out there, I guess.
(1)
Plamena G.
I had dinner with a girlfriend close by, and on our way home we stopped by Alliance bakery for dessert. We each got a macaroon, and they were sooo delicious. I had the Nutella and she had the Salted caramel one. They were just the perfect little piece of sweetness! I'll be going back for more!
(5)
Ron Z.
I mean! The best!!!!! The cake was so delicious. Nora is the star! She works it like no other and has an incredible team. They were AMAZING!!!!!!!
(5)
Tavi J.
3.5 Stars I had never heard of Alliance Bakery before, but we were strolling through the area and me and my sweet tooth had to stop in. It makes me happy when I see so many well presented good looking desserts on display (I know sad). After browsing my friend decided to try 3 macaroons (lemon poppy seed, strawberry short bread, and I forgot the other one). She loved the strawberry and said the lemon poppy seed was just okay. She did enjoy how many variety's they had to choose from. I had the Macadamia Bar cake. The cake was spongy. I was looking for it to be a bit more moist and dense. I however, did love the topping. Chocolate covered with crunchy nuts...YES please! :) I may have to go back and try more when I am in the area and update this review.
(3)
MARISOL P.
Best cake ever. They made a Minecraft cake. It was amazing and was tasty. Everyone loved it. I would definitely recommend and order from them again.
(5)
Mia C.
I was browsing for places with ready to order cakes in the Lincoln Park area and this bakery showed up. It is more of a $$ kind of place. We picked up a small Chocolate raspberry cake for kiddo's birthday with no trouble. It fitted our needs, was 35$ for the 6" cake.
(3)
Customer X.
My husband and I had macarons and a chocolate pastry. We preferred the ones at La Duree and Lenôtre in France. The service was prompt and friendly.
(3)
Clarissa D.
I LOVE THIS BAKERY. I haven't gotten a cake here before, but I enjoy Alliance as a local coffee shop. My go-to is a iced dirty chai with almond milk, which is always perfect. Their baked goods are wonderful too - I've never gone wrong. Breakfast croissants are delicious, cupcakes are on point, and fancier pastries are pricey but well-made. The other night, I went in and as they were closing, the two guys were playing K-pop! I love that this place has character AND consistency. Great neighborhood spot.
(5)
Lydia M.
DON'T GO HERE...because I want all the macaroons to myself! I love this bakery. They have the best macs in the city. My favorite is the rose macaroon. If you're in the area you have to try at least one. You won't be disappointed.
(5)
Ed V.
They made the most beautiful cake for our wedding. The cake had 4 tiers and every other tier was a different flavor. We ended up choosing banana cake with strawberry cream filling and chocolate cake with buttercream. Not only was the cake beyond our wildest dreams, but it was delicious!
(5)
Ruby D.
What makes this place amazing is not only the awesome Happy People that work there but the products itself that are made with love and care. I absolutely adore coming here and look forward to the new location on State Street.
(5)
marilyn c.
Had their macarones and cake pops for a birthday celebration. Thought the macarones were as good as Laduree in Paris.
(5)
Dan R.
Hands down the BEST BIRTHDAY CAKE my husband Ever bought for me! DELICIOUS! Perfectly moist, perfect amount of frosting, perfect filling -- the "strawberry filling" was amAzing. Nhomnhomnhomnhom. Thank you!
(5)
Hollina U.
Hmm more like a 3.5 stars. The macarons are okay-- I tried the strawberry shortcake, blueberry and something else I can't remember, and gave the nutella one to my coworker because I couldn't do any more sugar. The strawberry shortcake one was better than the blueberry in that there was more of a crunch on the outside and soft sweetness on the inside. Ordered the macadamia bar, which was rich goodness that I wanted to devour but couldn't bring myself to since Halloween is coming up and these abs need some working on. I called in for a 10 inch chocolate flourless cake for my coworkers birthday, of which they have a strict policy of 48 hours notice, ringing in at $50. My coworkers all loved it and said it was fudgy and delicious. Also ordered a 8 inch cheesecake for $40 that was devoured. The bakery was nice enough to write messages on the cakes, but they misspelled the birthday girl's name-- well I guess I should have checked before leaving. But they didn't clarify the spelling of her name over the phone either, but she doesn't have an abnormal spelling. Oh the tiny things. The cakes displayed in the window are pretty impressive. $5 minimum credit card charge, which is reasonable.
(3)
Candice G.
I just had my first taste of Alliance bakery today and I'm quite impressed. You know how there's a good kind of burnt and a bad kind of burnt on cakes and brownies? Like when you make a perfect cake you have to burn the edges and corners a little for some variance in flavor, texture, and taste... I know you feel me, those are always the first pieces to go. Anyway, this place has got that glory taste down pat BUT without actually burning anything. I don't know how they do it but the cupcakes look slippery and moist... almost like fake restaurant food displayed for the daily specials except it's real and oh so edible. Anyway, it has the delicious, organically burnt taste that lingers a bit and is somehow not crusty at all. I'll defo be heading into Alliance sometime soon... PS- thanks to Laurie C. for the fabu birthday cupcake. :) I can't wait to get some "you're adopted" cakes for friends' b-days.
(4)
Maija D.
I have never known of this Alliance Bakery, but after my incredible experience, all I can say is Tres Bon!!! Oh My God, I can still taste and see the sensational cake I just had a bite of. I was trying to find a beautiful and tasteful cake - which is not easy, apparently it's one or the other as the guy at Sweet Mandy B's told me, and he suggested I come here. Wow was he ever right! I ordered a beautiful fondant cake in the shape of a Tiffany box with a big white bow on top, and my daughter in laws name in beautiful font on the front. It was huge and gorgeous, and the vanilla cake had 3 layers with mixed berries and a custard filling. Under the fondant was the lightest creamy frosting...it was like heaven must taste. The owner, is a former French pastry chef for Sofitel Hotels, and the Fairmont. He has the medals to prove that he knows his stuff! He goes to Paris every year and takes his chef, too. He is committed to his creations, so when this AR says she thinks their baked good are just "meh" as she put it, wrong!!! I had several of his incredible cookies and a fabulous "homemade" croissant! Made fresh at this bakery! The cake was so gorgeous and people at tour party were saying " it is the best cake" they have ever tasted!! I know where I am going to future cakes. They are very busy and popular, so order way ahead of time,
(5)
Clare S.
I've stopped in here twice on a whim while having dinner/brunch nearby. Both times I got a red velvet cupcake, once plain with cream cheese frosting, and the second time with a raspberry filling and an italian buttercream. Both cupcakes were delicious! I was very impressed by their italian buttercream. My friend got a vanilla cupcake, which was unfortunately on the dry side. The cakes in the window are BEAUTIFUL. I've not been to the cafe yet, but I've heard great things, so I'm sure I'll be back soon!
(4)
Luka E.
They do not bake here. They sell baked goods from other bakeries. So how does this shop qualify to call itself a bakery? Their bread comes from Chicago Ave. Their bagels come from another shop. I believe their croissants (which are not anything near a real croissant) also come from another bakery. So how does this shop qualify to call itself a bakery? If you want coffee and to hang out somewhere, they are ok at best. Filter is a much better option that does not pretend to be something they are not.
(2)
Carrie S.
Alliance Bakery confuses me. Its exterior is old school while the goods and fancy cakes are modern and cool. Is it a hipster bakery run by hipsters? Seriously, I walked in here for my first Wicker Park Stitch and Bitch and didn't know what to make of the place. The delicious treats are classic while the staff is throughly hipster. I got the usual hipster glare as I walked in. Thanks for staring me down in your ugly, oversize ironic glasses and flannel t-shirt. After reviewing the cases, I chose a key lime bar for my treat and a chai tea as beverage. The key lime bar was alright, frankly nothing special and memorable. It was almost too sweet and too tart. I knit at the adjacent cafe space which felt hipster-ish. It had a lot of old furniture trying to give off that cool, ironic vibe with very non hipster artwork lining the walls. The cafe's decor and space confused me just as much as the bakery. Alliance as a bakery is alright. I'm not sure if it's a classic bakery with tasty goods or if it's trying way too hard to be cool like the other bakeries in Chicago.
(3)
Amanda T.
I fell in love with Alliance as soon as I walked by and saw an edible display of "The Nightmare Before Christmas." I try to avoid bakeries as much as possible but I couldn't resist this one. By suggestion I ordered a red velvet cupcake. I'm not a big red velvet fan but this baby was the best red velvet cupcake EVAR. I also got a vegan cupcakes, and it was surprisingly good. I doubt I will ever be a vegan, but if I did it's good to know there's at least one place in the world where I can get a humane tasting baked good. The cafe is very quaint and quiet. A wonderful place to grab a sweet, an espresso and get some work done.
(4)
Mike K.
I can't believe I never wrote a review for Alliance! I used to go there for coffee all the time when I lived nearby, and sometimes I'd get a lemon bar or a black and white cookie. Everything was of top-notch quality. The staff are very cool and friendly, and the interior has a great old-timey feel. Very classic atmosphere, but very hip attitude.
(5)
Stephany C.
One slight drawback - walking outside to the cafe area while trying to balance personal effects, a pastry, and coffee may be challenging. Anyway, fantastic baked goods and coffee - great place to hang out! Macaroons (lots of interesting flavors) and almond croissants are some faves!
(4)
Samantha K.
I have not been in the lounge (yet!) so this is just about the bakery itself. We just moved to the area and this is the spot I have been the most. Not only do they have Intelligentsia coffee but anything you get with it will be delectable. I've tried their breakfast pastries, desserts and lunch time spread (curry chicken salad sandwich is wondrous!) and have yet to be disappointed. I feel the price is in line with the quality and the fact they are open at 6am will keep this my top bakery in the area.
(5)
Adam K.
Yeah man! Love this place. Here is why: Crazy cakes in the window that always change, they make some really unique looking cakes for people, a butterfly one, a cat in the hat cereal box one, a female chesticles one, a man package one, a big strawberry one, you get it. Its cool Macaroons: Holy mountain mother mary immaculate sisters ladies mountains of guadalupe. Soo good, and gluten free for you porkers. My fav's are the Passion fruit chocolate and the salted caramel. I got one of each kind they had and a cute owl cookie and it was like $13. Coffee: I like my sugar with this and cream. Tea: Good selection without being too snobby about it. Adjoining couch / chill area: What a great idea. Separate the cash register from the area hipsters pretend to do work in and POW! You have a, um, nice area to work in? I don't know but this area adjoining the bakery is very comfy and chill. To sum up, try it, or at least stop by the window to see what crazy cakes they have made for some rich a-hole.
(4)
Suzy D.
For croissants and breakfast pastries I give this place a 4 For cupcakes/macarons/other sweets I give this place a 3.5 On Saturday, my husband went and get massages at the Pain Stop, then we walked over to Mana for lunch and then we figured we should try out Alliance bakery. So we came in here after we were already stuffed from our lunch at Mana, but everything looked so delicious we had to get a box and try everything. We got one of each flavor of the macarons. We got an almond croissant, a red pepper/goat cheese croissant, a chocolate croissant, a chocolate beignet, this danish/croissant looking thing with apricot and orange, and a red velvet cupcake. Amazingly, we ate everything by the end of the day too. For us, we thought that the croissants were the stand out. They do an amazing job with breakfast pastries. We weren't blown away by the cupcake. You can get better cupcakes at Molly's/Swirlz. The macarons were tasty and there were a lot of flavor options, but they had been in the case for a bit, and some of them were kind of hard. We will definitely be back for croissants though. Yum!
(4)
Jonah G.
I go to the Alliance Bakery a few times every week to study and I sit in the lounge. The Alliance Bakery is great. Every pastry, coffee, tea, sandwich etc. I've gotten there has been reasonably priced and good. Service is friendly and fast. They ask you to pay cash for orders under $5, but in the event I don't have it, they let it slide and are pleasant about it. The lounge has been completely redone, and it is absolutely fantastic. To be fair, I have never ordered a large elaborate cake, so I can't speak to that and the pricing. Based on pure aesthetics, the cakes look pretty damn impressive. Alliance Bakery has got it going on.
I literally just finished eating two ginger snaps at Alliance. I am still sitting here! They were so amazing, I has to tell someone ASAP, and the guy sitting next to me seems really into his book, so...Yelped!
(5)
Jason Z.
It's great living just down the street from this amazing bakery. Also could explain why I don't seem to be losing weight when I stop by after working out at the gym across the street. We've stopped in to purchase cupcakes on serveral occasions. They always amazing, and have a great selection (so far, my favorite has been the carrot cake. Hell, even the chocolate peanut butter one is great, and it's VEGAN!) We've also ordered 2 cakes from them for birthday parties. They are amazing, and beautifully decorated. The bakery itself is very small, and a small line will make the bakery itself very crowded. However, they have a large sitting area right next door, with tables, chairs and couches for those who want to hang out and work, or chat with friends.
(5)
h h.
TRUE STORY: One of the employees was talking to some girl that walked into the place. Being the responsible Yelper....I listened in..... Employee: So what's your situation? Girl: It's been kind of hard. I've been spending the last few months looking for a job. Employee: Oh wow. I totally know how you feel. it's been rough on everyone...especially with the economy the way it is. Let me see if I can do something for you. I can see if their taking any applications. I can put in a word for you? Girl: Ummmmm.. nooo. . Why would I want to work here? I actually have a realllll job now!! Just got it! Where I make real money! The people at this coffee shop are classy, work hard for their money, and put up with a lot of BS. Don't add to it by acting like this girl did. If I see anyone acting like this, i will make it a point to put them in their rightful place from now on. Everyone deserves a certain level of respect. Regardless of what they do for a living. The garbage man and the CEO of a Fortune 500 company deserve the same level of respect. Why? Because their both human beings. Being classy has nothing..absolutely nothing do with how you dress....and everything to do with how you carry yourself. People who are classy, look even more classy when they dress classy. If that makes sense? er. lol Dressing classy when you're a scumbag just makes you look like a fraud. It shines through. Open letter to bitch: Dear Girl: You're a tactless bitch. If I see you again, I will cross the street in fear of catching your tactless bitch behavior. Better yet? Give me your schedule for the rest of your life, so I won't have to be within 100 miles of where ever you are. Anyways: One Star- for friendly service. Another Star for having a study room for Hipsters. I don't study there, but I observe the Hipsters through the glass window. If you shake the room up like a snow globe, sometimes they'll fight each other. One Star - for having pretty good coffee! The final star for having some delicious baked goods. They are really delicious. I think the coffee cake was kind of a miss. FYI: I understand that it is hypocritical and ironic to talk about being classy, and then go on a tangent and call someone a "bitch". But I was trying to prove a point. snap. okay. you got me. Another disclaimer- the events that happened in this email happened about half a year ago..maybe longer. It just made me so angry I had to yelp about it. Thank-you. Check out my podcast.
(4)
J-Bird G.
Macaroons. what more shall i say? Go there and try every kind they have. Then return the next day and try more flavors, as they mix it up quite frequently. Excellent coffee as well.
(4)
Katherine M.
Being lifetime Chicagoan, I have been to maaaany bakeries and I loved my baked goods. I also was a fan of the old Alliance when I was a kid, and I like the under new management's artistry. Alliance bakery in the last few years has some great things going for it, including flair and great flavors, but a major drawback is Hygiene. I have been here on numerous occasions, many times, and my reviews would range from 1 star to 5 stars so I finally have decided to write a review and settle on a 3. The 5s--flavors of the macarons, custom cake decorating, the lemon bars The 1s--hygiene and behavior of some of the staff Hygiene is a very serious thing in any food establishment and the staff have to be *TOLD* what good food hygiene is and take it seriously--the cues and directives come from the top. Too bad if they are your friends or family--people have to wash their hands if they pick their noses or handle garbage before they handle food (I've seen it here), and shouldn't be barehandedly touching food with long dirty broken fingernails, UGH. YES I have said something only to get Whatever from the staff; I should have talked to the manager. I suppose I should have never come back but the cookies etc are good and I kept hoping for change. But what spurred me to write a review was the products are pretty Good (5 star) but there is still lax hygiene! I was in last week and I was about to tell the woman behind the counter about a large fly (or maybe two as the buzzing was all over the case) in the cupcakes Case when a woman with a kid ahead of me pointed it out. The staff replied, "Oh yeah...it's been in there all day" *1 STAR* Are you kidding me?! If I were the owner that would be her last day on the job. I noticed the cupcake case was open--Epic Fail. When you have a large housefly on your food...GET RID OF IT and if it has been landing on your frosting cupakes throw them out too, yuck. Houseflies land on garbage and poo. And then they lay eggs too! So I do not know if I will go back after seeing and hearing that!
(3)
Sibi J.
Now this is a bakery that gets better and better every time I go in. The bakers are great to talk to and the lounge is a good place to sit down and get some work done. If you are ever in the area and want some killer macaroons, this is place to go. Salted Caramel, Rosewater and Red velvet are my favorites. The only thing puzzling to me is the $ sign that Yelp is showing for Alliance, since I have never ever spent less that $10 here !!
(5)
Betsy T.
Amazing-looking cupcakes and macarons in the display case, but I was in the mood for something savory so I got the quiche with my coffee. Their quiches are deep-dish and generously sliced and delicious. The interior of the cafe is beautiful, with a gilded ceiling and other baroque details. My brother swears by the croissants here. I hope they make a savory croissant!
(4)
Candace S.
After oohing & ahhing for months over Alliance's window display that showcases a cute Panda cake & a Nightmare before Christmas cake I had to finally stop by and see what all the fuss was about. Normally I stray away from bakeries because all they do is tease me with their non-vegan goodies, but I was pleasantly surprised to find they had a vegan apple streusel, chocolate chip cookies, and vegan cupcakes! Their ice coffee was also equally as amazing & they didn't charge me extra for soy as they had it out w/ all of the other creamers. My boyfriend had a cinnamon roll which he said was one of the best he's ever had. Always on the lookout for new study spots I checked out the Alliance lounge next door and saw that they have free Wifi & lots of seating. Will definitely be back soon to study here & try some new vegan baked goods.
(4)
Colleen C.
Oh, and if you are in need of a library that serves coffee, provides wifi and has no books...the lounge next door to Alliance is where it's at. :) The seating area is the quietest, most focused group of people I have ever witnessed. No complaints, just don't come here for a chat with friends...you'll get the evil eye. Solitude, silence, focus...yes. With caffeine. And sugar. The perfect library. Without books.
(5)
Summer N.
Super sad because I found this bakery just a few months before I moved and am addicted to their macaroons. The flavors change from week to week, and sometimes I'd come too late in the afternoon and all the macaroons would be completely sold out. Liked all the flavors (although the rose macaroon tasted a little perfume-y, but still pretty good), but passion fruit was my favorite. I think the key is the cookie part is crispy and not gummy like some other macaroons. Still haven't found a place in Hawaii that quite compares...
(4)
James B.
My fiance & I recently got married and chose Alliance to create our wedding cake. We had some difficulties with our reception venue and their contracted cake vendors. Our cake was to be included in our reception package, but after much frustration - we were given the option to take a credit, and arrange our cake on our own. Since we live in the neighborhood, we thought we would go by Alliance. We met with Mitchell for the tasting and everything was great. They were friendly, professional, and had much more reasonable pricing than other bakeries. The cake was delicious, decorated exactly how we wanted, and delivered to our venue on time. The whole experience was perfect.
(5)
Anne O.
I came here nearly every morning for coffee before I moved from the area. The iced coffee in summer is the shit, and soy lattes are cheaper than across the street at sbucks when I'm craving those. Sometimes the cookies are decorated so well I buy them even though cookies aren't my fave to eat. The counter staff is awesome awesome and the newly remodeled study room is super cool because its just a room, no staff, no anything, just space to eat and hang, and it's usually empty during the morning hours.
(5)
Willie B.
I love this place. Everything is so detailed and they cut no corners. From wedding cakes to tiny macaroons, everything here is rich and delicious. It's what a bakery should be.
(5)
Ariane S.
I really wish I could be obsessed with this place since Iive right around the corner but I'm not a bready baked goods type of person so it fails me every time. The cookies are crunchy so if you're into that sort of thing this is your place to go, and their bars are not as gooey and delicious as they look, in fact they are rather dry and bland. It depresses me to be writing this, because like I said if I could just freaking like this bakery my life would be so much simpler. However, the lounge aspect of the bakery is pretty neat. You can pretty much stay in there for however long you'd like and not buy anything and they will never know because its not connected to the bakery. Unfortunately, I like be surrounded by some sort of pleasing design and the lounge is essentially an outdated college cafeteria lounge. Their coffee however is delicious. So if you are walking past and would like a down to Earth simiple coffee than jump on in. Also, their window displays really make me smile. Have I mentioned I would really love to love the baked goods from this place?
(3)
Sam M.
Have been here twice, the first time I was really confused about where I was going to sit after I got there. Didn't realize that the door for the seating area section was right next to the front door. Good coffee, not the best atmosphere. Haven't tried any of the bakery items, but I've heard good things.
(3)
Gloria E.
FIRST AND LAST TIME WALKING INTO THIS PATHETIC PLACE! Walked in here to get some French macaroons for teachers appreciation week and the lady here acts like I walked in here to beg for free sweets. I ask her for the box of macaroons and she places the box by the cashier. She gets on the phone and I ask her for a red velvet cupcake she stops dialing and gets the cupcake with an attitude. She proceeds to pick up the damn phone again about to dial again. I tell her that we are not finished and she puts the phone down with an attitude. I swear I should have taken those overpriced shitty pastries and threw it at her face but I wanted to get outta there and have something for my sons teacher. I got 1 cupcake, 15 (quarter size) macaroons, lemon tart and some small passion fruit cake....$49.75..what???? I said to the ignorant lady...she rang up the order again and just stared at me with her dumb ass face. Why did I not slap her?? Why the hell did i purchased this shit?? I asked my husband why did you not slap me for paying for this shit??? I don't know. I am sorry but you all at Alliance Bakery can stick your pastries up you ass!!!!!! The other lady who put my order in the bag (with tattoos) was nice though. It's the lady with the black hair that needs to get slapped across the bakery..just so stupid and a nasty attitude!!!
(1)
Lauren M.
The cookies here are pretty awesome, I try to inconspicuously buy a small box of half and half cookies and sprite cookies and not think later about the gluttonous shame of eating it all by myself. The service is good and sometimes it gets crowded since it's a tad small but it's not terrible. I don't much care to stay and drink my coffee around the college students on laptops or the bad music, the connected lounge part isn't the worst I've experienced though uncomfortable and unfriendly when you're trying to have a conversation with a friend. The coffee is fair and the cookies are relatively good but there are a lot of cakes and stuff that aren't too hot.
(3)
Brett F.
Alliance gets two enthusiastic thumbs up in the bakery category. I don't end up here too often since it's not really in my 'hood, but when I find myself even moderately close to AB I'll swing in for one of their red velvet or vanilla cuppiecakes and at least a dozen cookies. AB carries some of the larger cupcakes you'll find amidst the ubiquitous 'cupcakeries', I find them a good value, and have never been served one in any other fashion than moist and fluffy. They are an institution in this city whether you like them or not... just ask Starfruit, Berry Chill or any of the other local businesses now that boast they carry Alliance cupcakes for your tasting pleasure. Arguably, their cupcakes are the best thing here but I love that it's not the ONLY thing. Variety is the spice of life babe, if you'd rather some frosted cookies (yum!) or a lemon bar... perhaps a brownie or raspberry tart even, you have choices that aren't limited to nouveau trends or vegan offerings. Alliance is your more 'standard' bakery, the type of place you can find a good 'ol fashioned B&W cookie and not just a mini-dry-soy-wheat-grass-cupcake decorated to look like one.
(4)
Brooke M.
I ordered my son's 2nd birthday cake from Alliance after seeing their incredible cake decorating at another party. They can do anything you want in terms of design, decoration and theme. The cake that impressed me so much? Shaped like Prince's guitar. The cake we ordered? Shaped to look just like Brobie's cake from the Yo Gabba Gabba episode Brobie's Birthday. And the cake is also one of the most delicious I have ever eaten from any bakery. Everyone was amazed with how the cake looked at the party and how great it tasted. Sometimes great looking you lose the taste and get taste doesn't always look so hot but this was the best of both.
(5)
Char Y.
I dropped by first thing in the morning to get some croissants and macarons. The croissants are the best in the city so far! both the chocolate and the almond was authentic and delicious! the macarons perfect!
Quite a unique place. The bakery and its "lounge" next door have not been remodeled, and the bakery itself is small, but the fondant draped cakes in the window displays and the smells that seep out of there just draws you in. There are two cases of pastries, mainly cookies and little cakes. My girl friend and I came here to grab portabello foccacia sandwiches, mint iced teas, 1 strawberry almond tart, and 3 macaroons, which totalled $22. I don't think they post prices, which was a little annoying. But everything was tasty! Surprisingly, the portabello focaccia sandwich too, even though it looked boring. However, the foccacia bread was a little hard, which I think was a result of it being stored in the refrigerated case. We took our food next door where there are tables, A/C, and free wifi - until it started raining. Love that there is that much seating and free wifi, especially for studiers and workers who need sweets to fuel their brains!
(4)
Christy Q.
I clearly am not getting something here. I'm missing something. I don't get the high reviews. I thought it sucked, overall. The setup is cool, I'll grant that. But otherwise, the food sucked. I've tried 4 different things here on different occasions and nothing impressed me, at all. On a hot summer day I was craving a lemon bar- so I headed over to Alliance Bakery! It sucked. I'm sorry, but it was the WORST lemon bar I've ever had. I've had better lemon bars from hotels at work meetings. It had zero lemony flavor, and the consistency was totally dry. Dry Dry Dry. It was way gross. I couldn't finish it and tossed it in the trash. Then I had a pecan bar of some sort. It was blah. It was truly blah. Again, I didn't finish it and just tossed it. I tried a third time with this bakery. This time I got 2 cupcakes- one red velvet cupcake and one yellow cake with the vanilla frosting. The verdict? They both wound up in the trash. The red velvet was better than the yellow cake. But the cream cheese frosting was actually too airy. Which I rarely say about frosting- usually with a cupcake I feel like there's just too much frosting- it overwhelms the cake. In this case it was just airy- cool whip airy. Like cream cheese cool whip. The yellow cake/vanilla frosting- SICK. It tasted EXACTLY like Jewel grocery store's cupcakes. EXACTLY. The frosting was identical and the cake was exactly the same. Not to mention the cake was D.R.Y. Not to mention the people working there are too cool for school. The people I've met refuse to make eye contact, or greet you or smile. I get that they are super duper cool, skinny pant wearing, tattooed, pierced dudes and dudettes, but come on. That's not how you run a business. Smile. Greet a customer. Make small talk. Something- some sign of life... please? Give me some reason (other than the lousy baked goods) to return. I will never ever return. I've given this place 3 chances, I've ordered 4 different things, and I've disliked it all. I can't figure out why people rave about this place. Lucky for Alliance Bakery, I seem to be in the minority. I just don't get it. When there are bakeries like Dinkel's's and Molly's Cupcakes in this city, who in the world would rave about this dump?
(1)
Michael S.
Alliance.. Really good treats.. So delicious, but yet sooo bad for you! I've had quite a few baked goodies here on several occasions. I even had a simple blue car iced cookie here and that was really good! Actually, I've never been anything, but impressed with the products here! The cakes while I've never had also look amazing. Must ask how much one of those specially made cakes are next time I go..
(4)
Anita S.
I've been a huge fan of Alliance in the past, I love their baked goods and their coffee is always delicious. Today, however, when I went in to order paczkis the staff was extremely rude. There was a line of about 2 or 3 people and I patiently waited in it for my turn. When it was my turn the woman behind the counter asked the man behind me for his order instead of me, when I was clearly the next person in line. It seemed that they knew each other and he was a former regular. I would've overlooked this if not for what happened next, the woman behind the counter noticed that I was clearly overlooked and did nothing, then the man behind the counter helped another woman behind me in the line. I finally spoke up and said "I think I'm next." I ended up spending about half an hour in line this morning before work. I probably should've said something but hate making a scene, instead Alliance won't be receiving my business again. They'll probably be just fine without it, I'm just sad about the way I was treated.
(1)
Dave G.
I really liked the staff and the cupcakes were great. They also offer beautiful little individual custards and cheesecakes in addition to the cupcakes. Delicious Black Cat espresso was perfectly drawn.
(4)
Jane T.
Yep, I still love Alliance Bakery! A friend of mine recently threw a Mexican fiesta dinner and I felt like I should bring something, so I turned to the trusty Alliance Bakery. Initially, I wanted to get some red velvet cupcakes but after peeking at the site, I went for a whole red velvet cake. I submitted my order online, thinking that I was too late to get any sort of decorated cake order in but the chef contacted me a day later and told me it was absolutely plausible. The cake was 100x more gorgeous than I'd imagined it would be (photo uploaded!). Thank you, Alliance, for such a gorgeous and delicious treat for our fiesta.
(5)
Karim H.
Excellent service, amazing french pastries and croissants, and really frickin' good cupcakes! We stopped in during the Renegade Craft Fair and I was quite surprised at the quality of their baked things. They also have a lounge next door with free wifi which might very well become my new favorite spot to study! If this were in walking distance, I'd be 10 lbs. heavier by Christmas
(4)
Jenny S.
I needed a cake for a birthday party so I called Alliance since I'd enjoyed their cupcakes and other desserts before. The first time I called the woman on the phone was super helpful. She went through the different sizes for me and the prices and the prices of the add-ons, etc. I thought about it and decided on a cake and called back to double-check on prices. This person on the phone wasn't as helpful. One word answers and had to keep looking things up. Whatever, it's all good. I ordered my cake online (speaking of, ordering would be a heck of a lot easier if they'd just list base prices of cakes online!). Picked it up and it was beautiful. They went above and beyond with the design. Plus it was delicious. So very very tasty. The only downside (if this can even be a down side when it comes to a tasty cake) it was HUGE. So let that be my tip to you---if you're ordering a cake and are wondering "Should I go up a size or down a size?" go down a size! I think I have 1/2 a cake left over.
(4)
Diane H.
The sign in the window saying "macarons" drew me in. I've had a lot of macarons in the last couple of years-- at boutiques in Las Vegas, in boxes shipped from France, at local coffee shops in Detroit. The fig and pistachio-cherry macarons were, hands down, the best I've ever tasted-- toothsome and wonderfully flavored. My husband, who has weathered my macaron obsession with skepticism, was impressed by how good these were. I've had plenty of macarons where I couldn't tell what flavor they were even supposed to be, and you won't have that problem here. The latte we ordered wasn't quite phenomenal; my husband thought it tasted more like a tea latte than an espresso drink. I thought it was OK but preferred the latte from Milk & Honey down the road.
(4)
Jennifer S.
We walked down to Alliance Bakery after a yummy lunch at Smoke Daddy. They are about a half block from each other and I am a dessert-freak, so my hubby suggested it and I happily agreed. Um, it was kinda weird. The front window has beautiful cakes and made me want to talk in. It was a Sunday afternoon and the cases were a bit picked over, so I struggled with what to order. Wish I had read Yelp ahead of time and tried a macaroon! Anyhow, I ordered an apricot almond pastry and a cranberry bar of some sort. Both were okay. Neither were fabulous and I don't think I will go out of my way to spend $7.96 on two "meh" pastries again. Also, the staff was a little off...I can't really explain it, but it wasn't that warm, fuzzy feel that I usually get in a bakery. Thanks, but no thanks.
(2)
Caroline M.
S l o w service. Cramped space. The stroller in there literally took up 1/3 of the waiting area. Sad cupcakes. The icing was very disappointing :( Their spring specials board had some yummy sounding items (pineapple upsidedown cake) but it was nowhere to be found. One star for the free doggie treat with any purchase. My hot boy's dog scarfed it down. Another star for the loading zone out front (rockstar parking if you can get in and out of there in 10 min, which is pretty unlikely).
(2)
Katie P.
Alliance made my wedding cake and did a truly splendid job. For starters, they accommodated our need for three people at the tasting and were pleasant and easy to deal with from our first contact. To be honest, I never intended to have a traditional wedding cake. But, it was included as part of our contract with the hotel we had our wedding and reception at. And when it's included you go for it! I've never really ever enjoyed wedding cake. It's usually dry and the icing is gross. I was so surprised when during the tasting I actually enjoyed our final choice. I mean, I really liked it! We ended up going with a hazelnut cake, strawberry preserve filling, and a buttercream frosting. It tasted like strawberry shortcake (my favorite dessert!) and how perfect is that for a summer wedding! I didn't hold out tons of hope that the cake would actually taste that good at the wedding but the final verdict was fantastic! I won't lie. I never actually got to have a piece that cake at my wedding. I was so busy making the rounds that I just never actually got to eat it. That said, it was absolutely how we had envisioned it and I've received so many complements on how tasty it was. Actually, when it's all said and done I've probably gotten more comments about how good the cake was than anything else!
(5)
Kym P.
Alliance produced three cakes for our wedding in August. Wow! They were show stoppers. We wanted unconventional cakes, with a kooky theme, but they worked with us and came up with the most amazing designs and then executed them flawlessly. Just as cool as anything you might see on one of those Food Network shows. I have a picture of them that I framed, really, great job.
(5)
Dee V.
I am so happy with how my son's 1st birthday dino cake came out!!! I will be coming here for future bday cakes! A little on the expensive side but I thought it came out so good & it was delicious.
(5)
Robin W.
Still my favorite cup of coffee in town. Loving the new vegan chocolate chip cookies! I love pastry options:)
(5)
Jamie F.
I know every girl says this, but I usually don't write a negative review. For real though, I work in the restaurant industry, and I know how quickly and easily some people can fly off the handle and damage a place's rep. That being said, I truly was very dissapointed in my experience with Alliance. I pace their window all the time, admiring the artistry that goes into their cakes. I must admit that I usually get my cakes from Bittersweet, as I've had great success with their product. However, I needed a 'shape cake' for a good friends 30th birthday - something Bittersweet doesn't do. So, my second choice, was Alliance. I called them up, spoke to Peter, and made an order for a White Sox jersey-shaped cake with chocolate for the flavor and cappucino moussed for the filling. I go to pick up the cake right before heading to my friends birthday dinner. As they allow me to inspect the cake, I was greeted by an adorable little jersey that, for some reason, was missing my friend's name on it. Something which I had gone over with him several times. No biggie, easy fix, and I get to the party on time. The real rub came when, upon cutting into the cake for our guests, I see a VANILLA cake staring back at me. I ordered chocolate, my friend's favorite. REALLY?? You pride yourself on your artistry, but can't get a cake's simple flavor right? Keep in mind that this was a 10 inch cake at the cost of $220.00. Not a bargain by any means. I called the very next day to complain, natch. My response upon telling them that they got the flavor wrong was, "Oooh...that's not good." Yeah, tell me about it. I was offered 50% off of another cake, which I don't need, or 20% back on the cake in question. So, $40.00 for getting the most essential part of the cake, the flavor, incorrect. Wow. Maybe it's just me, but that's not the way I would do business. Bittersweet, here I stay. Thanks for nothing, Alliance.
(2)
Colleen R.
I feel compelled to bump Alliance up to 4 stars during the summertime. The presence of their outdoor patio on Division's generously-sized sidewalks provides a lovely setting to sit and chat that doesn't feel like a library sponsored by Apple. Plus, their macarons? Outta this world!
(4)
Annie M.
I love Alliance Bakery!!! I ordered a cake several years ago for my husband's birthday - absolutely fabulous. Chocolate cake, banana filling and chocolate ganache. Amazing. And most recently I ordered a cake for my sister's birthday... amazing and moist!!! It was a two tier cake: bottom tier vanilla cake with dulce de leche filling... top tier red velvet with cream cheese filling and both tiers with vanilla bean butter cream frosting. YUM!!! The design was amazing as well! I found an image I liked online and emailed them a copy. My sister and all of our guests raved about the cake. Also... Mitchell and Peter are great! They respond to emails fairly quickly... which I completely appreciated. LOVE ALLIANCE BAKERY!!! Thanks soo much for the wonderful service and product!!!
(5)
Erin B.
I have a feeling I'm going to get really fat by going here. The hazelnut & vegan peanut butter cupcakes were really good as was the coffee! I cannot wait to try more of the goodies in here! My favorite part was the vibe...it reminded me of all the amazing patisseries in Brooklyn that I always wish Chicago had more of.
(4)
Sonya X.
It's a bad thing that this place is so close to my house because I have a secret addiction to their cupcakes!!! They're just so moist and yummy and come in wonderful flavors. Anytime I have guests over I pick up dozen or so of these cupcakes in various flavors and they always turn out to be a hit. Also not to mention, whenever I have out of town guests visiting I always make sure to take them to Alliance so they can see all the pretty cakes in the window.. my favorite being the hamburger cake! Now if I could only convince one of my friends to get me a cake from Alliance for my birthday......
(5)
L Y.
I. LOVE. this BAKERY! their macaroons are delicious and so are their other baked goods. I got my roommate's birthday cake here (red velvet) and the girls behind the counter were nice enough to write "Happy Birthday" on the cake. The workers are friendly, the desserts are yummy, and their adjacent "lounge" area is great. It has a very cozy neighborhood feel to it. they also have dog treats and any local business that has a consideration for dogs is A-okay in my book :)
(5)
Elle M.
I just recently read that I have what they call a Type 3 sugar addiction. I will drive to the ends of the earth if that is where the sweets are, so I am on a constant look -out for bakeries, cafes, candy stores, or any place where I can get sweets:) I was actually looking for a different bakery when I saw this place by accident. Boy, am I glad I stopped in! They have the BEST almond croissants!!! I have been back for more since then....
(4)
Becky S.
This review is more of 3.5 stars but that's not an option. 1. We showed up for our tasting and the counter staff was swamped but not particularly nice. We constantly felt like we were in the way in the small storefront with the coffee and macaroon customers streaming in and out. 2. The girl who led our cake tasting was very nice. She had everything ready, helped walk us through everything and generally did her job. 3. We chose to upgrade from the base package included with the catering at our hotel so we had to pay extra - no biggie. Although we wouldn't necessarily have upgraded our package to get an extra layer of cake if they had told us at the beginning that we'd get a voucher for our 1 year anniversary to get fresh cake. All in all, not a big deal. 4. The cake was beautiful. We left the general details up to the designer since neither my husband nor I are artistic people. They did a beautiful job. 5. The layers were wrong - we had requested that specific tiers be specific flavors so we'd get more of our favorites. Also, the top tier which we ate the day after was the wrong flavor and we had 2 of our favorite - the bottom and the top - so we didn't get to eat it. My dad tried all of the layers of the cake and the grooms cake and said he didn't like how any of them tasted which is disappointing since I liked them at the tasting. I cannot say if I liked them or not - except that the top layer wasn't so great the next day but that could have been because it hadn't been properly stored by the hotel - but ultimately the taste of the wedding cake wasn't super important to me. 6. The reason for the half star upgrade: the grooms cake. The bakery helped me surprise my groom with a cake shaped like his most prized possession: his truck. I snuck them photos at the tasting and the cake itself was pretty awesome. My husband was super excited and hasn't stopped bragging about how accurate it was. All in all, I'd recommend them. The mistakes that were made were minor and the beauty of the cakes has been talked about by my guests (the bridal caked featured the Chicago skyline) and I was very happy with how everything looked and the designers' choices.
(3)
Katie R.
Oh wow, how did I forget to write a review of Alliance? I ordered a small cake from here for a friend who was moving away from Chicago. The first time I called, I got put on hold for a while and gave up on the call. The second time I had no problems, so I'll give benefit of the doubt here and assume the first was an accident. The gentleman I talked to was terrific. I knew I wanted chocolate mousse as the filing and vanilla cake. However, the frosting was a toss-up, so I asked the person taking my order what he would recommend. He immediately recommended vanilla buttercream. This cake was perfect. Delicious. Lovely. The decoration was so tasteful. One cake-eater told me a few weeks later that she was still thinking about the cake with love. It clearly inspired her to want another. I will order from here again when I have the time to travel to pick it up. Great experience. While the picture exists, you can see it here: yfrog.com/ekgd7fj
(5)
Tuyen N.
UPDATE: 05/03/10 Back again. I ordered an iced green tea but was told they have green tea, its just mixed. I said sure... apparently its just peppermint tea. LOL. Oh boy... then as I head into the "lounge" no outlet around the couch works. Now I know why this place smells. They have a plug-in air freshener but its plugged into a non-working outlet! DUH! I've removed one star for lack of green tea and working power outlets!
(2)
Stephanie D.
ORDER YOUR CAKE HERE! My mom and I wanted to surprise my sister with a fancy cake for her graduation from film school so she sent me on a hunt around Chicago for a cake that could rival the ones seen on "Cake Boss." If you're willing to throw down a bit of $$$ for a cake that is truly a piece of art, turn to Alliance Bakery. Their friendly staff took time to sit down with me and go through options to make a cake that fit into our budget. The end result was a cake that turned into a film reel with black and white frosting... it was so gorgeous and unlike anything I had ever seen. At our dinning table to feast on this cake were the harshest critics on earth: both of my grandmothers. I have to admit that when we sat down to eat it we were all worried that the fondant wouldn't taste very good and that the black coloring would give the icing a bitter flavor. Much to our shock this cake tasted even better than it looked. Everyone had a second piece. There was a lot of moaning and eyes rolling into the back of heads. Normally at the end of dinning on a cake that we brought to a restaurant we give the rest of the cake to the server to eat w/ their coworkers but there was no way we were going to give this baby up.... we at the rest for breakfast the next day! LOL It's been months since all ate that cake and it has been brought up numerous times by not only my grandmothers but also the rest of my family. We can't stop talking about how frickin' delicious it was. As granny said: "That cake was worth getting fat on." Now if only I had another special event coming up so I could justify ordering another. Guess I'll have to get married or something :P
(5)
Brad C.
If you're like Caroline M, and you're walking around wicker park with the stroller this might not be the place for you. Sure its small, but there is a bunch of outdoor seating and next door. And I'm sorry but a 9pm closing is late for a bakery. Great friendly service, and very tasty treats! My fianc thought the cupcakes were awesome. I just moved right around the corner so this is going to have to be my new weekend coffee spot, sorry Milk n' Honey. The vibe reminded of bleeding heart on Chicago Ave.
(4)
Janelle B.
Alliance made my wedding cake in July 2013 and they did an excellent job! I wanted a pretty simple design but they made it beautiful, and of course delicious. They were very flexible with options to combine two cake flavors (I had to give my fiance at least one thing he wanted in the wedding planning process...) and they were more than happy to deliver special desserts for our vegan and gluten free guests. Jennifer was really helpful with the few questions I had and our tasting was fun. I highly recommend Alliance Bakery!
(5)
Meghan B.
Stoped in on a walk last night...the sign indicating they had French Macaroons lured me in. I ordered one of each of the flavors they had and have to say the flavors were incredibly rich and fabulous, unfortunately the texture did not deliver. This were much chewer and harder than the macaroons I've had in the past. I was looking for something that would basically melt in your mouth and this was not it. Would defiantly go back, but not for the macaroons....they had very cute iced cutout sugar cookies in 50+ designs!
(3)
Sarah B.
Alliance Bakery NEVER disappoints! I've never walked out of there with less than 3 treats and a drink or two. While the actual store front itself is on the small side, it's delectably cozy and comforting. I would even go so far as to say that it reminds me of being in a lov-ER-ly pâtisserie in France, without having to purchase a plane ticket. But don't fret! Everyone who works there is warm and helpful, and you certainly won't feel like a foreigner in this haven on Division. I hesitate to describe their wondrous selection of items to choose from, because we'd be here all day. But their sweet treats are always beautiful, fresh, and often intricately full of color. Even their display cases exude an angelic, halo-like aura that suggests you are, in fact, in a divine place, and you'd be a fool for not indulging in all that this heaven has to offer (I was not high during the making of this review). Let's just say, I now know what Eve was facing when she went in for that apple... On a more Earthly note, Alliance offers something for everyone. They have everything from huge, fluffy, flaky , croissants with hearty cheese and goodness to mini key lime pies. They have vegan scones, an array of cupcake options, a decadent tiramisu, and the best muffins I've had in the city. They also have quiche, parfaits, and some salads, oh my! In addition to perfecting all of the bakery basics, they always offer some incredibly unique, and seductive desserts that often coincide with the season. My last trip included this layered pistachio awesomeness, I think they called it an "Ellen" (maybe from Cakes by Ellen?). It started with a puff cream pillow, then pistachio crumble, topped with pistachio cake and a thin layer of hardened marbled white chocolate as the base. The memory of that pastry will serve as my "happy place" for while. Their beverages, coffee drinks, Italian sodas, and especially the iced chai, are just as splendid and complimentary to anything you eat there. With Fall approaching, I am envisioning many a morning with the perfect couple: Chai latte and Banana Nut Muffin. In this "Ode to Alliance", I have to note how wonderful the staff is as well. They are so helpful and informative without having to ask or deal with weird looks from them as I blubber around in indecision. It's immensely refreshing to walk into a place where there staff is obviously passionate and happy about what they do. An establishment like Alliance reinvigorates my appreciation for the baking and pastry arts as a whole, from mixing bowl to belly. I realize we're talking about cake here, but Alliance is truly doing something HUGE with the little joys in life. I could not be more thankful to have them in the neighborhood. * I went ahead and gave them 5 stars, because I'm obviously obsessed, but I do have one small complaint. I really like the fact that their dining/cafe area is in a completely separate building next door, but the atmosphere in there definitely leaves something to be desired. The separate seating area is much more conducive to getting work done or studying without the distraction of customer traffic, but I can't help but feel uncomfortable while I'm in there. I'm not quite sure if it's just the dark lighting or furniture setup or what, but I never stay there very long.
(5)
Claire M.
I love this place. i love the cookies the sandwiches the coffee.. i love the every changing cast of characters behind the counter that are sweet and annoyed simultaneously. Im glad they redid the everything in trhe cafe side.. it was u g l y .. it is now nice and cozy and totally unoffensive. but my favorite part is the sitting outside on a spring or summer day just watching division go by. i dont know. i wouldnt guess that i would want to sit on division, but there at alliance, i truly don't mind...
(5)
Candace M.
I was at an event recently and Alliance Bakery was kind enough to grace us with an array of sweets. I must say that I have had their cake before at a wedding I planned and it was delicious, but... ...now I have fallen in love with their mini chocolate mousse tarts with a hint of raspberry at the bottom. I won't disclose how many I ate but all I can say is OMG! It doesn't get better than that and it just doesn't make any sense for anything to taste that darn good!
(5)
Laura N.
When I lived in the neighborhood, it was a requirement that anyone who visited me had to take a quick trip to the bakery for some cookies, brownies, or cupcakes (my treat, of course). Although they are not the best cupcakes and cookies in the world, they're pretty damn good and I'm hooked. Not only are they delicious, but some of their creations are beautiful to look at -- I fear eating them will destroy them! I'm sad I'm no longer in the neighborhood and cannot walk a couple blocks for a quick treat anymore. I do look forward to going back!
(4)
Jennie T.
They have a great selection of macarons here. They even have cupcakes. I was going to have dinner with a friend and when I saw this bakery, I knew I just had to go in and buy something for her. My eyes wandered over to the cupcakes but her favorites were macarons so I bought her a little box of one of each kind. There were about 7 different flavors. My total came out to be around $11. Yeah, they're not really cheap. But she enjoyed them so I'm happy.
(4)
L G.
Love this place!! I only get there on occasion - as this place is a special treat for me. Perfect stop to make on the way to a party for something to share - or pick up for a birthday treat for someone special. They will rave about whatever you choose. The service is always good - even when it's kinda hectic inside, everyone has always been super freindly and helpful when trying to decide. Keep doing exactly what you are doing!
(5)
klassy k.
i want to hire a clown to smash their cupcakes into my face all day, are you kidding me? they're "da bomb" like the young folks say. on my way to work, i often stop in to eat one of their filled croissants (the turkey and cheese or the spinach are my faves) it is a little pricey, but well worth it! the cake display in the window is so cool! a cake art gallery! why anyone goes across the street to the starbucks (except to peep the cute bearded barista there) is beyond me!
(5)
Amanda Z.
Thank you, Alliance, for rocking my birthday girl's world with your red velvet goodness. I popped in on a Wednesday, in need of a cake for Saturday. The staff was very pleasant, brought out a cake to show me the size and what it would look like. Once it was determined that I would not be wanting THAT cake (come on, she had to have a FRESH cake) he set me up, and I ordered it with my desired message. Of course, I couldn't leave empty-handed, so I took a Key Lime bar and a Cheesecake bar to go. Yum. The Key Lime bar was tart and not too sweet, my general desire, and the Cheesecake bar made me look like a rock star girlfriend. Awesome. Cake was ready promptly on Saturday, the icing looked gorgeous, and I was outta there in 5 minutes. Impressive given the Renegade insanity outside. Oh, and Intelligentsia? Sure, I'll take a couple of iced coffees to go. (Perfection on a warm September day.) Fast forward to the party. Cake displayed to the tune of the birthday salsa (LOVE). Birthday girl given the task of cutting the cake (HILARIOUS). And everyone ooohed and aaahhhed, despite red velvet not really being on anyone else's radar. The cake looked wonderful, and tasted even better. I'll be back for more bakery needs, rest assured. Oh yeah, and for the coffee too.
(5)
Len L.
Tried to order a B-day cake, went online to look at designs for the cake and found one that I liked. I noted the name of the cake and tried to order the cake over the phone. The person from the bakery had no clue what cake is online and was told to go online to order the cake or come in. Later that night, I went by the bakery and the person in the bakery said that the internet is down and should come back the next day or call. The next day I called the bakery and the baker said that he does not know what cake is shown online or had any pictures of the cake online. Bottom line-The cake I've wanted was not the cake I received and does not look like the cake described online. The cake was too sweet and was dry.
(1)
Karen B.
The employer I work for ordered a cake there for their reception. It was very well done! You could tell they spent alot of time perfecting it. And the staff is super nice.
(5)
Kunal K.
I needed to buy a box of cookies to give to my landlord for making a complete ass out of myself (Shocker!) whilst being wasted the night before. I got locked out and had to wake them up at 5 am to let me into my house. Or so I deduced the next morning since I don't actually remember it. So the cookies had to be pretty damn good. And they were. I also got a mocha to get rid of that strange throbbing pain in my head (wonder what that was about?!) and don't tell anyone but I sneaked in a couple of cookies from the box. I really liked the ginger one. And no, that's not the cute redhead sitting across from me in the lounge. But I really liked her too.
(4)
Berlin G.
The deserts are really good! The cakes are also really pretty. And the people serving you are kind of hot *wink wink* hahaha. I especially like the raspberry oatmeal bar. Soooooo good. I'm not sure if I'm coming back for the raspberry bar or because I think they guy that works there is a totally hottie. Either way, I'll be going back and I definitely recommend this place. haha
(4)
Izzy N.
I was craving some cake and decided to walk into Alliance. No cake slices but cupcakes, I'll settle. Kinda pricey for 3+ a pop and the picture on yelp is inaccurate. They don't label their cupcakes anymore, nor prices. So you'll have to guess from the looks of it or ask as to what cupcake is what flavor. What did my sweet tooth get? Lemon cupcake with passionfruit filling and a red velvet as well as two coconut lime macarons and a dulce de leche bread pudding. The bread pudding was devine after I warmed it up a little. So rich and not too sweet. The cupcakes were pretty good, moist but I don't like the airy light frosting. It melted down too easily, I prefer the frosting to be a tad thicker. The passion fruit filling was a real treat though because it wasn't too sweet and the right amount of tang to it. Yum! The macarons were alright. I loooove lime flavors but kinda hate coconut but this was a nice balance and the coconut was subtle enough where it didn't ruin the experience with the lime. Nice guys and they have good pastries too. A big plus is that they are open everyday until 9pm!
(4)
Brittney L.
I adore cupcakes and so I was really excited to check out my neighborhood cupcake shop. I stopped in after work one day and I asked the girl behind the counter what her favorite one was. She was rude and didn't really care to give me her opinion (so much for passion for your product). I finally squeezed out that the red velvet was her favorite so I ordered that and an italian soda. They didn't have the soda water for the italian soda so I got an orange juice instead (which they charged 3.00 for a tiny bottle!) So I was being charged over 7.00 for a cupcake and an orange juice, but after eying the cakes in the windows for the few weeks I had been walking by, I let that go and went outside to enjoy my treat. Not only was the cupcake dry as a bone and flavorless, the icing was gooey and bland. SUCH a waste of my money and calories. With all of the fantastic cupcake shops in Chicago I won't be coming here again any time soon.
(1)
imran k.
I came in here after getting my physical done. I came to celebrate because my doctor told me that I am in perfectly healthy shape: perfect blood sugar, perfect blood pressure, and get this: perfect BMI. So I gallantly entered Alliance and asked the barista to make me something with a lot of whipping cream. He looked at me puzzled for a second, but I reassured him: I was serious. He made me a mocha with LOTS of chocolate and LOTS of whipping cream (as requested). As he gave it to me, he said, "This might be the most unhealthy beverage I've ever made." I thanked him for taking such accurate directions. For kicks, I also got a lemon poppy seed muffin. And walked into their lounge. There, I started formulating this review. The music perfectly complimented what everyone was doing. Whether it was reading articles for class (me), working on laptops, or quietly gossiping (two hot girls), the music was neither snooze-worthy nor too distracting. The coffee was brilliant. Strong, but didn't give mama the jitters. Comfortable seating, not cozy enough to make me nod off, but definitely better than other chairs you can find at various coffee shops around the city. It was just perfect. I got so much done. In a pleasant environment. Nice work, Alliance. I'll be back.
(4)
Becca F.
It took us 3 tries just to get a taste of their treats. The first two times we visited, we entered and found no clerk was present. We had several minutes alone to drool over the selection before the clerk returned. When we spoke up to place our orders, the clerks informed us they were closed. CLOSED - Yet the lights were on, the doors were ajar. This happened TWICE. Both times we entered before closing time. Once, a clerk informed us they had already counted the till. We then offered to pay w/o receiving change and he still refused to serve us. The third time we did get a cookie and cupcake. However, the treats weren't delicious enough to erase the sour taste left behind by the poor customer service we had encountered previously. Now, we just go down to Letitzia's for delicious treats and great customer service (plus they are open late!).
(1)
Mary F.
I've been here a couple times to grab things for dinner parties, etc. I'm just not sure what the hype is all about. For the amount they charge, everything should be great. Some of the cookies/ cupcakes I've had were pretty good. But not great. A few of the treats were either bland or dry. Not good. The bakery is overpriced. I would have given it 2 (maybe 3) stars but... We just ordered a cake for a friend's Birthday party. Birthday person gets what they want. The cake was expensive. It's cake. Not gold. Again, what the birthday person wants... But - the name on the cake was misspelled! It was spelled correctly on the ticket attached to the box... This tells me a couple things - the person writing the icing did not check the ticket. The person handing over the cake did not check the cake. When we said something, we were told we'd have to talk to the manager (not there)... The customer service received was less than ideal, border line rude, and the initial offer to make us happy was insulting (essentially offered to take sales tax off). Not cool, people, not cool.
(1)
Alex K.
They always had awesome pastry but people who work there are acting like they don't want to be there at all. They have great seating outside. They have a cherry bliss bar that I love. Anything I have tried in the past has been amazing. It's just people that work here don't really care if you buy or not buy anything. Kind of off-putting. From what I"ve heard they make great cakes and know a lot about weird wedding cakes. Hopefully their staff for that is nicer.
(3)
Jaime C.
the goodies are pretty much all delicious, with a few standouts amongst the crowd (key lime bar OHMYGOD). there's outdoor seating, as well as an adjacent room where people can drink their coffee &/or get themselves stabbed if they forget to silence their phone. alliance's dine-in clientele are bookish at best, zombie-like at worst, & that side room is a MORGUE OF SILENCE where the slightest cough can elicit A THOUSAND YEARS OF STINK-EYE. speaking of stink eye, it would seem that they've recently hired on a slew of new baristas, a couple of whom are working on their masters in 'TUDE. really? your conversation on doggie biscuits was that vital? oh, fret not. you totally got me good with this warm "iced" coffee. i'm feeling the passive aggressive burn, don't worry. i'll never interrupt again. my visits here have become fewer & farther in between since the new hires came, as i really don't enjoy being treated like a troll that just crawled out from under a bridge. but those key lime bars...well, at least i've cut down.
(3)
Richie D.
I stopped in here after an across the street visit to Angels and Mariachis. Their cupcake frosting is good, but the rest of the cupcake wasn't too great. Their pecan bars were soft and chewy, mmmm. They have some interesting croissants with different fillings which was neat. Not the best bakery I've visited or come across, but not bad either. Just average. I just checked out the bakery and nothing else, so I can't rate on it more than that.
(3)
Lindley E.
The best thing going for Alliance is the wi-fi study room and the sidewalk dining. Billy and I met at Alliance to write a short story that was solicited by some pervvy guy on Craigslist. I bought us a dry cappuccino (pretty darn good), an earl grey tea, and two sweets -- a lemon scone (too much vanilla) and a coconut macaroon (the icing was excessive). As we typed out absurdity after absurdity ("I got my period when I was 9 because I ate too much hormone-tainted chicken"; "I wrote to Oprah and asked her if I was dying of cancer"; "neighborhood boys paid me to look at my chest") we made some real headway into the sweets...but none of them really delivered. I won't make a special trip to Alliance to eat sweets, but if I had some work to do and couldn't get my internet to work, Alliance would be a top choice for me. Updated 5-13-08 I added one star because these guys know their way around laminated doughs - the breakfast pastry are great! Loved the coffee cakes and danish. Cupcakes=not worth the trip, but the great danish (and yummy eclairs) make up for them.
(4)
Stevey P.
It was a difficult decision to decide between the red velvet cupcake, chocolate chip cookie and the hazelnut chocolate cupcake. So I was like screw it, and got them all. Unfortunately it was so stinkin hot outside on their cafes tables (but it was a beautiful afternoon, so whatevs) everything started to melt quickly and since I was already feeling like a HEIFER, I never got to the red velvet. With that said the hazelnut chocolate was amazing -- thick creamy and voluptuous. All I could think of was the band from the movie "Coming to America" -- Sexual Chocolate. The fudge stuck to the roof of my mouth -- it was heavenly. The cake itself was pretty good, and was flecked with bits of hazelnut (the actual nut!) Nice!! The server here was very helpful in steering my fat ass to the pastries of choice. I definitely recommend this place. It's worth every single of my 5 stars and then some.
(5)
Andrea H.
I went to Alliance for my wedding cake after Rolf's bakery closed down so unexpectedly. With my wedding near, I panicked but alliance assured me that they could replicate any Rolf's cake at my tasting. the price was higher, but I wasn't worried because after looking at sample pictures I felt confident my cake would look fabulous. Not so much....the cake looked like the designs I'd seen in pics and online that I knew I DIDN'T want. The "lace designs" simply looked like squiggly lines made out of icing on the fondant and even the designs that were supposed to mimic the moulding in the banquet hall just looked like drawn on crooked lines. The guests all though the cake looked great, but looking at the cake on my wedding day for the first time was an utter disappointment. If Alliance hadn't assured me they could replicate my original design choice, I would have just chose something different altogether.
(1)
Amanda Y.
My husband and I stopped by Alliance to grab a quick bite before being stuck in rush hour traffic for an hour to head home to the suburbs. We ordered quite a few things: 2 sandwiches (roast beef and tuna), macarons (chocolate and vanilla), a chocolate croissant, and a couple cups of coffee to keep us warm. We didn't know that there was a separate sitting place next door so we sat the ONLY seating available right when you enter the bakery. The sandwiches were quite delicious. The tuna salad sandwich was served on a croissant and it was not your typical tuna salad: it actually has herbs in it to enhance the flavor! We loved the macarons, the flavor combo were different and I can't remember exactly what filling went into the chocolate macaron and what went into the vanilla. We look forward to going there more and try their other stuff!!
(4)
Christina S.
I've been coming to alliance since i was a kid, when it was a real polish bakery with real prices. and real yummy yummy pastries. nowadays, their baked goods are a-ight. nothin to write home about. I go in there now if i'm near the parental unit and need an espresso.
(3)
Anjali B.
Macarons fit for a princess, and only a stone's throw from the palace! Delish. I love the Raspberry Rose, Coconut Lime, and Chocolate + Salted Caramel. Polite staff. I had to text a friend to see if they needed anything from Alliance, and the gentleman helping me asked if I minded if he skipped over me to help others, instead of standing, waiting, huffing and puffing, making it all awkward, etc. Promptly served a few people, and came back to me and was happy to make me an iced Americano and suggest his favorite macaron flavors to me. I'll be coming here on a regular basis, awesome.
(4)
Dk N.
YUMMMMM!!! I bought an apple tart or something like that. And, I totally inhaled the pastry in seconds. OMG!!! This is SO good. Everyone who works or lives nearby knows this place. Heck, I should go there now...
(5)
naomi S.
Kind of sad to be writing alliance a two star review but the place has really gone down hill the past year or so.... I have always order cakes from there for friends parties/ my little ones birthdays ect.. Their cookies/ croissants are average and wayyyyy over priced.. They don't make most of their baked goods and they never carry bread anymore... But I really loved alliance for their cute cakes!! I was going to get a small teddy bear shaped cake ( for 20 people) for my little ones first birthday and they wanted to charge me $ 400.00... Ridicules!!! They made a cake last year for my other sons birthday for 30 people and it was $175.00 and I thought at the time that was a bit high but I went with it because I love their designs and I like to shop local but 400.00 (440.00 with tax and would make it $20 a slice) for a 20 person teddy bear cake is just wrong! They are popular with wedding cakes ect.. Their bakery seems very disorganized too ( they've misplaced two very important orders that I ) Plus I had placed a large cookie order with them for a shower and they used the wrong colors and the cookies looked really sloppy and tasted stale....
(2)
Liz S.
I wish I loved this place as much as other people, but I just didn't. Small detail which only probably bothers me, but, I walked in and I felt like I was walking into a sauna. I shared a cupcake and a cheesecake bar with a friend, and once again I wish I loved this place. The cupcake was a vanilla cake with buttercream frosting. I suppose if you like dry cupcakes this is the place to get them, but I like moist cake (since the frosting isn't something I even eat). The cake part was such a let down. However, the cheesecake square was heavenly. It melted in my mouth like all cheesecakes should, and it had the perfect amount of crust to cake. I'll be back for the cheesecake square, but, most likely never a cupcake. I'll have to just feed my craving with my own for now.
(2)
Bry H.
My fiance and I got our birthday cake from Alliance and it was amazing. Not only did it taste great, but it was so classic looking. It was everything that we wanted and more! I also think they have the best cookies. I love their insult cookies, don't ask why. I'm not particularly mean spirited, but they were really funny. Plus I love their frosting on the sugar cookies. I will be getting my next birthday cake here!
(5)
Ashley B.
i will have to come back for something other than just a cupcake and an italian soda. this place was very charming, although not necessarily because of the staff. does it really look like i'm from the suburbs? the cake display in the window looks amazing. i will have to think of an occasion for which i would need an outlandish cake. the display inside was reminiscent of a french pastry shop. even for the end of the day they seemed to have a good selection. i got a banana cupcake of some kind with carmel filling and creamcheese frosting. while the size didn't reflect the price, the taste did.
(4)
Evann G.
Finally! I got to try Alliance Bakery. First of all, it's so cute. And it's in such a cute area. It made me want to move to Wicker Park. We ordered six cupcakes and 14 cookies. But in our defense, there were three of us, and we spaced the gorge-fest out over a couple days. Still. The guy serving us was nice and didn't make fun of us AT ALL, so plus points there. The red velvet cupcakes were the best, but quite messy. They're so DENSE. It's like 3 cupcakes mushed into 1. And the frosting was diviiiiine. My 2nd favorite was probably the hazelnut fudge, because the cake part was so interesting and the chocolate frosting was so PURE HEAVEN. The chocolate cupcake was delish, and I loved the actual cake, but the frosting was that sugary kind that I expect to get on grocery-store-bakery cupcakes, not cupcakes from an actual bakery KNOWN for its cupcakes. The frosting on the vanilla cupcake was the same way, so vanilla gets 4th place (plus, the vanilla cake was more dry than the rest of the flavors). All in all, fabulous cupcakes, I'd just prefer a creamier frosting on the chocolate and vanilla. The cookies weren't AS good. We got the kind that looked like miniature moon pies, and they tasted like... nothing. Literally. And we also tried the spritz (sprinkle) cookies, because I am obsessed with butter cookies, and they were good but not the best I've ever had. My bf got decaf coffee and said it was cold. I got a soy tea latte and it was decent. I'm glad I got to try it before it changes hands later this month... I wonder if it'll be significantly different afterwards?
(4)
Colleen J.
This is a quaint and quiet bakery/coffee shop. It's a great place to go buy a coffee and a cookie and browse the internet (wi-fi). The staff is friendly and hipster. The decor is slightly dull, but it's not the main draw of the place. It's along Division; you can sit outside and people watch all day long. It's open until 9 pm most nights. Oh, and the cakes they make are amazingly creative and fun.
(4)
Laura R.
#NAME?
(5)
W S.
For the price it is really not great, but the fact that questions to the staff are met with disinterest or annoyance is unacceptable. For a bakery that looks to be so inviting, I hoped for a lot more.
(1)
Asa K.
How to build trust with your patisserista* by Peter Kaplan 1. Wander back and forth endlessly between two gorgeous delices: the Michelle and the Dee. Note that there are no other customers to hide behind. 2. Engage your patisserista Rae in an extended discussion of the pros and cons of each. Begin attracting attention and pity. 3. Ask your friend Meg what she would do, but then, without being excessively dismissive, decide you're unwilling to go with her judgment anyway. 4. Sheepishly ask your patisserista Rae -- who shows no sign of running out of patience -- which she would pick. Secretly hope it's the one you're secretly leaning toward. 5. Listen, confounded, as she picks the other one. 6. Determine that you still can't decide, and ask your patisserista Rae to just make the determination (but don't tell!) and bring it out to the back room where you'll be waiting. 7. When your patisserista Rae appears after 2 minutes that felt as endless as they were brief, absolutely love that she didn't flinch and brought her suggested Michelle despite your hopeless waffling. 8. Make sure to smile and blow a kiss on the way out. 9. Write a Yelp review two months later in the fool's hope that Rae will someday read it. Love, Peter __________________________________________________Â___________ * The word "patisserista" is copyright 2010 by Meg Olson. All rights reserved.
(5)
Reina C.
This place is good for studying/working. The space is next to the actual bakery- which has GREAT baked goods and coffee. This is not a place to get a lunch with coffee- but the baked goods rock and on occasion I have some of their pre-made lunch items (there is usually a limited variety). The working space is large and the noise and music is maintained at a working level. Plus the cakes in the window look awesome.
(4)
Local G.
Meh. I had a carrot cake cup cake and it was good but it wasn't amazing. The chocolate chip cookie and oatmeal cookie were good too, but again not something to rave about. The place is kind of a dive which gives it charm. Nice ambiance, although it would be nice it they played some old school jazz music etc as background music. Free wi-fi makes it a nice place to bring a laptop and relax.
(3)
Rahshonda K.
I feel ya Carrie S I was confused as well by the old school exterior while the cakes in the window are works of art! The red velvet cupcakes were so moist and delightful. Delightful doesn't even completely describe them they were magically delicious! I was trying to do tasting to figure out what type of cake I wanted for my birthday and they were so nice and helpful. Still a bit pricey but I guess its worth it if you are paying for art!
(4)
Amelie D.
It's really hard not to love a place that puts a Louis Vuitton purse cake in its window. Also really hard not to love a place that is so tiny, visually pleasing, and authentic. However, the lounge area is lacking. Like some of the other people have said, I, too do not enjoy getting stared at as I gingerly open the door and look for a seat. My guess is that these people do not LIVE here, no? In fact they might have had to enter the lounge and look for a seat as well? So why the hushed stares as if I am violating some unspoken rule of decorum? My only other complaint has nothing to do with Alliance; rather an anecdote of what you might encounter if you come here. There were not other seating options save for a couch that swallowed me. I took a spot a good three feet away from where another patron was camped out. About five minutes later, she TOOK OFF HER SHOES and put her feet up on the couch and began to do this strange stretching/meditating thing. All of which would be completely acceptable in another environment, but the smell of wet Ugg feet as I'm drinking my coffee, no thanks.
(3)
Bonnie B.
The chocolate cupcakes were dry! I was so excited to try this place because of all the great reviews, so I picked up a bunch of cupcakes for dessert for a dinner party I was attending. I was embarrassed as I bit into a chocolate cupcake and it was very dry. I worriedly looked around at the other dinner guests' faces and apologized. If you're a bakery and you can't give me a good chocolate cupcake, and there are a lot of other bakeries in Chicago... well, I'm glad you appear to have enough loyal fans that you don't need my business.
(2)
jamie k.
I have always wanted to like Alliance more than I have in the past. It's always been so so for me.. BUT I had never really given it chance.. Last night in a last minute decision to have the whole family back over to the house for Birthday cake, I ran over there. Decided on a cute little carrot cake, the man behind the counter was super sweet and they even personalized it and supplied a few free candles. This made me happy enough! But what made everyone happier was the cake. It was delicious! I was half expecting something overly sweet and dry (as carrot cakes can sometimes be at other places) -This was the opposite. Hooray! I will go back there again to check out their cakes any day!
(4)
Sarah W.
I've had a couple different experiences now with Alliance and overall thought it balanced itself out to be pretty good. Delicious pastries, suitable coffee and a pretty tasty quiche, but it loses points on me for atmosphere at the lounge next door. I'm quite picky with the atmosphere of coffee shops and I think the space is a bit gloomier than I would like to relax at. Its not so much the fault of Alliance, because they try to mix it up with a little loungy couch area in addition to an area reserved for tables, but they just fall short. It's great that they have free WIFI and plenty of outlets. But, that doesn't change the fact that the space itself is a big clunky rectangle shape with furniture that does the job, but isnt necessarily aesthetically pleasing. As others have mentioned, its also super silent in there. Its like library-quiet in there, and even the music is barely there, so I felt like a rude pants when I forgot to put my phone on vibrate and it rang out loud.. If you like the silence, power to you and lounge it up, but otherwise you might prefer to take your tasty pastry and coffee to go.
(3)
Annie W.
Cozy atmosphere with a very earthy feel. They definitely promote local businesses and endeavors--if you go into the lounge, it's loaded with tons of brochures and fliers of local artists, musicians, etc. My friend and I got cupcakes: strawberry lemon (buttercream frosting) and the red velvet (cottage cream frosting). I wasn't fan of either frosting--they're too thick and actually quite hard but my friend preferred the cottage cream over butter cream. The cakes itself are pretty firm (and slightly stale) up top and get softer and moisture closer to the bottom which makes me wonder how long they've been sitting there for. So my take on their cupcakes is only OK. I really do like the quiet lounge next door. Slightly low lighting as it gets darker but it has spacious tables and big chairs.
(4)
Angela P.
This was the second, and final stop on my mini crawl. I LOVE the vibe of this place, very cozy, dark-ish...I really liked it in here. I, again, asked what flavors of cupcakes they had and the man behind the counter was so descriptive about all the flavors it was hard not to want to try them all! =] I ended up going with the chocolate with a salted caramel filling, vanilla/vanilla and the red velvet. I also saw some savory croissants and just had to try the turkey/swiss. So...the good...the croissant was AMAZING! It was crunchy where it needed to be, soft, flaky and tender in the center and the contrast of the slight sweetness of the pastry and the sharpness of the swiss was perfection! The cupcakes...I LOVED that salted caramel filling in the chocolate cupcakes, it was dense, almost buttery with a great flavor. Now the cakes themselves, all of them for that matter, were just okay. I just wasn't wowed by the flavor of the cake or the frosting. They were a bit dry...let's just say I wasn't feeling it. Don't get me wrong, the cakes displayed in the window were truly pieces of art, and I would consider doing a cake tasting to see if the larger sized cakes have a better flavor than the cupcakes because the designs were THAT good! So we will see in the future about that...but I would definitely stop in again for one of those savory croissants! Mmmmm...
(3)
Tracy K.
After reading all the great reviews, I'm a bit disappointed. The sign outside advertised paczkis with ten or so filling varieties for Fat Tuesday. Exciting! The guy behind the counter was very friendly, but apparently he did not know which flavor of paczki was which because what I ordered was not what I received. And sadly, I did not find this out until I started eating.. at home. I'll try them again if I'm in the area, but I'm a little miffed that my rose paczki is actually filled with pineapple because these special treats are only available once a year (they do have custard-filled year round). Edit: The owners contacted me to apologize after they read this review, and I thought that was sweet. Also, the rest of the paczkis I tasted were very tasty, so I upped my star count.
(4)
Kim J.
I like Alliance Bakery a lot. I've only ever had a few of the pastries, but what I've had has been quite tasty. I mostly like to go to Alliance to study, and the lounge next door is the perfect place for that - quiet, lots of outlets, good wi-fi signal, and access to tasty pastries and coffees. And I love looking at the cakes in the window - if they taste half as good as they look, I'd have to take one home every day!
(4)
Jenn R.
Alliance had my heart before I walked in the door. It was the kind of place that persuaded me to move to the area last year just by it's charming sign and inviting "we've been here and haven't changed since 1951" persona. When I heard from a friend that they're infamous for their ridiculously awesome cupcakes, I knew it would be a dangerous neighbor. Almost a year later, I finally made it inside with orgasmic-like anticipation. CUPCAKES! COFFEE!! ...and CUTENESS!!! Ok, that's pretty generic but I was taken immediately. I ordered the 2.50 or so carrot cake cupcake and handed the friendly girl my debit card. She said, continuing the thematic cuteness, that there's a five dollar minimum and that she's really really sorry. Sorry?! No, no. I have cash you little sweetheart, it's ok! And even if I didn't, I would have gotten another! She was just so sweet about something no-big-deal. I was handed my cupcake in a cute little to-go box. And walked away with a cute little smile. It turns out that cuteness is both edible and delicious. The carrot cake cupcake was all of that cuteness in a crumbly beautifully presentable sweet tooth satisfier. Even the cupcake wrapper was cute and all 1951. Again. Cupcakes. Coffee. And cuteness. Alliance is perfect. And not at all generic.
(5)
Moe f.
Had a little business meeting in the lounge this morning. It's huge and a tad confusing as it was not attached to the bakery(seprate doors). Great coffee, a really good cranberry walnut bar, and free wifi. Had no idea it was this popular after seeing all the reviews. Will have to come back for more baked treats.
(4)
Sarah L.
Today I was lucky enough to sample some birthday cake from Alliance. The cake was beautifully decorated in a nice green butter cream with a pretty paisley print. Inside, the cake was yellow with fudge filling. The cake wasn't too rich or sweet. Just the perfect balance! It didn't taste like the Jewel sheet cakes that I'm used to, yuck!! I will be ordering my birthday cake from Alliance this year! It's a big year, I will be turning the big 3-0.
(5)
Mary E.
At the time of the writing of this review there are currently 176 reviews for Alliance. Therefore, I'm keepin' this short. Great little bakery and coffee shop. I've mostly purchased the cupcakes. Nice, heavy, sweet buttercream frosting. When fresh, the cupcakes are heavy and moist. They are usually delicious but I don't think they are baked fresh everyday.Therefore, sometimes they are a *little* dry. That's what the one star subtraction is for. Coffee is excellent.
(4)
Lucien H.
I was never a red velvet fan until I tried a slice of red velvet from here. Oh my, the cake here is tasty indeed. It's ultra moist and the icing just melts in your mouth. The downside is, the portion is kind of small and it's pricey for what you get. A small velvet cake is $30. Cupcake I think was somewhere around $3~$4 and it's not even the standard size. It's a thin, skinny cake. Aside from that, the cakes are really yummy so it's definitely worth checking it out.
(4)
Jessica D.
Alliance is pretty awesome. I mean, everything I've had has been quite good, but I'll admit that I've only had the macarons (proper French and the American style w/ coconut and an extra "o" German chocolate version). My girlfriend tries the Milette once, but I didn't since I suspected it might have gelatin and gelatin and I are enemies. Oh, and we've both had perfectly tasty but disturbingly similar veggie sandwiches here (both w/ pesto and tomato but one with mozzarella and one with goat cheese and red peppers). I really enjoy the food here. Good macarons are not easy to find and Alliance has some tasty and interesting flavors (raspberry-rose is one of my favorites). But the service here is always a little aloof, the people up front aren't aware what ingredients are in which pastries (I asked today which things contained gelatin so that I could avoid is and the girl at the counter didn't know and made no attempt to find out, only stating that, "Probably just the things with mousse in them," which doesn't clarify much since that's 50% of the display). I think the fact that the people working in back don't really talk much to the people working the counter makes this a big problem for them. What about people with food allergies? They always treat you as if you've no idea what things are, explaining that they are fragile, best at -blank- temperature, etc. and it gets a little annoying hearing that every time you buy something. Also, I have to agree that the Alliance Lounge next door is a little unwelcoming. There appear to be regulars and they don't like their peace and quiet interrupted. I went there once, and only once, with two friends and we felt eyes on us every time we talked. Not the best atmosphere for a lunch with friends. So, in conclusion, the food is lovely, but the service is less than thrilling and the seating options are a little intimidating.
(4)
Erin C.
Not the best cupcakes I've ever had, but they are pretty damn good. I actually recommend the raspberry oatmeal bar or the pecan caramel bar - they are rich and delicious. The specialty coffee drinks are delish; during the winter they have a Mexican Cafe Mocha that is the perfect drink for anyone craving chocolate and coffee. There is free wifi, but the adjoining room gets pretty crowded and the furniture could be a bit nicer/more comfortable.
(4)
Ji Hye K.
I walk by this bakery every morning on my way to work and it takes a lot, I mean A LOT, of will power not to stop by and pick something up. That's even after consuming close to 1000 calorie breakfast at home. But I gave into the allure of Alliance a few days ago - bought the 'everything' bagel with cream cheese. Yea, this bakery has awesome cake, pastries, little cookies full of joy and even surprisingly tasty 'harvest' salad. But the BAGEL. O. M. G. For once, I couldn't wait to get to work, sit down, spread the cream cheese all over the bagel and stuff it in my mouth. Seriously, every bite of that bagel, even when not toasted, was so amazingly good. Bready, hint of sweetness, soft yet tiny bit crunchy on the outside, with pungent garlic and onion bits, plus just the right amount of rock salt bits here and there. I say, there was a party in my mouth. I'm not sure if they make the bagels there. Regardless. Best bagel ever. I like Alliance a whole lot, but the only reason I give it 4, instead of 5, stars is that the sitting area could be brighter.
(4)
Chayla B.
Good coffee, the danishes/pastries look good (I didn't have one, but they look good), the music was nice and low until just now (Red Hot Chili Peppers- ew and no thanks), uncomfortable bench, but nice lounge area. The internet is super slow, though. It is really cramping my style. I have a ton of work stuff to do, and this is slowing me down. Almost to the point of me leaving and finding another wifi location. Lame. You have to spend more than $5 to use your credit/debit. This is a horrible review, but this place has made me crabby.
(3)
Natalie B.
The best cake in the city. This place is dangerous--you cannot have "just one bite".
(5)
Poma Celeste T.
This sweet place with friendly workers is a great stop on your way in/out of the neighborhood, or a great place to chill and hang out alone or with friends. They have the cutest cookies (unafraid of ironic statements too) and other yummy desserts. They are above and beyond Starbucks for sure.
(4)
Sarah B.
So tons of stars for the adorable old school sign out front and the outdoor seating area. Not so many stars for the cupcakes. I mean, what's with the trying to reinvent the actual paper cup that holds the cupcake? And I think the ratio of frosting to cake (a crucial factor when judging cupcakes) was off. Also had their spinach and feta and turkey and swiss croissants. All in all, not a bad place but nothing that I'll be dying to get back to.
(3)
Andrea C.
Just moved here from CA, and love sweets. The cakes looked beautiful, their presentation is awesome but actual taste and flavor not so great. My boyfriend is a huge cookie fan and had the oatmeal raisin, he said it tasted like the batter wasn't mixed completely. I tasted it, you could kind of taste the flour in one part and the butter in another. Not impressed. Had the lemon bar, which was equally as bland. Quite disappointed.
(2)
Katie H.
Visiting Alliance in search of cupcakes feels like going to the Soup Nazi for some bisque. The product itself is amazing, however you have to deal with some rude employees in order to actually obtain what you want. I don't mind hipsters. Really I don't. It's just when they give you service with a heaping side of "fuck you, peasant, what are you doing in my shop?" attitude.... there's a problem. Like tonight I went in for a cuppitty-cake and the shop was empty. I took a minute to root through my bag (my purse was recently stolen so I currenly don't have a wallet and just chuck money into my bag) to try and figure out if I had enough cash or I was going to need to use my card. When I looked up, Potato-face Clerk is giving me the dirtiest of looks as if I'd just crapped on her clean floor. I wasn't holding up a line!! Jesus. Then I asked her as politely as possible if there was a minimum for cards and she held up five stubby fingers and shot me another look of disdain. This isn't the first time I've had to deal with a More-Indie-Than-Thou worker in this joint.... I'll keep coming back though because really... it's that good.
(4)
Linda S.
Best bakery for birthday cakes in chicago. I've been to Lutz, Bittersweet, House of Fine Chocolates, Vanille, Sweet Thang, you name it, and nothing competes with the quality and prices at Alliance. Check out the photo of the cake I recently ordered! Absolutely beautiful! They also offer free wifi in next door with a purchase from the bakery. There's plenty of outlets and the connection is excellent. I must say that the furniture smells pretty musty here.
(5)
Leticia L.
I have to admit I am addicted to sweets. I love Alliance. They have an awesome red velvet cupcake. They are one of those special bakeries that can come up with a dessert that is both elegant and delicious. Their pastries really melt in your mouth. I would like to go there more often, but parking is often difficult to find. :(
(4)
Emily T.
Today I went to Alliance for the first time, and tried the "Chocolate Hazelnut Shooter." It was very tasty, and kind of expensive. A lot of the pastries are expensive, but then again, I'm a college student--everything is expensive to me! This place is great if you want to try something different, it's not your typical bakery. The cakes in the window are really cool. I liked the outdoor area seating, where I enjoyed my shooter and the view of Division Street.
(4)
K M.
I wrote a scathing review about the cookies and cupcakes at Alliance. Then they changed hands in ownership. Then they did it again. I would say I owe them another try. I'm planning a fundraiser in the neighborhood and called the bakery for a donation and spoke with the new owner - and they happily offered up cookies for our event. Maybe it's a new recipe, maybe it isn't - but I have a new found interest and spot in my heart for Alliance.
(5)
Robyn S.
This bakery in our neighbohood has fantastic lattes and even better blueberry scones - huge compared to other local bake shops, with lots of powdered sugar. Our dog loves the homemade treats, but then again, she doesn't have the most discriminating palette. Wifi in their attached cafe can be slow at times, but it's a quiet cozy corner. This is a regular stop on the Sunday-morning circuit.
(4)
Eliza M.
Excellent coffee. This place also gets a lot of little things right about how to be a good coffee house - the music is the right volume, the staff are the right balance of helpful and laid-back, and the wi-fi works all the time. Can't speak for the baked goods.
(5)
Jenny A.
Hands down the best bakery in Chicago! I love them. I'm a wholesale customer and re-sell their treats for catering and in my cafe. I can't tell you how wonderful these people are. I have had several occasions where I needed something last minute or I totally forgot to place an order and Peter or Mitchell always hook me up. Always. Their pastries and cakes are divine and my customers always ask where we buy them. I've never had a bad experience with them and will continue to use them as a supplier. Thanks Alliance, you're the absolute best.
(5)
Stephanie T.
This place is like Cheers.
(5)
Leigh K.
I was putting together a list of places in my hood and somehow I never reviewed Alliance? It tends to be out of convenience rather than craving that I go here, but I do end up here once or twice a month. I've had a couple of the fun-sounding lattes and they were alright, but I really enjoy their hazelnut chocolate cupcake. Not my favorite in the hood though.
(3)
Sarah F.
With a chill environment and helpful staff, this place gets some brownie points in my book for sure. The deserts are heavenly, so I haven't made it around to trying some of their food items, such as hummus and red pepper dip.
(5)
Melissa B.
We stopped for cupcakes after paying a ton of money to get our car fixed. We were looking for a pick me up in the form of cake. I had the red velvet. It was good. The bf had the carrot cake. It was meh. Its missing something in my opinion, nuts and stuff. We actually split them, each eating half. I would get the red velvet again and skip the carrot. The icing was good on both, nice and rich but not to sugary.
(3)
Tiff B.
This place is overrated. Their cupcakes aren't all that great. In fact, they're about as good as any cupcake you can buy from a grcoery store bakery. And the service is marginal at best. The people behind the counter stood there and talked to their friends (who were blocking the display cases and just being annoying in general) while a line of customer formed. Skip this place. There are so many other great bakeries in the city. I didn't try their coffee though it supposedly pretty good.
(2)
heather w.
you people are kidding, right? this place sucks! my brownie was flavorless and like a brick, the lovely looking and enticing-sounding layered dessert was bland and had the texture of phlegm, AND the coffee sucked. to make matters worse, it all LOOKED fabulous, so i was double disappointed when it tasted bad.
(1)
Stella S.
After hearing all about those stupid red velvet cupcakes I was obsessed and had to have one. So I made my hubby drive up there tonight with me, I bought 2 of them, and also a carrot cake cupcake and a lemon bar. So far I've only tried the one red velvet cupcake, and it was great! The cream cheese frosting is divine! I don't know about the rest of the stuff in the box, but I'm sure it will be great!!
(4)
Melanie E.
this place is one of my favorite coffeeshops in chicago. the atmosphere is laid back, the food is yummy, and there is free wireless internet. also, most of the people who work there are really nice. they offer special drinks for the seasons. the best is the mint mocha, and the apple cider in winter. for summer they will have a lovely mint iced tea. i lalso love the spritz cookies and the cranberry walnut bar. one con is that this place can get cold if you are sitting there for awhile in the winter. but it's great to sit outside on the patio in the summer. i definitely recommend hanging out here!
(5)
Sara G.
Well I've only been here once, while on a visit to Chicago, so I can't give a comprehensive review. But my red velvet cupcake with cream cheese frosting and a cup of hot chai (no milk) was lovely. The cupcake was moist and flavorful and the frosting was tasty, not cloying or greasy. My companion's lemon bar was rich and crumbly and buttery, which is just how it should be. It didn't hurt that it was a warm, sunny day and we sat outside (unlike most of my other Chicago visits, which have had uniformly abysmal weather). But the room next door seemed like a nice space to sit and read and drink your coffee, as well. A special note has to be made of the fabulous decorated cakes in the window. They had cakes that looked like designer handbags, lovely wedding cakes with trees and vines on them, and a hamburger cake. Does anyone else remember when hamburger cakes were kind of trendy in the mid 80s for a while? Around the same time as those "Where's the Beef?" commercials? Am I dating myself? damn... Anyway, I loved my cupcake.
(4)
N Y.
I used to go here alot for baked goods on my way to work. but sometimes they didnt have any rasberry coffee cake so only four stars. when they do have it though, its AWSOME
(4)
Suzanne C.
I l-o-v-e!! this bakery...eat me , says the cranberry bar cake thing and so I did and Ill do it again! The coffee is fantastic, anyway you like it cuz I just about tried them all and hey..did you know they even have a coffee club? buy so many and get one free cards are available right on the counter :) yeah! and while you are there... you HAVE to have one of "my sisters caramels" which are in a basket or jar at the counter...dont miss those. absolutely sugary yummy caramel from an absolute caramel lover! ENJOY! and dont forget to bring your pooch...they have bags of doggie home baked doggie treats too! yeah!
(5)
bill s.
I just went here with my fiance for the first time the other day and even though I only had an Iced Decaf Coffee.. Americano or something like that.. I definitely had a good first impression of the place. I am not the biggest fan of sitting outdoors at cafes ,but my fiance is so we sat outside, because she always wins and it was pretty comfortable out there. The chairs weren't painful or wobbly, the tables aren't too close to one another, and their garbage wasn't inside the seating area. Of course the garbage wasn't out there at all but that probably won't bother most people.. I'm just lazy. When we were done, we went back in so i could get another for the road... actually for the sidewalk, because we walked along the block shopping for awhile. (You can see my opinions of those places on my page also.) Then, we stopped into another part of the place to use the restroom. I was completely unaware that this side existed. I thought they only had an outside place to sit because this part's separate from the part where you buy stuff. Anyways, this side looked really cozy and ideal if you wanted to just relax and read something or surf the web on a mobile device, or write screenplays.
(5)
Rachelle T.
I think this place is completely overrated. Everyone raves about their cupcakes and honestly I think they were crap. I would give them one star but I don't think it's fair to base an entire 'bakery' off of some cupcakes so I'll be generous and give them two. First off this place is a rip-off. Over $2 for a small cupcake is redic, or it better taste heavenly. They did not. I tried the red velvet and another hazelnut one and both were dry and somewhat tasteless. I didn't even finish either of them b/c it felt like a waste of calories. Don't belive the hype and if you want a bakery with truly great cupcakes try Sensational Bites on Southport - $1.30-2.00 a cupcake and they are sooooo yummy!
(2)
wayne s.
Mmmmmm, pastries. Seems they have a lot to choose from. Didn't have any coffee though. I did see a Bushmill's whiskey cake on the wall, these people have skillz! They did have a sidewalk patio avenue, i didn't use it due to the sprinkling skies.
(4)
Malcolm K.
Study hall plus free wi-fi, pastries and coffee. What's not to like?
(5)
MP B.
5 stars on carrot cake cupcake alone. Red velvet is delicious, most and sweet too. Friendly haircutsters behind the counter slinging pastries and Intelligentsia. Adorable space. God Bless and Keep The Alliance!
(5)
emily h.
mmm...red velvet cupcakes... staff could use a lesson in customer service, but that seems pretty common all over the "customer service" industry.
(4)
Aileen O.
Went here on a mini cupcake crawl. The shop looks very mom & pop, which I really liked. It made the goodies look even more homemade and yummy. I tried the red velvet cupcake, which was huge! Unfortunately I found the cupcake too dense and not sweet enough for my liking. It was still very good, but not the best I've tried. I'd like to go back and try some of their other goodies, especially their cakes.
(4)
elizabeth n.
I tried Alliance Bakery for the first time last night at the Yelp Party and was so impressed with their cupcakes! FIrst of all the cupcakes are huge and so delicious! The red velvet were wonderful but the carrot cake cupcakes were my favorite! I can't wait to go to the bakery and try more of their delicious items!
(5)
paulina B.
great comfy chairs, it can be a hassle to park yourself on a busy sunday afternoon great mochas! great window for people watching and working!
(4)
Derek S.
i spent most of this month working from home because i was sick of commuting downtown. every morning i'd get my tired ass over to alliance and get a coffee or a cafe au lait, sometimes adorned with a stuffed croissant (turkey and swiss, maybe ham and cheddar). i'd sit outside logged onto the net doing worky-shmirky stuff (or calling my assistant and making her handle everything) and enjoy some sun and scratching the scruff of some local puppy. staring across the street at starbucks, thinking it looked like the new soldier field (is that an alien ship or a starbucks?)...revelling in the intelligensia. the place is a killer mix of coffee-shop and bakery. i feel like i might meet my future girl here.
(5)
Lisa S.
This is honestly the best bakery I have come across yet. The outside of the bakery decieves you into thinking it may just be a hole in the wall, but once you come in, you are amazed at all the amazing looking cakes and pastries that are visible. The cakes resemble the kind of cakes that are found on the show, "cake boss." The pastries are unbelievable too as you just dont know which to choose, they all look amazing!!! I am currently on a mission to try each and every one, and so far I have no complaints, they each taste as good as they look! YOU MUST TRY THIS PLACE!!
(5)
Frank W.
Friendly, lots of great baked goods at a cheap price. Not everything is out of this world amazing I'll admit, but the price, friendliness, and overall quality are great. Coffecakes (you can buy halves, which is nice) are very good as is the marzipan-frosted carrot cake which I once had for my birthday, and was maybe my favorite birthday cake ever.
(5)
Sunil A.
Great local coffee shop and bakery. Plenty of seating indoors and outside with free Internet. Great place to grab some coffee and get some work done. Some of the tables need repair or changed out and more working plugs. Baked goods are good but not they best ever. Awesome cake designs.
(4)
April A.
In my opinion this place is over hyped. The baked goods and coffee are good if you are taking them to go. If on the other hand you want to sit with a friend and have a conversation it is not the place to go. I have stopped in a few times and its always the same scenario, dead silent and the patrons seem pissed if you speak. Is this a coffee shop or a library? I give them 3 points on the service and products but can't do more than that based on the atmosphere.
(3)
Melissa C.
Great pastries! Check 'em out!
(4)
Leang E.
I was supposed to be on my way to a friend's house to watch the Sunday night football game, and saw that the bakery was opened. This really surprised me for some reason, and reminded me that I had to get a birthday cake for my boss. So, I took a chance to see what the earliest date was that I could get a cake made. My boss loves key lime pie, and the bakery had this filling - so it was perfect. They also gave it a fish theme, since my boss likes to go fishing and just came back from a trip. They decorated it in a lovely light blue shade for the water and had green seaweeds frosting on the sides of the cake and a bright orange fish. It was beautiful, and tasted great too! It only took like a day and a half for them to make. I feel sorry for the staff because they are so busy, but I can certainly understand why - they make delicious stuff! The lady that helped me was very nice and accommodating. I was so tempted to buy other things here - the danishes and cupcakes. If you easily give in to temptation, you best stay away from this place. The cake was reasonably priced for the work that they did. Everyone at work liked the cake, too! I'll definitely be back here to try the other items. They have a nice outdoors seating area. Families come in here, as well as the snobby types who rudely interrupt you while you are getting helped on. It's dog friendly and there's free wireless.
(5)
Erin B.
Wow, I was a red velvet cake virgin until last night. I was so glad I conjured up the courage to try something new, and I was so happy I did. YUMMY! Their little mousse tarts were phenomenal too! Highly recommended!
(5)
Bianca J.
Best red velvet cupcakes in the city. I have no idea if the other stuff is good because that's the only thing I ever order!
(4)
Skylar C.
I had a cake made at this bakery for a special occasion and it was absolutely beautiful! It was also very delicious as well. I did try some of the pastries when I went to pick up the cake and I think I"ll have to go back very soon to try some more. It's also great to know from the reviews that they have free wireless.
(5)
Trish C.
Customer service? what happened guys? The staff is incredibly rude and uninterested (with the exception of one or two people), but the coffee is very good and the cupcakes are top notch. They also have a great lounge next door with free internet and is usually quiet and good for getting work done.
(3)
Trish B.
Alliance sees me every weekend for a bagel and coffee...or when I'm off of work, or it's a holiday and I need a special occasion cookie or cupcake. Working from home always turned into working at Alliance. A great addition to the UK Village that I hope never leaves, because I can't as long as it is there.
(5)
Natalie S.
One of the top 5 cupcakes of my life. Also, the black and white cookie. Live out all of your Seinfeld fantasies without actually having to be a self-centered asshole.
(5)
J K.
Agreed that not all the baked goods are top-notch, and the separate room thing has always struck me as odd, but I was there last week and the coconut macaroon bar is to die for.
(4)
susana e.
I've never been disappointed here. I bought a chocolate cheesecake a couple of weeks ago for my sister's birthday. It was heavenly. It was rich. Definitely didn't taste like those refrigerated cream cheese types. The consistency was more like a very dense mousse. My sister is a cheesecake connoisseur and she LOVED it. I tend to buy cupcakes here and they are always moist and fresh. I love the options in flavors and also, they look more like 'mini cakes' instead of the typical muffin (although they also have those). My favorite thing to get here (next to their olive baguette - soooo fresh!) are the cookies. They are fresh and delicious sugar cookies with stuff like "you suck" or "loser" written in frosting on them. I get them for my co-workers sometimes. They recently had some halloween cookies, and once even a Stewie Griffin (from Family Guy) cookie! They have a place to sit and relax next door, and in the summer, you can sit @ their sidewalk patio and watch yuppies walk their dogs who take craps right in front of you. By the way, they sell doggie treats in the shape of bones. I kinda want to try one :-o The staff is nice. Prices are reasonable. Their eggplant sandwich is one of my favorites. It's big and has hummus too. I'm not crazy about their other sandwiches, but their quiche looks quite good.
(5)
Ilina K.
Free internet and decent coffee, the baristas can be funny to interact with but are pretty useless when it comes to fast and efficient service. That's why I shamelessly go to Starbucks across the street when I'm not looking to make a night of it with my laptop. Filter-type crowd, but much quieter as people are actually working. They have cutesy elaborate cake window displays and a fantastic pastry selection. Everything I've eaten there that wasn't sweet was stale or just blah.
(3)
Jen T.
I can't say enough good things about their cakes!
(5)
Kevin M.
I randomly wandered in here one day to see what the crowd was all about. I'm usually not a big sweets guy, but this place really did it for me. Great cupcake (i believe it was the hazelnut). I keep meaning to go back here so hopefully I"ll get there soon.
(5)
Trent M.
Alliance is my bakery of choice in Chicago for a quick sweet snack or ready-made cakes. The carrot cake and Red Velvet are unmatched, the croissants are unbelievable, and their other assorted cookies and treats have never treated me wrong. Their fondant artist is STELLAR, the custom cakes are beautiful, classic yet modern... anyone needing a wedding cake in Chicago should give these guys a shot. Intelligensia coffee and free wifi are also added bonuses.
(5)
N Y.
good coffee and scones socially awkward staff
(2)
Jennifer G.
This place was really cute and JAM PACKED on a Saturday morning. I hate that pressure you feel when people are yelling, can I help you, are you ready, can I help someone.....of course, they are trying to be of service but it just makes me jittery and nervous. Anyway, I finally decided on the b& w cookie and a few macarons. Since it was really only a sampling of the many things they had, I hate giving such a blah review but....they were pretty blah and for 10.75 I just had 3 little macarons and 2 cookies. I appreciate the work that probably goes into the macarons but 1.50 for something the size of a quarter, not sure if I would do it again...
(3)
Tricia F.
This place is lucky to get 3 stars from me...seriously. PROS: good coffee, and good espresso drinks. really fun looking cakes. and they give away free dog bones---which is great if you're a dog. finally, the raspberry scone I had was really good. CONS: This place annoys the crap out of me. I can't figure out if I have bad luck when I go in there, or if my annoyance meter is weekening, because everyone else seems to love it. I go here when I have to because I refuse to walk into Starbucks...but EVERY time I do, some kid is behind the counter who seems to have half his/her brain cells in tact. I know that's harsh, but when the music is so loud they have to keep asking customers what they want there's just one option left to fix the problem (since they're already shouting): TURN DOWN THE ABSTRACT NOISE ROCK! note to barista: if a customer asks you: "What's a soy (something-or-other)?" Don't tell her: "I don't drink soy." That's not what she's asking. lastly, if they're going to charge $1++ for a small cookie, they better make damn well sure it's fresh.
(3)
Amanda M.
While the cakes are awesome, the cupcakes aren't so much. They are pretty dry which is such a disapointment. Also, when I was here last I tried a chocolate chip cookie which was *almost* as hard as a rock. Booo
(3)
Julia W.
Travels extremely well. To my thighs. Not really (well, yeah, actually...), but yes--Alliance Bakery goods travel very well--the tarts and cupcakes provided at the Elite event at Exhale last night were lovely and delicious. I think I should've stuck with the tarts, though, because that pumpkin cupcake was gargantuan--a good thing in a cupcake, to be sure--but maybe not-so-much when the Core Fusion class door opens and little stick women walk out as I shovel in more pumpkin-y goodness and blobs of rich cream cheese frosting.
(5)
Rachel B.
So I haven't tried the pastries and I've never ordered a cake, but the coffee's decent and I'm a BIG fan of the lounge area, which is one door down from the actual bakery. It's very quiet, the music is nice, and the seating is comfortable. This might not be ideal for everyone, but I KILL to find places like this to read, write and relax. Also, as someone who spends countless hours in libraries, this is SO not a library. The fast and password-free Wi-Fi is a huge plus--in fact, I'm writing this review on it right now.
(4)
Johan K.
Alliance has some of the most carefully crafted and beautifully put together cakes I have ever seen. They manage to merge creativity and quality taste to make their own indelible mark in the realm of baked goods. Make sure you stop through and experience this Chicago landmark.
(4)
Bruce N.
For a place that has such wonderful people working there, and for their delightfully elegant looking treats. Flavor and texture don't nearly meet the desire to pay $7 for a pastry again. The Lola is dry, flavorless, and the chocolate is probably carob. Cookies aren't moist or sweet-at all! The coffee is so bitter I went to Starbucks. The French Macaroons are delicious, and I've heard good things about the cake. And if you care about your dog, don't take the free biscuits. Me thinks not!
(2)
Julie H.
Alliance Bakery is one of my favorite spots in Wicker Park; I love how laid back the vibe is, yet it also has a very authentic Polish bakery feel. Lucky for me, I live around the corner and I get to walk past the window display of beautiful cakes every day! Aside from the coffee, some of the stand out items are the spinach/feta croissants, and the cupcakes (love the carrot, strawberry, and red velvet). In the summer, Alliance has a great place to sit outside and relax on Division, while in the winter it is a nice place to stop inside and warm up. Plus, my dog, Olive, loves the fresh baked dog biscuits. UPDATE: I finally made my first visit to the seating area next door to Alliance Bakery and it kind of sucked. First of all, a cloud of dust surrounds you the instant your ass hits the cushion of any seat in there. And god forbid you open your mouth to speak: one of the hipsters in there will shush you over the top of his or her laptop. My advice? Take their delicious cupcakes elsewhere so you can actually enjoy them!
(4)
Amy G.
My favorite coffee shop in the city! I'm an actuary, so I'm always on the lookout for a quiet place with wi-fi and yummy coffee to study all day. Not only does Alliance have those necessities, but their onion bagels are to die for - and they don't skimp on the cream cheese either. The pastries are so gorgeous, I have to pinch myself to avoid saying "one of everything please!" and ruin my diet. I've tried a few and have zero complaints. Staff is courteous. They have Intelligentsia coffee (my favorite!), free wi fi, and a room filled with quiet people that help motivate me to study. #70 bus picks me up three blocks from my apartment and drops me off half a block from my study haven.
(5)
Sharon Z.
Amazing cupcakes! I usually pick up a 1/2 dozen or so to bring to birthday gatherings (get a few varieties, cut them up and share). My mom absolutely loves the chocolate macaroons and I am now required to pick them up for her every time I head out to the burbs for a visit. The sidewalk cafe is a great place for coffee, a bagel, and newspaper on a warm Saturday morning. Bring your dog and he/she will get lots of friendly attention!
(4)
U P.
I've been craving red velvet cupcakes so I tried one here. It was very mediocre- won't go again. I love red velvet for its cheese cream frosting, and this one tasted more buttery and out of the can, than anything else. The dough was pretty gooey. It's not terrible, just not worth the money. For 32 cents more I get an AMAZING red velvet at Sugar Bliss in downtown. At least it made me stop craving red velvet now.
(3)
Kimberly C.
Alliance Bakery was the first stop on this weekends cupcake crawl. This place got some nice feedback on my recent talk thread so It was a must-see on the list. I'd like to make the point that this is a review of the cupcake we chose, and not of the entire bakery, but any bakery that makes BLACK AND WHITE COOKIES already has some serious street cred with me. I'll admit, I was totally distracted by the black and white cookies when I walked in. Hey, I was hung over. What do you expect? But I eventually got back to the quest. So, Ms. Ellen, her lovely boyfriend and I split a red velvet cupcake. Ms. Ellen did not like the cupcake (you can read her review below), her lovely boyfriend was "a big fan" and as he has never had a cupcake before (he's British) he admitted he really had nothing to compare it to. I really liked the choice. This was not a cutesy cupcake by any stretch of the imagination. In fact, it did not look much like a cupcake at all, it was just a small, round cake. The cake was dense and moist, not too sweet. The frosting had that perfect touch of savory and didn't stick around in your mouth. It wasn't the prettiest cupcake but for the $2 price, was well worth it. I think it makes a good statement about the quality of the bakery. I'll definitely be back for a dozen of something, a cake, or just a treat for passing the time away next door. And I loved that damn clock.
(4)
Trey M.
Super awesome treat selection, good coffee, plus a cool, completely separate room to shove my self-admittedly pretentious face into my Macbook. Is cool; feels cool.
(5)
Nana H.
I was just here on Tuesday, and hung out with a pack of wolf dogs while sitting outside. This is a great spot to stop by before you start strolling division. I wouldnt really drive around town just for this place though... I got a spring cookie- that was not only cute, but tasty ( not too sweet and just buttery enough) and a small coffee for i think $5.00 bucks. My cookie was like 2.25, and totally worth it, and shareable. I'd really like to get a cake here for my birthdayyy!
(4)
Cassandre P.
I'm sorry but I think I have a god-given right to judge a bakery by their cupcakes when they have them in the cases and are charging people for them. And I have to say that the cupcakes at Alliance are consistently dry and awful. Wait, scratch that. The 25 cent, two-day old Easter cupcakes I got there were EXCELLENT. My roommate got a freshly-made red velvet cupcake that tasted like chalk but my old chocolate cupcake with a big plastic bunny on it was moist and delicious. I also have had coffee that was so badly burnt that I had to throw it away. The only reason I give Alliance three stars instead of two is because their lemon bars make me feel warm and snuggly inside. Mmmmmmmm.
(3)
Michael S.
Alliance Rocks... They have the best coffee there and little pastries/treats all over the place. I used to go to get the Mexican hot chocolate which was wicked sweet. However they no longer serve the Mexican hot chocolate. Apparently the coco beans come from some remote region of Mexico and are exported via mule's. From there I think they might either Air lift them to Chicago or some sort of high speed freight train. Either way I love the Alliance Bakery & Cafe and if you are wise you will go there soon.
(5)
Ingrid G.
I go here almost every day. I was going to the starbucks across the street but it ws giving me some evil yupster vibes that were not fun in the morning, so I switched to Alliance. The gals at the counter are nice. I usually only get coffee. I always get a skim latte, medium. It is 3 dollars. Not bad. I have seen their cupcakes and cookies with witty sayings. Sure, they are witty but 2.50 or 3.00 seems like a lot of money to pay for a funny saying you could put on yourself. But you judge for yourself. They also have hummus in a cooler and sandwiches and bagels. But sometimes the sandwiches are stale. Oh yeah, also, one time these two old ladies were there, and they got a loaf of bread and asked to have it sliced. And they were told that Alliance no longer had a bread slicer. So don't expect to get your bread sliced there, buddy! UPDATE: Just found out Alliance was sold last week to a high end pastry chef. What will happen now?
(3)
Rachel Y.
I was in the area for a business meeting and had an hour to kill before it started, so I went to Alliance Bakery without every hearing of it before, bought a heated-up ham and cheese quiche and a vanilla latte. Not only were both items oh so tasty, but the comfort and ambiance of the study room next door was fantastic! I don't go to this neighborhood that often, but I may make excuses down the road to revisit!
(5)
Rachelle G.
After trying the delicious red velvet cupcakes at the recent Yelp event, I knew I had to stop by and check out the bakery for myself! Driving down Division, you can't miss it, there is a huge neon sign above the door. The bakery itself is a bit small, and has a few tables outside to comprise a patio. The prices were extremely reasonable. A whole cheesecake for $13, the red velvet cake for $20. Cupcakes averaged $2-3. One thing I should note is that the size of the actual cupcakes seems to be a tad smaller than those that were served at the Yelp event. They look delicious, however, it seems as if some of the nicer details may have been lost in the shuffle from kitchen to display case, as some of them were a bit mushed. They also were a bit dry, I prefer my cupcakes to be a bit more moist. Employees were nice and took the time to answer the few questions I had to the best of their abilities. I will definitely be coming back. I would be interested to see how others who only tasted the cupcakes at the Yelp event would rate the bakery after actually having gone to the store itself.
(4)
Maija T.
Why would you go to Starbucks when this is right across the street? I have to say though - I'm pretty sure you have to be hungover to work here. Which obviously isn't a problem with me. 4 stars... Oh wait, I'm obsessed with the cakes in the window. I have no idea how they make them with such detail - especially hungover like that.
(4)
Matt R.
For me, Alliance seems like a typical bakery serving every type of baked goods. Some items are better than others. Mostly everything is of fine quality. What is really outstanding are some of the specialty cakes Alliance displays in their window. If you're in the area, Alliance is definitely worth a try.
(3)
Erica S.
I popped in here while running errands because I desperately needed a snack. . I ordered a piece of focaccia expecting it would simply be something good enough to feed my face, but not make me crash. It was an inspired slice of baking. The bread was moist, spongy, and airy. It was lightly covered in a really flavorful, well-seasoned tomato spread that made the top really creamy. There might have been a little bit of cheese on top that contributed to the creaminess. Regardless, the foccacia is not to be missed.
(4)
Phillie P.
Kinda pricey for chocolate chip cookies... but then I had this macaroon that was definitely awesome and helped me with my sweet/chocolate fix. Yum! Can't really review it as a cafe because I haven't really been there as a cafe. Just a walk-in/buy something bakery.
(3)
Alicia V.
Alliance Bakery puts "Ace of Cakes and "Cake Boss" to shame. The European fine pastries are to die for like the mini cholotate eclair made with imported chocolate from France and dusted with gold. However, I also love their cupcakes, especially the coconut and chocolate with whip cream filling. The coffee drinks are great. Although, I can't wait for summertime when I can order the amazing Hibiscus drink. This one is a MUST try. The custom designed cakes are super impressive and delicious. Executive pastry chef Peter Rios is very talented. Chicago is lucky to have him. Now I see why he has been featured on Food Network and TLC. The bakery has a cute adjoining dining lounge with FREE wifi. Check out the new refrigerated, exotic and decadent desserts served in glass and topped with handblown colored sugar pieces. Wow!
(5)
Esther Y.
I agree with Cassie P. and I have to say, I am judging them on their cupcakes. Cupcakes = dry as hell. My cupcakes from a box were more moist than theirs. Cassie is a nicer person than I am, I couldn't give them more than 2 stars.
(2)
Bonnie H.
Alliance lounge is great. Saves me a 2.5 hour commute to the office on the days I need to upload large files. The people who work there are friendly. You can come and go as you please. I also like how they don't make you feel bad for being there for a long time. Think their food is okay. Have only tried their chocolate croissant. Tasted very good. Chocolate was rich but not too sweet, how I like it. Croissant flaky and buttery. Size could be larger. Turkey sandwich - bread is hard. The healthiest option they have for lunch. The only gripe i have is that sometimes i cannot sign onto their network. I've heard other customers complain at the cafe as well. I was still able to find a different network to sign onto, but it didn't have the same upload speed that i needed.
(4)
Jennifer P.
My favorite thing about this place is that I used to live a block away. Oh, how I dream of those better days (let's give a round of applause to building foreclosure!) ANYWAY. This place is seriously amazing. Great mug of coffee and I'm very keen on their almond croissant/cheese croissant/any croissant...basically i gained 10 lbs from eating these things and I'm OK with it. Their cookies are so-so. Cupcakes are usually good, especially the red velvet and carrot, unless you get a stinky old one that tastes like dry, crumbly garbage. Cakes displayed in the window automatically pull you in (it's like some creepy gravitational pull they must have). What's really awesome is that you can be extremely productive (for real) next door in the wi-fi lounge. Every chair is pretty much filled and if you even THINK about talking gossip in there with your friends, you will automatically feel ashamed and lazy in comparison to the surrounding people on their laptops. Yep, this place is pretty dang cool. My recommendation combo: coffee. croissant. that paper you put off writing.
(4)
Kira B.
Alliance is great! They use Intelligentsia for their coffee products and the pastries are always delicious. The lounge next door is comfortable and great for studying or doing work.
(4)
Hzl M.
i was looking to get a cake for my brothers baby shower; we went to a couple of places, and we liked alliance. i called multiple (4) times, i wanted the 1/2 sheet, red velvet, w cheese cheese frosting. this is where i get upset, all the times i called, their was a different ppl so i had to say "1/2 sheet, red velvet, w cheese cheese frosting," they always quoted me $88, all 4 times; however, when i ordered the cake, the total was $105.... i asked to speak to the manager, they said he was busy. the difference between $88 & $105 is $$17, thats not a lot, but if they had told me either the 1st or 2nd time, it would have been fine. i still bought the cake, but i told them i was gng to on yelp. so i did.
(2)
Gfiddy F.
I could not have been happier with everything from pistachio-pepperment and raspberry-rose macarons to a couple of the more unusual pastries, as well as the the beautiful and delicious cake. I used to think that I had to be so organic that I hand milled every grain of flour and bake everything at home when I provided eats for a party. I know this may sound ridiculous but I believed it - at any rate, thinking back on that unrealistic back-everything notion, I am above all relieved to stop by Alliance bakery instead. Also, very good quiche.
(5)
Mister S.
Ha! Friends don't let friends buy Starbucks! The sticker on the cash register makes me keep coming back. I always get coffee here on my way to roam about Wicker Park to do Wicker Parkish things.
(4)
xoxx C.
I got a birthday cake here and custom cookies for a couple friends birthday, the idea I had they nailed it. I tried a red velvet cupcake too and it was the best I've ever had from the chicagoland. Their tea is pretty good too. I would be a more frequent customer if it wasn't so far from me!
(4)
Ellen R.
This was a stop along the cupcake crawl yesterday. I wasn't inspired to say the least. I had the red velvet cupcake. The cake part had absolutely no flavor, I know it's red velvet and it doesn't have any particular flavor that one can describe but come on! Why take in all those calories to have a piece of flavorless crap? No thanks. The frosting was blah and the red substance drizzled on top was putrid. It tasted like pure chemicals, you know like the fake strawberry sauce used at low-par ice cream shops? Yeah that kind. Oh and the wrapping was quite possibly the most annoying thing to try to take off before consuming your treat. The appearance of the pastries overall, is pleasing. Nothing spectacular but pleasing. It definitely had a cozy, comfy, old fashioned bakery feel to it. The cakes are absolutely gorgeous and I highly recommend it for a special occasion cake as they seem to have a wonderful grasp on the proper usage of fondant icing. Make sure to check out the pics on the walls as well as their cake book for options. The staff there was, by far, the friendliest of all the bakeries visited yesterday. They look like the typical crunchy, grungy bunch you will find working at most Wicker Park establishments but they were informative and helpful. And, dare I say it, they smiled at us when we first walked in (ok maybe that was my overly optimistic, delighted mind at work playing tricks on me). The other bone I have to pick is the cleanliness. It just wasn't up to my standards. I felt as though at any moment I could be sharing cupcake bliss with a friendly neighborhood roach. Not very appealing. It's definitely not the worst I've seen and it wasn't horrible but I would havepreferred it to be a bit more tidy. It wasn't a bad experience and if I have the occasion to order a cake this is the place I would go back to hands down. If you are just looking for a sweet I would say to skip it, get your calories somewhere else.
(2)
B H.
I am sooo in LOVE with their cupcakes-esp. red velvet. Also the almond croissant is to die for. A great bakery that I am still trying to try new things each time I visit...and still haven't had everything or any complaints. Did I tell you I LOVE this place!? Please take me next time you go!
(5)
Manda H.
for the time being I'm giving 2 stars, I do plan on coming back and trying a few new things. The cakes in the display window are amazing by the way. As for the food I tried, I purchased a cupcake and the chocolate flour-less cake. Both were an, Eh, in my book. I didn't feel that there was anything over and beyond what I could get at any other bakery. There were a few other sweets that I would like to try, including the usual sprinkled cookie's. Hopefully I will be able to change my rating experience on my next visit.
(2)
Stacey P.
I liked my cupcake here from here, and tried a friends and also liked hers. I've only had cupcakes though, so can't speak for the other stuff. Both people in the store were nice and helpful. I'm super indecisive and they actually helped me to pick a cupcake in record time!
(4)
Bonnie G.
While the hazelnut cupcake's best part was the chocolate frosting, the service here was great. They had so many options for coffee drinks, all available with soy, that is blew my mind...so I asked for decaf. How lame am I? I was walking out of the clean, well-lit bakery when I took a sip...and it wasn't very warm. The very bane of the decaf-drinkers existance. I know I know...what the FUCK is the point of drinking decaf? But I ...I love the taste of coffee but the caffiene makes me tweak out, and crash and burn horribly, resulting in a mug shot resembling NIck Nolte. ANYWAY. So I ask the sweet woman there if she can just nuke it or something (it was kind of chilly out there). And she said...she would just make a new pot. How cool is that? So I ended up smoking cigarettes outside, making conversation, nibbling on my yummy frosting and she even brought the cup out and got me soy milk to put in it. Now THAT is sweetness-even for a bakery!
(5)
Jared H.
Good Coffee- but they need a door from the shop to the lounge .. in my humble opinion.
(4)
Diana N.
I have a love-hate relationship with Alliance. I used to spend hours and hours using their free wireless and basically mainlining their house coffee. But I walk by Alliance everyday and feel a little resentful towards the place. I'm not one to support Starbucks (one and a half blocks east on Division) but frankly, if I'm stopping for coffee on my way to the Blue Line, I'm stopping at Starbucks. And to tell you the truth, I despise Starbucks' black coffee, but I can't take the risk with Alliance. 9 times out of 10 in the morning, it's going to take upwards of 6 minutes to get my coffee at Alliance, but I've waited more than 15 minutes for the baristas to get their acts together. While the cakes in the window and the pastries in the display cases are mouthwatering, they look better than they taste. And I'm the type of person that will take all manner of abuse from baristas, servers, or hostesses if the product is good. But their cupcakes are dry and crumbly, the croissants look delicious but are always half-burnt, and a medium coffee will run you $2.25, AND they make you wait for it. In addition, the tables in the "study" area are creaky and off-balance. When you're trying to type and every depression of the keys makes your table rock and the tattoo-ed philosophy student next to you glare menacingly, it kinda makes you resent Alliance and the world at large. But I still go there. Love-hate relationship, I told you.
(2)
Kristina B.
If you love the smell of fresh bread and cookies baking, go here. If you love the TASTE of fresh bread and cookies even more, you REALLY need to go here. The smells are wonderful, and the tastes are even better. The people there are super friendly and almost always willing to accomodate your order. And get some cookies while you're there. They're DE-lish!
(4)
Nash G.
Great coffee, great pastries. I may be a tad partial, since I used to live upstairs (my entire apartment would smell like baking bread by 4:30 in the morning), but if you're in or near the neighborhood, you should definitely give this place a shot.
(4)
Nina G.
Charlie - I think what happened here is not unique to the bakery. Judging from other stories I've heard over the years, what happened was probably this: It was a slow night, the employees were anxious to go home, so they cashed out early. Serving another customer meant re-opening the cash box and working beyond closing time. I was guilty of doing this myself - once. The boss heard about it and politely but firmly explained that retail is a "customer service" business and the customer must be served if his/her body is on the premises any time before the official closing time. The four stars here are for the pastries and home-made caramel candies, which I find to be almost uniformly excellent. Too bad the Hot Cross Buns, sold before Easter, were either dry and hard, or already sold-out.
(4)
Jourdan S.
see first review
(2)
Peter L.
Tried a few things in the bakery and they were pretty decent. Key lime bar and turtle brownie. Just a warning -- the study hall next door is like super quiet. Kind of like a hipster library. Some people get things done when it's silent, but it drives me crazy. And then when one person gets a phone call, everyone in the place can hear the whole conversation. The people who work there are nice though.
(3)
Deanna C.
I have procured 3 cakes from Alliance for other people's birthdays, wedding and baby showers. Each time, the guests (many of whom I didn't know personally) have come to me and asked me where the cake was from, and used the words "best cake I have ever had." I am more popular, have smoother skin, shinier hair and am thinner when I bring one of these cakes.
(4)
Yaidi A.
I live off their Hummos & spinage dip. Their specials are incredibly cheap, and the fact they have free wi-fi? Heck, it's home for any compu-reading nerd. -Yaidi
(4)
Melanie D.
Amazing, amazing, amazing croissants and coffee. I don't need to go to France if I can go here. Well, okay, I'm totally exaggerating--but the croissants are that good, it's hard to stop at just one.
(4)
jame s.
If you think firm cake and stiff frosting is good, then this is your cupcake destination. The frosting on the red velvet cupcake was yummy cream cheesy and smooth, but the frosting on the vanilla cupcake was literally stiff. When I bit into it, the entire layer of frosting lifted off the cupcake. The red velvet cake was fairly moist and palatable and the vanilla cake wasn't all that memorable. Now, they do get points for colorful frosting, but my first criteria for frosting is creamy! As for price, I did not feel sticker shock.
(3)
Kristina F.
I used to have the pleasure of walking past Alliance every morning on the way to work. Even on the very few days I didn't go in, it was fun to take a look at the beautiful cakes in the window (the Halloween display was great) and the selection of treats is broad and wonderful. The staff is friendly and will come to know you if you're a regular. It's always nice to be greated by a friendly acquaintance handing you a tasty treat in the morning. They also have a jar of free dog treats for your best furry friend. Highly recommend it! P.S. Sorry to the person who had a bad experience with the eggplant sandwich. It's actually one of my favorites and one I've purchased repeatedly. The peppered foccaccia is superb.
(5)
Iris F.
I'm not going back, the lady was pretty snippy and it hasn't been the first time. The pastries are okay, I've had better. See ya.
(2)
Theresa K.
Some of the best cupcakes I've tried in Chicago!
(5)
Beth N.
We chose Alliance for our wedding cake because we wanted a small bakery in our neighborhood. Alliance really delivered! Our cake was beautiful and incredibly delicious. Our guests raved about both flavors--chocolate cake with vanilla pastry creme and white cake with raspberry filling. Our tasting was a wonderful experience, professional and delicious. Lindsey was very helpful in working with us to choose design options that suited our tastes and budget. I'm not an easy person to work with when it comes to design, but Lindsey accommodated my desires with the utmost professionalism. My bachelorette party cake was also from Alliance and was, in a word, amazing. If you need a cake for anything get your buns to Alliance.
(5)
Rachel H.
I came into Alliance in search of a substitute for my beloved pumpkin cookie, star of a now defunct bakery in my hometown. The cookie here wasn't an exact match but it was worth the $2 I paid for it. The service was friendly, they have a ton of seasonal coffee drinks as well as caramel apple cider, and seriously if you can't wait til Christmas time for a gingerbread latte, you can get one here. Everything in here looks delicious. Mmm sugar.
(4)
Coco C.
Cupcakes - subpar. They've always been dry as dust when I've gotten them (and I've tried them mutiple times). And not delicious-but-dry, just dry. Paczyki - deeeee-licious! Though I had them in 2006, and my sister just had them this year and said they were, what else, dry. I like the cakes they have in the window, though...
(3)
Mika K.
I recently went to Alliance to order some cupcakes for my sisters birthday party. I went a couple days before hand because I was going to be out of town and made my order. I was very specific on what I wanted and the woman behind the counter was rather rude as I made my order, but I stayed polite and paid for my order making sure that it would be ready a few days later in order for the party. She assured me multiple times that they would be ready. So, the day of the pickup I got a phone call from my sister saying that they had no record of an order and she was not able to pick up the cupcakes for her birthday party. I would not have written a review if I thought it was a one time thing but right after this I heard a story of a cake being ordered and not delivered as it had been promised for an anniversary. I would not count on Alliance to cater any thing for a special occasion that is for sure!
(1)
Corinna K.
I still love this place and I love the accommodating staff, but it's not vegan-friendly. I know that I shouldn't expect much from a bakery, but there's only one thing that's semi-vegan-friendly and it contains honey. I just like to go here for a coffee or tea and to use the lounge. This is one of the few coffee shops I've found in Chicago where people actually go to study or write.
(4)
Clare K.
hint: don't make a red velvet cupcake if you apparently don't know what it is. it is NOT a white cupcake with lots of red food coloring and splotches of batter that missed being colored. gross. that being said--the chocolate with vanilla frosting was the best standard flavor. nice, substantial cupcakes and i like the wrappers they bake them in. the vanilla cake is a little dry though. the seasonal pumpkin cupcake was DIVINE. moist without being gummy/chewy like they sometimes can be. perfect cream cheese frosting. a definite winner.
(3)
Meghan B.
love, love, love. go and get one of the amazing banana cupcakes... mmmm... it's filled with chocolate and has delicious frosting. i've had nearly all of their cupcakes, but that banana one sticks with me. so yummy. counter staff is helpful and nice :)
(5)
Zach C.
I got a cheese danish and it was pretty good. I wouldn't say go out of your way to go there or call home about it but if you are in the area stop by. It is good for breakfast and their coffee is pretty awesome.
(3)
Briana J.
There was nothing about this place I liked.....which is odd because I love baked goods. However, both my strawberry/lemon cupcake and my double layer chocolate cherry bar were crap. They both did not taste fresh. Additionally, I had to seek out help...apparently standing in front of the cupcakes with my wallet out was not an indication that I was wanting to purchase something!
(1)
Laura A.
I live across the street from this place. I managed to avoid it for several months, but now I go in once a week to treat myself to a red velvet cupcake. Actually, I lied... it's more like 2 red velvet cupcakes, 3 black and white cookies, and a croissant. I always take it to go and walk back across the street to my apartment so I can begin the self-loathing...
(4)
Bright N.
I went to Alliance Bakery today around 4:00 pm. The wonderful cakes in the window make you want to go in. There were two counters with one person ordering at each one. So we waited behind one of those people thinking that we would be next. While waiting a few other people came in. They waited on one other person at "the other" counter and TWO other people at the counter where we were standing waiting to order. There were at least three employees behind the counters waiting on people. They would have taken another customer before us as well if we hadn't finally said something. I know, we should have said something immediately but we try to be nice, it happens so fast and then you figure ok well no big deal we will be next...however, that did not happen in this case. (We were standing right up at the counter looking at the employees. In case you are thinking maybe we were off to the side or doing something else. We were right in front of them ready to order!) There was a strange feeling inside of Alliance Bakery. If they had taken our order right away we would have ordered more. So we ordered 4 cupcakes : 1 (unfilled) Red Velvet, 1 Carrot Cake, 1 German Chocolate, 1 Banana. Three out of four of these small cupcakes were dry and didn't taste like much. If your stock is old then you put it in a day old bin and sell it half price or you remove it from the case and do not serve it. They were so bad we could not believe it. The red velvet was not bad. It was fresher. It was not great though. What a waste of our money and time! We have been plenty of places where people act like they are the greatest thing ever. The difference is that they take a customer's order promptly....and they actually have a reason to act that way...they serve good tasting quality food. We have also been places that will not serve you something if it is not fresh. They do not want you to get a poor impression of the quality of their items. I respect that. We often give places a second or third chance. Alliance will not be getting a second or third chance to take our money. My recommendation - don't waste your time or money here. There are good places within walking distance.
(1)
Julia C.
I'm not sure how anyone could refer to Alliance Bakery as horrible. I havent tried their cookies, but the cakes and cupcakes are some of the best I've found in Chicago. I can't even walk by this bakery anymore because I can't help but buy 5 cupcakes!
(5)
andy b.
Place is small and crouded. Yet the food and coffee are AWESOME. Not a good place to hang out... but if you want to drive by jump out of the car and get a great treat, this is your stop.
(4)
Emma L.
They make the most amazing cakes ever! I've never actually been in the store, but I've been to a few parties with an Alliance Cake. Beautiful and they taste amazing!
(5)
Melanie B.
alliance has amazing croissants. if i wanted to get fat, i would eat them all the time. as it is, once a week is prolly too much -- but still. they're very, very good. try the chocolate! or the raspberry... we stumbled upon alliance one day and ended up getting a carrot cheesecake bar. hello. amazing. we couldn't stop oooing and ahhhing. the only thing i wish could change about alliance is their customer service. i've seen them be extremely friendly with regulars -- but my gf and i have been in at least a dozen times in the recent past and they still hardly look at us during our transaction. the last time, they began to help another customer before they'd even given us our change. is this a trend with bakers? still, i'll never stop being french and loving croissants, and all i know is alliance has done 'em right.
(4)
Rebekah K.
Good coffee, but not great. I have only had savory here, so I may be skewed... but they microwave their quiche into a rubbery mess, and their bread is scratch your throat dry or worthlessly soggy, their wrapped sandwiches are very displeasing and expensive. The staff was not specifically ruuuuude but kind of snotty and impatient, and charging for refills at the price they charge for a cup? Ok, it's $.50, but still! I seem to be the worst review on here, so if you like the sweet stuff this place seems to be where it is at.. As for the free wifi, Filter and some Starbucks still charge, but there is a ton of free Wifi all over the city now; Even laundromats have it!
(2)
Oona B.
despite the yippies (yippies + hippies), typing on their ibook, listening to their ipods and jibbering on their iphones, this cafe is a nice place to get coffee, bite into sweet treats and surf on free wi-fi.
(5)
Rob L.
I've been here a few times, including the cupcake crawl of '07. (Strange I thought I had written a review at the time) I've had their sandwiches, cupcakes and brownies. The actual bakery seems a little cramped, but come warmer weather there is more than ample space outside and their loungey coffee shop atmosphere room next door. The sandwich I got was a very tasty tomato, pesto and fresh mozzarella on a wonderful crusty bread. The bread was great, the mozzarella was tasty and the rest was good. The cupcakes I thought were good, but a little too much for me. When I think of a cupcake I think of a little cake that I can eat in three or five bites, here they are a little dense, much more like a small cake, (yes, I know that cupcakes were originally meant to be tester cake portions...), but a little overwhelming. Their brownies are ok, not great, but ok. The service can be okay too, I've had really great service, but also slow service with a meh kinda attitude. A little out of my way, but I don't mind stopping by here when in the area.
(4)
cathy a.
i have ordered two cakes from alliance - one for a wedding shower (almond cake with vanilla buttercream frosting...amazing!) and the other for my son's first birthday (chocolate with a hazelnut/praline mousse). both were outstanding - moist, delicious, reasonably priced, and beautifully decorated. the decoration on my son's birthday cake was fantastic (they replicated his invitation motif perfectly!) - we (and our guests) were incredibly impressed. honorary mention to their stock Niagara Falls cake, which is also a favorite in our house! thanks again, alliance!
(5)
Emily S.
Got my wedding cake (carrot cake) from Alliance. It was beautiful and guests really liked it. It was a little pricey, but the cake came out just as I wanted it. I would recommend if you are looking for a wedding cake.
(5)
Jackie S.
Was once my favorite bakery in my once favorite neighborhood. Still has good Intelligentsia coffee, but the pastries are dry.
(3)
Sony L.
gorgeous display cakes, even more scrumptious desserts (personally tried the keylime bars, choco cookie, carrot cupcake, and bread pudding) with good portions, and of course free wifi with functional electrical outlets to work/study! good studying place as room on the side usually quiet. what more can i ask for? oh yeah, and their coffee is good. only weird part is that their room for people to hang out is COMPLETELY separate from where they sell their goodies... maybe consider putting a door in the wall to connect the two??
(5)
Kelli T.
alliance is my stop most mornings. the thought of that intelligentsia espresso is what drags me out of bed. i'm a fan of straight up espresso over ice with some half and half thrown in (to widen the waitline). but now that it's cold weather i need to find a new drink of the day. most of the people behind the bar recognize me at this point...and are even offering suggestions for my new warm drink of choice for the bitter mornings. i like their suggestions. maybe i'll just mix it up all winter. i like the attention.
(5)
Lee P.
What can I say. If you haven't tried this place yet, DO IT. They make you feel at home.
(4)
Finger S.
The baked goods and coffee are great, however if your going there for the internet, you'd better bring a book or a newspaper because it is so slow, you'd be better off going across the street to blend.
(3)
Tracy M.
Absolutely delicious! I could eat those fruit tarts all day long and I was actually just thinking I may have them cater a holiday party for me so I can enjoy the leftovers! They also make some really creative, not to mention delicious, cakes.
(5)
Michelle C.
This is newly my favorite place to spend cafe time. The baked goods are delicous - not overly sweet, wholesome-tasting and elegant, but the real stand-out is the space! Seating is in a different storefront than the bakery/cafe counter, so it's freaking QUIET and wonderful! Comfortable enough seating, well-lit, patronized by considerate (and generally not bad-looking 20 - 40 year olds... like a library but you can have your cake and eat it too! Free wireless...
(4)
Chicago 1.
I wanted to like them more. Really, really wanted to like them as I am not used to dropping close to $200 on a birthday cake for 20 people. I asked for a cake with a man in a boat and emailed them a picture of the boat, mentioned in the phone conversation that the boat was white and green. Did not send them a picture of my husband (actually didn't think of it), so the appearance of the boat was really the only tie to it being my husband driving the boat. And they got the colors wrong. So it looked nothing like the boat I sent a picture of. They did try and rectify it, but at that point they could only add another stripe of the color everything was supposed to be. No one got the joke. The cake was huge, but pretty much everyone took one bite and left the rest to be thrown out. The remainder is in my freezer and even my kids are not asking for it. sigh. I really wanted to like this place. I really wanted to feel justified in buying a cake 10x the price of one at Dominick's . But no dice. The macaroons are tasty, but not worth the trip from the 'burbs.
(2)
Michael P.
living near by i frequent alliance for the cupcakes for sure - where else can you get red velvet cupcakes and they are awesome - they have wonderful baked goods and their larger cakes are out of this world - in the morning i USED to like stopping by for all the hotties on the way to work - but the negative snarky attitude of the staff is a major put off - well now is a great time to start my carb free diet -and now there is sweet cakes and i just found Bleeding Heart YUM
(2)
Tisha W.
There are so many good things to say about Alliance: free wi-fi, plenty of space, cool clientele, lots of light, an outdoor seating area in the summer, and it tends to be really quiet (partially because cellphones don't seem to work in the building). My experience with their food has been a little hit or miss. The cranberry bar is out of this world, as are the cupcakes, but I wouldn't recommend the lemon bar. The cookies are generally rock hard, they always seem to have 10 different kinds of sugar cookies, and a friend once had a very unfortunate experience with an eggplant sandwich. Overall though, Alliance is great and one of my favorite places in the city.
(5)
Nancy T.
Alliance created the most wonderful 40 cupcakes for my baby shower. My favorite was the red velvet, but the vanilla, chocolate and carrot cake were also amazing. This is a great place to cater your dessert bar or to stop in for a quick bite. They have great teas for enjoying in their too-cool sidewalk area.
(4)
k s.
I wish I had an occassion to order a cake. They do look amazing. I like the baked goods straight from the display case. The quiche is even tasty. I haven't tried out the new annex next door, but, maybe, maybe, if my treats make if next door...
(5)
One T.
This is one of my favorite summer spots. Get some iced coffee, a good book and a seat out in the patio. Nice and relaxing and makes you feel pleasantly alone in a big city . **Add this part on 12.27.07 Of late I've been getting friend's birthday cakes there, which have always been a huge splash at their parties. They're a bit pricey but well worth it, in every way. Normally when my friends have birthday parties no one really eats the cake, but every time I bring an Alliance cake they get eaten within a half hour. Also, their cupcakes are great. My fiancee and I always stop in here to grab treats and coffee when we visit my friend who lives a block away and they love it! so, yeah, I dig the place and you should definitely check it out.
(5)
Kurt O.
Alliance is a great spot to sit and sip an Inteligencia brew on a Saturday morning and watch the world go by. The cakes are excellent. The cupcakes are even better -- like best in the city (forget that 'cupcake' place in Lakeview). My wife raves about the apple turnovers, though I find some of their pastries to be a bit tough, like they don't use enough butter, at least compared to some of the old school bakeries in the city where you need a lesson in Polish before you order and a cholesterol test before you leave. (See Weber's bakery on Archer).
(4)
Max E.
I have ordered my niece's birthday cake from here every year (going on 3 years now - she'll be 4) and they've been fabulous! For her 2nd birthday, the theme was a luau and they created standing palm trees, etc. It wowed everyone! Last year was the ballerina cake and this year...dinosaurs. (Can't wait to see what they'll do!) The cakes are as delicious as they are creative.
(5)
Patrick F.
For sugarhounds, a nice selection of cookies, cupcakes (so good!), brownies, and other pastries awaits at alliance. They also offer fresh breads, coffee drinks, and sandwiches. The next door seating area has free wireless internet, so you can enjoy some goodies while being productive. I have also had the pleasure of enjoying an Alliance prepared birthday cake (red velvet with fresh rasberry filling) and it was fantastic!
(5)
Nicole S.
My nail tech just moved to a salon down the street from Alliance so I came across the place by accident (pulling up to park at the MUTHAFRIGGIN HIGH @$$ Parking Meter). So anyway..... as I walked by I noticed all the cutesy pastries in the window. On my way out since I still had 5 minutes on the meter so I went inside to grab something. Everything "looked" good. I decided to try the cupcakes in three different flavors. First of all the cupcakes are way overpriced. I don't care how cute they are. Give me a an ugly cupcake at a reasonable price. I got one chocoloate/chocolate, one red velvet, and one carrot cake. The chocoloate was super dry. I actually had to stop and get something to drink. The red velvet was good especially the frosting. However, I'm not sure how the carrot cake was because when I went to eat it the next morning with coffee it was super dry and the frosty was rubbery. This pissed me off. They should package them to last at least a day. They should also lower their prices or at least offer a package deal like 3 for 5 or something like that. 2.75 is WAY TOO MUCH. We are talking about flour, eggs, sugar......... I've had better cupcakes from Dominicks.
(2)
Michelle W.
This place has amazing sweets, definitely good enough to put a wrench any diet. The designs and decorations of Alliance can even make you look as you are driving by. Kudos to them for having an outdoor patio in the summer months. One of the things that makes Chicago and Wicker Park very cool!
(4)
Brandon T.
This place is not too shabby. It's not that bad. If there was a 4.5, I'd give it to them, but there isn't. They can still make improvements. Well, the coffee there is not bad, although I prefer coffee from Atomix and the Barista Coffeehouse place. Now, this spot has some nice cakes. The thing that hits me is the cakes. The cakes are really good. Everything else I really haven't tried, and I can't say I recommend it, except for the cookies. The cookies are pretty good. Now, this is an independant business, so give them credit. Of course they can improve on a few things, but I think it's a decent place. The only thing they can use is some more space, maybe nicer staff, and to experiment on some of their "goodies" in order to get the best flavor and texture. I recommend it for the cake, and cookies. Everything else, you are on your own. Not a bad spot at all. Oh, did I mention, Free Wi-Fi? P.S. Don't bring your desktop. ;)
(4)
robert q.
Alliance is a bakery that doubles as a decent coffee shop. The coffee shop part is a bit strange, because it's not attached to the bakery part. I don't know why they couldn't figure out a way to put a hallway connecting the two, but all right. You buy your coffee and walk down two doors to the 'Alliance lounge', a living room full of a mixture of vintage furniture, cafeteria tables, and absolutely dead silent people with their faces buried in laptops. There's a serious "college library on finals week" vibe to the place, which can be great if you're like me and you go to coffee shops to escape the numerous distractions in your apartment. Also, the 'lounge' is curiously lacking in outlets, considering how many students hang out here, and some are even dead. You guys couldn't spring for an electrician? The coffee was decent, but nothing to write home about. I also got an overpriced albeit delicious croissant. I'll be back.
(3)
Laila K.
we checked out Alliance on Sunday for the Yelp knitting event. since my birthday is coming up, we've been on a search for a place that has beautiful AND tasty cakes (it seems the two ideas can't be found together without spending tons of money). Alliance blew us away. We tried the pumpkin cupcake, which was moist and tasty, like a lovely pumpkin bread with yummy cream cheese frosting. the vanilla actually tasted like vanilla, with again a perfect texture. the red velvet is close to perfect deliciousness with a subtly fruity flavored and cream cheese frosting. But the BEST is the hazelut cupcake, now i'm not a huge fan of chocolate frosting (I prefer my chocolate in the more dense truffle or bar form) but this fudgy frosting was great, rich and deep not overly sweet. The hazelnut cupcake has this great aroma and rich flavor that pairs well with the chocolate (I could also see it pairing well with a cherry or berry preserve filling if being used for a cake). Despite the fact that there was a line out the door, the employees spent time with us discussing options for custom cakes, good combinations, their most popular selections, etc. turn around for custom cakes is quick, service is great, designs are beautiful and innovative, and best of all the taste is hands down the best! what more could you want
(5)
K J.
Dangeriously delicious cookies.
(4)
yvette n.
this place is terrible. I have received some old sandwiches, cakes, and cookies. The cookies are pretty but tasted horrible! one time my server couldn't even get the change right, totally off. They do have good cupcakes though. However, I would rather go to milk and honey up the street.
(2)
Lynnette T.
the macarons are really not good. i don't think they even use almond flour. i will say, though, that the buttercream in the chocolate one was really good. but after spending $20 on those cookies, you would think more than just the buttercream would be good. this was the first time i've been here - passed by during do division - and it was really really busy, so it must be good. i'd give it another go - all these positive reviews can't be wrong. i just know i won't be trying the macarons again.
(2)
Zachary A.
good coffee, awesome pretty pastries... the cakes are beautiful. tv cakes. free wifi is a rarity and a BIG plus in this city. the seating next door makes me feel at home... it really feels like they ripped this place out of the faubourg-marigny. kudos, alliance. kudos.
(5)
daniel t.
why oh why does your internet go out all the time? great cupcakes
(2)
Hannah H.
My cousin and I came here to try out their French macarons - We shared a Passion Fruit and a Lemon Poppy Seed - I preferred the latter as it had a great amount of poppy seeds on its exterior with a lemon curd filling in the middle; nice and tart. The passion fruit was okay, but it was more on the sweeter side. There was limited seating inside, but we were happy to take it to go. +Lemon Poppy Seed macaron
(3)
Kelsey G.
Pastries were good. The key lime tart was my favorite dish of the night. So creamy and good!! Could eat those over and over again! Chocolate chip cookie was good as well! Customer service wise, Alliance employees were nice and helpful when it came to suggestions. This was my first time and I wanted to check it out. Only one thing turned me off, the male barista making the drinks had a shirt on that was a sleeveless, and it was 40 degrees out. I thought it was GROSS!! As he reached for different materials you could see his arm hair. What if arm pit hair or sweat dropped into a drink. I work in the food industry and I know how warm it can get overtime moving around but keeping things like arm pits covered is important and also sanitary. Better safe than sorry.
(3)
Rafia J.
Very cute little bakery. Ordered Lola and macaroons and they were both delicious! Will def go back!
(3)
Evelyn R.
I had a custom cake made from here for my sisters baby shower over the weekend and it turned out to be fabulous!! From the beginning they made the process so simple (1st time getting a custom cake) & they were so helpful. I gave them a picture of what I wanted and they estimated it for me and it turned out just right! And it was super delicious! So many compliments on how it looked and how it tasted. I did a great job choosing Alliance for this special occasion and they did great in every way in return. I want to thank Jory and everyone else there for making this special day/event even more special with such a great cake!!! Thank you! PS.. The cupcakes , macaroons, & coffee are all worth it here too!!! So happy I found this place.. I will definitely come back for all they have to offer!
(5)
Andrea T.
Alliance Bakery & Cafe made my wedding cake and it was delicious. We worked with Jennifer. At the tasting, everything was so good, we used all three flavors - vanilla with vanilla pastry cream on the bottom, chocolate with chocolate fudge in the middle and red velvet on top. Hint: don't miss the Italian Meringue Buttercream - it's divine. When picking our bakery, flavor was our biggest priority, not decoration. I'd rather have a great-tasting cake than a masterpiece that has little flavor. That said, I still think my cake tasted great AND was beautiful. I'd use Alliance again in the future and am looking forward to my free 1-year anniversary cake :)
(5)
Allan A.
I wanted a Star Trek cake to surprise my cousin with for his birthday. I e-mailed Alliance and they responded within a day with a link to several Google images for Star Trek cake designs. I found one that I really liked, and continued to communicate via e-mail to discuss pricing, size of the cake, and other details related to the order. The whole ordering & communication process went very smoothly and I even spoke with someone else to place the order and the experience was very easy. Now, the best part, the cake was AMAZING. And it was beautiful! The cake was made exactly like the image I selected on-line (from Google, not from an Alliance bakery gallery mind you). I ordered vanilla cake with buttercream frosting. The taste, moisture, icing, everything was wonderful. My cousin, who has lived in Chicago for 15 years was very impressed. And we all enjoyed the delicious cake and beautiful design. And, the second best part, this cake kept in my fridge for another week (maybe longer), and besides the cake parts that were exposed to air - of course they dried out a bit - but when sliced off there was only fresh, moist, sponge like caky goodness inside. So I enjoyed the cake two more times before I finally parted ways with it. I would definitely order a cake from Alliance again. And I'm excited to see what other kinds of designs & creations they can come up with. Highly impressed, I will return!
(5)
Teresa N.
We stumbled upon this place while walking around wicker park. So glad we decided to step inside! The workers are super friendly and even took the time to jot down a few places for us to check out while in town. Their cheesecake was also really tasty. We'll be back next time we visit Chicago!
(5)
April S.
Macaroons and cappuccino are the BEST I have ever had!! Take it from a foodie and JUST GO!!
(5)
Jay I.
This place is separated into two parts, which seem to look like two separate places if you didn't figure it out. There is a bakery with no seating, but then right next door, there is an unattended space with table and couch in which you can freely sit and do whatever. They provide complementary wifi, and the table is larger. Since this part is very quiet you will be able to get some work done. As for the food I liked the macarons and almond croissant. I saw the cronut the other day (only serves on weekends). Looks like it is quite popular since they were all gone when I went back an hour later. Compared to Cafe street this is more of a bakery shop when a lot of baked goods. Definitely worth a try.
(4)
Rebecca R.
Crazy little bakery with a place to sit and work or chat next door. Order your coffee and head back outside and over to find a space in the converted house full of chairs, couches, and tables. Coffee is pretty good and the bakery items are ok too. Cakes looks so awesome but I have never had the opportunity to taste one.
(4)
Peg C.
A big shoutout to the creative people at Alliance. My teen wanted a fondant cake shaped like a Napoleonic/ Revolutionary War colonel's hat--they are obsessed with Alexander Hamilton and there's a famous painting showing him wearing one. The bakers and decorators supplied us with a very good rendering of the hat, complete with a medallion inscribed to the birthday kid. I had been wary of the idea of a decorated cake like this, I had heard tales of dry uneatable cake and weird tasting fondant. But the red velvet cake was moist and delicious, the cream cheese filling very tasty, and even tho the fondant is almost pure sugar, it wasn't too bad. We made all arrangements over the phone, they created the cake based on images I sent them via email, it was all very painless. Not cheap, but worth it for the offspring's golden birthday.
(5)
Lauren A.
I ordered a cake from Alliance last weekend for a baby shower I was hosting and it was literally the best cake I have ever had in my entire life. I was dreaming about it that night and then daydreaming about it the next day. I am not much of a cake person, but obviously that is only because I have been wasting my time eating crappy cake. Best cake ever.
(5)
Patrick S.
Had a specialty cake made for my boyfriend's 30th birthday. I brought them my idea and they delivered way beyond my expectations (which were high to begin with -- have you SEEN the cakes in their window?). Not only did the design come out great, the cake tasted good too. The staff was very friendly and easy to work with. I also snagged a chocolate praline cronut while I was waiting for them to package up the cake -- delicious. Highly recommend, especially for specialty cakes!
(5)
Allison R.
Came here on a food walking tour - Sidewalk Food Tours of Chicago so I was only able to sample the french macaroons. Flavors were innovative. I tried the Rose and it was floral, nicely colored, and moist. I was visiting from San Francisco so feel like I've had better but it was a nice finish to the day. Overall the display cases looked nice and the service was friendly.
(3)
Cheryl I.
Thanks Alliance Bakery for making my friends 30th bday an amazing one! She absolutely loved her cake and it turned out better than we could have ever imagined.
(5)
Thea K.
I was first attracted by the ridiculously talented cake decorating in the window the last night, then today I had a craving for cookies, and found the TASTIEST vegan choco chip cookies here, so chocolatey and chewy (which to someone with egg and dairy intolerances and a well-developed sweet-tooth like myself is like finding a golden goose). The fella behind the counter was so charming that if I lived in Chicago I'd make him my friend; he even did a Cookie Monster impression for us. I wish I could teleport this place home with me.
(5)
Phill C.
Checking out a new bakery is always fun, because there's a chance I might strike gold and find my favorite dessert on Earth - the French Macaron. You know, the little pastries that look like tiny burgers, that come in dozens of different flavors and colors. The macarons here are a bargain compared to other places that make quality macarons, at $1.50 a piece. They didn't have the price listed, so I was shocked my total was so cheap. I've only been able to try a few flavors, since they were running out when I stopped by. I tried the Pistachio w/ Dark Cherry, Coconut Lime, and Passionfruit Chocolate, which were all really good. Their macarons pack a flavor punch and have a perfect airy chewy texture. They also make a variety of other pastries, including cupcakes, cookies, croissants, bagels, cake pops, as well as sandwiches and java. They make nicely decorated mini tarts, cheesecakes, and other sweets, perfect for giving as a gift. If you're looking for a unique cake, they whip up some nifty designs, which you can check out in their window display. The 3D bloody heart with an arrow through it looked pretty sweet. The bakery itself only has a tiny table, but they do have a lounge next door where you can take your baked goods. Free wifi, macarons, and coffee - sounds like the perfect place to get some work done or read a good book. This place is now my go-to macaron joint and I'm looking forward to going back for their other flavors.
(5)
Fred F.
I love the cakes here however I just had a very disappointing experience. I ordered a custom cake with Nora a couple days before the birthday event of a friend. On the day of the event (today), I arrived at the store only to be surprised by a plain white cake. The decorator apparently already left the building and forgot to decorate my cake. Thank you Alliance for ruining my friend's birthday surprise cake. What a lack of professionalism you have! Note: Tried to escalate the issue on Alliance Facebook and they immediately deleted my posting.
(1)
Darren F.
ordered the key lime tart, red valvet cupcake, and a roasted chocolate almond cup cake.. red valvet cup cake was really dry the almond cup cake was eh... definitely had better ones before.. key lime tart falls apart after i picked it up and it tasted kind of weird to me..
(1)
LaDarian D.
A pastry fanatic's DREAM! Cookies, cupcakes, pies, macaroons, cappuccinos, lattes are all a win. I would say it's becoming common these days where fluffy is taboo in the cupcake world. I miss it, but everything was delicious. You made a former fat guy happy
(4)
Terrence W.
Even after over five years of patronizing this place (great pastries), I am unable to bring myself to ever walk through its doors again after the discourtesy shown me on the morning of Friday Oct 25. On the other hand, it forced me to look for other options for my pastry fix, and I'm very glad to have found Vanille Patisserie. Business Owners, the only competitive advantage you have is customer service; there's nothing you offer the market place that is so totally unique as to treat any potential customer/client in an unprofessional manner and keep their loyalty.
(1)
Sarah S.
I went to Alliance Bakery yesterday because the cakes in the window lured me in! They were cute & quirky (see pictures) like having a giant heart with a knife in it...a super cute Panda cake...and Nightmare Before Christmas cakes! Love! The shop was super busy for a 530pm on a Saturday so I had a great feeling about it. Long line that didn't ease up our entire time there. Based on my personal preference of how I like my cupcakes (with thick, sugary frosting...not the light airy stuff that so many boutique shops use), these can't take the claim of being amazing cupcakes for me. Buh~buh~buh~break down: Double Chocolate Cupcake - Wasn't a big fan. Cake was slightly too dry. The frosting didn't have a rich flavor or hardly any chocolate flavor to it at all. Vegan Chocolate & Peanut Butter - I'm all sorts of healthy, dontcha know~ so had to try this one (check sarcasm). The chocolate cake had good flavor buy verged on being too dry...it was just barely passing for a good level, but I wouldn't call it moist. As I said, not a fan of this airy frosting but on this cupcake, the frosting tasted straight up like peanut butter. I love me some peanut butter but in a cupcake frosting, the flavor left a lot to be desired. Chocolate Ganache with a Salted Caramel center - The ganache on this cupcake was great! The filling was just like frosting in the center...I was hoping for a thick but not sticky salted caramel center, not the same airy frosting that their cupcakes are topped with so I was a bit disappointed. This shop has so much more to offer than cupcakes, like their awesome inventive cakes plus tons of other goodies. I would absolutely come back to try some of their other items, but will skip the cupcakes.
(3)
M P.
Very tasty pastries and quiches - plenty of variety to choose from. I'll have to come back for some macarons.
(4)
Fiona C.
This review is for the macarons - I've had better. The fruit ones are only okay. There's this cinnamon one that is just spicy and not pleasant on the palate when you're expecting a sweet treat. The cakes however look absolutely amazing. I wish I had gotten one of those instead!
(1)
Britt C.
MACARONS!!! I tried 6 flavors while I was there are they were all pretty good but here is how my list would be ranked: Lemon Poppy Seed Coconut Lime Pistachio Manjari Hazelnut Raspberry Bacon Maple I was surprised I wasn't in love with the bacon maple...I do love bacon. My friend who regularly seeks out macarons also said that they were larger than the average macaron she comes across, so that's a plus to me!
(5)
Erika U.
I wanted to take this opportunity to rave about Alliance Bakery to all of my Chicago friends. They were absolutely fantastic and fit us in (virtually last minute) for a wedding cake after our original baker cancelled. Not only was the cake beautiful and affordable, but it was equally delicious. I highly recommend them to anyone looking for a cake for a special event.
(5)
Jessica B.
I ordered two cakes for my wedding reception. One was a basic 9" German chocolate cake. The other was a surprise for my groom, a 3D cake of a monster from a relatively obscure video game (a leech from Final Fantasy XI Online). I used their online form to order both cakes. I attached a collage of screen shots of the monster from the game. I had no real idea what to expect, and was pretty nervous since I wasn't picking up the cake and wouldn't see it until the reception. But they did an AMAZING job. It looked exactly like the monster came alive and decided to sit on the dessert table. I could not be happier. It was also delicious--vanilla cake with chocolate mousse filling. Most of my guests had no idea what it was, but they loved it anyway. And the ones who did know where so impressed. The German chocolate cake was also beautifully executed and very tasty (I'm not a huge fan of german chocolate, but the groom looooved it). Star off because every time I called they seemed a little disorganized, and because their prices are a bit high. Regardless, I will definitely go back if I need a 3D cake made.
(4)
Ayo R.
The best red velvet cupcakes ever!!! They are so rich!!! They also make the best birthday cakes to order that are delicious. They have a variety of cheese cakes and sandwiches to choose from. This is a cute little cafe spot!!! The professionalism is always on point!!!
(5)
Angela S.
I'm so mixed by my recent trip to Alliance. After wanting to stop in for a very long time, I have to say my experience was meh...darn! The Lounge - Depends on your definition of a lounge I recently met a friend I haven't seen in a very long time at Alliance with my 6.5 year old twin boys. Knowing we'd most likely be sitting in the next door lounge for a conversation, I'm thankful for the reviews that mention how it's not conducive to chatter. I came prepared with books and paper and warned them not to make a peep or they'd for sure get the stink eye. I was also a bit worried that the conversation with my friend would be disturbing to the quiet bunch on their laptops, but we sat up front by the door and managed to keep our voices down. A lounge that's not really a lounge, I would have been upset if I happened to walk by with a group of friends wanting to have coffee and a chat. No place for clever conversation, perhaps there should be a warning somewhere on the outside door. The Goods - Come here for cake! My vanilla latte made the Angela cut with it's delicious ever-so-slight burnt flavor, but my chocolate croissant was honestly the worst I've ever had. Having been a baker, I can attest to the fact that there is absolutely no way it was fresh. Completely dry and disappointing, I suggest to opt for the cupcakes or the cookies. A beautiful cornucopia of colors they looked amazing, and in retrospect I should have gone with my gut (and the reviews). On the flip side, this is THE PLACE to go if you want a specialty cake. They are true works of art, and if you can't stop in, check out their window displays. The Service - Exactly what I expected For a funky neighborhood I expected service with a cool city vibe, and this is what I got. I was curious to see how welcoming they would be to kids, and the guy behind the counter was very accommodating and didn't seem to mind being patient (but we were also pretty quick to order). I appreciate the nostalgia of this place and like the idea of supporting local. If I wanted a quiet place to study, I'd spend days on end here with their good vanilla lattes. But, for conversation, I understand why Starbucks was packed!
(2)
Michelle I.
Yelp to the rescue! I found this place while cruising around. I wanted to get some birthday cupcakes for the husband. I made him pullover, and told him to wait. Not very incognito but whatevs. The cupcake selection looked amazing. I tend to go hard on cupcakes...I find them trite and super easy to make (from scratch). I often will try them at certain bakeries and I know I can make one that is twice as better at home. The ones here were pretty good, so far one of the best ones I've had in the area. I picked out four, various flavors including red velvet and chocolate peanut butter. My favorite was the one with the chocolate ganache. The girl behind the counter, despite our initial weirdo encounter, was nice and even sweet enough to throw in a birthday candle. I also decided to grab about a half a dozen macarons. Not the best I've had, but they were pretty tasty. My favorite was the pistachio. They held up well since I decided to refrigerate them overnight and ended up eating them while driving home. Overall, a pretty solid bakery. I wouldn't mind checking out the cafe next time I'm in town.
(4)
Luke D.
This review is based only on Alliance's awful cronuts and macarons. Alliance's cronuts are terrible filled croissants in a circular configuration. We bought one each of vanilla, chocolate and "strawberry." I have the last one in quotes as it was described as being strawberry and mascarpone, but actually tasted like a combination of rosewater and dishwasher detergent. This was thrown in the trash after one bite. The icings and fillings on the other two were fine, but the cronut itself was so bad that we couldn't make it through any of them. Croissants should be light, flaky and buttery. These were dense, dry and oily. At $5 each, this was a total waste of money. Alliance is probably selling a ton of these based on the current cronut craze, but these are simply awful. AVOID. Their macarons were a little better but still poor. The shells had huge air bubbles and exploded after one bite. We had the Nutella, pumpkin and pistachio variations. The fillings were generally OK but the shells were inexcusably bad. I cannot justify buying macarons like this when there are superior alternatives like Hendrickx and Floriole nearby.
(1)
Ted C.
I'm pretty happy with Alliance Bakery as a spot to sit and just relax. They have their 'lounge' space where you can just walk right in and sit down. Before you do you should probably go next door and check out their baked goods, because they're good. The first time I went I bought a box of their cupcakes but I was on a no carb, no sugar, no fun, tremendous b-hole kick and didn't have any while I watched everyone around me enjoy the tasty, well-made treats. I did like the fact that their cupcakes weren't just giant mountains of frosting. I did have their oatmeal raisin cookie and a chocolate-y croissant-y thing and a Mexican coke, because I love real sugar. I liked the quiet, easygoing 'lounge' area. I think I could have just sat there anyway and no one would have bothered me, as long as I kept quiet and still, like everyone there seemed to be doing, no conversation, no chatter, it was a little disconcerting. I think what I'll do next time is just buy my baked treats and run away like a bandit, because the Hipster Stepfords next door kind of weirded me out.
(3)
EDILSA E.
I stopped here by chance a month ago. I ordered a cake from here for my son's confirmation. It was a round cake for 12-16 people, red fondant, a white sugar cross, white cake, strawberry and custard filling. The cake was very pretty and of course delicious ($86). I also decided to get some macaroons. I bought two different ones, a Nutella one and a raspberry one. I can say I think about their macaroons a bit since then. The Nutella one wasn't that tasty but the raspberry one was completely delicious. It's super rich and the outside is flaky. The bakery was a tasty discovery. I have stopped here twice after the cake to pick up the raspberry macaroons. I would give it 5 stars I it weren't for their workers. They are pretty dry people. The one that took my order for the cake wasn't friendly or even smiled. He wasn't informative when I was ordering the cake even though I mentioned it was my first time stopping in there. Customer service does go a long way. A smile, a thank you, and even a helpful suggestion can make the experience much more pleasant.
(3)
Vanessa K.
The 2 stars are STRICTLY for the "Cronuts" that they advertise heavily about. My friends and I ordered 10 because we thought it was just THAT good... but unfortunately it really wasn't. My girlfriends and I made Alliance Bakery the top of our "noms" list as soon as we landed in Chicago and was just so so disappointed. The Cronuts were stale and really hard, one had a funky taste and we left after spending 10 times $5.00 = $50.00 per cronut... it was so sad. We were so sad, the rose one was the weird tasting one with a too-sweet-rose-esque flavor on top, the chocolate was ok, it tasted like chocolate and nothing special and the other raspberry one was the only decent one and that was still super below average. The only redeeming part is that they have a lounge area right next to the bakery and the flowers were fresh and the area was really cute where we could sit down and relax and take some cute pics. Once again, so sad... :( I can't speak to their other bakery items but def. do NOT make the hike here for cronuts if you knew elsewhere....
(2)
Matt B.
So...what's up with that "cafe"? I put that in quotes because it's really just a room with some furniture in it. Apparently, the deal is that you get your coffee and baked goods at the store a couple doors down, then bring it over to the "cafe" to eat in cold, unforgiving silence. Because that's what I and my two companions experienced when we stepped into the "cafe"...a bunch of individuals, all seated at this-is-my-personal-space distances apart, with headphones and laptops engaged, and a sterile blanket of silence enveloping them all. And their brief, dismissive stares, redolent with veiled tinges of hostility, flatly instructed us to not even THINK about sitting down and having a conversation with another breathing, carbon-based life form. As such, we sat outside, and enjoyed our coffee and cupcakes, with the glorious burning sun massaging our shoulders and reminding us that yes, we are alive.
(3)
Ashley B.
I got "The Ann", a chocolate hazelnut mousse cake and it was absolutely amazing. It was everything I had hoped it would be and more. It was definitely a good choice for a chocoholic and 100% satisfied my chocolate craving. Not only was the cake to die for, the staff were very friendly and patient. I will definitely be going back!!
(5)
Lulu L.
I ordered a custom cake for a shower. The ordering process is a little frustrating and the customer service when picking up the cake was not good. They didn't include the personalized sign that was included on the order form. Cake tasted good though! When ordering the cake I came in with an idea & pics for a 2 tiered cake to serve 30. The person at the counter was friendly enough and walked in the back to talk to the cake decorators for a price. She came back stating it was over $200.00. Not what I wanted to spend so I said what if we change this and this. Again she talked to these mysterious cake decorators and said if you remove one of the fondant items (which I said I didn't want anyway) then it would be $15.00 less. Not the amount of price change I was looking. Luckily I had a second, very simple idea which she took to the decorators and the price came back that was acceptable. Why couldn't I just talk to these elusive decorators myself? When I picked up the cake the person I presumed was the manager said the guy (lets all him Dude) would help me carry it to my car and that he'd cut a hole in the box top for me so the 2nd tier would fit. The Dude came back with the cake with no top, just the bottom of the box. I thought it would have more protection than that. Then the Dude hands me the cake over the counter, whoa!. Juggling a 2 tier cake with a purse on your shoulder is not easy. Dude just looks at me. Then I was like, Dude, can you open the door for me and open my car door? Duh! There was another worker on the phone, let's call him "Bro" who was clearly mortified by the Dude's lack of awareness. Dude opens the door and then opens my car door while I try to put the cake down without my purse slipping off my shoulder, which could have led to disaster. Whew, it was close. Bro had hurried out and was super nice but I wish I had dealt with him the entire time. Thanks Bro! After all that, I get home, put the cake in the frig and notice that the fondant sign that was supposed to be included and was on the order form that said "Welcome to the World Baby X" was not included. The ONE item that personalized this very expensive cake was no where to be seen. I had too much to do to prepare for the shower so I didn't call or go back, and am instead writing this passive aggressive yelp review. Next time I'm just ordering a cake from Mariano's.
(2)
April K.
Stopped for macarons. Maybe I ate em too quickly but the texture was a little stale. Wasabi-white chocolate sounded fantastic but didn't deliver. Odd flavor combo. 1 star Pistachio-brandied cherry was much better. I dug the whole cherry in the middle. 4 stars Chocolate-salted caramel was the tits. 5 stars. $1.50 for each cookie. Not the best I've had but A-Ok
(3)
Alice L.
I'm torn because the food and drinks aren't bad and the study space next door is nice and bright and cozy, but the girl behind the counter last time I visited was SO rude. Hoping it was just an off day...
(3)
Leah B.
We bought macaroons from the new River North store. They were awful. It seemed like most of them were stale. It was my husband's first time trying macaroons, and he says he will never eat them again. This was such a disappointment, especially for how expensive it was. I will never patronize this store again.
(1)
Melanie R.
A bakery in Wicker Park with a mouth-watering selection of French Macarons? Yes please! Very charming storefront! The window display proudly showcases some of their cake creations, including a -- hold the phone -- MACARON TOWER! Amazing! Mental note to snag such a treat for my next special occasion. Or, a random Saturday night.. Alliance is above all, a bonafide mecca for macaron lovers. If I lived closer, I would flock to this place daily - with my cash as an offering to the macaron gods. Their flavor listing has something for everyone - from the tried and true Pistachio (with some brandied cherry for a perfect twist), to the slightly savory Maple Bacon. Some of my personal favorites include the 'Coconut Lime' (which, topped with toasted coconut shreds, tastes just like a key lime pie) and the 'Salted Caramel' (which reminds me of a salted hot chocolate). I tend to get one of each of the flavors they happen to have remaining that day, and aside from some of the fruit-inspired flavors (whose filling is more akin to a jam - not quite my style) - Alliance has yet to disappoint! I usually get a cupcake for good measure, and they can certainly hold their own - even with all the macaron excitement that is happening in the neighboring display case. The Red Velvet (my go-to cupcake benchmark) measured up to my standards, with a perfectly moist cake and an unmistakable traditional cream cheese frosting. Yum! With ever-smiling service and quaint outdoor seating to boot - Alliance takes the cake (couldn't resist - pun intended!) as far as my favorite spot to score some macarons!
(5)
Michael U.
For our finally mid-day bite in Chicago - this one on day two - we opted for an older member of the culinary scene that I'd actually walked into once prior during the Renegade Art Fair but neglected to buy from due to the line; Wicker Park's own Alliance Bakery. Again scoring free parking and making our way to the shop with ease as hipsters and families alike dined on the sunny patio a stop at the window was mandatory first simply to witness the masterful cakes ranging from Green Eggs n' Ham to Macaron towers to three tiered wedding cakes. With the doors open letting in a cool breeze (and letting out the wonderful smells of butter and vanilla) we next made our way in to see what Chef Peter Rios and a team of youngsters (both in the kitchen and at the counter) had on display and after a few tough decisions we emerged from the shop to enjoy our choices on the patio. Beginning first with the French classics, my mother selected two Macarons - one Blueberry Cheesecake and the other Passion fruit chocolate - both textbook in texture with a crackling shell giving way to lovely filling, but the Passion fruit Chocolate so cloyingly sweet that between two of us the $2 cookie went unfinished. Thankfully the Blueberry Cheesecake fared much better. Moving next to two of the standards by which I judge a bakery my aunt's and my selection were a Red Velvet Cupcake and the Dulce de Leche Bread Pudding. Beginning first with the cupcake, a $3.50 selection with good notes of cocoa and a tangy cream cheese frosting started out with a good base, but was unfortunately a bit dry - so much so that when my aunt took a bite the back half fell off landing directly on her chest; a comedic event to be sure, but not exactly the way a cupcake should be remembered. Moving next to the Bread Pudding which was served in a small tin topped with a sugar lacquered strawberry and powdered - it was dense and it was sweet, no more and no less but thankfully only $2.50.
(2)
Jennifer H.
The first couple of times I came here I must admit I wasn't hooked. Until I met "Anne". Anne was a lonely one, sitting peacefully behind the glass waiting for someone to find her. Well, I found her. After purchasing Anne there was some awkward silence, I feel we didn't know what to say to each other at first. So I took her out of the box and and decided to take a bite. Anne changed me as a man. Not many things cause me to question my existence, but Anne succeeded in doing so.
(4)
J D.
WHAT HAPPENED!?! This used to be my favorite place for macarons! They were soft, chewy yet textured first bite, with that smack you in your face flavor. For 1.75 each, I expect consistency.... Last visit (granted it was the end of the day) I got 5 macaron cause variety is necessary. All of them were so hard I could hear CRUNCHING when chewing. They were hard and unpleasant to eat. Salted Caramel and Hazelnut flavor was great. Pistachio seemed a little off.
(3)
Michael J.
Not impressed. Had a chocolate cupcake -- the frosting tasted EXACTLY like the store-bought can. Expected much more from such an esteemed establishment.
(1)
Veronica S.
I live right around the corner and have been a customer for years, but I have to say their food and drinks can be hit or miss and they can be a bit pricey. DRINKS: I was seriously disappointed in the last chai tea latte I got from here last week. The thing was a watery mess and it didn't even fill the cup to the rim. For almost $4.00 they should do better. For coffee drinks, I hate to say it, but I can get better for less money at the Starbuck's down and across the street at Division and Paulina. FOOD: I no longer buy their cupcakes or pastries because I think they are too expensive for the size and the last few I bought tasted stale. Their decorated cakes are beautiful, but I've never ordered one, so I can't comment on those, but they do carry some good sandwiches and I can highly recommend the couscous salad--very tasty! LOUNGE: The separate lounge area two doors to the west of the bakery is a good concept, but I tried to work in there once and found it to be too noisy. SERVICE: The place is tiny and wait times can be long during busy periods, but servers have always been friendly. If you are in the neighborhood and don't mind walking half a mile to the west, I recommend you go to Letizia's Natural Bakery at 2144 W Division Street for coffee drinks, cookies, and pastries.
(2)
Reuben H.
Oooooooooooh you bastards... With your irresistible quin aman! Delectible bignets and croissants... Macarons that are really good as well... You make a damn fine cup of caffe au lait and to top it off- aren't over priced and very close to home. Recipe for disaster if you ask me! All that dairy fat and excess carbohydrates go straight to my hips...
(5)
Keith R.
If you happen to have a day like me where you ended up eating dessert(frozen yogurt) first, then AYCE sushi lunch, which the fro yo made you too full to really partake fully in, and then for whatever odd reason, the fat guy inside you decided another dessert was in order after the sushi.... come to Alliance Bakery. You can indulge your sweet tooth without going too crazy with fullness. How is this possible? By getting an awesome nearly giant macaron! Of all the macarons I've eaten in my lifetime, I believe Slurping Turtle and Alliance have the largest ones I've seen. And props to Alliance for carrying my favorite flavors, Pistachio, Red Velvet, Hazelnut Chocolate and my newly found friend, Blueberry Cheesecake. I think their cupcakes are lovely as well, and fairly priced IMO. And if you're in need of liquid consumption to go with your cavity makers, they have a great selection of loose leaf tea on the shelf behind the counter. Don't want either? Just check out the art, inside and in the window display. The cakes look too good to eat. Seriously. If I ever bought one of those, I'd pretend I was going to cut it up for the guests, but I'd also have some genero Costco sheet cake that I would actually allow people to eat, while I'm getting the cake bronzed in a super double secret ceremony. Inside, check out the elevation drawings illustrating just exactly what goes into a Marie or an Ellen, layer by layer. The former architecture major in me is in love... Come on down to Alliance. Like me, it's small but packs a punch.
(5)
A R.
I've lived around the corner from Alliance for almost 7 years now so I've paid many visits there. It's about time I wrote a review. The goods. There's no doubt they make a beautiful cake. Their showcase speaks for itself. I just learned that they're known for their macaroons so I will have to check them out. But the other baked goods...they're sooooooooo...meh. I have had scones, cookies, cupcakes, etc. And they're allllll sooooo average. I go out of my way for a good dessert. Especially a good cupcake. Can't you guys change your recipes? Molly's and Sweet Mandy B's are winning here (cupcake wise, at least). The staff. I'm going to agree with a comment below about the staff there. Not so nice. Most (not all) of them have that whole snotty, too-cool-to-smile hipster thing going on. It get's old. The price. Way too high for the quality. But probably due to the location. Or so I'm guessing. The space. It's okay. Free wi-fi, which is nice. They redecorated their room next door, which is nice. But it's alright there, I guess. It's always nice sitting outside, I will say. Sorry Alliance, I hate to bring my neighborhood bakery down but I gotta be real. I go here only cause of convenience.
(2)
Paul S.
I've had exactly 1 cookie from here, but it was pretty amazing, especially for a vegan chocolate chip cookie. Tasted buttery and chewy and crispy, you know what I mean, so perfect. I'll be back!
(4)
Pack C.
i went pick up some today. There were amazing with reasonable price: 1.75 each but they are big! It is not as sweet as the traditional one e.g. Laduree. So, i like it even better. we tried fig, mango, rasberry, and blueberry cream cheese. our favorite are fig + mango. Definitely go back again! it's GREAT!
(4)
Steve F.
My review has two parts. The first part is related to the cookies and second part relates to integrity. This is a cute bakery with wonderful treats. I tried their Blackhawks cookies and bought a bunch of delicious cookies for kids, they loved them all. While at the bakery my son forgot his tablet that he loves watching movies on and playing games. We didn't know where we left it and the bakery actual emailed me a few days later with the device, and had it ready for pick up. Thanks a ton! In life, integrity goes a long way
(5)
Michael B.
Tried them 20 years ago when there were very few bakeries in the area. Pastries tasted no better than bake goods at Jewels or Dominick's. Fast forward to this past weekend. We had visitors for breakfast so I decided to try them again. Wrong! Still no better than grocery chain bake goods. In addition the looks on their faces when I entered told me they still think people of color in that area are there to do harm.
(1)
Shelly W.
My friend had a cake made for my grand opening party from Alliance Bakery and they did a great job! Ashley was given creative freedom to do as she may and she was on point with her design work! Kudos to Ashley and her amazing work. Thanks (:
(5)
Ellen M.
I gave up all dessert a few months ago - it was my Kryptonite, and it had to go. Still, I visit Alliance Bakery every few weeks and have no plans to stop. No, no, it's not for me any more... For the kids: Chicago baseball team-decorated huge-ass cookies. When attending dinner parties: French macarons! Oh God, yes! I miss the macarons more than ex-smokers miss their cancer sticks. Chocolate, coconut, passion fruit, berry, banana, and others, I usually get a few of each to bring to my dinner party outings. Nothing creates a buzz like a box full of macarons. Sucking up to the boss: I haven't done this yet, but word is my boss loves carrot cake, so I have good intentions of scoring a carrot cupcake and leaving it on her desk, anonymous style. She'll know it was me. Birthdays: Duh. The cakes are so light and delicious, and very pretty. And they have coffee, so there's a lot to love.
(5)
I J.
The macaroons are amazing, plus there's this employee who is extremely cute and friendly. Definitely coming here again! It's an awesome bakery.
(5)
Nina I.
Really like the cake display but more so the taste of all the treats. My main squeeze here is the macaroon selection. Definitely a huge fan of the rose, nutella, and pistachio flavored ones! The staff is also friendly. If you're in the area just stop by and take a bite.
(4)
Marie G.
I was really excited that my sister wanted to stop in Alliance today. I haven't been in a while and I remember it being a great, friendly place. What happened?? My sister was thrown off when she tried to order because Alex was really rude. I mean heavy sighing, eye-rolling rude. I caught his name as he was on the phone trying to help someone and getting annoyed that the cake artists were not going to be in until the morning. My sister was flustered and almost in tears with his impatience and I told her to "Yelp it". That was met with a smirk. Really? Who do you think you are? The negative energy between Alex and Kimberly (?-She mumbled when I asked her name) made it such an awkward experience that I had to rate this review soley on the people behind the counter. There are way too many great bakeries to put up with rude service people. This was the first experience in years in my neighborhood that I wanted to just turn around and walk out. I almost died when my sister ordered a coffee after all of that and didn't know which kind to choose. Nobody should EVER feel like that and we were the only two people left in there. What a shame.
(1)
Richie S.
Quirky bakery on W. Division. Very friendly staff. I was pulled in for their macarons. The maple-bacon was mostly maple and no bacon, but the rose water was lovely. Wife didn't share any others.
(3)
Aimee M.
For a while I was obsessed with Macarons, and Alliance was my go-to spot when I wanted a bit of Macaron delight. But who am I kidding, I still love Macarons and I love that Alliance has a nice selection of inventive flavors for Macarons. I've had cupcakes and quiche from here and they have been consistently good. I wish they'd put more passionfruit cream in their filled passionfruit cupcake, but that's just cuz I'm a sucker for anything passionfruit. So that being said. Me lovey the passion fruit Macarons! My all time favorite here at Alliance. I love the tart and sweetness of it, the little crunch of the meringue shell and the bit of chocolate that complements so very well. The most recent time I visited I tried the balsamic fig Macaron--reminiscent of a fig newton, but so much better and so much more adult. Lime coconut, raspberry, vanilla--my other go-to's when I'm treating myself to Macarons. Friendly service. They seem to love it when my eyes open wide and I say Ooooooh, when they describe one of the pastries/desserts I've asked about. So sad that I don't live very close. But it's always worth a stop when I'm in the area.
(5)
e n.
Alliance recently shut down 2/3 of their extra seating next door which is super disappointing. So, there is no public bathroom anymore. Their sign does not indicate whether this change is temporary or permanent.
(3)
Bonnie A.
Their macarons are delicious! I've been on a best Chicago macaron hunt and Alliance Bakery definitely has one of the better macarons in town. The macarons are fluffy, not too sweet, and once you finish biting into it, you taste the filling. The texture of the filling is palatable. I try not to come here too often because I splurge here. Gotta leave some money in my wallet to try other awesome food!
(4)
Marie S.
I HEART Alliance Bakery! A few friends have ordered various cakes from here recently and they have all been simply amazing - BOTH the decoration and the taste. I feel like I have to point that out because so many bakeries can't seem to get both right. Perfect density, moistness, flavor, and filling. Also, their other baked goods are equally good. Cupcakes, french macaroons, specialty pastries .... all yummmm! However, Alliance has won a special place in my heart, not for all the sweets they offer, but for their lounge next door. Its warm, cozy, inviting, and makes you feel at home. During the day, its the perfect spot to work and/or study. There's a bunch of smaller tables if your'e solo and several areas for larger groups, too. The added plus is a plentiful supply of power, with an outlet near almost every table. In the evening, skip dessert at dinner and head to Alliance. The lounge is a perfect spot to hang out with a few friends while you satisfy your sweet tooth.
(5)
Meredith K.
I just have to get this off of my chest - I ordered online and I requested chocolate frosting. Instead I got vanilla. Its ok because it may have been too rich but if you know me then you know what a chocoholic I am. That being said such great service and the cake was wonderful. We were quite pleased. Like I said I ordered it online and the very next morning she called to collect payment and confirm. At this point I don't know who was supposed to speak up, but we should have probably gone over the cake, filling and icing. Oh well. When I went to pick it up there was a bit of a wait. Maybe that's how I ended up w/ vanilla? I dunno. I need to let that go. The shop is super nice and everything looks so good! Maybe that's why they make you wait b/c they know you're going to want more things :-) The people were very helpful and brought my cake out. It was for my nephews' birthdays. I had almond vanilla w/ fudge on the inside. Wow that was great. Moist, rich, sugary and just right. Everyone went back for a 2nd piece. I think the almond was a nice change from just yellow. I would definitely order from here again. The product was so delicious that it only lasted for about 20 mins after I cut the first piece.
(4)
Imran N.
Great coffee, great macaroons, great cake pops, great baked goods. Excellent little gem.
(3)
Angie M.
Despite not being a major fan of the bakery, I can bump up the starts to Alliance for one reason. PACZKIS. Happy Fat Tuesday, ya'll. My raspberry rose paczki is the best treat ever.
(3)
Vanessa V.
The adorable cakes in the window display drew us in, and suddenly we're on the lower east side of Manhattan 30 years ago. Awesome well-maintained space that brings me back to childhood. The "authentic" macaron was clearly the wrong choice, and M's "beignet" was equally un-exceptional. And also not a beignet. The coffee was decent and the bagels looked pretty good. They also have a lounge space next door that I wish we'd had time to utilize. There has to be good stuff here... we just didn't happen to order it. I hope.
(3)
Raychel Y.
I have ordered 4 cakes from there.. All delicious and beautiful! They always look better than I expect. Pricing is not too bad if you don't want fondant etc. I got the yellow cake with a yummy milk chocolate icing ... Everyone loved it! I could say a more decorative cake to feed 15-20 people could cost you $70. They are always busy but I love getting my special occasion cakes there :)
(5)
Susie C.
My fiance ordered a birthday cake for me from here. It's a Funshine birthday cake (Funshine is the yellow Carebear). He sent them an image via email for them to draw on the cake. When we got it the cake, it was so cute! The cake was moist and not too sweet, just the way we like it. I must say that the artwork of Funshine and the sunshines surrounding the cake made the cake so appealing! I love my birthday cake...and I know it costs a lot of money, too. They made my Funshine bear in a fondant.
(4)
Kelly B.
They made my birthday "Death Star" cake and it was beautiful and delicious. I highly reco them for any cake design you can think of.
(4)
Grace E.
I don't easily give out 5 stars, but Alliance Bakery, you're a winner in my books. i tried two lovely little cakes the other day for my father's birthday, and I'm sure I ate more of it than he did. Oops. But how could I help it when the raspberry chocolate mousse was as delicious as it was? The other dessert I had was a three-layered cake of passionfruit mousse, chocolate mousse, with textural surprises of rice krisps sprinkled lightly in between the layers, and a chocolate cake bottom. It was heavenly. Thanks for the ethereal dessert experience, Alliance!
(5)
C D.
Alliance used to be my neighborhood bakery...this is where I would always get my Birthday Cakes, Sunday Brunch treats, decorated cookies for the kids. I'm going down the street from now on, because apparently they don't need my business. I wish the people in the Front of the House were as great as those in the Back of the House at Alliance. The last couple times I came in for treats, the food was great, but it seemed like it was painful for the hipsters behind the counter to help me with anything. I felt like it was an inconvenience for them to make me tea, and asking about the variety of iced cookies pushed them over the edge. I get that it's cool now to be a bit edgy, but Hipster Rude is still RUDE.
(2)
Diane G.
I am a study room collector. I can't focus at home for the life of me, and I get about 1000% more work done when I'm at a cafe or library. Libraries are too quiet and depressing, and Starbucks are too crowded. Alliance is juuuust right for studying. They have a room of tables (some big, some small) full of people just like me seeking company and sanity while studying. Music is indie and relaxing, wi-fi is free. Their coffee drinks are so far, so good. A plethora of syrup flavors (ranging from amaretto to pumpkin spice) to spice up your latte, as well as good 'ol espressos and hot cocoa. Whatever floats your boat. Their baked goods look AMAZING but I've yet to try them. Though I still favor the decor of Filter, I have an alliance with Alliance mainly for its value as a study room! =)
(4)
Ashley V.
Went to Alliance bakery to try their macarons since I'm on the hunt for the best macarons in the city. Got the Mexican Chocolate, Pistachio, Rasberry, and Nutella. My favorites were Rasberry and Pistachio. Nice crunch to the macarons and soft on the inside - good but not near to the best I've had. They also had a nice selection of macaron flavors available so I will be coming back to try more if I'm in the area!
(3)
Andrea F.
rude.
(1)
Realtor Karl B.
The Red Velvet Cupcake was moist and the topping was so good, but is it really worth $3.50? As a guy no I don't think so, but girls eat that up! They sell some crazy looking cakes, so if you want to do something different, then you should come here. They also sell coffee, cookies, macaroons, and a whole bunch of other bakery stuff that I haven't tried yet. Looks delicious, but the prices are just too high for my sweet tooth.
(3)
Steven M.
After 445 reviews do you really need to hear from me? Absoutely! By the time I walked in at 8:30 they were pretty much cleaned out of everything. It was my friends birthday and you can't have a celebration without cake! I saw the cupcakes, but the selection was down to two. Then the turtle cheesecake that was hiding in the corner started screaming at me. Thank God, because there were only two and the lady in back of me took the last one. So much for, one for me one for you! It looked like a fun place and the seating outside was full. I was told that it was delicious! Thanks! Next time. I'm stuffing my face first and then worring about what is left for the birthday girl.
(5)
Maria H.
We used Alliance for our wedding cake. The tasting process was efficient, smooth and the sales staff was awesome in helping us execute our creative vision and staying within budget.. overall the cake was beautiful, and the guests raved on how terrific it was. thanks Alliance!
(4)
Anna S.
Shh. Don't tell anyone, b/c I'm on a diet. Don't tell anyone I snuck in, & don't tell my nerdy family that I said "snuck." Don't tell anyone about the chocolate cupcake with caramel filling and the logo on top of it that looks like a paper label but is actually more delicious frosting. Don't tell Miss Manners that I snarfed the whole thing down in about three seconds. (My only complaint: using plastic Solo cups for take-out instead of something more eco-friendly. Still, the verdict: LOVE.)
(4)
Sarah Y.
I've been here a couple times for their macaroons and coffee. The macaroons are above average, and they have a rotation of different flavors. My favorite was the bacon maple macaroon. Yumm! I think they have a slight consistency issue with their macaroons because even on the same day, some flavors of macaroons were better in quality (not flavor!) than others. As macaroons tend to be, these little suckers here are expensive...something like $1.75/ea. The coffee drinks here are well made and well balanced. They have such a big assortment of tantalizing desserts that I hope to try next time if I can prevent myself from zero-ing in on those macaroons.
(4)
susan m.
This was my favorite cupcake place because they had more than cupcakes. It must have been a bad day. The staff were not too friendly. Tolerant, I would say. I bought a coconut (vanilla?) cupcake and almond croissant. The almond croissant was not what I remember. Prior, it was a fabulous experience. This time it was just good. The cupcake on the other hand. I thought maybe having brushed my teeth and using hydrogen peroxide in the morning that day messed with my tastebuds. It was a horrible cupcake. I don't remember this. I saved half for the next day to see if it was me or not. Nope. Mouth is fine; cupcake was not. I think the coconut was spoiled. It was waxy, with little flavor and very bitter. A tasteless cupcake is just a bad cupcake, but there is something wrong when it is bitter. I felt stupid for thinking this was my favorite place, so I prolly won't go back here for a long time. It seems as though this place has good days and bad days. I just hit the wrong one. The two stars is because I am giving them a break because I think I just hit it on a bad day. I am really wanting to write a good review! The summer eating season has just begun. Yay.
(2)
Linda H.
World's best macarons. Hands down. They are a bit expensive ($1.75 each) but full of flavor with just the right amount of pillowy softness contrasted with chewy bite. Additionally, they have delicious cupcakes and other fancy pastries. The cake to frosting ratio is perfect with not-overly-sweet whipped frosting piled on light, fluffy cake. One of my favorite perks of Alliance is the neighboring lounge area. If you exit the bakery and turn right, you can enjoy your treats in their attached lounge, complete with couches and tables. You can buy one cup of coffee and sit there all day, which is what I did when my internet hated me for 2 days.
(5)
Mark K.
I like their macarons, like the ambiance, and the location is great. Their almond croissant is merely ok, but still worth trying out. One day I'll have more of their baked goods and desserts and, undoubtedly, will find them at the very least good. Decorative-wise, their desserts look amazing. I find the staff to be a little gruff. I'm nitpicking here, but it's not exactly a friendly and welcoming place as far as service. It gives off that hipster vibe with equal parts impatience that you're there wasting their time buying things. The next door seating area is great if you want to sit down and do work, enjoy one of their delicious items (macarons...) and watch the street.
(4)
Happiness L.
Yummy! Yummy! Yummy! Thank you for making this place. The guy who helped me this morning was super nice and very informative and fun to talk to. I am a first timer and bought a selection of sweet and savory. How fresh and delicious! The only recommendation is to add more tables and chairs for dine in or sidewalk dining. A new favorite for sure.
(5)
Melanie S.
I was shopping along Division Street and spied Alliance Bakery. I had always meant to try it and after an ill-fated trip to Hoosier Mama Pie (in which I came away empty handed because they were sold out of everything), my sweet tooth was calling out to me. I didn't go too overboard with my ordering because Alliance was uncharted territory for me and they have to earn my spending lots of money. Based on the two things I tried and their beautiful selection of pastries, there is no doubt that much of my discretionary income will be earmarked for Alliance. It was hard to decide what to choose because everything looked delicious. In fact, it looked so good that I was skeptical that it would taste as good as it looked. I opted for a blueberry scone and a lemon cupcake with strawberry buttercream frosting. The scone (which may or may not have been vegan) was positively bursting with blueberries and had a nice crumbly texture. I tell you what - if this was vegan, it was pretty darn good, and if it wasn't, well, I'd still get it again. The real kicker is that I just polished off the cupcake because I forgot about it. It literally knocked my socks off and it was three days old! I wasn't expecting much, but it was incredibly moist and light and the buttercream tasted just like fresh strawberries. The cake part was lovely, with a faint lemon flavor. I've had some bad lemon cupcakes in my day (think Lemon Pledge) and I typically don't order them anymore because most of them taste artificially flavored, but this one made a believer out of me. And again, it was three days old! If a cupcake can be that good after three days, they've more than earned my business. Can't wait to go back for croissants, tarts and other delectables!
(4)
Nic N.
Alliance makes my favorite soy latte in Chicago...period. I don't know what they put in their coffee drinks but they are doin' it RIGHT. Their carrot cupcake is ridiculous and I really like the peanut butter chocolate cupcake. A word to the wise is to get your special orders in well in advance. I wanted them to bake a dairy free cake for my girl's birthday and even with a week's notice they weren't able to do it. Other than that I've had nothing but good experiences there and I will definitely keep going back as often as possible!
(4)
Ian A.
I ordered a cake from Alliance for my girlfriend's birthday. They worked with me to customize it, and there were no issues when I called back a few days later to change the size. The cake looked great and tasted even better. It was a big hit - It seemed like everyone was talking about how good the cake was. I brought leftovers in to work and had the same reaction. For what it's worth, I bought a chocolate cake with a strawberry reduction filling, with vanilla icing. I highly recommend Alliance.
(5)
Ariel L.
Good coffee and free Wi-Fi. That about sums up all you need to know. They have a nice room to sit in an study or read, and the ham & cheese croissant is excellent. I need to come here more often. I like their rules also. "This is not a library, talking is allowed" Right on brothers. Power to the people.
(4)
Kee V.
2 stars for both the offerings and the lounge. I had dinner with friends at Yuzu and decided to go a few blocks to Alliance for some sweets. Ended up getting a few macarons and some small pastries....after 15 mins of the lone employeee ignoring us. I tried to get her attention but she would only glance back and then go back to doing, what I can only describe as, nothing. When she finally decided to help, we were met with a fake hello. The macarons were so damn hard I swear they were display models. One of the girls took a bite of one and immediately grabbed a napkin to spit it out. It was her first time trying macarons and she asked if they were supposed to be hard. No Hannah, they aren't. The other desserts (Lola and a layered pistachio pastry I forget the name of) were average at best. We took our desserts to the lounge and were hit with a smell I believe to be a potpourri of moldy rags/armpit/extremely ripened cheese. It was freezing outside and we had nowhere else to go, so we stayed just long enough to finish what we bought. NO wonder there was no one in there. Some of us hadn't seen each other in a while so we tried to endure the stench to catch up but in the end, the beast won. Even if we wanted to stay longer, we couldn't have. The lone employee working informed us because she was working alone, she would be closing up early. Maybe she was just trying to do us a favor.
(2)
shannon s.
I stop by this cafe almost every Saturday morning to get myself a treat before my 6th day of work for the week. The coffee is always good, the staff is always friendly, and they have tasty pastries. I'm not into the remodeled big room, though. Even with the slightly slanted tables pre-renovation it felt more comfortable and roomy. The tiny tables make it difficult to do much and the spacing is a little close for comfort. Still a favorite place in Chicago.
(4)
Andrew W.
Came here to buy some cupcakes for a friend's birthday. I didn't end up eating any since I only bought three JUST FOR HER, but she said she loved them and thank you and Andrew you're so kind I love you. I bought and ate some macarons as a reward for being such a kind and generous and nice friend. The whole macaron field (or French desserts in general) isn't really my specialty, so I can't give an educated comparison of Alliance's macarons with those of other bakeries, but I really enjoyed the three that I had here. The (two) people behind the counter were very attentive and quick to respond to customer needs. There were a few people in line ahead of me, but I was served very quickly. The prices here are great, and it's located in a nice spot along the strip of restaurants on Division, so I can see myself coming here often after eating elsewhere. Or eating here first and then going to other restaurants to eat again, because desserts are the best.
(4)
Kat M.
I am giving it 4 stars because I will love this place no matter what and it's my #1 destination for french macarons (not macaroons) in Chicago. But I have to complain... What happened to the cool creative macaron flavors. They would normally have one or two new odds out of the regulars and it would always be a surprise. Now, it's same old all the time. And one more thing. Why do they always run out of Red Velvet cupcakes. Why not just make more next time! Supply and demand... Still, looove the place!
(4)
Tim S.
Been a few years since I updated this one. I like to escape the house occasionally for a little variety during the work week and find myself coming down here to jump on line. From the delicious choices in behind the glass, great service and wonderful coffee/teas that they serve it is still my go to in the neighbourhood. Their space next door is set up well for the person looking to jump on line or visit with a friend. Good music in the background hi enough to hear but low enough to talk over and not be heard by the next table and/or to put your headphones in and have to crank it. Thanks to the patrons that understand and respect others personal space. Ample outlets for laptops that need some juice as well.
(5)
Porscha W.
This place is awesome! Had a 3D cake made for my birthday. Not only was the design beautiful but the carrot cake that it was made of tasted so good, it was nice and moist :). I put the picture in the photos on here, it's of a film reel. It costs a little bit but it was well worth it. It helped make my birthday one to remember.
(4)
Allyson A.
I guess I should start this review by saying I am a fan of all baked goods, so I'm pretty hard to disappoint in that area. That being said, I can still say honestly that Alliance is good and worth a trip if you're nearby. I like to go to pick up some macarons. I don't actually know what flavors they offer though because I usually just get one of each (luckily they had pre-made variety boxes last time I was in). I never had a flavor I didn't like. Cupcakes are also a good choice. it's on the pricier side, but it's not healthy to be picking up cupcakes everyday anyways. And the staff is hit or miss -- I've had one guy help me who made me feel rushed and forced me to frantically pick cupcake flavors and another that I wanted to be best friends with before I left the place. Guess it depends on the day.
(4)
julie q.
I decided to boycott this place forever when they told me that they wanted to charge $25 for a cake tasting for my wedding and then when I asked what happens to my $25 if I don't pick them I got "Well, we're very sure you'll pick us, but if you don't, thank you for your $25 donation." F. U. Anyhow, since that was over a year ago, I decided to walk in and let their bakery goodness overshadow their cake confidence. I'm happy to say that I'm glad I went in. I had a hazelnut and chocolate cupcake and Oh Mm Gee was it fantastic. Husbo had the tiramisu...Crazy freaking good. Do I still hold a grudge against alliance? Of course. I'm not very forgiving, however, another bite of one of their scrumdidilyumptious cupcakes helps my grudge slowly dissipate.
(3)
Ana H.
Great cake and pastries. You must try all of their cup cakes at least once.
(5)
Yiyun F.
Most desserts there are bit too sweet for me, but the Tramisu there is really delicious, one of the best in Chicago.
(3)
Bill S.
I've only been to Alliance Bakery once but the first visit knocked me out! I picked up a small assortment of pastries and sweets to try at home. Everything was terrific - the cinnamon roll stood out in particular, particularly when served warm. I was also impressed by the vibe and service. Everyone in the shop was extremely friendly and seemed genuinely interested in helping me despite being very busy at the time. Seems that the folks who run the place have established a great culture among the employees. Can't wait to go back and visit the lounge.
(5)
Bri M.
Alliance made my daughter's baptism cake. It was as beautiful as it was delicious. Granted it was the most I have ever shelled out for a non-wedding cake, based on my guests complimentary ummms, it was well worth the price. The 10" round was enough to generously serve 15 adults and two cake-loving kids, with about a quarter of the cake to spare. Working with Alliance to create my custom confection was a breeze. I produced a couple photos of design ideas and a color scheme and then left the creative work to the pros. The almond vanilla cake, vanilla buttercream frosting with whip cream filling was flavorful, moist, and not too sugary. Much love and thanks to Alliance!
(5)
Yen D.
Fun neighborhood cafe and bakery; SO GLAD that I live across the street from this charming place. Very good free wifi. They've been remodeling their lounge for the past two months or so and it's a little schizophrenic/smells like paint but I have high hopes for it! The new furniture is nice and I like the set up with the big table/s in the middle and several small side tables, plus the couches in the front. It's a QUIET lounge, more like a library. People are free to talk in it, but I think in a quiet way is best (there are those couches for chatting). Excellent place to get work done in the evenings before 9, when it closes. A few tips: macarons are all amazing. Take the advice of anyone working there. We've tried maybe a dozen by now and I loved them all. The balsamic fig! The pistachio! The rose! The pumpkin spice! They change pretty often. Decent tea selection, other baked goods also look amazing but I've only ever gotten macarons and sugar cookies. Tip: sometimes the pandora station they sit on in the lounge dies off and wonders if we're all still there listening, so just walk back over to the bakery and ask them to turn it back on.
(5)
Yanyao N.
HOLY MILK CHOCOLATE PASSIONFRUIT MACARON. (um, the happiest flavor party of September 2010 in Yanyao's mouth.) You should also probably get a chocolate creme filled banana cupcake as a side because moist banana cupcakes rule the world. My body is thankful that I do not live remotely close but my mouth and heart are already itching for more sweet treats. Total bakery swoon.
(5)
Krysten T.
I love this place and not just because I live 5 minutes from here. The service was fantastic and I love their pastries. The line gets pretty long though but it's worth the wait! Oh and kronuts weren't that great.
(5)
Michelle M.
Did you know? Alliance bakery has amazing macaroons for $1.75 each! I honestly wish I remembered which flavors I had gotten. They were all so delicious. I was in the neighborhood and wanted to pick up some macaroons to try. My fiance and I are planning to put them into favor boxes for our wedding in May. Almost every town we stop by, we pick up some macaroons. We've even tried the famous ones next to the Penninsula hotel, but these are definitely TO DIE FOR! Typically, all of the other places we've tried are green tea, coconut, vanilla, simple plain flavors. Alliance makes very creative flavors that taste amazing. I think I had the fig + mango, which was so delicious. We ended up refrigerating the rest for 2-3 days and they were still good! They will definitely be getting our wedding order! FYI, they have a $5 minimum credit card order, but it shouldnt matter bc all their macaroon flavors are a must try!
(5)
Stephanie B.
The 3-star rating is only because I can't rate this up there with some of the places I've rated 4 stars, but I'd definitely consider it above average. I've been here 3x and have always had great experiences service-wise. The employees are really nice and can offer recommendations if you ask. My sister and I have never had macaroons before we started frequenting Alliance. The rose was interesting- definitely floral but tasty! The pistachio was also good, but I think more one-note, especially after the flavorfulness of the rose. The passion chocolate was probably my favorite so far- you get the chocolate middle part first, and then the passionfruit hits you and takes over in the best way possible. The balsamic fig- ugh, pass. The breads and cookies are really good- I grew up eating what I consider the world's best baked goods from the local bakery (Deerfield's) so it's hard to give an honest assessment. Prices are pretty reasonable. If you're in the area you should definitely stop in!
(3)
Catlin P.
Cronuts. You heard me right. It may or may not be a real word, or just something the owner made up, but it's what you're going to get. If you don't, you will live in a perpetual state of loss, and your taste buds will die from curiosity. Maybe I should explain; a cronut is a donut made from the bread of a croissant. Therefore, this is a flaky donut, smothered in icing, and cream filled. What more could you ask for from a pastry?
(4)
Jackie M.
I had the coconut lime, pistachio bradied cherry, passionfruit, and poppyseed macaroon. Its a WOW!! Each bite is soo delicious and takes the stress away. It was still good and soft after I left the macaroons overnight. the red velvet cupcake and the vanilla passion curd was okay, it was soft, but just okay. The Lola (mango and passionfruit mousse) was very tasty. This is one of my favorite bakery.
(5)
Andrea Z.
I can't begin to rave enough about our wedding cake from Alliance Bakery! Working with Jennifer and the rest of staff was a total breeze and our cake was delicious. We came armed with a photo of what we would like our cake to look like and they nailed it, it was exactly what we were looking for and the cake itself was amazing. Especially given the fact that we had such a negative experience elsewhere, working with Alliance was even better. We can't thank you all enough and are anxiously awaiting the anniversary cake :)
(5)
E M.
Why so sad here? You sell baked goods. Fun stuff like cupcakes, cookies, and cakes...that would make me smile. I went in over the weekend and there was NO ONE here yet I couldn't even get a "hello" or "thank you" from the staff. Bizarre. The cookie was pretty good but I require a little friendly interaction when I decide to hand over my $ to a local business. I'll head to Letizia's next time.
(2)
Alejandro G.
I went out of my way to get their almond croissants which are fantastic, but their holiday cupcakes and cinnamon buns were rather bland, and dry. And at that price, I was highly disappointed. Yes, they have some interesting items to pick. and I suppose that maybe more than a half are worth it, but, I think I'll be more careful on what I choose and hit some other bakeries before or after I visit this Alliance. Their doggie biscuits used to be free if you purchased a certain amount price. But that's a thing of the past. Guess I'm better off getting some regular doggies treats someplace else. This used to be the Polish National Alliance bakery many years ago. And I must admit that their goods were superior in taste and quality. And they sure didn't last long in the house.
(2)
Jose C.
Ok , when My wife and I looked into this place we were excited , we decided to order our wedding cake from here , we did the cake taste a 35$ cost that they deduct from your total if you do decide to order from there. Our expectations were met but only from the exterior , the cake look great and everyone including my self were dying to try a piece of it , everyone was hype up because we had order a cake from the famous Alliance bakery , but as soonest my wife and I took a bite we both were completely disappointed , the cake tasted nothing like it did during the cake taste, the pastry was dry and without a flavor , the filling ..? ehhh what filling .? the cake had a tiny amount of filling , not as promised by the representative when we ordered the 600$ dollar cake. I would recommend looking for a different bakery if you decide to order a wedding cake or any cake at all.
(1)
Helen C.
I love the cakes in the window, butI love the stuff inside that I can eat even more. On our exploration of Wicker Park adventure, a cupcake and a brownie from Alliance Bakery set us up nicely for the day. The brownie was HUGE and delicious; the cupcake deserves the same description. I thought it was a bit expensive but the cakes are pretty rich, they'll last you a while! Some of the pastries etc. looked too beautiful to eat (though I would eat them without hesitation) and the Michael Jackson biscuits made me laugh even while Stacey surreptitiously took a photo.... If I explore Wicker Park again, I'll be back to Alliance for sweet sustenance.
(4)
Tony F.
I've been going here for years. An ex-girlfriend actually introduced me to this little bakery in Bucktown/Wicker Park. I come here usually for a cup of coffee and once in a blue moon have a sweet tooth. I think their pastry's are a bit pricey but worth it....if you are craving something petite and delicious.
(4)
Annie N.
I might be one in a million, but I honestly don't see what the hype is about this place. I've been here couple times and tried some of their baked goods, and I desperately want to give them a better rating, but nothing, really, hit the spot. First off, my boyfriend brought me a red velvet cupcake from here once. It had some sort of berry filling with cream frosting, and i just thought the flavors did not go well together. Nevertheless I decided to wait for future visits before I'd give this place a review. I came back again to get coffee, and everything was fine, but again not worth writing a review. So finally this past weekend, when I suffered from a chronic craving for croissants that we stopped back in here for our morning coffee and snack. Honestly, I think most of their baked goods are overpriced. The spinach & feta cheese croissant was almost 4 bucks, and it was big, but light as a feather. Their normal croissants were 2.50, and I hate paying that much for something I can inhale in under 2 minutes. Although, it seems to be the normal price for croissants in this city. It was good, but not out of this world. It cured my current pain, but of course not too long after I was again craving for some better croissants (I told you it's chronic). The boyfriend got 2 bagels and they were both ok. Coffee was good (Metropolis), and employees were nice. We sat next door in the lounge area for a while. It was around 10:00am, and I was surprised to see the place so crowded with many people on the computer. The lounge area itself was very clean with tons of natural sun light, and I can see it being a perfect place for studying or even a short convo. I do very much appreciate their creativity, which shown on their displayed cakes and baked goods. But honestly, some of the cakes were a bit disturbing for me personally (at the moment it's the human heart being displayed - I assumed - for valentine?).The next time I'm stopping by, I'll buy some macarons, and then I'll have some better judgement. But for now, it's more of an average spot for both desert and coffee.
(3)
Laura C.
This is a great place to stop by and pick up little brownies, lemon bars, raspberry oatmeal bars, etc. to bring to someone's party when you are too lazy to bake. :) Cut them in half diagonally and you have cute little triangles to share with your hungry friends! The cupcakes are nowhere as good as Sweet Mandy B's, but the other baked good hit the spot.
(4)
Stephanie K.
I think I got my hopes up too high when I came here to indulge my fat kid tendencies. I've been a few times and have tried their red velvet, sugar cookies and the macaroons. Good, but for the price I don't think it was worth it. I'm probably biased though because I can get delicious cream filled cupcakes in my hometown for 1.50..Mmm diabetes. Their cake displays are gorgeous and so creative though! I loooved their Nightmare before Christmas one
(3)
Kim B.
I had a cake made for my boyfriends birthday, and it exceeded my expectations w/ both the design and taste. this is my new go-to bakery!
(5)
Anonymou S.
I've always loved Alliance Bakery but my last visit there was less than stellar. My sister and I, pleasant and polite people that we are, arrived and attempted to make our usual complimentary small talk with the staff as we looked at all the treats and placed our orders. We didn't expect to be met with eye rolling, impatient sighs and complete lack of verbalization..it was pretty uncomfortable. We felt as though we were bothersome and barely tolerable to Alex, who seems to possess an encyclopedia of dirty looks and aloof mannerisms meant to make customers feel like shit for the mere crime of placing an order or complimenting the pretty cakes. My sister, watching this dramatic display of his, (loudly) told me to just yelp it. Alex then slammed my package down on the counter in front of me and stalked off with a smirk. When I opened the little box with the tiny, beautiful cake inside I brought home for my daughter, I found it was placed in the box on it's side, and I'm sure the slamming didn't help matters, either. It was a mound of goo rather than it's original, perfectly decorated self. My daughter and I enjoyed the sloppy deliciousness of it anyway (God it was good!) but it was just unreasonable callousness for Alex to do such a thing. As lovely as the bakery treats are (and we've also ordered cakes for many occasions over the years) I won't be going back again. Sorry Alliance, your customer service is atrocious.
(1)
Breanne G.
Alliance is a cute little pastry and coffee place. They serve intelligentsia coffee and have a great variety of pastries. I personally enjoy everything they bake, especially the almond croissant. The only exception is the cronut. I'm not sure what to think of it and will not be ordering it again. The place next door is great for relaxing and enjoying your coffee and pastry. If it's nice outdoors, then their patio is a place to hang out. Alliance is definitely worth a visit.
(4)
Stephanie C.
Nice place. Came here when I was on the hunt for macarons with my cousins :) they were both macaron virgins...so of course we had to go get some! They have a great selection of favors and their other desserts looked pretty good too. The guy behind the counter wasn't that friendly, unfortunately. He was actually kind of condescending and I think he was sort of laughing at our excitement when we saw all the macarons... But not in a nice way- in a "you guys are stupid" kind of way. Other than that, the macarons were good.
(3)
Sam S.
Pretty good spot. The wifi is excellent, the coffee pretty good, the bakery not too bad. The lounge area could use an interior designer and some ambiance and culture. The bake shop itself is a cool little dive. Their sign outside is classic. And they have a great storefront display. I'm a fan.
(4)
Helen L.
This is the place to buy macaroons! Price is good and lots of selections.
(4)
Kiki N.
We ordered our wedding cake and grooms cake from Alliance. The groom's cake was for our rehearsal dinner and was amazing. I gave them a picture of our college mascot and they created a beautiful and delicious lemon cake. For our wedding cake, it turned out exactly how I imagined. We chose red velvet with cream cheese frosting and yellow cake with a strawberry filing. Our guests commented on how it was the best wedding cake they had ever had. The problem was they forgot to deliver our sheet cake. So only HALF of my guests got cake (my parents didn't even get a piece!). The next day we called to find out what happened and they were less than apologetic. They "forgot" to deliver it. Your business is making cake and delivering-- I think that this is completely unacceptable. They did refund us for the sheet cake, but it was a minimal amount. I'm sure this doesn't happen all the time, however- it was really disappointing that half my guests missed dessert due to this mistake. The cake itself was designed perfectly and tasted great.
(3)
Mandy P.
I had a fabulous experience with Alliance pretty much up until the guy who boxed my cake broke the "30" on the top of it. I wasn't thrilled however; I wanted to try it before I decided what my general review was going to be. Had the cake been dry, I most definitely would have only given the bakery 3 stars because despite that, it was a work of art. I was happily surprised when I actually got to try it; it was a true culinary delight! The cake was so moist and flavorful. I had chocolate with vanilla buttercream on the base layer and red velvet on the top. The red velvet wasn't anything special without cream cheese icing, but it was still better than some others I've had. I definitely recommend Alliance for special occasion pastries or just any day pastries.
(4)
Kris L.
Came here for my wedding cake tasting. Mitchell organized our tasting and was very helpful. He knew more about the flavors than the design, but he spoke w/the bakers after the meeting. We wanted a elegant but work intensive design, and the bakers didn't think this would be a problem at all. The flavors during the tasting were absolutely amazing and we can't wait to see the final project. We are so excited and alliance was a pleasure to work with.
(4)
Becky A.
Great coffee, delicious pastries, and a nice outdoor patio.
(5)
Leila N.
I wish I could give a Alliance a higher review... but their cupcakes are just too overpriced! My husband and I ordered 2 dozen cupcakes for our baby shower, half vanilla, half chocolate. The chocolate cupcakes were absolutely delicious!! Moist and decadent. The vanilla were just okay. But it turns out that they charged 3 dollars a cupcake (!) I was hoping that we would get some kind of discount because we were ordering in bulk, but no luck there. I'd recommend this place for a snack, but not for catering. The price is just too high.
(3)
Mick B.
Alliance Bakery was the starting point of our recent "Bakery Crawl" which I have to say was a novel experience. Other reviewers have covered the ins and outs of Alliance baked goodies, but I wanted to mention that Alliance serves Intelligentsia coffee and even have their own special "Alliance Bakery Blend" which you can purchase whole bean (or ground) by the pound. I enjoy Alliance's special coffee blend but please note that I am a smooth coffee drinker (which does not mean "weak") and I think that certain major chain brand coffee beans taste burned to my palate rather than robust; I feel there is a noticeable difference between the two. I can always tell someone in the Wicker Park area that has been to Alliance recently because they have just a hint of cupcake frosting on their face! It's so hilarous!
(4)
Will M.
The pastries are ok, though perhaps over-priced. The coffee is Bowtruss roasted, though perhaps carelessly brewed. Overall the bakery is decent, though perhaps overrated.
(3)
Jane Y.
my coworker/friend had bought me a cupcake hereeee it was delicious! i came in last night literally at closing hours.. desperately trying to get my macacron fix which was a fail at ba le they let me in! so sweet of them i tried the blueberry which was pretty good raspberry was the best! pistacio was mehmeh and the mexican chocolate was not too bad either!
(5)
Jane E.
One among the many good bakeries in Chicago. I love going here for the treats as they truly are irresistible. And the cafe makes great coffee worth every penny. Also, studying there can be fun - if you can find a place to sit. Oh yeah, finding a place to sit during times that are busy - difficult, if not impossible. And you have to jump rope over the various power cords that dart the area. It's worth going to if you're all by yourself and want to kick it on off hours - heavy hours, forget it.
(5)
Jessica W.
This review is only for their pain au chocolat and their ambiance. I'm 8 months pregnant at the moment, and all I can think about is their chocolate croissants, which sucks for me, cause they're not really close to where I live. They're really good. So we've been going every weekend for breakfast. The inside has a nice bakery feel. I hate when I walk into a bakery and it feels dirty. This place has a great balance going on. Feels clean, but warm and not sterile. I haven't tried their coffee (I usually get our croissants and eat them at caffe streets). I suppose I owe it to them to stay and have a cuppa with them this weekend.
(5)
Melissa S.
Strolled by here yesterday and decided to walk in after spending a good 10 minutes admiring the cake art in their window display. Friendly staff, yummy treats, I'm into it! I made the person helping me repeat the macaron flavors about 10 times before I realized they were written right in front of my face, but she didn't complain. I'm eating a rose macaron right now, in fact. I'll return! I do wish they had just a couple more gluten-free options around. Oh, and they should make maple macarons, that's a really underrated flavor, IMO. But, you know, not every place can cater to me.
(4)
Jake W.
I was inspired to come to this place because of a conversation I was having with my hairdresser at Swagger. I mentioned how I liked the neighborhood because it reminded me of San Francisco, to which the hairdresser replied how hipsterific she found the area. She said she was afraid to even go into Alliance because of the nasty attitude permeating off the workers behind the counter. Of course, I always take such invitations to abuse as a challenge to annoy and overwhelm the hipster chromosomes with a false air of sunshiny happiness. So I decided to dress up in a collared shirt and dress pants, put on a backpack, turn off the Toxic Narcotic and put on the Katy Perry to show them how this firework can sparkle. Well, my apparel change was unnecessary, because the girl behind the counter was wonderful and helpful, easily engaging in playful banter and making suggestions. I ended up getting a Moroccan Mint tea and some pastries that looked good, then wandered over to the next door lounge. It had a giant open area with a leather couch and chairs, tons of tables and chairs, and a bunch of back rooms that feel like old 1920's parlor rooms in an F Scott Fitzgerald novel. It is the perfect place to study and the clientelle is a mixture of punkish people, hipsters, trendsters, and the general public. I have been back a number of times and started doing my study with cookie breaks.
(4)
Basil D.
Read all the way through: Let me say that I love the bakery here, but I'm absolutely livid. I was told when I walked in this morning that the beignets were still being made and that there was a new person making them. So I had my coffee and worked in the lounge. An hour later, I went back, and I got my beignet, which was stone-cold. It was obviously not being made fresh, but defrosting from the freezer! More so, they have amazing breakfast sandwiches, but if you ask to have it heated, they put it in the microwave! What the hell? What self-respecting bakery that takes pride in its work will put perfectly excellent bakery and throw it in a microwave so it will get all "gummy". AND...AND....if you ask if they can warm it in the oven in the back, you are promptly told, "no"! Geez people.... so close to being one of the greatest bakeries in Chicago..... Ike H....the same lady was the one who LIED to me about the beignet! I agree, she is NOT the most pleasant person to deal with...everyone else there is pretty cool. So, I went and spoke to the owner about my experience this morning. He informed me that the beignets were in fact made fresh, but that the new girl making them put cold filling in a fresh, out of the oven, hot beignet, which is what caused the problem. So I changed my 2 star to a 4 star. The owner was extremely proactive, very pleasant, and offered me another beignet tomorrow!
(4)
Julia S.
Desserts here are heavenly. I'd like to marry the pastry chef if possible. The fluffy macaroons and oh so delicious, perfect amount of cream, dough and frosting eclairs are my favorites. Great place to get dessert for a dinner party or if you just want to treat yourself a bit.
(4)
Megan C.
2 million Yelp points for creativity and decorating BEAAAUTIFUL LOOKING CAKES HERE!! (-2 Yelp Stars for so so cupcakes and too sweet frosting. Blah! " ___|___ | | HAVE YOUR CAKE -------------------- ...and eat it too! | | --------------------------- | | ___________________ ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||Â|||||||||| ||||| ||||| ||||| ||||| ||||| ||||| ||||| ||||| ||||| ||||| WOW! What a following! I heard this place was pretty well known but 100 + reviews! We had to buy the only cake left for my Mom's friend who was having a birthday and I just honestly wasn't impressed. I also bought two cupcakes to try them (hoped they would be better than Magnolia in NYC) and was all but let down by the taste. Cake was slightly moist frosting was toooooooo sweet. Not my bag. I'm posting the photos now from the cakes in the window. Unbelievable! Love the purse cake and the ice age cake! Great little sitting area outside and all of the pastries looks really great but I didn't have a chance to try them. Let's just say I think this place is the cooler hipper "Magnolia" of Chicago. Face it everybody the cake wouldn't impress a sweet tooth. Try Billy's in Manhattan or head on back home to your Mamma's kitchen. Date Rating: 5 Pick up Scale: 4 Strong Suggestions: If you're interested in cake. Be specific, know what you want, and get ready to see some creative genius.
(3)
Brett K.
My new neighbor and best friend. Breakfast sandwiches on the weekends are becoming and obsession and all the standards are awesome. Dipped into the cakes and pie case for the first time this weekend with parents in town visiting and was not disappointed, cheese cake turtle and key lime graham, mmmm.... Great coffee, people, outdoor seating, dog treats, etc etc etc
(5)
Mary Ann C.
We now order all of our birthday cakes from Alliance. They do a fabulous job! We have had them create a Prada handbag cake, cow cake, and Angelina Ballerina cake. Obviously, the handbag was the one for me....and our little one liked the other cakes! The cakes are moist and delicious! Love buying cookies, scones, and any other treat out of the cases when we are in the neighborhood. My favorite bakery!
(5)
Jane L.
I had a terrible experience with Alliance when ordering a cake for my gender reveal party. I clearly explained to the sales clerk that we were planning to find out the sex of our baby with our family and handed her an envelope from the doctor's office which listed the gender. Sadly, instead of pink AND blue frosting on the outside like I had requested, our entire cake was pink when my husband picked it up the day of the reveal party. So, instead of together with family, my husband found out the sex of our baby alone at Alliance bakery...not exactly how we'd imagined it. Alliance did make us a new cake so that we can could go on with the surprise for the other 20 guests that were coming. They told us the owner would call us to refund the price of the cake, but no one ever called to explain what happened or refund the price of the cake. It's just very disappointing that our local bakery made such a big mistake and was so unapologetic about it..
(2)
Victoria D.
Chai-yi-yi...delicious but not overassuming. I definitely did not need to add sugar to enjoy. Don't pass up on the apricot oatmeal dessert bar. It definitely made my day.
(4)
Teri Y.
This review is based on the macarons. My fiance surprised me with macarons from Alliance Bakery when I was getting my hair done at Strange Beauty Show. He knows my love for macarons. I agree with one of the reviewers-- why is it so difficult to get good macarons in Chicago? Is it just Chicago? After traveling to different parts of the world and having the luxury to taste excellent macarons (and I'm talking about Pierre Herme macarons.... he is the god of macarons, IMHO), I was always disappointed at the lack of good macarons in Chicago. Alliance Bakery's macarons look so pretty and they taste so fantastic. Ok granted, no one can beat Pierre Herme. He is after all, the god of macarons. But still, Alliance Bakery's macaron is pretty damn good! Another best part is that the macarons here are only $1.50 each. OMG seriously? I'm so glad I found a place for my macaron fix.
(5)
Anahit G.
This is one of my favorite cages in Chicago. Their macaroons are amazing, and I know my macaroons!!! They make delicious pastries and coffee, and beautiful cakes (and offer wedding cake tastings!). The only drawback is the lack of room in the cafe for seating, and the constantly crowded lounge next door. But, for treats to go, it's perfect.
(4)
Sarah G.
The cakes are so cool and its really cute there, but the staff is always so rude and unhappy to see a customer, it ruins the experience.
(1)
Jelena Z.
The cakes at Alliance are beautiful sculptures. Every single time I walk by their storefront, I linger in front of the window with the Louis Vuitton handbag cake. Admit it, I know you have too! I tried a lemon bar because it's my own personal gauge of goodie greatness. Outcome? Success. I've sampled a slice (or 8) of my friend's birthday cakes over the years and always manage to smuggle a piece home, even if I have to wrap it in a napkin (is that the tacky equivalent of plastic left on a sofa?). Oh well, then I'm a perpetrator. And the cafe next door is perfect for getting work DONE. It's definitely not social hour so move along if you're feeling Chatty Cathy-ish. Yep, like Colleen C says, it's indeed a library sans books. I love my lattes here and right this very moment, I'm enjoyed hot tea that tastes like liquefied Jello. Sweeeeet.
(5)
Angel S.
Amazing! Went here during the summer to grab a cup of coffee and some pastries. We walked in only expecting to grab one item, but ended up grabbing a few things because we couldn't make up our minds. Everything was perfect- not overly sweet or overly rich, but the perfect balance. I'm definitely waiting for the first excuse to return!
(5)
Kellie W.
First, let's talk coffee. I usually go for specialty drinks instead of drip when I'm at a coffee shop. But the alliance blend is so delicious that I'd always suggest drinking drip here. I've also had their vanilla latte and mocha, but the alliance blend just can't be beat. It's very rich, without being too heavy. Their croissants are fantastic and super flakey in the french style. Very solid bakery.
(4)
Jims L.
There's one thing that I've enjoyed at Alliance Bakery - their lemon bars. Have been coming back at least once a week since November to try something new, never to be impressed. Will not be stopping by anymore. Was attempting to put on a bakesale for a charity organization and got in touch with four bakeries on Division. Alliance, and especially Michael Nitschky, the retail manager, was the least accessible and professional of them all. To get just a *response* - what ensued: I stopped in, told to email; emailed, never got a response; stopped in again a few days later, was told Michael would get the letters/brochures I printed out by 9AM; received no call, even though they were aware that the sale was happening in the afternoon; finally called again past 11AM when I received no word; he answered the phone with "this is Michael" and I had to brief him about everything as if he hadn't really gotten any messages. It's not a big deal if you can't help -- the least you can do is respond when the decision is so clear-cut on your end and keep us from waiting around with our hopes up. It was easier to get a hold of (and positive response from) more corporate Sprinkles Cupcakes.
(1)
Seth F.
Maybe I haven't given this place enough of a chance. The Yelp community obviously adores it and it's been a mainstay of my neighborhood for far longer than I've been here. But I've been twice and both times I was exceptionally underwhelmed with what I had. Suffice to say, the amazingly stylized cakes in the window project a false image of quality that I've found unmatched by the stuff they make that's actually edible.
(3)
Huifang H.
Love their flourless chocolate cake! so rich but not too sweet~~
(4)
Cristina C.
I recently wanted a specialty cake made for a special occasion. I have never had a large specialty cake made so I was a little nervous, but Alliance went above and beyond during every step in the process. . When I first called the bakery to describe what I wanted and when I wanted it, they gave me several ideas and suggested several days/times to come in to meet with a cake decorator to design the cake. When I went into the store to design the cake, I met with a great designer who put together a few ideas and then called in the owner who really took it to the next level. My original design would have had very little cake, so the owner came up with a new design that would not only feed my guests but also look great. When I picked up the cake, it looked better than the original sketch. The cashier offered helpful tips to keep it fresh and cool as well as to bring it out to my car. At the party, everyone was very surprised by the design and then thrilled with the taste of the cake. It was extremely moist and had the perfect amount of peanut butter filling for the chocolate cake. All in all, a huge and delicious success!
(5)
Christine F.
We got our 4-tiered wedding cake from Alliance and it was perfect! I had a vague idea of what I wanted it to look like, and Jennifer gave us a rough sketch that captured my vision. As our wedding neared, she added some additional detail as we finalized the design. The best part: the cake was DEEELICIOUS!!!!!! I love cake, so the taste and moistness of the cake was really important to me, particularly because this was the only dessert we had at the wedding. But it was perfect. The caterer couldn't cut the cake fast enough. The amount of cake was perfect as well - we only had a small portion leftover. I will go back to Alliance for any cake that we need in the future! YUM!
(5)
Nancy T.
The only reason I won't give Alliance 5 stars is because I learned that their cakes that are already made and ready to be picked up are not as delicious as their special order cakes. I purchased a chocolate cake that was ready to go same day and it was just ok. But that same day I placed an order for a small red velvet cake to pick up a week later and it was fantastic! My mother, so picky when it comes to cakes, loved it!!! We all did! It is a little pricey, but the great taste is worth it! The staff is very friendly & helpful, too!
(4)
Angela P.
Beep beep! Alliance Bakery, last stop on my Fat Tuesday paczki crawl. This bakery is much smaller than others I stopped at for paczki, and waiting behind three people is hardly what I would call a line. I placed a pre-order anyway (you have to phone it in) for a Raspberry Rose and a Blueberry Lemon paczki. The variety of flavors is lacking, but those two flavors stood out to me. The standard custard and apple are also available. The Raspberry Rose on its own makes Alliance worth a stop. There was tons of tart, raspberry filling, with a light rose flavor that wasn't too perfumey or overwhelming, but certainly exotic enough to make the trip. I'm not lying when I say I'll probably order a dozen or so from Central Continental, but I'll stop at Alliance (kind of, but not really, on the way home) just for one or two Raspberry Rose. The dough is a little more dry than other bakeries, and I didn't like the blueberry lemon at all. The blueberry filling lacked any sweetness. What drew me to Alliance also is that they sell macarons. I figured that in the late morning, on Fat Tuesday, nobody's thinking about macarons. But I was really disappointed when the two I wanted (balsamic fig and rose) were sold out. They still had eight other flavors for $1.75/each, and they sell pre-packaged ones for $20. Next time I'm in Wicker Park I'll stop by for the macarons. There's also a lot of great shopping in the area, so it's totally worth adding Alliance as a destination.
(4)
emily h.
The best bakery for wedding cake and favors! Nora at Alliance was so helpful and easy to work with when selecting our wedding cake and wedding favors. My husband and I aren't big cake people so we wanted a smaller cake for the "cutting the cake moment" at our reception. We weren't planning on cutting or serving it, only for the moment for my husband and I. Nora was super receptive to this idea and made us a 10 in, beautiful white and gold cake, exactly what we wanted. She was open to me sending her a picture of the design and colors that i wanted, and made the cake exactly to what we pictured! We were able to take our cake home, eat half and freeze the other half! Not only did it look beautiful, it tastes amazing! even a week later, the cake is still moist and yummy! Where Nora and staff at alliance were so helpful was with our favors. We chose to give our guests each a french macaroon, one purple and one white. My mom made the boxes that each cookie was to be presented in, and alliance was more than happy to work with us in putting each cookie in the box we provided. This was a huge cost savings to us and looked so good! Everyone was eating and loving the favors as they left the wedding reception! We live very close to Alliance and often go for coffee or treats, but now we know they are truly the best for cakes and macaroons!!! I would highly recommend working with alliance for any baked needs you have, not to mention, they delivered the cake and cookies to our venue!
(5)
Lindsay p.
Ordered a cake online, received an email with the pricing asking me to confirm. I did, and got another email asking me to call with a credit card number to reserve. I did. I went to pick up the cake, and they did not have the cake, and had no record of my order (despite the fact that I had the email exchange to show them). Fine, you made a mistake. But then they did nothing to try to help me. A discount on a comparable cake, maybe? Or cupcakes? Or something? (There were a bunch of people at my house for a birthday). They seemed to be satisfied with the fact that they hadn't charged my credit card for the cake that they never made.
(1)
XTreats X.
Macarons are nice and soft. Lemon poppy seed was a little sweet. Didn't have any other pastries but they looked good. Not the largest selection. What gives this the 4th star is the Bow Truss coffee, cool lounge and nice staff.
(4)
Liz B.
This review is for a custom cookie order. I saw cookies on Pinterest that I wanted to have replicated for a baby shower, so I emailed the photo to a couple of Chicago bakeries, including Alliance. They were so quick to respond with a price quote (I emailed with Nora), and when I said that price per cookie was too high for me, they made suggestions about how the design could be tweaked to lower the price. When I picked up the cookies (which were ready and waiting when they said they woudl be), I was blown away by how perfect they were! They were somehow even more amazing than the original picture I had sent in. The colors were awesome and the design was flawless. While custom designed cookies are never cheap, I would certainly go back to Alliance for a future order.
(5)
Chris S.
The quality of the products coming out of this bakery is easily some of the best I've had, anywhere in the world. The macaroons are representative of the expert craftwork that's going on at Alliance; too frequently, macaroon flavors are unremarkable, textures border on stale, and prices are absurd. Alliance macaroons are none of this, and everything this treat should capture. Their cakes are creative and delicious, and the cake pops are excellent versions of the larger delicacy.
(5)
Athena A.
We ordered our wedding cake from Alliance Bakery. Nora and Jennifer perfectly coordinated our cake tasting and the setup and delivery of the cake. We live in California and they made discussing and choosing a cake design so easy. We got a two-tiered raspberry buttercream cake with the frosting design of our choice. I should add that they did a fantastic job of reproducing the exact design that we wanted. We got lots of compliments on the elegant design of the cake in addition to how delicious it was.
(5)
Leigh C.
How cool are the wedding cakes in the window? Well, we got our wedding cake here and it was not that cool at all. We were promised one thing and given something completely different. I insisted I wanted buttercream because it tastes better, and they said they could do a small design around the base in fondant and the rest buttercream, but instead we were lied to and the whole thing was fondant. Second, we never got a design blueprint, despite asking for one every other week for a long time!!! The gray color did not match the swatch I dropped off, the inscription was written in two lines so it didn't match the round inscription on the dome, the design was plain and frankly ugly looking. If you told me I was paying for fondant, I would have picked a much crazier idea and went for looks than taste. In the end, nobody ate the cake either and we were given a full tall 8" top tier round to take home. Terrible experience. Terrible communication about the design. They were not interested in working with is at all. Price was exorbitant. Don't come here if you have a summer wedding. They're just too swamped and don't put the time into working with you.
(2)
Saul A.
The pastries and service here are great but the cake we ordered for my 2 year old sons birthday last year was petty bad. My girlfriend placed the order about 3 weeks in advance. She had me pick it up and I seriously should have rejected it because of how crappy it looked. It was a Thomas the train cake but Thomas looked like he had a bums beard and had been drinking for quite some time. He was very bloated looking. I had no choice but to take it as it was picked up on the day of our little guys birthday and we were traveling to see family. I am not sure if it was an off day for the decorator or what but I will not buy another birthday cake from this place again. I will look for pics and try to upload later so you guys can see that I am not exaggerating.
(2)
Melissa A.
I discovered Alliance Bakery one evening after dining at Carriage House (one of my favorite restaurants) since they're a few storefronts over. I've only been here a handful of times but I can vouch for their cupcakes, macarons, spinach feta croissant, and coffee! The cupcakes that I've tried (red velvet, salted caramel, and maybe a hazelnut??) were awesome and I don't throw that compliment around easily. Their cupcakes are moist, not overly sweet, and frosting was delicious and not too heavy. The coffee they serve here is Bow Truss (local Chicago based coffee roasters) and it's pretty darn good. I'm sure anything you order here won't disappoint!
(4)
Jill M.
Nora and the Alliance team are incredible! The staff is so talented, creative and their customer service is impeccable! No one does cakes better than Alliance Bakery! Thank you for always delivering when I am in a pinch :)
(5)
Sara J.
Yikes. This place upsets me so. I live down the street and need cupcakes on a weekly basis to survive. There cupcakes are edible, that's right edible; yet so so expensive. Who are they kidding with those prices? Maybe if the cupcake was phenomenal it wouldn't sting as much. Also I've ordered a Cherry pie to take to a dinner party and it was so artificial tasting. The cakes in the display are darling but it's more so like a museum than a bakery; look don't eat. Sorry Alliance, I will not be visiting again.
(2)
C C.
Second best in the Second City, Their almond croissant is what I crave most-- truly amazing! There is only one other that's better, and you need to be in Hyde Park for that one, I've had their other sweet rolls- all very, very good. I haven't tried a lot of there stuff yet-- it's a bit too neo fancy for me, but if you like that kind of stuff, my guess is that it is good, too. It's taking me a long time to write this because some of the waitstaff often seem to sort of "shut down" when they serve me. I'll see them yakking it up with people in front of me-- okay, you know them, I get that. But, the extreme detachment mode when it's my turn is a turn off. and, this from those employees/owners? who have worked there for a long time. Maybe I'm not a "regular enough" customer? FYI, I've been going there since it was a Polish bakery where English was barely spoken and the various saints "namedays" were written on a huge, chalkboard calendar. So, it makes me an oldster, but don't I qualify me for "regular enough" status? I can handle consistent rudeness when a place is good, but what's with the off/on friendliness?
(4)
Tiffany C.
Alliance feels like a neighborhood fixture. That's one of the best things about it. They had a wide array of cupcakes to choose from, but the cheesecake is what won me and my sister over. We shared their small fruit cheesecake as a mid-afternoon sweet pick-me-up on a cloudy summer day. I personally really liked it because it WASN'T as dense as cheesecakes normally come - it was actually a bit more airy/mousse-like in its consistency, which made it feel like each mouthful melted easily on my tongue. My only bone to pick with this place is that their coffee was pretty awful. I'm not a coffee drinker normally and even I could tell this was watered down and dreadful. Oh, and their inside seating is completely monopolized by students/Mac-addicts plugging away at their computers. They look up irritably as you enter and attempt to invade their space by daring to eat dessert in the quiet zone. As a result, we relegated ourselves to the outside patio, where thankfully none of these zombie patrons were in sight.
(4)
Cerene P.
De-LI-CIOUS!!!!! Today we celebrated 2 birthdays in which we had carrot and german chocolate cake cupcakes. I only tried the Carrot Cake Cupcake, I must say it was AWESOME. Moist, fresh, perfect cream cheese frosting -definitely one of the better cupcakes i've had through out chicago. Perfect treat for a stressful week.
(4)
Gina G.
Nothing makes me happier than a place I can pick up a delicious cupcake and macaroons after dinner time! Yummy :D
(5)
Stefanie B.
I have to say hands down Alliance Bakery has the BEST almond croissants I've ever had. They don't have much variety in their bakery but what they do have is really good and all you really need is the almond croissants. Last time I was there I tried macarons which I'm not really a fan of but they were really good here and I actually liked them!! They had different flavors than the ordinary ones. The staff is so sweet and friendly...5 STARS!
(5)
Mira S.
Good, fresh macaroons in some interesting flavors. The yuzu was refreshing, and bright green to boot. The fig and raspberry were also good. They do a pumpkin spice latte, and they make the syrup themselves, and know where all of the ingredients are from. It's subtle, and it didn't taste like the syrup had much sugar, if any, it was just flavor--I'm a big fan of that. Friendly staff. Awesome looking cakes, including one that looks like a fairy tale book, with a big dragon behind it. I'm sure the cakes are delicious, if they're half as good as they are well decorated.
(4)
Zorin D.
So I was walking along the street when I happened to see macaroons out of the corner of my eye. I had to stop and try them as the assorted colors drew you in. It was a great desert and my favorite was the sea salt caramel along with the rose. I did a little mental math later that angered me a little bit. I paid $19.25 for a box of ten macaroons and they were being sold for $1.75 each. This place would have gotten an easy 5 stars for me if I didn't feel like I was getting ripped off a bit to buy a box. I didn't think about it until after we left though. All things considered. Everything I tried was good. Just remember to buy individually instead of the box.
(4)
Jennifer L.
I was in the area shopping for a treat to bring to a family gathering for Easter. I had originally intended on getting a pie from another bakery in the area, but quickly changed my mind upon seeing the beautifully decorated cakes in the shop's window. I just had to see if the cakes tasted as good at they looked. I bought a red velvet cake, which was decorated like an Easter egg. We ate the cake after dinner the following day and it still tasted great. I can only imagine how good it would have tasted had I eaten it right away. There was a thin layer of cream cheese frosting in between the cake and the frosting was not overly sweet either. My only critique would be that I would have liked to have more cream cheese frosting inside the cake. The family enjoyed the cake as well. I also bought a raspberry macaron and a key lime tart. The macaron was definitely the best raspberry one that I have sampled so far! I enjoyed the crisp outside and the raspberry filing inside was absolutely delicious. The key lime tart was made to perfection. I loved the thickness of the crust, which held the filing for the tart nicely. I also enjoyed the whipped cream that was on top of it. I ate the tart over the course of two days and it still tasted great on the second day. Overall, I was highly impressed with Alliance Bakery and definitely will be back to try some more of their goodies when I return to the area.
(4)
Mark D.
I walked in and ordered a beverage. They made the order and I pulled out my debit card to pay. The guy at the counter told me that I needed to spend at least $5 to use a debit card (lol) but he also explained that the bigger issue was that their credit card machine was broken. He asked me if I wanted to write my debit card number on a piece of paper so that they could charge it when the machine was working. I said no. I probably won't go back here. Two stars because I have a feeling a one star review would be filtered.
(2)
Maia D.
The macarons are deeeelicious. The people who work in the shop are great, too. The tres leches cake was really good, but I thought there was too much whipped cream on top but not enough cake (other than that, fabulous). Will stop by again soon!
(5)
Michelle L.
I wanted to give this place a shoutout for great service. I was staying across the street at the Ruby Room inn when I got locked out of my room, and no one was around to let me back in. I headed across the street to Alliance and their counter staff Sam and Abie not only let me use their phone to call, but let me stay in the bakery for ninety minutes waiting for someone to come let me in, and served me a coffee and pastry even though I didn't have my wallet on me at the time. They were so patient with me and so helpful with looking up contact information. I'm seriously grateful to them! Oh, the cortado I had was also fantastic. I'm looking forward to bringing some of their macarons home to New York, especially the balsamic fig flavor! Thanks so much guys. :-)
(5)
Richa A.
I wish I lived next to this place. This is exactly the kind of bakery I love and seek out in a city. I got a dark chocolate mousse cake which was garnished with what appeared to be really teeny tiny macaroons, and then some kind of vanilla filling with a peanut butter crunch thrown in. It was amazing. I eat a lot of good dessert on a regular basis, but this blew me away. Next door to it is the Alliance Lounge which you can go sit down in if you want, although everyone already in there were using it as a place to do work and it wasn't exactly a fun or cozy cafe vibe.
(5)
Morenike K.
So far, one of the best bakeries in the city. The service was great and the food was great.
(4)
Misse D.
How have I skipped a review of Alliance? My bad. I dream of their frosting. It is so good and thick that I cannot help but day dream when I am eating a super healthy lunch, like today, of veges and string cheese. Their cupcakes are my favorite. I had had a few of their cookies, which I recommend. They are good but not the best. I love their cake so much that my husband and I came here for a wedding cake tasting. The cake was good but not the Best in the City. Their designs are good but again, not the Best in the City. I prefer to stop in one a cold day for a red velvet cupcake. Yum.
(4)
michaelia f.
I want to like this place, I really do. I love pastries, and was on the hunt for a place to study after the demise of Filter. Alliance was one of the first places I tried because I live ridiculously close. I came here on a Wednesday afternoon to get some work done and indulged myself in an iced chai and a red velvet cupcake. Service was slow; it seemed like each of the counter workers had no idea what the others were doing. I got my chai, which was quite nice, if a bit too sweet to my tastes. Their seating area is next door, so I took my delicious-looking cupcake and settled into a table near the wall. The cupcake looked beautiful, but when I bit into it, it was a dry and crumbly mess. I took a bite of the frosting, which was grainy and inedible. I was so disappointed I couldn't finish it. Now, I thought this was just a fluke; maybe they just had an off day and forgot about some cupcakes in the case. No big deal. So I went in again, because the seating space is ok and hardly ever busy. I got a brownie, which unfortunately suffered from the same problems as the cupcake: dry, crumbly, and like it was at least a day or two old. Alliance gets an extra star because their bagels are decent and their seating area is not usually busy. Avoid the pastry.
(2)
Ashley L.
These folks made my wedding cake and good Lord was it delicious. They let us choose a different flavor and filling for each tier and all of them were amazing. I absolutely recommend the almond cake with chocolate filling. It's phenomenal (if you like almond). I had a ton of people at my wedding asking me who made the cake. They were also really easy to deal with and very nice folks. They let us choose the almond cake for no extra charge (normally it would be extra with the package we got). The cake itself looked great, too, so that was a plus. Overall, I highly recommend Peter and his team at Alliance.
(5)
Joscelyn M.
I find it a true testament to my willpower that I pass this place every day, twice a day and have only been in a few times. Trust me, if chocolate was calorie-free, I would be all over this place. I've had the bars, brownies and cupcakes and have been in heaven with every bite! Now about that calorie-free chocolate, Alliance... Hmmm? However - I have to say the baby shaped cake is a bit weird, but who am I to judge?
(4)
Erini S.
Whenever I'm working in Wicker Park, I tend to stop by Alliance. It's a nice place with good treats. Their lemon strawberry cupcake was pretty awesome. Mostly, I love their sugar cookies. It's a basic sugar cookie, but well, they just look awesome. They re-purposed the easter bunny cookie to make owls (which were amazingly cute!), and then a week or so ago they had NES controllers! The geek in me squealed -- then tweeted a picture of it. I think my only complaint of them, ever, has been that they aren't necessarily the speediest, but it wasn't tragically slow. More like Sunday Morning slow. Which normally I wouldn't mind, I just had a shop of my own to open up.
(4)
Frances C.
The bakery itself looks pretty cool, but that's not what I want to talk about. What I want to talk about is the fact that the adjoining "lounge" is always chock-full of macbooks, and their too-cool-for-school owners. I'm a writer, ok? So, sometimes I need to get out of the house and go somewhere so I can concentrate in order to get my very, very important, Pulitzer-esque WORK done in a timely manner because I work on a DEADLINE, ok folks? However, on the Sunday afternoon I walked into this dump, I was blinded by lit-up apples, flannel and it wreaked of stale PBR and bike locks. I made a face (think lip snarl, head cock, eyebrow raise with a sudden jolt of the neck) to all of those jerks and took my own MACBOOK PRO elsewhere (Starbucks, so disgusting and not at all cool).
(3)
Will C.
Alliance is by far the nearest and most convenient coffee shop to my apartment and I love it when it's not packed to the gills with people and when the radio station in the lounge isn't playing Coldplay and The Dave Matthews Band. I mean, for Christ's sake, really...really? But...but...why? I hear you playing your iPod in the room with the cash register, why can't you rewire it to include the lounge? When I don't have to hear contemporary easy listening crap and tune out the inane conversation of some recent DePaul grads this is a great place. Sadly, far too rarely is that the case. :-(
(2)
Natalie M.
I'm giving this place 2stars based mostly on the experience I had trying to order a custom made cake for a 50th bday party I was planning. After coming across Alliance on line, I called to make an appointment for a tasting for a custom made cake. I was informed in a snooty tone that they only did cake tastings for WEDDINGS, not birthdays (though the price of the cake would have been equal to a wedding cake if not higher) but I was free to come in and buy a cupcake to try it out. Perhaps it is irrational for me to believe that money is GREEN no matter wait type of cake you are buying and the fact that just because my cake was not for a NUPTIAL I would be denied the full range of customer service was laughable. I went to the bakery to simply explain my reasoning to the manager, but the cashier at the counter wouldnt even allow me to talk to the manager. Again treating me as if asking for a tasting for a $500 or more priced cake made me "high maintainence" simply because it was not for a wedding. I was tempted to say "well Im not ordering a birthday cake any more, Im ordering a groom's cake- can I get my tasting now??" but I did not, as I choose to give my money to another establishment who would provide me with the type of service I felt $500 or more dollars deserved.
(2)
Tyler B.
Cappuccino and pellegrino. Friday afternoon in the sun. Alliance is that classic portrait of the pastry shop of yesteryear. It's the neighborhood bakery. Friendly faces serve you treats and intelligensia coffee. And designer cakes too in a showcase window. A certain sense of nostalgia. Find yourself patio side, sitting back sipping and nibbling; observing the walks of life go by- scurrying about, to and fro, there they go a' commuting. People watchers' paradise and fine treats too. Stop by.
(5)
Derrick T.
Excellent coffee, great pastries, and a nice study area (along with free wifi) make this one of my go to places for studying and snacking. Things I have tried thus far: Crossaint - Flaky, buttery, airy. Near perfect. Almond Crossaint - Stickily sweet... more dessert than breakfast, but delicious. Blueberry scone - Now this is a scone... none of those crappy Starbucks bricks has the right to bear the name of scone, but this soft, moist, sugary treat? This is a scone. Macaroons - Mind you I have never had a macaroon before, but these things have been delicious. White chocolate raspberry was delightful, and the chocolate ganache smeared in the banana chocolate one was very memorable. Cakes - You know, I brought a cake back for my parents for dinner one evening, and the differences textural layers and separate but complimenting flavors was phenomenal. This was not a standard cake, and I'm not sure what the name was, but it made me a lifetime fan of Alliance. Lemon Bar/Lime Bar - Tasty, and very flavorful. You can tell the purity of ingredients from the flavors. Almost too tart, but I'm a fan of tart over sweet at times. So why four stars you ask? I noticed that their bakery items definitely carry over to the next day. I had macaroons one night, and stopped in again the next night to get some more, and noted that the same macaroons along with many other bakery items were still there. As a business person, i fully understand the need to sell all of your items, but this makes me wonder how long the items are sitting in the display case before they are tossed or given away. Now I could be wrong and they may have turned over all their items in the 24 hours that had passed, but from my inspecting eye, it sure didn't look like it. May I suggest an Au Bon Pain approach and discounting your items between 8:00 and 9:00 PM right before you close? I feel like you may draw the local crowd and it would help relieve your items and make way for fresh items the next day. Of course, it's important to make a profit (which I have no doubt Au Bon Pain does even discounted) but this may be the cause of people's complaints that the brownies/cupcakes/cookies are too dry...
(4)
Nicole T.
Cute bakery with outdoor seating and a separate lounge next door with free wi-fi. The lounge is usually pretty quiet, which is good if you need to get some work done. They are also open fairly late. I usually order iced or hot coffee and most often they have soy milk out with the usual condiments. They also have about 8 different varieties of loose tea. I've tried the vegan cookie and the vegan apple streusel. I've had better vegan cookies but theirs is ok if you want some sweet carbs on the spot. I like the apple streusel much better. Sweetened apples with some raisins and granola bits. Yum.
(4)
Jen G.
I haven't had a cake from here yet, but considering how good the cupcakes are, I can only imagine they must be delicious. Those cupcakes couldn't be more addicting if they put crack in them. Just thinking about them makes me crave one. My favorites are the red velvet and the double chocolate. The sandwiches and the quiche are also great for lunch. And I love their chai lattes too. Great neighborhood gem.
(4)
Andrea R.
Once upon a cupcake Alliance Bakery had the best red velvet cupcakes in all of Chicagoland. These days they are pretty mediocre- the cake is dry and the frosting doesn't do much for me. Don't get me wrong...they are edible, but Sweet Mandy B's wins my cupcake prize these days.
(3)
Julia S.
This place must be hurting for money-because they will charge you more than what you actually should pay. Typically, I love this place. In the last year, I have purchased several treats here for birthdays and special occasions. Yesterday, I stopped in at 6AM to pick up some treats for a co-workers birthday. However, once I boarded the L train and thought about it, I realized I overpaid. My bill was $24, when is should have been $16. (Shame on me for not paying closer attention at 6AM). After work, I took the trouble of going back to Alliance, and kindly explained to the guy behind the counter what happened, showed him my receipt, and asked for the difference back (seems fair, right?). Since the receipt was not itemized, he told me that he couldn't be sure what I bought, and therefore could not give me the difference back. This was so insulting. Being a loyal, repeat customer I was offended that he even thought I would try and "rip him off". I was only trying to pay the correct price for what I bought and I was being fair with him (I would have gladly eaten another $8 of pastries!). Instead, he laughed off my request and I have never left a retail establishment feeling so low. While the pastries are good-there are plenty of other bakeries in Wicker Park and I will not go back here. It is an insult to my character to think that I would lie about my bill. If you go here-PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR TOTAL...they will charge you more than what they should. So keep my $8 Alliance...you obviously need it more than I do.
(1)
Blossom C.
I have become a regular here! They have delicious coffee, and great pastries. I have yet to try one of their cakes, but they sure look cool and they are obviously very talented. I also really like the hang out area next door.
(5)
Elizabeth H.
If I lived in Wicker Park there is a good chance that I would have the body of that bedridden man that had to be airlifted out of his house. The hazelnut cupcake is bliss, plain and simple, and for a shop that specializes in sweet treats, the sandwiches are quite tasty as well. I thoroughly enjoyed the portobello sandwich on foccia with goat cheese. yum yum yum! See ya again soon Alliance!
(5)
Jennifer B.
There are so many reviews on Alliance bakery....their following is huge. Plus, something about knowing that this bakery has been open forever gives it brownie points (pun intended!).... I'm not gonna lie, I came in here for a cupcake because cupcakes are like my crack, and Yelp is my like my dealer, letting me know where I can find them. Everyone raved about the cupcakes here so I had to give them a shot. And well, they're okay. I didn't care for the chocolate cupcake I ate but we also got a turtle brownie that was a-mazing!!! And dog bone desserts for only $0.35? My dog thanks you, Alliance. I don't think the cupcakes were anything special (and I think all cupcakes, like children, are special) yet I would return for their other desserts, and because the cakes in the display window are just too cool.
(4)
Susan marie C.
All i can say is, I'm not impressed. too much hype and no delivery. disappointed...very disappointed
(2)
mariah c.
Alliance wins my award for best chai of the month. Some of the chain coffee shops use chai mix which is far too sugary for my tastes. I don't know if Alliance uses a mix or not, but the balance of sweetness is juuust right. The array of cakes, cookies and other baked goods is pretty astonishing. I love cake-shop windows, and Alliance's is delightful to me. It would never occur to me to get a cake shaped like a purse, but dang, that Louis Vuitton cake looks amazing! I was pretty stuffed when I last stopped in, but the cute little sprinkled meringue I got was the perfect melt-in-your-mouth dessert. The lounge (next door to the bakery) is a quiet place to work. However, the emphasis is on *quiet*, so as Colleen mentions, if you want to get chatty, you're better off taking your laptop and friend elsewhere. When I was in the lounge working yesterday, there was a 2-3 year old who was inexplicably obsessed with "Smoke on the Water." I'm not sure that has much to do with Alliance -- except for the fact that I was really amused and thought to myself, "If I'd chosen to work at a Starbucks, I doubt I would have happened upon such a Deep Purple-loving little lad to brighten my morning!"
(4)
Daphne D.
As the other review said, one word sums up the marvelousness of this place: macarons It is very rare to find macarons in the US, let alone ones THIS good. Plus the flavors are creative, overall true decadence!!
(5)
Marie J.
3 words.... Red Velvet Cupcake. Enough said.
(4)
Mill V.
I was in the neighborhood and also wanted to try them, so I did. Oh boy, I wish I didn't. I got 4 French macarons and 1 vanilla cupcake. And all came to be $8. The cupcake was absolutely just gross. Buttercream had strong corn starchy taste. The cake part was what made me gag. So dry, so stale, so eck. My French macarons were such a disappointment. I love these guys, almost to an obsession. The cookie part was too dry, and didn't have THEE essential chewy-ness that these wonderful cookies are suppose to have. Buttercream center was "alright". It's cute in appearence, but looks alittle rundown and alittle dirty. I am not coming back to you, sorry babes. I have better at Jewels, bitches. That's pretty gross....
(1)
Ross R.
Pretty good donut, but disappointed by the palpable condescension of the hipster cashier who felt it necessary to correct my calling it a donut...it's a beignet.
(3)
Amaliya L.
Everyone and their mama has been raving about cupcakes. What the hell is the fascination? I have been fighting this craze for the past year. I'm old school, so screw you cupcakes, I refuse to be converted! Just like a missionary...these damn cupcakes came to me..they were on a mission to show me the way to sweet salvation and all that glory. My little sister, once again had to show me a thing or two about food. Tucked away in a neat little box were 5 of the most beautifully decorated "cupcakes". It's blasphemous to call them cupcakes. They are mini cakes dammit! I tried the pumpkin spice, the chocolate hazelnut, red velvet, and they are damn good! I'm a believer now..and I just might stop by if I'm ever in the area.
(5)
Kate G.
I really don't know what to do about Alliance. I want to love it and it just doesn't want me to. So we had Alliance make our wedding cake. It turned out beautifully, exactly how we wanted it (an art deco motif they made from scratch) and it tasted even better. I mean this was a delicious, gorgeous cake-- perfection in every way it counts in a baked good. But the process that lead to getting that cake wasn't really that pleasant and subsequent visits to the cafe have just annoyed me. I don't need over-zealous, happy people to attend to me when I go into a business. Really, I don't. But the people who work here are so unfriendly and aloof they are practically surly. They make me feel like I am asking a HUUUUUUGE favor when I ask to purchase a cookie or a cupcake. It's a popular place and I am sure they are constantly slammed with orders, but everyone who walks in doesn't have to be a chore. The service relating to ordering our wedding cake was honestly not much better-- transactional and a little disorganized. All in all, food is amazing and beautiful. Service is just a drag.
(3)
B G.
Me likey the macaroons and dah coffee. Goooood! Nice people. Nice nice nice. Nice.
(5)
Quynh-An P.
Mmmmmm macarons. The boyfriend is usually not as eager to go to bakeries as I am. We stopped by here because I had heard the macarons were tasty. I ordered a few macarons and he got the almond croissant. The croissant was delicious...but the macarons were even better. I gave the boyfriend one bite of my vanilla macaron and he was begging for me. It was so good, that he insisted that we stop by there before our flight back to Seattle. We ended getting a box of the passion fruit and vanilla macarons to go and they're already gone now (we flew back last night). We plan to go to Chicago again and I'll be heading back to this place definitely. YUMMY!
(5)
Alexis P.
Super delicious cake! The next b-day cake I order is definitely going to be from here. Coffee and pastries are also top notch. A little more effort could be put into the lounge area next door in terms of ambiance. I was in there one day and they were playing this awful Stained/Nicklebackish music and it felt like a cruel joke to be in a room where the people who were controlling the music weren't the ones that had to listen to it.
(4)
Becca H.
I love their window displays!! They're crazy cool and unique. I've only really gone there for coffee on the weekends, but their coffee is bomb. Not to mention the cute guys who work there! Their bakery items always look really good. Alliance would probably be the first place I'd go if I needed some grab some desserts. I've tried some of their cookies and cupcakes, and they have always been outstanding. Very cute bakery.
(5)
Luis L.
Alliance bakery is amazing. I've had cupcakes from lots of places, but the cupcakes here are some of the best. The ingredients must be of the highest quality, and the head baker's skill is obviously superlative because EVERYTHING I've had here has been amazingly good. My absolute favorite cupcakes are the lemon strawberry ones; the lemon flavor is intense, and the strawberry frosting is buttery and has the prefect sweetness. Gosh, I have gorged on these pieces of pure delight. Anytime a loved one has a birthday, I always try to get him or her a cupcake from here. However, I always have to order more than what I intend to give, because I can never control myself and end up eating at least two on the way. (Also, I'd just like to briefly insert that oddly, a few other reviewers see alliance as a coffee-shop/hang-out/study place, which it kinda is, but really isn't. It's essentially a bakery, not a hang-out. You're essentially sitting in a bakery's seating area, so I think you've got to be really silly if you complain about it.) When I've been there, the staff has always been courteous and professional. The place is small, but also rather old-school and charming. I've never had their cakes, which are incredibly fancy looking (and too pricey to just splurge on my own), but I intend to splurge on one soonish!
(5)
Rick J.
What Alliance lacks in food and rink, it makes up for in atmosphere. The best coffee shop to work or study at in the area, easily. I live near Alliance and head there regularly to do all of the usual coffee shop things. The staff is always attentive, friendly and professional and the coffee is consistently good. There's better coffee out there, but I haven't had a bad cup at Alliance. I wouldn't recommend any of the espresso drinks, though. The americanos are good, but any of the milk espresso drinks can be passed on. Maybe I haven't found the right treat yet, but most of the cookies and pastries I've tried as Alliance have been underwhelming. You're paying for presentation. The real draw to Alliance Bakery is their lounge next door. It's usually fairly full, but you can almost always find a table for yourself. Being separate from the kitchen noise of the bakery helps to keep the lounge nice and quiet, and aside from the occasional conversation the clientele tends to preserve that quiet. It's perfect for working and studying. There isn't a better coffee shop in the area if you are looking to hang out for a while. THE END.
(4)
Andre W.
I went in again and yes I am now double addicted! The staff thinks I am as well. I got the red velvet cupcake and the cinnamin buns and they were better than the last times I had them. This is a great staff! I will try something else when I go next time, but keep up the great work Alliance
(5)
RJ E.
I am the most impatient person in the word. While service is somewhat slow here, it is because this place is not a factory. I would wait an hour for a coffee from Alliance. I would wait a day for the scone to go with it.
(5)
Monica S.
Alliance has decent enough coffee & pastries, but the the best part is the seating area next door with free wi-fi. It's kind of weird because the counter and the seating area have two different entrances so you have to get your coffee and then leave the shop and walk outside to go into the seating area. The seating area has lots of room and plenty of people. On a Sunday over a holiday weekend there were a lot of people chatting and hanging out, so it's not a place to go for quiet reading. Also, don't sit near the door in the winter, the door opens and closes every 2 minutes and it's cold. The pastries at Artemio on Milwaukee are way cheaper, almost feels like a rip off to pay for them at Alliance. But they are a bit more upscale with interesting decoration.
(4)
Lisa F.
Alliance, Alliance, Alliance. I want to love you, I really do, but I don't. You are steps away from my apartment, you have nice outdoor seating and you make two things that I live for ( Coffee and pastries) yet, everything I order tastes awful. I have heard around the block that you have new management, maybe this will help, but I still am not wasting my time or money.
(1)
Heather D.
What can I add to these reviews? Alliance is awesome. It welcomed my boyfriend and I with open arms and helped convince us that Chicago was the right city for us. The large annex has tons of space for you to work with the complimentary wifi. We spent many an hour here when we had first moved and didn't have internet yet. The place is very casual and relaxed - you don't feel you are mooching because they really don't care. But you don't go to a coffeeshop for wifi alone. What keeps you coming back is the quality of the coffee. And the Alliance baristas know how to make espresso. Alliance wistfully reminds me of professional coffee shops in Seattle. The espresso has a full flavor without a touch of the bitterness that uneducated baristas include. Alliance is a stalwart in this neighborhood. It's difficult to stroll down Division without stopping by.
(4)
Gia S.
My husband and I chose Alliance Bakery as it was one of the vendors included in our hotel weddubg package. After comparing options, I could see not only were their designs fabulous but they had a wider variety of flavor choices than the others. We went with a sleek and simple design which turned out gorgeous, mimicking the pattern on our invitations. It was a 4 tiered cake and they let us alternate flavors. One was lemon cake with lemon curd and raspberry. SO fresh and delicious. Then we went with a unique take on the traditional chocolate, regular cake with a salted caramel filling. The design, the taste, the planning experience with Jennifer and the team... perfect. They even give you a fresh cake topper for your 1 year anniversary. I'd highly recommend Alliance to anyone!
(5)
Fred R.
This review applies to a sandwich I bought. While I'm sure the baked goods are good, the sandwhich honestly had one slice of meat...it was comical they could call it a sandwhich. It was such a poor attempt at a sandwhich I'm not sure why they sell them.
(1)
Timothy M.
Color me slightly underwhelmed. I've been meaning to come into this place for about 2 years now, but every time I find myself in the area, it's after their lame 9pm closing time. 9pm, seriously? I do like the quietness. In any case, the baked good I had (a danish-type concoction) was decent, though dry and the Intelligensia was also passable. Strong stuff, but not much flavor - and no non to-go cups. Maybe they're taking a page from Starbucks. Speaking of which, this place is strikes me a little as a bakery-intensive Starbucks for people that don't like Starbucks. I liked the Bowie's "Starman" and Dylan's "Rainy Day Women", but Dave Matthews Band? My iPod comes up with some embarrassing choices sometimes, but at no time ever should DMB be playing in any coffee shop, unless you are, in fact, at Starbucks. Don't get me wrong though, a free wi-fi, free refills, douchebag-free scene is totally my thing. I am definitely going to try some of those other treats - a cilantro-infused cake? Yes. I won't travel across town for Alliance, but I wish I had one near me - since I'm one of those people that don't like Starbucks. EDIT: I am deducting ONE star for the SECOND Dave Matthews Band song I heard in one sitting.
(3)
Charlie G.
I would love to write a review about how delicious the baked goods are, but I can't... Alliance is open until 9:00pm. I walked in their open door at 8:54pm to buy some cookies that were sitting in the glass case, only inches from my grasping fingers. Instead of taking my cash for some cookies (that would sit out all night if they weren't bought), the hipster behind the counter told me that the bakery was closed. She refused to sell me the cookies. In disbelief, I politely asked her if she really wanted to turn away a purchaser and informed her that she was losing a customer. She responded by saying, "no, it's really YOUR loss." Unbelievable. No matter how sweet, the cookies in that place must be bitter from all the attitude. I've never been back. I only regret that I didn't hunt down the owner and inform him or her of the offensive "customer service" on offer.
(1)
Betty B.
Before I moved away, my friends and I had a running gag to try to get the craziest cakes made here (See Jill L.'s post for more examples). Yes, they were mad expensive. And sometimes they didn't even taste *that* good. But, man, did they look bitchin'. I was particularly moved by the "You're Adopted!" birthday cake that was made for my dude's birthday (see pics). Nice work, Alliance.
(4)
rebecca s.
Alliance has really gone down hill. i think a lot of people go here because of what it used to be... still hoping it will be the same...but it isnt. all the baked goods are typical. nothing catches my eye. it is a bummer because its so close to my house. i end up going a lot further to find good baked goods.
(2)
Kristy N.
Once again Alliance Bakery did a FABULOUS job! I had a surprise party for my husband this past weekend and had Alliance do a cake that looked like a present! It was beautiful! And tasted DELISH! Thank you Alliance and the design team for making another great cake!
(5)
Lakshmi R.
Alliance Bakery is an important establishment: they have a creepy neon sign outside the main entryway. It's one of the few vestiges of how great this neighborhood was before the Lincoln Park kids took it over. The coffee is good, the food excellent. I consider it as crucial to my boyfriend and I getting together (along with The Coffee Studio up in Andersonville). And I credit it with the consumption of thousands of unnecessary yet utterly worthwhile calories from the likes of their cupcakes, almond croissants, cookies and who knows what else. In the weeks following Blago's indictment, Blago cookies appeared, replete with insane frosting hairdos. Let me explain how this place is set up. You go into the tiny, closet-sized bakery, ogle their goodies, and get your food/coffee (which is all good, I promise). Then, if you're nerdy like me and the bf, you exit, take three steps to the right, and re-enter the building through another door to a room that is a bit grubby and filled with tables and chairs and.... grad students!!!! It's silent as a tomb in there. Then you hang out for the rest of the day, studying and eating cupcakes and trying to look as cute as everyone else who comes to this place. So go to Alliance Bakery! Support what's left of once-cool Wicker Park/Bucktown! And Blago too, of course.
(5)
Ellen F.
The last time I was here, I think the girl behind the counter helping me was super stoned, or just really spacey (hence slowish service), but whatever, she was nice and the focaccia I had was good. And don't even get me started on the red velvet cupcake. Mmmm...delectible. The lounge is next door and you have to go outside to access it, which, for some reason, I think is kinda funny and I like it.
(4)
Kelsey K.
I REALLY wanted to love this place because it was so darn cute and their cupcake flavors were so awesome, but they were really dry. I'll go back there because it's close to my house and we spend a lot of time in that area, but I just wish that they were moister. I went specifically for the cupcakes (it's what I do) but I think I'll order a tart next time because they looked so awesome. The staff was really helpful and the presentation was incredible, but for the best cupcakes in the city, that award still belongs to Sweet Mandy B's.
(3)
Tam H.
Free Wi-Fi, quiet place to get things done and too die for pastries...This is a place you really want to continuously frequent. On a lovely sunny day, you may want to sit outside. Although the bakery may be a bit expensive, I still think its worth the investment. It's definitely better than being in Starbucks any day of the week. When I visited, I indulged in a Red Velvet Cupcake and a Iced Mocha Latte. Both were very tasty... The folks behind the counter are nice as well. I really enjoyed my experience here.
(4)
Elle F.
Alliance Bakery did our wedding cake for our 5-28-11 wedding. The cake was exactly what we asked for as per our colorful and funky design, and it tasted great! We had 3 layers -- 2 chocolate/raspberry, and 1 chocolate/apricot. YUM!
(5)
Christina V.
how can a place have delicious food but horrible service. completely disappointed in the fact that our wedding was last year and they delivered the wrong cake for me and my husband to cut. it was taupe and frosting, not black fondant. they had the nerve to say that is what we ordered when we gave them an invite showing that our colors were green, black and white. because of the mix up, they hesitantly said we could come back for our year anniversary to get what we ordered. we also had cupcakes so we wanted to get some of those instead of the cake. they said we only get 6, fought to get 12 at least. needless to say our year was over a month ago and they just gave us the cupcakes. we couldn't get them on our year because they "didn't" make any. i will NEVER go there again with the service and owner not cooperating when our wedding pictures have a different cake in it and they just don't care! i can live with the cake being different but own up to it and keep your customers happy.
(1)
Kristine B.
I stopped in here for the first time because I was bringing desert to a dates house and didn't want to overwhelm him with an entire cake, or with the effort of making my own desert (It was only our second date afterall!). I found precisely what I was looking for when I feasted my eyes on the cupcakes. Two red velvets and one Double Chocolate later, I made my way out. They were beautiful to look at (yes!), smelled delish (yes!) and looked much more expensive than they were (yes!). I didn't want to take them to the said date's nicely prepared dinner unless I knew they were good (hence why I got three), so I have to say - the double chocolate was amazing. It was moist and flavorful. The frosting complimented the flavor of the cake nicely - it wasn't overly sweet (and I love them sweet!) but it was perfect. Don't ask me about the Red Velvet though.. We just didn't have time :) I'll ask him for an update though so stay tuned!
(4)
Michelle M.
I love their food so much that I'm willing to pay for its price!!! Why does everything have to be so ridiculously expensive here?? You're killin' me Smalls. I love those red velvet cupcakes - and the ones with filling... OMG Great coffee!
(4)
Sara B.
You'd think after a brunch of decadence and about four cups of coffee, I'd think twice about stopping in at Alliance. But I'd heard about Intelligentsia for so long that when I saw they served it here, my friends and I had to pop in for a coffee and a cookie. I ordered a cappuccino and a chocolate macaroon and immediately headed out front to scarf streetside. The chocolate macaroon was absolutely amazing, melt-in-your-mouth perfect -- a satisfyingly chewy coconut cookie topped with a creamy dollop of chocolaty gooeyness on top. And despite this not being an actual Intelligentsia cafe, the barista did my cappuccino up right -- rich, flavorful espresso and expertly foamed milk. By all rights, I should have had a massive coronary right there. Maybe there is a god after all.
(4)
RC R.
Just stopped into this place to pick up some pastries and have not tried the desserts just yet, but only one way to describe the service: rude. The woman behind the counter was unhelpful and seemed overall inconvenienced. After paying, she threw the box of pastries at me, and also forgot to give me back my credit card. Ridiculous. Will not stop here ever again.
(1)
Terri N.
My cousin Mistey had me on a French Macarons craze. Literally. So, one evening, after picking me up Tony told me he was going to take me to Fritz pastry but by the time we got there they were closing. He turned and said don't worry, there's another place called Alliance Bakery that sold French macarons as well. So Tony, tamia and I headed there instead. Open for business, Alliance had only one worker that evening. Walking in, you can tell it's a cozy little bakery. I was amazed of all the beautiful cakes on display filled with intricate designs. Anyway, the server asked us if we had any idea what to order, since there was another patron in the store we told him to serve her first. When she left we were still clueless on what to order. Tamia decided on a simple chocolate cupcake, which she had devoured in the car. She loved that it was moist and not overwhelmingly chocolaty. I order two almond croissants for my sister and she said it was AMAZING! Tony ordered practically all their macarons (pistachio, chocolate, lemon, rose with rose cream, vanilla, rose with chocolate). The pistachio macarons were awesome. Light, crisp and moist, none of the flavors overpower the other. The rose was refreshing, very airy and definitely taste like rose. The lemon was my favorite; it reminded me of biting into a lemon meringue pie. The chocolate and vanilla tasted stale and old. That was a huge bummer. Overall, Alliance is a nice hidden place and has a great amount of sweets on display. I know that their macarons flavors are seasonal so you just have to wing it for that particular day and hope it's as great as it looks. I need to come back for their almond croissants and hopefully I can pick up some more macarons. We are kind of staying away from it since Tony went a bit overboard in ordering all of it. 6.5/10
(3)
J P.
Alliance designed our wedding cake and it was absolutely gorgeous and delicious! We worked with Mitchell and he was super helpful throughout the process. At our cake tasting (one of the best perks of planning a wedding), he explained all the different flavors and frosting options and left us alone so we could talk candidly about all the choices. To stay in our budget and also have enough cake for all our guests, our actual wedding cake was pretty small (served 75) and we had extra sheet cake of the same flavors in the kitchen that made it enough for all 230 peeps at our wedding. Everyone raved about how good it was. Would definitely recommend to a friend.
(4)
becky R.
I heart this place. I must admit i mostly order espresso and croissants. Occasionally i will get the key-sh (phonic spelling for the sake of a chronic misspeller). I am really picky about my croissants. If you make a good croissant you basically have my heart just dont fuck up the coffee. So they do a good job at that. I usually dont get other things on the menue cause its all a bit out of my price range.... apparently people pay that much for their snacks. Anyway, its super cute. I have never had a problem with the hipster staff. They get the job done. Mostly, i have found that they smile back and thats really all it takes for me. Their other room is very quite. Its true. I like it, cause i usually go there to do job hunting stuff. BUT the thing with the radio station is DRIVING me NUTS! I feel like it is a relatively new phenomenon. I have even requested that they put something else on cause the Menards commercials were driving me nuts.
(4)
Ben A.
Great Chai Tea Latte! I also enjoyed my black and white cookie... two worlds coexisting on one delicious cookie. Cool study lounge next door to the bakery as well. I saw a giant Cookie Monster cake being given to a customer and I was amazed at the level of detail on it! This is the place to buy fun cakes that is for sure!
(4)
Joe M.
The best part about Alliance Bakery and Cafe is that they are positioned directly across the street from Starsucks... (I like Starbucks coffee. If you say you don't then you are a liar. There is just something wholesome about the idea of supporting the locals rather the multinationals) I don't know who their pastry chef is but this guy needs to go on the Ace of Cakes! Have you ever looked in the window of this shop? It's like peaking into an artist's gallery! And the coffee isn't too shabby either.
(5)
Kyle H.
Stopped here with a friend early on a Friday night. Got a key lime bar and mint tea, both which were FAB! The main indoor seating area you actually have to leave the bakery side and walk outside and go in another door. We were here for an early evening chat and tea. The room was as quiet as a morgue! People were either studying, or on laptops. There was no piped in music and we had to whisper. Don't "shush" me Alliance!
(4)
Joe S.
Just a little bit expensive for a bakery but OK I'll pay it. I suppose it's a fair trade that I can pull up to a meter sans quarters and be in and out before getting slapped with a ticket. Cute cookies for about $3 a piece might help you out if you get in a fight with your girl or boyfriend. ("I got you a cookie with a shamrock on it baby and it's St. Patrick's day...forgive me?") Select coffees and teas. Division St. sidewalk seating provides entertainment and hotties walking to the Blue Line when the weather's nice. Support local independently owned businesses.
(3)
M M.
Was my cake pricey, yes; but was it worth it, double yes! I worked closely with Lindsay as we collaborated on the idea for this cake. I had a metallic themed party and love disco balls and would certainly come here and buy a special occasion cake again! The cake tasted beyond yummy and all of the party goers felt the same. Almond cake with chocolate pastry cream - DELISH! Thank you Alliance - you came thru and helped make my 30th birthday memorable - not to mention the cake lended itself as a super nice decoration element.
(4)
JC D.
Intelligentsia taste for the S'bux price. Not cheap, people. Soy latte was good, and believe it or not, it's easily fucked up. The plain croissant was not too buttery and nice and moist...yummy. I didn't try the pastries, but they looked creatively decorated and good. This place like every joint on Division has an outside patio, but it also has a large room with comfy couches and tables to do your work or homework.
(4)
Jess R.
I am basing my review on the vanilla/vanilla cupcake I ate yesterday. Our office had lunch catered by the restaurant in our building. Cupcakes were the dessert. It was the best cupcake I've had in a long time. The cake was moist and had just the right density, but the frosting was the star. It was a sugary butter cream piled almost as high as the cake was tall which made for a great frosting-to-cake ratio (even if I did get frosting on my nose with every bite). It was not overly buttery like most of the bakeries around town seem to go for. It was fluffy yet sturdy and was adorned with just a few pastel colored mini disc sprinkles. Along with the vanilla, we also had chocolate/chocolate and red velvet with vanilla frosting. It took all my will power to stop after the one I had because the raves everyone else were giving the other flavors really tempted me to try them. I asked one of the caterers about the cupcakes and found out they were from Alliance Bakery. I can't wait to try more treats from there.
(5)
Jennifer Y.
Been coming here for a while to study. Admittedly, not a great place to hang out with friends and chat but it is a GREAT place to come and study. Quiet, free Wi-Fi, etc. Well, as long as homeless people don't come in and start talking to themselves. Not that I have any thing against homeless people -- it's just not what I expect. The staff here is alright -- I don't think they're especially friendly, but they are friendly enough. Coffee drinks are aiiiiiiiiiight, nothing to write home about any time soon. Baked goods look good -- I had a hazelnut chocolate cupcake which, again, was nothing to write home about any time soon. I really like it here. Oh, except they should put soap in the bathroom.
(4)
Eric M.
A small little bakery that makes a ton of food. The front window alone will keep your attention for a few minutes as you gaze over the latest cakes that have been created. With my most recent visit there was a giant hamburger cake, an edible six pack of beer (each can was a little cupcake), and a giant towering cake with each layer looking like a giant strawberry with chocolate drizzling down. Once inside there are plenty of items to try. I went with the cinnamon roll and my fiancee the red velvet cupcake. Both were very good with a nice chewiness on the roll and a moistness on the cupcake. I look forward to going again and again and again.
(4)
Jenny L.
On my visit to Chicago, I decided to try out a couple cupcake places, Alliance being one of them. Walking up to the bakery, I can say that if it wasn't for the reviews on yelp, I would have walked away. The place looks like it needs a makeover and some better lighting. The cakes in the display window look like they've been sitting there since the early 90's and need desperately to be modernized. I was happy to see that they had red velvet cupcakes (my favorite), and also got one each of the carrot and mocha cupcakes. Overall, the cupcakes had good flavor but are a little on the dry side. Flavor and taste wise they reminded me a lot of Sprinkles in LA. Not a bad dessert option if you're in the area.
(3)
tom b.
For me, if you idiots judge a pastry shop by there cup cakes you need a kick in the ass .the way i see it one day martha stewart had a show on cup cakes and all these wacked out prozac queens could not find vanilla extract because they drank it .so they made it some elses problem ..now it is a cup cake marrygoround out there .bull shit ..... Alliance has some great product eat that and shut up...
(4)
Christine J.
After I wrote my review of Alliance, the owner emailed me to tell me that the macaroons weren't stale, but were taken out of refrigeration too early. My, that was a relief.
(3)
Audrey H.
We went early on a Sunday morning and there was no wait. I had a ham and cheddar croissant that was delicious. They offered to warm it up for me, and we ended up sitting outside on the patio. I love the coffee here and I thought the staff was super nice.
(4)
Michael M.
Don't let the aging cakes in the windows fool you, this place has the freshest deserts, the best tasting coffee, friendliest staff, and awesome free Wi-Fi. Not to mention they have a nice outside patio seating option (though Division St is Loud) and an adjacent coffee lounge indoors with lots of comfy chairs. I love Alliance!
(5)
H C.
I don't want to say anything bad about Alliance because I feel I might be doing something wrong because of all the great reviews I've read but I was soooooooo disappointed in my cupcake! I got the chocolate mocha and the frosting had this weird texture but the mocha flavor was really good and the cupcake itself wasnt too bad, a little on the dry side though. I also bought a white chocolate blondie which was also disappointing. I don't know, like I said I don't want to say anything too bad about this place because I really want to like it. I will try it again except this time maybe if I go a little earlier in the day I'll get something a bit more fresh.
(2)
Lorraine L.
I revisited my old favorite recently to nosh on some good pastries and take advantage of free wi-fi (sadly free wifi or coffee shops are hard to find in Albany Park where I was visiting my mom). I walked in and immediately noticed the remodeling. I think I liked Alliance better when it wasn't all pastel blue and trying to look like an upscale-yuppie bakery. They also scaled down the size of their pastries and upped the prices. Another bummer. Their delicious cupcakes are about half the size now. I also had a latte which was pretty mediocre. The cookies are still very good and they did add some more variety in the pastries which I was very excited about (mini fruit tarts!) The room next door was also remodeled and now has more tables and comfy couches, but half of the back room is now off-limits. It seems they do their wedding cake consultations back there. Despite the changes it remains one of my favorite independent bakeries. I'm going to keep coming back whenever I'm home.
(4)
Eric B.
I can't think of a better place to spend a nice summer/spring day. The outdoor seating area is located pretty close to the mess that is Division Street, but for some reason the exhaust and noise doesn't bother me. The coffee is always great and the baked goods are usually right on target. I haven't tried the sandwiches but I have been meaning to as they look delicious. This is one of the few coffee places where I actually tip the employees since they're ALWAYS courteous and friendly.
(5)
melissa g.
I received an incredible chocolate cake with whipped cream from here for a pre-birthday celebration while in Chicago. The chocolate cake itself was done very well and is comparable to my favorite Mazetti's in SF. The artistry that goes into these cakes are phenomenal. Fortunately for me the cake I received was of the same quality.
(5)
Lori M.
Just had an iced tea and a spinach feta croissant, which was rather delicious. The room next door to the cafe with couches and tables reminds me of a place I'd hang out in, if I was still in undergrad. That's not to say it's not cool or anything - I am rather fond of those days - but half of the power outlets don't work and I'm not sure when anything was last cleaned. Overall pretty groovy, but on a Monday afternoon, I think the clientele would chase me out of here if I sat with a friend and tried to have a conversation. Meaning it works for the quiet book reader or the cool chick with a Mac but not so much for soulful chats or conference calls (I must sign off now to walk to the rental car where I can gab without disturbing anyone else).
(3)
Alexis H.
Alliance Bakery just doesn't cut it for me. Their cakes and treats look so enticing, but they just don't have that much flavor. Their prices are similar to most bakeries, but if I'm getting a specialty cookie or cake from a bakery instead of the grocery store I expect it to be of higher quality. I've also had stomach aches after a visit or two - never a good sign. People rave about Alliance so there's got to be something good there, I'm just not willing to go through the trial and error to find it.
(2)
Yukari T.
I'm infatuated with Alliance Bakery. I think about it all the time and I have to talk myself out of taking a quick stroll to grab a coconut macaroon bar. (If only I knew the nutrition facts...) I'm usually in and out of there real quick because there's something kind of embarrassing about going into a bakery and buying goodies for yourself. If you only buy one thing, it's pretty obvious that it's for yourself. But if you grab a FEW things, it could seem like you're going over to a friends place for some afternoon tea...at least that's my justification for picking up more than one delectable item. I've never been in the lounge and after reading the reviews, I don't think I will, ever. I'd rather enjoy my baked goods in private and not have to pretend to study.
(4)
Sara B.
This is a really cool little joint. The cafe is separate from the bakery so it is a little weird yet cool to walk outside and next door with my plate but the atmosphere of both sides was pretty neat. I had a yummy cup of coffee and a little treat called the Michelle. It looked cute and sounded really yummy. Chocolate, peanuts and berry stuff....yummy...I was shocked, a little disappointed but yet mildly intrigued and satisfied by the fact this little pretty $5 thing tasted EXACTLY like peanut and butter jelly sandwich. Texture was pretty on point too. Their cakes looked awesome and they have a bunch of awards on the wall for them. The attitude of the place was pretty cool too so I will be back and will definitely keep them in mind for future cake orders.
(4)
Janet X.
Absolutely fantastic hazelnut cupcakes, but a bit on the expensive side considering it takes about three bites to eat the whole thing. Macaroons were great also. However, the seating area next to the bakery feels like courthouse -- rather spare and utilitarian. Even though they have helpfully added stickers to the tables that say, "This is not a library, you can talk here," people still tend to give death stares to people who do talk.
(4)
Dawn L.
My roommate is always surprised when I'm not familiar with a particular cafe since I know so many of them (and can usually be found working or performing in one!). But this is my first visit to Alliance Bakery, and I'm typing this from my laptop via their free wireless connection. I ordered a mocha (they use Intelligensia coffee) and a turkey and swiss croissant, and I have to say that both were fantastic! It's a little strange to have to go next door to find a place to sit (the seating area is two doors down from the bakery itself, which has no seating), but I can easily see spending a few hours here comfortably. It would be difficult to order more food since that requires walking outside and bringing my stuff with me only to come back again, but that's the only real downside I see.
(4)
S B.
The pastries at Alliance are the best in town. The tarts taste as good as they look. Definitely not for anyone on a diet! The coffee is Starbucks quality.
(4)
Kevin C.
Alliance Bakery is hands down one of the best bakeries that I have been to in Chicago! I have been suckered a few times into going into "organic" bakeries and have despised every bite that I have had to take after finding out that they were organic. They just don't taste the same as the good ole frankenfoods that we are used to eating. The inside is small, quaint, and cozy with a touch of nostalgia. Inside decor is fairly old fashioned and walking in gives you a sense of stepping back into the 1920's. Looking around on the walls you will find the numerous awards that the owner has won in pastry contests. Nice touch! The people here are always extremely nice and the pastries are a great value. You are sure to find something that will tickle your stomach here!
(4)
Ron L.
Do not be fooled by the cakes in the pictures. They completely messed up an important order 6 mos ago and only offered to refund the difference in ingredients cost - what??? Then at my wife's request we tried them again last week for 2 birthday cakes and again, completely messed them up. Do not trust these people with an order for an important event, they suck and do not even provide basic customer care even when they acknowledge that they messed up. That is 3 cakes completely screwed up folks - you decide. Also, the owner Peter is a complete Jerk and refused to provide a any type of credit other than the price of the missing ingredients. If I didn't care about the cake, I would go to Jewel and buy a 10.00 cake, at least then you know what you are buying. They will provide whatever cake they feel like baking that day regardless of what the ticket states There are a lot of talented bakeries in the city that appreciate their customers - Try Bleeding heart or Floriole
(1)
Brenna O.
Stop #4 on the Cupcake Crawl. I really liked the cozy side room adjacent to the Alliance bakery, but I felt bad that everyone else got kicked out for our private cupcake party! It worked out well though as we were all able to sit down and chat and sample some of the delicious cupcakes Alliance had to offer. For our first chocolate cupcakes of the day we had the chocolate chocolate, and the hazelnut with chocolate frosting. Both were excellent, and you gotta get a forkful of frosting with the cake to balance it all out right. We also tried the carrot cake one which was nice and moist, but not as good as the carrot cake we had at Sweet Cakes. There was also a big container of coffee for those who drink such things, and the guy who helped us out was very cool and friendly. A great way to end the great Cupcake Crawl 2007! Thanks Rob! Update: We went back for a treat, and I was kind of disappointed with my strawberry lemon cupcake, so I'm moving my 5 to a 4. There was nothing special about the lemon cupcake, it tasted like it could have come out of a box and I had hoped for some more lemon flavor. Also the strawberry part was all in the pink icing, which again did not taste that much like strawberry. I guess it was too subtle for my taste buds.
(4)
Eric M.
Wow! For those of you familiar with Tartine in San Francisco, consider Alliance to be Chicago's version, less the attitude! Ordered an almond croissant and a vanilla latte and was very pleased. The cakes looked awesome, just like the ones you see on Charm City. Alliance has seating and wifi available in a room next door. The guy at the counter was great but seemed more like he should be working at a skateboard shop which added a "cool" dimension to the place. I pledge that I will visit here the first Saturday of every month despite the minor inconvenience that we live 2 hours west!
(5)
Sophie D.
This place is right around the corner, so I go often. As in almost every day. My lattes are a little inconsistent (sometimes not enough caramel, sometimes too much, sometimes a little heavy on the milk, and -wait- is it sour? next time i'm getting soy... etc.) But who needs a latte everyday anyway? I love the vibe and the cakes in the window and the outdoor seating area, which is superb hipster (and otherwise) watching. I used to give a thumbs-down to their pastries (and it's very hard for me not to like something sweet), but I think they recently changed ownership and, perhaps, pastry chef as well? Either way, I've had some wonderful treats there over the last couple months. The cupcakes are adorable, although the icing on all but the vanilla one tasted a bit oily to me. and most of the items with coconut have done me right. As for savory, on a Sunday morning, I'll usually find myself there enjoying either a turkey and swiss croissant or a slice of spinach quiche. None of it leaves me feeling exactly slim, but that's what i get for hitting up a bakery nearly every day. maybe staying in logan square's solitude wasn't such a bad idea afterall... There's also a big room to the left of where you order (enter from the street), which smells like a library (love it) where you can eat, drink, read and/or web surf. You can almost always find a spot, even on its most crowded days.
(4)
Nicole H.
Many of the reviews were pretty accurate and helpful to me. The area where you buy items is small but there is outdoor seating as well as seating next door. Thanks to the Yelper who pointed that out because I would have missed that. It seemed kind of dark when I went. Maybe they were saving energy or something. What I like about Alliance is that all of their items, including the mayo, are made in house. After perusing the case, I decided on a chocolate hazelnut cupcake, turkey sandwich, pistachio & chocolate cookies, coffee and hibiscus lemonade. I enjoyed the items. I never pass up lemonades that are from scratch or anything hibiscus. This one did not disappoint. The sandwich was just okay, but the mayo really jazzed it up. I thought the cupcake was done pretty well. The filling and frosting were well textured and the cake itself was moist. This place is worth checking out.
(3)
De Ann W.
This bakery is really cute and old school bakeshop style but the macarons suck! At $1.75 a piece I was really expecting better. I absolutely love pistachio french macarons and the pistachio macarons from Alliance are pretty disappointing. The flavor and texture are both misses for me. The macadamia bar, on the other hand, is amazing! I would like to try the other tarts and cupcakes because they look delicious but will definitely not be purchasing the macarons again.
(3)
Shaina B.
Seriously phoned it in on their paczki. Mostly dough with a dime size amount of filling - how did this end up on ANY type of list of where you should get paczki for Fat Tuesday? Disappointed to say the least...
(2)
Shayna Y.
French macaroons are delicious - try salted caramel! The large outdoor patio is lovely during the summer. They also serve Bowtruss coffee which is one of my favs!
(4)
Samah K.
This place has exotic and fun desserts. And there desserts are delicious. Didn't like the earl grey orange peel macaroon but otherwise loved the salted caramel, nutella, and chocolate macaroons a lot. I loved that they have a study room right next door so there is a quiet study area that i will be sure to use next time.
(4)
Kelly T.
Ordered a custom cake for our son's graduation. Cake was beautiful and very tasty - a great hit. They were very flexible in helping me figure out what the design should be, etc. and easy pick-up. Only concerns were the time to get back with a quote (I had to send several reminders) and the cost. That said - you do get what you pay for and I would definitely come back here for custom orders in the future.
(4)
Tanker C.
I hosted a baby shower for my daughter. I searched the web and loved the look of Alliance because the State Street location is near me and I wanted macaroons as well as a cake. I went to State Street but was met with indifference about ordering- OK, coffee shop workers -- went to the website and emailed a request ..which was answered in a basic way. So on calling them I was explicit about the boy baby thing, made an order for my cake (baby blue) with scrolling.. I had my own ornament for the top.. and macaroons too..well over $100. Delivery to my River North home was quoted at $35 which I declined! On the date and time instructed my husband went to Division to pick up the order. Lo and behold, the cake came out..pale pale blue (?white?) with St. Patrick's Day scrolling. The macaroons were "not ready"... my husband stood his ground and the cake was redecorated and the macaroons found. The cake was delicious... but the frosting buttercream and not fondant as ordered. Bottom line: great tasting goods but TERRIBLE SERVICE. Haven't even described the mistakes over credit card number, indifferent attitude etc. etc.
(2)
Danny M.
My friend wanted to come here because he wanted to try their cronut. Unfortunately, they didn't have any, so we went ahead and ordered some macarons and a few cupcakes. The macarons are kind of expensive at $1.75 each. I tried 5 flavors: rose, hazelnut, peppermint mocha, pistachio, and raspberry. My favorite was the hazelnut and pistachio but even then, it was just okay. They were kind of hard and crunchy, not soft like the macarons that I'm used to. We tried the vegan chocolate with peanut butter frosting cupcake. The cupcake was dry but the frosting was good. We picked this flavor because the cashier said it was his favorite. My friend tried the red velvet and he said it was dry too. Maybe it was towards the end of the day but even the cupcakes from Mariano's taste better than this and it would have been cheaper. I wouldn't crave to come back here anytime soon.
(2)
Fay H.
I want to give a surprise to my friend at her birthday , so I decided to order a cake with a "Sailor Moon" figure at Alliance .When I received it I was a little disappointed...But later when I carefully carry this cake to my friend's place , the figure of the cake fell apart ...! I paid this cake for $155 + tax , it's not worth this price at all . Even the taste of the cake is not good as well . I'm a constant customer of Alliance Patisserie in downtown , so I thought this Alliance Bakery could not be bad . But honestly, it could not be worse .
(1)
Mei K.
Update: I tried the original cronut from Dominique Ansel Bakery in NYC and confirmed that this knockoff version is crap. That is all..
(1)
Maria R.
I had a carrot cake cupcake, yum, my favorite! I also had the bread pudding, this is my all time favorite dish but not here. The chocolate croissants are wonderful, they would be my recommended choice.
(4)
Blaise H.
Alliance does a lot of things really well. Whether things are made in house or purchased elsewhere, I'm almost always happy with what I get. My only bad experience there was with a specialty cake I ordered. It came out looking nothing like what I had ordered an was expecting, and it was just too late to do anything about it. Given their ornate window dressing (fabulous looking cakes), it was a BIG disappointment. But as I said earlier, overall it's hard to go wrong. I'm a big fan of their bagels, their Macarons, their quiche, and their cookies. They brew some solid coffee as we'll, using local roasters. And of course having the seating area next door and outside just adds to the perks.
(4)
Aj M.
Their savory croissants are amazing! Everything is delicious, you can't go wrong with Alliance.
(5)
Sara A.
This place is so good I wish it doesn't become more popular and crowded. So don't come here people ok? This place is just for me
(5)
Jonathan S.
Recently placed an order for a fairly last minute birthday cake (about a week's notice). Alliance had no issue with my request. My beautifully designed custom cake was ready that weekend. First impression: the design was beautiful and matched my expectations (a custom Chicago city flag cake). Also, I customized the inside with custard, strawberries, and vanilla and chocolate layers. Over the outside, we used vanilla buttercream. Overall, the cake was a hit and tasted amazing. Also: a great value.
(5)
Sarah A.
I could not be happier with the way my cake turned out! Alliance Bakery totally nailed it!
(5)
Kat A.
After eating at Carriage House my friends and I saw that Alliance was just a couple store fronts over so we figured, why not stop in to see what they have? We checked out Yelp reviews and saw that it got good ratings. I got one of each flavor macaron and a red velvet cupcake. The macarons are good, but not the best I've had. The red velvet cupcake on the other hand was awesome. Nice and moist, with the smooth cream cheese frosting. It was not overly sweet, which I enjoyed. Next time I go here, I want to try their cakes and cake pops!
(5)
Ashley K.
Alliance bakery provided me with last minute engagement cookies for my sister and her fiancee. I called on a Tuesday with a need for custom made cookies, and they were able to have them ready exactly when I needed them (which was on Sunday). I specifically wanted to have 5 engagement ring shaped cookies, with one cookie customized to their names and engagement date. I was really excited to surprise the engaged couple with this and was so happy with the results of the cookies. Beautifully designed, and extremely tasty. We would have finished them all, but want to save two as a great memory. Thanks to Alliance Bakery for the great customer service, and wonderful results!
(5)
Josh W.
I've been to coffee shops all around the city and this is my favorite by far. Great sweet treats and they served great bowtruss coffee last time I was there. The best part was the second room they had next door full of tables and couches for reading and studying. It was so quite and quite comfortable. Definitely not your average Starbucks.
(5)
Lupe A.
Our new go to bakery!!! They are 100% dedicated to pleasing their customers and are flexible to work with your budget. The cake was delicious and beautiful. We will be back for all our birthday cakes!!
(5)
Diana J.
The single lonely star is solely based on their macarons! I normally always get my macarons from Vanille Patisserie, however since it was labor day Monday, they were unfortunately closed. Since I promised a friend I'd bring her some that day, I quickly turned to yelp and found Alliance bakery to be close by. Their selection was as expected, with about 8-10 different flavors to choose from. I made two bags of 5 macarons each which totaled to ~$20. Now it gets bad: the macarons were cold like they just came out of a freezer (which is fine I guess) but then they started to melt.... all of the fillings oozed out and made a bloody mess in the bags. I've brought macrons from Laduree all the way from NYC and they have held perfect shape for several days! Okay, so they are just really ugly looking now... I can get over that if it still tastes good.... boy was I wrong. One of my favorite flavors is rose- their version tasted like the pink liquid soap in divey bar bathrooms. My bf spit his half out immediately. The rest were not any better (pistachio, strawberry, hazelnut, etc.). I was sorely disappointed. We definitely will not be coming back.
(1)
Colleen M.
Love this place! The macaroons are amazing. You must try the strawberry shortcake, the salted caramel (which I never even knew existed until recently- previously they were always sold out!) or the rose ones. Amazing!! I tried the German chocolate macaroon before and was slightly disappointed. The coconut was hard as a rock, stale I'm guessing? The staff is so nice, always ready with a smile!
(4)
Rachel W.
I love alliance, the people are super friendly and it's a great vibe in there. Their vegan cupcake is a little dry unfortunately, although the peanut butter frosting is awesome :) Great coffee and a really nice patio out front for people watching.
(4)
Kathleen C.
Not a town to let New York pass us by with a fad (Cronut)...we have to have our own, thank you very much.... And Alliance is apparently the spot for a cronut in Chicago. Now, I'm not sure if I am just not a cronut person, but I wasn't completely wow'd by the cronut here - though I will say that it was beautifully presented and had a lovey rose glaze. The spot itself is pretty cute and I've had coffee and other treats here before which I have always enjoyed. However, I would pass on the line for the cronuts and stick to their other specialties...which also results in you having more time to eat your treat and a quicker fix!
(4)
Linda S.
Went by here for the sole purpose of buying macarons. They were $1.75 each and I got one of each of their variety of 11 different flavors. Haven't finished them all yet but from the ones I've tried, they're amazing! I'd say they are average size and the "hats" and "feet" were perfect with a good amount of filling! Aside from my delicious macaron, the service was great. I was greeted immediately when I walked into the store. I told the worker what I wanted and she immediately boxed them up and sent me on my way. Will definitely come back here again if I'm ever in the neighborhood!
(5)
MeFarrahDay D.
3 seconds out of this bakery and completely terrible experience. Be warned... preorder is not a preorder! I ordered a few things to drive to family in Michigan and was told "you get what we have left." Even after confirming 2 hours prior to pick up that I'd be there for my "pre"order. You can be the best place in the world, but 1 bad experience had made me never want to even pass by again.
(1)
Matt M.
Sad to say but the last three visits have been underwhelming. So much so that I won't be coming back and I've gone out of my way to visit since moving neighborhoods. The frosted sugar cookies look great but are dry and almost inedible. Ginger snaps were also dried out and devoid of flavor. The real surprise was how awful their cupcakes were. We had a red velvet and a German chocolate and both were so bland that I actually threw my half out after one bite. I could make better at home and it pains me to say that. The macaroons are their strength and I'll continue to recommend them.
(3)
Jessica M.
There were 11 of us to share a box of some 25 macarons. In other words, each person is rightfully allowed to have 2.27 macarons. That does not sound like an easy number to work with. Therefore, the best approach is to ally with a partner in crime and divide each of our four macarons into halves. We tried vanilla bean, passion fruit, lemon poppy seed, and raspberry. Halleluiah! I think I just stepped into Mr. Willy Wonka's chocolate factory.....except there are aisles and towers of macarons instead. Each bite sent me frolicking around the room! Each piece of macaron had a smooth crust. The flavors were ever-bursting as I bit through the crust and reached its moist filling. It wasn't overly buttery and the fruit flavors were very vibrant. I can actually snack on it for hours had I let my addiction overcome me. The downside is the macarons were a bit soft. It was a hot day because we left it in a warm environment for too long.
(4)
Jewel L.
So Disappointing. :-( I used to have a red velvet cupcake everytime i walked past Alliance but after my last two experiences, I no longer stop in. They're too expensive to be this awful. The cupcakes were overcooked and dry..nothing like the cupcake I fell in love with. The croissants were over cooked, dark brown and dry. Did the baker change? What happened? Good bye for now old favorite :-(
(1)
Melissa C.
I was so excited to learn Alliance was selling Packzis. Only to find out that these aren't packzis, they are $2.50 donuts (and not even good donuts at that). As someone who's been eating these once/year delights my whole life, I was sorely disappointed to find Alliance's dry, bland, and lacking filling. Additionally, I asked for each flavor except apple. Welp, I got an apple and no strawberry. What a disappointment. I look forward to this day each year and made a total fail this year by going to Alliance.
(2)
Monica J.
This is for their vegan peanut butter cupcakes. They are excellent and the frosting is done right. AFter trying this, you won't even realize it is vegan. The frosting is the right consistency and sweetness as well. Coffee and granola are good, too.
(5)
Melissa C.
Came in while I passed by, specifically for the macaroons. The cakes in the window looked gorgeous! Since I was in a hurry, I took one of each of the macaroon flavors since I couldn't decide on which....some were delicious...some were interesting. Overall, the texture was awesome and all the fillings were the perfect amount. Overall they had great macaroons: Lemon Poppy: VERY lemony! It tasted very natural, however a little more on the tart side Rose: I was excited for this one, and I can't decide if I liked it or not. I'm always one that is willing to try the interesting and unique flavors in desserts. When I bit into the macaroon, it definitely tasted like a rose! So much so that it seemed like I bit into a rose. Again, the flavor was true to it's name....just not sure if I liked the flavor! Vanilla: just like the other two, very true to it's name. Nice and sweet...not too sweet, but you could taste the vanilla very clearly. Blueberry Cheesecake: This was a good mix of creaminess and blueberry....not sure what the center was, but it seemed cream-based. Raspberry: This was probably the most fresh raspberry macaroon I've had! Usually I've had raspberry with a jelly based center. This one had a cream based center with pieces of fresh raspberry in it....the only reason I could tell though was because there were seeds in the center. Mexican Chocolate: This was the second one where the verdict is still up in the air! When they say mexican chocolate, it's definitely spicy....to the point where it took me a while to eat the cookie! This is definitely not for the spicy faint of heart.....however the mixture of the heat and the dark chocolate center was delish!
(4)
Saima S.
We ordered our wedding cake from Alliance Bakery for about 115 people (ended up with only 80 guests in the end so we had a ton of cake left over). The cake was absolutely delicious - we had three different flavors, all with Italian meringue buttercream frosting: lemon cake with vanilla bean cream and passionfruit mousse filling, vanilla cake with strawberry preserves and chocolate mousse filling, and lemon cake with raspberry filling. Our guests loved every single flavor. There were some issues with communication; sometimes it took a week or so to get responses to emails, and it was tough to reach someone via phone on the day of the wedding. However, the cake was made, decorated, and delivered as planned and on-time. The cake was beautiful, and the quality of the cake itself was wonderful. I would definitely recommend Alliance Bakery to my friends.
(4)
S.E. A.
Great place to sit and get work done. Delicious pastries and good tea & coffee. It's nice that the seating area is separate from the room with the cash register. Happy that they are open until 9 every day, since many cafes on Division close earlier.
(5)
Jasmine J.
I order custom cookies from Alliance. I only wanted 3 cookies, and they have a minimum of like 4 per kind, but they lowered It to 3 per special cookie I wanted. I sent pictures of what I had in mind and expected some sort of cartoon likeness of what I sent. The price quote I got back was semi high but I went with it. I got my cookies today. WHOA. Beat my expectations beyond belief. They are true artists. My cookies were such a great hit. Tasty. Really beautiful. For how amazing they are, the price is a steal. Thank you alliance gor making this affordable and possible.
(5)
Gino W.
The whole hipster landscape has overtaken the independent boutiques and eateries in Chicago. With that comes a bit of a detachment in the customer service department - unless you are a hipster on the "buying" side of the counter. Alliance Bakery & Cafe has all the trimming of a "hot spot" for the hipsters in the know. I bought a latte, one that I ordered through a slightly reticent barista - or it may have been my British accent that was a little off putting for him. Considering I was able to drink the latte without any sweetener, that spoke to the quality of the coffee and I will cosign that it is definitely worth the purchase. I can't speak to the other products that Alliance offers, as I shy away from baked products that are on display in a surplus fashion. (You never know if the baked goods are being recycled from one day - or week - to the next.) For those who go to Alliance, I would recommend their coffee. As I mentioned, I can't speak to the baked goods. And I would suggest that you have an idea as to what you want without pause and guesswork.
(3)
Christie B.
I never really gave much thought to macarons. I figured they were just those coconutty sweet mounds that were delicious and nice with a cup of coffee. Never knew that real macarons were something entirely different. So I go over to Alliance for their famous macarons, figuring I'd give it a try. First of all, I was mildly affronted that a tiny macaron cost, well a lot. I can't remember how much, but I do remember thinking, dang man. But maybe they knew something I didn't, so I bought a sea salt caramel one and a pink one. I also bought 2 decorated sugar cookies because I'm a sucker for those things. They just look so gorgeous right? My total bill was around $13. In another, saner world, I might have asked myself what was I thinking to blow so much money on 2 tiny macarons and two (admittedly) really cute cookies. So I bring these macarons home to try with my boyfriend (now husband). We try the sea salt caramel one. It's good. It's really good. I mean really good. I had to sit down because it was so good. The price? No wonder I can't remember. The deliciousness of this macaron drove the price right out of my head. I'm telling you now. These things are worth every penny. And the cookies? It almost seemed like a mortal sin to consume something so gorgeous and perfect. But I did. They are all inside me now and I think I feel better about the world just for having had this bakery experience.
(5)
Anna L.
Love their lounge area; clean, quiet, and inviting! It's away from the purchasing counter, next door, to be exact, which is nice! It's quieter & less distracting (if studying). Had a red velvet cupcake & chamomile tea, 'twas delicious. They do have macaroons, which never hurts a bakery ;) will have to try them next time. Parking wasn't much of an issue, or maybe we got lucky? Either way, go! You'll enjoy yourself
(5)
Jackie L.
Great service, delicious treats! Had a wonderful experience on the phone and via email working with Alliance on a cookie order. When I picked up the 50 individually wrapped cookies they looked just like the image I had sent over, but cuter! Delivered them to a client and received a WOW note. Thanks for making me look good Alliance! Also grabbed some macarons for my team and they were scrumptious!
(5)
Jade C.
Was disappointed in my experience with this bakery, especially after reading all the great reviews. I ordered 6 king cakes to share with my students. I asked them to be made with the little plastic baby inside, in keeping with tradition. When I picked up the cakes, the person who helped us looked at the note on the boxes and confirmed that the plastic babies had been placed inside. However, when I got the cakes to school, and as the kids ate their way through them, we never found a single baby. Such a bummer, as that is the best part of the king cake tradition! When I called to report, the person who answered the phone was unapologetic and did nothing to rectify the situation besides offering to "tell the kitchen." I understand that mistakes happen - though king cakes are supposed to be a specialty of this bakery! - but the poor customer service means I will not be back to this bakery.
(2)
Jessica K.
I have to thank this place for humbling me. I had decided to check this place out because my usual wicker park cafe (Lovely Bakery) was becoming a bit.. pretentious. Or at least that's what I thought. But Alliance.. they take pretentious to a level I'd never experienced before. As harsh as this sounds, I think of all the coffee shops I've ever visited in Chicago, it is here at Alliance where I received the worst service ever. And let me tell you, I've been to A LOT of coffee shops in the 5 years that I've lived in Chicago. A lot. I'm not even going to write about the specific incident that made me decide to never return here. It's not even worth the effort to write anything more than I am already. Yes, the pastries and coffee are good but they don't stand out. Go to Lovely Bakery or Just Indulge down the street. Their bakeries taste the same if not better. Alliance's baked goods are pretty small too. So if you're a bang for the buck type of person, I'd stay away. And if it's about the distance and you're looking for a cafe/bakery within walking distance, check out the Starbucks across the street... The place is messy. There is never an actual line. It's just a free for all. When it's busy, it's HORRIBLE. And the employees. They actually complain about not only their job and their stupid lives, but about you and how much they hate you in front of your face. Very classy Alliance..very..classy. I just don't think it's worth supporting a business that treats their customers like crap. It's really not worth it. Bad service, ok baked goods but extremely expensive.. just.. don't bother.
(2)
Elaine V.
We came here after having sushi at the horrible place across the street in the hopes that a nicely pulled double espresso would clear our palate. We were absolutely delighted with the offerings. We chose a macaroon each, "raspberry rose" and "coconut lime." The espresso was pulled by hand, and as a former barrista at a hoity-toity espresso house, I could tell the barrista there knew how to steam milk properly, so I'll be back to sample the lattes! The pastries were pure art. My husband and I made a vow to come back and try everything once. There is an annex to the bakery that you have to go outside to get inside of, which-- even in 6 degree weather, added charm. There was music playing in the background and well-worn eclectic furniture spread over a large, open, high-ceilinged, single room. Photos of their artistic pastries covered the walls. Clearly a place committed to quality, but without the haughty atmosphere it had the potential to sport. On the eve of the infamous battle between the Bears and the Packers for the Superbowl berth, they had little cookies that had a swiss-cheese pastry cutout pattern with a red "X" through it that said, "Packers stink." So cute!
(5)
Noura K.
I have to give this place a 5 star rating for the delicious bars that they make. I have tried many bakeries in chicago hoping to find good pasteries that are not too sweet nor too creamy. so far I loved everything I and tried at Alliance, expecially the cranberry, coconut, and lemon bars. the reason why I am not giving it a 5 star is because of their chai masala tea that tasted NOTHING like the name! and the waitress insisted that this is what a chai masala taste like.. and she kinda rolled her eyes. I didn't insist too much and just ignored it, but I would have loved to ask for my money back. Anyway.. I will keep on going there for more cranberry bars!
(4)
Samantha C.
I have no complains about this place. How could you? Their treats are amaaaaazzzinnnggg! An iced soy latte in the summer with a red velvet cupcake: heaven. A hot soy coco in the winter with an almond croissant: HEAVENLIER (word?) A red velvet birthday cake with chocolate butter cream frosting and layered with berry sauce: an odd combination, but AMAZING none the less! The service is always super friendly and they know what they're doing when it comes to baked goods. The coffee drinks are good, but not as good as say.. *star lounge*. And that's the only reason they don't get that extra star.
(4)
Natasha P.
Hands down, the best red velvet cupcakes you'll ever come across. (In the greater Chicago area) I mentioned before that I love bakeries for different reasons, mainly because I love certain cupcake flavors at certain places and this place is red velvet cupcake heaven. Moist, tasty and the ratio of sweet icing to cake is perfectionnnnn. I have to admit I only come here for the red velvet cupcake and the lounge adjacent to the bakery but their other pastries here are pretty tasty. I picked up 8 cupcakes for my co-workers birthday today and everyone really enjoyed them. Alliance is a wonderful staple in the Wicker Park 'hood. Done.
(4)
Michelle G.
I worked at a small bakery for over three years and have baked my entire life aside from that, so I will always, ALWAYS try any bakery I come across and I'll be brutally honest about it. So Alliance has some really realllllly delicious stuff (the German chocolate macaroon might be one of my favorite things) but I wouldn't put their sandwiches on that list (they are fine, just not especially great). I will often pop in just to grab something small and sweet and different from what I can get most other places nearby. The main reason for a three star review is the seating situation... I'm really glad they are so busy that it's difficult to find a place to sit without having to ask somebody to condense their stuff and share one of the big tables, and I also don't really mind that the... lounge?... isn't actually in the same space as where you buy the treats. *And* it's okay that it feels like a library in there- I just know that I can't bring friends or chat up a stranger without a bunch of dirty looks from some very serious web surfers. It is a room for reading, typing, daydreaming, and checking out attractive people, sans conversation. Got it. Okay, so I guess that's a little annoying but it's a personal preference... But mainly, my only *real* problem with Alliance is that it smells funny. I mean, has anybody else noticed this?? Just the lounge area, but seriously, it's a weird weird smell and it's been there my past three (short) visits. I won't describe it here the way I described it to my roommate but yeah. I hope somebody will investigate that.
(3)
Anjee J.
I had a pumpkin cupcake from here and it was soooo not worth the $3+ I paid for it. Tiny, not very moist and lacking in flavor. I don't get the hype. My search for the perfect cupcakes continues... :( I also tried some pumpkin pie from here on Thanksgiving and found it to be good, but average. It probably cost way more than it should have. And yeah, the workers are a bit standoffish and pretentious, but it's in Wicker Park, so what do you expect?
(2)
Denise M.
Whenever I go here I get the tasty iced coffee for $2. It's way better and cheaper than Starbucks down the street. They also have good pastries for the price and the staff is always friendly. I also really enjoy the unique fact the the sitting area is next door. It's great to go their and read a book in a comfy chair without the usual cafe clatter.
(4)
Rebekka T.
The newness of Alliance has worn off from when I first moved here. The drinks and food are ok, but the new sitting area looks like a conference room. Also, sometimes there's music playing but if there isn't, it's deathly quiet you can hear every conversation.
(3)
Patty S.
I ordered a wedding cake for 225 people over the phone, sent a picture, with out ever, having a tasting. The carrot, and the chocolate, were delicious, and very moist. I talked to Jennifer, from start to finish, she made the entire process so smooth, and effortless.
(5)
Eliot J.
super cool cakes and pastries. their food products aren't the best i've had, but they're decent. i often use this place as a study venue and, for that, it's a great destination (although it fills up often) - nowhere near as noisy as a starbucks, and you're supporting independent local business. sadly, the coffee sucks. but i think starbucks' coffee sucks, too, and i'm clearly in the minority on that opinion. the jaded hipsters working the counter aren't particularly friendly, but they're not slouchy. i emailed inquiring about a birthday cake order once via alliance's website but never got a reply.
(3)
Jackie N.
If you want to buy and devour a $6 pastry in front of a hipster that looks like their vegan self could benefit from the aforementioned glucose,and if you have fantasies about a film worthy library outburst, this is the place to do it. However, if you ARE a hipster, steer clear. You're skinny jeans won't fit after the pastry is consumed,and the library vibe will only remind you that you studied five years for a degree in the Norfuk language with a minor in the history of alchemy.
(4)
Grrlscoutgoneba D.
Ive been living down the street from Alliance for around 10 years now and I've watched it change hands many times. I keep giving it another chance hopeing to relive the glory days of the late 90's. I stopped in their last night to grab a sandwich on my way to work. The male barista was so chatty fast and amped up I was wondering if he had to much coffee or mabye to much speed. My caprise sandwich was just ok, a bit to much bread and not enough filling. What grossed me out was seeing the male Barista behind the counter barefoot! then watching him walk outside into the seating area and back into the kitchen BAREFOOT! GROSS!
(2)
Krsna V.
One of the best bakeries in the neighborhood. I always get the chocolate croissants. They sell Intellegentsia coffee by the bag. They make excellent chocolate cake. The staff make this place cool and hip. The minus one star is for not stocking up on baked good and opening late on weekends. They do not open until 7 A.M. I understand the yuppies in wicker park do not get up early on the weekends because they are out all night but, there are people like me who get up early. Also, they run out of most pastries before 11:00 a.m. on a weekday or 10:00 a.m. on a weekend.
(4)
James A.
I stop by here on some mornings to get coffee on my way to the train. I think their americano is the best in the neighborhood - my go-to drink. The Alliance blend intelligentsia coffee is great as well, a bit on the sweeter side. I've never felt the need to add either sugar or cream to a coffee drink from here, since it is always perfectly smooth and mild tasting. Great croissants as well!
(4)
Sara M.
I got married this past weekend and Alliance Bakery made our wedding cake. From the moment we met with Jennifer (who was wonderful to work with) and had our tasting we thought how incredible the cake was but when your guests all tell you how much they loved the cake, you know you did something right. I would recommend Alliance Bakery for anyone who is hosting a special occasion and needs a cake. You won't be disappointed!!!
(5)
Chad C.
I had a chocolate chip cookie, which was pretty decent, and also some of a german chocolate drop, which was not so great. All the cakes in the window do look pretty impressive, but I'm not typically in the market for crazy designer cakes. And the eating/hangout/study room next door seems pretty cool too, not a bad place to chill or read or whatever. I also had the tres leches cake, which was pretty moist, a fairly well done tres leches. I'd give it a 7/10.
(3)
Natalie R.
Alliance did our wedding cake in April, it turned out amazing! The design was great and it tasted great too!
(5)
Gretchen O.
Alliance is my first stop in search of a replacement for Mercury Cafe. I'll need about three cafes to serve all the purposes Mercury used to - one for studying, another for a place to hang out with my friends, another for cheap, tasty coffee and food. Alliance fills my first need very well. The fact that the seating area and the serving area are in two different buildings helps - the seating area is completely silent, save the music. Whispering is conspicuous. I could never meet a friend here to catch up, but there's literally nothing to distract me from several hours of paper-writing. Pros: The internet is free, the coffee is decent. The whimsically decorated cakes in the front window are highly entertaining (I am easily entertained, but you'd have to be pretty cold not to smile at a severed foot cake.) They have a dinosaur with a shark in its mouth on the counter in front of the register. Cons: There's usually only one barista, so the line isn't commuter-friendly. There isn't that much seating. The food selection is limited once you leave the pastry food group. It is a bakery, after all. Mercury, you left a gaping hole in my consumer's heart, but I'll be stuffing it with lots of gauze. Some of it will come from Alliance Bakery.
(4)
Stacey B.
We ordered our wedding cake from Alliance. Not only was the tasting excellent (they actually gave us choices to taste instead of slices from the case like other bakeries), but Mitchell was a delight to work with. He had lots of creative ideas and totally worked with us so we could have exactly what we wanted within our budget. All of our guests thought the cake was beautiful AND was delicious. We got many, many compliments on it. I would highly recommend them due to their professionalism, ease to work with, and both the cake's appearance and taste.
(5)
Katherine L.
The perfect place to work in a low-key, casual environment. Great cakes, from the looks of it; haven't tried them, but loved their cuban espresso. The perfect mix of sweet & *strong* (caffeine-wise)!
(5)
Sam A.
I was looking for an alternative for StarB's and saw this place on yelp so I tried it. I hate giving places bad reviews but I'm just not crazy about this place. I think it's mainly the ambiance that turned me off. It just doesn't have that cozy coffee house feel (maybe because it's not a coffee house type place, or is it?) Staff: Very friendly and fast Cappuccino: Very good but def had better. They use intelligentsia coffee beans. Why doesn't anyone around here use Illy? Turkey Sandwich: Nothing spectacular, just a regular turkey sandwich. Bottled water: Amazing lol The lounge is two doors down so you order your drink/sandwich/pastry and walk over two doors. Someone needs to plug in a few air fresheners because the smell in there was not so good! Maybe it was just one person who knows. Definitely worth trying, you might love it. I didn't.
Thank you "Alliance" for creating an exceptionally beautiful birthday cake for my daughter's birthday. I found "Alliance" online and on Yelp. I loved the cakes' clean modern design. I decided to take a chance, and ordered a cake long distance (from Out of State) without ever meeting the staff. My daughter is in Chicago, she misses her cat very much as he doesn't travel well. Amazingly "Alliance" - with Peter's (the owner) meticulous attention to detail, his care and effort to make sure we were on the same page design-wise, in addition to Jennifer's patience (in taking notes) were successful creating a cake portraying our cat (spot on!). You and your team were able to translate my drawn idea into a classy, clean-lined and beautiful cake! Yes Peter, my daughter is very surprised and happy with the cake. She just informed me that the cake (vanilla with fresh berries) were delicious, light and fluffy and fruity. Perfect for summer! You have an amazing team with excellent talent and artistic taste in producing beautiful creations to meet your clients' high expectations. Congratulations! You and your team are the best in the field! Thank you again Peter for taking the time to really listen to your client's wishes.
(5)
Elizabeth B.
The lovely Kellie K. got me a brownie from here last week to fix a bad day. It definitely did the trick. Today I find myself sitting in the Alliance Bakery 'computer lab' searching for jobs, sipping coffee, and mowing-down a cheesecake brownie. My roommate said she once got food poisoning from eating here but I don't care; I am trying to lose weight before swimsuit season and there is nothing like a week of diarrhea to get me into a smaller size. The brownie was awesome. The coffee is piping hot and the internet is fast and free. Plus, there are enough hottie dirrrty boys in here to keep me from being bored. I expect to have to continue searching for jobs until my balls drop or for the next 20 years, whichever comes first. For that reason, I will be back here when I need a change of pace from my home internet and crappy homemade baked goods. I took one star off because the music in here makes me want to slit my wrists.
(4)
Amanda F.
I have been searching for the perfect coffee shop in Chicago...going around town to continuously be disappointed with the shops here...It seemed like nobody has exactly what I was looking for and I was getting frustrated. I just wanted to find something where I felt like I could come often and feel comfortable. On a recent icy and snowy day, I last-minute decided to come to Alliance-it's only 2 blocks from my house, which I ironically never come to for one reason or another. I absolutely loved it there. It's the perfect shop. Quiet, open, airy, light, comfortable seating, nice sized tables, unpretentious, just plain right NORMAL. I will come back again and again. Moral of the story and reflective point of the day---sometimes the answers are right there, under your nose, and you just need to look more closely. And sometimes what you need most is the overlooked way, or the way that seems the least exotic, simply because it's close to home. :)
(4)
Mia P.
Great coffee. Awesomely tasty and moist cupcakes. And the Pumpkin macarons. They were melt in your mouth delicous, so delicous that I wanted to try more flavors. That's where Alliance loses a star. Stale macarons are probably the worst things you could possibly eat. When they're good, they're amazing. But when they're bad, they're basically inedible. And it's luck of the draw unfortunately. Buuuut I will be back.
(4)
Jennifer L.
Peter at Alliance did a good job designing a special cake for my 5th wedding anniversary, which happened to fall on the day of a football game between my school and my husband's. The design was creative, the chocolate cake was delicious BUT it had the wrong filling! Peter was very apologetic and offered free cupcakes to make up for it. Hopefully he'll make good on that promise. On another note, it seems like a lot of the people who work there are a bit spacey. Nice, but spacey. There've been times when I'm not 100% sure that an order is going to turn out the way I've requested (although it has, except for the one time).
(4)
Justin G.
Nice little bakery that smells amazing. I had a hard time not stopping in here for cookies on a regular basis.
(4)
Julia T.
Alliance was on my way home and I decided what the heck, let's give it a try since I pass it all the time. First thing I noticed was they serve Intelligentsia coffee - big plus in my book. They have these adorable cakes displayed in the window and the decor inside is very warm and fuzzy. The staff was super friendly. Tons of sugar rush options to choose from - cookies, cupcakes, pastries, etc. I decided to try their double chocolate cupcake as it is my decision making item of if a bakery has won my heart. I have one word for their cupcake - SCRUMPTIOUS! The cupcake was so moist that it melted in your hands and mouth. It was decadent with its oh so goodness perfect whipped chocolate frosting. The frosting was so light but carried the chocolate flavor through. I've experienced a lot of bakeries that whip their frosting, do not get the flavor through and it just tastes like plain whip cream. Great job Alliance! I will be coming back to try their Tiramisu and many more! I'll be back to review my second adventure. Stay tuned.
(4)
Rosie R.
Went here yesterday to pick up some kind of comforting baked good because I was jacked up only having tea and no food so I was jittery. Anyways, it was the 2nd time I've been here and I was looking for their gourmet "fig newton" but they didn't have it. So I went with their cherry scone and a red velvet cup cake price was 5 something for both, but it was worth it!! The Scone was the best I ever had!!! The cupcake (even though it was small) was delicious and cracklicious! A nice place to go to when you want to reward yourself and indulge!
(4)
Amy H.
Yesterday I had a little devil and a little angel pop up on my shoulders and the three of us had a little conversation that went something like this... Devil Amy: You look like crap, Amy. Angel Amy: Don't listen to her, dear. You do look like you don't feel well. Amy: I'll be ok. I just went to the pharmacy and picked up this big bag of drugs and now I'm going home to rest. Devil Amy: SWEET!! Let's go home and get high!! Amy: Alright, alright. Keep your horns on, devil. I have to figure out what I'm going to have for dinner, because once I get home I don't want to leave again. Angel Amy: You deserve to treat yourself to something nice. Maybe a cheeseburger from that place you love...or a taco from the restaurant down the street... Devil: ...or cupcakes. Amy: Cupcakes? For dinner?? Angel: Don't be silly, devil. She can't have cupcakes for dinner! She should have a nice well-balanced meal. Something that is good for her. Devil: I"m sick of that healthy crap she's always eating. I want cupcakes!!!!! Amy: Cupcakes? Devil: Yeah!!! CUPCAKES!!!! CUP-CAKES-CUP-CAKES-CUP-CAKES!!!!!! Angel: Where would she find cupcakes? Amy: Well, Alliance Bakery is on my way home...I could stop there. I've heard that they have some good cupcakes. Angel: Well, I guess that just this once it's ok to have cupcakes for dinner. Just as long as we don't make a habit of it. Amy: Really angel?? I can have cupcakes for dinner?!?? :) So off we went to Alliance Bakery. I got a red velvet cupcake for the devil, a vanilla cupcake for the angel, and a carrot cupcake for me. The red velvet was good but the frosting:cupcake ratio was a little off...it needed a bit more frosting. Same with the carrot cupcake...yummy with fresh shreds of carrot but needed a smidgen more frosting. The vanilla was ok...the frosting was too sweet and the cake was a tad dry. Just in case devil, angel, and I were still hungry after the cupcakes we also bought a black and white cookie and a pecan bar. Both ok, but didn't knock my socks off.
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Breakfast, Dessert Parking : Street Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Hipster, Casual Noise Level : Quiet Alcohol : No Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : No Waiter Service : No Caters : Yes
Candice G.
I just had my first taste of Alliance bakery today and I'm quite impressed. You know how there's a good kind of burnt and a bad kind of burnt on cakes and brownies? Like when you make a perfect cake you have to burn the edges and corners a little for some variance in flavor, texture, and taste... I know you feel me, those are always the first pieces to go. Anyway, this place has got that glory taste down pat BUT without actually burning anything. I don't know how they do it but the cupcakes look slippery and moist... almost like fake restaurant food displayed for the daily specials except it's real and oh so edible. Anyway, it has the delicious, organically burnt taste that lingers a bit and is somehow not crusty at all. I'll defo be heading into Alliance sometime soon... PS- thanks to Laurie C. for the fabu birthday cupcake. :) I can't wait to get some "you're adopted" cakes for friends' b-days.
(4)Maija D.
I have never known of this Alliance Bakery, but after my incredible experience, all I can say is Tres Bon!!! Oh My God, I can still taste and see the sensational cake I just had a bite of. I was trying to find a beautiful and tasteful cake - which is not easy, apparently it's one or the other as the guy at Sweet Mandy B's told me, and he suggested I come here. Wow was he ever right! I ordered a beautiful fondant cake in the shape of a Tiffany box with a big white bow on top, and my daughter in laws name in beautiful font on the front. It was huge and gorgeous, and the vanilla cake had 3 layers with mixed berries and a custard filling. Under the fondant was the lightest creamy frosting...it was like heaven must taste. The owner, is a former French pastry chef for Sofitel Hotels, and the Fairmont. He has the medals to prove that he knows his stuff! He goes to Paris every year and takes his chef, too. He is committed to his creations, so when this AR says she thinks their baked good are just "meh" as she put it, wrong!!! I had several of his incredible cookies and a fabulous "homemade" croissant! Made fresh at this bakery! The cake was so gorgeous and people at tour party were saying " it is the best cake" they have ever tasted!! I know where I am going to future cakes. They are very busy and popular, so order way ahead of time,
(5)Clare S.
I've stopped in here twice on a whim while having dinner/brunch nearby. Both times I got a red velvet cupcake, once plain with cream cheese frosting, and the second time with a raspberry filling and an italian buttercream. Both cupcakes were delicious! I was very impressed by their italian buttercream. My friend got a vanilla cupcake, which was unfortunately on the dry side. The cakes in the window are BEAUTIFUL. I've not been to the cafe yet, but I've heard great things, so I'm sure I'll be back soon!
(4)Willie B.
I love this place. Everything is so detailed and they cut no corners. From wedding cakes to tiny macaroons, everything here is rich and delicious. It's what a bakery should be.
(5)Carrie S.
Alliance Bakery confuses me. Its exterior is old school while the goods and fancy cakes are modern and cool. Is it a hipster bakery run by hipsters? Seriously, I walked in here for my first Wicker Park Stitch and Bitch and didn't know what to make of the place. The delicious treats are classic while the staff is throughly hipster. I got the usual hipster glare as I walked in. Thanks for staring me down in your ugly, oversize ironic glasses and flannel t-shirt. After reviewing the cases, I chose a key lime bar for my treat and a chai tea as beverage. The key lime bar was alright, frankly nothing special and memorable. It was almost too sweet and too tart. I knit at the adjacent cafe space which felt hipster-ish. It had a lot of old furniture trying to give off that cool, ironic vibe with very non hipster artwork lining the walls. The cafe's decor and space confused me just as much as the bakery. Alliance as a bakery is alright. I'm not sure if it's a classic bakery with tasty goods or if it's trying way too hard to be cool like the other bakeries in Chicago.
(3)Amanda T.
I fell in love with Alliance as soon as I walked by and saw an edible display of "The Nightmare Before Christmas." I try to avoid bakeries as much as possible but I couldn't resist this one. By suggestion I ordered a red velvet cupcake. I'm not a big red velvet fan but this baby was the best red velvet cupcake EVAR. I also got a vegan cupcakes, and it was surprisingly good. I doubt I will ever be a vegan, but if I did it's good to know there's at least one place in the world where I can get a humane tasting baked good. The cafe is very quaint and quiet. A wonderful place to grab a sweet, an espresso and get some work done.
(4)Mike K.
I can't believe I never wrote a review for Alliance! I used to go there for coffee all the time when I lived nearby, and sometimes I'd get a lemon bar or a black and white cookie. Everything was of top-notch quality. The staff are very cool and friendly, and the interior has a great old-timey feel. Very classic atmosphere, but very hip attitude.
(5)Stephany C.
One slight drawback - walking outside to the cafe area while trying to balance personal effects, a pastry, and coffee may be challenging. Anyway, fantastic baked goods and coffee - great place to hang out! Macaroons (lots of interesting flavors) and almond croissants are some faves!
(4)Samantha K.
I have not been in the lounge (yet!) so this is just about the bakery itself. We just moved to the area and this is the spot I have been the most. Not only do they have Intelligentsia coffee but anything you get with it will be delectable. I've tried their breakfast pastries, desserts and lunch time spread (curry chicken salad sandwich is wondrous!) and have yet to be disappointed. I feel the price is in line with the quality and the fact they are open at 6am will keep this my top bakery in the area.
(5)Adam K.
Yeah man! Love this place. Here is why: Crazy cakes in the window that always change, they make some really unique looking cakes for people, a butterfly one, a cat in the hat cereal box one, a female chesticles one, a man package one, a big strawberry one, you get it. Its cool Macaroons: Holy mountain mother mary immaculate sisters ladies mountains of guadalupe. Soo good, and gluten free for you porkers. My fav's are the Passion fruit chocolate and the salted caramel. I got one of each kind they had and a cute owl cookie and it was like $13. Coffee: I like my sugar with this and cream. Tea: Good selection without being too snobby about it. Adjoining couch / chill area: What a great idea. Separate the cash register from the area hipsters pretend to do work in and POW! You have a, um, nice area to work in? I don't know but this area adjoining the bakery is very comfy and chill. To sum up, try it, or at least stop by the window to see what crazy cakes they have made for some rich a-hole.
(4)Suzy D.
For croissants and breakfast pastries I give this place a 4 For cupcakes/macarons/other sweets I give this place a 3.5 On Saturday, my husband went and get massages at the Pain Stop, then we walked over to Mana for lunch and then we figured we should try out Alliance bakery. So we came in here after we were already stuffed from our lunch at Mana, but everything looked so delicious we had to get a box and try everything. We got one of each flavor of the macarons. We got an almond croissant, a red pepper/goat cheese croissant, a chocolate croissant, a chocolate beignet, this danish/croissant looking thing with apricot and orange, and a red velvet cupcake. Amazingly, we ate everything by the end of the day too. For us, we thought that the croissants were the stand out. They do an amazing job with breakfast pastries. We weren't blown away by the cupcake. You can get better cupcakes at Molly's/Swirlz. The macarons were tasty and there were a lot of flavor options, but they had been in the case for a bit, and some of them were kind of hard. We will definitely be back for croissants though. Yum!
(4)Jonah G.
I go to the Alliance Bakery a few times every week to study and I sit in the lounge. The Alliance Bakery is great. Every pastry, coffee, tea, sandwich etc. I've gotten there has been reasonably priced and good. Service is friendly and fast. They ask you to pay cash for orders under $5, but in the event I don't have it, they let it slide and are pleasant about it. The lounge has been completely redone, and it is absolutely fantastic. To be fair, I have never ordered a large elaborate cake, so I can't speak to that and the pricing. Based on pure aesthetics, the cakes look pretty damn impressive. Alliance Bakery has got it going on.
(5)Anne O.
I came here nearly every morning for coffee before I moved from the area. The iced coffee in summer is the shit, and soy lattes are cheaper than across the street at sbucks when I'm craving those. Sometimes the cookies are decorated so well I buy them even though cookies aren't my fave to eat. The counter staff is awesome awesome and the newly remodeled study room is super cool because its just a room, no staff, no anything, just space to eat and hang, and it's usually empty during the morning hours.
(5)Jason Z.
It's great living just down the street from this amazing bakery. Also could explain why I don't seem to be losing weight when I stop by after working out at the gym across the street. We've stopped in to purchase cupcakes on serveral occasions. They always amazing, and have a great selection (so far, my favorite has been the carrot cake. Hell, even the chocolate peanut butter one is great, and it's VEGAN!) We've also ordered 2 cakes from them for birthday parties. They are amazing, and beautifully decorated. The bakery itself is very small, and a small line will make the bakery itself very crowded. However, they have a large sitting area right next door, with tables, chairs and couches for those who want to hang out and work, or chat with friends.
(5)h h.
TRUE STORY: One of the employees was talking to some girl that walked into the place. Being the responsible Yelper....I listened in..... Employee: So what's your situation? Girl: It's been kind of hard. I've been spending the last few months looking for a job. Employee: Oh wow. I totally know how you feel. it's been rough on everyone...especially with the economy the way it is. Let me see if I can do something for you. I can see if their taking any applications. I can put in a word for you? Girl: Ummmmm.. nooo. . Why would I want to work here? I actually have a realllll job now!! Just got it! Where I make real money! The people at this coffee shop are classy, work hard for their money, and put up with a lot of BS. Don't add to it by acting like this girl did. If I see anyone acting like this, i will make it a point to put them in their rightful place from now on. Everyone deserves a certain level of respect. Regardless of what they do for a living. The garbage man and the CEO of a Fortune 500 company deserve the same level of respect. Why? Because their both human beings. Being classy has nothing..absolutely nothing do with how you dress....and everything to do with how you carry yourself. People who are classy, look even more classy when they dress classy. If that makes sense? er. lol Dressing classy when you're a scumbag just makes you look like a fraud. It shines through. Open letter to bitch: Dear Girl: You're a tactless bitch. If I see you again, I will cross the street in fear of catching your tactless bitch behavior. Better yet? Give me your schedule for the rest of your life, so I won't have to be within 100 miles of where ever you are. Anyways: One Star- for friendly service. Another Star for having a study room for Hipsters. I don't study there, but I observe the Hipsters through the glass window. If you shake the room up like a snow globe, sometimes they'll fight each other. One Star - for having pretty good coffee! The final star for having some delicious baked goods. They are really delicious. I think the coffee cake was kind of a miss. FYI: I understand that it is hypocritical and ironic to talk about being classy, and then go on a tangent and call someone a "bitch". But I was trying to prove a point. snap. okay. you got me. Another disclaimer- the events that happened in this email happened about half a year ago..maybe longer. It just made me so angry I had to yelp about it. Thank-you. Check out my podcast.
(4)J-Bird G.
Macaroons. what more shall i say? Go there and try every kind they have. Then return the next day and try more flavors, as they mix it up quite frequently. Excellent coffee as well.
(4)Katherine M.
Being lifetime Chicagoan, I have been to maaaany bakeries and I loved my baked goods. I also was a fan of the old Alliance when I was a kid, and I like the under new management's artistry. Alliance bakery in the last few years has some great things going for it, including flair and great flavors, but a major drawback is Hygiene. I have been here on numerous occasions, many times, and my reviews would range from 1 star to 5 stars so I finally have decided to write a review and settle on a 3. The 5s--flavors of the macarons, custom cake decorating, the lemon bars The 1s--hygiene and behavior of some of the staff Hygiene is a very serious thing in any food establishment and the staff have to be *TOLD* what good food hygiene is and take it seriously--the cues and directives come from the top. Too bad if they are your friends or family--people have to wash their hands if they pick their noses or handle garbage before they handle food (I've seen it here), and shouldn't be barehandedly touching food with long dirty broken fingernails, UGH. YES I have said something only to get Whatever from the staff; I should have talked to the manager. I suppose I should have never come back but the cookies etc are good and I kept hoping for change. But what spurred me to write a review was the products are pretty Good (5 star) but there is still lax hygiene! I was in last week and I was about to tell the woman behind the counter about a large fly (or maybe two as the buzzing was all over the case) in the cupcakes Case when a woman with a kid ahead of me pointed it out. The staff replied, "Oh yeah...it's been in there all day" *1 STAR* Are you kidding me?! If I were the owner that would be her last day on the job. I noticed the cupcake case was open--Epic Fail. When you have a large housefly on your food...GET RID OF IT and if it has been landing on your frosting cupakes throw them out too, yuck. Houseflies land on garbage and poo. And then they lay eggs too! So I do not know if I will go back after seeing and hearing that!
(3)Sibi J.
Now this is a bakery that gets better and better every time I go in. The bakers are great to talk to and the lounge is a good place to sit down and get some work done. If you are ever in the area and want some killer macaroons, this is place to go. Salted Caramel, Rosewater and Red velvet are my favorites. The only thing puzzling to me is the $ sign that Yelp is showing for Alliance, since I have never ever spent less that $10 here !!
(5)Betsy T.
Amazing-looking cupcakes and macarons in the display case, but I was in the mood for something savory so I got the quiche with my coffee. Their quiches are deep-dish and generously sliced and delicious. The interior of the cafe is beautiful, with a gilded ceiling and other baroque details. My brother swears by the croissants here. I hope they make a savory croissant!
(4)Candace S.
After oohing & ahhing for months over Alliance's window display that showcases a cute Panda cake & a Nightmare before Christmas cake I had to finally stop by and see what all the fuss was about. Normally I stray away from bakeries because all they do is tease me with their non-vegan goodies, but I was pleasantly surprised to find they had a vegan apple streusel, chocolate chip cookies, and vegan cupcakes! Their ice coffee was also equally as amazing & they didn't charge me extra for soy as they had it out w/ all of the other creamers. My boyfriend had a cinnamon roll which he said was one of the best he's ever had. Always on the lookout for new study spots I checked out the Alliance lounge next door and saw that they have free Wifi & lots of seating. Will definitely be back soon to study here & try some new vegan baked goods.
(4)Colleen C.
Oh, and if you are in need of a library that serves coffee, provides wifi and has no books...the lounge next door to Alliance is where it's at. :) The seating area is the quietest, most focused group of people I have ever witnessed. No complaints, just don't come here for a chat with friends...you'll get the evil eye. Solitude, silence, focus...yes. With caffeine. And sugar. The perfect library. Without books.
(5)Summer N.
Super sad because I found this bakery just a few months before I moved and am addicted to their macaroons. The flavors change from week to week, and sometimes I'd come too late in the afternoon and all the macaroons would be completely sold out. Liked all the flavors (although the rose macaroon tasted a little perfume-y, but still pretty good), but passion fruit was my favorite. I think the key is the cookie part is crispy and not gummy like some other macaroons. Still haven't found a place in Hawaii that quite compares...
(4)James B.
My fiance & I recently got married and chose Alliance to create our wedding cake. We had some difficulties with our reception venue and their contracted cake vendors. Our cake was to be included in our reception package, but after much frustration - we were given the option to take a credit, and arrange our cake on our own. Since we live in the neighborhood, we thought we would go by Alliance. We met with Mitchell for the tasting and everything was great. They were friendly, professional, and had much more reasonable pricing than other bakeries. The cake was delicious, decorated exactly how we wanted, and delivered to our venue on time. The whole experience was perfect.
(5)Justine K.
Just look at the photo I attached! Need I say more?? My Matron of Honor surprised us and got my fiancé and me this amazing cake for our engagement party! Absolutely beautiful decorating and also VERY delicious! And I'm not even much of a cake eater!!
(5)Jenna M.
I literally just finished eating two ginger snaps at Alliance. I am still sitting here! They were so amazing, I has to tell someone ASAP, and the guy sitting next to me seems really into his book, so...Yelped!
(5)Ariane S.
I really wish I could be obsessed with this place since Iive right around the corner but I'm not a bready baked goods type of person so it fails me every time. The cookies are crunchy so if you're into that sort of thing this is your place to go, and their bars are not as gooey and delicious as they look, in fact they are rather dry and bland. It depresses me to be writing this, because like I said if I could just freaking like this bakery my life would be so much simpler. However, the lounge aspect of the bakery is pretty neat. You can pretty much stay in there for however long you'd like and not buy anything and they will never know because its not connected to the bakery. Unfortunately, I like be surrounded by some sort of pleasing design and the lounge is essentially an outdated college cafeteria lounge. Their coffee however is delicious. So if you are walking past and would like a down to Earth simiple coffee than jump on in. Also, their window displays really make me smile. Have I mentioned I would really love to love the baked goods from this place?
(3)Sam M.
Have been here twice, the first time I was really confused about where I was going to sit after I got there. Didn't realize that the door for the seating area section was right next to the front door. Good coffee, not the best atmosphere. Haven't tried any of the bakery items, but I've heard good things.
(3)Gloria E.
FIRST AND LAST TIME WALKING INTO THIS PATHETIC PLACE! Walked in here to get some French macaroons for teachers appreciation week and the lady here acts like I walked in here to beg for free sweets. I ask her for the box of macaroons and she places the box by the cashier. She gets on the phone and I ask her for a red velvet cupcake she stops dialing and gets the cupcake with an attitude. She proceeds to pick up the damn phone again about to dial again. I tell her that we are not finished and she puts the phone down with an attitude. I swear I should have taken those overpriced shitty pastries and threw it at her face but I wanted to get outta there and have something for my sons teacher. I got 1 cupcake, 15 (quarter size) macaroons, lemon tart and some small passion fruit cake....$49.75..what???? I said to the ignorant lady...she rang up the order again and just stared at me with her dumb ass face. Why did I not slap her?? Why the hell did i purchased this shit?? I asked my husband why did you not slap me for paying for this shit??? I don't know. I am sorry but you all at Alliance Bakery can stick your pastries up you ass!!!!!! The other lady who put my order in the bag (with tattoos) was nice though. It's the lady with the black hair that needs to get slapped across the bakery..just so stupid and a nasty attitude!!!
(1)Lauren M.
The cookies here are pretty awesome, I try to inconspicuously buy a small box of half and half cookies and sprite cookies and not think later about the gluttonous shame of eating it all by myself. The service is good and sometimes it gets crowded since it's a tad small but it's not terrible. I don't much care to stay and drink my coffee around the college students on laptops or the bad music, the connected lounge part isn't the worst I've experienced though uncomfortable and unfriendly when you're trying to have a conversation with a friend. The coffee is fair and the cookies are relatively good but there are a lot of cakes and stuff that aren't too hot.
(3)Brett F.
Alliance gets two enthusiastic thumbs up in the bakery category. I don't end up here too often since it's not really in my 'hood, but when I find myself even moderately close to AB I'll swing in for one of their red velvet or vanilla cuppiecakes and at least a dozen cookies. AB carries some of the larger cupcakes you'll find amidst the ubiquitous 'cupcakeries', I find them a good value, and have never been served one in any other fashion than moist and fluffy. They are an institution in this city whether you like them or not... just ask Starfruit, Berry Chill or any of the other local businesses now that boast they carry Alliance cupcakes for your tasting pleasure. Arguably, their cupcakes are the best thing here but I love that it's not the ONLY thing. Variety is the spice of life babe, if you'd rather some frosted cookies (yum!) or a lemon bar... perhaps a brownie or raspberry tart even, you have choices that aren't limited to nouveau trends or vegan offerings. Alliance is your more 'standard' bakery, the type of place you can find a good 'ol fashioned B&W cookie and not just a mini-dry-soy-wheat-grass-cupcake decorated to look like one.
(4)Brooke M.
I ordered my son's 2nd birthday cake from Alliance after seeing their incredible cake decorating at another party. They can do anything you want in terms of design, decoration and theme. The cake that impressed me so much? Shaped like Prince's guitar. The cake we ordered? Shaped to look just like Brobie's cake from the Yo Gabba Gabba episode Brobie's Birthday. And the cake is also one of the most delicious I have ever eaten from any bakery. Everyone was amazed with how the cake looked at the party and how great it tasted. Sometimes great looking you lose the taste and get taste doesn't always look so hot but this was the best of both.
(5)Char Y.
I dropped by first thing in the morning to get some croissants and macarons. The croissants are the best in the city so far! both the chocolate and the almond was authentic and delicious! the macarons perfect!
(4)Aurore L.
Yes, they do have to remind their customers that their café is not a library. And no, it's not. It's wayyyyyyyyyyyy better. One word: macaroons. Blueberry cream cheese, raspberry rose, chocolate salted caramel,and a ton of other seasonal flavors that escape my mind. LOVE. Also worth of interest: their Girl Collection. A whole gallery of fine pastry featuring, among others: - Elyce (pistachio sable, raspberry custard, white chocolate mousse) - Lola (mango, passion, coconut and chocolate cream) - Anne (chocolate, vanille bean brulée, peanut crunch) - Maeve (rose, raspberry, almond cake) - Sophia (mascarpone, fig, mascarpone, balsamic) Artistic, classy and delicious. ::::::::::::total swoon::::::::::::::::
(5)Nancy H.
Quite a unique place. The bakery and its "lounge" next door have not been remodeled, and the bakery itself is small, but the fondant draped cakes in the window displays and the smells that seep out of there just draws you in. There are two cases of pastries, mainly cookies and little cakes. My girl friend and I came here to grab portabello foccacia sandwiches, mint iced teas, 1 strawberry almond tart, and 3 macaroons, which totalled $22. I don't think they post prices, which was a little annoying. But everything was tasty! Surprisingly, the portabello focaccia sandwich too, even though it looked boring. However, the foccacia bread was a little hard, which I think was a result of it being stored in the refrigerated case. We took our food next door where there are tables, A/C, and free wifi - until it started raining. Love that there is that much seating and free wifi, especially for studiers and workers who need sweets to fuel their brains!
(4)Christy Q.
I clearly am not getting something here. I'm missing something. I don't get the high reviews. I thought it sucked, overall. The setup is cool, I'll grant that. But otherwise, the food sucked. I've tried 4 different things here on different occasions and nothing impressed me, at all. On a hot summer day I was craving a lemon bar- so I headed over to Alliance Bakery! It sucked. I'm sorry, but it was the WORST lemon bar I've ever had. I've had better lemon bars from hotels at work meetings. It had zero lemony flavor, and the consistency was totally dry. Dry Dry Dry. It was way gross. I couldn't finish it and tossed it in the trash. Then I had a pecan bar of some sort. It was blah. It was truly blah. Again, I didn't finish it and just tossed it. I tried a third time with this bakery. This time I got 2 cupcakes- one red velvet cupcake and one yellow cake with the vanilla frosting. The verdict? They both wound up in the trash. The red velvet was better than the yellow cake. But the cream cheese frosting was actually too airy. Which I rarely say about frosting- usually with a cupcake I feel like there's just too much frosting- it overwhelms the cake. In this case it was just airy- cool whip airy. Like cream cheese cool whip. The yellow cake/vanilla frosting- SICK. It tasted EXACTLY like Jewel grocery store's cupcakes. EXACTLY. The frosting was identical and the cake was exactly the same. Not to mention the cake was D.R.Y. Not to mention the people working there are too cool for school. The people I've met refuse to make eye contact, or greet you or smile. I get that they are super duper cool, skinny pant wearing, tattooed, pierced dudes and dudettes, but come on. That's not how you run a business. Smile. Greet a customer. Make small talk. Something- some sign of life... please? Give me some reason (other than the lousy baked goods) to return. I will never ever return. I've given this place 3 chances, I've ordered 4 different things, and I've disliked it all. I can't figure out why people rave about this place. Lucky for Alliance Bakery, I seem to be in the minority. I just don't get it. When there are bakeries like Dinkel's's and Molly's Cupcakes in this city, who in the world would rave about this dump?
(1)Michael S.
Alliance.. Really good treats.. So delicious, but yet sooo bad for you! I've had quite a few baked goodies here on several occasions. I even had a simple blue car iced cookie here and that was really good! Actually, I've never been anything, but impressed with the products here! The cakes while I've never had also look amazing. Must ask how much one of those specially made cakes are next time I go..
(4)Anita S.
I've been a huge fan of Alliance in the past, I love their baked goods and their coffee is always delicious. Today, however, when I went in to order paczkis the staff was extremely rude. There was a line of about 2 or 3 people and I patiently waited in it for my turn. When it was my turn the woman behind the counter asked the man behind me for his order instead of me, when I was clearly the next person in line. It seemed that they knew each other and he was a former regular. I would've overlooked this if not for what happened next, the woman behind the counter noticed that I was clearly overlooked and did nothing, then the man behind the counter helped another woman behind me in the line. I finally spoke up and said "I think I'm next." I ended up spending about half an hour in line this morning before work. I probably should've said something but hate making a scene, instead Alliance won't be receiving my business again. They'll probably be just fine without it, I'm just sad about the way I was treated.
(1)Dave G.
I really liked the staff and the cupcakes were great. They also offer beautiful little individual custards and cheesecakes in addition to the cupcakes. Delicious Black Cat espresso was perfectly drawn.
(4)Jane T.
Yep, I still love Alliance Bakery! A friend of mine recently threw a Mexican fiesta dinner and I felt like I should bring something, so I turned to the trusty Alliance Bakery. Initially, I wanted to get some red velvet cupcakes but after peeking at the site, I went for a whole red velvet cake. I submitted my order online, thinking that I was too late to get any sort of decorated cake order in but the chef contacted me a day later and told me it was absolutely plausible. The cake was 100x more gorgeous than I'd imagined it would be (photo uploaded!). Thank you, Alliance, for such a gorgeous and delicious treat for our fiesta.
(5)Karim H.
Excellent service, amazing french pastries and croissants, and really frickin' good cupcakes! We stopped in during the Renegade Craft Fair and I was quite surprised at the quality of their baked things. They also have a lounge next door with free wifi which might very well become my new favorite spot to study! If this were in walking distance, I'd be 10 lbs. heavier by Christmas
(4)Jenny S.
I needed a cake for a birthday party so I called Alliance since I'd enjoyed their cupcakes and other desserts before. The first time I called the woman on the phone was super helpful. She went through the different sizes for me and the prices and the prices of the add-ons, etc. I thought about it and decided on a cake and called back to double-check on prices. This person on the phone wasn't as helpful. One word answers and had to keep looking things up. Whatever, it's all good. I ordered my cake online (speaking of, ordering would be a heck of a lot easier if they'd just list base prices of cakes online!). Picked it up and it was beautiful. They went above and beyond with the design. Plus it was delicious. So very very tasty. The only downside (if this can even be a down side when it comes to a tasty cake) it was HUGE. So let that be my tip to you---if you're ordering a cake and are wondering "Should I go up a size or down a size?" go down a size! I think I have 1/2 a cake left over.
(4)Diane H.
The sign in the window saying "macarons" drew me in. I've had a lot of macarons in the last couple of years-- at boutiques in Las Vegas, in boxes shipped from France, at local coffee shops in Detroit. The fig and pistachio-cherry macarons were, hands down, the best I've ever tasted-- toothsome and wonderfully flavored. My husband, who has weathered my macaron obsession with skepticism, was impressed by how good these were. I've had plenty of macarons where I couldn't tell what flavor they were even supposed to be, and you won't have that problem here. The latte we ordered wasn't quite phenomenal; my husband thought it tasted more like a tea latte than an espresso drink. I thought it was OK but preferred the latte from Milk & Honey down the road.
(4)Jennifer S.
We walked down to Alliance Bakery after a yummy lunch at Smoke Daddy. They are about a half block from each other and I am a dessert-freak, so my hubby suggested it and I happily agreed. Um, it was kinda weird. The front window has beautiful cakes and made me want to talk in. It was a Sunday afternoon and the cases were a bit picked over, so I struggled with what to order. Wish I had read Yelp ahead of time and tried a macaroon! Anyhow, I ordered an apricot almond pastry and a cranberry bar of some sort. Both were okay. Neither were fabulous and I don't think I will go out of my way to spend $7.96 on two "meh" pastries again. Also, the staff was a little off...I can't really explain it, but it wasn't that warm, fuzzy feel that I usually get in a bakery. Thanks, but no thanks.
(2)Caroline M.
S l o w service. Cramped space. The stroller in there literally took up 1/3 of the waiting area. Sad cupcakes. The icing was very disappointing :( Their spring specials board had some yummy sounding items (pineapple upsidedown cake) but it was nowhere to be found. One star for the free doggie treat with any purchase. My hot boy's dog scarfed it down. Another star for the loading zone out front (rockstar parking if you can get in and out of there in 10 min, which is pretty unlikely).
(2)Katie P.
Alliance made my wedding cake and did a truly splendid job. For starters, they accommodated our need for three people at the tasting and were pleasant and easy to deal with from our first contact. To be honest, I never intended to have a traditional wedding cake. But, it was included as part of our contract with the hotel we had our wedding and reception at. And when it's included you go for it! I've never really ever enjoyed wedding cake. It's usually dry and the icing is gross. I was so surprised when during the tasting I actually enjoyed our final choice. I mean, I really liked it! We ended up going with a hazelnut cake, strawberry preserve filling, and a buttercream frosting. It tasted like strawberry shortcake (my favorite dessert!) and how perfect is that for a summer wedding! I didn't hold out tons of hope that the cake would actually taste that good at the wedding but the final verdict was fantastic! I won't lie. I never actually got to have a piece that cake at my wedding. I was so busy making the rounds that I just never actually got to eat it. That said, it was absolutely how we had envisioned it and I've received so many complements on how tasty it was. Actually, when it's all said and done I've probably gotten more comments about how good the cake was than anything else!
(5)Dee V.
I am so happy with how my son's 1st birthday dino cake came out!!! I will be coming here for future bday cakes! A little on the expensive side but I thought it came out so good & it was delicious.
(5)Robin W.
Still my favorite cup of coffee in town. Loving the new vegan chocolate chip cookies! I love pastry options:)
(5)Jamie F.
I know every girl says this, but I usually don't write a negative review. For real though, I work in the restaurant industry, and I know how quickly and easily some people can fly off the handle and damage a place's rep. That being said, I truly was very dissapointed in my experience with Alliance. I pace their window all the time, admiring the artistry that goes into their cakes. I must admit that I usually get my cakes from Bittersweet, as I've had great success with their product. However, I needed a 'shape cake' for a good friends 30th birthday - something Bittersweet doesn't do. So, my second choice, was Alliance. I called them up, spoke to Peter, and made an order for a White Sox jersey-shaped cake with chocolate for the flavor and cappucino moussed for the filling. I go to pick up the cake right before heading to my friends birthday dinner. As they allow me to inspect the cake, I was greeted by an adorable little jersey that, for some reason, was missing my friend's name on it. Something which I had gone over with him several times. No biggie, easy fix, and I get to the party on time. The real rub came when, upon cutting into the cake for our guests, I see a VANILLA cake staring back at me. I ordered chocolate, my friend's favorite. REALLY?? You pride yourself on your artistry, but can't get a cake's simple flavor right? Keep in mind that this was a 10 inch cake at the cost of $220.00. Not a bargain by any means. I called the very next day to complain, natch. My response upon telling them that they got the flavor wrong was, "Oooh...that's not good." Yeah, tell me about it. I was offered 50% off of another cake, which I don't need, or 20% back on the cake in question. So, $40.00 for getting the most essential part of the cake, the flavor, incorrect. Wow. Maybe it's just me, but that's not the way I would do business. Bittersweet, here I stay. Thanks for nothing, Alliance.
(2)Annie M.
I love Alliance Bakery!!! I ordered a cake several years ago for my husband's birthday - absolutely fabulous. Chocolate cake, banana filling and chocolate ganache. Amazing. And most recently I ordered a cake for my sister's birthday... amazing and moist!!! It was a two tier cake: bottom tier vanilla cake with dulce de leche filling... top tier red velvet with cream cheese filling and both tiers with vanilla bean butter cream frosting. YUM!!! The design was amazing as well! I found an image I liked online and emailed them a copy. My sister and all of our guests raved about the cake. Also... Mitchell and Peter are great! They respond to emails fairly quickly... which I completely appreciated. LOVE ALLIANCE BAKERY!!! Thanks soo much for the wonderful service and product!!!
(5)Erin B.
I have a feeling I'm going to get really fat by going here. The hazelnut & vegan peanut butter cupcakes were really good as was the coffee! I cannot wait to try more of the goodies in here! My favorite part was the vibe...it reminded me of all the amazing patisseries in Brooklyn that I always wish Chicago had more of.
(4)Sonya X.
It's a bad thing that this place is so close to my house because I have a secret addiction to their cupcakes!!! They're just so moist and yummy and come in wonderful flavors. Anytime I have guests over I pick up dozen or so of these cupcakes in various flavors and they always turn out to be a hit. Also not to mention, whenever I have out of town guests visiting I always make sure to take them to Alliance so they can see all the pretty cakes in the window.. my favorite being the hamburger cake! Now if I could only convince one of my friends to get me a cake from Alliance for my birthday......
(5)Becky S.
This review is more of 3.5 stars but that's not an option. 1. We showed up for our tasting and the counter staff was swamped but not particularly nice. We constantly felt like we were in the way in the small storefront with the coffee and macaroon customers streaming in and out. 2. The girl who led our cake tasting was very nice. She had everything ready, helped walk us through everything and generally did her job. 3. We chose to upgrade from the base package included with the catering at our hotel so we had to pay extra - no biggie. Although we wouldn't necessarily have upgraded our package to get an extra layer of cake if they had told us at the beginning that we'd get a voucher for our 1 year anniversary to get fresh cake. All in all, not a big deal. 4. The cake was beautiful. We left the general details up to the designer since neither my husband nor I are artistic people. They did a beautiful job. 5. The layers were wrong - we had requested that specific tiers be specific flavors so we'd get more of our favorites. Also, the top tier which we ate the day after was the wrong flavor and we had 2 of our favorite - the bottom and the top - so we didn't get to eat it. My dad tried all of the layers of the cake and the grooms cake and said he didn't like how any of them tasted which is disappointing since I liked them at the tasting. I cannot say if I liked them or not - except that the top layer wasn't so great the next day but that could have been because it hadn't been properly stored by the hotel - but ultimately the taste of the wedding cake wasn't super important to me. 6. The reason for the half star upgrade: the grooms cake. The bakery helped me surprise my groom with a cake shaped like his most prized possession: his truck. I snuck them photos at the tasting and the cake itself was pretty awesome. My husband was super excited and hasn't stopped bragging about how accurate it was. All in all, I'd recommend them. The mistakes that were made were minor and the beauty of the cakes has been talked about by my guests (the bridal caked featured the Chicago skyline) and I was very happy with how everything looked and the designers' choices.
(3)Brad C.
If you're like Caroline M, and you're walking around wicker park with the stroller this might not be the place for you. Sure its small, but there is a bunch of outdoor seating and next door. And I'm sorry but a 9pm closing is late for a bakery. Great friendly service, and very tasty treats! My fianc thought the cupcakes were awesome. I just moved right around the corner so this is going to have to be my new weekend coffee spot, sorry Milk n' Honey. The vibe reminded of bleeding heart on Chicago Ave.
(4)Katie R.
Oh wow, how did I forget to write a review of Alliance? I ordered a small cake from here for a friend who was moving away from Chicago. The first time I called, I got put on hold for a while and gave up on the call. The second time I had no problems, so I'll give benefit of the doubt here and assume the first was an accident. The gentleman I talked to was terrific. I knew I wanted chocolate mousse as the filing and vanilla cake. However, the frosting was a toss-up, so I asked the person taking my order what he would recommend. He immediately recommended vanilla buttercream. This cake was perfect. Delicious. Lovely. The decoration was so tasteful. One cake-eater told me a few weeks later that she was still thinking about the cake with love. It clearly inspired her to want another. I will order from here again when I have the time to travel to pick it up. Great experience. While the picture exists, you can see it here: yfrog.com/ekgd7fj
(5)Tuyen N.
UPDATE: 05/03/10 Back again. I ordered an iced green tea but was told they have green tea, its just mixed. I said sure... apparently its just peppermint tea. LOL. Oh boy... then as I head into the "lounge" no outlet around the couch works. Now I know why this place smells. They have a plug-in air freshener but its plugged into a non-working outlet! DUH! I've removed one star for lack of green tea and working power outlets!
(2)Stephanie D.
ORDER YOUR CAKE HERE! My mom and I wanted to surprise my sister with a fancy cake for her graduation from film school so she sent me on a hunt around Chicago for a cake that could rival the ones seen on "Cake Boss." If you're willing to throw down a bit of $$$ for a cake that is truly a piece of art, turn to Alliance Bakery. Their friendly staff took time to sit down with me and go through options to make a cake that fit into our budget. The end result was a cake that turned into a film reel with black and white frosting... it was so gorgeous and unlike anything I had ever seen. At our dinning table to feast on this cake were the harshest critics on earth: both of my grandmothers. I have to admit that when we sat down to eat it we were all worried that the fondant wouldn't taste very good and that the black coloring would give the icing a bitter flavor. Much to our shock this cake tasted even better than it looked. Everyone had a second piece. There was a lot of moaning and eyes rolling into the back of heads. Normally at the end of dinning on a cake that we brought to a restaurant we give the rest of the cake to the server to eat w/ their coworkers but there was no way we were going to give this baby up.... we at the rest for breakfast the next day! LOL It's been months since all ate that cake and it has been brought up numerous times by not only my grandmothers but also the rest of my family. We can't stop talking about how frickin' delicious it was. As granny said: "That cake was worth getting fat on." Now if only I had another special event coming up so I could justify ordering another. Guess I'll have to get married or something :P
(5)Janelle B.
Alliance made my wedding cake in July 2013 and they did an excellent job! I wanted a pretty simple design but they made it beautiful, and of course delicious. They were very flexible with options to combine two cake flavors (I had to give my fiance at least one thing he wanted in the wedding planning process...) and they were more than happy to deliver special desserts for our vegan and gluten free guests. Jennifer was really helpful with the few questions I had and our tasting was fun. I highly recommend Alliance Bakery!
(5)Meghan B.
Stoped in on a walk last night...the sign indicating they had French Macaroons lured me in. I ordered one of each of the flavors they had and have to say the flavors were incredibly rich and fabulous, unfortunately the texture did not deliver. This were much chewer and harder than the macaroons I've had in the past. I was looking for something that would basically melt in your mouth and this was not it. Would defiantly go back, but not for the macaroons....they had very cute iced cutout sugar cookies in 50+ designs!
(3)Colleen R.
I feel compelled to bump Alliance up to 4 stars during the summertime. The presence of their outdoor patio on Division's generously-sized sidewalks provides a lovely setting to sit and chat that doesn't feel like a library sponsored by Apple. Plus, their macarons? Outta this world!
(4)L Y.
I. LOVE. this BAKERY! their macaroons are delicious and so are their other baked goods. I got my roommate's birthday cake here (red velvet) and the girls behind the counter were nice enough to write "Happy Birthday" on the cake. The workers are friendly, the desserts are yummy, and their adjacent "lounge" area is great. It has a very cozy neighborhood feel to it. they also have dog treats and any local business that has a consideration for dogs is A-okay in my book :)
(5)Elle M.
I just recently read that I have what they call a Type 3 sugar addiction. I will drive to the ends of the earth if that is where the sweets are, so I am on a constant look -out for bakeries, cafes, candy stores, or any place where I can get sweets:) I was actually looking for a different bakery when I saw this place by accident. Boy, am I glad I stopped in! They have the BEST almond croissants!!! I have been back for more since then....
(4)Claire M.
I love this place. i love the cookies the sandwiches the coffee.. i love the every changing cast of characters behind the counter that are sweet and annoyed simultaneously. Im glad they redid the everything in trhe cafe side.. it was u g l y .. it is now nice and cozy and totally unoffensive. but my favorite part is the sitting outside on a spring or summer day just watching division go by. i dont know. i wouldnt guess that i would want to sit on division, but there at alliance, i truly don't mind...
(5)Sarah B.
Alliance Bakery NEVER disappoints! I've never walked out of there with less than 3 treats and a drink or two. While the actual store front itself is on the small side, it's delectably cozy and comforting. I would even go so far as to say that it reminds me of being in a lov-ER-ly pâtisserie in France, without having to purchase a plane ticket. But don't fret! Everyone who works there is warm and helpful, and you certainly won't feel like a foreigner in this haven on Division. I hesitate to describe their wondrous selection of items to choose from, because we'd be here all day. But their sweet treats are always beautiful, fresh, and often intricately full of color. Even their display cases exude an angelic, halo-like aura that suggests you are, in fact, in a divine place, and you'd be a fool for not indulging in all that this heaven has to offer (I was not high during the making of this review). Let's just say, I now know what Eve was facing when she went in for that apple... On a more Earthly note, Alliance offers something for everyone. They have everything from huge, fluffy, flaky , croissants with hearty cheese and goodness to mini key lime pies. They have vegan scones, an array of cupcake options, a decadent tiramisu, and the best muffins I've had in the city. They also have quiche, parfaits, and some salads, oh my! In addition to perfecting all of the bakery basics, they always offer some incredibly unique, and seductive desserts that often coincide with the season. My last trip included this layered pistachio awesomeness, I think they called it an "Ellen" (maybe from Cakes by Ellen?). It started with a puff cream pillow, then pistachio crumble, topped with pistachio cake and a thin layer of hardened marbled white chocolate as the base. The memory of that pastry will serve as my "happy place" for while. Their beverages, coffee drinks, Italian sodas, and especially the iced chai, are just as splendid and complimentary to anything you eat there. With Fall approaching, I am envisioning many a morning with the perfect couple: Chai latte and Banana Nut Muffin. In this "Ode to Alliance", I have to note how wonderful the staff is as well. They are so helpful and informative without having to ask or deal with weird looks from them as I blubber around in indecision. It's immensely refreshing to walk into a place where there staff is obviously passionate and happy about what they do. An establishment like Alliance reinvigorates my appreciation for the baking and pastry arts as a whole, from mixing bowl to belly. I realize we're talking about cake here, but Alliance is truly doing something HUGE with the little joys in life. I could not be more thankful to have them in the neighborhood. * I went ahead and gave them 5 stars, because I'm obviously obsessed, but I do have one small complaint. I really like the fact that their dining/cafe area is in a completely separate building next door, but the atmosphere in there definitely leaves something to be desired. The separate seating area is much more conducive to getting work done or studying without the distraction of customer traffic, but I can't help but feel uncomfortable while I'm in there. I'm not quite sure if it's just the dark lighting or furniture setup or what, but I never stay there very long.
(5)Candace M.
I was at an event recently and Alliance Bakery was kind enough to grace us with an array of sweets. I must say that I have had their cake before at a wedding I planned and it was delicious, but... ...now I have fallen in love with their mini chocolate mousse tarts with a hint of raspberry at the bottom. I won't disclose how many I ate but all I can say is OMG! It doesn't get better than that and it just doesn't make any sense for anything to taste that darn good!
(5)Laura N.
When I lived in the neighborhood, it was a requirement that anyone who visited me had to take a quick trip to the bakery for some cookies, brownies, or cupcakes (my treat, of course). Although they are not the best cupcakes and cookies in the world, they're pretty damn good and I'm hooked. Not only are they delicious, but some of their creations are beautiful to look at -- I fear eating them will destroy them! I'm sad I'm no longer in the neighborhood and cannot walk a couple blocks for a quick treat anymore. I do look forward to going back!
(4)Jennie T.
They have a great selection of macarons here. They even have cupcakes. I was going to have dinner with a friend and when I saw this bakery, I knew I just had to go in and buy something for her. My eyes wandered over to the cupcakes but her favorites were macarons so I bought her a little box of one of each kind. There were about 7 different flavors. My total came out to be around $11. Yeah, they're not really cheap. But she enjoyed them so I'm happy.
(4)L G.
Love this place!! I only get there on occasion - as this place is a special treat for me. Perfect stop to make on the way to a party for something to share - or pick up for a birthday treat for someone special. They will rave about whatever you choose. The service is always good - even when it's kinda hectic inside, everyone has always been super freindly and helpful when trying to decide. Keep doing exactly what you are doing!
(5)Amanda Z.
Thank you, Alliance, for rocking my birthday girl's world with your red velvet goodness. I popped in on a Wednesday, in need of a cake for Saturday. The staff was very pleasant, brought out a cake to show me the size and what it would look like. Once it was determined that I would not be wanting THAT cake (come on, she had to have a FRESH cake) he set me up, and I ordered it with my desired message. Of course, I couldn't leave empty-handed, so I took a Key Lime bar and a Cheesecake bar to go. Yum. The Key Lime bar was tart and not too sweet, my general desire, and the Cheesecake bar made me look like a rock star girlfriend. Awesome. Cake was ready promptly on Saturday, the icing looked gorgeous, and I was outta there in 5 minutes. Impressive given the Renegade insanity outside. Oh, and Intelligentsia? Sure, I'll take a couple of iced coffees to go. (Perfection on a warm September day.) Fast forward to the party. Cake displayed to the tune of the birthday salsa (LOVE). Birthday girl given the task of cutting the cake (HILARIOUS). And everyone ooohed and aaahhhed, despite red velvet not really being on anyone else's radar. The cake looked wonderful, and tasted even better. I'll be back for more bakery needs, rest assured. Oh yeah, and for the coffee too.
(5)Len L.
Tried to order a B-day cake, went online to look at designs for the cake and found one that I liked. I noted the name of the cake and tried to order the cake over the phone. The person from the bakery had no clue what cake is online and was told to go online to order the cake or come in. Later that night, I went by the bakery and the person in the bakery said that the internet is down and should come back the next day or call. The next day I called the bakery and the baker said that he does not know what cake is shown online or had any pictures of the cake online. Bottom line-The cake I've wanted was not the cake I received and does not look like the cake described online. The cake was too sweet and was dry.
(1)Karen B.
The employer I work for ordered a cake there for their reception. It was very well done! You could tell they spent alot of time perfecting it. And the staff is super nice.
(5)Kunal K.
I needed to buy a box of cookies to give to my landlord for making a complete ass out of myself (Shocker!) whilst being wasted the night before. I got locked out and had to wake them up at 5 am to let me into my house. Or so I deduced the next morning since I don't actually remember it. So the cookies had to be pretty damn good. And they were. I also got a mocha to get rid of that strange throbbing pain in my head (wonder what that was about?!) and don't tell anyone but I sneaked in a couple of cookies from the box. I really liked the ginger one. And no, that's not the cute redhead sitting across from me in the lounge. But I really liked her too.
(4)Berlin G.
The deserts are really good! The cakes are also really pretty. And the people serving you are kind of hot *wink wink* hahaha. I especially like the raspberry oatmeal bar. Soooooo good. I'm not sure if I'm coming back for the raspberry bar or because I think they guy that works there is a totally hottie. Either way, I'll be going back and I definitely recommend this place. haha
(4)Izzy N.
I was craving some cake and decided to walk into Alliance. No cake slices but cupcakes, I'll settle. Kinda pricey for 3+ a pop and the picture on yelp is inaccurate. They don't label their cupcakes anymore, nor prices. So you'll have to guess from the looks of it or ask as to what cupcake is what flavor. What did my sweet tooth get? Lemon cupcake with passionfruit filling and a red velvet as well as two coconut lime macarons and a dulce de leche bread pudding. The bread pudding was devine after I warmed it up a little. So rich and not too sweet. The cupcakes were pretty good, moist but I don't like the airy light frosting. It melted down too easily, I prefer the frosting to be a tad thicker. The passion fruit filling was a real treat though because it wasn't too sweet and the right amount of tang to it. Yum! The macarons were alright. I loooove lime flavors but kinda hate coconut but this was a nice balance and the coconut was subtle enough where it didn't ruin the experience with the lime. Nice guys and they have good pastries too. A big plus is that they are open everyday until 9pm!
(4)Brittney L.
I adore cupcakes and so I was really excited to check out my neighborhood cupcake shop. I stopped in after work one day and I asked the girl behind the counter what her favorite one was. She was rude and didn't really care to give me her opinion (so much for passion for your product). I finally squeezed out that the red velvet was her favorite so I ordered that and an italian soda. They didn't have the soda water for the italian soda so I got an orange juice instead (which they charged 3.00 for a tiny bottle!) So I was being charged over 7.00 for a cupcake and an orange juice, but after eying the cakes in the windows for the few weeks I had been walking by, I let that go and went outside to enjoy my treat. Not only was the cupcake dry as a bone and flavorless, the icing was gooey and bland. SUCH a waste of my money and calories. With all of the fantastic cupcake shops in Chicago I won't be coming here again any time soon.
(1)imran k.
I came in here after getting my physical done. I came to celebrate because my doctor told me that I am in perfectly healthy shape: perfect blood sugar, perfect blood pressure, and get this: perfect BMI. So I gallantly entered Alliance and asked the barista to make me something with a lot of whipping cream. He looked at me puzzled for a second, but I reassured him: I was serious. He made me a mocha with LOTS of chocolate and LOTS of whipping cream (as requested). As he gave it to me, he said, "This might be the most unhealthy beverage I've ever made." I thanked him for taking such accurate directions. For kicks, I also got a lemon poppy seed muffin. And walked into their lounge. There, I started formulating this review. The music perfectly complimented what everyone was doing. Whether it was reading articles for class (me), working on laptops, or quietly gossiping (two hot girls), the music was neither snooze-worthy nor too distracting. The coffee was brilliant. Strong, but didn't give mama the jitters. Comfortable seating, not cozy enough to make me nod off, but definitely better than other chairs you can find at various coffee shops around the city. It was just perfect. I got so much done. In a pleasant environment. Nice work, Alliance. I'll be back.
(4)Becca F.
It took us 3 tries just to get a taste of their treats. The first two times we visited, we entered and found no clerk was present. We had several minutes alone to drool over the selection before the clerk returned. When we spoke up to place our orders, the clerks informed us they were closed. CLOSED - Yet the lights were on, the doors were ajar. This happened TWICE. Both times we entered before closing time. Once, a clerk informed us they had already counted the till. We then offered to pay w/o receiving change and he still refused to serve us. The third time we did get a cookie and cupcake. However, the treats weren't delicious enough to erase the sour taste left behind by the poor customer service we had encountered previously. Now, we just go down to Letitzia's for delicious treats and great customer service (plus they are open late!).
(1)Mary F.
I've been here a couple times to grab things for dinner parties, etc. I'm just not sure what the hype is all about. For the amount they charge, everything should be great. Some of the cookies/ cupcakes I've had were pretty good. But not great. A few of the treats were either bland or dry. Not good. The bakery is overpriced. I would have given it 2 (maybe 3) stars but... We just ordered a cake for a friend's Birthday party. Birthday person gets what they want. The cake was expensive. It's cake. Not gold. Again, what the birthday person wants... But - the name on the cake was misspelled! It was spelled correctly on the ticket attached to the box... This tells me a couple things - the person writing the icing did not check the ticket. The person handing over the cake did not check the cake. When we said something, we were told we'd have to talk to the manager (not there)... The customer service received was less than ideal, border line rude, and the initial offer to make us happy was insulting (essentially offered to take sales tax off). Not cool, people, not cool.
(1)Alex K.
They always had awesome pastry but people who work there are acting like they don't want to be there at all. They have great seating outside. They have a cherry bliss bar that I love. Anything I have tried in the past has been amazing. It's just people that work here don't really care if you buy or not buy anything. Kind of off-putting. From what I"ve heard they make great cakes and know a lot about weird wedding cakes. Hopefully their staff for that is nicer.
(3)Jaime C.
the goodies are pretty much all delicious, with a few standouts amongst the crowd (key lime bar OHMYGOD). there's outdoor seating, as well as an adjacent room where people can drink their coffee &/or get themselves stabbed if they forget to silence their phone. alliance's dine-in clientele are bookish at best, zombie-like at worst, & that side room is a MORGUE OF SILENCE where the slightest cough can elicit A THOUSAND YEARS OF STINK-EYE. speaking of stink eye, it would seem that they've recently hired on a slew of new baristas, a couple of whom are working on their masters in 'TUDE. really? your conversation on doggie biscuits was that vital? oh, fret not. you totally got me good with this warm "iced" coffee. i'm feeling the passive aggressive burn, don't worry. i'll never interrupt again. my visits here have become fewer & farther in between since the new hires came, as i really don't enjoy being treated like a troll that just crawled out from under a bridge. but those key lime bars...well, at least i've cut down.
(3)klassy k.
i want to hire a clown to smash their cupcakes into my face all day, are you kidding me? they're "da bomb" like the young folks say. on my way to work, i often stop in to eat one of their filled croissants (the turkey and cheese or the spinach are my faves) it is a little pricey, but well worth it! the cake display in the window is so cool! a cake art gallery! why anyone goes across the street to the starbucks (except to peep the cute bearded barista there) is beyond me!
(5)Richie D.
I stopped in here after an across the street visit to Angels and Mariachis. Their cupcake frosting is good, but the rest of the cupcake wasn't too great. Their pecan bars were soft and chewy, mmmm. They have some interesting croissants with different fillings which was neat. Not the best bakery I've visited or come across, but not bad either. Just average. I just checked out the bakery and nothing else, so I can't rate on it more than that.
(3)Lindley E.
The best thing going for Alliance is the wi-fi study room and the sidewalk dining. Billy and I met at Alliance to write a short story that was solicited by some pervvy guy on Craigslist. I bought us a dry cappuccino (pretty darn good), an earl grey tea, and two sweets -- a lemon scone (too much vanilla) and a coconut macaroon (the icing was excessive). As we typed out absurdity after absurdity ("I got my period when I was 9 because I ate too much hormone-tainted chicken"; "I wrote to Oprah and asked her if I was dying of cancer"; "neighborhood boys paid me to look at my chest") we made some real headway into the sweets...but none of them really delivered. I won't make a special trip to Alliance to eat sweets, but if I had some work to do and couldn't get my internet to work, Alliance would be a top choice for me. Updated 5-13-08 I added one star because these guys know their way around laminated doughs - the breakfast pastry are great! Loved the coffee cakes and danish. Cupcakes=not worth the trip, but the great danish (and yummy eclairs) make up for them.
(4)Stevey P.
It was a difficult decision to decide between the red velvet cupcake, chocolate chip cookie and the hazelnut chocolate cupcake. So I was like screw it, and got them all. Unfortunately it was so stinkin hot outside on their cafes tables (but it was a beautiful afternoon, so whatevs) everything started to melt quickly and since I was already feeling like a HEIFER, I never got to the red velvet. With that said the hazelnut chocolate was amazing -- thick creamy and voluptuous. All I could think of was the band from the movie "Coming to America" -- Sexual Chocolate. The fudge stuck to the roof of my mouth -- it was heavenly. The cake itself was pretty good, and was flecked with bits of hazelnut (the actual nut!) Nice!! The server here was very helpful in steering my fat ass to the pastries of choice. I definitely recommend this place. It's worth every single of my 5 stars and then some.
(5)Andrea H.
I went to Alliance for my wedding cake after Rolf's bakery closed down so unexpectedly. With my wedding near, I panicked but alliance assured me that they could replicate any Rolf's cake at my tasting. the price was higher, but I wasn't worried because after looking at sample pictures I felt confident my cake would look fabulous. Not so much....the cake looked like the designs I'd seen in pics and online that I knew I DIDN'T want. The "lace designs" simply looked like squiggly lines made out of icing on the fondant and even the designs that were supposed to mimic the moulding in the banquet hall just looked like drawn on crooked lines. The guests all though the cake looked great, but looking at the cake on my wedding day for the first time was an utter disappointment. If Alliance hadn't assured me they could replicate my original design choice, I would have just chose something different altogether.
(1)Amanda Y.
My husband and I stopped by Alliance to grab a quick bite before being stuck in rush hour traffic for an hour to head home to the suburbs. We ordered quite a few things: 2 sandwiches (roast beef and tuna), macarons (chocolate and vanilla), a chocolate croissant, and a couple cups of coffee to keep us warm. We didn't know that there was a separate sitting place next door so we sat the ONLY seating available right when you enter the bakery. The sandwiches were quite delicious. The tuna salad sandwich was served on a croissant and it was not your typical tuna salad: it actually has herbs in it to enhance the flavor! We loved the macarons, the flavor combo were different and I can't remember exactly what filling went into the chocolate macaron and what went into the vanilla. We look forward to going there more and try their other stuff!!
(4)Christina S.
I've been coming to alliance since i was a kid, when it was a real polish bakery with real prices. and real yummy yummy pastries. nowadays, their baked goods are a-ight. nothin to write home about. I go in there now if i'm near the parental unit and need an espresso.
(3)Anjali B.
Macarons fit for a princess, and only a stone's throw from the palace! Delish. I love the Raspberry Rose, Coconut Lime, and Chocolate + Salted Caramel. Polite staff. I had to text a friend to see if they needed anything from Alliance, and the gentleman helping me asked if I minded if he skipped over me to help others, instead of standing, waiting, huffing and puffing, making it all awkward, etc. Promptly served a few people, and came back to me and was happy to make me an iced Americano and suggest his favorite macaron flavors to me. I'll be coming here on a regular basis, awesome.
(4)Dk N.
YUMMMMM!!! I bought an apple tart or something like that. And, I totally inhaled the pastry in seconds. OMG!!! This is SO good. Everyone who works or lives nearby knows this place. Heck, I should go there now...
(5)naomi S.
Kind of sad to be writing alliance a two star review but the place has really gone down hill the past year or so.... I have always order cakes from there for friends parties/ my little ones birthdays ect.. Their cookies/ croissants are average and wayyyyy over priced.. They don't make most of their baked goods and they never carry bread anymore... But I really loved alliance for their cute cakes!! I was going to get a small teddy bear shaped cake ( for 20 people) for my little ones first birthday and they wanted to charge me $ 400.00... Ridicules!!! They made a cake last year for my other sons birthday for 30 people and it was $175.00 and I thought at the time that was a bit high but I went with it because I love their designs and I like to shop local but 400.00 (440.00 with tax and would make it $20 a slice) for a 20 person teddy bear cake is just wrong! They are popular with wedding cakes ect.. Their bakery seems very disorganized too ( they've misplaced two very important orders that I ) Plus I had placed a large cookie order with them for a shower and they used the wrong colors and the cookies looked really sloppy and tasted stale....
(2)Liz S.
I wish I loved this place as much as other people, but I just didn't. Small detail which only probably bothers me, but, I walked in and I felt like I was walking into a sauna. I shared a cupcake and a cheesecake bar with a friend, and once again I wish I loved this place. The cupcake was a vanilla cake with buttercream frosting. I suppose if you like dry cupcakes this is the place to get them, but I like moist cake (since the frosting isn't something I even eat). The cake part was such a let down. However, the cheesecake square was heavenly. It melted in my mouth like all cheesecakes should, and it had the perfect amount of crust to cake. I'll be back for the cheesecake square, but, most likely never a cupcake. I'll have to just feed my craving with my own for now.
(2)Bry H.
My fiance and I got our birthday cake from Alliance and it was amazing. Not only did it taste great, but it was so classic looking. It was everything that we wanted and more! I also think they have the best cookies. I love their insult cookies, don't ask why. I'm not particularly mean spirited, but they were really funny. Plus I love their frosting on the sugar cookies. I will be getting my next birthday cake here!
(5)Ashley B.
i will have to come back for something other than just a cupcake and an italian soda. this place was very charming, although not necessarily because of the staff. does it really look like i'm from the suburbs? the cake display in the window looks amazing. i will have to think of an occasion for which i would need an outlandish cake. the display inside was reminiscent of a french pastry shop. even for the end of the day they seemed to have a good selection. i got a banana cupcake of some kind with carmel filling and creamcheese frosting. while the size didn't reflect the price, the taste did.
(4)Evann G.
Finally! I got to try Alliance Bakery. First of all, it's so cute. And it's in such a cute area. It made me want to move to Wicker Park. We ordered six cupcakes and 14 cookies. But in our defense, there were three of us, and we spaced the gorge-fest out over a couple days. Still. The guy serving us was nice and didn't make fun of us AT ALL, so plus points there. The red velvet cupcakes were the best, but quite messy. They're so DENSE. It's like 3 cupcakes mushed into 1. And the frosting was diviiiiine. My 2nd favorite was probably the hazelnut fudge, because the cake part was so interesting and the chocolate frosting was so PURE HEAVEN. The chocolate cupcake was delish, and I loved the actual cake, but the frosting was that sugary kind that I expect to get on grocery-store-bakery cupcakes, not cupcakes from an actual bakery KNOWN for its cupcakes. The frosting on the vanilla cupcake was the same way, so vanilla gets 4th place (plus, the vanilla cake was more dry than the rest of the flavors). All in all, fabulous cupcakes, I'd just prefer a creamier frosting on the chocolate and vanilla. The cookies weren't AS good. We got the kind that looked like miniature moon pies, and they tasted like... nothing. Literally. And we also tried the spritz (sprinkle) cookies, because I am obsessed with butter cookies, and they were good but not the best I've ever had. My bf got decaf coffee and said it was cold. I got a soy tea latte and it was decent. I'm glad I got to try it before it changes hands later this month... I wonder if it'll be significantly different afterwards?
(4)Colleen J.
This is a quaint and quiet bakery/coffee shop. It's a great place to go buy a coffee and a cookie and browse the internet (wi-fi). The staff is friendly and hipster. The decor is slightly dull, but it's not the main draw of the place. It's along Division; you can sit outside and people watch all day long. It's open until 9 pm most nights. Oh, and the cakes they make are amazingly creative and fun.
(4)Laura R.
#NAME?
(5)W S.
For the price it is really not great, but the fact that questions to the staff are met with disinterest or annoyance is unacceptable. For a bakery that looks to be so inviting, I hoped for a lot more.
(1)Asa K.
How to build trust with your patisserista* by Peter Kaplan 1. Wander back and forth endlessly between two gorgeous delices: the Michelle and the Dee. Note that there are no other customers to hide behind. 2. Engage your patisserista Rae in an extended discussion of the pros and cons of each. Begin attracting attention and pity. 3. Ask your friend Meg what she would do, but then, without being excessively dismissive, decide you're unwilling to go with her judgment anyway. 4. Sheepishly ask your patisserista Rae -- who shows no sign of running out of patience -- which she would pick. Secretly hope it's the one you're secretly leaning toward. 5. Listen, confounded, as she picks the other one. 6. Determine that you still can't decide, and ask your patisserista Rae to just make the determination (but don't tell!) and bring it out to the back room where you'll be waiting. 7. When your patisserista Rae appears after 2 minutes that felt as endless as they were brief, absolutely love that she didn't flinch and brought her suggested Michelle despite your hopeless waffling. 8. Make sure to smile and blow a kiss on the way out. 9. Write a Yelp review two months later in the fool's hope that Rae will someday read it. Love, Peter __________________________________________________Â___________ * The word "patisserista" is copyright 2010 by Meg Olson. All rights reserved.
(5)Reina C.
This place is good for studying/working. The space is next to the actual bakery- which has GREAT baked goods and coffee. This is not a place to get a lunch with coffee- but the baked goods rock and on occasion I have some of their pre-made lunch items (there is usually a limited variety). The working space is large and the noise and music is maintained at a working level. Plus the cakes in the window look awesome.
(4)Local G.
Meh. I had a carrot cake cup cake and it was good but it wasn't amazing. The chocolate chip cookie and oatmeal cookie were good too, but again not something to rave about. The place is kind of a dive which gives it charm. Nice ambiance, although it would be nice it they played some old school jazz music etc as background music. Free wi-fi makes it a nice place to bring a laptop and relax.
(3)Rahshonda K.
I feel ya Carrie S I was confused as well by the old school exterior while the cakes in the window are works of art! The red velvet cupcakes were so moist and delightful. Delightful doesn't even completely describe them they were magically delicious! I was trying to do tasting to figure out what type of cake I wanted for my birthday and they were so nice and helpful. Still a bit pricey but I guess its worth it if you are paying for art!
(4)Amelie D.
It's really hard not to love a place that puts a Louis Vuitton purse cake in its window. Also really hard not to love a place that is so tiny, visually pleasing, and authentic. However, the lounge area is lacking. Like some of the other people have said, I, too do not enjoy getting stared at as I gingerly open the door and look for a seat. My guess is that these people do not LIVE here, no? In fact they might have had to enter the lounge and look for a seat as well? So why the hushed stares as if I am violating some unspoken rule of decorum? My only other complaint has nothing to do with Alliance; rather an anecdote of what you might encounter if you come here. There were not other seating options save for a couch that swallowed me. I took a spot a good three feet away from where another patron was camped out. About five minutes later, she TOOK OFF HER SHOES and put her feet up on the couch and began to do this strange stretching/meditating thing. All of which would be completely acceptable in another environment, but the smell of wet Ugg feet as I'm drinking my coffee, no thanks.
(3)Bonnie B.
The chocolate cupcakes were dry! I was so excited to try this place because of all the great reviews, so I picked up a bunch of cupcakes for dessert for a dinner party I was attending. I was embarrassed as I bit into a chocolate cupcake and it was very dry. I worriedly looked around at the other dinner guests' faces and apologized. If you're a bakery and you can't give me a good chocolate cupcake, and there are a lot of other bakeries in Chicago... well, I'm glad you appear to have enough loyal fans that you don't need my business.
(2)jamie k.
I have always wanted to like Alliance more than I have in the past. It's always been so so for me.. BUT I had never really given it chance.. Last night in a last minute decision to have the whole family back over to the house for Birthday cake, I ran over there. Decided on a cute little carrot cake, the man behind the counter was super sweet and they even personalized it and supplied a few free candles. This made me happy enough! But what made everyone happier was the cake. It was delicious! I was half expecting something overly sweet and dry (as carrot cakes can sometimes be at other places) -This was the opposite. Hooray! I will go back there again to check out their cakes any day!
(4)Sarah W.
I've had a couple different experiences now with Alliance and overall thought it balanced itself out to be pretty good. Delicious pastries, suitable coffee and a pretty tasty quiche, but it loses points on me for atmosphere at the lounge next door. I'm quite picky with the atmosphere of coffee shops and I think the space is a bit gloomier than I would like to relax at. Its not so much the fault of Alliance, because they try to mix it up with a little loungy couch area in addition to an area reserved for tables, but they just fall short. It's great that they have free WIFI and plenty of outlets. But, that doesn't change the fact that the space itself is a big clunky rectangle shape with furniture that does the job, but isnt necessarily aesthetically pleasing. As others have mentioned, its also super silent in there. Its like library-quiet in there, and even the music is barely there, so I felt like a rude pants when I forgot to put my phone on vibrate and it rang out loud.. If you like the silence, power to you and lounge it up, but otherwise you might prefer to take your tasty pastry and coffee to go.
(3)Annie W.
Cozy atmosphere with a very earthy feel. They definitely promote local businesses and endeavors--if you go into the lounge, it's loaded with tons of brochures and fliers of local artists, musicians, etc. My friend and I got cupcakes: strawberry lemon (buttercream frosting) and the red velvet (cottage cream frosting). I wasn't fan of either frosting--they're too thick and actually quite hard but my friend preferred the cottage cream over butter cream. The cakes itself are pretty firm (and slightly stale) up top and get softer and moisture closer to the bottom which makes me wonder how long they've been sitting there for. So my take on their cupcakes is only OK. I really do like the quiet lounge next door. Slightly low lighting as it gets darker but it has spacious tables and big chairs.
(4)Angela P.
This was the second, and final stop on my mini crawl. I LOVE the vibe of this place, very cozy, dark-ish...I really liked it in here. I, again, asked what flavors of cupcakes they had and the man behind the counter was so descriptive about all the flavors it was hard not to want to try them all! =] I ended up going with the chocolate with a salted caramel filling, vanilla/vanilla and the red velvet. I also saw some savory croissants and just had to try the turkey/swiss. So...the good...the croissant was AMAZING! It was crunchy where it needed to be, soft, flaky and tender in the center and the contrast of the slight sweetness of the pastry and the sharpness of the swiss was perfection! The cupcakes...I LOVED that salted caramel filling in the chocolate cupcakes, it was dense, almost buttery with a great flavor. Now the cakes themselves, all of them for that matter, were just okay. I just wasn't wowed by the flavor of the cake or the frosting. They were a bit dry...let's just say I wasn't feeling it. Don't get me wrong, the cakes displayed in the window were truly pieces of art, and I would consider doing a cake tasting to see if the larger sized cakes have a better flavor than the cupcakes because the designs were THAT good! So we will see in the future about that...but I would definitely stop in again for one of those savory croissants! Mmmmm...
(3)Tracy K.
After reading all the great reviews, I'm a bit disappointed. The sign outside advertised paczkis with ten or so filling varieties for Fat Tuesday. Exciting! The guy behind the counter was very friendly, but apparently he did not know which flavor of paczki was which because what I ordered was not what I received. And sadly, I did not find this out until I started eating.. at home. I'll try them again if I'm in the area, but I'm a little miffed that my rose paczki is actually filled with pineapple because these special treats are only available once a year (they do have custard-filled year round). Edit: The owners contacted me to apologize after they read this review, and I thought that was sweet. Also, the rest of the paczkis I tasted were very tasty, so I upped my star count.
(4)Kim J.
I like Alliance Bakery a lot. I've only ever had a few of the pastries, but what I've had has been quite tasty. I mostly like to go to Alliance to study, and the lounge next door is the perfect place for that - quiet, lots of outlets, good wi-fi signal, and access to tasty pastries and coffees. And I love looking at the cakes in the window - if they taste half as good as they look, I'd have to take one home every day!
(4)Jenn R.
Alliance had my heart before I walked in the door. It was the kind of place that persuaded me to move to the area last year just by it's charming sign and inviting "we've been here and haven't changed since 1951" persona. When I heard from a friend that they're infamous for their ridiculously awesome cupcakes, I knew it would be a dangerous neighbor. Almost a year later, I finally made it inside with orgasmic-like anticipation. CUPCAKES! COFFEE!! ...and CUTENESS!!! Ok, that's pretty generic but I was taken immediately. I ordered the 2.50 or so carrot cake cupcake and handed the friendly girl my debit card. She said, continuing the thematic cuteness, that there's a five dollar minimum and that she's really really sorry. Sorry?! No, no. I have cash you little sweetheart, it's ok! And even if I didn't, I would have gotten another! She was just so sweet about something no-big-deal. I was handed my cupcake in a cute little to-go box. And walked away with a cute little smile. It turns out that cuteness is both edible and delicious. The carrot cake cupcake was all of that cuteness in a crumbly beautifully presentable sweet tooth satisfier. Even the cupcake wrapper was cute and all 1951. Again. Cupcakes. Coffee. And cuteness. Alliance is perfect. And not at all generic.
(5)Moe f.
Had a little business meeting in the lounge this morning. It's huge and a tad confusing as it was not attached to the bakery(seprate doors). Great coffee, a really good cranberry walnut bar, and free wifi. Had no idea it was this popular after seeing all the reviews. Will have to come back for more baked treats.
(4)Sarah L.
Today I was lucky enough to sample some birthday cake from Alliance. The cake was beautifully decorated in a nice green butter cream with a pretty paisley print. Inside, the cake was yellow with fudge filling. The cake wasn't too rich or sweet. Just the perfect balance! It didn't taste like the Jewel sheet cakes that I'm used to, yuck!! I will be ordering my birthday cake from Alliance this year! It's a big year, I will be turning the big 3-0.
(5)Mary E.
At the time of the writing of this review there are currently 176 reviews for Alliance. Therefore, I'm keepin' this short. Great little bakery and coffee shop. I've mostly purchased the cupcakes. Nice, heavy, sweet buttercream frosting. When fresh, the cupcakes are heavy and moist. They are usually delicious but I don't think they are baked fresh everyday.Therefore, sometimes they are a *little* dry. That's what the one star subtraction is for. Coffee is excellent.
(4)Michael B.
Tried them 20 years ago when there were very few bakeries in the area. Pastries tasted no better than bake goods at Jewels or Dominick's. Fast forward to this past weekend. We had visitors for breakfast so I decided to try them again. Wrong! Still no better than grocery chain bake goods. In addition the looks on their faces when I entered told me they still think people of color in that area are there to do harm.
(1)Shelly W.
My friend had a cake made for my grand opening party from Alliance Bakery and they did a great job! Ashley was given creative freedom to do as she may and she was on point with her design work! Kudos to Ashley and her amazing work. Thanks (:
(5)Ellen M.
I gave up all dessert a few months ago - it was my Kryptonite, and it had to go. Still, I visit Alliance Bakery every few weeks and have no plans to stop. No, no, it's not for me any more... For the kids: Chicago baseball team-decorated huge-ass cookies. When attending dinner parties: French macarons! Oh God, yes! I miss the macarons more than ex-smokers miss their cancer sticks. Chocolate, coconut, passion fruit, berry, banana, and others, I usually get a few of each to bring to my dinner party outings. Nothing creates a buzz like a box full of macarons. Sucking up to the boss: I haven't done this yet, but word is my boss loves carrot cake, so I have good intentions of scoring a carrot cupcake and leaving it on her desk, anonymous style. She'll know it was me. Birthdays: Duh. The cakes are so light and delicious, and very pretty. And they have coffee, so there's a lot to love.
(5)I J.
The macaroons are amazing, plus there's this employee who is extremely cute and friendly. Definitely coming here again! It's an awesome bakery.
(5)Nina I.
Really like the cake display but more so the taste of all the treats. My main squeeze here is the macaroon selection. Definitely a huge fan of the rose, nutella, and pistachio flavored ones! The staff is also friendly. If you're in the area just stop by and take a bite.
(4)Marie G.
I was really excited that my sister wanted to stop in Alliance today. I haven't been in a while and I remember it being a great, friendly place. What happened?? My sister was thrown off when she tried to order because Alex was really rude. I mean heavy sighing, eye-rolling rude. I caught his name as he was on the phone trying to help someone and getting annoyed that the cake artists were not going to be in until the morning. My sister was flustered and almost in tears with his impatience and I told her to "Yelp it". That was met with a smirk. Really? Who do you think you are? The negative energy between Alex and Kimberly (?-She mumbled when I asked her name) made it such an awkward experience that I had to rate this review soley on the people behind the counter. There are way too many great bakeries to put up with rude service people. This was the first experience in years in my neighborhood that I wanted to just turn around and walk out. I almost died when my sister ordered a coffee after all of that and didn't know which kind to choose. Nobody should EVER feel like that and we were the only two people left in there. What a shame.
(1)Richie S.
Quirky bakery on W. Division. Very friendly staff. I was pulled in for their macarons. The maple-bacon was mostly maple and no bacon, but the rose water was lovely. Wife didn't share any others.
(3)Aimee M.
For a while I was obsessed with Macarons, and Alliance was my go-to spot when I wanted a bit of Macaron delight. But who am I kidding, I still love Macarons and I love that Alliance has a nice selection of inventive flavors for Macarons. I've had cupcakes and quiche from here and they have been consistently good. I wish they'd put more passionfruit cream in their filled passionfruit cupcake, but that's just cuz I'm a sucker for anything passionfruit. So that being said. Me lovey the passion fruit Macarons! My all time favorite here at Alliance. I love the tart and sweetness of it, the little crunch of the meringue shell and the bit of chocolate that complements so very well. The most recent time I visited I tried the balsamic fig Macaron--reminiscent of a fig newton, but so much better and so much more adult. Lime coconut, raspberry, vanilla--my other go-to's when I'm treating myself to Macarons. Friendly service. They seem to love it when my eyes open wide and I say Ooooooh, when they describe one of the pastries/desserts I've asked about. So sad that I don't live very close. But it's always worth a stop when I'm in the area.
(5)e n.
Alliance recently shut down 2/3 of their extra seating next door which is super disappointing. So, there is no public bathroom anymore. Their sign does not indicate whether this change is temporary or permanent.
(3)Bonnie A.
Their macarons are delicious! I've been on a best Chicago macaron hunt and Alliance Bakery definitely has one of the better macarons in town. The macarons are fluffy, not too sweet, and once you finish biting into it, you taste the filling. The texture of the filling is palatable. I try not to come here too often because I splurge here. Gotta leave some money in my wallet to try other awesome food!
(4)Marie S.
I HEART Alliance Bakery! A few friends have ordered various cakes from here recently and they have all been simply amazing - BOTH the decoration and the taste. I feel like I have to point that out because so many bakeries can't seem to get both right. Perfect density, moistness, flavor, and filling. Also, their other baked goods are equally good. Cupcakes, french macaroons, specialty pastries .... all yummmm! However, Alliance has won a special place in my heart, not for all the sweets they offer, but for their lounge next door. Its warm, cozy, inviting, and makes you feel at home. During the day, its the perfect spot to work and/or study. There's a bunch of smaller tables if your'e solo and several areas for larger groups, too. The added plus is a plentiful supply of power, with an outlet near almost every table. In the evening, skip dessert at dinner and head to Alliance. The lounge is a perfect spot to hang out with a few friends while you satisfy your sweet tooth.
(5)Meredith K.
I just have to get this off of my chest - I ordered online and I requested chocolate frosting. Instead I got vanilla. Its ok because it may have been too rich but if you know me then you know what a chocoholic I am. That being said such great service and the cake was wonderful. We were quite pleased. Like I said I ordered it online and the very next morning she called to collect payment and confirm. At this point I don't know who was supposed to speak up, but we should have probably gone over the cake, filling and icing. Oh well. When I went to pick it up there was a bit of a wait. Maybe that's how I ended up w/ vanilla? I dunno. I need to let that go. The shop is super nice and everything looks so good! Maybe that's why they make you wait b/c they know you're going to want more things :-) The people were very helpful and brought my cake out. It was for my nephews' birthdays. I had almond vanilla w/ fudge on the inside. Wow that was great. Moist, rich, sugary and just right. Everyone went back for a 2nd piece. I think the almond was a nice change from just yellow. I would definitely order from here again. The product was so delicious that it only lasted for about 20 mins after I cut the first piece.
(4)Imran N.
Great coffee, great macaroons, great cake pops, great baked goods. Excellent little gem.
(3)Angie M.
Despite not being a major fan of the bakery, I can bump up the starts to Alliance for one reason. PACZKIS. Happy Fat Tuesday, ya'll. My raspberry rose paczki is the best treat ever.
(3)Vanessa V.
The adorable cakes in the window display drew us in, and suddenly we're on the lower east side of Manhattan 30 years ago. Awesome well-maintained space that brings me back to childhood. The "authentic" macaron was clearly the wrong choice, and M's "beignet" was equally un-exceptional. And also not a beignet. The coffee was decent and the bagels looked pretty good. They also have a lounge space next door that I wish we'd had time to utilize. There has to be good stuff here... we just didn't happen to order it. I hope.
(3)Raychel Y.
I have ordered 4 cakes from there.. All delicious and beautiful! They always look better than I expect. Pricing is not too bad if you don't want fondant etc. I got the yellow cake with a yummy milk chocolate icing ... Everyone loved it! I could say a more decorative cake to feed 15-20 people could cost you $70. They are always busy but I love getting my special occasion cakes there :)
(5)Susie C.
My fiance ordered a birthday cake for me from here. It's a Funshine birthday cake (Funshine is the yellow Carebear). He sent them an image via email for them to draw on the cake. When we got it the cake, it was so cute! The cake was moist and not too sweet, just the way we like it. I must say that the artwork of Funshine and the sunshines surrounding the cake made the cake so appealing! I love my birthday cake...and I know it costs a lot of money, too. They made my Funshine bear in a fondant.
(4)Kelly B.
They made my birthday "Death Star" cake and it was beautiful and delicious. I highly reco them for any cake design you can think of.
(4)Grace E.
I don't easily give out 5 stars, but Alliance Bakery, you're a winner in my books. i tried two lovely little cakes the other day for my father's birthday, and I'm sure I ate more of it than he did. Oops. But how could I help it when the raspberry chocolate mousse was as delicious as it was? The other dessert I had was a three-layered cake of passionfruit mousse, chocolate mousse, with textural surprises of rice krisps sprinkled lightly in between the layers, and a chocolate cake bottom. It was heavenly. Thanks for the ethereal dessert experience, Alliance!
(5)C D.
Alliance used to be my neighborhood bakery...this is where I would always get my Birthday Cakes, Sunday Brunch treats, decorated cookies for the kids. I'm going down the street from now on, because apparently they don't need my business. I wish the people in the Front of the House were as great as those in the Back of the House at Alliance. The last couple times I came in for treats, the food was great, but it seemed like it was painful for the hipsters behind the counter to help me with anything. I felt like it was an inconvenience for them to make me tea, and asking about the variety of iced cookies pushed them over the edge. I get that it's cool now to be a bit edgy, but Hipster Rude is still RUDE.
(2)Diane G.
I am a study room collector. I can't focus at home for the life of me, and I get about 1000% more work done when I'm at a cafe or library. Libraries are too quiet and depressing, and Starbucks are too crowded. Alliance is juuuust right for studying. They have a room of tables (some big, some small) full of people just like me seeking company and sanity while studying. Music is indie and relaxing, wi-fi is free. Their coffee drinks are so far, so good. A plethora of syrup flavors (ranging from amaretto to pumpkin spice) to spice up your latte, as well as good 'ol espressos and hot cocoa. Whatever floats your boat. Their baked goods look AMAZING but I've yet to try them. Though I still favor the decor of Filter, I have an alliance with Alliance mainly for its value as a study room! =)
(4)Ashley V.
Went to Alliance bakery to try their macarons since I'm on the hunt for the best macarons in the city. Got the Mexican Chocolate, Pistachio, Rasberry, and Nutella. My favorites were Rasberry and Pistachio. Nice crunch to the macarons and soft on the inside - good but not near to the best I've had. They also had a nice selection of macaron flavors available so I will be coming back to try more if I'm in the area!
(3)Andrea F.
rude.
(1)Realtor Karl B.
The Red Velvet Cupcake was moist and the topping was so good, but is it really worth $3.50? As a guy no I don't think so, but girls eat that up! They sell some crazy looking cakes, so if you want to do something different, then you should come here. They also sell coffee, cookies, macaroons, and a whole bunch of other bakery stuff that I haven't tried yet. Looks delicious, but the prices are just too high for my sweet tooth.
(3)Steven M.
After 445 reviews do you really need to hear from me? Absoutely! By the time I walked in at 8:30 they were pretty much cleaned out of everything. It was my friends birthday and you can't have a celebration without cake! I saw the cupcakes, but the selection was down to two. Then the turtle cheesecake that was hiding in the corner started screaming at me. Thank God, because there were only two and the lady in back of me took the last one. So much for, one for me one for you! It looked like a fun place and the seating outside was full. I was told that it was delicious! Thanks! Next time. I'm stuffing my face first and then worring about what is left for the birthday girl.
(5)Maria H.
We used Alliance for our wedding cake. The tasting process was efficient, smooth and the sales staff was awesome in helping us execute our creative vision and staying within budget.. overall the cake was beautiful, and the guests raved on how terrific it was. thanks Alliance!
(4)Anna S.
Shh. Don't tell anyone, b/c I'm on a diet. Don't tell anyone I snuck in, & don't tell my nerdy family that I said "snuck." Don't tell anyone about the chocolate cupcake with caramel filling and the logo on top of it that looks like a paper label but is actually more delicious frosting. Don't tell Miss Manners that I snarfed the whole thing down in about three seconds. (My only complaint: using plastic Solo cups for take-out instead of something more eco-friendly. Still, the verdict: LOVE.)
(4)susan m.
This was my favorite cupcake place because they had more than cupcakes. It must have been a bad day. The staff were not too friendly. Tolerant, I would say. I bought a coconut (vanilla?) cupcake and almond croissant. The almond croissant was not what I remember. Prior, it was a fabulous experience. This time it was just good. The cupcake on the other hand. I thought maybe having brushed my teeth and using hydrogen peroxide in the morning that day messed with my tastebuds. It was a horrible cupcake. I don't remember this. I saved half for the next day to see if it was me or not. Nope. Mouth is fine; cupcake was not. I think the coconut was spoiled. It was waxy, with little flavor and very bitter. A tasteless cupcake is just a bad cupcake, but there is something wrong when it is bitter. I felt stupid for thinking this was my favorite place, so I prolly won't go back here for a long time. It seems as though this place has good days and bad days. I just hit the wrong one. The two stars is because I am giving them a break because I think I just hit it on a bad day. I am really wanting to write a good review! The summer eating season has just begun. Yay.
(2)Linda H.
World's best macarons. Hands down. They are a bit expensive ($1.75 each) but full of flavor with just the right amount of pillowy softness contrasted with chewy bite. Additionally, they have delicious cupcakes and other fancy pastries. The cake to frosting ratio is perfect with not-overly-sweet whipped frosting piled on light, fluffy cake. One of my favorite perks of Alliance is the neighboring lounge area. If you exit the bakery and turn right, you can enjoy your treats in their attached lounge, complete with couches and tables. You can buy one cup of coffee and sit there all day, which is what I did when my internet hated me for 2 days.
(5)Mark K.
I like their macarons, like the ambiance, and the location is great. Their almond croissant is merely ok, but still worth trying out. One day I'll have more of their baked goods and desserts and, undoubtedly, will find them at the very least good. Decorative-wise, their desserts look amazing. I find the staff to be a little gruff. I'm nitpicking here, but it's not exactly a friendly and welcoming place as far as service. It gives off that hipster vibe with equal parts impatience that you're there wasting their time buying things. The next door seating area is great if you want to sit down and do work, enjoy one of their delicious items (macarons...) and watch the street.
(4)Melanie S.
I was shopping along Division Street and spied Alliance Bakery. I had always meant to try it and after an ill-fated trip to Hoosier Mama Pie (in which I came away empty handed because they were sold out of everything), my sweet tooth was calling out to me. I didn't go too overboard with my ordering because Alliance was uncharted territory for me and they have to earn my spending lots of money. Based on the two things I tried and their beautiful selection of pastries, there is no doubt that much of my discretionary income will be earmarked for Alliance. It was hard to decide what to choose because everything looked delicious. In fact, it looked so good that I was skeptical that it would taste as good as it looked. I opted for a blueberry scone and a lemon cupcake with strawberry buttercream frosting. The scone (which may or may not have been vegan) was positively bursting with blueberries and had a nice crumbly texture. I tell you what - if this was vegan, it was pretty darn good, and if it wasn't, well, I'd still get it again. The real kicker is that I just polished off the cupcake because I forgot about it. It literally knocked my socks off and it was three days old! I wasn't expecting much, but it was incredibly moist and light and the buttercream tasted just like fresh strawberries. The cake part was lovely, with a faint lemon flavor. I've had some bad lemon cupcakes in my day (think Lemon Pledge) and I typically don't order them anymore because most of them taste artificially flavored, but this one made a believer out of me. And again, it was three days old! If a cupcake can be that good after three days, they've more than earned my business. Can't wait to go back for croissants, tarts and other delectables!
(4)Nic N.
Alliance makes my favorite soy latte in Chicago...period. I don't know what they put in their coffee drinks but they are doin' it RIGHT. Their carrot cupcake is ridiculous and I really like the peanut butter chocolate cupcake. A word to the wise is to get your special orders in well in advance. I wanted them to bake a dairy free cake for my girl's birthday and even with a week's notice they weren't able to do it. Other than that I've had nothing but good experiences there and I will definitely keep going back as often as possible!
(4)Ian A.
I ordered a cake from Alliance for my girlfriend's birthday. They worked with me to customize it, and there were no issues when I called back a few days later to change the size. The cake looked great and tasted even better. It was a big hit - It seemed like everyone was talking about how good the cake was. I brought leftovers in to work and had the same reaction. For what it's worth, I bought a chocolate cake with a strawberry reduction filling, with vanilla icing. I highly recommend Alliance.
(5)Ariel L.
Good coffee and free Wi-Fi. That about sums up all you need to know. They have a nice room to sit in an study or read, and the ham & cheese croissant is excellent. I need to come here more often. I like their rules also. "This is not a library, talking is allowed" Right on brothers. Power to the people.
(4)Sarah Y.
I've been here a couple times for their macaroons and coffee. The macaroons are above average, and they have a rotation of different flavors. My favorite was the bacon maple macaroon. Yumm! I think they have a slight consistency issue with their macaroons because even on the same day, some flavors of macaroons were better in quality (not flavor!) than others. As macaroons tend to be, these little suckers here are expensive...something like $1.75/ea. The coffee drinks here are well made and well balanced. They have such a big assortment of tantalizing desserts that I hope to try next time if I can prevent myself from zero-ing in on those macaroons.
(4)Happiness L.
Yummy! Yummy! Yummy! Thank you for making this place. The guy who helped me this morning was super nice and very informative and fun to talk to. I am a first timer and bought a selection of sweet and savory. How fresh and delicious! The only recommendation is to add more tables and chairs for dine in or sidewalk dining. A new favorite for sure.
(5)Kee V.
2 stars for both the offerings and the lounge. I had dinner with friends at Yuzu and decided to go a few blocks to Alliance for some sweets. Ended up getting a few macarons and some small pastries....after 15 mins of the lone employeee ignoring us. I tried to get her attention but she would only glance back and then go back to doing, what I can only describe as, nothing. When she finally decided to help, we were met with a fake hello. The macarons were so damn hard I swear they were display models. One of the girls took a bite of one and immediately grabbed a napkin to spit it out. It was her first time trying macarons and she asked if they were supposed to be hard. No Hannah, they aren't. The other desserts (Lola and a layered pistachio pastry I forget the name of) were average at best. We took our desserts to the lounge and were hit with a smell I believe to be a potpourri of moldy rags/armpit/extremely ripened cheese. It was freezing outside and we had nowhere else to go, so we stayed just long enough to finish what we bought. NO wonder there was no one in there. Some of us hadn't seen each other in a while so we tried to endure the stench to catch up but in the end, the beast won. Even if we wanted to stay longer, we couldn't have. The lone employee working informed us because she was working alone, she would be closing up early. Maybe she was just trying to do us a favor.
(2)shannon s.
I stop by this cafe almost every Saturday morning to get myself a treat before my 6th day of work for the week. The coffee is always good, the staff is always friendly, and they have tasty pastries. I'm not into the remodeled big room, though. Even with the slightly slanted tables pre-renovation it felt more comfortable and roomy. The tiny tables make it difficult to do much and the spacing is a little close for comfort. Still a favorite place in Chicago.
(4)Andrew W.
Came here to buy some cupcakes for a friend's birthday. I didn't end up eating any since I only bought three JUST FOR HER, but she said she loved them and thank you and Andrew you're so kind I love you. I bought and ate some macarons as a reward for being such a kind and generous and nice friend. The whole macaron field (or French desserts in general) isn't really my specialty, so I can't give an educated comparison of Alliance's macarons with those of other bakeries, but I really enjoyed the three that I had here. The (two) people behind the counter were very attentive and quick to respond to customer needs. There were a few people in line ahead of me, but I was served very quickly. The prices here are great, and it's located in a nice spot along the strip of restaurants on Division, so I can see myself coming here often after eating elsewhere. Or eating here first and then going to other restaurants to eat again, because desserts are the best.
(4)Kat M.
I am giving it 4 stars because I will love this place no matter what and it's my #1 destination for french macarons (not macaroons) in Chicago. But I have to complain... What happened to the cool creative macaron flavors. They would normally have one or two new odds out of the regulars and it would always be a surprise. Now, it's same old all the time. And one more thing. Why do they always run out of Red Velvet cupcakes. Why not just make more next time! Supply and demand... Still, looove the place!
(4)Tim S.
Been a few years since I updated this one. I like to escape the house occasionally for a little variety during the work week and find myself coming down here to jump on line. From the delicious choices in behind the glass, great service and wonderful coffee/teas that they serve it is still my go to in the neighbourhood. Their space next door is set up well for the person looking to jump on line or visit with a friend. Good music in the background hi enough to hear but low enough to talk over and not be heard by the next table and/or to put your headphones in and have to crank it. Thanks to the patrons that understand and respect others personal space. Ample outlets for laptops that need some juice as well.
(5)Porscha W.
This place is awesome! Had a 3D cake made for my birthday. Not only was the design beautiful but the carrot cake that it was made of tasted so good, it was nice and moist :). I put the picture in the photos on here, it's of a film reel. It costs a little bit but it was well worth it. It helped make my birthday one to remember.
(4)Allyson A.
I guess I should start this review by saying I am a fan of all baked goods, so I'm pretty hard to disappoint in that area. That being said, I can still say honestly that Alliance is good and worth a trip if you're nearby. I like to go to pick up some macarons. I don't actually know what flavors they offer though because I usually just get one of each (luckily they had pre-made variety boxes last time I was in). I never had a flavor I didn't like. Cupcakes are also a good choice. it's on the pricier side, but it's not healthy to be picking up cupcakes everyday anyways. And the staff is hit or miss -- I've had one guy help me who made me feel rushed and forced me to frantically pick cupcake flavors and another that I wanted to be best friends with before I left the place. Guess it depends on the day.
(4)julie q.
I decided to boycott this place forever when they told me that they wanted to charge $25 for a cake tasting for my wedding and then when I asked what happens to my $25 if I don't pick them I got "Well, we're very sure you'll pick us, but if you don't, thank you for your $25 donation." F. U. Anyhow, since that was over a year ago, I decided to walk in and let their bakery goodness overshadow their cake confidence. I'm happy to say that I'm glad I went in. I had a hazelnut and chocolate cupcake and Oh Mm Gee was it fantastic. Husbo had the tiramisu...Crazy freaking good. Do I still hold a grudge against alliance? Of course. I'm not very forgiving, however, another bite of one of their scrumdidilyumptious cupcakes helps my grudge slowly dissipate.
(3)Ana H.
Great cake and pastries. You must try all of their cup cakes at least once.
(5)Yiyun F.
Most desserts there are bit too sweet for me, but the Tramisu there is really delicious, one of the best in Chicago.
(3)Bill S.
I've only been to Alliance Bakery once but the first visit knocked me out! I picked up a small assortment of pastries and sweets to try at home. Everything was terrific - the cinnamon roll stood out in particular, particularly when served warm. I was also impressed by the vibe and service. Everyone in the shop was extremely friendly and seemed genuinely interested in helping me despite being very busy at the time. Seems that the folks who run the place have established a great culture among the employees. Can't wait to go back and visit the lounge.
(5)Bri M.
Alliance made my daughter's baptism cake. It was as beautiful as it was delicious. Granted it was the most I have ever shelled out for a non-wedding cake, based on my guests complimentary ummms, it was well worth the price. The 10" round was enough to generously serve 15 adults and two cake-loving kids, with about a quarter of the cake to spare. Working with Alliance to create my custom confection was a breeze. I produced a couple photos of design ideas and a color scheme and then left the creative work to the pros. The almond vanilla cake, vanilla buttercream frosting with whip cream filling was flavorful, moist, and not too sugary. Much love and thanks to Alliance!
(5)Breanne G.
Alliance is a cute little pastry and coffee place. They serve intelligentsia coffee and have a great variety of pastries. I personally enjoy everything they bake, especially the almond croissant. The only exception is the cronut. I'm not sure what to think of it and will not be ordering it again. The place next door is great for relaxing and enjoying your coffee and pastry. If it's nice outdoors, then their patio is a place to hang out. Alliance is definitely worth a visit.
(4)Yen D.
Fun neighborhood cafe and bakery; SO GLAD that I live across the street from this charming place. Very good free wifi. They've been remodeling their lounge for the past two months or so and it's a little schizophrenic/smells like paint but I have high hopes for it! The new furniture is nice and I like the set up with the big table/s in the middle and several small side tables, plus the couches in the front. It's a QUIET lounge, more like a library. People are free to talk in it, but I think in a quiet way is best (there are those couches for chatting). Excellent place to get work done in the evenings before 9, when it closes. A few tips: macarons are all amazing. Take the advice of anyone working there. We've tried maybe a dozen by now and I loved them all. The balsamic fig! The pistachio! The rose! The pumpkin spice! They change pretty often. Decent tea selection, other baked goods also look amazing but I've only ever gotten macarons and sugar cookies. Tip: sometimes the pandora station they sit on in the lounge dies off and wonders if we're all still there listening, so just walk back over to the bakery and ask them to turn it back on.
(5)Yanyao N.
HOLY MILK CHOCOLATE PASSIONFRUIT MACARON. (um, the happiest flavor party of September 2010 in Yanyao's mouth.) You should also probably get a chocolate creme filled banana cupcake as a side because moist banana cupcakes rule the world. My body is thankful that I do not live remotely close but my mouth and heart are already itching for more sweet treats. Total bakery swoon.
(5)Krysten T.
I love this place and not just because I live 5 minutes from here. The service was fantastic and I love their pastries. The line gets pretty long though but it's worth the wait! Oh and kronuts weren't that great.
(5)Michelle M.
Did you know? Alliance bakery has amazing macaroons for $1.75 each! I honestly wish I remembered which flavors I had gotten. They were all so delicious. I was in the neighborhood and wanted to pick up some macaroons to try. My fiance and I are planning to put them into favor boxes for our wedding in May. Almost every town we stop by, we pick up some macaroons. We've even tried the famous ones next to the Penninsula hotel, but these are definitely TO DIE FOR! Typically, all of the other places we've tried are green tea, coconut, vanilla, simple plain flavors. Alliance makes very creative flavors that taste amazing. I think I had the fig + mango, which was so delicious. We ended up refrigerating the rest for 2-3 days and they were still good! They will definitely be getting our wedding order! FYI, they have a $5 minimum credit card order, but it shouldnt matter bc all their macaroon flavors are a must try!
(5)Stephanie B.
The 3-star rating is only because I can't rate this up there with some of the places I've rated 4 stars, but I'd definitely consider it above average. I've been here 3x and have always had great experiences service-wise. The employees are really nice and can offer recommendations if you ask. My sister and I have never had macaroons before we started frequenting Alliance. The rose was interesting- definitely floral but tasty! The pistachio was also good, but I think more one-note, especially after the flavorfulness of the rose. The passion chocolate was probably my favorite so far- you get the chocolate middle part first, and then the passionfruit hits you and takes over in the best way possible. The balsamic fig- ugh, pass. The breads and cookies are really good- I grew up eating what I consider the world's best baked goods from the local bakery (Deerfield's) so it's hard to give an honest assessment. Prices are pretty reasonable. If you're in the area you should definitely stop in!
(3)Catlin P.
Cronuts. You heard me right. It may or may not be a real word, or just something the owner made up, but it's what you're going to get. If you don't, you will live in a perpetual state of loss, and your taste buds will die from curiosity. Maybe I should explain; a cronut is a donut made from the bread of a croissant. Therefore, this is a flaky donut, smothered in icing, and cream filled. What more could you ask for from a pastry?
(4)Jackie M.
I had the coconut lime, pistachio bradied cherry, passionfruit, and poppyseed macaroon. Its a WOW!! Each bite is soo delicious and takes the stress away. It was still good and soft after I left the macaroons overnight. the red velvet cupcake and the vanilla passion curd was okay, it was soft, but just okay. The Lola (mango and passionfruit mousse) was very tasty. This is one of my favorite bakery.
(5)Andrea Z.
I can't begin to rave enough about our wedding cake from Alliance Bakery! Working with Jennifer and the rest of staff was a total breeze and our cake was delicious. We came armed with a photo of what we would like our cake to look like and they nailed it, it was exactly what we were looking for and the cake itself was amazing. Especially given the fact that we had such a negative experience elsewhere, working with Alliance was even better. We can't thank you all enough and are anxiously awaiting the anniversary cake :)
(5)E M.
Why so sad here? You sell baked goods. Fun stuff like cupcakes, cookies, and cakes...that would make me smile. I went in over the weekend and there was NO ONE here yet I couldn't even get a "hello" or "thank you" from the staff. Bizarre. The cookie was pretty good but I require a little friendly interaction when I decide to hand over my $ to a local business. I'll head to Letizia's next time.
(2)Alejandro G.
I went out of my way to get their almond croissants which are fantastic, but their holiday cupcakes and cinnamon buns were rather bland, and dry. And at that price, I was highly disappointed. Yes, they have some interesting items to pick. and I suppose that maybe more than a half are worth it, but, I think I'll be more careful on what I choose and hit some other bakeries before or after I visit this Alliance. Their doggie biscuits used to be free if you purchased a certain amount price. But that's a thing of the past. Guess I'm better off getting some regular doggies treats someplace else. This used to be the Polish National Alliance bakery many years ago. And I must admit that their goods were superior in taste and quality. And they sure didn't last long in the house.
(2)Jose C.
Ok , when My wife and I looked into this place we were excited , we decided to order our wedding cake from here , we did the cake taste a 35$ cost that they deduct from your total if you do decide to order from there. Our expectations were met but only from the exterior , the cake look great and everyone including my self were dying to try a piece of it , everyone was hype up because we had order a cake from the famous Alliance bakery , but as soonest my wife and I took a bite we both were completely disappointed , the cake tasted nothing like it did during the cake taste, the pastry was dry and without a flavor , the filling ..? ehhh what filling .? the cake had a tiny amount of filling , not as promised by the representative when we ordered the 600$ dollar cake. I would recommend looking for a different bakery if you decide to order a wedding cake or any cake at all.
(1)Anonymou S.
I've always loved Alliance Bakery but my last visit there was less than stellar. My sister and I, pleasant and polite people that we are, arrived and attempted to make our usual complimentary small talk with the staff as we looked at all the treats and placed our orders. We didn't expect to be met with eye rolling, impatient sighs and complete lack of verbalization..it was pretty uncomfortable. We felt as though we were bothersome and barely tolerable to Alex, who seems to possess an encyclopedia of dirty looks and aloof mannerisms meant to make customers feel like shit for the mere crime of placing an order or complimenting the pretty cakes. My sister, watching this dramatic display of his, (loudly) told me to just yelp it. Alex then slammed my package down on the counter in front of me and stalked off with a smirk. When I opened the little box with the tiny, beautiful cake inside I brought home for my daughter, I found it was placed in the box on it's side, and I'm sure the slamming didn't help matters, either. It was a mound of goo rather than it's original, perfectly decorated self. My daughter and I enjoyed the sloppy deliciousness of it anyway (God it was good!) but it was just unreasonable callousness for Alex to do such a thing. As lovely as the bakery treats are (and we've also ordered cakes for many occasions over the years) I won't be going back again. Sorry Alliance, your customer service is atrocious.
(1)Annie N.
I might be one in a million, but I honestly don't see what the hype is about this place. I've been here couple times and tried some of their baked goods, and I desperately want to give them a better rating, but nothing, really, hit the spot. First off, my boyfriend brought me a red velvet cupcake from here once. It had some sort of berry filling with cream frosting, and i just thought the flavors did not go well together. Nevertheless I decided to wait for future visits before I'd give this place a review. I came back again to get coffee, and everything was fine, but again not worth writing a review. So finally this past weekend, when I suffered from a chronic craving for croissants that we stopped back in here for our morning coffee and snack. Honestly, I think most of their baked goods are overpriced. The spinach & feta cheese croissant was almost 4 bucks, and it was big, but light as a feather. Their normal croissants were 2.50, and I hate paying that much for something I can inhale in under 2 minutes. Although, it seems to be the normal price for croissants in this city. It was good, but not out of this world. It cured my current pain, but of course not too long after I was again craving for some better croissants (I told you it's chronic). The boyfriend got 2 bagels and they were both ok. Coffee was good (Metropolis), and employees were nice. We sat next door in the lounge area for a while. It was around 10:00am, and I was surprised to see the place so crowded with many people on the computer. The lounge area itself was very clean with tons of natural sun light, and I can see it being a perfect place for studying or even a short convo. I do very much appreciate their creativity, which shown on their displayed cakes and baked goods. But honestly, some of the cakes were a bit disturbing for me personally (at the moment it's the human heart being displayed - I assumed - for valentine?).The next time I'm stopping by, I'll buy some macarons, and then I'll have some better judgement. But for now, it's more of an average spot for both desert and coffee.
(3)Laura C.
This is a great place to stop by and pick up little brownies, lemon bars, raspberry oatmeal bars, etc. to bring to someone's party when you are too lazy to bake. :) Cut them in half diagonally and you have cute little triangles to share with your hungry friends! The cupcakes are nowhere as good as Sweet Mandy B's, but the other baked good hit the spot.
(4)Stephanie C.
Nice place. Came here when I was on the hunt for macarons with my cousins :) they were both macaron virgins...so of course we had to go get some! They have a great selection of favors and their other desserts looked pretty good too. The guy behind the counter wasn't that friendly, unfortunately. He was actually kind of condescending and I think he was sort of laughing at our excitement when we saw all the macarons... But not in a nice way- in a "you guys are stupid" kind of way. Other than that, the macarons were good.
(3)Sam S.
Pretty good spot. The wifi is excellent, the coffee pretty good, the bakery not too bad. The lounge area could use an interior designer and some ambiance and culture. The bake shop itself is a cool little dive. Their sign outside is classic. And they have a great storefront display. I'm a fan.
(4)Helen L.
This is the place to buy macaroons! Price is good and lots of selections.
(4)Kiki N.
We ordered our wedding cake and grooms cake from Alliance. The groom's cake was for our rehearsal dinner and was amazing. I gave them a picture of our college mascot and they created a beautiful and delicious lemon cake. For our wedding cake, it turned out exactly how I imagined. We chose red velvet with cream cheese frosting and yellow cake with a strawberry filing. Our guests commented on how it was the best wedding cake they had ever had. The problem was they forgot to deliver our sheet cake. So only HALF of my guests got cake (my parents didn't even get a piece!). The next day we called to find out what happened and they were less than apologetic. They "forgot" to deliver it. Your business is making cake and delivering-- I think that this is completely unacceptable. They did refund us for the sheet cake, but it was a minimal amount. I'm sure this doesn't happen all the time, however- it was really disappointing that half my guests missed dessert due to this mistake. The cake itself was designed perfectly and tasted great.
(3)Mandy P.
I had a fabulous experience with Alliance pretty much up until the guy who boxed my cake broke the "30" on the top of it. I wasn't thrilled however; I wanted to try it before I decided what my general review was going to be. Had the cake been dry, I most definitely would have only given the bakery 3 stars because despite that, it was a work of art. I was happily surprised when I actually got to try it; it was a true culinary delight! The cake was so moist and flavorful. I had chocolate with vanilla buttercream on the base layer and red velvet on the top. The red velvet wasn't anything special without cream cheese icing, but it was still better than some others I've had. I definitely recommend Alliance for special occasion pastries or just any day pastries.
(4)Kris L.
Came here for my wedding cake tasting. Mitchell organized our tasting and was very helpful. He knew more about the flavors than the design, but he spoke w/the bakers after the meeting. We wanted a elegant but work intensive design, and the bakers didn't think this would be a problem at all. The flavors during the tasting were absolutely amazing and we can't wait to see the final project. We are so excited and alliance was a pleasure to work with.
(4)Becky A.
Great coffee, delicious pastries, and a nice outdoor patio.
(5)Leila N.
I wish I could give a Alliance a higher review... but their cupcakes are just too overpriced! My husband and I ordered 2 dozen cupcakes for our baby shower, half vanilla, half chocolate. The chocolate cupcakes were absolutely delicious!! Moist and decadent. The vanilla were just okay. But it turns out that they charged 3 dollars a cupcake (!) I was hoping that we would get some kind of discount because we were ordering in bulk, but no luck there. I'd recommend this place for a snack, but not for catering. The price is just too high.
(3)Mick B.
Alliance Bakery was the starting point of our recent "Bakery Crawl" which I have to say was a novel experience. Other reviewers have covered the ins and outs of Alliance baked goodies, but I wanted to mention that Alliance serves Intelligentsia coffee and even have their own special "Alliance Bakery Blend" which you can purchase whole bean (or ground) by the pound. I enjoy Alliance's special coffee blend but please note that I am a smooth coffee drinker (which does not mean "weak") and I think that certain major chain brand coffee beans taste burned to my palate rather than robust; I feel there is a noticeable difference between the two. I can always tell someone in the Wicker Park area that has been to Alliance recently because they have just a hint of cupcake frosting on their face! It's so hilarous!
(4)Will M.
The pastries are ok, though perhaps over-priced. The coffee is Bowtruss roasted, though perhaps carelessly brewed. Overall the bakery is decent, though perhaps overrated.
(3)Jane Y.
my coworker/friend had bought me a cupcake hereeee it was delicious! i came in last night literally at closing hours.. desperately trying to get my macacron fix which was a fail at ba le they let me in! so sweet of them i tried the blueberry which was pretty good raspberry was the best! pistacio was mehmeh and the mexican chocolate was not too bad either!
(5)Jane E.
One among the many good bakeries in Chicago. I love going here for the treats as they truly are irresistible. And the cafe makes great coffee worth every penny. Also, studying there can be fun - if you can find a place to sit. Oh yeah, finding a place to sit during times that are busy - difficult, if not impossible. And you have to jump rope over the various power cords that dart the area. It's worth going to if you're all by yourself and want to kick it on off hours - heavy hours, forget it.
(5)Jessica W.
This review is only for their pain au chocolat and their ambiance. I'm 8 months pregnant at the moment, and all I can think about is their chocolate croissants, which sucks for me, cause they're not really close to where I live. They're really good. So we've been going every weekend for breakfast. The inside has a nice bakery feel. I hate when I walk into a bakery and it feels dirty. This place has a great balance going on. Feels clean, but warm and not sterile. I haven't tried their coffee (I usually get our croissants and eat them at caffe streets). I suppose I owe it to them to stay and have a cuppa with them this weekend.
(5)Stephanie K.
I think I got my hopes up too high when I came here to indulge my fat kid tendencies. I've been a few times and have tried their red velvet, sugar cookies and the macaroons. Good, but for the price I don't think it was worth it. I'm probably biased though because I can get delicious cream filled cupcakes in my hometown for 1.50..Mmm diabetes. Their cake displays are gorgeous and so creative though! I loooved their Nightmare before Christmas one
(3)Jake W.
I was inspired to come to this place because of a conversation I was having with my hairdresser at Swagger. I mentioned how I liked the neighborhood because it reminded me of San Francisco, to which the hairdresser replied how hipsterific she found the area. She said she was afraid to even go into Alliance because of the nasty attitude permeating off the workers behind the counter. Of course, I always take such invitations to abuse as a challenge to annoy and overwhelm the hipster chromosomes with a false air of sunshiny happiness. So I decided to dress up in a collared shirt and dress pants, put on a backpack, turn off the Toxic Narcotic and put on the Katy Perry to show them how this firework can sparkle. Well, my apparel change was unnecessary, because the girl behind the counter was wonderful and helpful, easily engaging in playful banter and making suggestions. I ended up getting a Moroccan Mint tea and some pastries that looked good, then wandered over to the next door lounge. It had a giant open area with a leather couch and chairs, tons of tables and chairs, and a bunch of back rooms that feel like old 1920's parlor rooms in an F Scott Fitzgerald novel. It is the perfect place to study and the clientelle is a mixture of punkish people, hipsters, trendsters, and the general public. I have been back a number of times and started doing my study with cookie breaks.
(4)Basil D.
Read all the way through: Let me say that I love the bakery here, but I'm absolutely livid. I was told when I walked in this morning that the beignets were still being made and that there was a new person making them. So I had my coffee and worked in the lounge. An hour later, I went back, and I got my beignet, which was stone-cold. It was obviously not being made fresh, but defrosting from the freezer! More so, they have amazing breakfast sandwiches, but if you ask to have it heated, they put it in the microwave! What the hell? What self-respecting bakery that takes pride in its work will put perfectly excellent bakery and throw it in a microwave so it will get all "gummy". AND...AND....if you ask if they can warm it in the oven in the back, you are promptly told, "no"! Geez people.... so close to being one of the greatest bakeries in Chicago..... Ike H....the same lady was the one who LIED to me about the beignet! I agree, she is NOT the most pleasant person to deal with...everyone else there is pretty cool. So, I went and spoke to the owner about my experience this morning. He informed me that the beignets were in fact made fresh, but that the new girl making them put cold filling in a fresh, out of the oven, hot beignet, which is what caused the problem. So I changed my 2 star to a 4 star. The owner was extremely proactive, very pleasant, and offered me another beignet tomorrow!
(4)Julia S.
Desserts here are heavenly. I'd like to marry the pastry chef if possible. The fluffy macaroons and oh so delicious, perfect amount of cream, dough and frosting eclairs are my favorites. Great place to get dessert for a dinner party or if you just want to treat yourself a bit.
(4)Kim B.
I had a cake made for my boyfriends birthday, and it exceeded my expectations w/ both the design and taste. this is my new go-to bakery!
(5)Melissa S.
Strolled by here yesterday and decided to walk in after spending a good 10 minutes admiring the cake art in their window display. Friendly staff, yummy treats, I'm into it! I made the person helping me repeat the macaron flavors about 10 times before I realized they were written right in front of my face, but she didn't complain. I'm eating a rose macaron right now, in fact. I'll return! I do wish they had just a couple more gluten-free options around. Oh, and they should make maple macarons, that's a really underrated flavor, IMO. But, you know, not every place can cater to me.
(4)Megan C.
2 million Yelp points for creativity and decorating BEAAAUTIFUL LOOKING CAKES HERE!! (-2 Yelp Stars for so so cupcakes and too sweet frosting. Blah! " ___|___ | | HAVE YOUR CAKE -------------------- ...and eat it too! | | --------------------------- | | ___________________ ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||Â|||||||||| ||||| ||||| ||||| ||||| ||||| ||||| ||||| ||||| ||||| ||||| WOW! What a following! I heard this place was pretty well known but 100 + reviews! We had to buy the only cake left for my Mom's friend who was having a birthday and I just honestly wasn't impressed. I also bought two cupcakes to try them (hoped they would be better than Magnolia in NYC) and was all but let down by the taste. Cake was slightly moist frosting was toooooooo sweet. Not my bag. I'm posting the photos now from the cakes in the window. Unbelievable! Love the purse cake and the ice age cake! Great little sitting area outside and all of the pastries looks really great but I didn't have a chance to try them. Let's just say I think this place is the cooler hipper "Magnolia" of Chicago. Face it everybody the cake wouldn't impress a sweet tooth. Try Billy's in Manhattan or head on back home to your Mamma's kitchen. Date Rating: 5 Pick up Scale: 4 Strong Suggestions: If you're interested in cake. Be specific, know what you want, and get ready to see some creative genius.
(3)Brett K.
My new neighbor and best friend. Breakfast sandwiches on the weekends are becoming and obsession and all the standards are awesome. Dipped into the cakes and pie case for the first time this weekend with parents in town visiting and was not disappointed, cheese cake turtle and key lime graham, mmmm.... Great coffee, people, outdoor seating, dog treats, etc etc etc
(5)Mary Ann C.
We now order all of our birthday cakes from Alliance. They do a fabulous job! We have had them create a Prada handbag cake, cow cake, and Angelina Ballerina cake. Obviously, the handbag was the one for me....and our little one liked the other cakes! The cakes are moist and delicious! Love buying cookies, scones, and any other treat out of the cases when we are in the neighborhood. My favorite bakery!
(5)Jane L.
I had a terrible experience with Alliance when ordering a cake for my gender reveal party. I clearly explained to the sales clerk that we were planning to find out the sex of our baby with our family and handed her an envelope from the doctor's office which listed the gender. Sadly, instead of pink AND blue frosting on the outside like I had requested, our entire cake was pink when my husband picked it up the day of the reveal party. So, instead of together with family, my husband found out the sex of our baby alone at Alliance bakery...not exactly how we'd imagined it. Alliance did make us a new cake so that we can could go on with the surprise for the other 20 guests that were coming. They told us the owner would call us to refund the price of the cake, but no one ever called to explain what happened or refund the price of the cake. It's just very disappointing that our local bakery made such a big mistake and was so unapologetic about it..
(2)Helen C.
I love the cakes in the window, butI love the stuff inside that I can eat even more. On our exploration of Wicker Park adventure, a cupcake and a brownie from Alliance Bakery set us up nicely for the day. The brownie was HUGE and delicious; the cupcake deserves the same description. I thought it was a bit expensive but the cakes are pretty rich, they'll last you a while! Some of the pastries etc. looked too beautiful to eat (though I would eat them without hesitation) and the Michael Jackson biscuits made me laugh even while Stacey surreptitiously took a photo.... If I explore Wicker Park again, I'll be back to Alliance for sweet sustenance.
(4)Tony F.
I've been going here for years. An ex-girlfriend actually introduced me to this little bakery in Bucktown/Wicker Park. I come here usually for a cup of coffee and once in a blue moon have a sweet tooth. I think their pastry's are a bit pricey but worth it....if you are craving something petite and delicious.
(4)Victoria D.
Chai-yi-yi...delicious but not overassuming. I definitely did not need to add sugar to enjoy. Don't pass up on the apricot oatmeal dessert bar. It definitely made my day.
(4)Teri Y.
This review is based on the macarons. My fiance surprised me with macarons from Alliance Bakery when I was getting my hair done at Strange Beauty Show. He knows my love for macarons. I agree with one of the reviewers-- why is it so difficult to get good macarons in Chicago? Is it just Chicago? After traveling to different parts of the world and having the luxury to taste excellent macarons (and I'm talking about Pierre Herme macarons.... he is the god of macarons, IMHO), I was always disappointed at the lack of good macarons in Chicago. Alliance Bakery's macarons look so pretty and they taste so fantastic. Ok granted, no one can beat Pierre Herme. He is after all, the god of macarons. But still, Alliance Bakery's macaron is pretty damn good! Another best part is that the macarons here are only $1.50 each. OMG seriously? I'm so glad I found a place for my macaron fix.
(5)Anahit G.
This is one of my favorite cages in Chicago. Their macaroons are amazing, and I know my macaroons!!! They make delicious pastries and coffee, and beautiful cakes (and offer wedding cake tastings!). The only drawback is the lack of room in the cafe for seating, and the constantly crowded lounge next door. But, for treats to go, it's perfect.
(4)Sarah G.
The cakes are so cool and its really cute there, but the staff is always so rude and unhappy to see a customer, it ruins the experience.
(1)Jelena Z.
The cakes at Alliance are beautiful sculptures. Every single time I walk by their storefront, I linger in front of the window with the Louis Vuitton handbag cake. Admit it, I know you have too! I tried a lemon bar because it's my own personal gauge of goodie greatness. Outcome? Success. I've sampled a slice (or 8) of my friend's birthday cakes over the years and always manage to smuggle a piece home, even if I have to wrap it in a napkin (is that the tacky equivalent of plastic left on a sofa?). Oh well, then I'm a perpetrator. And the cafe next door is perfect for getting work DONE. It's definitely not social hour so move along if you're feeling Chatty Cathy-ish. Yep, like Colleen C says, it's indeed a library sans books. I love my lattes here and right this very moment, I'm enjoyed hot tea that tastes like liquefied Jello. Sweeeeet.
(5)Angel S.
Amazing! Went here during the summer to grab a cup of coffee and some pastries. We walked in only expecting to grab one item, but ended up grabbing a few things because we couldn't make up our minds. Everything was perfect- not overly sweet or overly rich, but the perfect balance. I'm definitely waiting for the first excuse to return!
(5)Kellie W.
First, let's talk coffee. I usually go for specialty drinks instead of drip when I'm at a coffee shop. But the alliance blend is so delicious that I'd always suggest drinking drip here. I've also had their vanilla latte and mocha, but the alliance blend just can't be beat. It's very rich, without being too heavy. Their croissants are fantastic and super flakey in the french style. Very solid bakery.
(4)Luka E.
They do not bake here. They sell baked goods from other bakeries. So how does this shop qualify to call itself a bakery? Their bread comes from Chicago Ave. Their bagels come from another shop. I believe their croissants (which are not anything near a real croissant) also come from another bakery. So how does this shop qualify to call itself a bakery? If you want coffee and to hang out somewhere, they are ok at best. Filter is a much better option that does not pretend to be something they are not.
(2)Kym P.
Alliance produced three cakes for our wedding in August. Wow! They were show stoppers. We wanted unconventional cakes, with a kooky theme, but they worked with us and came up with the most amazing designs and then executed them flawlessly. Just as cool as anything you might see on one of those Food Network shows. I have a picture of them that I framed, really, great job.
(5)Jims L.
There's one thing that I've enjoyed at Alliance Bakery - their lemon bars. Have been coming back at least once a week since November to try something new, never to be impressed. Will not be stopping by anymore. Was attempting to put on a bakesale for a charity organization and got in touch with four bakeries on Division. Alliance, and especially Michael Nitschky, the retail manager, was the least accessible and professional of them all. To get just a *response* - what ensued: I stopped in, told to email; emailed, never got a response; stopped in again a few days later, was told Michael would get the letters/brochures I printed out by 9AM; received no call, even though they were aware that the sale was happening in the afternoon; finally called again past 11AM when I received no word; he answered the phone with "this is Michael" and I had to brief him about everything as if he hadn't really gotten any messages. It's not a big deal if you can't help -- the least you can do is respond when the decision is so clear-cut on your end and keep us from waiting around with our hopes up. It was easier to get a hold of (and positive response from) more corporate Sprinkles Cupcakes.
(1)Seth F.
Maybe I haven't given this place enough of a chance. The Yelp community obviously adores it and it's been a mainstay of my neighborhood for far longer than I've been here. But I've been twice and both times I was exceptionally underwhelmed with what I had. Suffice to say, the amazingly stylized cakes in the window project a false image of quality that I've found unmatched by the stuff they make that's actually edible.
(3)Huifang H.
Love their flourless chocolate cake! so rich but not too sweet~~
(4)Cristina C.
I recently wanted a specialty cake made for a special occasion. I have never had a large specialty cake made so I was a little nervous, but Alliance went above and beyond during every step in the process. . When I first called the bakery to describe what I wanted and when I wanted it, they gave me several ideas and suggested several days/times to come in to meet with a cake decorator to design the cake. When I went into the store to design the cake, I met with a great designer who put together a few ideas and then called in the owner who really took it to the next level. My original design would have had very little cake, so the owner came up with a new design that would not only feed my guests but also look great. When I picked up the cake, it looked better than the original sketch. The cashier offered helpful tips to keep it fresh and cool as well as to bring it out to my car. At the party, everyone was very surprised by the design and then thrilled with the taste of the cake. It was extremely moist and had the perfect amount of peanut butter filling for the chocolate cake. All in all, a huge and delicious success!
(5)Derrick T.
Excellent coffee, great pastries, and a nice study area (along with free wifi) make this one of my go to places for studying and snacking. Things I have tried thus far: Crossaint - Flaky, buttery, airy. Near perfect. Almond Crossaint - Stickily sweet... more dessert than breakfast, but delicious. Blueberry scone - Now this is a scone... none of those crappy Starbucks bricks has the right to bear the name of scone, but this soft, moist, sugary treat? This is a scone. Macaroons - Mind you I have never had a macaroon before, but these things have been delicious. White chocolate raspberry was delightful, and the chocolate ganache smeared in the banana chocolate one was very memorable. Cakes - You know, I brought a cake back for my parents for dinner one evening, and the differences textural layers and separate but complimenting flavors was phenomenal. This was not a standard cake, and I'm not sure what the name was, but it made me a lifetime fan of Alliance. Lemon Bar/Lime Bar - Tasty, and very flavorful. You can tell the purity of ingredients from the flavors. Almost too tart, but I'm a fan of tart over sweet at times. So why four stars you ask? I noticed that their bakery items definitely carry over to the next day. I had macaroons one night, and stopped in again the next night to get some more, and noted that the same macaroons along with many other bakery items were still there. As a business person, i fully understand the need to sell all of your items, but this makes me wonder how long the items are sitting in the display case before they are tossed or given away. Now I could be wrong and they may have turned over all their items in the 24 hours that had passed, but from my inspecting eye, it sure didn't look like it. May I suggest an Au Bon Pain approach and discounting your items between 8:00 and 9:00 PM right before you close? I feel like you may draw the local crowd and it would help relieve your items and make way for fresh items the next day. Of course, it's important to make a profit (which I have no doubt Au Bon Pain does even discounted) but this may be the cause of people's complaints that the brownies/cupcakes/cookies are too dry...
(4)Nicole T.
Cute bakery with outdoor seating and a separate lounge next door with free wi-fi. The lounge is usually pretty quiet, which is good if you need to get some work done. They are also open fairly late. I usually order iced or hot coffee and most often they have soy milk out with the usual condiments. They also have about 8 different varieties of loose tea. I've tried the vegan cookie and the vegan apple streusel. I've had better vegan cookies but theirs is ok if you want some sweet carbs on the spot. I like the apple streusel much better. Sweetened apples with some raisins and granola bits. Yum.
(4)Jen G.
I haven't had a cake from here yet, but considering how good the cupcakes are, I can only imagine they must be delicious. Those cupcakes couldn't be more addicting if they put crack in them. Just thinking about them makes me crave one. My favorites are the red velvet and the double chocolate. The sandwiches and the quiche are also great for lunch. And I love their chai lattes too. Great neighborhood gem.
(4)Andrea R.
Once upon a cupcake Alliance Bakery had the best red velvet cupcakes in all of Chicagoland. These days they are pretty mediocre- the cake is dry and the frosting doesn't do much for me. Don't get me wrong...they are edible, but Sweet Mandy B's wins my cupcake prize these days.
(3)Lucien H.
I was never a red velvet fan until I tried a slice of red velvet from here. Oh my, the cake here is tasty indeed. It's ultra moist and the icing just melts in your mouth. The downside is, the portion is kind of small and it's pricey for what you get. A small velvet cake is $30. Cupcake I think was somewhere around $3~$4 and it's not even the standard size. It's a thin, skinny cake. Aside from that, the cakes are really yummy so it's definitely worth checking it out.
(4)Jessica D.
Alliance is pretty awesome. I mean, everything I've had has been quite good, but I'll admit that I've only had the macarons (proper French and the American style w/ coconut and an extra "o" German chocolate version). My girlfriend tries the Milette once, but I didn't since I suspected it might have gelatin and gelatin and I are enemies. Oh, and we've both had perfectly tasty but disturbingly similar veggie sandwiches here (both w/ pesto and tomato but one with mozzarella and one with goat cheese and red peppers). I really enjoy the food here. Good macarons are not easy to find and Alliance has some tasty and interesting flavors (raspberry-rose is one of my favorites). But the service here is always a little aloof, the people up front aren't aware what ingredients are in which pastries (I asked today which things contained gelatin so that I could avoid is and the girl at the counter didn't know and made no attempt to find out, only stating that, "Probably just the things with mousse in them," which doesn't clarify much since that's 50% of the display). I think the fact that the people working in back don't really talk much to the people working the counter makes this a big problem for them. What about people with food allergies? They always treat you as if you've no idea what things are, explaining that they are fragile, best at -blank- temperature, etc. and it gets a little annoying hearing that every time you buy something. Also, I have to agree that the Alliance Lounge next door is a little unwelcoming. There appear to be regulars and they don't like their peace and quiet interrupted. I went there once, and only once, with two friends and we felt eyes on us every time we talked. Not the best atmosphere for a lunch with friends. So, in conclusion, the food is lovely, but the service is less than thrilling and the seating options are a little intimidating.
(4)Erin C.
Not the best cupcakes I've ever had, but they are pretty damn good. I actually recommend the raspberry oatmeal bar or the pecan caramel bar - they are rich and delicious. The specialty coffee drinks are delish; during the winter they have a Mexican Cafe Mocha that is the perfect drink for anyone craving chocolate and coffee. There is free wifi, but the adjoining room gets pretty crowded and the furniture could be a bit nicer/more comfortable.
(4)Jennifer G.
This place was really cute and JAM PACKED on a Saturday morning. I hate that pressure you feel when people are yelling, can I help you, are you ready, can I help someone.....of course, they are trying to be of service but it just makes me jittery and nervous. Anyway, I finally decided on the b& w cookie and a few macarons. Since it was really only a sampling of the many things they had, I hate giving such a blah review but....they were pretty blah and for 10.75 I just had 3 little macarons and 2 cookies. I appreciate the work that probably goes into the macarons but 1.50 for something the size of a quarter, not sure if I would do it again...
(3)Tricia F.
This place is lucky to get 3 stars from me...seriously. PROS: good coffee, and good espresso drinks. really fun looking cakes. and they give away free dog bones---which is great if you're a dog. finally, the raspberry scone I had was really good. CONS: This place annoys the crap out of me. I can't figure out if I have bad luck when I go in there, or if my annoyance meter is weekening, because everyone else seems to love it. I go here when I have to because I refuse to walk into Starbucks...but EVERY time I do, some kid is behind the counter who seems to have half his/her brain cells in tact. I know that's harsh, but when the music is so loud they have to keep asking customers what they want there's just one option left to fix the problem (since they're already shouting): TURN DOWN THE ABSTRACT NOISE ROCK! note to barista: if a customer asks you: "What's a soy (something-or-other)?" Don't tell her: "I don't drink soy." That's not what she's asking. lastly, if they're going to charge $1++ for a small cookie, they better make damn well sure it's fresh.
(3)Amanda M.
While the cakes are awesome, the cupcakes aren't so much. They are pretty dry which is such a disapointment. Also, when I was here last I tried a chocolate chip cookie which was *almost* as hard as a rock. Booo
(3)Julia W.
Travels extremely well. To my thighs. Not really (well, yeah, actually...), but yes--Alliance Bakery goods travel very well--the tarts and cupcakes provided at the Elite event at Exhale last night were lovely and delicious. I think I should've stuck with the tarts, though, because that pumpkin cupcake was gargantuan--a good thing in a cupcake, to be sure--but maybe not-so-much when the Core Fusion class door opens and little stick women walk out as I shovel in more pumpkin-y goodness and blobs of rich cream cheese frosting.
(5)Rachel B.
So I haven't tried the pastries and I've never ordered a cake, but the coffee's decent and I'm a BIG fan of the lounge area, which is one door down from the actual bakery. It's very quiet, the music is nice, and the seating is comfortable. This might not be ideal for everyone, but I KILL to find places like this to read, write and relax. Also, as someone who spends countless hours in libraries, this is SO not a library. The fast and password-free Wi-Fi is a huge plus--in fact, I'm writing this review on it right now.
(4)Johan K.
Alliance has some of the most carefully crafted and beautifully put together cakes I have ever seen. They manage to merge creativity and quality taste to make their own indelible mark in the realm of baked goods. Make sure you stop through and experience this Chicago landmark.
(4)Bruce N.
For a place that has such wonderful people working there, and for their delightfully elegant looking treats. Flavor and texture don't nearly meet the desire to pay $7 for a pastry again. The Lola is dry, flavorless, and the chocolate is probably carob. Cookies aren't moist or sweet-at all! The coffee is so bitter I went to Starbucks. The French Macaroons are delicious, and I've heard good things about the cake. And if you care about your dog, don't take the free biscuits. Me thinks not!
(2)Julie H.
Alliance Bakery is one of my favorite spots in Wicker Park; I love how laid back the vibe is, yet it also has a very authentic Polish bakery feel. Lucky for me, I live around the corner and I get to walk past the window display of beautiful cakes every day! Aside from the coffee, some of the stand out items are the spinach/feta croissants, and the cupcakes (love the carrot, strawberry, and red velvet). In the summer, Alliance has a great place to sit outside and relax on Division, while in the winter it is a nice place to stop inside and warm up. Plus, my dog, Olive, loves the fresh baked dog biscuits. UPDATE: I finally made my first visit to the seating area next door to Alliance Bakery and it kind of sucked. First of all, a cloud of dust surrounds you the instant your ass hits the cushion of any seat in there. And god forbid you open your mouth to speak: one of the hipsters in there will shush you over the top of his or her laptop. My advice? Take their delicious cupcakes elsewhere so you can actually enjoy them!
(4)Amy G.
My favorite coffee shop in the city! I'm an actuary, so I'm always on the lookout for a quiet place with wi-fi and yummy coffee to study all day. Not only does Alliance have those necessities, but their onion bagels are to die for - and they don't skimp on the cream cheese either. The pastries are so gorgeous, I have to pinch myself to avoid saying "one of everything please!" and ruin my diet. I've tried a few and have zero complaints. Staff is courteous. They have Intelligentsia coffee (my favorite!), free wi fi, and a room filled with quiet people that help motivate me to study. #70 bus picks me up three blocks from my apartment and drops me off half a block from my study haven.
(5)Sharon Z.
Amazing cupcakes! I usually pick up a 1/2 dozen or so to bring to birthday gatherings (get a few varieties, cut them up and share). My mom absolutely loves the chocolate macaroons and I am now required to pick them up for her every time I head out to the burbs for a visit. The sidewalk cafe is a great place for coffee, a bagel, and newspaper on a warm Saturday morning. Bring your dog and he/she will get lots of friendly attention!
(4)U P.
I've been craving red velvet cupcakes so I tried one here. It was very mediocre- won't go again. I love red velvet for its cheese cream frosting, and this one tasted more buttery and out of the can, than anything else. The dough was pretty gooey. It's not terrible, just not worth the money. For 32 cents more I get an AMAZING red velvet at Sugar Bliss in downtown. At least it made me stop craving red velvet now.
(3)Kimberly C.
Alliance Bakery was the first stop on this weekends cupcake crawl. This place got some nice feedback on my recent talk thread so It was a must-see on the list. I'd like to make the point that this is a review of the cupcake we chose, and not of the entire bakery, but any bakery that makes BLACK AND WHITE COOKIES already has some serious street cred with me. I'll admit, I was totally distracted by the black and white cookies when I walked in. Hey, I was hung over. What do you expect? But I eventually got back to the quest. So, Ms. Ellen, her lovely boyfriend and I split a red velvet cupcake. Ms. Ellen did not like the cupcake (you can read her review below), her lovely boyfriend was "a big fan" and as he has never had a cupcake before (he's British) he admitted he really had nothing to compare it to. I really liked the choice. This was not a cutesy cupcake by any stretch of the imagination. In fact, it did not look much like a cupcake at all, it was just a small, round cake. The cake was dense and moist, not too sweet. The frosting had that perfect touch of savory and didn't stick around in your mouth. It wasn't the prettiest cupcake but for the $2 price, was well worth it. I think it makes a good statement about the quality of the bakery. I'll definitely be back for a dozen of something, a cake, or just a treat for passing the time away next door. And I loved that damn clock.
(4)Trey M.
Super awesome treat selection, good coffee, plus a cool, completely separate room to shove my self-admittedly pretentious face into my Macbook. Is cool; feels cool.
(5)Nana H.
I was just here on Tuesday, and hung out with a pack of wolf dogs while sitting outside. This is a great spot to stop by before you start strolling division. I wouldnt really drive around town just for this place though... I got a spring cookie- that was not only cute, but tasty ( not too sweet and just buttery enough) and a small coffee for i think $5.00 bucks. My cookie was like 2.25, and totally worth it, and shareable. I'd really like to get a cake here for my birthdayyy!
(4)Cassandre P.
I'm sorry but I think I have a god-given right to judge a bakery by their cupcakes when they have them in the cases and are charging people for them. And I have to say that the cupcakes at Alliance are consistently dry and awful. Wait, scratch that. The 25 cent, two-day old Easter cupcakes I got there were EXCELLENT. My roommate got a freshly-made red velvet cupcake that tasted like chalk but my old chocolate cupcake with a big plastic bunny on it was moist and delicious. I also have had coffee that was so badly burnt that I had to throw it away. The only reason I give Alliance three stars instead of two is because their lemon bars make me feel warm and snuggly inside. Mmmmmmmm.
(3)Michael S.
Alliance Rocks... They have the best coffee there and little pastries/treats all over the place. I used to go to get the Mexican hot chocolate which was wicked sweet. However they no longer serve the Mexican hot chocolate. Apparently the coco beans come from some remote region of Mexico and are exported via mule's. From there I think they might either Air lift them to Chicago or some sort of high speed freight train. Either way I love the Alliance Bakery & Cafe and if you are wise you will go there soon.
(5)Ingrid G.
I go here almost every day. I was going to the starbucks across the street but it ws giving me some evil yupster vibes that were not fun in the morning, so I switched to Alliance. The gals at the counter are nice. I usually only get coffee. I always get a skim latte, medium. It is 3 dollars. Not bad. I have seen their cupcakes and cookies with witty sayings. Sure, they are witty but 2.50 or 3.00 seems like a lot of money to pay for a funny saying you could put on yourself. But you judge for yourself. They also have hummus in a cooler and sandwiches and bagels. But sometimes the sandwiches are stale. Oh yeah, also, one time these two old ladies were there, and they got a loaf of bread and asked to have it sliced. And they were told that Alliance no longer had a bread slicer. So don't expect to get your bread sliced there, buddy! UPDATE: Just found out Alliance was sold last week to a high end pastry chef. What will happen now?
(3)Rachel Y.
I was in the area for a business meeting and had an hour to kill before it started, so I went to Alliance Bakery without every hearing of it before, bought a heated-up ham and cheese quiche and a vanilla latte. Not only were both items oh so tasty, but the comfort and ambiance of the study room next door was fantastic! I don't go to this neighborhood that often, but I may make excuses down the road to revisit!
(5)Rachelle G.
After trying the delicious red velvet cupcakes at the recent Yelp event, I knew I had to stop by and check out the bakery for myself! Driving down Division, you can't miss it, there is a huge neon sign above the door. The bakery itself is a bit small, and has a few tables outside to comprise a patio. The prices were extremely reasonable. A whole cheesecake for $13, the red velvet cake for $20. Cupcakes averaged $2-3. One thing I should note is that the size of the actual cupcakes seems to be a tad smaller than those that were served at the Yelp event. They look delicious, however, it seems as if some of the nicer details may have been lost in the shuffle from kitchen to display case, as some of them were a bit mushed. They also were a bit dry, I prefer my cupcakes to be a bit more moist. Employees were nice and took the time to answer the few questions I had to the best of their abilities. I will definitely be coming back. I would be interested to see how others who only tasted the cupcakes at the Yelp event would rate the bakery after actually having gone to the store itself.
(4)Maija T.
Why would you go to Starbucks when this is right across the street? I have to say though - I'm pretty sure you have to be hungover to work here. Which obviously isn't a problem with me. 4 stars... Oh wait, I'm obsessed with the cakes in the window. I have no idea how they make them with such detail - especially hungover like that.
(4)Matt R.
For me, Alliance seems like a typical bakery serving every type of baked goods. Some items are better than others. Mostly everything is of fine quality. What is really outstanding are some of the specialty cakes Alliance displays in their window. If you're in the area, Alliance is definitely worth a try.
(3)Erica S.
I popped in here while running errands because I desperately needed a snack. . I ordered a piece of focaccia expecting it would simply be something good enough to feed my face, but not make me crash. It was an inspired slice of baking. The bread was moist, spongy, and airy. It was lightly covered in a really flavorful, well-seasoned tomato spread that made the top really creamy. There might have been a little bit of cheese on top that contributed to the creaminess. Regardless, the foccacia is not to be missed.
(4)Phillie P.
Kinda pricey for chocolate chip cookies... but then I had this macaroon that was definitely awesome and helped me with my sweet/chocolate fix. Yum! Can't really review it as a cafe because I haven't really been there as a cafe. Just a walk-in/buy something bakery.
(3)Alicia V.
Alliance Bakery puts "Ace of Cakes and "Cake Boss" to shame. The European fine pastries are to die for like the mini cholotate eclair made with imported chocolate from France and dusted with gold. However, I also love their cupcakes, especially the coconut and chocolate with whip cream filling. The coffee drinks are great. Although, I can't wait for summertime when I can order the amazing Hibiscus drink. This one is a MUST try. The custom designed cakes are super impressive and delicious. Executive pastry chef Peter Rios is very talented. Chicago is lucky to have him. Now I see why he has been featured on Food Network and TLC. The bakery has a cute adjoining dining lounge with FREE wifi. Check out the new refrigerated, exotic and decadent desserts served in glass and topped with handblown colored sugar pieces. Wow!
(5)Esther Y.
I agree with Cassie P. and I have to say, I am judging them on their cupcakes. Cupcakes = dry as hell. My cupcakes from a box were more moist than theirs. Cassie is a nicer person than I am, I couldn't give them more than 2 stars.
(2)Bonnie H.
Alliance lounge is great. Saves me a 2.5 hour commute to the office on the days I need to upload large files. The people who work there are friendly. You can come and go as you please. I also like how they don't make you feel bad for being there for a long time. Think their food is okay. Have only tried their chocolate croissant. Tasted very good. Chocolate was rich but not too sweet, how I like it. Croissant flaky and buttery. Size could be larger. Turkey sandwich - bread is hard. The healthiest option they have for lunch. The only gripe i have is that sometimes i cannot sign onto their network. I've heard other customers complain at the cafe as well. I was still able to find a different network to sign onto, but it didn't have the same upload speed that i needed.
(4)Jennifer P.
My favorite thing about this place is that I used to live a block away. Oh, how I dream of those better days (let's give a round of applause to building foreclosure!) ANYWAY. This place is seriously amazing. Great mug of coffee and I'm very keen on their almond croissant/cheese croissant/any croissant...basically i gained 10 lbs from eating these things and I'm OK with it. Their cookies are so-so. Cupcakes are usually good, especially the red velvet and carrot, unless you get a stinky old one that tastes like dry, crumbly garbage. Cakes displayed in the window automatically pull you in (it's like some creepy gravitational pull they must have). What's really awesome is that you can be extremely productive (for real) next door in the wi-fi lounge. Every chair is pretty much filled and if you even THINK about talking gossip in there with your friends, you will automatically feel ashamed and lazy in comparison to the surrounding people on their laptops. Yep, this place is pretty dang cool. My recommendation combo: coffee. croissant. that paper you put off writing.
(4)Kira B.
Alliance is great! They use Intelligentsia for their coffee products and the pastries are always delicious. The lounge next door is comfortable and great for studying or doing work.
(4)Hzl M.
i was looking to get a cake for my brothers baby shower; we went to a couple of places, and we liked alliance. i called multiple (4) times, i wanted the 1/2 sheet, red velvet, w cheese cheese frosting. this is where i get upset, all the times i called, their was a different ppl so i had to say "1/2 sheet, red velvet, w cheese cheese frosting," they always quoted me $88, all 4 times; however, when i ordered the cake, the total was $105.... i asked to speak to the manager, they said he was busy. the difference between $88 & $105 is $$17, thats not a lot, but if they had told me either the 1st or 2nd time, it would have been fine. i still bought the cake, but i told them i was gng to on yelp. so i did.
(2)Gfiddy F.
I could not have been happier with everything from pistachio-pepperment and raspberry-rose macarons to a couple of the more unusual pastries, as well as the the beautiful and delicious cake. I used to think that I had to be so organic that I hand milled every grain of flour and bake everything at home when I provided eats for a party. I know this may sound ridiculous but I believed it - at any rate, thinking back on that unrealistic back-everything notion, I am above all relieved to stop by Alliance bakery instead. Also, very good quiche.
(5)Laura A.
I live across the street from this place. I managed to avoid it for several months, but now I go in once a week to treat myself to a red velvet cupcake. Actually, I lied... it's more like 2 red velvet cupcakes, 3 black and white cookies, and a croissant. I always take it to go and walk back across the street to my apartment so I can begin the self-loathing...
(4)Ellen R.
This was a stop along the cupcake crawl yesterday. I wasn't inspired to say the least. I had the red velvet cupcake. The cake part had absolutely no flavor, I know it's red velvet and it doesn't have any particular flavor that one can describe but come on! Why take in all those calories to have a piece of flavorless crap? No thanks. The frosting was blah and the red substance drizzled on top was putrid. It tasted like pure chemicals, you know like the fake strawberry sauce used at low-par ice cream shops? Yeah that kind. Oh and the wrapping was quite possibly the most annoying thing to try to take off before consuming your treat. The appearance of the pastries overall, is pleasing. Nothing spectacular but pleasing. It definitely had a cozy, comfy, old fashioned bakery feel to it. The cakes are absolutely gorgeous and I highly recommend it for a special occasion cake as they seem to have a wonderful grasp on the proper usage of fondant icing. Make sure to check out the pics on the walls as well as their cake book for options. The staff there was, by far, the friendliest of all the bakeries visited yesterday. They look like the typical crunchy, grungy bunch you will find working at most Wicker Park establishments but they were informative and helpful. And, dare I say it, they smiled at us when we first walked in (ok maybe that was my overly optimistic, delighted mind at work playing tricks on me). The other bone I have to pick is the cleanliness. It just wasn't up to my standards. I felt as though at any moment I could be sharing cupcake bliss with a friendly neighborhood roach. Not very appealing. It's definitely not the worst I've seen and it wasn't horrible but I would havepreferred it to be a bit more tidy. It wasn't a bad experience and if I have the occasion to order a cake this is the place I would go back to hands down. If you are just looking for a sweet I would say to skip it, get your calories somewhere else.
(2)B H.
I am sooo in LOVE with their cupcakes-esp. red velvet. Also the almond croissant is to die for. A great bakery that I am still trying to try new things each time I visit...and still haven't had everything or any complaints. Did I tell you I LOVE this place!? Please take me next time you go!
(5)Manda H.
for the time being I'm giving 2 stars, I do plan on coming back and trying a few new things. The cakes in the display window are amazing by the way. As for the food I tried, I purchased a cupcake and the chocolate flour-less cake. Both were an, Eh, in my book. I didn't feel that there was anything over and beyond what I could get at any other bakery. There were a few other sweets that I would like to try, including the usual sprinkled cookie's. Hopefully I will be able to change my rating experience on my next visit.
(2)xoxx C.
I got a birthday cake here and custom cookies for a couple friends birthday, the idea I had they nailed it. I tried a red velvet cupcake too and it was the best I've ever had from the chicagoland. Their tea is pretty good too. I would be a more frequent customer if it wasn't so far from me!
(4)Stacey P.
I liked my cupcake here from here, and tried a friends and also liked hers. I've only had cupcakes though, so can't speak for the other stuff. Both people in the store were nice and helpful. I'm super indecisive and they actually helped me to pick a cupcake in record time!
(4)Bonnie G.
While the hazelnut cupcake's best part was the chocolate frosting, the service here was great. They had so many options for coffee drinks, all available with soy, that is blew my mind...so I asked for decaf. How lame am I? I was walking out of the clean, well-lit bakery when I took a sip...and it wasn't very warm. The very bane of the decaf-drinkers existance. I know I know...what the FUCK is the point of drinking decaf? But I ...I love the taste of coffee but the caffiene makes me tweak out, and crash and burn horribly, resulting in a mug shot resembling NIck Nolte. ANYWAY. So I ask the sweet woman there if she can just nuke it or something (it was kind of chilly out there). And she said...she would just make a new pot. How cool is that? So I ended up smoking cigarettes outside, making conversation, nibbling on my yummy frosting and she even brought the cup out and got me soy milk to put in it. Now THAT is sweetness-even for a bakery!
(5)Jared H.
Good Coffee- but they need a door from the shop to the lounge .. in my humble opinion.
(4)Diana N.
I have a love-hate relationship with Alliance. I used to spend hours and hours using their free wireless and basically mainlining their house coffee. But I walk by Alliance everyday and feel a little resentful towards the place. I'm not one to support Starbucks (one and a half blocks east on Division) but frankly, if I'm stopping for coffee on my way to the Blue Line, I'm stopping at Starbucks. And to tell you the truth, I despise Starbucks' black coffee, but I can't take the risk with Alliance. 9 times out of 10 in the morning, it's going to take upwards of 6 minutes to get my coffee at Alliance, but I've waited more than 15 minutes for the baristas to get their acts together. While the cakes in the window and the pastries in the display cases are mouthwatering, they look better than they taste. And I'm the type of person that will take all manner of abuse from baristas, servers, or hostesses if the product is good. But their cupcakes are dry and crumbly, the croissants look delicious but are always half-burnt, and a medium coffee will run you $2.25, AND they make you wait for it. In addition, the tables in the "study" area are creaky and off-balance. When you're trying to type and every depression of the keys makes your table rock and the tattoo-ed philosophy student next to you glare menacingly, it kinda makes you resent Alliance and the world at large. But I still go there. Love-hate relationship, I told you.
(2)Kristina B.
If you love the smell of fresh bread and cookies baking, go here. If you love the TASTE of fresh bread and cookies even more, you REALLY need to go here. The smells are wonderful, and the tastes are even better. The people there are super friendly and almost always willing to accomodate your order. And get some cookies while you're there. They're DE-lish!
(4)Nash G.
Great coffee, great pastries. I may be a tad partial, since I used to live upstairs (my entire apartment would smell like baking bread by 4:30 in the morning), but if you're in or near the neighborhood, you should definitely give this place a shot.
(4)Nina G.
Charlie - I think what happened here is not unique to the bakery. Judging from other stories I've heard over the years, what happened was probably this: It was a slow night, the employees were anxious to go home, so they cashed out early. Serving another customer meant re-opening the cash box and working beyond closing time. I was guilty of doing this myself - once. The boss heard about it and politely but firmly explained that retail is a "customer service" business and the customer must be served if his/her body is on the premises any time before the official closing time. The four stars here are for the pastries and home-made caramel candies, which I find to be almost uniformly excellent. Too bad the Hot Cross Buns, sold before Easter, were either dry and hard, or already sold-out.
(4)Jourdan S.
see first review
(2)Peter L.
Tried a few things in the bakery and they were pretty decent. Key lime bar and turtle brownie. Just a warning -- the study hall next door is like super quiet. Kind of like a hipster library. Some people get things done when it's silent, but it drives me crazy. And then when one person gets a phone call, everyone in the place can hear the whole conversation. The people who work there are nice though.
(3)Deanna C.
I have procured 3 cakes from Alliance for other people's birthdays, wedding and baby showers. Each time, the guests (many of whom I didn't know personally) have come to me and asked me where the cake was from, and used the words "best cake I have ever had." I am more popular, have smoother skin, shinier hair and am thinner when I bring one of these cakes.
(4)Yaidi A.
I live off their Hummos & spinage dip. Their specials are incredibly cheap, and the fact they have free wi-fi? Heck, it's home for any compu-reading nerd. -Yaidi
(4)Melanie D.
Amazing, amazing, amazing croissants and coffee. I don't need to go to France if I can go here. Well, okay, I'm totally exaggerating--but the croissants are that good, it's hard to stop at just one.
(4)jame s.
If you think firm cake and stiff frosting is good, then this is your cupcake destination. The frosting on the red velvet cupcake was yummy cream cheesy and smooth, but the frosting on the vanilla cupcake was literally stiff. When I bit into it, the entire layer of frosting lifted off the cupcake. The red velvet cake was fairly moist and palatable and the vanilla cake wasn't all that memorable. Now, they do get points for colorful frosting, but my first criteria for frosting is creamy! As for price, I did not feel sticker shock.
(3)Kristina F.
I used to have the pleasure of walking past Alliance every morning on the way to work. Even on the very few days I didn't go in, it was fun to take a look at the beautiful cakes in the window (the Halloween display was great) and the selection of treats is broad and wonderful. The staff is friendly and will come to know you if you're a regular. It's always nice to be greated by a friendly acquaintance handing you a tasty treat in the morning. They also have a jar of free dog treats for your best furry friend. Highly recommend it! P.S. Sorry to the person who had a bad experience with the eggplant sandwich. It's actually one of my favorites and one I've purchased repeatedly. The peppered foccaccia is superb.
(5)Iris F.
I'm not going back, the lady was pretty snippy and it hasn't been the first time. The pastries are okay, I've had better. See ya.
(2)Theresa K.
Some of the best cupcakes I've tried in Chicago!
(5)Beth N.
We chose Alliance for our wedding cake because we wanted a small bakery in our neighborhood. Alliance really delivered! Our cake was beautiful and incredibly delicious. Our guests raved about both flavors--chocolate cake with vanilla pastry creme and white cake with raspberry filling. Our tasting was a wonderful experience, professional and delicious. Lindsey was very helpful in working with us to choose design options that suited our tastes and budget. I'm not an easy person to work with when it comes to design, but Lindsey accommodated my desires with the utmost professionalism. My bachelorette party cake was also from Alliance and was, in a word, amazing. If you need a cake for anything get your buns to Alliance.
(5)Rachel H.
I came into Alliance in search of a substitute for my beloved pumpkin cookie, star of a now defunct bakery in my hometown. The cookie here wasn't an exact match but it was worth the $2 I paid for it. The service was friendly, they have a ton of seasonal coffee drinks as well as caramel apple cider, and seriously if you can't wait til Christmas time for a gingerbread latte, you can get one here. Everything in here looks delicious. Mmm sugar.
(4)Coco C.
Cupcakes - subpar. They've always been dry as dust when I've gotten them (and I've tried them mutiple times). And not delicious-but-dry, just dry. Paczyki - deeeee-licious! Though I had them in 2006, and my sister just had them this year and said they were, what else, dry. I like the cakes they have in the window, though...
(3)Mika K.
I recently went to Alliance to order some cupcakes for my sisters birthday party. I went a couple days before hand because I was going to be out of town and made my order. I was very specific on what I wanted and the woman behind the counter was rather rude as I made my order, but I stayed polite and paid for my order making sure that it would be ready a few days later in order for the party. She assured me multiple times that they would be ready. So, the day of the pickup I got a phone call from my sister saying that they had no record of an order and she was not able to pick up the cupcakes for her birthday party. I would not have written a review if I thought it was a one time thing but right after this I heard a story of a cake being ordered and not delivered as it had been promised for an anniversary. I would not count on Alliance to cater any thing for a special occasion that is for sure!
(1)Corinna K.
I still love this place and I love the accommodating staff, but it's not vegan-friendly. I know that I shouldn't expect much from a bakery, but there's only one thing that's semi-vegan-friendly and it contains honey. I just like to go here for a coffee or tea and to use the lounge. This is one of the few coffee shops I've found in Chicago where people actually go to study or write.
(4)Clare K.
hint: don't make a red velvet cupcake if you apparently don't know what it is. it is NOT a white cupcake with lots of red food coloring and splotches of batter that missed being colored. gross. that being said--the chocolate with vanilla frosting was the best standard flavor. nice, substantial cupcakes and i like the wrappers they bake them in. the vanilla cake is a little dry though. the seasonal pumpkin cupcake was DIVINE. moist without being gummy/chewy like they sometimes can be. perfect cream cheese frosting. a definite winner.
(3)Meghan B.
love, love, love. go and get one of the amazing banana cupcakes... mmmm... it's filled with chocolate and has delicious frosting. i've had nearly all of their cupcakes, but that banana one sticks with me. so yummy. counter staff is helpful and nice :)
(5)Zach C.
I got a cheese danish and it was pretty good. I wouldn't say go out of your way to go there or call home about it but if you are in the area stop by. It is good for breakfast and their coffee is pretty awesome.
(3)Andrea C.
Just moved here from CA, and love sweets. The cakes looked beautiful, their presentation is awesome but actual taste and flavor not so great. My boyfriend is a huge cookie fan and had the oatmeal raisin, he said it tasted like the batter wasn't mixed completely. I tasted it, you could kind of taste the flour in one part and the butter in another. Not impressed. Had the lemon bar, which was equally as bland. Quite disappointed.
(2)Mister S.
Ha! Friends don't let friends buy Starbucks! The sticker on the cash register makes me keep coming back. I always get coffee here on my way to roam about Wicker Park to do Wicker Parkish things.
(4)Ji Hye K.
I walk by this bakery every morning on my way to work and it takes a lot, I mean A LOT, of will power not to stop by and pick something up. That's even after consuming close to 1000 calorie breakfast at home. But I gave into the allure of Alliance a few days ago - bought the 'everything' bagel with cream cheese. Yea, this bakery has awesome cake, pastries, little cookies full of joy and even surprisingly tasty 'harvest' salad. But the BAGEL. O. M. G. For once, I couldn't wait to get to work, sit down, spread the cream cheese all over the bagel and stuff it in my mouth. Seriously, every bite of that bagel, even when not toasted, was so amazingly good. Bready, hint of sweetness, soft yet tiny bit crunchy on the outside, with pungent garlic and onion bits, plus just the right amount of rock salt bits here and there. I say, there was a party in my mouth. I'm not sure if they make the bagels there. Regardless. Best bagel ever. I like Alliance a whole lot, but the only reason I give it 4, instead of 5, stars is that the sitting area could be brighter.
(4)Chayla B.
Good coffee, the danishes/pastries look good (I didn't have one, but they look good), the music was nice and low until just now (Red Hot Chili Peppers- ew and no thanks), uncomfortable bench, but nice lounge area. The internet is super slow, though. It is really cramping my style. I have a ton of work stuff to do, and this is slowing me down. Almost to the point of me leaving and finding another wifi location. Lame. You have to spend more than $5 to use your credit/debit. This is a horrible review, but this place has made me crabby.
(3)Natalie B.
The best cake in the city. This place is dangerous--you cannot have "just one bite".
(5)Poma Celeste T.
This sweet place with friendly workers is a great stop on your way in/out of the neighborhood, or a great place to chill and hang out alone or with friends. They have the cutest cookies (unafraid of ironic statements too) and other yummy desserts. They are above and beyond Starbucks for sure.
(4)Sarah B.
So tons of stars for the adorable old school sign out front and the outdoor seating area. Not so many stars for the cupcakes. I mean, what's with the trying to reinvent the actual paper cup that holds the cupcake? And I think the ratio of frosting to cake (a crucial factor when judging cupcakes) was off. Also had their spinach and feta and turkey and swiss croissants. All in all, not a bad place but nothing that I'll be dying to get back to.
(3)Briana J.
There was nothing about this place I liked.....which is odd because I love baked goods. However, both my strawberry/lemon cupcake and my double layer chocolate cherry bar were crap. They both did not taste fresh. Additionally, I had to seek out help...apparently standing in front of the cupcakes with my wallet out was not an indication that I was wanting to purchase something!
(1)Katie H.
Visiting Alliance in search of cupcakes feels like going to the Soup Nazi for some bisque. The product itself is amazing, however you have to deal with some rude employees in order to actually obtain what you want. I don't mind hipsters. Really I don't. It's just when they give you service with a heaping side of "fuck you, peasant, what are you doing in my shop?" attitude.... there's a problem. Like tonight I went in for a cuppitty-cake and the shop was empty. I took a minute to root through my bag (my purse was recently stolen so I currenly don't have a wallet and just chuck money into my bag) to try and figure out if I had enough cash or I was going to need to use my card. When I looked up, Potato-face Clerk is giving me the dirtiest of looks as if I'd just crapped on her clean floor. I wasn't holding up a line!! Jesus. Then I asked her as politely as possible if there was a minimum for cards and she held up five stubby fingers and shot me another look of disdain. This isn't the first time I've had to deal with a More-Indie-Than-Thou worker in this joint.... I'll keep coming back though because really... it's that good.
(4)Linda S.
Best bakery for birthday cakes in chicago. I've been to Lutz, Bittersweet, House of Fine Chocolates, Vanille, Sweet Thang, you name it, and nothing competes with the quality and prices at Alliance. Check out the photo of the cake I recently ordered! Absolutely beautiful! They also offer free wifi in next door with a purchase from the bakery. There's plenty of outlets and the connection is excellent. I must say that the furniture smells pretty musty here.
(5)Leticia L.
I have to admit I am addicted to sweets. I love Alliance. They have an awesome red velvet cupcake. They are one of those special bakeries that can come up with a dessert that is both elegant and delicious. Their pastries really melt in your mouth. I would like to go there more often, but parking is often difficult to find. :(
(4)Emily T.
Today I went to Alliance for the first time, and tried the "Chocolate Hazelnut Shooter." It was very tasty, and kind of expensive. A lot of the pastries are expensive, but then again, I'm a college student--everything is expensive to me! This place is great if you want to try something different, it's not your typical bakery. The cakes in the window are really cool. I liked the outdoor area seating, where I enjoyed my shooter and the view of Division Street.
(4)K M.
I wrote a scathing review about the cookies and cupcakes at Alliance. Then they changed hands in ownership. Then they did it again. I would say I owe them another try. I'm planning a fundraiser in the neighborhood and called the bakery for a donation and spoke with the new owner - and they happily offered up cookies for our event. Maybe it's a new recipe, maybe it isn't - but I have a new found interest and spot in my heart for Alliance.
(5)Robyn S.
This bakery in our neighbohood has fantastic lattes and even better blueberry scones - huge compared to other local bake shops, with lots of powdered sugar. Our dog loves the homemade treats, but then again, she doesn't have the most discriminating palette. Wifi in their attached cafe can be slow at times, but it's a quiet cozy corner. This is a regular stop on the Sunday-morning circuit.
(4)Eliza M.
Excellent coffee. This place also gets a lot of little things right about how to be a good coffee house - the music is the right volume, the staff are the right balance of helpful and laid-back, and the wi-fi works all the time. Can't speak for the baked goods.
(5)Jenny A.
Hands down the best bakery in Chicago! I love them. I'm a wholesale customer and re-sell their treats for catering and in my cafe. I can't tell you how wonderful these people are. I have had several occasions where I needed something last minute or I totally forgot to place an order and Peter or Mitchell always hook me up. Always. Their pastries and cakes are divine and my customers always ask where we buy them. I've never had a bad experience with them and will continue to use them as a supplier. Thanks Alliance, you're the absolute best.
(5)Stephanie T.
This place is like Cheers.
(5)Leigh K.
I was putting together a list of places in my hood and somehow I never reviewed Alliance? It tends to be out of convenience rather than craving that I go here, but I do end up here once or twice a month. I've had a couple of the fun-sounding lattes and they were alright, but I really enjoy their hazelnut chocolate cupcake. Not my favorite in the hood though.
(3)Sarah F.
With a chill environment and helpful staff, this place gets some brownie points in my book for sure. The deserts are heavenly, so I haven't made it around to trying some of their food items, such as hummus and red pepper dip.
(5)Melissa B.
We stopped for cupcakes after paying a ton of money to get our car fixed. We were looking for a pick me up in the form of cake. I had the red velvet. It was good. The bf had the carrot cake. It was meh. Its missing something in my opinion, nuts and stuff. We actually split them, each eating half. I would get the red velvet again and skip the carrot. The icing was good on both, nice and rich but not to sugary.
(3)Tiff B.
This place is overrated. Their cupcakes aren't all that great. In fact, they're about as good as any cupcake you can buy from a grcoery store bakery. And the service is marginal at best. The people behind the counter stood there and talked to their friends (who were blocking the display cases and just being annoying in general) while a line of customer formed. Skip this place. There are so many other great bakeries in the city. I didn't try their coffee though it supposedly pretty good.
(2)heather w.
you people are kidding, right? this place sucks! my brownie was flavorless and like a brick, the lovely looking and enticing-sounding layered dessert was bland and had the texture of phlegm, AND the coffee sucked. to make matters worse, it all LOOKED fabulous, so i was double disappointed when it tasted bad.
(1)Stella S.
After hearing all about those stupid red velvet cupcakes I was obsessed and had to have one. So I made my hubby drive up there tonight with me, I bought 2 of them, and also a carrot cake cupcake and a lemon bar. So far I've only tried the one red velvet cupcake, and it was great! The cream cheese frosting is divine! I don't know about the rest of the stuff in the box, but I'm sure it will be great!!
(4)Melanie E.
this place is one of my favorite coffeeshops in chicago. the atmosphere is laid back, the food is yummy, and there is free wireless internet. also, most of the people who work there are really nice. they offer special drinks for the seasons. the best is the mint mocha, and the apple cider in winter. for summer they will have a lovely mint iced tea. i lalso love the spritz cookies and the cranberry walnut bar. one con is that this place can get cold if you are sitting there for awhile in the winter. but it's great to sit outside on the patio in the summer. i definitely recommend hanging out here!
(5)Sara G.
Well I've only been here once, while on a visit to Chicago, so I can't give a comprehensive review. But my red velvet cupcake with cream cheese frosting and a cup of hot chai (no milk) was lovely. The cupcake was moist and flavorful and the frosting was tasty, not cloying or greasy. My companion's lemon bar was rich and crumbly and buttery, which is just how it should be. It didn't hurt that it was a warm, sunny day and we sat outside (unlike most of my other Chicago visits, which have had uniformly abysmal weather). But the room next door seemed like a nice space to sit and read and drink your coffee, as well. A special note has to be made of the fabulous decorated cakes in the window. They had cakes that looked like designer handbags, lovely wedding cakes with trees and vines on them, and a hamburger cake. Does anyone else remember when hamburger cakes were kind of trendy in the mid 80s for a while? Around the same time as those "Where's the Beef?" commercials? Am I dating myself? damn... Anyway, I loved my cupcake.
(4)N Y.
I used to go here alot for baked goods on my way to work. but sometimes they didnt have any rasberry coffee cake so only four stars. when they do have it though, its AWSOME
(4)Suzanne C.
I l-o-v-e!! this bakery...eat me , says the cranberry bar cake thing and so I did and Ill do it again! The coffee is fantastic, anyway you like it cuz I just about tried them all and hey..did you know they even have a coffee club? buy so many and get one free cards are available right on the counter :) yeah! and while you are there... you HAVE to have one of "my sisters caramels" which are in a basket or jar at the counter...dont miss those. absolutely sugary yummy caramel from an absolute caramel lover! ENJOY! and dont forget to bring your pooch...they have bags of doggie home baked doggie treats too! yeah!
(5)bill s.
I just went here with my fiance for the first time the other day and even though I only had an Iced Decaf Coffee.. Americano or something like that.. I definitely had a good first impression of the place. I am not the biggest fan of sitting outdoors at cafes ,but my fiance is so we sat outside, because she always wins and it was pretty comfortable out there. The chairs weren't painful or wobbly, the tables aren't too close to one another, and their garbage wasn't inside the seating area. Of course the garbage wasn't out there at all but that probably won't bother most people.. I'm just lazy. When we were done, we went back in so i could get another for the road... actually for the sidewalk, because we walked along the block shopping for awhile. (You can see my opinions of those places on my page also.) Then, we stopped into another part of the place to use the restroom. I was completely unaware that this side existed. I thought they only had an outside place to sit because this part's separate from the part where you buy stuff. Anyways, this side looked really cozy and ideal if you wanted to just relax and read something or surf the web on a mobile device, or write screenplays.
(5)Rachelle T.
I think this place is completely overrated. Everyone raves about their cupcakes and honestly I think they were crap. I would give them one star but I don't think it's fair to base an entire 'bakery' off of some cupcakes so I'll be generous and give them two. First off this place is a rip-off. Over $2 for a small cupcake is redic, or it better taste heavenly. They did not. I tried the red velvet and another hazelnut one and both were dry and somewhat tasteless. I didn't even finish either of them b/c it felt like a waste of calories. Don't belive the hype and if you want a bakery with truly great cupcakes try Sensational Bites on Southport - $1.30-2.00 a cupcake and they are sooooo yummy!
(2)wayne s.
Mmmmmm, pastries. Seems they have a lot to choose from. Didn't have any coffee though. I did see a Bushmill's whiskey cake on the wall, these people have skillz! They did have a sidewalk patio avenue, i didn't use it due to the sprinkling skies.
(4)Malcolm K.
Study hall plus free wi-fi, pastries and coffee. What's not to like?
(5)MP B.
5 stars on carrot cake cupcake alone. Red velvet is delicious, most and sweet too. Friendly haircutsters behind the counter slinging pastries and Intelligentsia. Adorable space. God Bless and Keep The Alliance!
(5)emily h.
mmm...red velvet cupcakes... staff could use a lesson in customer service, but that seems pretty common all over the "customer service" industry.
(4)Aileen O.
Went here on a mini cupcake crawl. The shop looks very mom & pop, which I really liked. It made the goodies look even more homemade and yummy. I tried the red velvet cupcake, which was huge! Unfortunately I found the cupcake too dense and not sweet enough for my liking. It was still very good, but not the best I've tried. I'd like to go back and try some of their other goodies, especially their cakes.
(4)elizabeth n.
I tried Alliance Bakery for the first time last night at the Yelp Party and was so impressed with their cupcakes! FIrst of all the cupcakes are huge and so delicious! The red velvet were wonderful but the carrot cake cupcakes were my favorite! I can't wait to go to the bakery and try more of their delicious items!
(5)paulina B.
great comfy chairs, it can be a hassle to park yourself on a busy sunday afternoon great mochas! great window for people watching and working!
(4)Derek S.
i spent most of this month working from home because i was sick of commuting downtown. every morning i'd get my tired ass over to alliance and get a coffee or a cafe au lait, sometimes adorned with a stuffed croissant (turkey and swiss, maybe ham and cheddar). i'd sit outside logged onto the net doing worky-shmirky stuff (or calling my assistant and making her handle everything) and enjoy some sun and scratching the scruff of some local puppy. staring across the street at starbucks, thinking it looked like the new soldier field (is that an alien ship or a starbucks?)...revelling in the intelligensia. the place is a killer mix of coffee-shop and bakery. i feel like i might meet my future girl here.
(5)Lisa S.
This is honestly the best bakery I have come across yet. The outside of the bakery decieves you into thinking it may just be a hole in the wall, but once you come in, you are amazed at all the amazing looking cakes and pastries that are visible. The cakes resemble the kind of cakes that are found on the show, "cake boss." The pastries are unbelievable too as you just dont know which to choose, they all look amazing!!! I am currently on a mission to try each and every one, and so far I have no complaints, they each taste as good as they look! YOU MUST TRY THIS PLACE!!
(5)Frank W.
Friendly, lots of great baked goods at a cheap price. Not everything is out of this world amazing I'll admit, but the price, friendliness, and overall quality are great. Coffecakes (you can buy halves, which is nice) are very good as is the marzipan-frosted carrot cake which I once had for my birthday, and was maybe my favorite birthday cake ever.
(5)Sunil A.
Great local coffee shop and bakery. Plenty of seating indoors and outside with free Internet. Great place to grab some coffee and get some work done. Some of the tables need repair or changed out and more working plugs. Baked goods are good but not they best ever. Awesome cake designs.
(4)April A.
In my opinion this place is over hyped. The baked goods and coffee are good if you are taking them to go. If on the other hand you want to sit with a friend and have a conversation it is not the place to go. I have stopped in a few times and its always the same scenario, dead silent and the patrons seem pissed if you speak. Is this a coffee shop or a library? I give them 3 points on the service and products but can't do more than that based on the atmosphere.
(3)Leang E.
I was supposed to be on my way to a friend's house to watch the Sunday night football game, and saw that the bakery was opened. This really surprised me for some reason, and reminded me that I had to get a birthday cake for my boss. So, I took a chance to see what the earliest date was that I could get a cake made. My boss loves key lime pie, and the bakery had this filling - so it was perfect. They also gave it a fish theme, since my boss likes to go fishing and just came back from a trip. They decorated it in a lovely light blue shade for the water and had green seaweeds frosting on the sides of the cake and a bright orange fish. It was beautiful, and tasted great too! It only took like a day and a half for them to make. I feel sorry for the staff because they are so busy, but I can certainly understand why - they make delicious stuff! The lady that helped me was very nice and accommodating. I was so tempted to buy other things here - the danishes and cupcakes. If you easily give in to temptation, you best stay away from this place. The cake was reasonably priced for the work that they did. Everyone at work liked the cake, too! I'll definitely be back here to try the other items. They have a nice outdoors seating area. Families come in here, as well as the snobby types who rudely interrupt you while you are getting helped on. It's dog friendly and there's free wireless.
(5)Erin B.
Wow, I was a red velvet cake virgin until last night. I was so glad I conjured up the courage to try something new, and I was so happy I did. YUMMY! Their little mousse tarts were phenomenal too! Highly recommended!
(5)Bianca J.
Best red velvet cupcakes in the city. I have no idea if the other stuff is good because that's the only thing I ever order!
(4)Skylar C.
I had a cake made at this bakery for a special occasion and it was absolutely beautiful! It was also very delicious as well. I did try some of the pastries when I went to pick up the cake and I think I"ll have to go back very soon to try some more. It's also great to know from the reviews that they have free wireless.
(5)Trish C.
Customer service? what happened guys? The staff is incredibly rude and uninterested (with the exception of one or two people), but the coffee is very good and the cupcakes are top notch. They also have a great lounge next door with free internet and is usually quiet and good for getting work done.
(3)Trish B.
Alliance sees me every weekend for a bagel and coffee...or when I'm off of work, or it's a holiday and I need a special occasion cookie or cupcake. Working from home always turned into working at Alliance. A great addition to the UK Village that I hope never leaves, because I can't as long as it is there.
(5)Natalie S.
One of the top 5 cupcakes of my life. Also, the black and white cookie. Live out all of your Seinfeld fantasies without actually having to be a self-centered asshole.
(5)J K.
Agreed that not all the baked goods are top-notch, and the separate room thing has always struck me as odd, but I was there last week and the coconut macaroon bar is to die for.
(4)susana e.
I've never been disappointed here. I bought a chocolate cheesecake a couple of weeks ago for my sister's birthday. It was heavenly. It was rich. Definitely didn't taste like those refrigerated cream cheese types. The consistency was more like a very dense mousse. My sister is a cheesecake connoisseur and she LOVED it. I tend to buy cupcakes here and they are always moist and fresh. I love the options in flavors and also, they look more like 'mini cakes' instead of the typical muffin (although they also have those). My favorite thing to get here (next to their olive baguette - soooo fresh!) are the cookies. They are fresh and delicious sugar cookies with stuff like "you suck" or "loser" written in frosting on them. I get them for my co-workers sometimes. They recently had some halloween cookies, and once even a Stewie Griffin (from Family Guy) cookie! They have a place to sit and relax next door, and in the summer, you can sit @ their sidewalk patio and watch yuppies walk their dogs who take craps right in front of you. By the way, they sell doggie treats in the shape of bones. I kinda want to try one :-o The staff is nice. Prices are reasonable. Their eggplant sandwich is one of my favorites. It's big and has hummus too. I'm not crazy about their other sandwiches, but their quiche looks quite good.
(5)Ilina K.
Free internet and decent coffee, the baristas can be funny to interact with but are pretty useless when it comes to fast and efficient service. That's why I shamelessly go to Starbucks across the street when I'm not looking to make a night of it with my laptop. Filter-type crowd, but much quieter as people are actually working. They have cutesy elaborate cake window displays and a fantastic pastry selection. Everything I've eaten there that wasn't sweet was stale or just blah.
(3)Jen T.
I can't say enough good things about their cakes!
(5)Kevin M.
I randomly wandered in here one day to see what the crowd was all about. I'm usually not a big sweets guy, but this place really did it for me. Great cupcake (i believe it was the hazelnut). I keep meaning to go back here so hopefully I"ll get there soon.
(5)Trent M.
Alliance is my bakery of choice in Chicago for a quick sweet snack or ready-made cakes. The carrot cake and Red Velvet are unmatched, the croissants are unbelievable, and their other assorted cookies and treats have never treated me wrong. Their fondant artist is STELLAR, the custom cakes are beautiful, classic yet modern... anyone needing a wedding cake in Chicago should give these guys a shot. Intelligensia coffee and free wifi are also added bonuses.
(5)N Y.
good coffee and scones socially awkward staff
(2)Bright N.
I went to Alliance Bakery today around 4:00 pm. The wonderful cakes in the window make you want to go in. There were two counters with one person ordering at each one. So we waited behind one of those people thinking that we would be next. While waiting a few other people came in. They waited on one other person at "the other" counter and TWO other people at the counter where we were standing waiting to order. There were at least three employees behind the counters waiting on people. They would have taken another customer before us as well if we hadn't finally said something. I know, we should have said something immediately but we try to be nice, it happens so fast and then you figure ok well no big deal we will be next...however, that did not happen in this case. (We were standing right up at the counter looking at the employees. In case you are thinking maybe we were off to the side or doing something else. We were right in front of them ready to order!) There was a strange feeling inside of Alliance Bakery. If they had taken our order right away we would have ordered more. So we ordered 4 cupcakes : 1 (unfilled) Red Velvet, 1 Carrot Cake, 1 German Chocolate, 1 Banana. Three out of four of these small cupcakes were dry and didn't taste like much. If your stock is old then you put it in a day old bin and sell it half price or you remove it from the case and do not serve it. They were so bad we could not believe it. The red velvet was not bad. It was fresher. It was not great though. What a waste of our money and time! We have been plenty of places where people act like they are the greatest thing ever. The difference is that they take a customer's order promptly....and they actually have a reason to act that way...they serve good tasting quality food. We have also been places that will not serve you something if it is not fresh. They do not want you to get a poor impression of the quality of their items. I respect that. We often give places a second or third chance. Alliance will not be getting a second or third chance to take our money. My recommendation - don't waste your time or money here. There are good places within walking distance.
(1)Julia C.
I'm not sure how anyone could refer to Alliance Bakery as horrible. I havent tried their cookies, but the cakes and cupcakes are some of the best I've found in Chicago. I can't even walk by this bakery anymore because I can't help but buy 5 cupcakes!
(5)andy b.
Place is small and crouded. Yet the food and coffee are AWESOME. Not a good place to hang out... but if you want to drive by jump out of the car and get a great treat, this is your stop.
(4)Emma L.
They make the most amazing cakes ever! I've never actually been in the store, but I've been to a few parties with an Alliance Cake. Beautiful and they taste amazing!
(5)Melissa C.
Great pastries! Check 'em out!
(4)Michelle W.
This place has amazing sweets, definitely good enough to put a wrench any diet. The designs and decorations of Alliance can even make you look as you are driving by. Kudos to them for having an outdoor patio in the summer months. One of the things that makes Chicago and Wicker Park very cool!
(4)Melanie B.
alliance has amazing croissants. if i wanted to get fat, i would eat them all the time. as it is, once a week is prolly too much -- but still. they're very, very good. try the chocolate! or the raspberry... we stumbled upon alliance one day and ended up getting a carrot cheesecake bar. hello. amazing. we couldn't stop oooing and ahhhing. the only thing i wish could change about alliance is their customer service. i've seen them be extremely friendly with regulars -- but my gf and i have been in at least a dozen times in the recent past and they still hardly look at us during our transaction. the last time, they began to help another customer before they'd even given us our change. is this a trend with bakers? still, i'll never stop being french and loving croissants, and all i know is alliance has done 'em right.
(4)Rebekah K.
Good coffee, but not great. I have only had savory here, so I may be skewed... but they microwave their quiche into a rubbery mess, and their bread is scratch your throat dry or worthlessly soggy, their wrapped sandwiches are very displeasing and expensive. The staff was not specifically ruuuuude but kind of snotty and impatient, and charging for refills at the price they charge for a cup? Ok, it's $.50, but still! I seem to be the worst review on here, so if you like the sweet stuff this place seems to be where it is at.. As for the free wifi, Filter and some Starbucks still charge, but there is a ton of free Wifi all over the city now; Even laundromats have it!
(2)Oona B.
despite the yippies (yippies + hippies), typing on their ibook, listening to their ipods and jibbering on their iphones, this cafe is a nice place to get coffee, bite into sweet treats and surf on free wi-fi.
(5)Rob L.
I've been here a few times, including the cupcake crawl of '07. (Strange I thought I had written a review at the time) I've had their sandwiches, cupcakes and brownies. The actual bakery seems a little cramped, but come warmer weather there is more than ample space outside and their loungey coffee shop atmosphere room next door. The sandwich I got was a very tasty tomato, pesto and fresh mozzarella on a wonderful crusty bread. The bread was great, the mozzarella was tasty and the rest was good. The cupcakes I thought were good, but a little too much for me. When I think of a cupcake I think of a little cake that I can eat in three or five bites, here they are a little dense, much more like a small cake, (yes, I know that cupcakes were originally meant to be tester cake portions...), but a little overwhelming. Their brownies are ok, not great, but ok. The service can be okay too, I've had really great service, but also slow service with a meh kinda attitude. A little out of my way, but I don't mind stopping by here when in the area.
(4)cathy a.
i have ordered two cakes from alliance - one for a wedding shower (almond cake with vanilla buttercream frosting...amazing!) and the other for my son's first birthday (chocolate with a hazelnut/praline mousse). both were outstanding - moist, delicious, reasonably priced, and beautifully decorated. the decoration on my son's birthday cake was fantastic (they replicated his invitation motif perfectly!) - we (and our guests) were incredibly impressed. honorary mention to their stock Niagara Falls cake, which is also a favorite in our house! thanks again, alliance!
(5)Emily S.
Got my wedding cake (carrot cake) from Alliance. It was beautiful and guests really liked it. It was a little pricey, but the cake came out just as I wanted it. I would recommend if you are looking for a wedding cake.
(5)Jackie S.
Was once my favorite bakery in my once favorite neighborhood. Still has good Intelligentsia coffee, but the pastries are dry.
(3)Sony L.
gorgeous display cakes, even more scrumptious desserts (personally tried the keylime bars, choco cookie, carrot cupcake, and bread pudding) with good portions, and of course free wifi with functional electrical outlets to work/study! good studying place as room on the side usually quiet. what more can i ask for? oh yeah, and their coffee is good. only weird part is that their room for people to hang out is COMPLETELY separate from where they sell their goodies... maybe consider putting a door in the wall to connect the two??
(5)Kelli T.
alliance is my stop most mornings. the thought of that intelligentsia espresso is what drags me out of bed. i'm a fan of straight up espresso over ice with some half and half thrown in (to widen the waitline). but now that it's cold weather i need to find a new drink of the day. most of the people behind the bar recognize me at this point...and are even offering suggestions for my new warm drink of choice for the bitter mornings. i like their suggestions. maybe i'll just mix it up all winter. i like the attention.
(5)Lee P.
What can I say. If you haven't tried this place yet, DO IT. They make you feel at home.
(4)Finger S.
The baked goods and coffee are great, however if your going there for the internet, you'd better bring a book or a newspaper because it is so slow, you'd be better off going across the street to blend.
(3)Tracy M.
Absolutely delicious! I could eat those fruit tarts all day long and I was actually just thinking I may have them cater a holiday party for me so I can enjoy the leftovers! They also make some really creative, not to mention delicious, cakes.
(5)Michelle C.
This is newly my favorite place to spend cafe time. The baked goods are delicous - not overly sweet, wholesome-tasting and elegant, but the real stand-out is the space! Seating is in a different storefront than the bakery/cafe counter, so it's freaking QUIET and wonderful! Comfortable enough seating, well-lit, patronized by considerate (and generally not bad-looking 20 - 40 year olds... like a library but you can have your cake and eat it too! Free wireless...
(4)Chicago 1.
I wanted to like them more. Really, really wanted to like them as I am not used to dropping close to $200 on a birthday cake for 20 people. I asked for a cake with a man in a boat and emailed them a picture of the boat, mentioned in the phone conversation that the boat was white and green. Did not send them a picture of my husband (actually didn't think of it), so the appearance of the boat was really the only tie to it being my husband driving the boat. And they got the colors wrong. So it looked nothing like the boat I sent a picture of. They did try and rectify it, but at that point they could only add another stripe of the color everything was supposed to be. No one got the joke. The cake was huge, but pretty much everyone took one bite and left the rest to be thrown out. The remainder is in my freezer and even my kids are not asking for it. sigh. I really wanted to like this place. I really wanted to feel justified in buying a cake 10x the price of one at Dominick's . But no dice. The macaroons are tasty, but not worth the trip from the 'burbs.
(2)Michael P.
living near by i frequent alliance for the cupcakes for sure - where else can you get red velvet cupcakes and they are awesome - they have wonderful baked goods and their larger cakes are out of this world - in the morning i USED to like stopping by for all the hotties on the way to work - but the negative snarky attitude of the staff is a major put off - well now is a great time to start my carb free diet -and now there is sweet cakes and i just found Bleeding Heart YUM
(2)Tisha W.
There are so many good things to say about Alliance: free wi-fi, plenty of space, cool clientele, lots of light, an outdoor seating area in the summer, and it tends to be really quiet (partially because cellphones don't seem to work in the building). My experience with their food has been a little hit or miss. The cranberry bar is out of this world, as are the cupcakes, but I wouldn't recommend the lemon bar. The cookies are generally rock hard, they always seem to have 10 different kinds of sugar cookies, and a friend once had a very unfortunate experience with an eggplant sandwich. Overall though, Alliance is great and one of my favorite places in the city.
(5)Nancy T.
Alliance created the most wonderful 40 cupcakes for my baby shower. My favorite was the red velvet, but the vanilla, chocolate and carrot cake were also amazing. This is a great place to cater your dessert bar or to stop in for a quick bite. They have great teas for enjoying in their too-cool sidewalk area.
(4)k s.
I wish I had an occassion to order a cake. They do look amazing. I like the baked goods straight from the display case. The quiche is even tasty. I haven't tried out the new annex next door, but, maybe, maybe, if my treats make if next door...
(5)One T.
This is one of my favorite summer spots. Get some iced coffee, a good book and a seat out in the patio. Nice and relaxing and makes you feel pleasantly alone in a big city . **Add this part on 12.27.07 Of late I've been getting friend's birthday cakes there, which have always been a huge splash at their parties. They're a bit pricey but well worth it, in every way. Normally when my friends have birthday parties no one really eats the cake, but every time I bring an Alliance cake they get eaten within a half hour. Also, their cupcakes are great. My fiancee and I always stop in here to grab treats and coffee when we visit my friend who lives a block away and they love it! so, yeah, I dig the place and you should definitely check it out.
(5)Kurt O.
Alliance is a great spot to sit and sip an Inteligencia brew on a Saturday morning and watch the world go by. The cakes are excellent. The cupcakes are even better -- like best in the city (forget that 'cupcake' place in Lakeview). My wife raves about the apple turnovers, though I find some of their pastries to be a bit tough, like they don't use enough butter, at least compared to some of the old school bakeries in the city where you need a lesson in Polish before you order and a cholesterol test before you leave. (See Weber's bakery on Archer).
(4)Max E.
I have ordered my niece's birthday cake from here every year (going on 3 years now - she'll be 4) and they've been fabulous! For her 2nd birthday, the theme was a luau and they created standing palm trees, etc. It wowed everyone! Last year was the ballerina cake and this year...dinosaurs. (Can't wait to see what they'll do!) The cakes are as delicious as they are creative.
(5)Patrick F.
For sugarhounds, a nice selection of cookies, cupcakes (so good!), brownies, and other pastries awaits at alliance. They also offer fresh breads, coffee drinks, and sandwiches. The next door seating area has free wireless internet, so you can enjoy some goodies while being productive. I have also had the pleasure of enjoying an Alliance prepared birthday cake (red velvet with fresh rasberry filling) and it was fantastic!
(5)Nicole S.
My nail tech just moved to a salon down the street from Alliance so I came across the place by accident (pulling up to park at the MUTHAFRIGGIN HIGH @$$ Parking Meter). So anyway..... as I walked by I noticed all the cutesy pastries in the window. On my way out since I still had 5 minutes on the meter so I went inside to grab something. Everything "looked" good. I decided to try the cupcakes in three different flavors. First of all the cupcakes are way overpriced. I don't care how cute they are. Give me a an ugly cupcake at a reasonable price. I got one chocoloate/chocolate, one red velvet, and one carrot cake. The chocoloate was super dry. I actually had to stop and get something to drink. The red velvet was good especially the frosting. However, I'm not sure how the carrot cake was because when I went to eat it the next morning with coffee it was super dry and the frosty was rubbery. This pissed me off. They should package them to last at least a day. They should also lower their prices or at least offer a package deal like 3 for 5 or something like that. 2.75 is WAY TOO MUCH. We are talking about flour, eggs, sugar......... I've had better cupcakes from Dominicks.
(2)Brandon T.
This place is not too shabby. It's not that bad. If there was a 4.5, I'd give it to them, but there isn't. They can still make improvements. Well, the coffee there is not bad, although I prefer coffee from Atomix and the Barista Coffeehouse place. Now, this spot has some nice cakes. The thing that hits me is the cakes. The cakes are really good. Everything else I really haven't tried, and I can't say I recommend it, except for the cookies. The cookies are pretty good. Now, this is an independant business, so give them credit. Of course they can improve on a few things, but I think it's a decent place. The only thing they can use is some more space, maybe nicer staff, and to experiment on some of their "goodies" in order to get the best flavor and texture. I recommend it for the cake, and cookies. Everything else, you are on your own. Not a bad spot at all. Oh, did I mention, Free Wi-Fi? P.S. Don't bring your desktop. ;)
(4)robert q.
Alliance is a bakery that doubles as a decent coffee shop. The coffee shop part is a bit strange, because it's not attached to the bakery part. I don't know why they couldn't figure out a way to put a hallway connecting the two, but all right. You buy your coffee and walk down two doors to the 'Alliance lounge', a living room full of a mixture of vintage furniture, cafeteria tables, and absolutely dead silent people with their faces buried in laptops. There's a serious "college library on finals week" vibe to the place, which can be great if you're like me and you go to coffee shops to escape the numerous distractions in your apartment. Also, the 'lounge' is curiously lacking in outlets, considering how many students hang out here, and some are even dead. You guys couldn't spring for an electrician? The coffee was decent, but nothing to write home about. I also got an overpriced albeit delicious croissant. I'll be back.
(3)Laila K.
we checked out Alliance on Sunday for the Yelp knitting event. since my birthday is coming up, we've been on a search for a place that has beautiful AND tasty cakes (it seems the two ideas can't be found together without spending tons of money). Alliance blew us away. We tried the pumpkin cupcake, which was moist and tasty, like a lovely pumpkin bread with yummy cream cheese frosting. the vanilla actually tasted like vanilla, with again a perfect texture. the red velvet is close to perfect deliciousness with a subtly fruity flavored and cream cheese frosting. But the BEST is the hazelut cupcake, now i'm not a huge fan of chocolate frosting (I prefer my chocolate in the more dense truffle or bar form) but this fudgy frosting was great, rich and deep not overly sweet. The hazelnut cupcake has this great aroma and rich flavor that pairs well with the chocolate (I could also see it pairing well with a cherry or berry preserve filling if being used for a cake). Despite the fact that there was a line out the door, the employees spent time with us discussing options for custom cakes, good combinations, their most popular selections, etc. turn around for custom cakes is quick, service is great, designs are beautiful and innovative, and best of all the taste is hands down the best! what more could you want
(5)K J.
Dangeriously delicious cookies.
(4)yvette n.
this place is terrible. I have received some old sandwiches, cakes, and cookies. The cookies are pretty but tasted horrible! one time my server couldn't even get the change right, totally off. They do have good cupcakes though. However, I would rather go to milk and honey up the street.
(2)Lynnette T.
the macarons are really not good. i don't think they even use almond flour. i will say, though, that the buttercream in the chocolate one was really good. but after spending $20 on those cookies, you would think more than just the buttercream would be good. this was the first time i've been here - passed by during do division - and it was really really busy, so it must be good. i'd give it another go - all these positive reviews can't be wrong. i just know i won't be trying the macarons again.
(2)Zachary A.
good coffee, awesome pretty pastries... the cakes are beautiful. tv cakes. free wifi is a rarity and a BIG plus in this city. the seating next door makes me feel at home... it really feels like they ripped this place out of the faubourg-marigny. kudos, alliance. kudos.
(5)daniel t.
why oh why does your internet go out all the time? great cupcakes
(2)Christine F.
We got our 4-tiered wedding cake from Alliance and it was perfect! I had a vague idea of what I wanted it to look like, and Jennifer gave us a rough sketch that captured my vision. As our wedding neared, she added some additional detail as we finalized the design. The best part: the cake was DEEELICIOUS!!!!!! I love cake, so the taste and moistness of the cake was really important to me, particularly because this was the only dessert we had at the wedding. But it was perfect. The caterer couldn't cut the cake fast enough. The amount of cake was perfect as well - we only had a small portion leftover. I will go back to Alliance for any cake that we need in the future! YUM!
(5)Nancy T.
The only reason I won't give Alliance 5 stars is because I learned that their cakes that are already made and ready to be picked up are not as delicious as their special order cakes. I purchased a chocolate cake that was ready to go same day and it was just ok. But that same day I placed an order for a small red velvet cake to pick up a week later and it was fantastic! My mother, so picky when it comes to cakes, loved it!!! We all did! It is a little pricey, but the great taste is worth it! The staff is very friendly & helpful, too!
(4)Angela P.
Beep beep! Alliance Bakery, last stop on my Fat Tuesday paczki crawl. This bakery is much smaller than others I stopped at for paczki, and waiting behind three people is hardly what I would call a line. I placed a pre-order anyway (you have to phone it in) for a Raspberry Rose and a Blueberry Lemon paczki. The variety of flavors is lacking, but those two flavors stood out to me. The standard custard and apple are also available. The Raspberry Rose on its own makes Alliance worth a stop. There was tons of tart, raspberry filling, with a light rose flavor that wasn't too perfumey or overwhelming, but certainly exotic enough to make the trip. I'm not lying when I say I'll probably order a dozen or so from Central Continental, but I'll stop at Alliance (kind of, but not really, on the way home) just for one or two Raspberry Rose. The dough is a little more dry than other bakeries, and I didn't like the blueberry lemon at all. The blueberry filling lacked any sweetness. What drew me to Alliance also is that they sell macarons. I figured that in the late morning, on Fat Tuesday, nobody's thinking about macarons. But I was really disappointed when the two I wanted (balsamic fig and rose) were sold out. They still had eight other flavors for $1.75/each, and they sell pre-packaged ones for $20. Next time I'm in Wicker Park I'll stop by for the macarons. There's also a lot of great shopping in the area, so it's totally worth adding Alliance as a destination.
(4)emily h.
The best bakery for wedding cake and favors! Nora at Alliance was so helpful and easy to work with when selecting our wedding cake and wedding favors. My husband and I aren't big cake people so we wanted a smaller cake for the "cutting the cake moment" at our reception. We weren't planning on cutting or serving it, only for the moment for my husband and I. Nora was super receptive to this idea and made us a 10 in, beautiful white and gold cake, exactly what we wanted. She was open to me sending her a picture of the design and colors that i wanted, and made the cake exactly to what we pictured! We were able to take our cake home, eat half and freeze the other half! Not only did it look beautiful, it tastes amazing! even a week later, the cake is still moist and yummy! Where Nora and staff at alliance were so helpful was with our favors. We chose to give our guests each a french macaroon, one purple and one white. My mom made the boxes that each cookie was to be presented in, and alliance was more than happy to work with us in putting each cookie in the box we provided. This was a huge cost savings to us and looked so good! Everyone was eating and loving the favors as they left the wedding reception! We live very close to Alliance and often go for coffee or treats, but now we know they are truly the best for cakes and macaroons!!! I would highly recommend working with alliance for any baked needs you have, not to mention, they delivered the cake and cookies to our venue!
(5)Lindsay p.
Ordered a cake online, received an email with the pricing asking me to confirm. I did, and got another email asking me to call with a credit card number to reserve. I did. I went to pick up the cake, and they did not have the cake, and had no record of my order (despite the fact that I had the email exchange to show them). Fine, you made a mistake. But then they did nothing to try to help me. A discount on a comparable cake, maybe? Or cupcakes? Or something? (There were a bunch of people at my house for a birthday). They seemed to be satisfied with the fact that they hadn't charged my credit card for the cake that they never made.
(1)XTreats X.
Macarons are nice and soft. Lemon poppy seed was a little sweet. Didn't have any other pastries but they looked good. Not the largest selection. What gives this the 4th star is the Bow Truss coffee, cool lounge and nice staff.
(4)Liz B.
This review is for a custom cookie order. I saw cookies on Pinterest that I wanted to have replicated for a baby shower, so I emailed the photo to a couple of Chicago bakeries, including Alliance. They were so quick to respond with a price quote (I emailed with Nora), and when I said that price per cookie was too high for me, they made suggestions about how the design could be tweaked to lower the price. When I picked up the cookies (which were ready and waiting when they said they woudl be), I was blown away by how perfect they were! They were somehow even more amazing than the original picture I had sent in. The colors were awesome and the design was flawless. While custom designed cookies are never cheap, I would certainly go back to Alliance for a future order.
(5)Chris S.
The quality of the products coming out of this bakery is easily some of the best I've had, anywhere in the world. The macaroons are representative of the expert craftwork that's going on at Alliance; too frequently, macaroon flavors are unremarkable, textures border on stale, and prices are absurd. Alliance macaroons are none of this, and everything this treat should capture. Their cakes are creative and delicious, and the cake pops are excellent versions of the larger delicacy.
(5)Athena A.
We ordered our wedding cake from Alliance Bakery. Nora and Jennifer perfectly coordinated our cake tasting and the setup and delivery of the cake. We live in California and they made discussing and choosing a cake design so easy. We got a two-tiered raspberry buttercream cake with the frosting design of our choice. I should add that they did a fantastic job of reproducing the exact design that we wanted. We got lots of compliments on the elegant design of the cake in addition to how delicious it was.
(5)Leigh C.
How cool are the wedding cakes in the window? Well, we got our wedding cake here and it was not that cool at all. We were promised one thing and given something completely different. I insisted I wanted buttercream because it tastes better, and they said they could do a small design around the base in fondant and the rest buttercream, but instead we were lied to and the whole thing was fondant. Second, we never got a design blueprint, despite asking for one every other week for a long time!!! The gray color did not match the swatch I dropped off, the inscription was written in two lines so it didn't match the round inscription on the dome, the design was plain and frankly ugly looking. If you told me I was paying for fondant, I would have picked a much crazier idea and went for looks than taste. In the end, nobody ate the cake either and we were given a full tall 8" top tier round to take home. Terrible experience. Terrible communication about the design. They were not interested in working with is at all. Price was exorbitant. Don't come here if you have a summer wedding. They're just too swamped and don't put the time into working with you.
(2)Saul A.
The pastries and service here are great but the cake we ordered for my 2 year old sons birthday last year was petty bad. My girlfriend placed the order about 3 weeks in advance. She had me pick it up and I seriously should have rejected it because of how crappy it looked. It was a Thomas the train cake but Thomas looked like he had a bums beard and had been drinking for quite some time. He was very bloated looking. I had no choice but to take it as it was picked up on the day of our little guys birthday and we were traveling to see family. I am not sure if it was an off day for the decorator or what but I will not buy another birthday cake from this place again. I will look for pics and try to upload later so you guys can see that I am not exaggerating.
(2)Melissa A.
I discovered Alliance Bakery one evening after dining at Carriage House (one of my favorite restaurants) since they're a few storefronts over. I've only been here a handful of times but I can vouch for their cupcakes, macarons, spinach feta croissant, and coffee! The cupcakes that I've tried (red velvet, salted caramel, and maybe a hazelnut??) were awesome and I don't throw that compliment around easily. Their cupcakes are moist, not overly sweet, and frosting was delicious and not too heavy. The coffee they serve here is Bow Truss (local Chicago based coffee roasters) and it's pretty darn good. I'm sure anything you order here won't disappoint!
(4)Jill M.
Nora and the Alliance team are incredible! The staff is so talented, creative and their customer service is impeccable! No one does cakes better than Alliance Bakery! Thank you for always delivering when I am in a pinch :)
(5)Sara J.
Yikes. This place upsets me so. I live down the street and need cupcakes on a weekly basis to survive. There cupcakes are edible, that's right edible; yet so so expensive. Who are they kidding with those prices? Maybe if the cupcake was phenomenal it wouldn't sting as much. Also I've ordered a Cherry pie to take to a dinner party and it was so artificial tasting. The cakes in the display are darling but it's more so like a museum than a bakery; look don't eat. Sorry Alliance, I will not be visiting again.
(2)C C.
Second best in the Second City, Their almond croissant is what I crave most-- truly amazing! There is only one other that's better, and you need to be in Hyde Park for that one, I've had their other sweet rolls- all very, very good. I haven't tried a lot of there stuff yet-- it's a bit too neo fancy for me, but if you like that kind of stuff, my guess is that it is good, too. It's taking me a long time to write this because some of the waitstaff often seem to sort of "shut down" when they serve me. I'll see them yakking it up with people in front of me-- okay, you know them, I get that. But, the extreme detachment mode when it's my turn is a turn off. and, this from those employees/owners? who have worked there for a long time. Maybe I'm not a "regular enough" customer? FYI, I've been going there since it was a Polish bakery where English was barely spoken and the various saints "namedays" were written on a huge, chalkboard calendar. So, it makes me an oldster, but don't I qualify me for "regular enough" status? I can handle consistent rudeness when a place is good, but what's with the off/on friendliness?
(4)Tiffany C.
Alliance feels like a neighborhood fixture. That's one of the best things about it. They had a wide array of cupcakes to choose from, but the cheesecake is what won me and my sister over. We shared their small fruit cheesecake as a mid-afternoon sweet pick-me-up on a cloudy summer day. I personally really liked it because it WASN'T as dense as cheesecakes normally come - it was actually a bit more airy/mousse-like in its consistency, which made it feel like each mouthful melted easily on my tongue. My only bone to pick with this place is that their coffee was pretty awful. I'm not a coffee drinker normally and even I could tell this was watered down and dreadful. Oh, and their inside seating is completely monopolized by students/Mac-addicts plugging away at their computers. They look up irritably as you enter and attempt to invade their space by daring to eat dessert in the quiet zone. As a result, we relegated ourselves to the outside patio, where thankfully none of these zombie patrons were in sight.
(4)Cerene P.
De-LI-CIOUS!!!!! Today we celebrated 2 birthdays in which we had carrot and german chocolate cake cupcakes. I only tried the Carrot Cake Cupcake, I must say it was AWESOME. Moist, fresh, perfect cream cheese frosting -definitely one of the better cupcakes i've had through out chicago. Perfect treat for a stressful week.
(4)Gina G.
Nothing makes me happier than a place I can pick up a delicious cupcake and macaroons after dinner time! Yummy :D
(5)Stefanie B.
I have to say hands down Alliance Bakery has the BEST almond croissants I've ever had. They don't have much variety in their bakery but what they do have is really good and all you really need is the almond croissants. Last time I was there I tried macarons which I'm not really a fan of but they were really good here and I actually liked them!! They had different flavors than the ordinary ones. The staff is so sweet and friendly...5 STARS!
(5)Mira S.
Good, fresh macaroons in some interesting flavors. The yuzu was refreshing, and bright green to boot. The fig and raspberry were also good. They do a pumpkin spice latte, and they make the syrup themselves, and know where all of the ingredients are from. It's subtle, and it didn't taste like the syrup had much sugar, if any, it was just flavor--I'm a big fan of that. Friendly staff. Awesome looking cakes, including one that looks like a fairy tale book, with a big dragon behind it. I'm sure the cakes are delicious, if they're half as good as they are well decorated.
(4)Zorin D.
So I was walking along the street when I happened to see macaroons out of the corner of my eye. I had to stop and try them as the assorted colors drew you in. It was a great desert and my favorite was the sea salt caramel along with the rose. I did a little mental math later that angered me a little bit. I paid $19.25 for a box of ten macaroons and they were being sold for $1.75 each. This place would have gotten an easy 5 stars for me if I didn't feel like I was getting ripped off a bit to buy a box. I didn't think about it until after we left though. All things considered. Everything I tried was good. Just remember to buy individually instead of the box.
(4)Jennifer L.
I was in the area shopping for a treat to bring to a family gathering for Easter. I had originally intended on getting a pie from another bakery in the area, but quickly changed my mind upon seeing the beautifully decorated cakes in the shop's window. I just had to see if the cakes tasted as good at they looked. I bought a red velvet cake, which was decorated like an Easter egg. We ate the cake after dinner the following day and it still tasted great. I can only imagine how good it would have tasted had I eaten it right away. There was a thin layer of cream cheese frosting in between the cake and the frosting was not overly sweet either. My only critique would be that I would have liked to have more cream cheese frosting inside the cake. The family enjoyed the cake as well. I also bought a raspberry macaron and a key lime tart. The macaron was definitely the best raspberry one that I have sampled so far! I enjoyed the crisp outside and the raspberry filing inside was absolutely delicious. The key lime tart was made to perfection. I loved the thickness of the crust, which held the filing for the tart nicely. I also enjoyed the whipped cream that was on top of it. I ate the tart over the course of two days and it still tasted great on the second day. Overall, I was highly impressed with Alliance Bakery and definitely will be back to try some more of their goodies when I return to the area.
(4)Mark D.
I walked in and ordered a beverage. They made the order and I pulled out my debit card to pay. The guy at the counter told me that I needed to spend at least $5 to use a debit card (lol) but he also explained that the bigger issue was that their credit card machine was broken. He asked me if I wanted to write my debit card number on a piece of paper so that they could charge it when the machine was working. I said no. I probably won't go back here. Two stars because I have a feeling a one star review would be filtered.
(2)Maia D.
The macarons are deeeelicious. The people who work in the shop are great, too. The tres leches cake was really good, but I thought there was too much whipped cream on top but not enough cake (other than that, fabulous). Will stop by again soon!
(5)Michelle L.
I wanted to give this place a shoutout for great service. I was staying across the street at the Ruby Room inn when I got locked out of my room, and no one was around to let me back in. I headed across the street to Alliance and their counter staff Sam and Abie not only let me use their phone to call, but let me stay in the bakery for ninety minutes waiting for someone to come let me in, and served me a coffee and pastry even though I didn't have my wallet on me at the time. They were so patient with me and so helpful with looking up contact information. I'm seriously grateful to them! Oh, the cortado I had was also fantastic. I'm looking forward to bringing some of their macarons home to New York, especially the balsamic fig flavor! Thanks so much guys. :-)
(5)Nicole H.
Many of the reviews were pretty accurate and helpful to me. The area where you buy items is small but there is outdoor seating as well as seating next door. Thanks to the Yelper who pointed that out because I would have missed that. It seemed kind of dark when I went. Maybe they were saving energy or something. What I like about Alliance is that all of their items, including the mayo, are made in house. After perusing the case, I decided on a chocolate hazelnut cupcake, turkey sandwich, pistachio & chocolate cookies, coffee and hibiscus lemonade. I enjoyed the items. I never pass up lemonades that are from scratch or anything hibiscus. This one did not disappoint. The sandwich was just okay, but the mayo really jazzed it up. I thought the cupcake was done pretty well. The filling and frosting were well textured and the cake itself was moist. This place is worth checking out.
(3)De Ann W.
This bakery is really cute and old school bakeshop style but the macarons suck! At $1.75 a piece I was really expecting better. I absolutely love pistachio french macarons and the pistachio macarons from Alliance are pretty disappointing. The flavor and texture are both misses for me. The macadamia bar, on the other hand, is amazing! I would like to try the other tarts and cupcakes because they look delicious but will definitely not be purchasing the macarons again.
(3)Shaina B.
Seriously phoned it in on their paczki. Mostly dough with a dime size amount of filling - how did this end up on ANY type of list of where you should get paczki for Fat Tuesday? Disappointed to say the least...
(2)Shayna Y.
French macaroons are delicious - try salted caramel! The large outdoor patio is lovely during the summer. They also serve Bowtruss coffee which is one of my favs!
(4)Samah K.
This place has exotic and fun desserts. And there desserts are delicious. Didn't like the earl grey orange peel macaroon but otherwise loved the salted caramel, nutella, and chocolate macaroons a lot. I loved that they have a study room right next door so there is a quiet study area that i will be sure to use next time.
(4)Kelly T.
Ordered a custom cake for our son's graduation. Cake was beautiful and very tasty - a great hit. They were very flexible in helping me figure out what the design should be, etc. and easy pick-up. Only concerns were the time to get back with a quote (I had to send several reminders) and the cost. That said - you do get what you pay for and I would definitely come back here for custom orders in the future.
(4)Tanker C.
I hosted a baby shower for my daughter. I searched the web and loved the look of Alliance because the State Street location is near me and I wanted macaroons as well as a cake. I went to State Street but was met with indifference about ordering- OK, coffee shop workers -- went to the website and emailed a request ..which was answered in a basic way. So on calling them I was explicit about the boy baby thing, made an order for my cake (baby blue) with scrolling.. I had my own ornament for the top.. and macaroons too..well over $100. Delivery to my River North home was quoted at $35 which I declined! On the date and time instructed my husband went to Division to pick up the order. Lo and behold, the cake came out..pale pale blue (?white?) with St. Patrick's Day scrolling. The macaroons were "not ready"... my husband stood his ground and the cake was redecorated and the macaroons found. The cake was delicious... but the frosting buttercream and not fondant as ordered. Bottom line: great tasting goods but TERRIBLE SERVICE. Haven't even described the mistakes over credit card number, indifferent attitude etc. etc.
(2)Danny M.
My friend wanted to come here because he wanted to try their cronut. Unfortunately, they didn't have any, so we went ahead and ordered some macarons and a few cupcakes. The macarons are kind of expensive at $1.75 each. I tried 5 flavors: rose, hazelnut, peppermint mocha, pistachio, and raspberry. My favorite was the hazelnut and pistachio but even then, it was just okay. They were kind of hard and crunchy, not soft like the macarons that I'm used to. We tried the vegan chocolate with peanut butter frosting cupcake. The cupcake was dry but the frosting was good. We picked this flavor because the cashier said it was his favorite. My friend tried the red velvet and he said it was dry too. Maybe it was towards the end of the day but even the cupcakes from Mariano's taste better than this and it would have been cheaper. I wouldn't crave to come back here anytime soon.
(2)Fay H.
I want to give a surprise to my friend at her birthday , so I decided to order a cake with a "Sailor Moon" figure at Alliance .When I received it I was a little disappointed...But later when I carefully carry this cake to my friend's place , the figure of the cake fell apart ...! I paid this cake for $155 + tax , it's not worth this price at all . Even the taste of the cake is not good as well . I'm a constant customer of Alliance Patisserie in downtown , so I thought this Alliance Bakery could not be bad . But honestly, it could not be worse .
(1)Mei K.
Update: I tried the original cronut from Dominique Ansel Bakery in NYC and confirmed that this knockoff version is crap. That is all..
(1)Maria R.
I had a carrot cake cupcake, yum, my favorite! I also had the bread pudding, this is my all time favorite dish but not here. The chocolate croissants are wonderful, they would be my recommended choice.
(4)Blaise H.
Alliance does a lot of things really well. Whether things are made in house or purchased elsewhere, I'm almost always happy with what I get. My only bad experience there was with a specialty cake I ordered. It came out looking nothing like what I had ordered an was expecting, and it was just too late to do anything about it. Given their ornate window dressing (fabulous looking cakes), it was a BIG disappointment. But as I said earlier, overall it's hard to go wrong. I'm a big fan of their bagels, their Macarons, their quiche, and their cookies. They brew some solid coffee as we'll, using local roasters. And of course having the seating area next door and outside just adds to the perks.
(4)Aj M.
Their savory croissants are amazing! Everything is delicious, you can't go wrong with Alliance.
(5)Sara A.
This place is so good I wish it doesn't become more popular and crowded. So don't come here people ok? This place is just for me
(5)Jonathan S.
Recently placed an order for a fairly last minute birthday cake (about a week's notice). Alliance had no issue with my request. My beautifully designed custom cake was ready that weekend. First impression: the design was beautiful and matched my expectations (a custom Chicago city flag cake). Also, I customized the inside with custard, strawberries, and vanilla and chocolate layers. Over the outside, we used vanilla buttercream. Overall, the cake was a hit and tasted amazing. Also: a great value.
(5)Sarah A.
I could not be happier with the way my cake turned out! Alliance Bakery totally nailed it!
(5)Kat A.
After eating at Carriage House my friends and I saw that Alliance was just a couple store fronts over so we figured, why not stop in to see what they have? We checked out Yelp reviews and saw that it got good ratings. I got one of each flavor macaron and a red velvet cupcake. The macarons are good, but not the best I've had. The red velvet cupcake on the other hand was awesome. Nice and moist, with the smooth cream cheese frosting. It was not overly sweet, which I enjoyed. Next time I go here, I want to try their cakes and cake pops!
(5)Ashley K.
Alliance bakery provided me with last minute engagement cookies for my sister and her fiancee. I called on a Tuesday with a need for custom made cookies, and they were able to have them ready exactly when I needed them (which was on Sunday). I specifically wanted to have 5 engagement ring shaped cookies, with one cookie customized to their names and engagement date. I was really excited to surprise the engaged couple with this and was so happy with the results of the cookies. Beautifully designed, and extremely tasty. We would have finished them all, but want to save two as a great memory. Thanks to Alliance Bakery for the great customer service, and wonderful results!
(5)Josh W.
I've been to coffee shops all around the city and this is my favorite by far. Great sweet treats and they served great bowtruss coffee last time I was there. The best part was the second room they had next door full of tables and couches for reading and studying. It was so quite and quite comfortable. Definitely not your average Starbucks.
(5)Lupe A.
Our new go to bakery!!! They are 100% dedicated to pleasing their customers and are flexible to work with your budget. The cake was delicious and beautiful. We will be back for all our birthday cakes!!
(5)Diana J.
The single lonely star is solely based on their macarons! I normally always get my macarons from Vanille Patisserie, however since it was labor day Monday, they were unfortunately closed. Since I promised a friend I'd bring her some that day, I quickly turned to yelp and found Alliance bakery to be close by. Their selection was as expected, with about 8-10 different flavors to choose from. I made two bags of 5 macarons each which totaled to ~$20. Now it gets bad: the macarons were cold like they just came out of a freezer (which is fine I guess) but then they started to melt.... all of the fillings oozed out and made a bloody mess in the bags. I've brought macrons from Laduree all the way from NYC and they have held perfect shape for several days! Okay, so they are just really ugly looking now... I can get over that if it still tastes good.... boy was I wrong. One of my favorite flavors is rose- their version tasted like the pink liquid soap in divey bar bathrooms. My bf spit his half out immediately. The rest were not any better (pistachio, strawberry, hazelnut, etc.). I was sorely disappointed. We definitely will not be coming back.
(1)Colleen M.
Love this place! The macaroons are amazing. You must try the strawberry shortcake, the salted caramel (which I never even knew existed until recently- previously they were always sold out!) or the rose ones. Amazing!! I tried the German chocolate macaroon before and was slightly disappointed. The coconut was hard as a rock, stale I'm guessing? The staff is so nice, always ready with a smile!
(4)Rachel W.
I love alliance, the people are super friendly and it's a great vibe in there. Their vegan cupcake is a little dry unfortunately, although the peanut butter frosting is awesome :) Great coffee and a really nice patio out front for people watching.
(4)Kathleen C.
Not a town to let New York pass us by with a fad (Cronut)...we have to have our own, thank you very much.... And Alliance is apparently the spot for a cronut in Chicago. Now, I'm not sure if I am just not a cronut person, but I wasn't completely wow'd by the cronut here - though I will say that it was beautifully presented and had a lovey rose glaze. The spot itself is pretty cute and I've had coffee and other treats here before which I have always enjoyed. However, I would pass on the line for the cronuts and stick to their other specialties...which also results in you having more time to eat your treat and a quicker fix!
(4)Linda S.
Went by here for the sole purpose of buying macarons. They were $1.75 each and I got one of each of their variety of 11 different flavors. Haven't finished them all yet but from the ones I've tried, they're amazing! I'd say they are average size and the "hats" and "feet" were perfect with a good amount of filling! Aside from my delicious macaron, the service was great. I was greeted immediately when I walked into the store. I told the worker what I wanted and she immediately boxed them up and sent me on my way. Will definitely come back here again if I'm ever in the neighborhood!
(5)MeFarrahDay D.
3 seconds out of this bakery and completely terrible experience. Be warned... preorder is not a preorder! I ordered a few things to drive to family in Michigan and was told "you get what we have left." Even after confirming 2 hours prior to pick up that I'd be there for my "pre"order. You can be the best place in the world, but 1 bad experience had made me never want to even pass by again.
(1)Matt M.
Sad to say but the last three visits have been underwhelming. So much so that I won't be coming back and I've gone out of my way to visit since moving neighborhoods. The frosted sugar cookies look great but are dry and almost inedible. Ginger snaps were also dried out and devoid of flavor. The real surprise was how awful their cupcakes were. We had a red velvet and a German chocolate and both were so bland that I actually threw my half out after one bite. I could make better at home and it pains me to say that. The macaroons are their strength and I'll continue to recommend them.
(3)Jessica M.
There were 11 of us to share a box of some 25 macarons. In other words, each person is rightfully allowed to have 2.27 macarons. That does not sound like an easy number to work with. Therefore, the best approach is to ally with a partner in crime and divide each of our four macarons into halves. We tried vanilla bean, passion fruit, lemon poppy seed, and raspberry. Halleluiah! I think I just stepped into Mr. Willy Wonka's chocolate factory.....except there are aisles and towers of macarons instead. Each bite sent me frolicking around the room! Each piece of macaron had a smooth crust. The flavors were ever-bursting as I bit through the crust and reached its moist filling. It wasn't overly buttery and the fruit flavors were very vibrant. I can actually snack on it for hours had I let my addiction overcome me. The downside is the macarons were a bit soft. It was a hot day because we left it in a warm environment for too long.
(4)Jewel L.
So Disappointing. :-( I used to have a red velvet cupcake everytime i walked past Alliance but after my last two experiences, I no longer stop in. They're too expensive to be this awful. The cupcakes were overcooked and dry..nothing like the cupcake I fell in love with. The croissants were over cooked, dark brown and dry. Did the baker change? What happened? Good bye for now old favorite :-(
(1)Melissa C.
I was so excited to learn Alliance was selling Packzis. Only to find out that these aren't packzis, they are $2.50 donuts (and not even good donuts at that). As someone who's been eating these once/year delights my whole life, I was sorely disappointed to find Alliance's dry, bland, and lacking filling. Additionally, I asked for each flavor except apple. Welp, I got an apple and no strawberry. What a disappointment. I look forward to this day each year and made a total fail this year by going to Alliance.
(2)Monica J.
This is for their vegan peanut butter cupcakes. They are excellent and the frosting is done right. AFter trying this, you won't even realize it is vegan. The frosting is the right consistency and sweetness as well. Coffee and granola are good, too.
(5)Melissa C.
Came in while I passed by, specifically for the macaroons. The cakes in the window looked gorgeous! Since I was in a hurry, I took one of each of the macaroon flavors since I couldn't decide on which....some were delicious...some were interesting. Overall, the texture was awesome and all the fillings were the perfect amount. Overall they had great macaroons: Lemon Poppy: VERY lemony! It tasted very natural, however a little more on the tart side Rose: I was excited for this one, and I can't decide if I liked it or not. I'm always one that is willing to try the interesting and unique flavors in desserts. When I bit into the macaroon, it definitely tasted like a rose! So much so that it seemed like I bit into a rose. Again, the flavor was true to it's name....just not sure if I liked the flavor! Vanilla: just like the other two, very true to it's name. Nice and sweet...not too sweet, but you could taste the vanilla very clearly. Blueberry Cheesecake: This was a good mix of creaminess and blueberry....not sure what the center was, but it seemed cream-based. Raspberry: This was probably the most fresh raspberry macaroon I've had! Usually I've had raspberry with a jelly based center. This one had a cream based center with pieces of fresh raspberry in it....the only reason I could tell though was because there were seeds in the center. Mexican Chocolate: This was the second one where the verdict is still up in the air! When they say mexican chocolate, it's definitely spicy....to the point where it took me a while to eat the cookie! This is definitely not for the spicy faint of heart.....however the mixture of the heat and the dark chocolate center was delish!
(4)Saima S.
We ordered our wedding cake from Alliance Bakery for about 115 people (ended up with only 80 guests in the end so we had a ton of cake left over). The cake was absolutely delicious - we had three different flavors, all with Italian meringue buttercream frosting: lemon cake with vanilla bean cream and passionfruit mousse filling, vanilla cake with strawberry preserves and chocolate mousse filling, and lemon cake with raspberry filling. Our guests loved every single flavor. There were some issues with communication; sometimes it took a week or so to get responses to emails, and it was tough to reach someone via phone on the day of the wedding. However, the cake was made, decorated, and delivered as planned and on-time. The cake was beautiful, and the quality of the cake itself was wonderful. I would definitely recommend Alliance Bakery to my friends.
(4)S.E. A.
Great place to sit and get work done. Delicious pastries and good tea & coffee. It's nice that the seating area is separate from the room with the cash register. Happy that they are open until 9 every day, since many cafes on Division close earlier.
(5)Jasmine J.
I order custom cookies from Alliance. I only wanted 3 cookies, and they have a minimum of like 4 per kind, but they lowered It to 3 per special cookie I wanted. I sent pictures of what I had in mind and expected some sort of cartoon likeness of what I sent. The price quote I got back was semi high but I went with it. I got my cookies today. WHOA. Beat my expectations beyond belief. They are true artists. My cookies were such a great hit. Tasty. Really beautiful. For how amazing they are, the price is a steal. Thank you alliance gor making this affordable and possible.
(5)Gino W.
The whole hipster landscape has overtaken the independent boutiques and eateries in Chicago. With that comes a bit of a detachment in the customer service department - unless you are a hipster on the "buying" side of the counter. Alliance Bakery & Cafe has all the trimming of a "hot spot" for the hipsters in the know. I bought a latte, one that I ordered through a slightly reticent barista - or it may have been my British accent that was a little off putting for him. Considering I was able to drink the latte without any sweetener, that spoke to the quality of the coffee and I will cosign that it is definitely worth the purchase. I can't speak to the other products that Alliance offers, as I shy away from baked products that are on display in a surplus fashion. (You never know if the baked goods are being recycled from one day - or week - to the next.) For those who go to Alliance, I would recommend their coffee. As I mentioned, I can't speak to the baked goods. And I would suggest that you have an idea as to what you want without pause and guesswork.
(3)Christie B.
I never really gave much thought to macarons. I figured they were just those coconutty sweet mounds that were delicious and nice with a cup of coffee. Never knew that real macarons were something entirely different. So I go over to Alliance for their famous macarons, figuring I'd give it a try. First of all, I was mildly affronted that a tiny macaron cost, well a lot. I can't remember how much, but I do remember thinking, dang man. But maybe they knew something I didn't, so I bought a sea salt caramel one and a pink one. I also bought 2 decorated sugar cookies because I'm a sucker for those things. They just look so gorgeous right? My total bill was around $13. In another, saner world, I might have asked myself what was I thinking to blow so much money on 2 tiny macarons and two (admittedly) really cute cookies. So I bring these macarons home to try with my boyfriend (now husband). We try the sea salt caramel one. It's good. It's really good. I mean really good. I had to sit down because it was so good. The price? No wonder I can't remember. The deliciousness of this macaron drove the price right out of my head. I'm telling you now. These things are worth every penny. And the cookies? It almost seemed like a mortal sin to consume something so gorgeous and perfect. But I did. They are all inside me now and I think I feel better about the world just for having had this bakery experience.
(5)Anna L.
Love their lounge area; clean, quiet, and inviting! It's away from the purchasing counter, next door, to be exact, which is nice! It's quieter & less distracting (if studying). Had a red velvet cupcake & chamomile tea, 'twas delicious. They do have macaroons, which never hurts a bakery ;) will have to try them next time. Parking wasn't much of an issue, or maybe we got lucky? Either way, go! You'll enjoy yourself
(5)Jackie L.
Great service, delicious treats! Had a wonderful experience on the phone and via email working with Alliance on a cookie order. When I picked up the 50 individually wrapped cookies they looked just like the image I had sent over, but cuter! Delivered them to a client and received a WOW note. Thanks for making me look good Alliance! Also grabbed some macarons for my team and they were scrumptious!
(5)Jade C.
Was disappointed in my experience with this bakery, especially after reading all the great reviews. I ordered 6 king cakes to share with my students. I asked them to be made with the little plastic baby inside, in keeping with tradition. When I picked up the cakes, the person who helped us looked at the note on the boxes and confirmed that the plastic babies had been placed inside. However, when I got the cakes to school, and as the kids ate their way through them, we never found a single baby. Such a bummer, as that is the best part of the king cake tradition! When I called to report, the person who answered the phone was unapologetic and did nothing to rectify the situation besides offering to "tell the kitchen." I understand that mistakes happen - though king cakes are supposed to be a specialty of this bakery! - but the poor customer service means I will not be back to this bakery.
(2)Jessica K.
I have to thank this place for humbling me. I had decided to check this place out because my usual wicker park cafe (Lovely Bakery) was becoming a bit.. pretentious. Or at least that's what I thought. But Alliance.. they take pretentious to a level I'd never experienced before. As harsh as this sounds, I think of all the coffee shops I've ever visited in Chicago, it is here at Alliance where I received the worst service ever. And let me tell you, I've been to A LOT of coffee shops in the 5 years that I've lived in Chicago. A lot. I'm not even going to write about the specific incident that made me decide to never return here. It's not even worth the effort to write anything more than I am already. Yes, the pastries and coffee are good but they don't stand out. Go to Lovely Bakery or Just Indulge down the street. Their bakeries taste the same if not better. Alliance's baked goods are pretty small too. So if you're a bang for the buck type of person, I'd stay away. And if it's about the distance and you're looking for a cafe/bakery within walking distance, check out the Starbucks across the street... The place is messy. There is never an actual line. It's just a free for all. When it's busy, it's HORRIBLE. And the employees. They actually complain about not only their job and their stupid lives, but about you and how much they hate you in front of your face. Very classy Alliance..very..classy. I just don't think it's worth supporting a business that treats their customers like crap. It's really not worth it. Bad service, ok baked goods but extremely expensive.. just.. don't bother.
(2)Elaine V.
We came here after having sushi at the horrible place across the street in the hopes that a nicely pulled double espresso would clear our palate. We were absolutely delighted with the offerings. We chose a macaroon each, "raspberry rose" and "coconut lime." The espresso was pulled by hand, and as a former barrista at a hoity-toity espresso house, I could tell the barrista there knew how to steam milk properly, so I'll be back to sample the lattes! The pastries were pure art. My husband and I made a vow to come back and try everything once. There is an annex to the bakery that you have to go outside to get inside of, which-- even in 6 degree weather, added charm. There was music playing in the background and well-worn eclectic furniture spread over a large, open, high-ceilinged, single room. Photos of their artistic pastries covered the walls. Clearly a place committed to quality, but without the haughty atmosphere it had the potential to sport. On the eve of the infamous battle between the Bears and the Packers for the Superbowl berth, they had little cookies that had a swiss-cheese pastry cutout pattern with a red "X" through it that said, "Packers stink." So cute!
(5)Noura K.
I have to give this place a 5 star rating for the delicious bars that they make. I have tried many bakeries in chicago hoping to find good pasteries that are not too sweet nor too creamy. so far I loved everything I and tried at Alliance, expecially the cranberry, coconut, and lemon bars. the reason why I am not giving it a 5 star is because of their chai masala tea that tasted NOTHING like the name! and the waitress insisted that this is what a chai masala taste like.. and she kinda rolled her eyes. I didn't insist too much and just ignored it, but I would have loved to ask for my money back. Anyway.. I will keep on going there for more cranberry bars!
(4)Samantha C.
I have no complains about this place. How could you? Their treats are amaaaaazzzinnnggg! An iced soy latte in the summer with a red velvet cupcake: heaven. A hot soy coco in the winter with an almond croissant: HEAVENLIER (word?) A red velvet birthday cake with chocolate butter cream frosting and layered with berry sauce: an odd combination, but AMAZING none the less! The service is always super friendly and they know what they're doing when it comes to baked goods. The coffee drinks are good, but not as good as say.. *star lounge*. And that's the only reason they don't get that extra star.
(4)Natasha P.
Hands down, the best red velvet cupcakes you'll ever come across. (In the greater Chicago area) I mentioned before that I love bakeries for different reasons, mainly because I love certain cupcake flavors at certain places and this place is red velvet cupcake heaven. Moist, tasty and the ratio of sweet icing to cake is perfectionnnnn. I have to admit I only come here for the red velvet cupcake and the lounge adjacent to the bakery but their other pastries here are pretty tasty. I picked up 8 cupcakes for my co-workers birthday today and everyone really enjoyed them. Alliance is a wonderful staple in the Wicker Park 'hood. Done.
(4)Michelle G.
I worked at a small bakery for over three years and have baked my entire life aside from that, so I will always, ALWAYS try any bakery I come across and I'll be brutally honest about it. So Alliance has some really realllllly delicious stuff (the German chocolate macaroon might be one of my favorite things) but I wouldn't put their sandwiches on that list (they are fine, just not especially great). I will often pop in just to grab something small and sweet and different from what I can get most other places nearby. The main reason for a three star review is the seating situation... I'm really glad they are so busy that it's difficult to find a place to sit without having to ask somebody to condense their stuff and share one of the big tables, and I also don't really mind that the... lounge?... isn't actually in the same space as where you buy the treats. *And* it's okay that it feels like a library in there- I just know that I can't bring friends or chat up a stranger without a bunch of dirty looks from some very serious web surfers. It is a room for reading, typing, daydreaming, and checking out attractive people, sans conversation. Got it. Okay, so I guess that's a little annoying but it's a personal preference... But mainly, my only *real* problem with Alliance is that it smells funny. I mean, has anybody else noticed this?? Just the lounge area, but seriously, it's a weird weird smell and it's been there my past three (short) visits. I won't describe it here the way I described it to my roommate but yeah. I hope somebody will investigate that.
(3)Anjee J.
I had a pumpkin cupcake from here and it was soooo not worth the $3+ I paid for it. Tiny, not very moist and lacking in flavor. I don't get the hype. My search for the perfect cupcakes continues... :( I also tried some pumpkin pie from here on Thanksgiving and found it to be good, but average. It probably cost way more than it should have. And yeah, the workers are a bit standoffish and pretentious, but it's in Wicker Park, so what do you expect?
(2)Denise M.
Whenever I go here I get the tasty iced coffee for $2. It's way better and cheaper than Starbucks down the street. They also have good pastries for the price and the staff is always friendly. I also really enjoy the unique fact the the sitting area is next door. It's great to go their and read a book in a comfy chair without the usual cafe clatter.
(4)Rebekka T.
The newness of Alliance has worn off from when I first moved here. The drinks and food are ok, but the new sitting area looks like a conference room. Also, sometimes there's music playing but if there isn't, it's deathly quiet you can hear every conversation.
(3)Patty S.
I ordered a wedding cake for 225 people over the phone, sent a picture, with out ever, having a tasting. The carrot, and the chocolate, were delicious, and very moist. I talked to Jennifer, from start to finish, she made the entire process so smooth, and effortless.
(5)Eliot J.
super cool cakes and pastries. their food products aren't the best i've had, but they're decent. i often use this place as a study venue and, for that, it's a great destination (although it fills up often) - nowhere near as noisy as a starbucks, and you're supporting independent local business. sadly, the coffee sucks. but i think starbucks' coffee sucks, too, and i'm clearly in the minority on that opinion. the jaded hipsters working the counter aren't particularly friendly, but they're not slouchy. i emailed inquiring about a birthday cake order once via alliance's website but never got a reply.
(3)Jackie N.
If you want to buy and devour a $6 pastry in front of a hipster that looks like their vegan self could benefit from the aforementioned glucose,and if you have fantasies about a film worthy library outburst, this is the place to do it. However, if you ARE a hipster, steer clear. You're skinny jeans won't fit after the pastry is consumed,and the library vibe will only remind you that you studied five years for a degree in the Norfuk language with a minor in the history of alchemy.
(4)Grrlscoutgoneba D.
Ive been living down the street from Alliance for around 10 years now and I've watched it change hands many times. I keep giving it another chance hopeing to relive the glory days of the late 90's. I stopped in their last night to grab a sandwich on my way to work. The male barista was so chatty fast and amped up I was wondering if he had to much coffee or mabye to much speed. My caprise sandwich was just ok, a bit to much bread and not enough filling. What grossed me out was seeing the male Barista behind the counter barefoot! then watching him walk outside into the seating area and back into the kitchen BAREFOOT! GROSS!
(2)Krsna V.
One of the best bakeries in the neighborhood. I always get the chocolate croissants. They sell Intellegentsia coffee by the bag. They make excellent chocolate cake. The staff make this place cool and hip. The minus one star is for not stocking up on baked good and opening late on weekends. They do not open until 7 A.M. I understand the yuppies in wicker park do not get up early on the weekends because they are out all night but, there are people like me who get up early. Also, they run out of most pastries before 11:00 a.m. on a weekday or 10:00 a.m. on a weekend.
(4)James A.
I stop by here on some mornings to get coffee on my way to the train. I think their americano is the best in the neighborhood - my go-to drink. The Alliance blend intelligentsia coffee is great as well, a bit on the sweeter side. I've never felt the need to add either sugar or cream to a coffee drink from here, since it is always perfectly smooth and mild tasting. Great croissants as well!
(4)Sara M.
I got married this past weekend and Alliance Bakery made our wedding cake. From the moment we met with Jennifer (who was wonderful to work with) and had our tasting we thought how incredible the cake was but when your guests all tell you how much they loved the cake, you know you did something right. I would recommend Alliance Bakery for anyone who is hosting a special occasion and needs a cake. You won't be disappointed!!!
(5)Chad C.
I had a chocolate chip cookie, which was pretty decent, and also some of a german chocolate drop, which was not so great. All the cakes in the window do look pretty impressive, but I'm not typically in the market for crazy designer cakes. And the eating/hangout/study room next door seems pretty cool too, not a bad place to chill or read or whatever. I also had the tres leches cake, which was pretty moist, a fairly well done tres leches. I'd give it a 7/10.
(3)Natalie R.
Alliance did our wedding cake in April, it turned out amazing! The design was great and it tasted great too!
(5)Gretchen O.
Alliance is my first stop in search of a replacement for Mercury Cafe. I'll need about three cafes to serve all the purposes Mercury used to - one for studying, another for a place to hang out with my friends, another for cheap, tasty coffee and food. Alliance fills my first need very well. The fact that the seating area and the serving area are in two different buildings helps - the seating area is completely silent, save the music. Whispering is conspicuous. I could never meet a friend here to catch up, but there's literally nothing to distract me from several hours of paper-writing. Pros: The internet is free, the coffee is decent. The whimsically decorated cakes in the front window are highly entertaining (I am easily entertained, but you'd have to be pretty cold not to smile at a severed foot cake.) They have a dinosaur with a shark in its mouth on the counter in front of the register. Cons: There's usually only one barista, so the line isn't commuter-friendly. There isn't that much seating. The food selection is limited once you leave the pastry food group. It is a bakery, after all. Mercury, you left a gaping hole in my consumer's heart, but I'll be stuffing it with lots of gauze. Some of it will come from Alliance Bakery.
(4)Stacey B.
We ordered our wedding cake from Alliance. Not only was the tasting excellent (they actually gave us choices to taste instead of slices from the case like other bakeries), but Mitchell was a delight to work with. He had lots of creative ideas and totally worked with us so we could have exactly what we wanted within our budget. All of our guests thought the cake was beautiful AND was delicious. We got many, many compliments on it. I would highly recommend them due to their professionalism, ease to work with, and both the cake's appearance and taste.
(5)Katherine L.
The perfect place to work in a low-key, casual environment. Great cakes, from the looks of it; haven't tried them, but loved their cuban espresso. The perfect mix of sweet & *strong* (caffeine-wise)!
(5)Sam A.
I was looking for an alternative for StarB's and saw this place on yelp so I tried it. I hate giving places bad reviews but I'm just not crazy about this place. I think it's mainly the ambiance that turned me off. It just doesn't have that cozy coffee house feel (maybe because it's not a coffee house type place, or is it?) Staff: Very friendly and fast Cappuccino: Very good but def had better. They use intelligentsia coffee beans. Why doesn't anyone around here use Illy? Turkey Sandwich: Nothing spectacular, just a regular turkey sandwich. Bottled water: Amazing lol The lounge is two doors down so you order your drink/sandwich/pastry and walk over two doors. Someone needs to plug in a few air fresheners because the smell in there was not so good! Maybe it was just one person who knows. Definitely worth trying, you might love it. I didn't.
(1)Kelly G.
I realize this place is hot right now and every Trixie and Chad in town is knocking on their door for a "unique" cake that looks like all the other "unique' cakes in the bridal mags, but if they expect to last they need to provide good service from start to finish. I set up an appointment for a cake tasting and consultation (a $35 fee and they take your credit card number when you schedule) for a wedding cake two weeks ago. My appointment was at 3pm. At 2:55pm I walked in the door along with my sister and fiancé. Told them we were here for a 3pm cake tasting and one of the many bearded hipsters standing behind the counter offered us a beverage and let us know the consultant was finishing up with another customer and would be with us shortly. No problem. The place is tiny so all three of us tried to stay out of the way as the customers came in and out and the minutes passed by...3:05pm...3:10pm...3:15pm...I asked one of the staff if they knew how much longer it would be (it was getting really hot and crowded in there). He went into the back (where peals of laughter could be heard every few minutes) and came out to tell us that the consultant was having a hard time wrapping it up with the appointment before us but it should just be a few minutes more. "No problem!", I say. Then, 3:20pm...3:25pm...3:30pm...are they serious? How can a professional not have the skills to wrap up a meeting when she knows she has other customers waiting? At 3:35pm, I tell them that we can't wait any longer and I expect a refund of my 35 bucks. The guy runs in the back again and comes out only to apologize and say that the consultant is REALLY trying, but still not capable of ending the previous appointment in order to honor our appointment. We left. You'd think, at the very least, we would have received an email or call from the consultant afterwards to apologize and ask if she could reschedule our appointment but I haven't heard a thing. It was so amateurish, unprofessional and disappointing, but I am glad I got to see their customer service skills in action before I booked them for my wedding.
(1)Meidarda T.
Thank you "Alliance" for creating an exceptionally beautiful birthday cake for my daughter's birthday. I found "Alliance" online and on Yelp. I loved the cakes' clean modern design. I decided to take a chance, and ordered a cake long distance (from Out of State) without ever meeting the staff. My daughter is in Chicago, she misses her cat very much as he doesn't travel well. Amazingly "Alliance" - with Peter's (the owner) meticulous attention to detail, his care and effort to make sure we were on the same page design-wise, in addition to Jennifer's patience (in taking notes) were successful creating a cake portraying our cat (spot on!). You and your team were able to translate my drawn idea into a classy, clean-lined and beautiful cake! Yes Peter, my daughter is very surprised and happy with the cake. She just informed me that the cake (vanilla with fresh berries) were delicious, light and fluffy and fruity. Perfect for summer! You have an amazing team with excellent talent and artistic taste in producing beautiful creations to meet your clients' high expectations. Congratulations! You and your team are the best in the field! Thank you again Peter for taking the time to really listen to your client's wishes.
(5)Elizabeth B.
The lovely Kellie K. got me a brownie from here last week to fix a bad day. It definitely did the trick. Today I find myself sitting in the Alliance Bakery 'computer lab' searching for jobs, sipping coffee, and mowing-down a cheesecake brownie. My roommate said she once got food poisoning from eating here but I don't care; I am trying to lose weight before swimsuit season and there is nothing like a week of diarrhea to get me into a smaller size. The brownie was awesome. The coffee is piping hot and the internet is fast and free. Plus, there are enough hottie dirrrty boys in here to keep me from being bored. I expect to have to continue searching for jobs until my balls drop or for the next 20 years, whichever comes first. For that reason, I will be back here when I need a change of pace from my home internet and crappy homemade baked goods. I took one star off because the music in here makes me want to slit my wrists.
(4)Amanda F.
I have been searching for the perfect coffee shop in Chicago...going around town to continuously be disappointed with the shops here...It seemed like nobody has exactly what I was looking for and I was getting frustrated. I just wanted to find something where I felt like I could come often and feel comfortable. On a recent icy and snowy day, I last-minute decided to come to Alliance-it's only 2 blocks from my house, which I ironically never come to for one reason or another. I absolutely loved it there. It's the perfect shop. Quiet, open, airy, light, comfortable seating, nice sized tables, unpretentious, just plain right NORMAL. I will come back again and again. Moral of the story and reflective point of the day---sometimes the answers are right there, under your nose, and you just need to look more closely. And sometimes what you need most is the overlooked way, or the way that seems the least exotic, simply because it's close to home. :)
(4)Mia P.
Great coffee. Awesomely tasty and moist cupcakes. And the Pumpkin macarons. They were melt in your mouth delicous, so delicous that I wanted to try more flavors. That's where Alliance loses a star. Stale macarons are probably the worst things you could possibly eat. When they're good, they're amazing. But when they're bad, they're basically inedible. And it's luck of the draw unfortunately. Buuuut I will be back.
(4)Jennifer L.
Peter at Alliance did a good job designing a special cake for my 5th wedding anniversary, which happened to fall on the day of a football game between my school and my husband's. The design was creative, the chocolate cake was delicious BUT it had the wrong filling! Peter was very apologetic and offered free cupcakes to make up for it. Hopefully he'll make good on that promise. On another note, it seems like a lot of the people who work there are a bit spacey. Nice, but spacey. There've been times when I'm not 100% sure that an order is going to turn out the way I've requested (although it has, except for the one time).
(4)Justin G.
Nice little bakery that smells amazing. I had a hard time not stopping in here for cookies on a regular basis.
(4)Julia T.
Alliance was on my way home and I decided what the heck, let's give it a try since I pass it all the time. First thing I noticed was they serve Intelligentsia coffee - big plus in my book. They have these adorable cakes displayed in the window and the decor inside is very warm and fuzzy. The staff was super friendly. Tons of sugar rush options to choose from - cookies, cupcakes, pastries, etc. I decided to try their double chocolate cupcake as it is my decision making item of if a bakery has won my heart. I have one word for their cupcake - SCRUMPTIOUS! The cupcake was so moist that it melted in your hands and mouth. It was decadent with its oh so goodness perfect whipped chocolate frosting. The frosting was so light but carried the chocolate flavor through. I've experienced a lot of bakeries that whip their frosting, do not get the flavor through and it just tastes like plain whip cream. Great job Alliance! I will be coming back to try their Tiramisu and many more! I'll be back to review my second adventure. Stay tuned.
(4)Rosie R.
Went here yesterday to pick up some kind of comforting baked good because I was jacked up only having tea and no food so I was jittery. Anyways, it was the 2nd time I've been here and I was looking for their gourmet "fig newton" but they didn't have it. So I went with their cherry scone and a red velvet cup cake price was 5 something for both, but it was worth it!! The Scone was the best I ever had!!! The cupcake (even though it was small) was delicious and cracklicious! A nice place to go to when you want to reward yourself and indulge!
(4)Amy H.
Yesterday I had a little devil and a little angel pop up on my shoulders and the three of us had a little conversation that went something like this... Devil Amy: You look like crap, Amy. Angel Amy: Don't listen to her, dear. You do look like you don't feel well. Amy: I'll be ok. I just went to the pharmacy and picked up this big bag of drugs and now I'm going home to rest. Devil Amy: SWEET!! Let's go home and get high!! Amy: Alright, alright. Keep your horns on, devil. I have to figure out what I'm going to have for dinner, because once I get home I don't want to leave again. Angel Amy: You deserve to treat yourself to something nice. Maybe a cheeseburger from that place you love...or a taco from the restaurant down the street... Devil: ...or cupcakes. Amy: Cupcakes? For dinner?? Angel: Don't be silly, devil. She can't have cupcakes for dinner! She should have a nice well-balanced meal. Something that is good for her. Devil: I"m sick of that healthy crap she's always eating. I want cupcakes!!!!! Amy: Cupcakes? Devil: Yeah!!! CUPCAKES!!!! CUP-CAKES-CUP-CAKES-CUP-CAKES!!!!!! Angel: Where would she find cupcakes? Amy: Well, Alliance Bakery is on my way home...I could stop there. I've heard that they have some good cupcakes. Angel: Well, I guess that just this once it's ok to have cupcakes for dinner. Just as long as we don't make a habit of it. Amy: Really angel?? I can have cupcakes for dinner?!?? :) So off we went to Alliance Bakery. I got a red velvet cupcake for the devil, a vanilla cupcake for the angel, and a carrot cupcake for me. The red velvet was good but the frosting:cupcake ratio was a little off...it needed a bit more frosting. Same with the carrot cupcake...yummy with fresh shreds of carrot but needed a smidgen more frosting. The vanilla was ok...the frosting was too sweet and the cake was a tad dry. Just in case devil, angel, and I were still hungry after the cupcakes we also bought a black and white cookie and a pecan bar. Both ok, but didn't knock my socks off.
(3)Richa A.
I wish I lived next to this place. This is exactly the kind of bakery I love and seek out in a city. I got a dark chocolate mousse cake which was garnished with what appeared to be really teeny tiny macaroons, and then some kind of vanilla filling with a peanut butter crunch thrown in. It was amazing. I eat a lot of good dessert on a regular basis, but this blew me away. Next door to it is the Alliance Lounge which you can go sit down in if you want, although everyone already in there were using it as a place to do work and it wasn't exactly a fun or cozy cafe vibe.
(5)Morenike K.
So far, one of the best bakeries in the city. The service was great and the food was great.
(4)Ben A.
Great Chai Tea Latte! I also enjoyed my black and white cookie... two worlds coexisting on one delicious cookie. Cool study lounge next door to the bakery as well. I saw a giant Cookie Monster cake being given to a customer and I was amazed at the level of detail on it! This is the place to buy fun cakes that is for sure!
(4)michaelia f.
I want to like this place, I really do. I love pastries, and was on the hunt for a place to study after the demise of Filter. Alliance was one of the first places I tried because I live ridiculously close. I came here on a Wednesday afternoon to get some work done and indulged myself in an iced chai and a red velvet cupcake. Service was slow; it seemed like each of the counter workers had no idea what the others were doing. I got my chai, which was quite nice, if a bit too sweet to my tastes. Their seating area is next door, so I took my delicious-looking cupcake and settled into a table near the wall. The cupcake looked beautiful, but when I bit into it, it was a dry and crumbly mess. I took a bite of the frosting, which was grainy and inedible. I was so disappointed I couldn't finish it. Now, I thought this was just a fluke; maybe they just had an off day and forgot about some cupcakes in the case. No big deal. So I went in again, because the seating space is ok and hardly ever busy. I got a brownie, which unfortunately suffered from the same problems as the cupcake: dry, crumbly, and like it was at least a day or two old. Alliance gets an extra star because their bagels are decent and their seating area is not usually busy. Avoid the pastry.
(2)Ashley L.
These folks made my wedding cake and good Lord was it delicious. They let us choose a different flavor and filling for each tier and all of them were amazing. I absolutely recommend the almond cake with chocolate filling. It's phenomenal (if you like almond). I had a ton of people at my wedding asking me who made the cake. They were also really easy to deal with and very nice folks. They let us choose the almond cake for no extra charge (normally it would be extra with the package we got). The cake itself looked great, too, so that was a plus. Overall, I highly recommend Peter and his team at Alliance.
(5)Joscelyn M.
I find it a true testament to my willpower that I pass this place every day, twice a day and have only been in a few times. Trust me, if chocolate was calorie-free, I would be all over this place. I've had the bars, brownies and cupcakes and have been in heaven with every bite! Now about that calorie-free chocolate, Alliance... Hmmm? However - I have to say the baby shaped cake is a bit weird, but who am I to judge?
(4)Erini S.
Whenever I'm working in Wicker Park, I tend to stop by Alliance. It's a nice place with good treats. Their lemon strawberry cupcake was pretty awesome. Mostly, I love their sugar cookies. It's a basic sugar cookie, but well, they just look awesome. They re-purposed the easter bunny cookie to make owls (which were amazingly cute!), and then a week or so ago they had NES controllers! The geek in me squealed -- then tweeted a picture of it. I think my only complaint of them, ever, has been that they aren't necessarily the speediest, but it wasn't tragically slow. More like Sunday Morning slow. Which normally I wouldn't mind, I just had a shop of my own to open up.
(4)Frances C.
The bakery itself looks pretty cool, but that's not what I want to talk about. What I want to talk about is the fact that the adjoining "lounge" is always chock-full of macbooks, and their too-cool-for-school owners. I'm a writer, ok? So, sometimes I need to get out of the house and go somewhere so I can concentrate in order to get my very, very important, Pulitzer-esque WORK done in a timely manner because I work on a DEADLINE, ok folks? However, on the Sunday afternoon I walked into this dump, I was blinded by lit-up apples, flannel and it wreaked of stale PBR and bike locks. I made a face (think lip snarl, head cock, eyebrow raise with a sudden jolt of the neck) to all of those jerks and took my own MACBOOK PRO elsewhere (Starbucks, so disgusting and not at all cool).
(3)Will C.
Alliance is by far the nearest and most convenient coffee shop to my apartment and I love it when it's not packed to the gills with people and when the radio station in the lounge isn't playing Coldplay and The Dave Matthews Band. I mean, for Christ's sake, really...really? But...but...why? I hear you playing your iPod in the room with the cash register, why can't you rewire it to include the lounge? When I don't have to hear contemporary easy listening crap and tune out the inane conversation of some recent DePaul grads this is a great place. Sadly, far too rarely is that the case. :-(
(2)Natalie M.
I'm giving this place 2stars based mostly on the experience I had trying to order a custom made cake for a 50th bday party I was planning. After coming across Alliance on line, I called to make an appointment for a tasting for a custom made cake. I was informed in a snooty tone that they only did cake tastings for WEDDINGS, not birthdays (though the price of the cake would have been equal to a wedding cake if not higher) but I was free to come in and buy a cupcake to try it out. Perhaps it is irrational for me to believe that money is GREEN no matter wait type of cake you are buying and the fact that just because my cake was not for a NUPTIAL I would be denied the full range of customer service was laughable. I went to the bakery to simply explain my reasoning to the manager, but the cashier at the counter wouldnt even allow me to talk to the manager. Again treating me as if asking for a tasting for a $500 or more priced cake made me "high maintainence" simply because it was not for a wedding. I was tempted to say "well Im not ordering a birthday cake any more, Im ordering a groom's cake- can I get my tasting now??" but I did not, as I choose to give my money to another establishment who would provide me with the type of service I felt $500 or more dollars deserved.
(2)Becca H.
I love their window displays!! They're crazy cool and unique. I've only really gone there for coffee on the weekends, but their coffee is bomb. Not to mention the cute guys who work there! Their bakery items always look really good. Alliance would probably be the first place I'd go if I needed some grab some desserts. I've tried some of their cookies and cupcakes, and they have always been outstanding. Very cute bakery.
(5)Julia S.
This place must be hurting for money-because they will charge you more than what you actually should pay. Typically, I love this place. In the last year, I have purchased several treats here for birthdays and special occasions. Yesterday, I stopped in at 6AM to pick up some treats for a co-workers birthday. However, once I boarded the L train and thought about it, I realized I overpaid. My bill was $24, when is should have been $16. (Shame on me for not paying closer attention at 6AM). After work, I took the trouble of going back to Alliance, and kindly explained to the guy behind the counter what happened, showed him my receipt, and asked for the difference back (seems fair, right?). Since the receipt was not itemized, he told me that he couldn't be sure what I bought, and therefore could not give me the difference back. This was so insulting. Being a loyal, repeat customer I was offended that he even thought I would try and "rip him off". I was only trying to pay the correct price for what I bought and I was being fair with him (I would have gladly eaten another $8 of pastries!). Instead, he laughed off my request and I have never left a retail establishment feeling so low. While the pastries are good-there are plenty of other bakeries in Wicker Park and I will not go back here. It is an insult to my character to think that I would lie about my bill. If you go here-PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR TOTAL...they will charge you more than what they should. So keep my $8 Alliance...you obviously need it more than I do.
(1)Blossom C.
I have become a regular here! They have delicious coffee, and great pastries. I have yet to try one of their cakes, but they sure look cool and they are obviously very talented. I also really like the hang out area next door.
(5)Elizabeth H.
If I lived in Wicker Park there is a good chance that I would have the body of that bedridden man that had to be airlifted out of his house. The hazelnut cupcake is bliss, plain and simple, and for a shop that specializes in sweet treats, the sandwiches are quite tasty as well. I thoroughly enjoyed the portobello sandwich on foccia with goat cheese. yum yum yum! See ya again soon Alliance!
(5)Jennifer B.
There are so many reviews on Alliance bakery....their following is huge. Plus, something about knowing that this bakery has been open forever gives it brownie points (pun intended!).... I'm not gonna lie, I came in here for a cupcake because cupcakes are like my crack, and Yelp is my like my dealer, letting me know where I can find them. Everyone raved about the cupcakes here so I had to give them a shot. And well, they're okay. I didn't care for the chocolate cupcake I ate but we also got a turtle brownie that was a-mazing!!! And dog bone desserts for only $0.35? My dog thanks you, Alliance. I don't think the cupcakes were anything special (and I think all cupcakes, like children, are special) yet I would return for their other desserts, and because the cakes in the display window are just too cool.
(4)Susan marie C.
All i can say is, I'm not impressed. too much hype and no delivery. disappointed...very disappointed
(2)mariah c.
Alliance wins my award for best chai of the month. Some of the chain coffee shops use chai mix which is far too sugary for my tastes. I don't know if Alliance uses a mix or not, but the balance of sweetness is juuust right. The array of cakes, cookies and other baked goods is pretty astonishing. I love cake-shop windows, and Alliance's is delightful to me. It would never occur to me to get a cake shaped like a purse, but dang, that Louis Vuitton cake looks amazing! I was pretty stuffed when I last stopped in, but the cute little sprinkled meringue I got was the perfect melt-in-your-mouth dessert. The lounge (next door to the bakery) is a quiet place to work. However, the emphasis is on *quiet*, so as Colleen mentions, if you want to get chatty, you're better off taking your laptop and friend elsewhere. When I was in the lounge working yesterday, there was a 2-3 year old who was inexplicably obsessed with "Smoke on the Water." I'm not sure that has much to do with Alliance -- except for the fact that I was really amused and thought to myself, "If I'd chosen to work at a Starbucks, I doubt I would have happened upon such a Deep Purple-loving little lad to brighten my morning!"
(4)Daphne D.
As the other review said, one word sums up the marvelousness of this place: macarons It is very rare to find macarons in the US, let alone ones THIS good. Plus the flavors are creative, overall true decadence!!
(5)Marie J.
3 words.... Red Velvet Cupcake. Enough said.
(4)Mill V.
I was in the neighborhood and also wanted to try them, so I did. Oh boy, I wish I didn't. I got 4 French macarons and 1 vanilla cupcake. And all came to be $8. The cupcake was absolutely just gross. Buttercream had strong corn starchy taste. The cake part was what made me gag. So dry, so stale, so eck. My French macarons were such a disappointment. I love these guys, almost to an obsession. The cookie part was too dry, and didn't have THEE essential chewy-ness that these wonderful cookies are suppose to have. Buttercream center was "alright". It's cute in appearence, but looks alittle rundown and alittle dirty. I am not coming back to you, sorry babes. I have better at Jewels, bitches. That's pretty gross....
(1)Ross R.
Pretty good donut, but disappointed by the palpable condescension of the hipster cashier who felt it necessary to correct my calling it a donut...it's a beignet.
(3)Amaliya L.
Everyone and their mama has been raving about cupcakes. What the hell is the fascination? I have been fighting this craze for the past year. I'm old school, so screw you cupcakes, I refuse to be converted! Just like a missionary...these damn cupcakes came to me..they were on a mission to show me the way to sweet salvation and all that glory. My little sister, once again had to show me a thing or two about food. Tucked away in a neat little box were 5 of the most beautifully decorated "cupcakes". It's blasphemous to call them cupcakes. They are mini cakes dammit! I tried the pumpkin spice, the chocolate hazelnut, red velvet, and they are damn good! I'm a believer now..and I just might stop by if I'm ever in the area.
(5)Kate G.
I really don't know what to do about Alliance. I want to love it and it just doesn't want me to. So we had Alliance make our wedding cake. It turned out beautifully, exactly how we wanted it (an art deco motif they made from scratch) and it tasted even better. I mean this was a delicious, gorgeous cake-- perfection in every way it counts in a baked good. But the process that lead to getting that cake wasn't really that pleasant and subsequent visits to the cafe have just annoyed me. I don't need over-zealous, happy people to attend to me when I go into a business. Really, I don't. But the people who work here are so unfriendly and aloof they are practically surly. They make me feel like I am asking a HUUUUUUGE favor when I ask to purchase a cookie or a cupcake. It's a popular place and I am sure they are constantly slammed with orders, but everyone who walks in doesn't have to be a chore. The service relating to ordering our wedding cake was honestly not much better-- transactional and a little disorganized. All in all, food is amazing and beautiful. Service is just a drag.
(3)B G.
Me likey the macaroons and dah coffee. Goooood! Nice people. Nice nice nice. Nice.
(5)Quynh-An P.
Mmmmmm macarons. The boyfriend is usually not as eager to go to bakeries as I am. We stopped by here because I had heard the macarons were tasty. I ordered a few macarons and he got the almond croissant. The croissant was delicious...but the macarons were even better. I gave the boyfriend one bite of my vanilla macaron and he was begging for me. It was so good, that he insisted that we stop by there before our flight back to Seattle. We ended getting a box of the passion fruit and vanilla macarons to go and they're already gone now (we flew back last night). We plan to go to Chicago again and I'll be heading back to this place definitely. YUMMY!
(5)Alexis P.
Super delicious cake! The next b-day cake I order is definitely going to be from here. Coffee and pastries are also top notch. A little more effort could be put into the lounge area next door in terms of ambiance. I was in there one day and they were playing this awful Stained/Nicklebackish music and it felt like a cruel joke to be in a room where the people who were controlling the music weren't the ones that had to listen to it.
(4)RJ E.
I am the most impatient person in the word. While service is somewhat slow here, it is because this place is not a factory. I would wait an hour for a coffee from Alliance. I would wait a day for the scone to go with it.
(5)Tyler B.
Cappuccino and pellegrino. Friday afternoon in the sun. Alliance is that classic portrait of the pastry shop of yesteryear. It's the neighborhood bakery. Friendly faces serve you treats and intelligensia coffee. And designer cakes too in a showcase window. A certain sense of nostalgia. Find yourself patio side, sitting back sipping and nibbling; observing the walks of life go by- scurrying about, to and fro, there they go a' commuting. People watchers' paradise and fine treats too. Stop by.
(5)Luis L.
Alliance bakery is amazing. I've had cupcakes from lots of places, but the cupcakes here are some of the best. The ingredients must be of the highest quality, and the head baker's skill is obviously superlative because EVERYTHING I've had here has been amazingly good. My absolute favorite cupcakes are the lemon strawberry ones; the lemon flavor is intense, and the strawberry frosting is buttery and has the prefect sweetness. Gosh, I have gorged on these pieces of pure delight. Anytime a loved one has a birthday, I always try to get him or her a cupcake from here. However, I always have to order more than what I intend to give, because I can never control myself and end up eating at least two on the way. (Also, I'd just like to briefly insert that oddly, a few other reviewers see alliance as a coffee-shop/hang-out/study place, which it kinda is, but really isn't. It's essentially a bakery, not a hang-out. You're essentially sitting in a bakery's seating area, so I think you've got to be really silly if you complain about it.) When I've been there, the staff has always been courteous and professional. The place is small, but also rather old-school and charming. I've never had their cakes, which are incredibly fancy looking (and too pricey to just splurge on my own), but I intend to splurge on one soonish!
(5)Rick J.
What Alliance lacks in food and rink, it makes up for in atmosphere. The best coffee shop to work or study at in the area, easily. I live near Alliance and head there regularly to do all of the usual coffee shop things. The staff is always attentive, friendly and professional and the coffee is consistently good. There's better coffee out there, but I haven't had a bad cup at Alliance. I wouldn't recommend any of the espresso drinks, though. The americanos are good, but any of the milk espresso drinks can be passed on. Maybe I haven't found the right treat yet, but most of the cookies and pastries I've tried as Alliance have been underwhelming. You're paying for presentation. The real draw to Alliance Bakery is their lounge next door. It's usually fairly full, but you can almost always find a table for yourself. Being separate from the kitchen noise of the bakery helps to keep the lounge nice and quiet, and aside from the occasional conversation the clientele tends to preserve that quiet. It's perfect for working and studying. There isn't a better coffee shop in the area if you are looking to hang out for a while. THE END.
(4)Andre W.
I went in again and yes I am now double addicted! The staff thinks I am as well. I got the red velvet cupcake and the cinnamin buns and they were better than the last times I had them. This is a great staff! I will try something else when I go next time, but keep up the great work Alliance
(5)Misse D.
How have I skipped a review of Alliance? My bad. I dream of their frosting. It is so good and thick that I cannot help but day dream when I am eating a super healthy lunch, like today, of veges and string cheese. Their cupcakes are my favorite. I had had a few of their cookies, which I recommend. They are good but not the best. I love their cake so much that my husband and I came here for a wedding cake tasting. The cake was good but not the Best in the City. Their designs are good but again, not the Best in the City. I prefer to stop in one a cold day for a red velvet cupcake. Yum.
(4)Monica S.
Alliance has decent enough coffee & pastries, but the the best part is the seating area next door with free wi-fi. It's kind of weird because the counter and the seating area have two different entrances so you have to get your coffee and then leave the shop and walk outside to go into the seating area. The seating area has lots of room and plenty of people. On a Sunday over a holiday weekend there were a lot of people chatting and hanging out, so it's not a place to go for quiet reading. Also, don't sit near the door in the winter, the door opens and closes every 2 minutes and it's cold. The pastries at Artemio on Milwaukee are way cheaper, almost feels like a rip off to pay for them at Alliance. But they are a bit more upscale with interesting decoration.
(4)Lisa F.
Alliance, Alliance, Alliance. I want to love you, I really do, but I don't. You are steps away from my apartment, you have nice outdoor seating and you make two things that I live for ( Coffee and pastries) yet, everything I order tastes awful. I have heard around the block that you have new management, maybe this will help, but I still am not wasting my time or money.
(1)Heather D.
What can I add to these reviews? Alliance is awesome. It welcomed my boyfriend and I with open arms and helped convince us that Chicago was the right city for us. The large annex has tons of space for you to work with the complimentary wifi. We spent many an hour here when we had first moved and didn't have internet yet. The place is very casual and relaxed - you don't feel you are mooching because they really don't care. But you don't go to a coffeeshop for wifi alone. What keeps you coming back is the quality of the coffee. And the Alliance baristas know how to make espresso. Alliance wistfully reminds me of professional coffee shops in Seattle. The espresso has a full flavor without a touch of the bitterness that uneducated baristas include. Alliance is a stalwart in this neighborhood. It's difficult to stroll down Division without stopping by.
(4)Gia S.
My husband and I chose Alliance Bakery as it was one of the vendors included in our hotel weddubg package. After comparing options, I could see not only were their designs fabulous but they had a wider variety of flavor choices than the others. We went with a sleek and simple design which turned out gorgeous, mimicking the pattern on our invitations. It was a 4 tiered cake and they let us alternate flavors. One was lemon cake with lemon curd and raspberry. SO fresh and delicious. Then we went with a unique take on the traditional chocolate, regular cake with a salted caramel filling. The design, the taste, the planning experience with Jennifer and the team... perfect. They even give you a fresh cake topper for your 1 year anniversary. I'd highly recommend Alliance to anyone!
(5)Fred R.
This review applies to a sandwich I bought. While I'm sure the baked goods are good, the sandwhich honestly had one slice of meat...it was comical they could call it a sandwhich. It was such a poor attempt at a sandwhich I'm not sure why they sell them.
(1)Timothy M.
Color me slightly underwhelmed. I've been meaning to come into this place for about 2 years now, but every time I find myself in the area, it's after their lame 9pm closing time. 9pm, seriously? I do like the quietness. In any case, the baked good I had (a danish-type concoction) was decent, though dry and the Intelligensia was also passable. Strong stuff, but not much flavor - and no non to-go cups. Maybe they're taking a page from Starbucks. Speaking of which, this place is strikes me a little as a bakery-intensive Starbucks for people that don't like Starbucks. I liked the Bowie's "Starman" and Dylan's "Rainy Day Women", but Dave Matthews Band? My iPod comes up with some embarrassing choices sometimes, but at no time ever should DMB be playing in any coffee shop, unless you are, in fact, at Starbucks. Don't get me wrong though, a free wi-fi, free refills, douchebag-free scene is totally my thing. I am definitely going to try some of those other treats - a cilantro-infused cake? Yes. I won't travel across town for Alliance, but I wish I had one near me - since I'm one of those people that don't like Starbucks. EDIT: I am deducting ONE star for the SECOND Dave Matthews Band song I heard in one sitting.
(3)Charlie G.
I would love to write a review about how delicious the baked goods are, but I can't... Alliance is open until 9:00pm. I walked in their open door at 8:54pm to buy some cookies that were sitting in the glass case, only inches from my grasping fingers. Instead of taking my cash for some cookies (that would sit out all night if they weren't bought), the hipster behind the counter told me that the bakery was closed. She refused to sell me the cookies. In disbelief, I politely asked her if she really wanted to turn away a purchaser and informed her that she was losing a customer. She responded by saying, "no, it's really YOUR loss." Unbelievable. No matter how sweet, the cookies in that place must be bitter from all the attitude. I've never been back. I only regret that I didn't hunt down the owner and inform him or her of the offensive "customer service" on offer.
(1)Betty B.
Before I moved away, my friends and I had a running gag to try to get the craziest cakes made here (See Jill L.'s post for more examples). Yes, they were mad expensive. And sometimes they didn't even taste *that* good. But, man, did they look bitchin'. I was particularly moved by the "You're Adopted!" birthday cake that was made for my dude's birthday (see pics). Nice work, Alliance.
(4)rebecca s.
Alliance has really gone down hill. i think a lot of people go here because of what it used to be... still hoping it will be the same...but it isnt. all the baked goods are typical. nothing catches my eye. it is a bummer because its so close to my house. i end up going a lot further to find good baked goods.
(2)Kristy N.
Once again Alliance Bakery did a FABULOUS job! I had a surprise party for my husband this past weekend and had Alliance do a cake that looked like a present! It was beautiful! And tasted DELISH! Thank you Alliance and the design team for making another great cake!
(5)Lakshmi R.
Alliance Bakery is an important establishment: they have a creepy neon sign outside the main entryway. It's one of the few vestiges of how great this neighborhood was before the Lincoln Park kids took it over. The coffee is good, the food excellent. I consider it as crucial to my boyfriend and I getting together (along with The Coffee Studio up in Andersonville). And I credit it with the consumption of thousands of unnecessary yet utterly worthwhile calories from the likes of their cupcakes, almond croissants, cookies and who knows what else. In the weeks following Blago's indictment, Blago cookies appeared, replete with insane frosting hairdos. Let me explain how this place is set up. You go into the tiny, closet-sized bakery, ogle their goodies, and get your food/coffee (which is all good, I promise). Then, if you're nerdy like me and the bf, you exit, take three steps to the right, and re-enter the building through another door to a room that is a bit grubby and filled with tables and chairs and.... grad students!!!! It's silent as a tomb in there. Then you hang out for the rest of the day, studying and eating cupcakes and trying to look as cute as everyone else who comes to this place. So go to Alliance Bakery! Support what's left of once-cool Wicker Park/Bucktown! And Blago too, of course.
(5)Ellen F.
The last time I was here, I think the girl behind the counter helping me was super stoned, or just really spacey (hence slowish service), but whatever, she was nice and the focaccia I had was good. And don't even get me started on the red velvet cupcake. Mmmm...delectible. The lounge is next door and you have to go outside to access it, which, for some reason, I think is kinda funny and I like it.
(4)Kelsey K.
I REALLY wanted to love this place because it was so darn cute and their cupcake flavors were so awesome, but they were really dry. I'll go back there because it's close to my house and we spend a lot of time in that area, but I just wish that they were moister. I went specifically for the cupcakes (it's what I do) but I think I'll order a tart next time because they looked so awesome. The staff was really helpful and the presentation was incredible, but for the best cupcakes in the city, that award still belongs to Sweet Mandy B's.
(3)Tam H.
Free Wi-Fi, quiet place to get things done and too die for pastries...This is a place you really want to continuously frequent. On a lovely sunny day, you may want to sit outside. Although the bakery may be a bit expensive, I still think its worth the investment. It's definitely better than being in Starbucks any day of the week. When I visited, I indulged in a Red Velvet Cupcake and a Iced Mocha Latte. Both were very tasty... The folks behind the counter are nice as well. I really enjoyed my experience here.
(4)Elle F.
Alliance Bakery did our wedding cake for our 5-28-11 wedding. The cake was exactly what we asked for as per our colorful and funky design, and it tasted great! We had 3 layers -- 2 chocolate/raspberry, and 1 chocolate/apricot. YUM!
(5)Christina V.
how can a place have delicious food but horrible service. completely disappointed in the fact that our wedding was last year and they delivered the wrong cake for me and my husband to cut. it was taupe and frosting, not black fondant. they had the nerve to say that is what we ordered when we gave them an invite showing that our colors were green, black and white. because of the mix up, they hesitantly said we could come back for our year anniversary to get what we ordered. we also had cupcakes so we wanted to get some of those instead of the cake. they said we only get 6, fought to get 12 at least. needless to say our year was over a month ago and they just gave us the cupcakes. we couldn't get them on our year because they "didn't" make any. i will NEVER go there again with the service and owner not cooperating when our wedding pictures have a different cake in it and they just don't care! i can live with the cake being different but own up to it and keep your customers happy.
(1)Kristine B.
I stopped in here for the first time because I was bringing desert to a dates house and didn't want to overwhelm him with an entire cake, or with the effort of making my own desert (It was only our second date afterall!). I found precisely what I was looking for when I feasted my eyes on the cupcakes. Two red velvets and one Double Chocolate later, I made my way out. They were beautiful to look at (yes!), smelled delish (yes!) and looked much more expensive than they were (yes!). I didn't want to take them to the said date's nicely prepared dinner unless I knew they were good (hence why I got three), so I have to say - the double chocolate was amazing. It was moist and flavorful. The frosting complimented the flavor of the cake nicely - it wasn't overly sweet (and I love them sweet!) but it was perfect. Don't ask me about the Red Velvet though.. We just didn't have time :) I'll ask him for an update though so stay tuned!
(4)Michelle M.
I love their food so much that I'm willing to pay for its price!!! Why does everything have to be so ridiculously expensive here?? You're killin' me Smalls. I love those red velvet cupcakes - and the ones with filling... OMG Great coffee!
(4)Sara B.
You'd think after a brunch of decadence and about four cups of coffee, I'd think twice about stopping in at Alliance. But I'd heard about Intelligentsia for so long that when I saw they served it here, my friends and I had to pop in for a coffee and a cookie. I ordered a cappuccino and a chocolate macaroon and immediately headed out front to scarf streetside. The chocolate macaroon was absolutely amazing, melt-in-your-mouth perfect -- a satisfyingly chewy coconut cookie topped with a creamy dollop of chocolaty gooeyness on top. And despite this not being an actual Intelligentsia cafe, the barista did my cappuccino up right -- rich, flavorful espresso and expertly foamed milk. By all rights, I should have had a massive coronary right there. Maybe there is a god after all.
(4)RC R.
Just stopped into this place to pick up some pastries and have not tried the desserts just yet, but only one way to describe the service: rude. The woman behind the counter was unhelpful and seemed overall inconvenienced. After paying, she threw the box of pastries at me, and also forgot to give me back my credit card. Ridiculous. Will not stop here ever again.
(1)Terri N.
My cousin Mistey had me on a French Macarons craze. Literally. So, one evening, after picking me up Tony told me he was going to take me to Fritz pastry but by the time we got there they were closing. He turned and said don't worry, there's another place called Alliance Bakery that sold French macarons as well. So Tony, tamia and I headed there instead. Open for business, Alliance had only one worker that evening. Walking in, you can tell it's a cozy little bakery. I was amazed of all the beautiful cakes on display filled with intricate designs. Anyway, the server asked us if we had any idea what to order, since there was another patron in the store we told him to serve her first. When she left we were still clueless on what to order. Tamia decided on a simple chocolate cupcake, which she had devoured in the car. She loved that it was moist and not overwhelmingly chocolaty. I order two almond croissants for my sister and she said it was AMAZING! Tony ordered practically all their macarons (pistachio, chocolate, lemon, rose with rose cream, vanilla, rose with chocolate). The pistachio macarons were awesome. Light, crisp and moist, none of the flavors overpower the other. The rose was refreshing, very airy and definitely taste like rose. The lemon was my favorite; it reminded me of biting into a lemon meringue pie. The chocolate and vanilla tasted stale and old. That was a huge bummer. Overall, Alliance is a nice hidden place and has a great amount of sweets on display. I know that their macarons flavors are seasonal so you just have to wing it for that particular day and hope it's as great as it looks. I need to come back for their almond croissants and hopefully I can pick up some more macarons. We are kind of staying away from it since Tony went a bit overboard in ordering all of it. 6.5/10
(3)J P.
Alliance designed our wedding cake and it was absolutely gorgeous and delicious! We worked with Mitchell and he was super helpful throughout the process. At our cake tasting (one of the best perks of planning a wedding), he explained all the different flavors and frosting options and left us alone so we could talk candidly about all the choices. To stay in our budget and also have enough cake for all our guests, our actual wedding cake was pretty small (served 75) and we had extra sheet cake of the same flavors in the kitchen that made it enough for all 230 peeps at our wedding. Everyone raved about how good it was. Would definitely recommend to a friend.
(4)becky R.
I heart this place. I must admit i mostly order espresso and croissants. Occasionally i will get the key-sh (phonic spelling for the sake of a chronic misspeller). I am really picky about my croissants. If you make a good croissant you basically have my heart just dont fuck up the coffee. So they do a good job at that. I usually dont get other things on the menue cause its all a bit out of my price range.... apparently people pay that much for their snacks. Anyway, its super cute. I have never had a problem with the hipster staff. They get the job done. Mostly, i have found that they smile back and thats really all it takes for me. Their other room is very quite. Its true. I like it, cause i usually go there to do job hunting stuff. BUT the thing with the radio station is DRIVING me NUTS! I feel like it is a relatively new phenomenon. I have even requested that they put something else on cause the Menards commercials were driving me nuts.
(4)Joe M.
The best part about Alliance Bakery and Cafe is that they are positioned directly across the street from Starsucks... (I like Starbucks coffee. If you say you don't then you are a liar. There is just something wholesome about the idea of supporting the locals rather the multinationals) I don't know who their pastry chef is but this guy needs to go on the Ace of Cakes! Have you ever looked in the window of this shop? It's like peaking into an artist's gallery! And the coffee isn't too shabby either.
(5)Kyle H.
Stopped here with a friend early on a Friday night. Got a key lime bar and mint tea, both which were FAB! The main indoor seating area you actually have to leave the bakery side and walk outside and go in another door. We were here for an early evening chat and tea. The room was as quiet as a morgue! People were either studying, or on laptops. There was no piped in music and we had to whisper. Don't "shush" me Alliance!
(4)Joe S.
Just a little bit expensive for a bakery but OK I'll pay it. I suppose it's a fair trade that I can pull up to a meter sans quarters and be in and out before getting slapped with a ticket. Cute cookies for about $3 a piece might help you out if you get in a fight with your girl or boyfriend. ("I got you a cookie with a shamrock on it baby and it's St. Patrick's day...forgive me?") Select coffees and teas. Division St. sidewalk seating provides entertainment and hotties walking to the Blue Line when the weather's nice. Support local independently owned businesses.
(3)M M.
Was my cake pricey, yes; but was it worth it, double yes! I worked closely with Lindsay as we collaborated on the idea for this cake. I had a metallic themed party and love disco balls and would certainly come here and buy a special occasion cake again! The cake tasted beyond yummy and all of the party goers felt the same. Almond cake with chocolate pastry cream - DELISH! Thank you Alliance - you came thru and helped make my 30th birthday memorable - not to mention the cake lended itself as a super nice decoration element.
(4)Jess R.
I am basing my review on the vanilla/vanilla cupcake I ate yesterday. Our office had lunch catered by the restaurant in our building. Cupcakes were the dessert. It was the best cupcake I've had in a long time. The cake was moist and had just the right density, but the frosting was the star. It was a sugary butter cream piled almost as high as the cake was tall which made for a great frosting-to-cake ratio (even if I did get frosting on my nose with every bite). It was not overly buttery like most of the bakeries around town seem to go for. It was fluffy yet sturdy and was adorned with just a few pastel colored mini disc sprinkles. Along with the vanilla, we also had chocolate/chocolate and red velvet with vanilla frosting. It took all my will power to stop after the one I had because the raves everyone else were giving the other flavors really tempted me to try them. I asked one of the caterers about the cupcakes and found out they were from Alliance Bakery. I can't wait to try more treats from there.
(5)Jennifer Y.
Been coming here for a while to study. Admittedly, not a great place to hang out with friends and chat but it is a GREAT place to come and study. Quiet, free Wi-Fi, etc. Well, as long as homeless people don't come in and start talking to themselves. Not that I have any thing against homeless people -- it's just not what I expect. The staff here is alright -- I don't think they're especially friendly, but they are friendly enough. Coffee drinks are aiiiiiiiiiight, nothing to write home about any time soon. Baked goods look good -- I had a hazelnut chocolate cupcake which, again, was nothing to write home about any time soon. I really like it here. Oh, except they should put soap in the bathroom.
(4)Eric M.
A small little bakery that makes a ton of food. The front window alone will keep your attention for a few minutes as you gaze over the latest cakes that have been created. With my most recent visit there was a giant hamburger cake, an edible six pack of beer (each can was a little cupcake), and a giant towering cake with each layer looking like a giant strawberry with chocolate drizzling down. Once inside there are plenty of items to try. I went with the cinnamon roll and my fiancee the red velvet cupcake. Both were very good with a nice chewiness on the roll and a moistness on the cupcake. I look forward to going again and again and again.
(4)Jenny L.
On my visit to Chicago, I decided to try out a couple cupcake places, Alliance being one of them. Walking up to the bakery, I can say that if it wasn't for the reviews on yelp, I would have walked away. The place looks like it needs a makeover and some better lighting. The cakes in the display window look like they've been sitting there since the early 90's and need desperately to be modernized. I was happy to see that they had red velvet cupcakes (my favorite), and also got one each of the carrot and mocha cupcakes. Overall, the cupcakes had good flavor but are a little on the dry side. Flavor and taste wise they reminded me a lot of Sprinkles in LA. Not a bad dessert option if you're in the area.
(3)JC D.
Intelligentsia taste for the S'bux price. Not cheap, people. Soy latte was good, and believe it or not, it's easily fucked up. The plain croissant was not too buttery and nice and moist...yummy. I didn't try the pastries, but they looked creatively decorated and good. This place like every joint on Division has an outside patio, but it also has a large room with comfy couches and tables to do your work or homework.
(4)tom b.
For me, if you idiots judge a pastry shop by there cup cakes you need a kick in the ass .the way i see it one day martha stewart had a show on cup cakes and all these wacked out prozac queens could not find vanilla extract because they drank it .so they made it some elses problem ..now it is a cup cake marrygoround out there .bull shit ..... Alliance has some great product eat that and shut up...
(4)Christine J.
After I wrote my review of Alliance, the owner emailed me to tell me that the macaroons weren't stale, but were taken out of refrigeration too early. My, that was a relief.
(3)Audrey H.
We went early on a Sunday morning and there was no wait. I had a ham and cheddar croissant that was delicious. They offered to warm it up for me, and we ended up sitting outside on the patio. I love the coffee here and I thought the staff was super nice.
(4)Michael M.
Don't let the aging cakes in the windows fool you, this place has the freshest deserts, the best tasting coffee, friendliest staff, and awesome free Wi-Fi. Not to mention they have a nice outside patio seating option (though Division St is Loud) and an adjacent coffee lounge indoors with lots of comfy chairs. I love Alliance!
(5)H C.
I don't want to say anything bad about Alliance because I feel I might be doing something wrong because of all the great reviews I've read but I was soooooooo disappointed in my cupcake! I got the chocolate mocha and the frosting had this weird texture but the mocha flavor was really good and the cupcake itself wasnt too bad, a little on the dry side though. I also bought a white chocolate blondie which was also disappointing. I don't know, like I said I don't want to say anything too bad about this place because I really want to like it. I will try it again except this time maybe if I go a little earlier in the day I'll get something a bit more fresh.
(2)Lorraine L.
I revisited my old favorite recently to nosh on some good pastries and take advantage of free wi-fi (sadly free wifi or coffee shops are hard to find in Albany Park where I was visiting my mom). I walked in and immediately noticed the remodeling. I think I liked Alliance better when it wasn't all pastel blue and trying to look like an upscale-yuppie bakery. They also scaled down the size of their pastries and upped the prices. Another bummer. Their delicious cupcakes are about half the size now. I also had a latte which was pretty mediocre. The cookies are still very good and they did add some more variety in the pastries which I was very excited about (mini fruit tarts!) The room next door was also remodeled and now has more tables and comfy couches, but half of the back room is now off-limits. It seems they do their wedding cake consultations back there. Despite the changes it remains one of my favorite independent bakeries. I'm going to keep coming back whenever I'm home.
(4)Eric B.
I can't think of a better place to spend a nice summer/spring day. The outdoor seating area is located pretty close to the mess that is Division Street, but for some reason the exhaust and noise doesn't bother me. The coffee is always great and the baked goods are usually right on target. I haven't tried the sandwiches but I have been meaning to as they look delicious. This is one of the few coffee places where I actually tip the employees since they're ALWAYS courteous and friendly.
(5)melissa g.
I received an incredible chocolate cake with whipped cream from here for a pre-birthday celebration while in Chicago. The chocolate cake itself was done very well and is comparable to my favorite Mazetti's in SF. The artistry that goes into these cakes are phenomenal. Fortunately for me the cake I received was of the same quality.
(5)Lori M.
Just had an iced tea and a spinach feta croissant, which was rather delicious. The room next door to the cafe with couches and tables reminds me of a place I'd hang out in, if I was still in undergrad. That's not to say it's not cool or anything - I am rather fond of those days - but half of the power outlets don't work and I'm not sure when anything was last cleaned. Overall pretty groovy, but on a Monday afternoon, I think the clientele would chase me out of here if I sat with a friend and tried to have a conversation. Meaning it works for the quiet book reader or the cool chick with a Mac but not so much for soulful chats or conference calls (I must sign off now to walk to the rental car where I can gab without disturbing anyone else).
(3)Alexis H.
Alliance Bakery just doesn't cut it for me. Their cakes and treats look so enticing, but they just don't have that much flavor. Their prices are similar to most bakeries, but if I'm getting a specialty cookie or cake from a bakery instead of the grocery store I expect it to be of higher quality. I've also had stomach aches after a visit or two - never a good sign. People rave about Alliance so there's got to be something good there, I'm just not willing to go through the trial and error to find it.
(2)Yukari T.
I'm infatuated with Alliance Bakery. I think about it all the time and I have to talk myself out of taking a quick stroll to grab a coconut macaroon bar. (If only I knew the nutrition facts...) I'm usually in and out of there real quick because there's something kind of embarrassing about going into a bakery and buying goodies for yourself. If you only buy one thing, it's pretty obvious that it's for yourself. But if you grab a FEW things, it could seem like you're going over to a friends place for some afternoon tea...at least that's my justification for picking up more than one delectable item. I've never been in the lounge and after reading the reviews, I don't think I will, ever. I'd rather enjoy my baked goods in private and not have to pretend to study.
(4)Sara B.
This is a really cool little joint. The cafe is separate from the bakery so it is a little weird yet cool to walk outside and next door with my plate but the atmosphere of both sides was pretty neat. I had a yummy cup of coffee and a little treat called the Michelle. It looked cute and sounded really yummy. Chocolate, peanuts and berry stuff....yummy...I was shocked, a little disappointed but yet mildly intrigued and satisfied by the fact this little pretty $5 thing tasted EXACTLY like peanut and butter jelly sandwich. Texture was pretty on point too. Their cakes looked awesome and they have a bunch of awards on the wall for them. The attitude of the place was pretty cool too so I will be back and will definitely keep them in mind for future cake orders.
(4)Janet X.
Absolutely fantastic hazelnut cupcakes, but a bit on the expensive side considering it takes about three bites to eat the whole thing. Macaroons were great also. However, the seating area next to the bakery feels like courthouse -- rather spare and utilitarian. Even though they have helpfully added stickers to the tables that say, "This is not a library, you can talk here," people still tend to give death stares to people who do talk.
(4)Dawn L.
My roommate is always surprised when I'm not familiar with a particular cafe since I know so many of them (and can usually be found working or performing in one!). But this is my first visit to Alliance Bakery, and I'm typing this from my laptop via their free wireless connection. I ordered a mocha (they use Intelligensia coffee) and a turkey and swiss croissant, and I have to say that both were fantastic! It's a little strange to have to go next door to find a place to sit (the seating area is two doors down from the bakery itself, which has no seating), but I can easily see spending a few hours here comfortably. It would be difficult to order more food since that requires walking outside and bringing my stuff with me only to come back again, but that's the only real downside I see.
(4)S B.
The pastries at Alliance are the best in town. The tarts taste as good as they look. Definitely not for anyone on a diet! The coffee is Starbucks quality.
(4)Kevin C.
Alliance Bakery is hands down one of the best bakeries that I have been to in Chicago! I have been suckered a few times into going into "organic" bakeries and have despised every bite that I have had to take after finding out that they were organic. They just don't taste the same as the good ole frankenfoods that we are used to eating. The inside is small, quaint, and cozy with a touch of nostalgia. Inside decor is fairly old fashioned and walking in gives you a sense of stepping back into the 1920's. Looking around on the walls you will find the numerous awards that the owner has won in pastry contests. Nice touch! The people here are always extremely nice and the pastries are a great value. You are sure to find something that will tickle your stomach here!
(4)Ron L.
Do not be fooled by the cakes in the pictures. They completely messed up an important order 6 mos ago and only offered to refund the difference in ingredients cost - what??? Then at my wife's request we tried them again last week for 2 birthday cakes and again, completely messed them up. Do not trust these people with an order for an important event, they suck and do not even provide basic customer care even when they acknowledge that they messed up. That is 3 cakes completely screwed up folks - you decide. Also, the owner Peter is a complete Jerk and refused to provide a any type of credit other than the price of the missing ingredients. If I didn't care about the cake, I would go to Jewel and buy a 10.00 cake, at least then you know what you are buying. They will provide whatever cake they feel like baking that day regardless of what the ticket states There are a lot of talented bakeries in the city that appreciate their customers - Try Bleeding heart or Floriole
(1)Brenna O.
Stop #4 on the Cupcake Crawl. I really liked the cozy side room adjacent to the Alliance bakery, but I felt bad that everyone else got kicked out for our private cupcake party! It worked out well though as we were all able to sit down and chat and sample some of the delicious cupcakes Alliance had to offer. For our first chocolate cupcakes of the day we had the chocolate chocolate, and the hazelnut with chocolate frosting. Both were excellent, and you gotta get a forkful of frosting with the cake to balance it all out right. We also tried the carrot cake one which was nice and moist, but not as good as the carrot cake we had at Sweet Cakes. There was also a big container of coffee for those who drink such things, and the guy who helped us out was very cool and friendly. A great way to end the great Cupcake Crawl 2007! Thanks Rob! Update: We went back for a treat, and I was kind of disappointed with my strawberry lemon cupcake, so I'm moving my 5 to a 4. There was nothing special about the lemon cupcake, it tasted like it could have come out of a box and I had hoped for some more lemon flavor. Also the strawberry part was all in the pink icing, which again did not taste that much like strawberry. I guess it was too subtle for my taste buds.
(4)Eric M.
Wow! For those of you familiar with Tartine in San Francisco, consider Alliance to be Chicago's version, less the attitude! Ordered an almond croissant and a vanilla latte and was very pleased. The cakes looked awesome, just like the ones you see on Charm City. Alliance has seating and wifi available in a room next door. The guy at the counter was great but seemed more like he should be working at a skateboard shop which added a "cool" dimension to the place. I pledge that I will visit here the first Saturday of every month despite the minor inconvenience that we live 2 hours west!
(5)Sophie D.
This place is right around the corner, so I go often. As in almost every day. My lattes are a little inconsistent (sometimes not enough caramel, sometimes too much, sometimes a little heavy on the milk, and -wait- is it sour? next time i'm getting soy... etc.) But who needs a latte everyday anyway? I love the vibe and the cakes in the window and the outdoor seating area, which is superb hipster (and otherwise) watching. I used to give a thumbs-down to their pastries (and it's very hard for me not to like something sweet), but I think they recently changed ownership and, perhaps, pastry chef as well? Either way, I've had some wonderful treats there over the last couple months. The cupcakes are adorable, although the icing on all but the vanilla one tasted a bit oily to me. and most of the items with coconut have done me right. As for savory, on a Sunday morning, I'll usually find myself there enjoying either a turkey and swiss croissant or a slice of spinach quiche. None of it leaves me feeling exactly slim, but that's what i get for hitting up a bakery nearly every day. maybe staying in logan square's solitude wasn't such a bad idea afterall... There's also a big room to the left of where you order (enter from the street), which smells like a library (love it) where you can eat, drink, read and/or web surf. You can almost always find a spot, even on its most crowded days.
(4)Lois A.
Great quiche but the sweets leave me wishing I'd spent my money at Bake or various other bakeries. The lemon bars are bad. No lemon flavor and kind of like gooey cement. Eat a lemon bar at Birchwood Kitchen and then try the one here (or don't!!) and you'll know what I mean about how a lemon bar should taste. The coconut macaroon and turtle bars are too hard and just don't have that creamy amazing quality they should have. Too hard, too much sugar taste, not enough love. The sweets are not cheap enough to get away with tasting so mediocre. It's a cute place though.
(3)Shauna B.
I don't know what I would do without Alliance's savory croissants for breakfast. I can't decide if I prefer the turkey and swiss or the ham and cheddar, but both boast perfectly flaky croissants topped with perfectly browned cheese. Delish! The pastries are moist and tasty, and dangerous! I lay awake at night thinking of the mini carrot cake--so good. The bakery itself can be crowded (and staff overwhelmed) at peak hours, but most of the time they wait is short and service pleasant. The bakery annex next door is a great place to settle into a couch and read or work, and the sidewalk seating is perfect for people watching in good weather.
(4)Noah B.
Good pastries and decent coffee. The staff is friendly and talkative, or will leave you alone if you're just there to use their free wi-fi and study. The TV flipping through their slideshow of pastries they've made is almost hypnotic.
(3)kristina w.
When I lived in Chicago I went here almost every morning for a latte and treat!
(5)Jenna H.
07/25/2010: Hmmm. Reading my earlier review made me miss the Alliance of yore. The couple trips I've made over the past year have all been disappointing. The baked goods seem to have gone downhill, and I think the coffee is following suit. & the place has a weird, unpleasant odor more often than not... more befitting of a beer-soaked dive bar than a bakery. Not good. Sadly Alliance, I've lost that loving feeling. & now it's gone...gone...gone...woooooe ohhhh ohh. I LOVE Alliance! Bakeries, even good ones, can be so hit-or-miss, and while I have plenty of favorites (the red velvet cupcake, most of their cookies) I've yet to try anything that bombed/wasn't finished in 5 minutes. The window displays are so cool they'll make a happily single girl consider cake-induced lifetime commitment. The coffee drinks are tasty, & unlike the crowd (which can have a few too many too-cool-for-school hipsters) the staff is nice & helpful. Which is saying a lot since there's been more than one weekend where I've made a morning appearance hungover & still in my clothes from the night before. YES, even after a few too many tequila shots Alliance will get you out of bed. Which is more than I can say for my alarm clock.
(2)Anna B.
I love that the indoor seating, during the week anyway, is like a library. Just tables of people working and reading and drinking great coffee and tea. When someone's cell phone rings, they go outside to answer it! Of course there's the occasional exception, like the time I had to listen to a hipster make follow-up calls to places he'd sent his resume, during which time he also cracked open a microwave container of Spaghetti-Os and started slurping away. Gross. For the most part it is a very subdued, chill, group of people, which makes this a great place to work if you need some peace and quiet. In the wintertime I liked sitting in one of the arm chairs near the front of the room and soaking up the sun... --------------------------------------------------Â------------------------------------------- I'm a writer who has trouble working in her own home. (Distractions include books, magazines, DVDs, phone calls, snacks, cleaning to be done, the Internet as a whole, and a very large cat.) I tend to work for several hours at a stretch, so the library isn't always an option. Over the course of the past five years I discovered some amazing coffee shops in Chicago and worked there happily. Since moving to LA in 5/07, I've realized just how picky I am about coffee shops: I haven't been able to find one I really love! In my quest for the perfect coffee shop, I have devised my own star rating system for the shops I review on this site. Each attribute below is worth one star, which makes it possible for a shop to lack desirable attributes yet still receive a perfect Yelp rating. Anything with a perfect Yelp rating is a place in which I am happy to sit for hours on end. * well lit * cozy atmosphere with comfortable seating * wifi (free or not) * open late * serves loose leaf tea * variety of affordable food and beverages * interesting people-watching, whether it be out the window or in the shop * not too crowded (I hardly ever go on the weekends because I know the odds would be against me) I understand that my rating system is unique to my own needs but hopefully I will be able to highlight qualities that others may be interested in. If anyone has any coffee shop suggestions for me, I am all ears! I would also like to state that I always try to spend enough money &/or leave a large enough tip to make my long-term presence tolerable to the cafe staff. I cringe when I see people ordering a $2 iced tea and then follow it up with free tap water while they sit and read "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" in its entirety.
(5)Claudine M.
Went here to buy some breakfast pastries and it did not disappoint! They have great varieties of croissants (both savory and sweet), Danishes, scones, cinnamon rolls, sticky buns, bagels, and even their version of cronuts! We got different croissants: ham and cheese, goat cheese and peppers, almond and regular. We also added a cinnamon roll since it was recommended. My favorites were the almond croissant, then goat cheese and pepper croissant, and the cinnamon roll. They also have a gorgeous array of French macarons and small cakes. You can also order a cake there which they decorate beautifully! We saw a lady pick up a huge bumblebee cake for a party. Very cute! Lastly, they have doggy biscuits as well which my boyfriend's sister's dog gladly devoured!
(5)Craig T.
Came for a late breakfast and ate a Ham and Cheese Croissant. Walking distance from the subway. Since I make macarons for a local bakery, I wanted to talk to staff about the process. Kristin was very welcoming and responded my questions. She has an advanced degree in physics and explained several baking concerns and gave me valuable information. She even recommended Stan's Donuts within walking distance. I completed lunch with an Anne and two macarons, a strawberry shortcake and a salty caramel. Somewhat difficult to eat the Anne with a plastic fork. It would likely be better to wait for the Anne to melt so it would be easier to eat, but did not have the time. Everything was on point and it's easy to get to in a trendy area. Highly recommend. Heard they have cronuts on weekends and would love to try if I'm in Chicago on a weekend.
(5)Eliza E.
Love!!! I could eat their delightful macarons every day. They are light, flavorful, and just a perfect treat. Recently, I had a cake decorated for a special occasion and it exceeded my expectations. The cake was perfectly moist and delicious, and the decoration really captured not only the picture I provided but also the fun feel I wanted.
(5)Liz C.
This review is specifically for only the macarons. Overall, I would give Alliance 3.5 stars. I love macarons and visiting Chicago had me on the search for some macarons! I ran into Alliance Bakery while walking through Wicker Park. After seeing that sign that said "Macarons," I knew that I had to get some! If you purchase 5 macarons, they'll start putting it into the cute little boxes. Otherwise, it comes in a little bag. I tried the three macarons that I thought were not the normal ones you could find anywhere. Pina Colada - This beautiful, sunshine yellow macaron tickled my taste buds and made me smile. It was phenomenal! The texture was perfectly crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. I love the surprise bit of pineapple jam in the very center. You could taste the pineapple in this without it being too overpowering. The macaron was light and so refreshing. Key Lime - This alien green macaron did have a nice tartness to it. The only downside was the texture. The key lime was so underbaked and just fell apart when I bit into it. It was way too wet on the inside. If it was baked right, I think this macaron could have been a hit. It wasn't too sweet but not too tart either. Chocolate Passion Fruit - I've never seen this macaron flavor so I was really interested. It's yellow with a dusting of cocoa powder on top. I didn't mind the powder, but it did leave my mouth a little dry. I think it could have used a little less cocoa powder on top. In contrast with the key lime, this macaron was unfortunately overbaked. The inside was very dry. However, the passion fruit shell was delicious and I did like the richness of the chocolate cream inside. The problem with the macarons here are not the flavors, just the texture. The consistency of doneness is a little off. Pricing is fine with the macarons being about $2 each. Service was great, the guy was really patient and friendly. This bakery has some amazing cakes on display, as well as some awesome treats in the display case! The slices of cakes, tarts and cookies looked scrumptious! Maybe next time I'll get those. If this place shipped across states, I would probably order a dozen Pina Colada macarons because they were just so good.
(3)Amy D.
Alliance Bakery was included in our wedding reception package, and we're so grateful! They were so easy to work with and everything was delicious. The tasting itself was fun to mix different flavors. I brought in friends to help my now husband as I'm gluten free. It was easy to pick the cake design. I went off one of their previous design and made some modifications to make it unique for us. Everyone complemented how beautiful it was, and how good it was.
(5)Joann H.
Love love loved the macarons. Amazing! Great outter shell with the classic chewy texture and delicious filling. Loved my croissant sandwich as well. Good latte, not out of this world but good. I'm just disappointed at the blah service. I came here for the first time on valentine's day with my husband. I was so excited and our girl at the counter just didn't care if we were there or not. Not "can I help you? , first time here?" Nada. Just figure it out for myself. Oh well. But the dude making my coffee had a smile on his face. Won't go out of my way to get here but if I'm in the neighborhood I have to have a macaron. Those macarons were on point. Delicious!
(3)Jamie B.
Good bakery items, delicious hibiscus lemon iced tea. We had the Ann cake, it was mainly chocolate ganache and was quite tasty. Docking a star for super slow service.
(4)Carolyn T.
I've been to Alliance twice now: once to get a key lime pie as a birthday present and the other time to pick up two Annes and a savory croissant. The first time we dropped by in the late morning on a weekend, we really wanted to try the Anne, which had been featured recently ona list of the best pastries in Chicago, but they were already sold out. (We didn't want to order a Big Anne because that's full-sized to serve many people.) The key lime pie was a gift, but the recipient said she really liked it. Next, we dropped by for the Annes and the croissants. The Anne was absolute decadence. WOW. I am definitely a big fan! There's a chocolate outside and a delicious chocolate mousse interior. There are little macarons decorated on top of the Anne, also. The bottom is solid chocolate. Score! This certainly is one of my favorite pastries I've tried in recent memories and I long for the next time that I'm in Wicker Park so I can pick one of these up. The croissants were pretty good, but did not taste like they had been made that morning, unfortunately. I'm not sure if they make the croissants there or if they purchase the croissants, then add the filling themselves. I would probably stick to the pastries next time. Also, I had ordered a vegetarian croissant, walked out, and realized I was given one with ham. We walked back, waited in line again, and the worker seemed a bit distressed/annoyed about the mistake. She didn't apologize. She did, however, give me the croissant I wanted and my boyfriend kept the ham croissant to eat himself. I also picked up cookies for Mother's Day that were really cute-looking, but the royal icing and the cookie itself were a bit hard and not too flavorful. Overall, I do think it's accurate to say I'm a fan of Alliance for the Anne!
(4)Kari H.
I came here looking for macaron ice cream sandwiches but they didn't have any. I think they said they serve it in the summer, but I'm not sure if I remembered that correctly. I got 7 macarons instead: raspberry, pistachio, piña colada, vanilla, peanut butter and jelly, Nutella, and strawberry cheesecake. Raspberry macaron was my favorite. Staff was friendly and helpful. The free raspberry macaron given to us was a good pick. They were closing in 20 minutes but invited us to stay anyway, but we decided to go on a walk and eat our macarons elsewhere instead. Thanks!
(4)Shradha A.
We stopped by to ask about gluten-free cakes and they don't have options. They did have a flourless cake, which we grabbed one of to try. It was too rich when we had a few bites while at the cafe but when we brought it back home and microwaved it, it got moist and much more decadent. I also picked up a stuffed croissant for my fiance and he enjoyed that.
(3)Jenn T.
I'm not a vegan by any standards, but the vegan chocolate chip cookies here are fantastic, and by fantastic I mean they're better than most normal chocolate chip cookies. Other things that I've tried include the carrot cake cupcake, the red velvet cupcake, and the almond croissant--all were very good. Other than baked goods though, Alliance is probably one of the best places in Wicker Park to study/get work done. Their separate lounge next door (with free wi-fi!!) has been very quiet both times I have gone. Note that the lounge isn't too big so come earlier or get ready to possibly be a bit cramped.
(5)Celeste S.
The customer service here wasn't that good. The clerks there did not welcome us initially. It was a bit busy, but even after it cleared up we weren't helped immediately. The cake was very beautiful and tasted wonderful.
(3)Bao L.
The almond croissant here is fantastic! Buttery, flaky, and has the perfect amount of sweetness. I'm not a huge pastry person either and I loved this. Make sure to pair it with a nice cup of coffee. I'll definitely be coming back here when I'm in the area
(4)Sonya P.
This review is strictly for their Fat Tuesday paczkis only. I normally enjoy Alliance, especially their macarons, so this year I put in an order for their paczki specials for Fat Tuesday since they were much closer to my place than many of the other bakeries. The pre-ordering process was a bit of a mess (but I think the employee was particularly out of it that day), but I didn't make much of it. Come Fat Tuesday and we get our 6 paczkis. Some of them were decent but some of them were direly lacking in filling (I've posted a picture of it above), and all of them were dry as hell. Really disappointed. If I had known I would've just gone to another bakery... I hope they step up their game next year. Not like I'll be back for them for paczkis, but still. For all the other clueless (non-Polish) people out there, I guess.
(1)Plamena G.
I had dinner with a girlfriend close by, and on our way home we stopped by Alliance bakery for dessert. We each got a macaroon, and they were sooo delicious. I had the Nutella and she had the Salted caramel one. They were just the perfect little piece of sweetness! I'll be going back for more!
(5)Ron Z.
I mean! The best!!!!! The cake was so delicious. Nora is the star! She works it like no other and has an incredible team. They were AMAZING!!!!!!!
(5)Tavi J.
3.5 Stars I had never heard of Alliance Bakery before, but we were strolling through the area and me and my sweet tooth had to stop in. It makes me happy when I see so many well presented good looking desserts on display (I know sad). After browsing my friend decided to try 3 macaroons (lemon poppy seed, strawberry short bread, and I forgot the other one). She loved the strawberry and said the lemon poppy seed was just okay. She did enjoy how many variety's they had to choose from. I had the Macadamia Bar cake. The cake was spongy. I was looking for it to be a bit more moist and dense. I however, did love the topping. Chocolate covered with crunchy nuts...YES please! :) I may have to go back and try more when I am in the area and update this review.
(3)MARISOL P.
Best cake ever. They made a Minecraft cake. It was amazing and was tasty. Everyone loved it. I would definitely recommend and order from them again.
(5)Mia C.
I was browsing for places with ready to order cakes in the Lincoln Park area and this bakery showed up. It is more of a $$ kind of place. We picked up a small Chocolate raspberry cake for kiddo's birthday with no trouble. It fitted our needs, was 35$ for the 6" cake.
(3)Customer X.
My husband and I had macarons and a chocolate pastry. We preferred the ones at La Duree and Lenôtre in France. The service was prompt and friendly.
(3)Clarissa D.
I LOVE THIS BAKERY. I haven't gotten a cake here before, but I enjoy Alliance as a local coffee shop. My go-to is a iced dirty chai with almond milk, which is always perfect. Their baked goods are wonderful too - I've never gone wrong. Breakfast croissants are delicious, cupcakes are on point, and fancier pastries are pricey but well-made. The other night, I went in and as they were closing, the two guys were playing K-pop! I love that this place has character AND consistency. Great neighborhood spot.
(5)Lydia M.
DON'T GO HERE...because I want all the macaroons to myself! I love this bakery. They have the best macs in the city. My favorite is the rose macaroon. If you're in the area you have to try at least one. You won't be disappointed.
(5)Ed V.
They made the most beautiful cake for our wedding. The cake had 4 tiers and every other tier was a different flavor. We ended up choosing banana cake with strawberry cream filling and chocolate cake with buttercream. Not only was the cake beyond our wildest dreams, but it was delicious!
(5)Ruby D.
What makes this place amazing is not only the awesome Happy People that work there but the products itself that are made with love and care. I absolutely adore coming here and look forward to the new location on State Street.
(5)marilyn c.
Had their macarones and cake pops for a birthday celebration. Thought the macarones were as good as Laduree in Paris.
(5)Dan R.
Hands down the BEST BIRTHDAY CAKE my husband Ever bought for me! DELICIOUS! Perfectly moist, perfect amount of frosting, perfect filling -- the "strawberry filling" was amAzing. Nhomnhomnhomnhom. Thank you!
(5)Hollina U.
Hmm more like a 3.5 stars. The macarons are okay-- I tried the strawberry shortcake, blueberry and something else I can't remember, and gave the nutella one to my coworker because I couldn't do any more sugar. The strawberry shortcake one was better than the blueberry in that there was more of a crunch on the outside and soft sweetness on the inside. Ordered the macadamia bar, which was rich goodness that I wanted to devour but couldn't bring myself to since Halloween is coming up and these abs need some working on. I called in for a 10 inch chocolate flourless cake for my coworkers birthday, of which they have a strict policy of 48 hours notice, ringing in at $50. My coworkers all loved it and said it was fudgy and delicious. Also ordered a 8 inch cheesecake for $40 that was devoured. The bakery was nice enough to write messages on the cakes, but they misspelled the birthday girl's name-- well I guess I should have checked before leaving. But they didn't clarify the spelling of her name over the phone either, but she doesn't have an abnormal spelling. Oh the tiny things. The cakes displayed in the window are pretty impressive. $5 minimum credit card charge, which is reasonable.
(3)Hannah H.
My cousin and I came here to try out their French macarons - We shared a Passion Fruit and a Lemon Poppy Seed - I preferred the latter as it had a great amount of poppy seeds on its exterior with a lemon curd filling in the middle; nice and tart. The passion fruit was okay, but it was more on the sweeter side. There was limited seating inside, but we were happy to take it to go. +Lemon Poppy Seed macaron
(3)Kelsey G.
Pastries were good. The key lime tart was my favorite dish of the night. So creamy and good!! Could eat those over and over again! Chocolate chip cookie was good as well! Customer service wise, Alliance employees were nice and helpful when it came to suggestions. This was my first time and I wanted to check it out. Only one thing turned me off, the male barista making the drinks had a shirt on that was a sleeveless, and it was 40 degrees out. I thought it was GROSS!! As he reached for different materials you could see his arm hair. What if arm pit hair or sweat dropped into a drink. I work in the food industry and I know how warm it can get overtime moving around but keeping things like arm pits covered is important and also sanitary. Better safe than sorry.
(3)Rafia J.
Very cute little bakery. Ordered Lola and macaroons and they were both delicious! Will def go back!
(3)Evelyn R.
I had a custom cake made from here for my sisters baby shower over the weekend and it turned out to be fabulous!! From the beginning they made the process so simple (1st time getting a custom cake) & they were so helpful. I gave them a picture of what I wanted and they estimated it for me and it turned out just right! And it was super delicious! So many compliments on how it looked and how it tasted. I did a great job choosing Alliance for this special occasion and they did great in every way in return. I want to thank Jory and everyone else there for making this special day/event even more special with such a great cake!!! Thank you! PS.. The cupcakes , macaroons, & coffee are all worth it here too!!! So happy I found this place.. I will definitely come back for all they have to offer!
(5)Allan A.
I wanted a Star Trek cake to surprise my cousin with for his birthday. I e-mailed Alliance and they responded within a day with a link to several Google images for Star Trek cake designs. I found one that I really liked, and continued to communicate via e-mail to discuss pricing, size of the cake, and other details related to the order. The whole ordering & communication process went very smoothly and I even spoke with someone else to place the order and the experience was very easy. Now, the best part, the cake was AMAZING. And it was beautiful! The cake was made exactly like the image I selected on-line (from Google, not from an Alliance bakery gallery mind you). I ordered vanilla cake with buttercream frosting. The taste, moisture, icing, everything was wonderful. My cousin, who has lived in Chicago for 15 years was very impressed. And we all enjoyed the delicious cake and beautiful design. And, the second best part, this cake kept in my fridge for another week (maybe longer), and besides the cake parts that were exposed to air - of course they dried out a bit - but when sliced off there was only fresh, moist, sponge like caky goodness inside. So I enjoyed the cake two more times before I finally parted ways with it. I would definitely order a cake from Alliance again. And I'm excited to see what other kinds of designs & creations they can come up with. Highly impressed, I will return!
(5)Teresa N.
We stumbled upon this place while walking around wicker park. So glad we decided to step inside! The workers are super friendly and even took the time to jot down a few places for us to check out while in town. Their cheesecake was also really tasty. We'll be back next time we visit Chicago!
(5)April S.
Macaroons and cappuccino are the BEST I have ever had!! Take it from a foodie and JUST GO!!
(5)Jay I.
This place is separated into two parts, which seem to look like two separate places if you didn't figure it out. There is a bakery with no seating, but then right next door, there is an unattended space with table and couch in which you can freely sit and do whatever. They provide complementary wifi, and the table is larger. Since this part is very quiet you will be able to get some work done. As for the food I liked the macarons and almond croissant. I saw the cronut the other day (only serves on weekends). Looks like it is quite popular since they were all gone when I went back an hour later. Compared to Cafe street this is more of a bakery shop when a lot of baked goods. Definitely worth a try.
(4)Peg C.
A big shoutout to the creative people at Alliance. My teen wanted a fondant cake shaped like a Napoleonic/ Revolutionary War colonel's hat--they are obsessed with Alexander Hamilton and there's a famous painting showing him wearing one. The bakers and decorators supplied us with a very good rendering of the hat, complete with a medallion inscribed to the birthday kid. I had been wary of the idea of a decorated cake like this, I had heard tales of dry uneatable cake and weird tasting fondant. But the red velvet cake was moist and delicious, the cream cheese filling very tasty, and even tho the fondant is almost pure sugar, it wasn't too bad. We made all arrangements over the phone, they created the cake based on images I sent them via email, it was all very painless. Not cheap, but worth it for the offspring's golden birthday.
(5)Lauren A.
I ordered a cake from Alliance last weekend for a baby shower I was hosting and it was literally the best cake I have ever had in my entire life. I was dreaming about it that night and then daydreaming about it the next day. I am not much of a cake person, but obviously that is only because I have been wasting my time eating crappy cake. Best cake ever.
(5)Patrick S.
Had a specialty cake made for my boyfriend's 30th birthday. I brought them my idea and they delivered way beyond my expectations (which were high to begin with -- have you SEEN the cakes in their window?). Not only did the design come out great, the cake tasted good too. The staff was very friendly and easy to work with. I also snagged a chocolate praline cronut while I was waiting for them to package up the cake -- delicious. Highly recommend, especially for specialty cakes!
(5)Allison R.
Came here on a food walking tour - Sidewalk Food Tours of Chicago so I was only able to sample the french macaroons. Flavors were innovative. I tried the Rose and it was floral, nicely colored, and moist. I was visiting from San Francisco so feel like I've had better but it was a nice finish to the day. Overall the display cases looked nice and the service was friendly.
(3)Cheryl I.
Thanks Alliance Bakery for making my friends 30th bday an amazing one! She absolutely loved her cake and it turned out better than we could have ever imagined.
(5)Phill C.
Checking out a new bakery is always fun, because there's a chance I might strike gold and find my favorite dessert on Earth - the French Macaron. You know, the little pastries that look like tiny burgers, that come in dozens of different flavors and colors. The macarons here are a bargain compared to other places that make quality macarons, at $1.50 a piece. They didn't have the price listed, so I was shocked my total was so cheap. I've only been able to try a few flavors, since they were running out when I stopped by. I tried the Pistachio w/ Dark Cherry, Coconut Lime, and Passionfruit Chocolate, which were all really good. Their macarons pack a flavor punch and have a perfect airy chewy texture. They also make a variety of other pastries, including cupcakes, cookies, croissants, bagels, cake pops, as well as sandwiches and java. They make nicely decorated mini tarts, cheesecakes, and other sweets, perfect for giving as a gift. If you're looking for a unique cake, they whip up some nifty designs, which you can check out in their window display. The 3D bloody heart with an arrow through it looked pretty sweet. The bakery itself only has a tiny table, but they do have a lounge next door where you can take your baked goods. Free wifi, macarons, and coffee - sounds like the perfect place to get some work done or read a good book. This place is now my go-to macaron joint and I'm looking forward to going back for their other flavors.
(5)Fred F.
I love the cakes here however I just had a very disappointing experience. I ordered a custom cake with Nora a couple days before the birthday event of a friend. On the day of the event (today), I arrived at the store only to be surprised by a plain white cake. The decorator apparently already left the building and forgot to decorate my cake. Thank you Alliance for ruining my friend's birthday surprise cake. What a lack of professionalism you have! Note: Tried to escalate the issue on Alliance Facebook and they immediately deleted my posting.
(1)Darren F.
ordered the key lime tart, red valvet cupcake, and a roasted chocolate almond cup cake.. red valvet cup cake was really dry the almond cup cake was eh... definitely had better ones before.. key lime tart falls apart after i picked it up and it tasted kind of weird to me..
(1)LaDarian D.
A pastry fanatic's DREAM! Cookies, cupcakes, pies, macaroons, cappuccinos, lattes are all a win. I would say it's becoming common these days where fluffy is taboo in the cupcake world. I miss it, but everything was delicious. You made a former fat guy happy
(4)Terrence W.
Even after over five years of patronizing this place (great pastries), I am unable to bring myself to ever walk through its doors again after the discourtesy shown me on the morning of Friday Oct 25. On the other hand, it forced me to look for other options for my pastry fix, and I'm very glad to have found Vanille Patisserie. Business Owners, the only competitive advantage you have is customer service; there's nothing you offer the market place that is so totally unique as to treat any potential customer/client in an unprofessional manner and keep their loyalty.
(1)Rebecca R.
Crazy little bakery with a place to sit and work or chat next door. Order your coffee and head back outside and over to find a space in the converted house full of chairs, couches, and tables. Coffee is pretty good and the bakery items are ok too. Cakes looks so awesome but I have never had the opportunity to taste one.
(4)Sarah S.
I went to Alliance Bakery yesterday because the cakes in the window lured me in! They were cute & quirky (see pictures) like having a giant heart with a knife in it...a super cute Panda cake...and Nightmare Before Christmas cakes! Love! The shop was super busy for a 530pm on a Saturday so I had a great feeling about it. Long line that didn't ease up our entire time there. Based on my personal preference of how I like my cupcakes (with thick, sugary frosting...not the light airy stuff that so many boutique shops use), these can't take the claim of being amazing cupcakes for me. Buh~buh~buh~break down: Double Chocolate Cupcake - Wasn't a big fan. Cake was slightly too dry. The frosting didn't have a rich flavor or hardly any chocolate flavor to it at all. Vegan Chocolate & Peanut Butter - I'm all sorts of healthy, dontcha know~ so had to try this one (check sarcasm). The chocolate cake had good flavor buy verged on being too dry...it was just barely passing for a good level, but I wouldn't call it moist. As I said, not a fan of this airy frosting but on this cupcake, the frosting tasted straight up like peanut butter. I love me some peanut butter but in a cupcake frosting, the flavor left a lot to be desired. Chocolate Ganache with a Salted Caramel center - The ganache on this cupcake was great! The filling was just like frosting in the center...I was hoping for a thick but not sticky salted caramel center, not the same airy frosting that their cupcakes are topped with so I was a bit disappointed. This shop has so much more to offer than cupcakes, like their awesome inventive cakes plus tons of other goodies. I would absolutely come back to try some of their other items, but will skip the cupcakes.
(3)M P.
Very tasty pastries and quiches - plenty of variety to choose from. I'll have to come back for some macarons.
(4)Fiona C.
This review is for the macarons - I've had better. The fruit ones are only okay. There's this cinnamon one that is just spicy and not pleasant on the palate when you're expecting a sweet treat. The cakes however look absolutely amazing. I wish I had gotten one of those instead!
(1)Britt C.
MACARONS!!! I tried 6 flavors while I was there are they were all pretty good but here is how my list would be ranked: Lemon Poppy Seed Coconut Lime Pistachio Manjari Hazelnut Raspberry Bacon Maple I was surprised I wasn't in love with the bacon maple...I do love bacon. My friend who regularly seeks out macarons also said that they were larger than the average macaron she comes across, so that's a plus to me!
(5)Jessica B.
I ordered two cakes for my wedding reception. One was a basic 9" German chocolate cake. The other was a surprise for my groom, a 3D cake of a monster from a relatively obscure video game (a leech from Final Fantasy XI Online). I used their online form to order both cakes. I attached a collage of screen shots of the monster from the game. I had no real idea what to expect, and was pretty nervous since I wasn't picking up the cake and wouldn't see it until the reception. But they did an AMAZING job. It looked exactly like the monster came alive and decided to sit on the dessert table. I could not be happier. It was also delicious--vanilla cake with chocolate mousse filling. Most of my guests had no idea what it was, but they loved it anyway. And the ones who did know where so impressed. The German chocolate cake was also beautifully executed and very tasty (I'm not a huge fan of german chocolate, but the groom looooved it). Star off because every time I called they seemed a little disorganized, and because their prices are a bit high. Regardless, I will definitely go back if I need a 3D cake made.
(4)Ayo R.
The best red velvet cupcakes ever!!! They are so rich!!! They also make the best birthday cakes to order that are delicious. They have a variety of cheese cakes and sandwiches to choose from. This is a cute little cafe spot!!! The professionalism is always on point!!!
(5)Andrea T.
Alliance Bakery & Cafe made my wedding cake and it was delicious. We worked with Jennifer. At the tasting, everything was so good, we used all three flavors - vanilla with vanilla pastry cream on the bottom, chocolate with chocolate fudge in the middle and red velvet on top. Hint: don't miss the Italian Meringue Buttercream - it's divine. When picking our bakery, flavor was our biggest priority, not decoration. I'd rather have a great-tasting cake than a masterpiece that has little flavor. That said, I still think my cake tasted great AND was beautiful. I'd use Alliance again in the future and am looking forward to my free 1-year anniversary cake :)
(5)Thea K.
I was first attracted by the ridiculously talented cake decorating in the window the last night, then today I had a craving for cookies, and found the TASTIEST vegan choco chip cookies here, so chocolatey and chewy (which to someone with egg and dairy intolerances and a well-developed sweet-tooth like myself is like finding a golden goose). The fella behind the counter was so charming that if I lived in Chicago I'd make him my friend; he even did a Cookie Monster impression for us. I wish I could teleport this place home with me.
(5)Angela S.
I'm so mixed by my recent trip to Alliance. After wanting to stop in for a very long time, I have to say my experience was meh...darn! The Lounge - Depends on your definition of a lounge I recently met a friend I haven't seen in a very long time at Alliance with my 6.5 year old twin boys. Knowing we'd most likely be sitting in the next door lounge for a conversation, I'm thankful for the reviews that mention how it's not conducive to chatter. I came prepared with books and paper and warned them not to make a peep or they'd for sure get the stink eye. I was also a bit worried that the conversation with my friend would be disturbing to the quiet bunch on their laptops, but we sat up front by the door and managed to keep our voices down. A lounge that's not really a lounge, I would have been upset if I happened to walk by with a group of friends wanting to have coffee and a chat. No place for clever conversation, perhaps there should be a warning somewhere on the outside door. The Goods - Come here for cake! My vanilla latte made the Angela cut with it's delicious ever-so-slight burnt flavor, but my chocolate croissant was honestly the worst I've ever had. Having been a baker, I can attest to the fact that there is absolutely no way it was fresh. Completely dry and disappointing, I suggest to opt for the cupcakes or the cookies. A beautiful cornucopia of colors they looked amazing, and in retrospect I should have gone with my gut (and the reviews). On the flip side, this is THE PLACE to go if you want a specialty cake. They are true works of art, and if you can't stop in, check out their window displays. The Service - Exactly what I expected For a funky neighborhood I expected service with a cool city vibe, and this is what I got. I was curious to see how welcoming they would be to kids, and the guy behind the counter was very accommodating and didn't seem to mind being patient (but we were also pretty quick to order). I appreciate the nostalgia of this place and like the idea of supporting local. If I wanted a quiet place to study, I'd spend days on end here with their good vanilla lattes. But, for conversation, I understand why Starbucks was packed!
(2)Erika U.
I wanted to take this opportunity to rave about Alliance Bakery to all of my Chicago friends. They were absolutely fantastic and fit us in (virtually last minute) for a wedding cake after our original baker cancelled. Not only was the cake beautiful and affordable, but it was equally delicious. I highly recommend them to anyone looking for a cake for a special event.
(5)Jennifer H.
The first couple of times I came here I must admit I wasn't hooked. Until I met "Anne". Anne was a lonely one, sitting peacefully behind the glass waiting for someone to find her. Well, I found her. After purchasing Anne there was some awkward silence, I feel we didn't know what to say to each other at first. So I took her out of the box and and decided to take a bite. Anne changed me as a man. Not many things cause me to question my existence, but Anne succeeded in doing so.
(4)Michelle I.
Yelp to the rescue! I found this place while cruising around. I wanted to get some birthday cupcakes for the husband. I made him pullover, and told him to wait. Not very incognito but whatevs. The cupcake selection looked amazing. I tend to go hard on cupcakes...I find them trite and super easy to make (from scratch). I often will try them at certain bakeries and I know I can make one that is twice as better at home. The ones here were pretty good, so far one of the best ones I've had in the area. I picked out four, various flavors including red velvet and chocolate peanut butter. My favorite was the one with the chocolate ganache. The girl behind the counter, despite our initial weirdo encounter, was nice and even sweet enough to throw in a birthday candle. I also decided to grab about a half a dozen macarons. Not the best I've had, but they were pretty tasty. My favorite was the pistachio. They held up well since I decided to refrigerate them overnight and ended up eating them while driving home. Overall, a pretty solid bakery. I wouldn't mind checking out the cafe next time I'm in town.
(4)Luke D.
This review is based only on Alliance's awful cronuts and macarons. Alliance's cronuts are terrible filled croissants in a circular configuration. We bought one each of vanilla, chocolate and "strawberry." I have the last one in quotes as it was described as being strawberry and mascarpone, but actually tasted like a combination of rosewater and dishwasher detergent. This was thrown in the trash after one bite. The icings and fillings on the other two were fine, but the cronut itself was so bad that we couldn't make it through any of them. Croissants should be light, flaky and buttery. These were dense, dry and oily. At $5 each, this was a total waste of money. Alliance is probably selling a ton of these based on the current cronut craze, but these are simply awful. AVOID. Their macarons were a little better but still poor. The shells had huge air bubbles and exploded after one bite. We had the Nutella, pumpkin and pistachio variations. The fillings were generally OK but the shells were inexcusably bad. I cannot justify buying macarons like this when there are superior alternatives like Hendrickx and Floriole nearby.
(1)Ted C.
I'm pretty happy with Alliance Bakery as a spot to sit and just relax. They have their 'lounge' space where you can just walk right in and sit down. Before you do you should probably go next door and check out their baked goods, because they're good. The first time I went I bought a box of their cupcakes but I was on a no carb, no sugar, no fun, tremendous b-hole kick and didn't have any while I watched everyone around me enjoy the tasty, well-made treats. I did like the fact that their cupcakes weren't just giant mountains of frosting. I did have their oatmeal raisin cookie and a chocolate-y croissant-y thing and a Mexican coke, because I love real sugar. I liked the quiet, easygoing 'lounge' area. I think I could have just sat there anyway and no one would have bothered me, as long as I kept quiet and still, like everyone there seemed to be doing, no conversation, no chatter, it was a little disconcerting. I think what I'll do next time is just buy my baked treats and run away like a bandit, because the Hipster Stepfords next door kind of weirded me out.
(3)EDILSA E.
I stopped here by chance a month ago. I ordered a cake from here for my son's confirmation. It was a round cake for 12-16 people, red fondant, a white sugar cross, white cake, strawberry and custard filling. The cake was very pretty and of course delicious ($86). I also decided to get some macaroons. I bought two different ones, a Nutella one and a raspberry one. I can say I think about their macaroons a bit since then. The Nutella one wasn't that tasty but the raspberry one was completely delicious. It's super rich and the outside is flaky. The bakery was a tasty discovery. I have stopped here twice after the cake to pick up the raspberry macaroons. I would give it 5 stars I it weren't for their workers. They are pretty dry people. The one that took my order for the cake wasn't friendly or even smiled. He wasn't informative when I was ordering the cake even though I mentioned it was my first time stopping in there. Customer service does go a long way. A smile, a thank you, and even a helpful suggestion can make the experience much more pleasant.
(3)Vanessa K.
The 2 stars are STRICTLY for the "Cronuts" that they advertise heavily about. My friends and I ordered 10 because we thought it was just THAT good... but unfortunately it really wasn't. My girlfriends and I made Alliance Bakery the top of our "noms" list as soon as we landed in Chicago and was just so so disappointed. The Cronuts were stale and really hard, one had a funky taste and we left after spending 10 times $5.00 = $50.00 per cronut... it was so sad. We were so sad, the rose one was the weird tasting one with a too-sweet-rose-esque flavor on top, the chocolate was ok, it tasted like chocolate and nothing special and the other raspberry one was the only decent one and that was still super below average. The only redeeming part is that they have a lounge area right next to the bakery and the flowers were fresh and the area was really cute where we could sit down and relax and take some cute pics. Once again, so sad... :( I can't speak to their other bakery items but def. do NOT make the hike here for cronuts if you knew elsewhere....
(2)Matt B.
So...what's up with that "cafe"? I put that in quotes because it's really just a room with some furniture in it. Apparently, the deal is that you get your coffee and baked goods at the store a couple doors down, then bring it over to the "cafe" to eat in cold, unforgiving silence. Because that's what I and my two companions experienced when we stepped into the "cafe"...a bunch of individuals, all seated at this-is-my-personal-space distances apart, with headphones and laptops engaged, and a sterile blanket of silence enveloping them all. And their brief, dismissive stares, redolent with veiled tinges of hostility, flatly instructed us to not even THINK about sitting down and having a conversation with another breathing, carbon-based life form. As such, we sat outside, and enjoyed our coffee and cupcakes, with the glorious burning sun massaging our shoulders and reminding us that yes, we are alive.
(3)Ashley B.
I got "The Ann", a chocolate hazelnut mousse cake and it was absolutely amazing. It was everything I had hoped it would be and more. It was definitely a good choice for a chocoholic and 100% satisfied my chocolate craving. Not only was the cake to die for, the staff were very friendly and patient. I will definitely be going back!!
(5)Lulu L.
I ordered a custom cake for a shower. The ordering process is a little frustrating and the customer service when picking up the cake was not good. They didn't include the personalized sign that was included on the order form. Cake tasted good though! When ordering the cake I came in with an idea & pics for a 2 tiered cake to serve 30. The person at the counter was friendly enough and walked in the back to talk to the cake decorators for a price. She came back stating it was over $200.00. Not what I wanted to spend so I said what if we change this and this. Again she talked to these mysterious cake decorators and said if you remove one of the fondant items (which I said I didn't want anyway) then it would be $15.00 less. Not the amount of price change I was looking. Luckily I had a second, very simple idea which she took to the decorators and the price came back that was acceptable. Why couldn't I just talk to these elusive decorators myself? When I picked up the cake the person I presumed was the manager said the guy (lets all him Dude) would help me carry it to my car and that he'd cut a hole in the box top for me so the 2nd tier would fit. The Dude came back with the cake with no top, just the bottom of the box. I thought it would have more protection than that. Then the Dude hands me the cake over the counter, whoa!. Juggling a 2 tier cake with a purse on your shoulder is not easy. Dude just looks at me. Then I was like, Dude, can you open the door for me and open my car door? Duh! There was another worker on the phone, let's call him "Bro" who was clearly mortified by the Dude's lack of awareness. Dude opens the door and then opens my car door while I try to put the cake down without my purse slipping off my shoulder, which could have led to disaster. Whew, it was close. Bro had hurried out and was super nice but I wish I had dealt with him the entire time. Thanks Bro! After all that, I get home, put the cake in the frig and notice that the fondant sign that was supposed to be included and was on the order form that said "Welcome to the World Baby X" was not included. The ONE item that personalized this very expensive cake was no where to be seen. I had too much to do to prepare for the shower so I didn't call or go back, and am instead writing this passive aggressive yelp review. Next time I'm just ordering a cake from Mariano's.
(2)April K.
Stopped for macarons. Maybe I ate em too quickly but the texture was a little stale. Wasabi-white chocolate sounded fantastic but didn't deliver. Odd flavor combo. 1 star Pistachio-brandied cherry was much better. I dug the whole cherry in the middle. 4 stars Chocolate-salted caramel was the tits. 5 stars. $1.50 for each cookie. Not the best I've had but A-Ok
(3)Alice L.
I'm torn because the food and drinks aren't bad and the study space next door is nice and bright and cozy, but the girl behind the counter last time I visited was SO rude. Hoping it was just an off day...
(3)Leah B.
We bought macaroons from the new River North store. They were awful. It seemed like most of them were stale. It was my husband's first time trying macaroons, and he says he will never eat them again. This was such a disappointment, especially for how expensive it was. I will never patronize this store again.
(1)Melanie R.
A bakery in Wicker Park with a mouth-watering selection of French Macarons? Yes please! Very charming storefront! The window display proudly showcases some of their cake creations, including a -- hold the phone -- MACARON TOWER! Amazing! Mental note to snag such a treat for my next special occasion. Or, a random Saturday night.. Alliance is above all, a bonafide mecca for macaron lovers. If I lived closer, I would flock to this place daily - with my cash as an offering to the macaron gods. Their flavor listing has something for everyone - from the tried and true Pistachio (with some brandied cherry for a perfect twist), to the slightly savory Maple Bacon. Some of my personal favorites include the 'Coconut Lime' (which, topped with toasted coconut shreds, tastes just like a key lime pie) and the 'Salted Caramel' (which reminds me of a salted hot chocolate). I tend to get one of each of the flavors they happen to have remaining that day, and aside from some of the fruit-inspired flavors (whose filling is more akin to a jam - not quite my style) - Alliance has yet to disappoint! I usually get a cupcake for good measure, and they can certainly hold their own - even with all the macaron excitement that is happening in the neighboring display case. The Red Velvet (my go-to cupcake benchmark) measured up to my standards, with a perfectly moist cake and an unmistakable traditional cream cheese frosting. Yum! With ever-smiling service and quaint outdoor seating to boot - Alliance takes the cake (couldn't resist - pun intended!) as far as my favorite spot to score some macarons!
(5)Michael U.
For our finally mid-day bite in Chicago - this one on day two - we opted for an older member of the culinary scene that I'd actually walked into once prior during the Renegade Art Fair but neglected to buy from due to the line; Wicker Park's own Alliance Bakery. Again scoring free parking and making our way to the shop with ease as hipsters and families alike dined on the sunny patio a stop at the window was mandatory first simply to witness the masterful cakes ranging from Green Eggs n' Ham to Macaron towers to three tiered wedding cakes. With the doors open letting in a cool breeze (and letting out the wonderful smells of butter and vanilla) we next made our way in to see what Chef Peter Rios and a team of youngsters (both in the kitchen and at the counter) had on display and after a few tough decisions we emerged from the shop to enjoy our choices on the patio. Beginning first with the French classics, my mother selected two Macarons - one Blueberry Cheesecake and the other Passion fruit chocolate - both textbook in texture with a crackling shell giving way to lovely filling, but the Passion fruit Chocolate so cloyingly sweet that between two of us the $2 cookie went unfinished. Thankfully the Blueberry Cheesecake fared much better. Moving next to two of the standards by which I judge a bakery my aunt's and my selection were a Red Velvet Cupcake and the Dulce de Leche Bread Pudding. Beginning first with the cupcake, a $3.50 selection with good notes of cocoa and a tangy cream cheese frosting started out with a good base, but was unfortunately a bit dry - so much so that when my aunt took a bite the back half fell off landing directly on her chest; a comedic event to be sure, but not exactly the way a cupcake should be remembered. Moving next to the Bread Pudding which was served in a small tin topped with a sugar lacquered strawberry and powdered - it was dense and it was sweet, no more and no less but thankfully only $2.50.
(2)J D.
WHAT HAPPENED!?! This used to be my favorite place for macarons! They were soft, chewy yet textured first bite, with that smack you in your face flavor. For 1.75 each, I expect consistency.... Last visit (granted it was the end of the day) I got 5 macaron cause variety is necessary. All of them were so hard I could hear CRUNCHING when chewing. They were hard and unpleasant to eat. Salted Caramel and Hazelnut flavor was great. Pistachio seemed a little off.
(3)Michael J.
Not impressed. Had a chocolate cupcake -- the frosting tasted EXACTLY like the store-bought can. Expected much more from such an esteemed establishment.
(1)Veronica S.
I live right around the corner and have been a customer for years, but I have to say their food and drinks can be hit or miss and they can be a bit pricey. DRINKS: I was seriously disappointed in the last chai tea latte I got from here last week. The thing was a watery mess and it didn't even fill the cup to the rim. For almost $4.00 they should do better. For coffee drinks, I hate to say it, but I can get better for less money at the Starbuck's down and across the street at Division and Paulina. FOOD: I no longer buy their cupcakes or pastries because I think they are too expensive for the size and the last few I bought tasted stale. Their decorated cakes are beautiful, but I've never ordered one, so I can't comment on those, but they do carry some good sandwiches and I can highly recommend the couscous salad--very tasty! LOUNGE: The separate lounge area two doors to the west of the bakery is a good concept, but I tried to work in there once and found it to be too noisy. SERVICE: The place is tiny and wait times can be long during busy periods, but servers have always been friendly. If you are in the neighborhood and don't mind walking half a mile to the west, I recommend you go to Letizia's Natural Bakery at 2144 W Division Street for coffee drinks, cookies, and pastries.
(2)Reuben H.
Oooooooooooh you bastards... With your irresistible quin aman! Delectible bignets and croissants... Macarons that are really good as well... You make a damn fine cup of caffe au lait and to top it off- aren't over priced and very close to home. Recipe for disaster if you ask me! All that dairy fat and excess carbohydrates go straight to my hips...
(5)Steve F.
My review has two parts. The first part is related to the cookies and second part relates to integrity. This is a cute bakery with wonderful treats. I tried their Blackhawks cookies and bought a bunch of delicious cookies for kids, they loved them all. While at the bakery my son forgot his tablet that he loves watching movies on and playing games. We didn't know where we left it and the bakery actual emailed me a few days later with the device, and had it ready for pick up. Thanks a ton! In life, integrity goes a long way
(5)Keith R.
If you happen to have a day like me where you ended up eating dessert(frozen yogurt) first, then AYCE sushi lunch, which the fro yo made you too full to really partake fully in, and then for whatever odd reason, the fat guy inside you decided another dessert was in order after the sushi.... come to Alliance Bakery. You can indulge your sweet tooth without going too crazy with fullness. How is this possible? By getting an awesome nearly giant macaron! Of all the macarons I've eaten in my lifetime, I believe Slurping Turtle and Alliance have the largest ones I've seen. And props to Alliance for carrying my favorite flavors, Pistachio, Red Velvet, Hazelnut Chocolate and my newly found friend, Blueberry Cheesecake. I think their cupcakes are lovely as well, and fairly priced IMO. And if you're in need of liquid consumption to go with your cavity makers, they have a great selection of loose leaf tea on the shelf behind the counter. Don't want either? Just check out the art, inside and in the window display. The cakes look too good to eat. Seriously. If I ever bought one of those, I'd pretend I was going to cut it up for the guests, but I'd also have some genero Costco sheet cake that I would actually allow people to eat, while I'm getting the cake bronzed in a super double secret ceremony. Inside, check out the elevation drawings illustrating just exactly what goes into a Marie or an Ellen, layer by layer. The former architecture major in me is in love... Come on down to Alliance. Like me, it's small but packs a punch.
(5)A R.
I've lived around the corner from Alliance for almost 7 years now so I've paid many visits there. It's about time I wrote a review. The goods. There's no doubt they make a beautiful cake. Their showcase speaks for itself. I just learned that they're known for their macaroons so I will have to check them out. But the other baked goods...they're sooooooooo...meh. I have had scones, cookies, cupcakes, etc. And they're allllll sooooo average. I go out of my way for a good dessert. Especially a good cupcake. Can't you guys change your recipes? Molly's and Sweet Mandy B's are winning here (cupcake wise, at least). The staff. I'm going to agree with a comment below about the staff there. Not so nice. Most (not all) of them have that whole snotty, too-cool-to-smile hipster thing going on. It get's old. The price. Way too high for the quality. But probably due to the location. Or so I'm guessing. The space. It's okay. Free wi-fi, which is nice. They redecorated their room next door, which is nice. But it's alright there, I guess. It's always nice sitting outside, I will say. Sorry Alliance, I hate to bring my neighborhood bakery down but I gotta be real. I go here only cause of convenience.
(2)Paul S.
I've had exactly 1 cookie from here, but it was pretty amazing, especially for a vegan chocolate chip cookie. Tasted buttery and chewy and crispy, you know what I mean, so perfect. I'll be back!
(4)Pack C.
i went pick up some today. There were amazing with reasonable price: 1.75 each but they are big! It is not as sweet as the traditional one e.g. Laduree. So, i like it even better. we tried fig, mango, rasberry, and blueberry cream cheese. our favorite are fig + mango. Definitely go back again! it's GREAT!
(4)Lois A.
Great quiche but the sweets leave me wishing I'd spent my money at Bake or various other bakeries. The lemon bars are bad. No lemon flavor and kind of like gooey cement. Eat a lemon bar at Birchwood Kitchen and then try the one here (or don't!!) and you'll know what I mean about how a lemon bar should taste. The coconut macaroon and turtle bars are too hard and just don't have that creamy amazing quality they should have. Too hard, too much sugar taste, not enough love. The sweets are not cheap enough to get away with tasting so mediocre. It's a cute place though.
(3)Shauna B.
I don't know what I would do without Alliance's savory croissants for breakfast. I can't decide if I prefer the turkey and swiss or the ham and cheddar, but both boast perfectly flaky croissants topped with perfectly browned cheese. Delish! The pastries are moist and tasty, and dangerous! I lay awake at night thinking of the mini carrot cake--so good. The bakery itself can be crowded (and staff overwhelmed) at peak hours, but most of the time they wait is short and service pleasant. The bakery annex next door is a great place to settle into a couch and read or work, and the sidewalk seating is perfect for people watching in good weather.
(4)Noah B.
Good pastries and decent coffee. The staff is friendly and talkative, or will leave you alone if you're just there to use their free wi-fi and study. The TV flipping through their slideshow of pastries they've made is almost hypnotic.
(3)kristina w.
When I lived in Chicago I went here almost every morning for a latte and treat!
(5)Jenna H.
07/25/2010: Hmmm. Reading my earlier review made me miss the Alliance of yore. The couple trips I've made over the past year have all been disappointing. The baked goods seem to have gone downhill, and I think the coffee is following suit. & the place has a weird, unpleasant odor more often than not... more befitting of a beer-soaked dive bar than a bakery. Not good. Sadly Alliance, I've lost that loving feeling. & now it's gone...gone...gone...woooooe ohhhh ohh. I LOVE Alliance! Bakeries, even good ones, can be so hit-or-miss, and while I have plenty of favorites (the red velvet cupcake, most of their cookies) I've yet to try anything that bombed/wasn't finished in 5 minutes. The window displays are so cool they'll make a happily single girl consider cake-induced lifetime commitment. The coffee drinks are tasty, & unlike the crowd (which can have a few too many too-cool-for-school hipsters) the staff is nice & helpful. Which is saying a lot since there's been more than one weekend where I've made a morning appearance hungover & still in my clothes from the night before. YES, even after a few too many tequila shots Alliance will get you out of bed. Which is more than I can say for my alarm clock.
(2)Craig T.
Came for a late breakfast and ate a Ham and Cheese Croissant. Walking distance from the subway. Since I make macarons for a local bakery, I wanted to talk to staff about the process. Kristin was very welcoming and responded my questions. She has an advanced degree in physics and explained several baking concerns and gave me valuable information. She even recommended Stan's Donuts within walking distance. I completed lunch with an Anne and two macarons, a strawberry shortcake and a salty caramel. Somewhat difficult to eat the Anne with a plastic fork. It would likely be better to wait for the Anne to melt so it would be easier to eat, but did not have the time. Everything was on point and it's easy to get to in a trendy area. Highly recommend. Heard they have cronuts on weekends and would love to try if I'm in Chicago on a weekend.
(5)Eliza E.
Love!!! I could eat their delightful macarons every day. They are light, flavorful, and just a perfect treat. Recently, I had a cake decorated for a special occasion and it exceeded my expectations. The cake was perfectly moist and delicious, and the decoration really captured not only the picture I provided but also the fun feel I wanted.
(5)Jamie B.
Good bakery items, delicious hibiscus lemon iced tea. We had the Ann cake, it was mainly chocolate ganache and was quite tasty. Docking a star for super slow service.
(4)Celeste S.
The customer service here wasn't that good. The clerks there did not welcome us initially. It was a bit busy, but even after it cleared up we weren't helped immediately. The cake was very beautiful and tasted wonderful.
(3)Bao L.
The almond croissant here is fantastic! Buttery, flaky, and has the perfect amount of sweetness. I'm not a huge pastry person either and I loved this. Make sure to pair it with a nice cup of coffee. I'll definitely be coming back here when I'm in the area
(4)Anna B.
I love that the indoor seating, during the week anyway, is like a library. Just tables of people working and reading and drinking great coffee and tea. When someone's cell phone rings, they go outside to answer it! Of course there's the occasional exception, like the time I had to listen to a hipster make follow-up calls to places he'd sent his resume, during which time he also cracked open a microwave container of Spaghetti-Os and started slurping away. Gross. For the most part it is a very subdued, chill, group of people, which makes this a great place to work if you need some peace and quiet. In the wintertime I liked sitting in one of the arm chairs near the front of the room and soaking up the sun... --------------------------------------------------Â------------------------------------------- I'm a writer who has trouble working in her own home. (Distractions include books, magazines, DVDs, phone calls, snacks, cleaning to be done, the Internet as a whole, and a very large cat.) I tend to work for several hours at a stretch, so the library isn't always an option. Over the course of the past five years I discovered some amazing coffee shops in Chicago and worked there happily. Since moving to LA in 5/07, I've realized just how picky I am about coffee shops: I haven't been able to find one I really love! In my quest for the perfect coffee shop, I have devised my own star rating system for the shops I review on this site. Each attribute below is worth one star, which makes it possible for a shop to lack desirable attributes yet still receive a perfect Yelp rating. Anything with a perfect Yelp rating is a place in which I am happy to sit for hours on end. * well lit * cozy atmosphere with comfortable seating * wifi (free or not) * open late * serves loose leaf tea * variety of affordable food and beverages * interesting people-watching, whether it be out the window or in the shop * not too crowded (I hardly ever go on the weekends because I know the odds would be against me) I understand that my rating system is unique to my own needs but hopefully I will be able to highlight qualities that others may be interested in. If anyone has any coffee shop suggestions for me, I am all ears! I would also like to state that I always try to spend enough money &/or leave a large enough tip to make my long-term presence tolerable to the cafe staff. I cringe when I see people ordering a $2 iced tea and then follow it up with free tap water while they sit and read "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" in its entirety.
(5)Claudine M.
Went here to buy some breakfast pastries and it did not disappoint! They have great varieties of croissants (both savory and sweet), Danishes, scones, cinnamon rolls, sticky buns, bagels, and even their version of cronuts! We got different croissants: ham and cheese, goat cheese and peppers, almond and regular. We also added a cinnamon roll since it was recommended. My favorites were the almond croissant, then goat cheese and pepper croissant, and the cinnamon roll. They also have a gorgeous array of French macarons and small cakes. You can also order a cake there which they decorate beautifully! We saw a lady pick up a huge bumblebee cake for a party. Very cute! Lastly, they have doggy biscuits as well which my boyfriend's sister's dog gladly devoured!
(5)Liz C.
This review is specifically for only the macarons. Overall, I would give Alliance 3.5 stars. I love macarons and visiting Chicago had me on the search for some macarons! I ran into Alliance Bakery while walking through Wicker Park. After seeing that sign that said "Macarons," I knew that I had to get some! If you purchase 5 macarons, they'll start putting it into the cute little boxes. Otherwise, it comes in a little bag. I tried the three macarons that I thought were not the normal ones you could find anywhere. Pina Colada - This beautiful, sunshine yellow macaron tickled my taste buds and made me smile. It was phenomenal! The texture was perfectly crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. I love the surprise bit of pineapple jam in the very center. You could taste the pineapple in this without it being too overpowering. The macaron was light and so refreshing. Key Lime - This alien green macaron did have a nice tartness to it. The only downside was the texture. The key lime was so underbaked and just fell apart when I bit into it. It was way too wet on the inside. If it was baked right, I think this macaron could have been a hit. It wasn't too sweet but not too tart either. Chocolate Passion Fruit - I've never seen this macaron flavor so I was really interested. It's yellow with a dusting of cocoa powder on top. I didn't mind the powder, but it did leave my mouth a little dry. I think it could have used a little less cocoa powder on top. In contrast with the key lime, this macaron was unfortunately overbaked. The inside was very dry. However, the passion fruit shell was delicious and I did like the richness of the chocolate cream inside. The problem with the macarons here are not the flavors, just the texture. The consistency of doneness is a little off. Pricing is fine with the macarons being about $2 each. Service was great, the guy was really patient and friendly. This bakery has some amazing cakes on display, as well as some awesome treats in the display case! The slices of cakes, tarts and cookies looked scrumptious! Maybe next time I'll get those. If this place shipped across states, I would probably order a dozen Pina Colada macarons because they were just so good.
(3)Amy D.
Alliance Bakery was included in our wedding reception package, and we're so grateful! They were so easy to work with and everything was delicious. The tasting itself was fun to mix different flavors. I brought in friends to help my now husband as I'm gluten free. It was easy to pick the cake design. I went off one of their previous design and made some modifications to make it unique for us. Everyone complemented how beautiful it was, and how good it was.
(5)Joann H.
Love love loved the macarons. Amazing! Great outter shell with the classic chewy texture and delicious filling. Loved my croissant sandwich as well. Good latte, not out of this world but good. I'm just disappointed at the blah service. I came here for the first time on valentine's day with my husband. I was so excited and our girl at the counter just didn't care if we were there or not. Not "can I help you? , first time here?" Nada. Just figure it out for myself. Oh well. But the dude making my coffee had a smile on his face. Won't go out of my way to get here but if I'm in the neighborhood I have to have a macaron. Those macarons were on point. Delicious!
(3)Carolyn T.
I've been to Alliance twice now: once to get a key lime pie as a birthday present and the other time to pick up two Annes and a savory croissant. The first time we dropped by in the late morning on a weekend, we really wanted to try the Anne, which had been featured recently ona list of the best pastries in Chicago, but they were already sold out. (We didn't want to order a Big Anne because that's full-sized to serve many people.) The key lime pie was a gift, but the recipient said she really liked it. Next, we dropped by for the Annes and the croissants. The Anne was absolute decadence. WOW. I am definitely a big fan! There's a chocolate outside and a delicious chocolate mousse interior. There are little macarons decorated on top of the Anne, also. The bottom is solid chocolate. Score! This certainly is one of my favorite pastries I've tried in recent memories and I long for the next time that I'm in Wicker Park so I can pick one of these up. The croissants were pretty good, but did not taste like they had been made that morning, unfortunately. I'm not sure if they make the croissants there or if they purchase the croissants, then add the filling themselves. I would probably stick to the pastries next time. Also, I had ordered a vegetarian croissant, walked out, and realized I was given one with ham. We walked back, waited in line again, and the worker seemed a bit distressed/annoyed about the mistake. She didn't apologize. She did, however, give me the croissant I wanted and my boyfriend kept the ham croissant to eat himself. I also picked up cookies for Mother's Day that were really cute-looking, but the royal icing and the cookie itself were a bit hard and not too flavorful. Overall, I do think it's accurate to say I'm a fan of Alliance for the Anne!
(4)Kari H.
I came here looking for macaron ice cream sandwiches but they didn't have any. I think they said they serve it in the summer, but I'm not sure if I remembered that correctly. I got 7 macarons instead: raspberry, pistachio, piña colada, vanilla, peanut butter and jelly, Nutella, and strawberry cheesecake. Raspberry macaron was my favorite. Staff was friendly and helpful. The free raspberry macaron given to us was a good pick. They were closing in 20 minutes but invited us to stay anyway, but we decided to go on a walk and eat our macarons elsewhere instead. Thanks!
(4)Shradha A.
We stopped by to ask about gluten-free cakes and they don't have options. They did have a flourless cake, which we grabbed one of to try. It was too rich when we had a few bites while at the cafe but when we brought it back home and microwaved it, it got moist and much more decadent. I also picked up a stuffed croissant for my fiance and he enjoyed that.
(3)Jenn T.
I'm not a vegan by any standards, but the vegan chocolate chip cookies here are fantastic, and by fantastic I mean they're better than most normal chocolate chip cookies. Other things that I've tried include the carrot cake cupcake, the red velvet cupcake, and the almond croissant--all were very good. Other than baked goods though, Alliance is probably one of the best places in Wicker Park to study/get work done. Their separate lounge next door (with free wi-fi!!) has been very quiet both times I have gone. Note that the lounge isn't too big so come earlier or get ready to possibly be a bit cramped.
(5)Sonya P.
This review is strictly for their Fat Tuesday paczkis only. I normally enjoy Alliance, especially their macarons, so this year I put in an order for their paczki specials for Fat Tuesday since they were much closer to my place than many of the other bakeries. The pre-ordering process was a bit of a mess (but I think the employee was particularly out of it that day), but I didn't make much of it. Come Fat Tuesday and we get our 6 paczkis. Some of them were decent but some of them were direly lacking in filling (I've posted a picture of it above), and all of them were dry as hell. Really disappointed. If I had known I would've just gone to another bakery... I hope they step up their game next year. Not like I'll be back for them for paczkis, but still. For all the other clueless (non-Polish) people out there, I guess.
(1)Plamena G.
I had dinner with a girlfriend close by, and on our way home we stopped by Alliance bakery for dessert. We each got a macaroon, and they were sooo delicious. I had the Nutella and she had the Salted caramel one. They were just the perfect little piece of sweetness! I'll be going back for more!
(5)Ron Z.
I mean! The best!!!!! The cake was so delicious. Nora is the star! She works it like no other and has an incredible team. They were AMAZING!!!!!!!
(5)Tavi J.
3.5 Stars I had never heard of Alliance Bakery before, but we were strolling through the area and me and my sweet tooth had to stop in. It makes me happy when I see so many well presented good looking desserts on display (I know sad). After browsing my friend decided to try 3 macaroons (lemon poppy seed, strawberry short bread, and I forgot the other one). She loved the strawberry and said the lemon poppy seed was just okay. She did enjoy how many variety's they had to choose from. I had the Macadamia Bar cake. The cake was spongy. I was looking for it to be a bit more moist and dense. I however, did love the topping. Chocolate covered with crunchy nuts...YES please! :) I may have to go back and try more when I am in the area and update this review.
(3)MARISOL P.
Best cake ever. They made a Minecraft cake. It was amazing and was tasty. Everyone loved it. I would definitely recommend and order from them again.
(5)Mia C.
I was browsing for places with ready to order cakes in the Lincoln Park area and this bakery showed up. It is more of a $$ kind of place. We picked up a small Chocolate raspberry cake for kiddo's birthday with no trouble. It fitted our needs, was 35$ for the 6" cake.
(3)Customer X.
My husband and I had macarons and a chocolate pastry. We preferred the ones at La Duree and Lenôtre in France. The service was prompt and friendly.
(3)Clarissa D.
I LOVE THIS BAKERY. I haven't gotten a cake here before, but I enjoy Alliance as a local coffee shop. My go-to is a iced dirty chai with almond milk, which is always perfect. Their baked goods are wonderful too - I've never gone wrong. Breakfast croissants are delicious, cupcakes are on point, and fancier pastries are pricey but well-made. The other night, I went in and as they were closing, the two guys were playing K-pop! I love that this place has character AND consistency. Great neighborhood spot.
(5)Lydia M.
DON'T GO HERE...because I want all the macaroons to myself! I love this bakery. They have the best macs in the city. My favorite is the rose macaroon. If you're in the area you have to try at least one. You won't be disappointed.
(5)Ed V.
They made the most beautiful cake for our wedding. The cake had 4 tiers and every other tier was a different flavor. We ended up choosing banana cake with strawberry cream filling and chocolate cake with buttercream. Not only was the cake beyond our wildest dreams, but it was delicious!
(5)Ruby D.
What makes this place amazing is not only the awesome Happy People that work there but the products itself that are made with love and care. I absolutely adore coming here and look forward to the new location on State Street.
(5)marilyn c.
Had their macarones and cake pops for a birthday celebration. Thought the macarones were as good as Laduree in Paris.
(5)Dan R.
Hands down the BEST BIRTHDAY CAKE my husband Ever bought for me! DELICIOUS! Perfectly moist, perfect amount of frosting, perfect filling -- the "strawberry filling" was amAzing. Nhomnhomnhomnhom. Thank you!
(5)Hollina U.
Hmm more like a 3.5 stars. The macarons are okay-- I tried the strawberry shortcake, blueberry and something else I can't remember, and gave the nutella one to my coworker because I couldn't do any more sugar. The strawberry shortcake one was better than the blueberry in that there was more of a crunch on the outside and soft sweetness on the inside. Ordered the macadamia bar, which was rich goodness that I wanted to devour but couldn't bring myself to since Halloween is coming up and these abs need some working on. I called in for a 10 inch chocolate flourless cake for my coworkers birthday, of which they have a strict policy of 48 hours notice, ringing in at $50. My coworkers all loved it and said it was fudgy and delicious. Also ordered a 8 inch cheesecake for $40 that was devoured. The bakery was nice enough to write messages on the cakes, but they misspelled the birthday girl's name-- well I guess I should have checked before leaving. But they didn't clarify the spelling of her name over the phone either, but she doesn't have an abnormal spelling. Oh the tiny things. The cakes displayed in the window are pretty impressive. $5 minimum credit card charge, which is reasonable.
(3)Candice G.
I just had my first taste of Alliance bakery today and I'm quite impressed. You know how there's a good kind of burnt and a bad kind of burnt on cakes and brownies? Like when you make a perfect cake you have to burn the edges and corners a little for some variance in flavor, texture, and taste... I know you feel me, those are always the first pieces to go. Anyway, this place has got that glory taste down pat BUT without actually burning anything. I don't know how they do it but the cupcakes look slippery and moist... almost like fake restaurant food displayed for the daily specials except it's real and oh so edible. Anyway, it has the delicious, organically burnt taste that lingers a bit and is somehow not crusty at all. I'll defo be heading into Alliance sometime soon... PS- thanks to Laurie C. for the fabu birthday cupcake. :) I can't wait to get some "you're adopted" cakes for friends' b-days.
(4)Maija D.
I have never known of this Alliance Bakery, but after my incredible experience, all I can say is Tres Bon!!! Oh My God, I can still taste and see the sensational cake I just had a bite of. I was trying to find a beautiful and tasteful cake - which is not easy, apparently it's one or the other as the guy at Sweet Mandy B's told me, and he suggested I come here. Wow was he ever right! I ordered a beautiful fondant cake in the shape of a Tiffany box with a big white bow on top, and my daughter in laws name in beautiful font on the front. It was huge and gorgeous, and the vanilla cake had 3 layers with mixed berries and a custard filling. Under the fondant was the lightest creamy frosting...it was like heaven must taste. The owner, is a former French pastry chef for Sofitel Hotels, and the Fairmont. He has the medals to prove that he knows his stuff! He goes to Paris every year and takes his chef, too. He is committed to his creations, so when this AR says she thinks their baked good are just "meh" as she put it, wrong!!! I had several of his incredible cookies and a fabulous "homemade" croissant! Made fresh at this bakery! The cake was so gorgeous and people at tour party were saying " it is the best cake" they have ever tasted!! I know where I am going to future cakes. They are very busy and popular, so order way ahead of time,
(5)Clare S.
I've stopped in here twice on a whim while having dinner/brunch nearby. Both times I got a red velvet cupcake, once plain with cream cheese frosting, and the second time with a raspberry filling and an italian buttercream. Both cupcakes were delicious! I was very impressed by their italian buttercream. My friend got a vanilla cupcake, which was unfortunately on the dry side. The cakes in the window are BEAUTIFUL. I've not been to the cafe yet, but I've heard great things, so I'm sure I'll be back soon!
(4)Luka E.
They do not bake here. They sell baked goods from other bakeries. So how does this shop qualify to call itself a bakery? Their bread comes from Chicago Ave. Their bagels come from another shop. I believe their croissants (which are not anything near a real croissant) also come from another bakery. So how does this shop qualify to call itself a bakery? If you want coffee and to hang out somewhere, they are ok at best. Filter is a much better option that does not pretend to be something they are not.
(2)Carrie S.
Alliance Bakery confuses me. Its exterior is old school while the goods and fancy cakes are modern and cool. Is it a hipster bakery run by hipsters? Seriously, I walked in here for my first Wicker Park Stitch and Bitch and didn't know what to make of the place. The delicious treats are classic while the staff is throughly hipster. I got the usual hipster glare as I walked in. Thanks for staring me down in your ugly, oversize ironic glasses and flannel t-shirt. After reviewing the cases, I chose a key lime bar for my treat and a chai tea as beverage. The key lime bar was alright, frankly nothing special and memorable. It was almost too sweet and too tart. I knit at the adjacent cafe space which felt hipster-ish. It had a lot of old furniture trying to give off that cool, ironic vibe with very non hipster artwork lining the walls. The cafe's decor and space confused me just as much as the bakery. Alliance as a bakery is alright. I'm not sure if it's a classic bakery with tasty goods or if it's trying way too hard to be cool like the other bakeries in Chicago.
(3)Amanda T.
I fell in love with Alliance as soon as I walked by and saw an edible display of "The Nightmare Before Christmas." I try to avoid bakeries as much as possible but I couldn't resist this one. By suggestion I ordered a red velvet cupcake. I'm not a big red velvet fan but this baby was the best red velvet cupcake EVAR. I also got a vegan cupcakes, and it was surprisingly good. I doubt I will ever be a vegan, but if I did it's good to know there's at least one place in the world where I can get a humane tasting baked good. The cafe is very quaint and quiet. A wonderful place to grab a sweet, an espresso and get some work done.
(4)Mike K.
I can't believe I never wrote a review for Alliance! I used to go there for coffee all the time when I lived nearby, and sometimes I'd get a lemon bar or a black and white cookie. Everything was of top-notch quality. The staff are very cool and friendly, and the interior has a great old-timey feel. Very classic atmosphere, but very hip attitude.
(5)Stephany C.
One slight drawback - walking outside to the cafe area while trying to balance personal effects, a pastry, and coffee may be challenging. Anyway, fantastic baked goods and coffee - great place to hang out! Macaroons (lots of interesting flavors) and almond croissants are some faves!
(4)Samantha K.
I have not been in the lounge (yet!) so this is just about the bakery itself. We just moved to the area and this is the spot I have been the most. Not only do they have Intelligentsia coffee but anything you get with it will be delectable. I've tried their breakfast pastries, desserts and lunch time spread (curry chicken salad sandwich is wondrous!) and have yet to be disappointed. I feel the price is in line with the quality and the fact they are open at 6am will keep this my top bakery in the area.
(5)Adam K.
Yeah man! Love this place. Here is why: Crazy cakes in the window that always change, they make some really unique looking cakes for people, a butterfly one, a cat in the hat cereal box one, a female chesticles one, a man package one, a big strawberry one, you get it. Its cool Macaroons: Holy mountain mother mary immaculate sisters ladies mountains of guadalupe. Soo good, and gluten free for you porkers. My fav's are the Passion fruit chocolate and the salted caramel. I got one of each kind they had and a cute owl cookie and it was like $13. Coffee: I like my sugar with this and cream. Tea: Good selection without being too snobby about it. Adjoining couch / chill area: What a great idea. Separate the cash register from the area hipsters pretend to do work in and POW! You have a, um, nice area to work in? I don't know but this area adjoining the bakery is very comfy and chill. To sum up, try it, or at least stop by the window to see what crazy cakes they have made for some rich a-hole.
(4)Suzy D.
For croissants and breakfast pastries I give this place a 4 For cupcakes/macarons/other sweets I give this place a 3.5 On Saturday, my husband went and get massages at the Pain Stop, then we walked over to Mana for lunch and then we figured we should try out Alliance bakery. So we came in here after we were already stuffed from our lunch at Mana, but everything looked so delicious we had to get a box and try everything. We got one of each flavor of the macarons. We got an almond croissant, a red pepper/goat cheese croissant, a chocolate croissant, a chocolate beignet, this danish/croissant looking thing with apricot and orange, and a red velvet cupcake. Amazingly, we ate everything by the end of the day too. For us, we thought that the croissants were the stand out. They do an amazing job with breakfast pastries. We weren't blown away by the cupcake. You can get better cupcakes at Molly's/Swirlz. The macarons were tasty and there were a lot of flavor options, but they had been in the case for a bit, and some of them were kind of hard. We will definitely be back for croissants though. Yum!
(4)Jonah G.
I go to the Alliance Bakery a few times every week to study and I sit in the lounge. The Alliance Bakery is great. Every pastry, coffee, tea, sandwich etc. I've gotten there has been reasonably priced and good. Service is friendly and fast. They ask you to pay cash for orders under $5, but in the event I don't have it, they let it slide and are pleasant about it. The lounge has been completely redone, and it is absolutely fantastic. To be fair, I have never ordered a large elaborate cake, so I can't speak to that and the pricing. Based on pure aesthetics, the cakes look pretty damn impressive. Alliance Bakery has got it going on.
(5)Justine K.
Just look at the photo I attached! Need I say more?? My Matron of Honor surprised us and got my fiancé and me this amazing cake for our engagement party! Absolutely beautiful decorating and also VERY delicious! And I'm not even much of a cake eater!!
(5)Jenna M.
I literally just finished eating two ginger snaps at Alliance. I am still sitting here! They were so amazing, I has to tell someone ASAP, and the guy sitting next to me seems really into his book, so...Yelped!
(5)Jason Z.
It's great living just down the street from this amazing bakery. Also could explain why I don't seem to be losing weight when I stop by after working out at the gym across the street. We've stopped in to purchase cupcakes on serveral occasions. They always amazing, and have a great selection (so far, my favorite has been the carrot cake. Hell, even the chocolate peanut butter one is great, and it's VEGAN!) We've also ordered 2 cakes from them for birthday parties. They are amazing, and beautifully decorated. The bakery itself is very small, and a small line will make the bakery itself very crowded. However, they have a large sitting area right next door, with tables, chairs and couches for those who want to hang out and work, or chat with friends.
(5)h h.
TRUE STORY: One of the employees was talking to some girl that walked into the place. Being the responsible Yelper....I listened in..... Employee: So what's your situation? Girl: It's been kind of hard. I've been spending the last few months looking for a job. Employee: Oh wow. I totally know how you feel. it's been rough on everyone...especially with the economy the way it is. Let me see if I can do something for you. I can see if their taking any applications. I can put in a word for you? Girl: Ummmmm.. nooo. . Why would I want to work here? I actually have a realllll job now!! Just got it! Where I make real money! The people at this coffee shop are classy, work hard for their money, and put up with a lot of BS. Don't add to it by acting like this girl did. If I see anyone acting like this, i will make it a point to put them in their rightful place from now on. Everyone deserves a certain level of respect. Regardless of what they do for a living. The garbage man and the CEO of a Fortune 500 company deserve the same level of respect. Why? Because their both human beings. Being classy has nothing..absolutely nothing do with how you dress....and everything to do with how you carry yourself. People who are classy, look even more classy when they dress classy. If that makes sense? er. lol Dressing classy when you're a scumbag just makes you look like a fraud. It shines through. Open letter to bitch: Dear Girl: You're a tactless bitch. If I see you again, I will cross the street in fear of catching your tactless bitch behavior. Better yet? Give me your schedule for the rest of your life, so I won't have to be within 100 miles of where ever you are. Anyways: One Star- for friendly service. Another Star for having a study room for Hipsters. I don't study there, but I observe the Hipsters through the glass window. If you shake the room up like a snow globe, sometimes they'll fight each other. One Star - for having pretty good coffee! The final star for having some delicious baked goods. They are really delicious. I think the coffee cake was kind of a miss. FYI: I understand that it is hypocritical and ironic to talk about being classy, and then go on a tangent and call someone a "bitch". But I was trying to prove a point. snap. okay. you got me. Another disclaimer- the events that happened in this email happened about half a year ago..maybe longer. It just made me so angry I had to yelp about it. Thank-you. Check out my podcast.
(4)J-Bird G.
Macaroons. what more shall i say? Go there and try every kind they have. Then return the next day and try more flavors, as they mix it up quite frequently. Excellent coffee as well.
(4)Katherine M.
Being lifetime Chicagoan, I have been to maaaany bakeries and I loved my baked goods. I also was a fan of the old Alliance when I was a kid, and I like the under new management's artistry. Alliance bakery in the last few years has some great things going for it, including flair and great flavors, but a major drawback is Hygiene. I have been here on numerous occasions, many times, and my reviews would range from 1 star to 5 stars so I finally have decided to write a review and settle on a 3. The 5s--flavors of the macarons, custom cake decorating, the lemon bars The 1s--hygiene and behavior of some of the staff Hygiene is a very serious thing in any food establishment and the staff have to be *TOLD* what good food hygiene is and take it seriously--the cues and directives come from the top. Too bad if they are your friends or family--people have to wash their hands if they pick their noses or handle garbage before they handle food (I've seen it here), and shouldn't be barehandedly touching food with long dirty broken fingernails, UGH. YES I have said something only to get Whatever from the staff; I should have talked to the manager. I suppose I should have never come back but the cookies etc are good and I kept hoping for change. But what spurred me to write a review was the products are pretty Good (5 star) but there is still lax hygiene! I was in last week and I was about to tell the woman behind the counter about a large fly (or maybe two as the buzzing was all over the case) in the cupcakes Case when a woman with a kid ahead of me pointed it out. The staff replied, "Oh yeah...it's been in there all day" *1 STAR* Are you kidding me?! If I were the owner that would be her last day on the job. I noticed the cupcake case was open--Epic Fail. When you have a large housefly on your food...GET RID OF IT and if it has been landing on your frosting cupakes throw them out too, yuck. Houseflies land on garbage and poo. And then they lay eggs too! So I do not know if I will go back after seeing and hearing that!
(3)Sibi J.
Now this is a bakery that gets better and better every time I go in. The bakers are great to talk to and the lounge is a good place to sit down and get some work done. If you are ever in the area and want some killer macaroons, this is place to go. Salted Caramel, Rosewater and Red velvet are my favorites. The only thing puzzling to me is the $ sign that Yelp is showing for Alliance, since I have never ever spent less that $10 here !!
(5)Betsy T.
Amazing-looking cupcakes and macarons in the display case, but I was in the mood for something savory so I got the quiche with my coffee. Their quiches are deep-dish and generously sliced and delicious. The interior of the cafe is beautiful, with a gilded ceiling and other baroque details. My brother swears by the croissants here. I hope they make a savory croissant!
(4)Candace S.
After oohing & ahhing for months over Alliance's window display that showcases a cute Panda cake & a Nightmare before Christmas cake I had to finally stop by and see what all the fuss was about. Normally I stray away from bakeries because all they do is tease me with their non-vegan goodies, but I was pleasantly surprised to find they had a vegan apple streusel, chocolate chip cookies, and vegan cupcakes! Their ice coffee was also equally as amazing & they didn't charge me extra for soy as they had it out w/ all of the other creamers. My boyfriend had a cinnamon roll which he said was one of the best he's ever had. Always on the lookout for new study spots I checked out the Alliance lounge next door and saw that they have free Wifi & lots of seating. Will definitely be back soon to study here & try some new vegan baked goods.
(4)Colleen C.
Oh, and if you are in need of a library that serves coffee, provides wifi and has no books...the lounge next door to Alliance is where it's at. :) The seating area is the quietest, most focused group of people I have ever witnessed. No complaints, just don't come here for a chat with friends...you'll get the evil eye. Solitude, silence, focus...yes. With caffeine. And sugar. The perfect library. Without books.
(5)Summer N.
Super sad because I found this bakery just a few months before I moved and am addicted to their macaroons. The flavors change from week to week, and sometimes I'd come too late in the afternoon and all the macaroons would be completely sold out. Liked all the flavors (although the rose macaroon tasted a little perfume-y, but still pretty good), but passion fruit was my favorite. I think the key is the cookie part is crispy and not gummy like some other macaroons. Still haven't found a place in Hawaii that quite compares...
(4)James B.
My fiance & I recently got married and chose Alliance to create our wedding cake. We had some difficulties with our reception venue and their contracted cake vendors. Our cake was to be included in our reception package, but after much frustration - we were given the option to take a credit, and arrange our cake on our own. Since we live in the neighborhood, we thought we would go by Alliance. We met with Mitchell for the tasting and everything was great. They were friendly, professional, and had much more reasonable pricing than other bakeries. The cake was delicious, decorated exactly how we wanted, and delivered to our venue on time. The whole experience was perfect.
(5)Anne O.
I came here nearly every morning for coffee before I moved from the area. The iced coffee in summer is the shit, and soy lattes are cheaper than across the street at sbucks when I'm craving those. Sometimes the cookies are decorated so well I buy them even though cookies aren't my fave to eat. The counter staff is awesome awesome and the newly remodeled study room is super cool because its just a room, no staff, no anything, just space to eat and hang, and it's usually empty during the morning hours.
(5)Willie B.
I love this place. Everything is so detailed and they cut no corners. From wedding cakes to tiny macaroons, everything here is rich and delicious. It's what a bakery should be.
(5)Ariane S.
I really wish I could be obsessed with this place since Iive right around the corner but I'm not a bready baked goods type of person so it fails me every time. The cookies are crunchy so if you're into that sort of thing this is your place to go, and their bars are not as gooey and delicious as they look, in fact they are rather dry and bland. It depresses me to be writing this, because like I said if I could just freaking like this bakery my life would be so much simpler. However, the lounge aspect of the bakery is pretty neat. You can pretty much stay in there for however long you'd like and not buy anything and they will never know because its not connected to the bakery. Unfortunately, I like be surrounded by some sort of pleasing design and the lounge is essentially an outdated college cafeteria lounge. Their coffee however is delicious. So if you are walking past and would like a down to Earth simiple coffee than jump on in. Also, their window displays really make me smile. Have I mentioned I would really love to love the baked goods from this place?
(3)Sam M.
Have been here twice, the first time I was really confused about where I was going to sit after I got there. Didn't realize that the door for the seating area section was right next to the front door. Good coffee, not the best atmosphere. Haven't tried any of the bakery items, but I've heard good things.
(3)Gloria E.
FIRST AND LAST TIME WALKING INTO THIS PATHETIC PLACE! Walked in here to get some French macaroons for teachers appreciation week and the lady here acts like I walked in here to beg for free sweets. I ask her for the box of macaroons and she places the box by the cashier. She gets on the phone and I ask her for a red velvet cupcake she stops dialing and gets the cupcake with an attitude. She proceeds to pick up the damn phone again about to dial again. I tell her that we are not finished and she puts the phone down with an attitude. I swear I should have taken those overpriced shitty pastries and threw it at her face but I wanted to get outta there and have something for my sons teacher. I got 1 cupcake, 15 (quarter size) macaroons, lemon tart and some small passion fruit cake....$49.75..what???? I said to the ignorant lady...she rang up the order again and just stared at me with her dumb ass face. Why did I not slap her?? Why the hell did i purchased this shit?? I asked my husband why did you not slap me for paying for this shit??? I don't know. I am sorry but you all at Alliance Bakery can stick your pastries up you ass!!!!!! The other lady who put my order in the bag (with tattoos) was nice though. It's the lady with the black hair that needs to get slapped across the bakery..just so stupid and a nasty attitude!!!
(1)Lauren M.
The cookies here are pretty awesome, I try to inconspicuously buy a small box of half and half cookies and sprite cookies and not think later about the gluttonous shame of eating it all by myself. The service is good and sometimes it gets crowded since it's a tad small but it's not terrible. I don't much care to stay and drink my coffee around the college students on laptops or the bad music, the connected lounge part isn't the worst I've experienced though uncomfortable and unfriendly when you're trying to have a conversation with a friend. The coffee is fair and the cookies are relatively good but there are a lot of cakes and stuff that aren't too hot.
(3)Brett F.
Alliance gets two enthusiastic thumbs up in the bakery category. I don't end up here too often since it's not really in my 'hood, but when I find myself even moderately close to AB I'll swing in for one of their red velvet or vanilla cuppiecakes and at least a dozen cookies. AB carries some of the larger cupcakes you'll find amidst the ubiquitous 'cupcakeries', I find them a good value, and have never been served one in any other fashion than moist and fluffy. They are an institution in this city whether you like them or not... just ask Starfruit, Berry Chill or any of the other local businesses now that boast they carry Alliance cupcakes for your tasting pleasure. Arguably, their cupcakes are the best thing here but I love that it's not the ONLY thing. Variety is the spice of life babe, if you'd rather some frosted cookies (yum!) or a lemon bar... perhaps a brownie or raspberry tart even, you have choices that aren't limited to nouveau trends or vegan offerings. Alliance is your more 'standard' bakery, the type of place you can find a good 'ol fashioned B&W cookie and not just a mini-dry-soy-wheat-grass-cupcake decorated to look like one.
(4)Brooke M.
I ordered my son's 2nd birthday cake from Alliance after seeing their incredible cake decorating at another party. They can do anything you want in terms of design, decoration and theme. The cake that impressed me so much? Shaped like Prince's guitar. The cake we ordered? Shaped to look just like Brobie's cake from the Yo Gabba Gabba episode Brobie's Birthday. And the cake is also one of the most delicious I have ever eaten from any bakery. Everyone was amazed with how the cake looked at the party and how great it tasted. Sometimes great looking you lose the taste and get taste doesn't always look so hot but this was the best of both.
(5)Char Y.
I dropped by first thing in the morning to get some croissants and macarons. The croissants are the best in the city so far! both the chocolate and the almond was authentic and delicious! the macarons perfect!
(4)Aurore L.
Yes, they do have to remind their customers that their café is not a library. And no, it's not. It's wayyyyyyyyyyyy better. One word: macaroons. Blueberry cream cheese, raspberry rose, chocolate salted caramel,and a ton of other seasonal flavors that escape my mind. LOVE. Also worth of interest: their Girl Collection. A whole gallery of fine pastry featuring, among others: - Elyce (pistachio sable, raspberry custard, white chocolate mousse) - Lola (mango, passion, coconut and chocolate cream) - Anne (chocolate, vanille bean brulée, peanut crunch) - Maeve (rose, raspberry, almond cake) - Sophia (mascarpone, fig, mascarpone, balsamic) Artistic, classy and delicious. ::::::::::::total swoon::::::::::::::::
(5)Nancy H.
Quite a unique place. The bakery and its "lounge" next door have not been remodeled, and the bakery itself is small, but the fondant draped cakes in the window displays and the smells that seep out of there just draws you in. There are two cases of pastries, mainly cookies and little cakes. My girl friend and I came here to grab portabello foccacia sandwiches, mint iced teas, 1 strawberry almond tart, and 3 macaroons, which totalled $22. I don't think they post prices, which was a little annoying. But everything was tasty! Surprisingly, the portabello focaccia sandwich too, even though it looked boring. However, the foccacia bread was a little hard, which I think was a result of it being stored in the refrigerated case. We took our food next door where there are tables, A/C, and free wifi - until it started raining. Love that there is that much seating and free wifi, especially for studiers and workers who need sweets to fuel their brains!
(4)Christy Q.
I clearly am not getting something here. I'm missing something. I don't get the high reviews. I thought it sucked, overall. The setup is cool, I'll grant that. But otherwise, the food sucked. I've tried 4 different things here on different occasions and nothing impressed me, at all. On a hot summer day I was craving a lemon bar- so I headed over to Alliance Bakery! It sucked. I'm sorry, but it was the WORST lemon bar I've ever had. I've had better lemon bars from hotels at work meetings. It had zero lemony flavor, and the consistency was totally dry. Dry Dry Dry. It was way gross. I couldn't finish it and tossed it in the trash. Then I had a pecan bar of some sort. It was blah. It was truly blah. Again, I didn't finish it and just tossed it. I tried a third time with this bakery. This time I got 2 cupcakes- one red velvet cupcake and one yellow cake with the vanilla frosting. The verdict? They both wound up in the trash. The red velvet was better than the yellow cake. But the cream cheese frosting was actually too airy. Which I rarely say about frosting- usually with a cupcake I feel like there's just too much frosting- it overwhelms the cake. In this case it was just airy- cool whip airy. Like cream cheese cool whip. The yellow cake/vanilla frosting- SICK. It tasted EXACTLY like Jewel grocery store's cupcakes. EXACTLY. The frosting was identical and the cake was exactly the same. Not to mention the cake was D.R.Y. Not to mention the people working there are too cool for school. The people I've met refuse to make eye contact, or greet you or smile. I get that they are super duper cool, skinny pant wearing, tattooed, pierced dudes and dudettes, but come on. That's not how you run a business. Smile. Greet a customer. Make small talk. Something- some sign of life... please? Give me some reason (other than the lousy baked goods) to return. I will never ever return. I've given this place 3 chances, I've ordered 4 different things, and I've disliked it all. I can't figure out why people rave about this place. Lucky for Alliance Bakery, I seem to be in the minority. I just don't get it. When there are bakeries like Dinkel's's and Molly's Cupcakes in this city, who in the world would rave about this dump?
(1)Michael S.
Alliance.. Really good treats.. So delicious, but yet sooo bad for you! I've had quite a few baked goodies here on several occasions. I even had a simple blue car iced cookie here and that was really good! Actually, I've never been anything, but impressed with the products here! The cakes while I've never had also look amazing. Must ask how much one of those specially made cakes are next time I go..
(4)Anita S.
I've been a huge fan of Alliance in the past, I love their baked goods and their coffee is always delicious. Today, however, when I went in to order paczkis the staff was extremely rude. There was a line of about 2 or 3 people and I patiently waited in it for my turn. When it was my turn the woman behind the counter asked the man behind me for his order instead of me, when I was clearly the next person in line. It seemed that they knew each other and he was a former regular. I would've overlooked this if not for what happened next, the woman behind the counter noticed that I was clearly overlooked and did nothing, then the man behind the counter helped another woman behind me in the line. I finally spoke up and said "I think I'm next." I ended up spending about half an hour in line this morning before work. I probably should've said something but hate making a scene, instead Alliance won't be receiving my business again. They'll probably be just fine without it, I'm just sad about the way I was treated.
(1)Dave G.
I really liked the staff and the cupcakes were great. They also offer beautiful little individual custards and cheesecakes in addition to the cupcakes. Delicious Black Cat espresso was perfectly drawn.
(4)Jane T.
Yep, I still love Alliance Bakery! A friend of mine recently threw a Mexican fiesta dinner and I felt like I should bring something, so I turned to the trusty Alliance Bakery. Initially, I wanted to get some red velvet cupcakes but after peeking at the site, I went for a whole red velvet cake. I submitted my order online, thinking that I was too late to get any sort of decorated cake order in but the chef contacted me a day later and told me it was absolutely plausible. The cake was 100x more gorgeous than I'd imagined it would be (photo uploaded!). Thank you, Alliance, for such a gorgeous and delicious treat for our fiesta.
(5)Karim H.
Excellent service, amazing french pastries and croissants, and really frickin' good cupcakes! We stopped in during the Renegade Craft Fair and I was quite surprised at the quality of their baked things. They also have a lounge next door with free wifi which might very well become my new favorite spot to study! If this were in walking distance, I'd be 10 lbs. heavier by Christmas
(4)Jenny S.
I needed a cake for a birthday party so I called Alliance since I'd enjoyed their cupcakes and other desserts before. The first time I called the woman on the phone was super helpful. She went through the different sizes for me and the prices and the prices of the add-ons, etc. I thought about it and decided on a cake and called back to double-check on prices. This person on the phone wasn't as helpful. One word answers and had to keep looking things up. Whatever, it's all good. I ordered my cake online (speaking of, ordering would be a heck of a lot easier if they'd just list base prices of cakes online!). Picked it up and it was beautiful. They went above and beyond with the design. Plus it was delicious. So very very tasty. The only downside (if this can even be a down side when it comes to a tasty cake) it was HUGE. So let that be my tip to you---if you're ordering a cake and are wondering "Should I go up a size or down a size?" go down a size! I think I have 1/2 a cake left over.
(4)Diane H.
The sign in the window saying "macarons" drew me in. I've had a lot of macarons in the last couple of years-- at boutiques in Las Vegas, in boxes shipped from France, at local coffee shops in Detroit. The fig and pistachio-cherry macarons were, hands down, the best I've ever tasted-- toothsome and wonderfully flavored. My husband, who has weathered my macaron obsession with skepticism, was impressed by how good these were. I've had plenty of macarons where I couldn't tell what flavor they were even supposed to be, and you won't have that problem here. The latte we ordered wasn't quite phenomenal; my husband thought it tasted more like a tea latte than an espresso drink. I thought it was OK but preferred the latte from Milk & Honey down the road.
(4)Jennifer S.
We walked down to Alliance Bakery after a yummy lunch at Smoke Daddy. They are about a half block from each other and I am a dessert-freak, so my hubby suggested it and I happily agreed. Um, it was kinda weird. The front window has beautiful cakes and made me want to talk in. It was a Sunday afternoon and the cases were a bit picked over, so I struggled with what to order. Wish I had read Yelp ahead of time and tried a macaroon! Anyhow, I ordered an apricot almond pastry and a cranberry bar of some sort. Both were okay. Neither were fabulous and I don't think I will go out of my way to spend $7.96 on two "meh" pastries again. Also, the staff was a little off...I can't really explain it, but it wasn't that warm, fuzzy feel that I usually get in a bakery. Thanks, but no thanks.
(2)Caroline M.
S l o w service. Cramped space. The stroller in there literally took up 1/3 of the waiting area. Sad cupcakes. The icing was very disappointing :( Their spring specials board had some yummy sounding items (pineapple upsidedown cake) but it was nowhere to be found. One star for the free doggie treat with any purchase. My hot boy's dog scarfed it down. Another star for the loading zone out front (rockstar parking if you can get in and out of there in 10 min, which is pretty unlikely).
(2)Katie P.
Alliance made my wedding cake and did a truly splendid job. For starters, they accommodated our need for three people at the tasting and were pleasant and easy to deal with from our first contact. To be honest, I never intended to have a traditional wedding cake. But, it was included as part of our contract with the hotel we had our wedding and reception at. And when it's included you go for it! I've never really ever enjoyed wedding cake. It's usually dry and the icing is gross. I was so surprised when during the tasting I actually enjoyed our final choice. I mean, I really liked it! We ended up going with a hazelnut cake, strawberry preserve filling, and a buttercream frosting. It tasted like strawberry shortcake (my favorite dessert!) and how perfect is that for a summer wedding! I didn't hold out tons of hope that the cake would actually taste that good at the wedding but the final verdict was fantastic! I won't lie. I never actually got to have a piece that cake at my wedding. I was so busy making the rounds that I just never actually got to eat it. That said, it was absolutely how we had envisioned it and I've received so many complements on how tasty it was. Actually, when it's all said and done I've probably gotten more comments about how good the cake was than anything else!
(5)Kym P.
Alliance produced three cakes for our wedding in August. Wow! They were show stoppers. We wanted unconventional cakes, with a kooky theme, but they worked with us and came up with the most amazing designs and then executed them flawlessly. Just as cool as anything you might see on one of those Food Network shows. I have a picture of them that I framed, really, great job.
(5)Dee V.
I am so happy with how my son's 1st birthday dino cake came out!!! I will be coming here for future bday cakes! A little on the expensive side but I thought it came out so good & it was delicious.
(5)Robin W.
Still my favorite cup of coffee in town. Loving the new vegan chocolate chip cookies! I love pastry options:)
(5)Jamie F.
I know every girl says this, but I usually don't write a negative review. For real though, I work in the restaurant industry, and I know how quickly and easily some people can fly off the handle and damage a place's rep. That being said, I truly was very dissapointed in my experience with Alliance. I pace their window all the time, admiring the artistry that goes into their cakes. I must admit that I usually get my cakes from Bittersweet, as I've had great success with their product. However, I needed a 'shape cake' for a good friends 30th birthday - something Bittersweet doesn't do. So, my second choice, was Alliance. I called them up, spoke to Peter, and made an order for a White Sox jersey-shaped cake with chocolate for the flavor and cappucino moussed for the filling. I go to pick up the cake right before heading to my friends birthday dinner. As they allow me to inspect the cake, I was greeted by an adorable little jersey that, for some reason, was missing my friend's name on it. Something which I had gone over with him several times. No biggie, easy fix, and I get to the party on time. The real rub came when, upon cutting into the cake for our guests, I see a VANILLA cake staring back at me. I ordered chocolate, my friend's favorite. REALLY?? You pride yourself on your artistry, but can't get a cake's simple flavor right? Keep in mind that this was a 10 inch cake at the cost of $220.00. Not a bargain by any means. I called the very next day to complain, natch. My response upon telling them that they got the flavor wrong was, "Oooh...that's not good." Yeah, tell me about it. I was offered 50% off of another cake, which I don't need, or 20% back on the cake in question. So, $40.00 for getting the most essential part of the cake, the flavor, incorrect. Wow. Maybe it's just me, but that's not the way I would do business. Bittersweet, here I stay. Thanks for nothing, Alliance.
(2)Colleen R.
I feel compelled to bump Alliance up to 4 stars during the summertime. The presence of their outdoor patio on Division's generously-sized sidewalks provides a lovely setting to sit and chat that doesn't feel like a library sponsored by Apple. Plus, their macarons? Outta this world!
(4)Annie M.
I love Alliance Bakery!!! I ordered a cake several years ago for my husband's birthday - absolutely fabulous. Chocolate cake, banana filling and chocolate ganache. Amazing. And most recently I ordered a cake for my sister's birthday... amazing and moist!!! It was a two tier cake: bottom tier vanilla cake with dulce de leche filling... top tier red velvet with cream cheese filling and both tiers with vanilla bean butter cream frosting. YUM!!! The design was amazing as well! I found an image I liked online and emailed them a copy. My sister and all of our guests raved about the cake. Also... Mitchell and Peter are great! They respond to emails fairly quickly... which I completely appreciated. LOVE ALLIANCE BAKERY!!! Thanks soo much for the wonderful service and product!!!
(5)Erin B.
I have a feeling I'm going to get really fat by going here. The hazelnut & vegan peanut butter cupcakes were really good as was the coffee! I cannot wait to try more of the goodies in here! My favorite part was the vibe...it reminded me of all the amazing patisseries in Brooklyn that I always wish Chicago had more of.
(4)Sonya X.
It's a bad thing that this place is so close to my house because I have a secret addiction to their cupcakes!!! They're just so moist and yummy and come in wonderful flavors. Anytime I have guests over I pick up dozen or so of these cupcakes in various flavors and they always turn out to be a hit. Also not to mention, whenever I have out of town guests visiting I always make sure to take them to Alliance so they can see all the pretty cakes in the window.. my favorite being the hamburger cake! Now if I could only convince one of my friends to get me a cake from Alliance for my birthday......
(5)L Y.
I. LOVE. this BAKERY! their macaroons are delicious and so are their other baked goods. I got my roommate's birthday cake here (red velvet) and the girls behind the counter were nice enough to write "Happy Birthday" on the cake. The workers are friendly, the desserts are yummy, and their adjacent "lounge" area is great. It has a very cozy neighborhood feel to it. they also have dog treats and any local business that has a consideration for dogs is A-okay in my book :)
(5)Elle M.
I just recently read that I have what they call a Type 3 sugar addiction. I will drive to the ends of the earth if that is where the sweets are, so I am on a constant look -out for bakeries, cafes, candy stores, or any place where I can get sweets:) I was actually looking for a different bakery when I saw this place by accident. Boy, am I glad I stopped in! They have the BEST almond croissants!!! I have been back for more since then....
(4)Becky S.
This review is more of 3.5 stars but that's not an option. 1. We showed up for our tasting and the counter staff was swamped but not particularly nice. We constantly felt like we were in the way in the small storefront with the coffee and macaroon customers streaming in and out. 2. The girl who led our cake tasting was very nice. She had everything ready, helped walk us through everything and generally did her job. 3. We chose to upgrade from the base package included with the catering at our hotel so we had to pay extra - no biggie. Although we wouldn't necessarily have upgraded our package to get an extra layer of cake if they had told us at the beginning that we'd get a voucher for our 1 year anniversary to get fresh cake. All in all, not a big deal. 4. The cake was beautiful. We left the general details up to the designer since neither my husband nor I are artistic people. They did a beautiful job. 5. The layers were wrong - we had requested that specific tiers be specific flavors so we'd get more of our favorites. Also, the top tier which we ate the day after was the wrong flavor and we had 2 of our favorite - the bottom and the top - so we didn't get to eat it. My dad tried all of the layers of the cake and the grooms cake and said he didn't like how any of them tasted which is disappointing since I liked them at the tasting. I cannot say if I liked them or not - except that the top layer wasn't so great the next day but that could have been because it hadn't been properly stored by the hotel - but ultimately the taste of the wedding cake wasn't super important to me. 6. The reason for the half star upgrade: the grooms cake. The bakery helped me surprise my groom with a cake shaped like his most prized possession: his truck. I snuck them photos at the tasting and the cake itself was pretty awesome. My husband was super excited and hasn't stopped bragging about how accurate it was. All in all, I'd recommend them. The mistakes that were made were minor and the beauty of the cakes has been talked about by my guests (the bridal caked featured the Chicago skyline) and I was very happy with how everything looked and the designers' choices.
(3)Katie R.
Oh wow, how did I forget to write a review of Alliance? I ordered a small cake from here for a friend who was moving away from Chicago. The first time I called, I got put on hold for a while and gave up on the call. The second time I had no problems, so I'll give benefit of the doubt here and assume the first was an accident. The gentleman I talked to was terrific. I knew I wanted chocolate mousse as the filing and vanilla cake. However, the frosting was a toss-up, so I asked the person taking my order what he would recommend. He immediately recommended vanilla buttercream. This cake was perfect. Delicious. Lovely. The decoration was so tasteful. One cake-eater told me a few weeks later that she was still thinking about the cake with love. It clearly inspired her to want another. I will order from here again when I have the time to travel to pick it up. Great experience. While the picture exists, you can see it here: yfrog.com/ekgd7fj
(5)Tuyen N.
UPDATE: 05/03/10 Back again. I ordered an iced green tea but was told they have green tea, its just mixed. I said sure... apparently its just peppermint tea. LOL. Oh boy... then as I head into the "lounge" no outlet around the couch works. Now I know why this place smells. They have a plug-in air freshener but its plugged into a non-working outlet! DUH! I've removed one star for lack of green tea and working power outlets!
(2)Stephanie D.
ORDER YOUR CAKE HERE! My mom and I wanted to surprise my sister with a fancy cake for her graduation from film school so she sent me on a hunt around Chicago for a cake that could rival the ones seen on "Cake Boss." If you're willing to throw down a bit of $$$ for a cake that is truly a piece of art, turn to Alliance Bakery. Their friendly staff took time to sit down with me and go through options to make a cake that fit into our budget. The end result was a cake that turned into a film reel with black and white frosting... it was so gorgeous and unlike anything I had ever seen. At our dinning table to feast on this cake were the harshest critics on earth: both of my grandmothers. I have to admit that when we sat down to eat it we were all worried that the fondant wouldn't taste very good and that the black coloring would give the icing a bitter flavor. Much to our shock this cake tasted even better than it looked. Everyone had a second piece. There was a lot of moaning and eyes rolling into the back of heads. Normally at the end of dinning on a cake that we brought to a restaurant we give the rest of the cake to the server to eat w/ their coworkers but there was no way we were going to give this baby up.... we at the rest for breakfast the next day! LOL It's been months since all ate that cake and it has been brought up numerous times by not only my grandmothers but also the rest of my family. We can't stop talking about how frickin' delicious it was. As granny said: "That cake was worth getting fat on." Now if only I had another special event coming up so I could justify ordering another. Guess I'll have to get married or something :P
(5)Brad C.
If you're like Caroline M, and you're walking around wicker park with the stroller this might not be the place for you. Sure its small, but there is a bunch of outdoor seating and next door. And I'm sorry but a 9pm closing is late for a bakery. Great friendly service, and very tasty treats! My fianc thought the cupcakes were awesome. I just moved right around the corner so this is going to have to be my new weekend coffee spot, sorry Milk n' Honey. The vibe reminded of bleeding heart on Chicago Ave.
(4)Janelle B.
Alliance made my wedding cake in July 2013 and they did an excellent job! I wanted a pretty simple design but they made it beautiful, and of course delicious. They were very flexible with options to combine two cake flavors (I had to give my fiance at least one thing he wanted in the wedding planning process...) and they were more than happy to deliver special desserts for our vegan and gluten free guests. Jennifer was really helpful with the few questions I had and our tasting was fun. I highly recommend Alliance Bakery!
(5)Meghan B.
Stoped in on a walk last night...the sign indicating they had French Macaroons lured me in. I ordered one of each of the flavors they had and have to say the flavors were incredibly rich and fabulous, unfortunately the texture did not deliver. This were much chewer and harder than the macaroons I've had in the past. I was looking for something that would basically melt in your mouth and this was not it. Would defiantly go back, but not for the macaroons....they had very cute iced cutout sugar cookies in 50+ designs!
(3)Sarah B.
Alliance Bakery NEVER disappoints! I've never walked out of there with less than 3 treats and a drink or two. While the actual store front itself is on the small side, it's delectably cozy and comforting. I would even go so far as to say that it reminds me of being in a lov-ER-ly pâtisserie in France, without having to purchase a plane ticket. But don't fret! Everyone who works there is warm and helpful, and you certainly won't feel like a foreigner in this haven on Division. I hesitate to describe their wondrous selection of items to choose from, because we'd be here all day. But their sweet treats are always beautiful, fresh, and often intricately full of color. Even their display cases exude an angelic, halo-like aura that suggests you are, in fact, in a divine place, and you'd be a fool for not indulging in all that this heaven has to offer (I was not high during the making of this review). Let's just say, I now know what Eve was facing when she went in for that apple... On a more Earthly note, Alliance offers something for everyone. They have everything from huge, fluffy, flaky , croissants with hearty cheese and goodness to mini key lime pies. They have vegan scones, an array of cupcake options, a decadent tiramisu, and the best muffins I've had in the city. They also have quiche, parfaits, and some salads, oh my! In addition to perfecting all of the bakery basics, they always offer some incredibly unique, and seductive desserts that often coincide with the season. My last trip included this layered pistachio awesomeness, I think they called it an "Ellen" (maybe from Cakes by Ellen?). It started with a puff cream pillow, then pistachio crumble, topped with pistachio cake and a thin layer of hardened marbled white chocolate as the base. The memory of that pastry will serve as my "happy place" for while. Their beverages, coffee drinks, Italian sodas, and especially the iced chai, are just as splendid and complimentary to anything you eat there. With Fall approaching, I am envisioning many a morning with the perfect couple: Chai latte and Banana Nut Muffin. In this "Ode to Alliance", I have to note how wonderful the staff is as well. They are so helpful and informative without having to ask or deal with weird looks from them as I blubber around in indecision. It's immensely refreshing to walk into a place where there staff is obviously passionate and happy about what they do. An establishment like Alliance reinvigorates my appreciation for the baking and pastry arts as a whole, from mixing bowl to belly. I realize we're talking about cake here, but Alliance is truly doing something HUGE with the little joys in life. I could not be more thankful to have them in the neighborhood. * I went ahead and gave them 5 stars, because I'm obviously obsessed, but I do have one small complaint. I really like the fact that their dining/cafe area is in a completely separate building next door, but the atmosphere in there definitely leaves something to be desired. The separate seating area is much more conducive to getting work done or studying without the distraction of customer traffic, but I can't help but feel uncomfortable while I'm in there. I'm not quite sure if it's just the dark lighting or furniture setup or what, but I never stay there very long.
(5)Claire M.
I love this place. i love the cookies the sandwiches the coffee.. i love the every changing cast of characters behind the counter that are sweet and annoyed simultaneously. Im glad they redid the everything in trhe cafe side.. it was u g l y .. it is now nice and cozy and totally unoffensive. but my favorite part is the sitting outside on a spring or summer day just watching division go by. i dont know. i wouldnt guess that i would want to sit on division, but there at alliance, i truly don't mind...
(5)Candace M.
I was at an event recently and Alliance Bakery was kind enough to grace us with an array of sweets. I must say that I have had their cake before at a wedding I planned and it was delicious, but... ...now I have fallen in love with their mini chocolate mousse tarts with a hint of raspberry at the bottom. I won't disclose how many I ate but all I can say is OMG! It doesn't get better than that and it just doesn't make any sense for anything to taste that darn good!
(5)Laura N.
When I lived in the neighborhood, it was a requirement that anyone who visited me had to take a quick trip to the bakery for some cookies, brownies, or cupcakes (my treat, of course). Although they are not the best cupcakes and cookies in the world, they're pretty damn good and I'm hooked. Not only are they delicious, but some of their creations are beautiful to look at -- I fear eating them will destroy them! I'm sad I'm no longer in the neighborhood and cannot walk a couple blocks for a quick treat anymore. I do look forward to going back!
(4)Jennie T.
They have a great selection of macarons here. They even have cupcakes. I was going to have dinner with a friend and when I saw this bakery, I knew I just had to go in and buy something for her. My eyes wandered over to the cupcakes but her favorites were macarons so I bought her a little box of one of each kind. There were about 7 different flavors. My total came out to be around $11. Yeah, they're not really cheap. But she enjoyed them so I'm happy.
(4)L G.
Love this place!! I only get there on occasion - as this place is a special treat for me. Perfect stop to make on the way to a party for something to share - or pick up for a birthday treat for someone special. They will rave about whatever you choose. The service is always good - even when it's kinda hectic inside, everyone has always been super freindly and helpful when trying to decide. Keep doing exactly what you are doing!
(5)klassy k.
i want to hire a clown to smash their cupcakes into my face all day, are you kidding me? they're "da bomb" like the young folks say. on my way to work, i often stop in to eat one of their filled croissants (the turkey and cheese or the spinach are my faves) it is a little pricey, but well worth it! the cake display in the window is so cool! a cake art gallery! why anyone goes across the street to the starbucks (except to peep the cute bearded barista there) is beyond me!
(5)Amanda Z.
Thank you, Alliance, for rocking my birthday girl's world with your red velvet goodness. I popped in on a Wednesday, in need of a cake for Saturday. The staff was very pleasant, brought out a cake to show me the size and what it would look like. Once it was determined that I would not be wanting THAT cake (come on, she had to have a FRESH cake) he set me up, and I ordered it with my desired message. Of course, I couldn't leave empty-handed, so I took a Key Lime bar and a Cheesecake bar to go. Yum. The Key Lime bar was tart and not too sweet, my general desire, and the Cheesecake bar made me look like a rock star girlfriend. Awesome. Cake was ready promptly on Saturday, the icing looked gorgeous, and I was outta there in 5 minutes. Impressive given the Renegade insanity outside. Oh, and Intelligentsia? Sure, I'll take a couple of iced coffees to go. (Perfection on a warm September day.) Fast forward to the party. Cake displayed to the tune of the birthday salsa (LOVE). Birthday girl given the task of cutting the cake (HILARIOUS). And everyone ooohed and aaahhhed, despite red velvet not really being on anyone else's radar. The cake looked wonderful, and tasted even better. I'll be back for more bakery needs, rest assured. Oh yeah, and for the coffee too.
(5)Len L.
Tried to order a B-day cake, went online to look at designs for the cake and found one that I liked. I noted the name of the cake and tried to order the cake over the phone. The person from the bakery had no clue what cake is online and was told to go online to order the cake or come in. Later that night, I went by the bakery and the person in the bakery said that the internet is down and should come back the next day or call. The next day I called the bakery and the baker said that he does not know what cake is shown online or had any pictures of the cake online. Bottom line-The cake I've wanted was not the cake I received and does not look like the cake described online. The cake was too sweet and was dry.
(1)Karen B.
The employer I work for ordered a cake there for their reception. It was very well done! You could tell they spent alot of time perfecting it. And the staff is super nice.
(5)Kunal K.
I needed to buy a box of cookies to give to my landlord for making a complete ass out of myself (Shocker!) whilst being wasted the night before. I got locked out and had to wake them up at 5 am to let me into my house. Or so I deduced the next morning since I don't actually remember it. So the cookies had to be pretty damn good. And they were. I also got a mocha to get rid of that strange throbbing pain in my head (wonder what that was about?!) and don't tell anyone but I sneaked in a couple of cookies from the box. I really liked the ginger one. And no, that's not the cute redhead sitting across from me in the lounge. But I really liked her too.
(4)Berlin G.
The deserts are really good! The cakes are also really pretty. And the people serving you are kind of hot *wink wink* hahaha. I especially like the raspberry oatmeal bar. Soooooo good. I'm not sure if I'm coming back for the raspberry bar or because I think they guy that works there is a totally hottie. Either way, I'll be going back and I definitely recommend this place. haha
(4)Izzy N.
I was craving some cake and decided to walk into Alliance. No cake slices but cupcakes, I'll settle. Kinda pricey for 3+ a pop and the picture on yelp is inaccurate. They don't label their cupcakes anymore, nor prices. So you'll have to guess from the looks of it or ask as to what cupcake is what flavor. What did my sweet tooth get? Lemon cupcake with passionfruit filling and a red velvet as well as two coconut lime macarons and a dulce de leche bread pudding. The bread pudding was devine after I warmed it up a little. So rich and not too sweet. The cupcakes were pretty good, moist but I don't like the airy light frosting. It melted down too easily, I prefer the frosting to be a tad thicker. The passion fruit filling was a real treat though because it wasn't too sweet and the right amount of tang to it. Yum! The macarons were alright. I loooove lime flavors but kinda hate coconut but this was a nice balance and the coconut was subtle enough where it didn't ruin the experience with the lime. Nice guys and they have good pastries too. A big plus is that they are open everyday until 9pm!
(4)Brittney L.
I adore cupcakes and so I was really excited to check out my neighborhood cupcake shop. I stopped in after work one day and I asked the girl behind the counter what her favorite one was. She was rude and didn't really care to give me her opinion (so much for passion for your product). I finally squeezed out that the red velvet was her favorite so I ordered that and an italian soda. They didn't have the soda water for the italian soda so I got an orange juice instead (which they charged 3.00 for a tiny bottle!) So I was being charged over 7.00 for a cupcake and an orange juice, but after eying the cakes in the windows for the few weeks I had been walking by, I let that go and went outside to enjoy my treat. Not only was the cupcake dry as a bone and flavorless, the icing was gooey and bland. SUCH a waste of my money and calories. With all of the fantastic cupcake shops in Chicago I won't be coming here again any time soon.
(1)imran k.
I came in here after getting my physical done. I came to celebrate because my doctor told me that I am in perfectly healthy shape: perfect blood sugar, perfect blood pressure, and get this: perfect BMI. So I gallantly entered Alliance and asked the barista to make me something with a lot of whipping cream. He looked at me puzzled for a second, but I reassured him: I was serious. He made me a mocha with LOTS of chocolate and LOTS of whipping cream (as requested). As he gave it to me, he said, "This might be the most unhealthy beverage I've ever made." I thanked him for taking such accurate directions. For kicks, I also got a lemon poppy seed muffin. And walked into their lounge. There, I started formulating this review. The music perfectly complimented what everyone was doing. Whether it was reading articles for class (me), working on laptops, or quietly gossiping (two hot girls), the music was neither snooze-worthy nor too distracting. The coffee was brilliant. Strong, but didn't give mama the jitters. Comfortable seating, not cozy enough to make me nod off, but definitely better than other chairs you can find at various coffee shops around the city. It was just perfect. I got so much done. In a pleasant environment. Nice work, Alliance. I'll be back.
(4)Becca F.
It took us 3 tries just to get a taste of their treats. The first two times we visited, we entered and found no clerk was present. We had several minutes alone to drool over the selection before the clerk returned. When we spoke up to place our orders, the clerks informed us they were closed. CLOSED - Yet the lights were on, the doors were ajar. This happened TWICE. Both times we entered before closing time. Once, a clerk informed us they had already counted the till. We then offered to pay w/o receiving change and he still refused to serve us. The third time we did get a cookie and cupcake. However, the treats weren't delicious enough to erase the sour taste left behind by the poor customer service we had encountered previously. Now, we just go down to Letitzia's for delicious treats and great customer service (plus they are open late!).
(1)Mary F.
I've been here a couple times to grab things for dinner parties, etc. I'm just not sure what the hype is all about. For the amount they charge, everything should be great. Some of the cookies/ cupcakes I've had were pretty good. But not great. A few of the treats were either bland or dry. Not good. The bakery is overpriced. I would have given it 2 (maybe 3) stars but... We just ordered a cake for a friend's Birthday party. Birthday person gets what they want. The cake was expensive. It's cake. Not gold. Again, what the birthday person wants... But - the name on the cake was misspelled! It was spelled correctly on the ticket attached to the box... This tells me a couple things - the person writing the icing did not check the ticket. The person handing over the cake did not check the cake. When we said something, we were told we'd have to talk to the manager (not there)... The customer service received was less than ideal, border line rude, and the initial offer to make us happy was insulting (essentially offered to take sales tax off). Not cool, people, not cool.
(1)Alex K.
They always had awesome pastry but people who work there are acting like they don't want to be there at all. They have great seating outside. They have a cherry bliss bar that I love. Anything I have tried in the past has been amazing. It's just people that work here don't really care if you buy or not buy anything. Kind of off-putting. From what I"ve heard they make great cakes and know a lot about weird wedding cakes. Hopefully their staff for that is nicer.
(3)Jaime C.
the goodies are pretty much all delicious, with a few standouts amongst the crowd (key lime bar OHMYGOD). there's outdoor seating, as well as an adjacent room where people can drink their coffee &/or get themselves stabbed if they forget to silence their phone. alliance's dine-in clientele are bookish at best, zombie-like at worst, & that side room is a MORGUE OF SILENCE where the slightest cough can elicit A THOUSAND YEARS OF STINK-EYE. speaking of stink eye, it would seem that they've recently hired on a slew of new baristas, a couple of whom are working on their masters in 'TUDE. really? your conversation on doggie biscuits was that vital? oh, fret not. you totally got me good with this warm "iced" coffee. i'm feeling the passive aggressive burn, don't worry. i'll never interrupt again. my visits here have become fewer & farther in between since the new hires came, as i really don't enjoy being treated like a troll that just crawled out from under a bridge. but those key lime bars...well, at least i've cut down.
(3)Richie D.
I stopped in here after an across the street visit to Angels and Mariachis. Their cupcake frosting is good, but the rest of the cupcake wasn't too great. Their pecan bars were soft and chewy, mmmm. They have some interesting croissants with different fillings which was neat. Not the best bakery I've visited or come across, but not bad either. Just average. I just checked out the bakery and nothing else, so I can't rate on it more than that.
(3)Lindley E.
The best thing going for Alliance is the wi-fi study room and the sidewalk dining. Billy and I met at Alliance to write a short story that was solicited by some pervvy guy on Craigslist. I bought us a dry cappuccino (pretty darn good), an earl grey tea, and two sweets -- a lemon scone (too much vanilla) and a coconut macaroon (the icing was excessive). As we typed out absurdity after absurdity ("I got my period when I was 9 because I ate too much hormone-tainted chicken"; "I wrote to Oprah and asked her if I was dying of cancer"; "neighborhood boys paid me to look at my chest") we made some real headway into the sweets...but none of them really delivered. I won't make a special trip to Alliance to eat sweets, but if I had some work to do and couldn't get my internet to work, Alliance would be a top choice for me. Updated 5-13-08 I added one star because these guys know their way around laminated doughs - the breakfast pastry are great! Loved the coffee cakes and danish. Cupcakes=not worth the trip, but the great danish (and yummy eclairs) make up for them.
(4)Stevey P.
It was a difficult decision to decide between the red velvet cupcake, chocolate chip cookie and the hazelnut chocolate cupcake. So I was like screw it, and got them all. Unfortunately it was so stinkin hot outside on their cafes tables (but it was a beautiful afternoon, so whatevs) everything started to melt quickly and since I was already feeling like a HEIFER, I never got to the red velvet. With that said the hazelnut chocolate was amazing -- thick creamy and voluptuous. All I could think of was the band from the movie "Coming to America" -- Sexual Chocolate. The fudge stuck to the roof of my mouth -- it was heavenly. The cake itself was pretty good, and was flecked with bits of hazelnut (the actual nut!) Nice!! The server here was very helpful in steering my fat ass to the pastries of choice. I definitely recommend this place. It's worth every single of my 5 stars and then some.
(5)Andrea H.
I went to Alliance for my wedding cake after Rolf's bakery closed down so unexpectedly. With my wedding near, I panicked but alliance assured me that they could replicate any Rolf's cake at my tasting. the price was higher, but I wasn't worried because after looking at sample pictures I felt confident my cake would look fabulous. Not so much....the cake looked like the designs I'd seen in pics and online that I knew I DIDN'T want. The "lace designs" simply looked like squiggly lines made out of icing on the fondant and even the designs that were supposed to mimic the moulding in the banquet hall just looked like drawn on crooked lines. The guests all though the cake looked great, but looking at the cake on my wedding day for the first time was an utter disappointment. If Alliance hadn't assured me they could replicate my original design choice, I would have just chose something different altogether.
(1)Amanda Y.
My husband and I stopped by Alliance to grab a quick bite before being stuck in rush hour traffic for an hour to head home to the suburbs. We ordered quite a few things: 2 sandwiches (roast beef and tuna), macarons (chocolate and vanilla), a chocolate croissant, and a couple cups of coffee to keep us warm. We didn't know that there was a separate sitting place next door so we sat the ONLY seating available right when you enter the bakery. The sandwiches were quite delicious. The tuna salad sandwich was served on a croissant and it was not your typical tuna salad: it actually has herbs in it to enhance the flavor! We loved the macarons, the flavor combo were different and I can't remember exactly what filling went into the chocolate macaron and what went into the vanilla. We look forward to going there more and try their other stuff!!
(4)Christina S.
I've been coming to alliance since i was a kid, when it was a real polish bakery with real prices. and real yummy yummy pastries. nowadays, their baked goods are a-ight. nothin to write home about. I go in there now if i'm near the parental unit and need an espresso.
(3)Anjali B.
Macarons fit for a princess, and only a stone's throw from the palace! Delish. I love the Raspberry Rose, Coconut Lime, and Chocolate + Salted Caramel. Polite staff. I had to text a friend to see if they needed anything from Alliance, and the gentleman helping me asked if I minded if he skipped over me to help others, instead of standing, waiting, huffing and puffing, making it all awkward, etc. Promptly served a few people, and came back to me and was happy to make me an iced Americano and suggest his favorite macaron flavors to me. I'll be coming here on a regular basis, awesome.
(4)Dk N.
YUMMMMM!!! I bought an apple tart or something like that. And, I totally inhaled the pastry in seconds. OMG!!! This is SO good. Everyone who works or lives nearby knows this place. Heck, I should go there now...
(5)naomi S.
Kind of sad to be writing alliance a two star review but the place has really gone down hill the past year or so.... I have always order cakes from there for friends parties/ my little ones birthdays ect.. Their cookies/ croissants are average and wayyyyy over priced.. They don't make most of their baked goods and they never carry bread anymore... But I really loved alliance for their cute cakes!! I was going to get a small teddy bear shaped cake ( for 20 people) for my little ones first birthday and they wanted to charge me $ 400.00... Ridicules!!! They made a cake last year for my other sons birthday for 30 people and it was $175.00 and I thought at the time that was a bit high but I went with it because I love their designs and I like to shop local but 400.00 (440.00 with tax and would make it $20 a slice) for a 20 person teddy bear cake is just wrong! They are popular with wedding cakes ect.. Their bakery seems very disorganized too ( they've misplaced two very important orders that I ) Plus I had placed a large cookie order with them for a shower and they used the wrong colors and the cookies looked really sloppy and tasted stale....
(2)Liz S.
I wish I loved this place as much as other people, but I just didn't. Small detail which only probably bothers me, but, I walked in and I felt like I was walking into a sauna. I shared a cupcake and a cheesecake bar with a friend, and once again I wish I loved this place. The cupcake was a vanilla cake with buttercream frosting. I suppose if you like dry cupcakes this is the place to get them, but I like moist cake (since the frosting isn't something I even eat). The cake part was such a let down. However, the cheesecake square was heavenly. It melted in my mouth like all cheesecakes should, and it had the perfect amount of crust to cake. I'll be back for the cheesecake square, but, most likely never a cupcake. I'll have to just feed my craving with my own for now.
(2)Bry H.
My fiance and I got our birthday cake from Alliance and it was amazing. Not only did it taste great, but it was so classic looking. It was everything that we wanted and more! I also think they have the best cookies. I love their insult cookies, don't ask why. I'm not particularly mean spirited, but they were really funny. Plus I love their frosting on the sugar cookies. I will be getting my next birthday cake here!
(5)Ashley B.
i will have to come back for something other than just a cupcake and an italian soda. this place was very charming, although not necessarily because of the staff. does it really look like i'm from the suburbs? the cake display in the window looks amazing. i will have to think of an occasion for which i would need an outlandish cake. the display inside was reminiscent of a french pastry shop. even for the end of the day they seemed to have a good selection. i got a banana cupcake of some kind with carmel filling and creamcheese frosting. while the size didn't reflect the price, the taste did.
(4)Evann G.
Finally! I got to try Alliance Bakery. First of all, it's so cute. And it's in such a cute area. It made me want to move to Wicker Park. We ordered six cupcakes and 14 cookies. But in our defense, there were three of us, and we spaced the gorge-fest out over a couple days. Still. The guy serving us was nice and didn't make fun of us AT ALL, so plus points there. The red velvet cupcakes were the best, but quite messy. They're so DENSE. It's like 3 cupcakes mushed into 1. And the frosting was diviiiiine. My 2nd favorite was probably the hazelnut fudge, because the cake part was so interesting and the chocolate frosting was so PURE HEAVEN. The chocolate cupcake was delish, and I loved the actual cake, but the frosting was that sugary kind that I expect to get on grocery-store-bakery cupcakes, not cupcakes from an actual bakery KNOWN for its cupcakes. The frosting on the vanilla cupcake was the same way, so vanilla gets 4th place (plus, the vanilla cake was more dry than the rest of the flavors). All in all, fabulous cupcakes, I'd just prefer a creamier frosting on the chocolate and vanilla. The cookies weren't AS good. We got the kind that looked like miniature moon pies, and they tasted like... nothing. Literally. And we also tried the spritz (sprinkle) cookies, because I am obsessed with butter cookies, and they were good but not the best I've ever had. My bf got decaf coffee and said it was cold. I got a soy tea latte and it was decent. I'm glad I got to try it before it changes hands later this month... I wonder if it'll be significantly different afterwards?
(4)Colleen J.
This is a quaint and quiet bakery/coffee shop. It's a great place to go buy a coffee and a cookie and browse the internet (wi-fi). The staff is friendly and hipster. The decor is slightly dull, but it's not the main draw of the place. It's along Division; you can sit outside and people watch all day long. It's open until 9 pm most nights. Oh, and the cakes they make are amazingly creative and fun.
(4)Laura R.
#NAME?
(5)W S.
For the price it is really not great, but the fact that questions to the staff are met with disinterest or annoyance is unacceptable. For a bakery that looks to be so inviting, I hoped for a lot more.
(1)Asa K.
How to build trust with your patisserista* by Peter Kaplan 1. Wander back and forth endlessly between two gorgeous delices: the Michelle and the Dee. Note that there are no other customers to hide behind. 2. Engage your patisserista Rae in an extended discussion of the pros and cons of each. Begin attracting attention and pity. 3. Ask your friend Meg what she would do, but then, without being excessively dismissive, decide you're unwilling to go with her judgment anyway. 4. Sheepishly ask your patisserista Rae -- who shows no sign of running out of patience -- which she would pick. Secretly hope it's the one you're secretly leaning toward. 5. Listen, confounded, as she picks the other one. 6. Determine that you still can't decide, and ask your patisserista Rae to just make the determination (but don't tell!) and bring it out to the back room where you'll be waiting. 7. When your patisserista Rae appears after 2 minutes that felt as endless as they were brief, absolutely love that she didn't flinch and brought her suggested Michelle despite your hopeless waffling. 8. Make sure to smile and blow a kiss on the way out. 9. Write a Yelp review two months later in the fool's hope that Rae will someday read it. Love, Peter __________________________________________________Â___________ * The word "patisserista" is copyright 2010 by Meg Olson. All rights reserved.
(5)Reina C.
This place is good for studying/working. The space is next to the actual bakery- which has GREAT baked goods and coffee. This is not a place to get a lunch with coffee- but the baked goods rock and on occasion I have some of their pre-made lunch items (there is usually a limited variety). The working space is large and the noise and music is maintained at a working level. Plus the cakes in the window look awesome.
(4)Local G.
Meh. I had a carrot cake cup cake and it was good but it wasn't amazing. The chocolate chip cookie and oatmeal cookie were good too, but again not something to rave about. The place is kind of a dive which gives it charm. Nice ambiance, although it would be nice it they played some old school jazz music etc as background music. Free wi-fi makes it a nice place to bring a laptop and relax.
(3)Rahshonda K.
I feel ya Carrie S I was confused as well by the old school exterior while the cakes in the window are works of art! The red velvet cupcakes were so moist and delightful. Delightful doesn't even completely describe them they were magically delicious! I was trying to do tasting to figure out what type of cake I wanted for my birthday and they were so nice and helpful. Still a bit pricey but I guess its worth it if you are paying for art!
(4)Amelie D.
It's really hard not to love a place that puts a Louis Vuitton purse cake in its window. Also really hard not to love a place that is so tiny, visually pleasing, and authentic. However, the lounge area is lacking. Like some of the other people have said, I, too do not enjoy getting stared at as I gingerly open the door and look for a seat. My guess is that these people do not LIVE here, no? In fact they might have had to enter the lounge and look for a seat as well? So why the hushed stares as if I am violating some unspoken rule of decorum? My only other complaint has nothing to do with Alliance; rather an anecdote of what you might encounter if you come here. There were not other seating options save for a couch that swallowed me. I took a spot a good three feet away from where another patron was camped out. About five minutes later, she TOOK OFF HER SHOES and put her feet up on the couch and began to do this strange stretching/meditating thing. All of which would be completely acceptable in another environment, but the smell of wet Ugg feet as I'm drinking my coffee, no thanks.
(3)Bonnie B.
The chocolate cupcakes were dry! I was so excited to try this place because of all the great reviews, so I picked up a bunch of cupcakes for dessert for a dinner party I was attending. I was embarrassed as I bit into a chocolate cupcake and it was very dry. I worriedly looked around at the other dinner guests' faces and apologized. If you're a bakery and you can't give me a good chocolate cupcake, and there are a lot of other bakeries in Chicago... well, I'm glad you appear to have enough loyal fans that you don't need my business.
(2)jamie k.
I have always wanted to like Alliance more than I have in the past. It's always been so so for me.. BUT I had never really given it chance.. Last night in a last minute decision to have the whole family back over to the house for Birthday cake, I ran over there. Decided on a cute little carrot cake, the man behind the counter was super sweet and they even personalized it and supplied a few free candles. This made me happy enough! But what made everyone happier was the cake. It was delicious! I was half expecting something overly sweet and dry (as carrot cakes can sometimes be at other places) -This was the opposite. Hooray! I will go back there again to check out their cakes any day!
(4)Sarah W.
I've had a couple different experiences now with Alliance and overall thought it balanced itself out to be pretty good. Delicious pastries, suitable coffee and a pretty tasty quiche, but it loses points on me for atmosphere at the lounge next door. I'm quite picky with the atmosphere of coffee shops and I think the space is a bit gloomier than I would like to relax at. Its not so much the fault of Alliance, because they try to mix it up with a little loungy couch area in addition to an area reserved for tables, but they just fall short. It's great that they have free WIFI and plenty of outlets. But, that doesn't change the fact that the space itself is a big clunky rectangle shape with furniture that does the job, but isnt necessarily aesthetically pleasing. As others have mentioned, its also super silent in there. Its like library-quiet in there, and even the music is barely there, so I felt like a rude pants when I forgot to put my phone on vibrate and it rang out loud.. If you like the silence, power to you and lounge it up, but otherwise you might prefer to take your tasty pastry and coffee to go.
(3)Annie W.
Cozy atmosphere with a very earthy feel. They definitely promote local businesses and endeavors--if you go into the lounge, it's loaded with tons of brochures and fliers of local artists, musicians, etc. My friend and I got cupcakes: strawberry lemon (buttercream frosting) and the red velvet (cottage cream frosting). I wasn't fan of either frosting--they're too thick and actually quite hard but my friend preferred the cottage cream over butter cream. The cakes itself are pretty firm (and slightly stale) up top and get softer and moisture closer to the bottom which makes me wonder how long they've been sitting there for. So my take on their cupcakes is only OK. I really do like the quiet lounge next door. Slightly low lighting as it gets darker but it has spacious tables and big chairs.
(4)Angela P.
This was the second, and final stop on my mini crawl. I LOVE the vibe of this place, very cozy, dark-ish...I really liked it in here. I, again, asked what flavors of cupcakes they had and the man behind the counter was so descriptive about all the flavors it was hard not to want to try them all! =] I ended up going with the chocolate with a salted caramel filling, vanilla/vanilla and the red velvet. I also saw some savory croissants and just had to try the turkey/swiss. So...the good...the croissant was AMAZING! It was crunchy where it needed to be, soft, flaky and tender in the center and the contrast of the slight sweetness of the pastry and the sharpness of the swiss was perfection! The cupcakes...I LOVED that salted caramel filling in the chocolate cupcakes, it was dense, almost buttery with a great flavor. Now the cakes themselves, all of them for that matter, were just okay. I just wasn't wowed by the flavor of the cake or the frosting. They were a bit dry...let's just say I wasn't feeling it. Don't get me wrong, the cakes displayed in the window were truly pieces of art, and I would consider doing a cake tasting to see if the larger sized cakes have a better flavor than the cupcakes because the designs were THAT good! So we will see in the future about that...but I would definitely stop in again for one of those savory croissants! Mmmmm...
(3)Tracy K.
After reading all the great reviews, I'm a bit disappointed. The sign outside advertised paczkis with ten or so filling varieties for Fat Tuesday. Exciting! The guy behind the counter was very friendly, but apparently he did not know which flavor of paczki was which because what I ordered was not what I received. And sadly, I did not find this out until I started eating.. at home. I'll try them again if I'm in the area, but I'm a little miffed that my rose paczki is actually filled with pineapple because these special treats are only available once a year (they do have custard-filled year round). Edit: The owners contacted me to apologize after they read this review, and I thought that was sweet. Also, the rest of the paczkis I tasted were very tasty, so I upped my star count.
(4)Kim J.
I like Alliance Bakery a lot. I've only ever had a few of the pastries, but what I've had has been quite tasty. I mostly like to go to Alliance to study, and the lounge next door is the perfect place for that - quiet, lots of outlets, good wi-fi signal, and access to tasty pastries and coffees. And I love looking at the cakes in the window - if they taste half as good as they look, I'd have to take one home every day!
(4)Jenn R.
Alliance had my heart before I walked in the door. It was the kind of place that persuaded me to move to the area last year just by it's charming sign and inviting "we've been here and haven't changed since 1951" persona. When I heard from a friend that they're infamous for their ridiculously awesome cupcakes, I knew it would be a dangerous neighbor. Almost a year later, I finally made it inside with orgasmic-like anticipation. CUPCAKES! COFFEE!! ...and CUTENESS!!! Ok, that's pretty generic but I was taken immediately. I ordered the 2.50 or so carrot cake cupcake and handed the friendly girl my debit card. She said, continuing the thematic cuteness, that there's a five dollar minimum and that she's really really sorry. Sorry?! No, no. I have cash you little sweetheart, it's ok! And even if I didn't, I would have gotten another! She was just so sweet about something no-big-deal. I was handed my cupcake in a cute little to-go box. And walked away with a cute little smile. It turns out that cuteness is both edible and delicious. The carrot cake cupcake was all of that cuteness in a crumbly beautifully presentable sweet tooth satisfier. Even the cupcake wrapper was cute and all 1951. Again. Cupcakes. Coffee. And cuteness. Alliance is perfect. And not at all generic.
(5)Moe f.
Had a little business meeting in the lounge this morning. It's huge and a tad confusing as it was not attached to the bakery(seprate doors). Great coffee, a really good cranberry walnut bar, and free wifi. Had no idea it was this popular after seeing all the reviews. Will have to come back for more baked treats.
(4)Sarah L.
Today I was lucky enough to sample some birthday cake from Alliance. The cake was beautifully decorated in a nice green butter cream with a pretty paisley print. Inside, the cake was yellow with fudge filling. The cake wasn't too rich or sweet. Just the perfect balance! It didn't taste like the Jewel sheet cakes that I'm used to, yuck!! I will be ordering my birthday cake from Alliance this year! It's a big year, I will be turning the big 3-0.
(5)Mary E.
At the time of the writing of this review there are currently 176 reviews for Alliance. Therefore, I'm keepin' this short. Great little bakery and coffee shop. I've mostly purchased the cupcakes. Nice, heavy, sweet buttercream frosting. When fresh, the cupcakes are heavy and moist. They are usually delicious but I don't think they are baked fresh everyday.Therefore, sometimes they are a *little* dry. That's what the one star subtraction is for. Coffee is excellent.
(4)Lucien H.
I was never a red velvet fan until I tried a slice of red velvet from here. Oh my, the cake here is tasty indeed. It's ultra moist and the icing just melts in your mouth. The downside is, the portion is kind of small and it's pricey for what you get. A small velvet cake is $30. Cupcake I think was somewhere around $3~$4 and it's not even the standard size. It's a thin, skinny cake. Aside from that, the cakes are really yummy so it's definitely worth checking it out.
(4)Jessica D.
Alliance is pretty awesome. I mean, everything I've had has been quite good, but I'll admit that I've only had the macarons (proper French and the American style w/ coconut and an extra "o" German chocolate version). My girlfriend tries the Milette once, but I didn't since I suspected it might have gelatin and gelatin and I are enemies. Oh, and we've both had perfectly tasty but disturbingly similar veggie sandwiches here (both w/ pesto and tomato but one with mozzarella and one with goat cheese and red peppers). I really enjoy the food here. Good macarons are not easy to find and Alliance has some tasty and interesting flavors (raspberry-rose is one of my favorites). But the service here is always a little aloof, the people up front aren't aware what ingredients are in which pastries (I asked today which things contained gelatin so that I could avoid is and the girl at the counter didn't know and made no attempt to find out, only stating that, "Probably just the things with mousse in them," which doesn't clarify much since that's 50% of the display). I think the fact that the people working in back don't really talk much to the people working the counter makes this a big problem for them. What about people with food allergies? They always treat you as if you've no idea what things are, explaining that they are fragile, best at -blank- temperature, etc. and it gets a little annoying hearing that every time you buy something. Also, I have to agree that the Alliance Lounge next door is a little unwelcoming. There appear to be regulars and they don't like their peace and quiet interrupted. I went there once, and only once, with two friends and we felt eyes on us every time we talked. Not the best atmosphere for a lunch with friends. So, in conclusion, the food is lovely, but the service is less than thrilling and the seating options are a little intimidating.
(4)Erin C.
Not the best cupcakes I've ever had, but they are pretty damn good. I actually recommend the raspberry oatmeal bar or the pecan caramel bar - they are rich and delicious. The specialty coffee drinks are delish; during the winter they have a Mexican Cafe Mocha that is the perfect drink for anyone craving chocolate and coffee. There is free wifi, but the adjoining room gets pretty crowded and the furniture could be a bit nicer/more comfortable.
(4)Ji Hye K.
I walk by this bakery every morning on my way to work and it takes a lot, I mean A LOT, of will power not to stop by and pick something up. That's even after consuming close to 1000 calorie breakfast at home. But I gave into the allure of Alliance a few days ago - bought the 'everything' bagel with cream cheese. Yea, this bakery has awesome cake, pastries, little cookies full of joy and even surprisingly tasty 'harvest' salad. But the BAGEL. O. M. G. For once, I couldn't wait to get to work, sit down, spread the cream cheese all over the bagel and stuff it in my mouth. Seriously, every bite of that bagel, even when not toasted, was so amazingly good. Bready, hint of sweetness, soft yet tiny bit crunchy on the outside, with pungent garlic and onion bits, plus just the right amount of rock salt bits here and there. I say, there was a party in my mouth. I'm not sure if they make the bagels there. Regardless. Best bagel ever. I like Alliance a whole lot, but the only reason I give it 4, instead of 5, stars is that the sitting area could be brighter.
(4)Chayla B.
Good coffee, the danishes/pastries look good (I didn't have one, but they look good), the music was nice and low until just now (Red Hot Chili Peppers- ew and no thanks), uncomfortable bench, but nice lounge area. The internet is super slow, though. It is really cramping my style. I have a ton of work stuff to do, and this is slowing me down. Almost to the point of me leaving and finding another wifi location. Lame. You have to spend more than $5 to use your credit/debit. This is a horrible review, but this place has made me crabby.
(3)Natalie B.
The best cake in the city. This place is dangerous--you cannot have "just one bite".
(5)Poma Celeste T.
This sweet place with friendly workers is a great stop on your way in/out of the neighborhood, or a great place to chill and hang out alone or with friends. They have the cutest cookies (unafraid of ironic statements too) and other yummy desserts. They are above and beyond Starbucks for sure.
(4)Sarah B.
So tons of stars for the adorable old school sign out front and the outdoor seating area. Not so many stars for the cupcakes. I mean, what's with the trying to reinvent the actual paper cup that holds the cupcake? And I think the ratio of frosting to cake (a crucial factor when judging cupcakes) was off. Also had their spinach and feta and turkey and swiss croissants. All in all, not a bad place but nothing that I'll be dying to get back to.
(3)Andrea C.
Just moved here from CA, and love sweets. The cakes looked beautiful, their presentation is awesome but actual taste and flavor not so great. My boyfriend is a huge cookie fan and had the oatmeal raisin, he said it tasted like the batter wasn't mixed completely. I tasted it, you could kind of taste the flour in one part and the butter in another. Not impressed. Had the lemon bar, which was equally as bland. Quite disappointed.
(2)Katie H.
Visiting Alliance in search of cupcakes feels like going to the Soup Nazi for some bisque. The product itself is amazing, however you have to deal with some rude employees in order to actually obtain what you want. I don't mind hipsters. Really I don't. It's just when they give you service with a heaping side of "fuck you, peasant, what are you doing in my shop?" attitude.... there's a problem. Like tonight I went in for a cuppitty-cake and the shop was empty. I took a minute to root through my bag (my purse was recently stolen so I currenly don't have a wallet and just chuck money into my bag) to try and figure out if I had enough cash or I was going to need to use my card. When I looked up, Potato-face Clerk is giving me the dirtiest of looks as if I'd just crapped on her clean floor. I wasn't holding up a line!! Jesus. Then I asked her as politely as possible if there was a minimum for cards and she held up five stubby fingers and shot me another look of disdain. This isn't the first time I've had to deal with a More-Indie-Than-Thou worker in this joint.... I'll keep coming back though because really... it's that good.
(4)Linda S.
Best bakery for birthday cakes in chicago. I've been to Lutz, Bittersweet, House of Fine Chocolates, Vanille, Sweet Thang, you name it, and nothing competes with the quality and prices at Alliance. Check out the photo of the cake I recently ordered! Absolutely beautiful! They also offer free wifi in next door with a purchase from the bakery. There's plenty of outlets and the connection is excellent. I must say that the furniture smells pretty musty here.
(5)Leticia L.
I have to admit I am addicted to sweets. I love Alliance. They have an awesome red velvet cupcake. They are one of those special bakeries that can come up with a dessert that is both elegant and delicious. Their pastries really melt in your mouth. I would like to go there more often, but parking is often difficult to find. :(
(4)Emily T.
Today I went to Alliance for the first time, and tried the "Chocolate Hazelnut Shooter." It was very tasty, and kind of expensive. A lot of the pastries are expensive, but then again, I'm a college student--everything is expensive to me! This place is great if you want to try something different, it's not your typical bakery. The cakes in the window are really cool. I liked the outdoor area seating, where I enjoyed my shooter and the view of Division Street.
(4)K M.
I wrote a scathing review about the cookies and cupcakes at Alliance. Then they changed hands in ownership. Then they did it again. I would say I owe them another try. I'm planning a fundraiser in the neighborhood and called the bakery for a donation and spoke with the new owner - and they happily offered up cookies for our event. Maybe it's a new recipe, maybe it isn't - but I have a new found interest and spot in my heart for Alliance.
(5)Robyn S.
This bakery in our neighbohood has fantastic lattes and even better blueberry scones - huge compared to other local bake shops, with lots of powdered sugar. Our dog loves the homemade treats, but then again, she doesn't have the most discriminating palette. Wifi in their attached cafe can be slow at times, but it's a quiet cozy corner. This is a regular stop on the Sunday-morning circuit.
(4)Eliza M.
Excellent coffee. This place also gets a lot of little things right about how to be a good coffee house - the music is the right volume, the staff are the right balance of helpful and laid-back, and the wi-fi works all the time. Can't speak for the baked goods.
(5)Jenny A.
Hands down the best bakery in Chicago! I love them. I'm a wholesale customer and re-sell their treats for catering and in my cafe. I can't tell you how wonderful these people are. I have had several occasions where I needed something last minute or I totally forgot to place an order and Peter or Mitchell always hook me up. Always. Their pastries and cakes are divine and my customers always ask where we buy them. I've never had a bad experience with them and will continue to use them as a supplier. Thanks Alliance, you're the absolute best.
(5)Stephanie T.
This place is like Cheers.
(5)Leigh K.
I was putting together a list of places in my hood and somehow I never reviewed Alliance? It tends to be out of convenience rather than craving that I go here, but I do end up here once or twice a month. I've had a couple of the fun-sounding lattes and they were alright, but I really enjoy their hazelnut chocolate cupcake. Not my favorite in the hood though.
(3)Sarah F.
With a chill environment and helpful staff, this place gets some brownie points in my book for sure. The deserts are heavenly, so I haven't made it around to trying some of their food items, such as hummus and red pepper dip.
(5)Melissa B.
We stopped for cupcakes after paying a ton of money to get our car fixed. We were looking for a pick me up in the form of cake. I had the red velvet. It was good. The bf had the carrot cake. It was meh. Its missing something in my opinion, nuts and stuff. We actually split them, each eating half. I would get the red velvet again and skip the carrot. The icing was good on both, nice and rich but not to sugary.
(3)Tiff B.
This place is overrated. Their cupcakes aren't all that great. In fact, they're about as good as any cupcake you can buy from a grcoery store bakery. And the service is marginal at best. The people behind the counter stood there and talked to their friends (who were blocking the display cases and just being annoying in general) while a line of customer formed. Skip this place. There are so many other great bakeries in the city. I didn't try their coffee though it supposedly pretty good.
(2)heather w.
you people are kidding, right? this place sucks! my brownie was flavorless and like a brick, the lovely looking and enticing-sounding layered dessert was bland and had the texture of phlegm, AND the coffee sucked. to make matters worse, it all LOOKED fabulous, so i was double disappointed when it tasted bad.
(1)Stella S.
After hearing all about those stupid red velvet cupcakes I was obsessed and had to have one. So I made my hubby drive up there tonight with me, I bought 2 of them, and also a carrot cake cupcake and a lemon bar. So far I've only tried the one red velvet cupcake, and it was great! The cream cheese frosting is divine! I don't know about the rest of the stuff in the box, but I'm sure it will be great!!
(4)Melanie E.
this place is one of my favorite coffeeshops in chicago. the atmosphere is laid back, the food is yummy, and there is free wireless internet. also, most of the people who work there are really nice. they offer special drinks for the seasons. the best is the mint mocha, and the apple cider in winter. for summer they will have a lovely mint iced tea. i lalso love the spritz cookies and the cranberry walnut bar. one con is that this place can get cold if you are sitting there for awhile in the winter. but it's great to sit outside on the patio in the summer. i definitely recommend hanging out here!
(5)Sara G.
Well I've only been here once, while on a visit to Chicago, so I can't give a comprehensive review. But my red velvet cupcake with cream cheese frosting and a cup of hot chai (no milk) was lovely. The cupcake was moist and flavorful and the frosting was tasty, not cloying or greasy. My companion's lemon bar was rich and crumbly and buttery, which is just how it should be. It didn't hurt that it was a warm, sunny day and we sat outside (unlike most of my other Chicago visits, which have had uniformly abysmal weather). But the room next door seemed like a nice space to sit and read and drink your coffee, as well. A special note has to be made of the fabulous decorated cakes in the window. They had cakes that looked like designer handbags, lovely wedding cakes with trees and vines on them, and a hamburger cake. Does anyone else remember when hamburger cakes were kind of trendy in the mid 80s for a while? Around the same time as those "Where's the Beef?" commercials? Am I dating myself? damn... Anyway, I loved my cupcake.
(4)N Y.
I used to go here alot for baked goods on my way to work. but sometimes they didnt have any rasberry coffee cake so only four stars. when they do have it though, its AWSOME
(4)Suzanne C.
I l-o-v-e!! this bakery...eat me , says the cranberry bar cake thing and so I did and Ill do it again! The coffee is fantastic, anyway you like it cuz I just about tried them all and hey..did you know they even have a coffee club? buy so many and get one free cards are available right on the counter :) yeah! and while you are there... you HAVE to have one of "my sisters caramels" which are in a basket or jar at the counter...dont miss those. absolutely sugary yummy caramel from an absolute caramel lover! ENJOY! and dont forget to bring your pooch...they have bags of doggie home baked doggie treats too! yeah!
(5)bill s.
I just went here with my fiance for the first time the other day and even though I only had an Iced Decaf Coffee.. Americano or something like that.. I definitely had a good first impression of the place. I am not the biggest fan of sitting outdoors at cafes ,but my fiance is so we sat outside, because she always wins and it was pretty comfortable out there. The chairs weren't painful or wobbly, the tables aren't too close to one another, and their garbage wasn't inside the seating area. Of course the garbage wasn't out there at all but that probably won't bother most people.. I'm just lazy. When we were done, we went back in so i could get another for the road... actually for the sidewalk, because we walked along the block shopping for awhile. (You can see my opinions of those places on my page also.) Then, we stopped into another part of the place to use the restroom. I was completely unaware that this side existed. I thought they only had an outside place to sit because this part's separate from the part where you buy stuff. Anyways, this side looked really cozy and ideal if you wanted to just relax and read something or surf the web on a mobile device, or write screenplays.
(5)Rachelle T.
I think this place is completely overrated. Everyone raves about their cupcakes and honestly I think they were crap. I would give them one star but I don't think it's fair to base an entire 'bakery' off of some cupcakes so I'll be generous and give them two. First off this place is a rip-off. Over $2 for a small cupcake is redic, or it better taste heavenly. They did not. I tried the red velvet and another hazelnut one and both were dry and somewhat tasteless. I didn't even finish either of them b/c it felt like a waste of calories. Don't belive the hype and if you want a bakery with truly great cupcakes try Sensational Bites on Southport - $1.30-2.00 a cupcake and they are sooooo yummy!
(2)wayne s.
Mmmmmm, pastries. Seems they have a lot to choose from. Didn't have any coffee though. I did see a Bushmill's whiskey cake on the wall, these people have skillz! They did have a sidewalk patio avenue, i didn't use it due to the sprinkling skies.
(4)Malcolm K.
Study hall plus free wi-fi, pastries and coffee. What's not to like?
(5)MP B.
5 stars on carrot cake cupcake alone. Red velvet is delicious, most and sweet too. Friendly haircutsters behind the counter slinging pastries and Intelligentsia. Adorable space. God Bless and Keep The Alliance!
(5)emily h.
mmm...red velvet cupcakes... staff could use a lesson in customer service, but that seems pretty common all over the "customer service" industry.
(4)Aileen O.
Went here on a mini cupcake crawl. The shop looks very mom & pop, which I really liked. It made the goodies look even more homemade and yummy. I tried the red velvet cupcake, which was huge! Unfortunately I found the cupcake too dense and not sweet enough for my liking. It was still very good, but not the best I've tried. I'd like to go back and try some of their other goodies, especially their cakes.
(4)elizabeth n.
I tried Alliance Bakery for the first time last night at the Yelp Party and was so impressed with their cupcakes! FIrst of all the cupcakes are huge and so delicious! The red velvet were wonderful but the carrot cake cupcakes were my favorite! I can't wait to go to the bakery and try more of their delicious items!
(5)paulina B.
great comfy chairs, it can be a hassle to park yourself on a busy sunday afternoon great mochas! great window for people watching and working!
(4)Derek S.
i spent most of this month working from home because i was sick of commuting downtown. every morning i'd get my tired ass over to alliance and get a coffee or a cafe au lait, sometimes adorned with a stuffed croissant (turkey and swiss, maybe ham and cheddar). i'd sit outside logged onto the net doing worky-shmirky stuff (or calling my assistant and making her handle everything) and enjoy some sun and scratching the scruff of some local puppy. staring across the street at starbucks, thinking it looked like the new soldier field (is that an alien ship or a starbucks?)...revelling in the intelligensia. the place is a killer mix of coffee-shop and bakery. i feel like i might meet my future girl here.
(5)Lisa S.
This is honestly the best bakery I have come across yet. The outside of the bakery decieves you into thinking it may just be a hole in the wall, but once you come in, you are amazed at all the amazing looking cakes and pastries that are visible. The cakes resemble the kind of cakes that are found on the show, "cake boss." The pastries are unbelievable too as you just dont know which to choose, they all look amazing!!! I am currently on a mission to try each and every one, and so far I have no complaints, they each taste as good as they look! YOU MUST TRY THIS PLACE!!
(5)Frank W.
Friendly, lots of great baked goods at a cheap price. Not everything is out of this world amazing I'll admit, but the price, friendliness, and overall quality are great. Coffecakes (you can buy halves, which is nice) are very good as is the marzipan-frosted carrot cake which I once had for my birthday, and was maybe my favorite birthday cake ever.
(5)Sunil A.
Great local coffee shop and bakery. Plenty of seating indoors and outside with free Internet. Great place to grab some coffee and get some work done. Some of the tables need repair or changed out and more working plugs. Baked goods are good but not they best ever. Awesome cake designs.
(4)April A.
In my opinion this place is over hyped. The baked goods and coffee are good if you are taking them to go. If on the other hand you want to sit with a friend and have a conversation it is not the place to go. I have stopped in a few times and its always the same scenario, dead silent and the patrons seem pissed if you speak. Is this a coffee shop or a library? I give them 3 points on the service and products but can't do more than that based on the atmosphere.
(3)Melissa C.
Great pastries! Check 'em out!
(4)Leang E.
I was supposed to be on my way to a friend's house to watch the Sunday night football game, and saw that the bakery was opened. This really surprised me for some reason, and reminded me that I had to get a birthday cake for my boss. So, I took a chance to see what the earliest date was that I could get a cake made. My boss loves key lime pie, and the bakery had this filling - so it was perfect. They also gave it a fish theme, since my boss likes to go fishing and just came back from a trip. They decorated it in a lovely light blue shade for the water and had green seaweeds frosting on the sides of the cake and a bright orange fish. It was beautiful, and tasted great too! It only took like a day and a half for them to make. I feel sorry for the staff because they are so busy, but I can certainly understand why - they make delicious stuff! The lady that helped me was very nice and accommodating. I was so tempted to buy other things here - the danishes and cupcakes. If you easily give in to temptation, you best stay away from this place. The cake was reasonably priced for the work that they did. Everyone at work liked the cake, too! I'll definitely be back here to try the other items. They have a nice outdoors seating area. Families come in here, as well as the snobby types who rudely interrupt you while you are getting helped on. It's dog friendly and there's free wireless.
(5)Erin B.
Wow, I was a red velvet cake virgin until last night. I was so glad I conjured up the courage to try something new, and I was so happy I did. YUMMY! Their little mousse tarts were phenomenal too! Highly recommended!
(5)Bianca J.
Best red velvet cupcakes in the city. I have no idea if the other stuff is good because that's the only thing I ever order!
(4)Skylar C.
I had a cake made at this bakery for a special occasion and it was absolutely beautiful! It was also very delicious as well. I did try some of the pastries when I went to pick up the cake and I think I"ll have to go back very soon to try some more. It's also great to know from the reviews that they have free wireless.
(5)Trish C.
Customer service? what happened guys? The staff is incredibly rude and uninterested (with the exception of one or two people), but the coffee is very good and the cupcakes are top notch. They also have a great lounge next door with free internet and is usually quiet and good for getting work done.
(3)Trish B.
Alliance sees me every weekend for a bagel and coffee...or when I'm off of work, or it's a holiday and I need a special occasion cookie or cupcake. Working from home always turned into working at Alliance. A great addition to the UK Village that I hope never leaves, because I can't as long as it is there.
(5)Natalie S.
One of the top 5 cupcakes of my life. Also, the black and white cookie. Live out all of your Seinfeld fantasies without actually having to be a self-centered asshole.
(5)J K.
Agreed that not all the baked goods are top-notch, and the separate room thing has always struck me as odd, but I was there last week and the coconut macaroon bar is to die for.
(4)susana e.
I've never been disappointed here. I bought a chocolate cheesecake a couple of weeks ago for my sister's birthday. It was heavenly. It was rich. Definitely didn't taste like those refrigerated cream cheese types. The consistency was more like a very dense mousse. My sister is a cheesecake connoisseur and she LOVED it. I tend to buy cupcakes here and they are always moist and fresh. I love the options in flavors and also, they look more like 'mini cakes' instead of the typical muffin (although they also have those). My favorite thing to get here (next to their olive baguette - soooo fresh!) are the cookies. They are fresh and delicious sugar cookies with stuff like "you suck" or "loser" written in frosting on them. I get them for my co-workers sometimes. They recently had some halloween cookies, and once even a Stewie Griffin (from Family Guy) cookie! They have a place to sit and relax next door, and in the summer, you can sit @ their sidewalk patio and watch yuppies walk their dogs who take craps right in front of you. By the way, they sell doggie treats in the shape of bones. I kinda want to try one :-o The staff is nice. Prices are reasonable. Their eggplant sandwich is one of my favorites. It's big and has hummus too. I'm not crazy about their other sandwiches, but their quiche looks quite good.
(5)Ilina K.
Free internet and decent coffee, the baristas can be funny to interact with but are pretty useless when it comes to fast and efficient service. That's why I shamelessly go to Starbucks across the street when I'm not looking to make a night of it with my laptop. Filter-type crowd, but much quieter as people are actually working. They have cutesy elaborate cake window displays and a fantastic pastry selection. Everything I've eaten there that wasn't sweet was stale or just blah.
(3)Jen T.
I can't say enough good things about their cakes!
(5)Kevin M.
I randomly wandered in here one day to see what the crowd was all about. I'm usually not a big sweets guy, but this place really did it for me. Great cupcake (i believe it was the hazelnut). I keep meaning to go back here so hopefully I"ll get there soon.
(5)Trent M.
Alliance is my bakery of choice in Chicago for a quick sweet snack or ready-made cakes. The carrot cake and Red Velvet are unmatched, the croissants are unbelievable, and their other assorted cookies and treats have never treated me wrong. Their fondant artist is STELLAR, the custom cakes are beautiful, classic yet modern... anyone needing a wedding cake in Chicago should give these guys a shot. Intelligensia coffee and free wifi are also added bonuses.
(5)N Y.
good coffee and scones socially awkward staff
(2)Jennifer G.
This place was really cute and JAM PACKED on a Saturday morning. I hate that pressure you feel when people are yelling, can I help you, are you ready, can I help someone.....of course, they are trying to be of service but it just makes me jittery and nervous. Anyway, I finally decided on the b& w cookie and a few macarons. Since it was really only a sampling of the many things they had, I hate giving such a blah review but....they were pretty blah and for 10.75 I just had 3 little macarons and 2 cookies. I appreciate the work that probably goes into the macarons but 1.50 for something the size of a quarter, not sure if I would do it again...
(3)Tricia F.
This place is lucky to get 3 stars from me...seriously. PROS: good coffee, and good espresso drinks. really fun looking cakes. and they give away free dog bones---which is great if you're a dog. finally, the raspberry scone I had was really good. CONS: This place annoys the crap out of me. I can't figure out if I have bad luck when I go in there, or if my annoyance meter is weekening, because everyone else seems to love it. I go here when I have to because I refuse to walk into Starbucks...but EVERY time I do, some kid is behind the counter who seems to have half his/her brain cells in tact. I know that's harsh, but when the music is so loud they have to keep asking customers what they want there's just one option left to fix the problem (since they're already shouting): TURN DOWN THE ABSTRACT NOISE ROCK! note to barista: if a customer asks you: "What's a soy (something-or-other)?" Don't tell her: "I don't drink soy." That's not what she's asking. lastly, if they're going to charge $1++ for a small cookie, they better make damn well sure it's fresh.
(3)Amanda M.
While the cakes are awesome, the cupcakes aren't so much. They are pretty dry which is such a disapointment. Also, when I was here last I tried a chocolate chip cookie which was *almost* as hard as a rock. Booo
(3)Julia W.
Travels extremely well. To my thighs. Not really (well, yeah, actually...), but yes--Alliance Bakery goods travel very well--the tarts and cupcakes provided at the Elite event at Exhale last night were lovely and delicious. I think I should've stuck with the tarts, though, because that pumpkin cupcake was gargantuan--a good thing in a cupcake, to be sure--but maybe not-so-much when the Core Fusion class door opens and little stick women walk out as I shovel in more pumpkin-y goodness and blobs of rich cream cheese frosting.
(5)Rachel B.
So I haven't tried the pastries and I've never ordered a cake, but the coffee's decent and I'm a BIG fan of the lounge area, which is one door down from the actual bakery. It's very quiet, the music is nice, and the seating is comfortable. This might not be ideal for everyone, but I KILL to find places like this to read, write and relax. Also, as someone who spends countless hours in libraries, this is SO not a library. The fast and password-free Wi-Fi is a huge plus--in fact, I'm writing this review on it right now.
(4)Johan K.
Alliance has some of the most carefully crafted and beautifully put together cakes I have ever seen. They manage to merge creativity and quality taste to make their own indelible mark in the realm of baked goods. Make sure you stop through and experience this Chicago landmark.
(4)Bruce N.
For a place that has such wonderful people working there, and for their delightfully elegant looking treats. Flavor and texture don't nearly meet the desire to pay $7 for a pastry again. The Lola is dry, flavorless, and the chocolate is probably carob. Cookies aren't moist or sweet-at all! The coffee is so bitter I went to Starbucks. The French Macaroons are delicious, and I've heard good things about the cake. And if you care about your dog, don't take the free biscuits. Me thinks not!
(2)Julie H.
Alliance Bakery is one of my favorite spots in Wicker Park; I love how laid back the vibe is, yet it also has a very authentic Polish bakery feel. Lucky for me, I live around the corner and I get to walk past the window display of beautiful cakes every day! Aside from the coffee, some of the stand out items are the spinach/feta croissants, and the cupcakes (love the carrot, strawberry, and red velvet). In the summer, Alliance has a great place to sit outside and relax on Division, while in the winter it is a nice place to stop inside and warm up. Plus, my dog, Olive, loves the fresh baked dog biscuits. UPDATE: I finally made my first visit to the seating area next door to Alliance Bakery and it kind of sucked. First of all, a cloud of dust surrounds you the instant your ass hits the cushion of any seat in there. And god forbid you open your mouth to speak: one of the hipsters in there will shush you over the top of his or her laptop. My advice? Take their delicious cupcakes elsewhere so you can actually enjoy them!
(4)Amy G.
My favorite coffee shop in the city! I'm an actuary, so I'm always on the lookout for a quiet place with wi-fi and yummy coffee to study all day. Not only does Alliance have those necessities, but their onion bagels are to die for - and they don't skimp on the cream cheese either. The pastries are so gorgeous, I have to pinch myself to avoid saying "one of everything please!" and ruin my diet. I've tried a few and have zero complaints. Staff is courteous. They have Intelligentsia coffee (my favorite!), free wi fi, and a room filled with quiet people that help motivate me to study. #70 bus picks me up three blocks from my apartment and drops me off half a block from my study haven.
(5)Sharon Z.
Amazing cupcakes! I usually pick up a 1/2 dozen or so to bring to birthday gatherings (get a few varieties, cut them up and share). My mom absolutely loves the chocolate macaroons and I am now required to pick them up for her every time I head out to the burbs for a visit. The sidewalk cafe is a great place for coffee, a bagel, and newspaper on a warm Saturday morning. Bring your dog and he/she will get lots of friendly attention!
(4)U P.
I've been craving red velvet cupcakes so I tried one here. It was very mediocre- won't go again. I love red velvet for its cheese cream frosting, and this one tasted more buttery and out of the can, than anything else. The dough was pretty gooey. It's not terrible, just not worth the money. For 32 cents more I get an AMAZING red velvet at Sugar Bliss in downtown. At least it made me stop craving red velvet now.
(3)Kimberly C.
Alliance Bakery was the first stop on this weekends cupcake crawl. This place got some nice feedback on my recent talk thread so It was a must-see on the list. I'd like to make the point that this is a review of the cupcake we chose, and not of the entire bakery, but any bakery that makes BLACK AND WHITE COOKIES already has some serious street cred with me. I'll admit, I was totally distracted by the black and white cookies when I walked in. Hey, I was hung over. What do you expect? But I eventually got back to the quest. So, Ms. Ellen, her lovely boyfriend and I split a red velvet cupcake. Ms. Ellen did not like the cupcake (you can read her review below), her lovely boyfriend was "a big fan" and as he has never had a cupcake before (he's British) he admitted he really had nothing to compare it to. I really liked the choice. This was not a cutesy cupcake by any stretch of the imagination. In fact, it did not look much like a cupcake at all, it was just a small, round cake. The cake was dense and moist, not too sweet. The frosting had that perfect touch of savory and didn't stick around in your mouth. It wasn't the prettiest cupcake but for the $2 price, was well worth it. I think it makes a good statement about the quality of the bakery. I'll definitely be back for a dozen of something, a cake, or just a treat for passing the time away next door. And I loved that damn clock.
(4)Trey M.
Super awesome treat selection, good coffee, plus a cool, completely separate room to shove my self-admittedly pretentious face into my Macbook. Is cool; feels cool.
(5)Nana H.
I was just here on Tuesday, and hung out with a pack of wolf dogs while sitting outside. This is a great spot to stop by before you start strolling division. I wouldnt really drive around town just for this place though... I got a spring cookie- that was not only cute, but tasty ( not too sweet and just buttery enough) and a small coffee for i think $5.00 bucks. My cookie was like 2.25, and totally worth it, and shareable. I'd really like to get a cake here for my birthdayyy!
(4)Cassandre P.
I'm sorry but I think I have a god-given right to judge a bakery by their cupcakes when they have them in the cases and are charging people for them. And I have to say that the cupcakes at Alliance are consistently dry and awful. Wait, scratch that. The 25 cent, two-day old Easter cupcakes I got there were EXCELLENT. My roommate got a freshly-made red velvet cupcake that tasted like chalk but my old chocolate cupcake with a big plastic bunny on it was moist and delicious. I also have had coffee that was so badly burnt that I had to throw it away. The only reason I give Alliance three stars instead of two is because their lemon bars make me feel warm and snuggly inside. Mmmmmmmm.
(3)Michael S.
Alliance Rocks... They have the best coffee there and little pastries/treats all over the place. I used to go to get the Mexican hot chocolate which was wicked sweet. However they no longer serve the Mexican hot chocolate. Apparently the coco beans come from some remote region of Mexico and are exported via mule's. From there I think they might either Air lift them to Chicago or some sort of high speed freight train. Either way I love the Alliance Bakery & Cafe and if you are wise you will go there soon.
(5)Ingrid G.
I go here almost every day. I was going to the starbucks across the street but it ws giving me some evil yupster vibes that were not fun in the morning, so I switched to Alliance. The gals at the counter are nice. I usually only get coffee. I always get a skim latte, medium. It is 3 dollars. Not bad. I have seen their cupcakes and cookies with witty sayings. Sure, they are witty but 2.50 or 3.00 seems like a lot of money to pay for a funny saying you could put on yourself. But you judge for yourself. They also have hummus in a cooler and sandwiches and bagels. But sometimes the sandwiches are stale. Oh yeah, also, one time these two old ladies were there, and they got a loaf of bread and asked to have it sliced. And they were told that Alliance no longer had a bread slicer. So don't expect to get your bread sliced there, buddy! UPDATE: Just found out Alliance was sold last week to a high end pastry chef. What will happen now?
(3)Rachel Y.
I was in the area for a business meeting and had an hour to kill before it started, so I went to Alliance Bakery without every hearing of it before, bought a heated-up ham and cheese quiche and a vanilla latte. Not only were both items oh so tasty, but the comfort and ambiance of the study room next door was fantastic! I don't go to this neighborhood that often, but I may make excuses down the road to revisit!
(5)Rachelle G.
After trying the delicious red velvet cupcakes at the recent Yelp event, I knew I had to stop by and check out the bakery for myself! Driving down Division, you can't miss it, there is a huge neon sign above the door. The bakery itself is a bit small, and has a few tables outside to comprise a patio. The prices were extremely reasonable. A whole cheesecake for $13, the red velvet cake for $20. Cupcakes averaged $2-3. One thing I should note is that the size of the actual cupcakes seems to be a tad smaller than those that were served at the Yelp event. They look delicious, however, it seems as if some of the nicer details may have been lost in the shuffle from kitchen to display case, as some of them were a bit mushed. They also were a bit dry, I prefer my cupcakes to be a bit more moist. Employees were nice and took the time to answer the few questions I had to the best of their abilities. I will definitely be coming back. I would be interested to see how others who only tasted the cupcakes at the Yelp event would rate the bakery after actually having gone to the store itself.
(4)Maija T.
Why would you go to Starbucks when this is right across the street? I have to say though - I'm pretty sure you have to be hungover to work here. Which obviously isn't a problem with me. 4 stars... Oh wait, I'm obsessed with the cakes in the window. I have no idea how they make them with such detail - especially hungover like that.
(4)Matt R.
For me, Alliance seems like a typical bakery serving every type of baked goods. Some items are better than others. Mostly everything is of fine quality. What is really outstanding are some of the specialty cakes Alliance displays in their window. If you're in the area, Alliance is definitely worth a try.
(3)Erica S.
I popped in here while running errands because I desperately needed a snack. . I ordered a piece of focaccia expecting it would simply be something good enough to feed my face, but not make me crash. It was an inspired slice of baking. The bread was moist, spongy, and airy. It was lightly covered in a really flavorful, well-seasoned tomato spread that made the top really creamy. There might have been a little bit of cheese on top that contributed to the creaminess. Regardless, the foccacia is not to be missed.
(4)Phillie P.
Kinda pricey for chocolate chip cookies... but then I had this macaroon that was definitely awesome and helped me with my sweet/chocolate fix. Yum! Can't really review it as a cafe because I haven't really been there as a cafe. Just a walk-in/buy something bakery.
(3)Alicia V.
Alliance Bakery puts "Ace of Cakes and "Cake Boss" to shame. The European fine pastries are to die for like the mini cholotate eclair made with imported chocolate from France and dusted with gold. However, I also love their cupcakes, especially the coconut and chocolate with whip cream filling. The coffee drinks are great. Although, I can't wait for summertime when I can order the amazing Hibiscus drink. This one is a MUST try. The custom designed cakes are super impressive and delicious. Executive pastry chef Peter Rios is very talented. Chicago is lucky to have him. Now I see why he has been featured on Food Network and TLC. The bakery has a cute adjoining dining lounge with FREE wifi. Check out the new refrigerated, exotic and decadent desserts served in glass and topped with handblown colored sugar pieces. Wow!
(5)Esther Y.
I agree with Cassie P. and I have to say, I am judging them on their cupcakes. Cupcakes = dry as hell. My cupcakes from a box were more moist than theirs. Cassie is a nicer person than I am, I couldn't give them more than 2 stars.
(2)Bonnie H.
Alliance lounge is great. Saves me a 2.5 hour commute to the office on the days I need to upload large files. The people who work there are friendly. You can come and go as you please. I also like how they don't make you feel bad for being there for a long time. Think their food is okay. Have only tried their chocolate croissant. Tasted very good. Chocolate was rich but not too sweet, how I like it. Croissant flaky and buttery. Size could be larger. Turkey sandwich - bread is hard. The healthiest option they have for lunch. The only gripe i have is that sometimes i cannot sign onto their network. I've heard other customers complain at the cafe as well. I was still able to find a different network to sign onto, but it didn't have the same upload speed that i needed.
(4)Jennifer P.
My favorite thing about this place is that I used to live a block away. Oh, how I dream of those better days (let's give a round of applause to building foreclosure!) ANYWAY. This place is seriously amazing. Great mug of coffee and I'm very keen on their almond croissant/cheese croissant/any croissant...basically i gained 10 lbs from eating these things and I'm OK with it. Their cookies are so-so. Cupcakes are usually good, especially the red velvet and carrot, unless you get a stinky old one that tastes like dry, crumbly garbage. Cakes displayed in the window automatically pull you in (it's like some creepy gravitational pull they must have). What's really awesome is that you can be extremely productive (for real) next door in the wi-fi lounge. Every chair is pretty much filled and if you even THINK about talking gossip in there with your friends, you will automatically feel ashamed and lazy in comparison to the surrounding people on their laptops. Yep, this place is pretty dang cool. My recommendation combo: coffee. croissant. that paper you put off writing.
(4)Kira B.
Alliance is great! They use Intelligentsia for their coffee products and the pastries are always delicious. The lounge next door is comfortable and great for studying or doing work.
(4)Hzl M.
i was looking to get a cake for my brothers baby shower; we went to a couple of places, and we liked alliance. i called multiple (4) times, i wanted the 1/2 sheet, red velvet, w cheese cheese frosting. this is where i get upset, all the times i called, their was a different ppl so i had to say "1/2 sheet, red velvet, w cheese cheese frosting," they always quoted me $88, all 4 times; however, when i ordered the cake, the total was $105.... i asked to speak to the manager, they said he was busy. the difference between $88 & $105 is $$17, thats not a lot, but if they had told me either the 1st or 2nd time, it would have been fine. i still bought the cake, but i told them i was gng to on yelp. so i did.
(2)Gfiddy F.
I could not have been happier with everything from pistachio-pepperment and raspberry-rose macarons to a couple of the more unusual pastries, as well as the the beautiful and delicious cake. I used to think that I had to be so organic that I hand milled every grain of flour and bake everything at home when I provided eats for a party. I know this may sound ridiculous but I believed it - at any rate, thinking back on that unrealistic back-everything notion, I am above all relieved to stop by Alliance bakery instead. Also, very good quiche.
(5)Mister S.
Ha! Friends don't let friends buy Starbucks! The sticker on the cash register makes me keep coming back. I always get coffee here on my way to roam about Wicker Park to do Wicker Parkish things.
(4)xoxx C.
I got a birthday cake here and custom cookies for a couple friends birthday, the idea I had they nailed it. I tried a red velvet cupcake too and it was the best I've ever had from the chicagoland. Their tea is pretty good too. I would be a more frequent customer if it wasn't so far from me!
(4)Ellen R.
This was a stop along the cupcake crawl yesterday. I wasn't inspired to say the least. I had the red velvet cupcake. The cake part had absolutely no flavor, I know it's red velvet and it doesn't have any particular flavor that one can describe but come on! Why take in all those calories to have a piece of flavorless crap? No thanks. The frosting was blah and the red substance drizzled on top was putrid. It tasted like pure chemicals, you know like the fake strawberry sauce used at low-par ice cream shops? Yeah that kind. Oh and the wrapping was quite possibly the most annoying thing to try to take off before consuming your treat. The appearance of the pastries overall, is pleasing. Nothing spectacular but pleasing. It definitely had a cozy, comfy, old fashioned bakery feel to it. The cakes are absolutely gorgeous and I highly recommend it for a special occasion cake as they seem to have a wonderful grasp on the proper usage of fondant icing. Make sure to check out the pics on the walls as well as their cake book for options. The staff there was, by far, the friendliest of all the bakeries visited yesterday. They look like the typical crunchy, grungy bunch you will find working at most Wicker Park establishments but they were informative and helpful. And, dare I say it, they smiled at us when we first walked in (ok maybe that was my overly optimistic, delighted mind at work playing tricks on me). The other bone I have to pick is the cleanliness. It just wasn't up to my standards. I felt as though at any moment I could be sharing cupcake bliss with a friendly neighborhood roach. Not very appealing. It's definitely not the worst I've seen and it wasn't horrible but I would havepreferred it to be a bit more tidy. It wasn't a bad experience and if I have the occasion to order a cake this is the place I would go back to hands down. If you are just looking for a sweet I would say to skip it, get your calories somewhere else.
(2)B H.
I am sooo in LOVE with their cupcakes-esp. red velvet. Also the almond croissant is to die for. A great bakery that I am still trying to try new things each time I visit...and still haven't had everything or any complaints. Did I tell you I LOVE this place!? Please take me next time you go!
(5)Manda H.
for the time being I'm giving 2 stars, I do plan on coming back and trying a few new things. The cakes in the display window are amazing by the way. As for the food I tried, I purchased a cupcake and the chocolate flour-less cake. Both were an, Eh, in my book. I didn't feel that there was anything over and beyond what I could get at any other bakery. There were a few other sweets that I would like to try, including the usual sprinkled cookie's. Hopefully I will be able to change my rating experience on my next visit.
(2)Stacey P.
I liked my cupcake here from here, and tried a friends and also liked hers. I've only had cupcakes though, so can't speak for the other stuff. Both people in the store were nice and helpful. I'm super indecisive and they actually helped me to pick a cupcake in record time!
(4)Bonnie G.
While the hazelnut cupcake's best part was the chocolate frosting, the service here was great. They had so many options for coffee drinks, all available with soy, that is blew my mind...so I asked for decaf. How lame am I? I was walking out of the clean, well-lit bakery when I took a sip...and it wasn't very warm. The very bane of the decaf-drinkers existance. I know I know...what the FUCK is the point of drinking decaf? But I ...I love the taste of coffee but the caffiene makes me tweak out, and crash and burn horribly, resulting in a mug shot resembling NIck Nolte. ANYWAY. So I ask the sweet woman there if she can just nuke it or something (it was kind of chilly out there). And she said...she would just make a new pot. How cool is that? So I ended up smoking cigarettes outside, making conversation, nibbling on my yummy frosting and she even brought the cup out and got me soy milk to put in it. Now THAT is sweetness-even for a bakery!
(5)Jared H.
Good Coffee- but they need a door from the shop to the lounge .. in my humble opinion.
(4)Diana N.
I have a love-hate relationship with Alliance. I used to spend hours and hours using their free wireless and basically mainlining their house coffee. But I walk by Alliance everyday and feel a little resentful towards the place. I'm not one to support Starbucks (one and a half blocks east on Division) but frankly, if I'm stopping for coffee on my way to the Blue Line, I'm stopping at Starbucks. And to tell you the truth, I despise Starbucks' black coffee, but I can't take the risk with Alliance. 9 times out of 10 in the morning, it's going to take upwards of 6 minutes to get my coffee at Alliance, but I've waited more than 15 minutes for the baristas to get their acts together. While the cakes in the window and the pastries in the display cases are mouthwatering, they look better than they taste. And I'm the type of person that will take all manner of abuse from baristas, servers, or hostesses if the product is good. But their cupcakes are dry and crumbly, the croissants look delicious but are always half-burnt, and a medium coffee will run you $2.25, AND they make you wait for it. In addition, the tables in the "study" area are creaky and off-balance. When you're trying to type and every depression of the keys makes your table rock and the tattoo-ed philosophy student next to you glare menacingly, it kinda makes you resent Alliance and the world at large. But I still go there. Love-hate relationship, I told you.
(2)Kristina B.
If you love the smell of fresh bread and cookies baking, go here. If you love the TASTE of fresh bread and cookies even more, you REALLY need to go here. The smells are wonderful, and the tastes are even better. The people there are super friendly and almost always willing to accomodate your order. And get some cookies while you're there. They're DE-lish!
(4)Nash G.
Great coffee, great pastries. I may be a tad partial, since I used to live upstairs (my entire apartment would smell like baking bread by 4:30 in the morning), but if you're in or near the neighborhood, you should definitely give this place a shot.
(4)Nina G.
Charlie - I think what happened here is not unique to the bakery. Judging from other stories I've heard over the years, what happened was probably this: It was a slow night, the employees were anxious to go home, so they cashed out early. Serving another customer meant re-opening the cash box and working beyond closing time. I was guilty of doing this myself - once. The boss heard about it and politely but firmly explained that retail is a "customer service" business and the customer must be served if his/her body is on the premises any time before the official closing time. The four stars here are for the pastries and home-made caramel candies, which I find to be almost uniformly excellent. Too bad the Hot Cross Buns, sold before Easter, were either dry and hard, or already sold-out.
(4)Jourdan S.
see first review
(2)Peter L.
Tried a few things in the bakery and they were pretty decent. Key lime bar and turtle brownie. Just a warning -- the study hall next door is like super quiet. Kind of like a hipster library. Some people get things done when it's silent, but it drives me crazy. And then when one person gets a phone call, everyone in the place can hear the whole conversation. The people who work there are nice though.
(3)Deanna C.
I have procured 3 cakes from Alliance for other people's birthdays, wedding and baby showers. Each time, the guests (many of whom I didn't know personally) have come to me and asked me where the cake was from, and used the words "best cake I have ever had." I am more popular, have smoother skin, shinier hair and am thinner when I bring one of these cakes.
(4)Yaidi A.
I live off their Hummos & spinage dip. Their specials are incredibly cheap, and the fact they have free wi-fi? Heck, it's home for any compu-reading nerd. -Yaidi
(4)Melanie D.
Amazing, amazing, amazing croissants and coffee. I don't need to go to France if I can go here. Well, okay, I'm totally exaggerating--but the croissants are that good, it's hard to stop at just one.
(4)jame s.
If you think firm cake and stiff frosting is good, then this is your cupcake destination. The frosting on the red velvet cupcake was yummy cream cheesy and smooth, but the frosting on the vanilla cupcake was literally stiff. When I bit into it, the entire layer of frosting lifted off the cupcake. The red velvet cake was fairly moist and palatable and the vanilla cake wasn't all that memorable. Now, they do get points for colorful frosting, but my first criteria for frosting is creamy! As for price, I did not feel sticker shock.
(3)Kristina F.
I used to have the pleasure of walking past Alliance every morning on the way to work. Even on the very few days I didn't go in, it was fun to take a look at the beautiful cakes in the window (the Halloween display was great) and the selection of treats is broad and wonderful. The staff is friendly and will come to know you if you're a regular. It's always nice to be greated by a friendly acquaintance handing you a tasty treat in the morning. They also have a jar of free dog treats for your best furry friend. Highly recommend it! P.S. Sorry to the person who had a bad experience with the eggplant sandwich. It's actually one of my favorites and one I've purchased repeatedly. The peppered foccaccia is superb.
(5)Iris F.
I'm not going back, the lady was pretty snippy and it hasn't been the first time. The pastries are okay, I've had better. See ya.
(2)Theresa K.
Some of the best cupcakes I've tried in Chicago!
(5)Beth N.
We chose Alliance for our wedding cake because we wanted a small bakery in our neighborhood. Alliance really delivered! Our cake was beautiful and incredibly delicious. Our guests raved about both flavors--chocolate cake with vanilla pastry creme and white cake with raspberry filling. Our tasting was a wonderful experience, professional and delicious. Lindsey was very helpful in working with us to choose design options that suited our tastes and budget. I'm not an easy person to work with when it comes to design, but Lindsey accommodated my desires with the utmost professionalism. My bachelorette party cake was also from Alliance and was, in a word, amazing. If you need a cake for anything get your buns to Alliance.
(5)Rachel H.
I came into Alliance in search of a substitute for my beloved pumpkin cookie, star of a now defunct bakery in my hometown. The cookie here wasn't an exact match but it was worth the $2 I paid for it. The service was friendly, they have a ton of seasonal coffee drinks as well as caramel apple cider, and seriously if you can't wait til Christmas time for a gingerbread latte, you can get one here. Everything in here looks delicious. Mmm sugar.
(4)Coco C.
Cupcakes - subpar. They've always been dry as dust when I've gotten them (and I've tried them mutiple times). And not delicious-but-dry, just dry. Paczyki - deeeee-licious! Though I had them in 2006, and my sister just had them this year and said they were, what else, dry. I like the cakes they have in the window, though...
(3)Mika K.
I recently went to Alliance to order some cupcakes for my sisters birthday party. I went a couple days before hand because I was going to be out of town and made my order. I was very specific on what I wanted and the woman behind the counter was rather rude as I made my order, but I stayed polite and paid for my order making sure that it would be ready a few days later in order for the party. She assured me multiple times that they would be ready. So, the day of the pickup I got a phone call from my sister saying that they had no record of an order and she was not able to pick up the cupcakes for her birthday party. I would not have written a review if I thought it was a one time thing but right after this I heard a story of a cake being ordered and not delivered as it had been promised for an anniversary. I would not count on Alliance to cater any thing for a special occasion that is for sure!
(1)Corinna K.
I still love this place and I love the accommodating staff, but it's not vegan-friendly. I know that I shouldn't expect much from a bakery, but there's only one thing that's semi-vegan-friendly and it contains honey. I just like to go here for a coffee or tea and to use the lounge. This is one of the few coffee shops I've found in Chicago where people actually go to study or write.
(4)Clare K.
hint: don't make a red velvet cupcake if you apparently don't know what it is. it is NOT a white cupcake with lots of red food coloring and splotches of batter that missed being colored. gross. that being said--the chocolate with vanilla frosting was the best standard flavor. nice, substantial cupcakes and i like the wrappers they bake them in. the vanilla cake is a little dry though. the seasonal pumpkin cupcake was DIVINE. moist without being gummy/chewy like they sometimes can be. perfect cream cheese frosting. a definite winner.
(3)Meghan B.
love, love, love. go and get one of the amazing banana cupcakes... mmmm... it's filled with chocolate and has delicious frosting. i've had nearly all of their cupcakes, but that banana one sticks with me. so yummy. counter staff is helpful and nice :)
(5)Zach C.
I got a cheese danish and it was pretty good. I wouldn't say go out of your way to go there or call home about it but if you are in the area stop by. It is good for breakfast and their coffee is pretty awesome.
(3)Briana J.
There was nothing about this place I liked.....which is odd because I love baked goods. However, both my strawberry/lemon cupcake and my double layer chocolate cherry bar were crap. They both did not taste fresh. Additionally, I had to seek out help...apparently standing in front of the cupcakes with my wallet out was not an indication that I was wanting to purchase something!
(1)Laura A.
I live across the street from this place. I managed to avoid it for several months, but now I go in once a week to treat myself to a red velvet cupcake. Actually, I lied... it's more like 2 red velvet cupcakes, 3 black and white cookies, and a croissant. I always take it to go and walk back across the street to my apartment so I can begin the self-loathing...
(4)Bright N.
I went to Alliance Bakery today around 4:00 pm. The wonderful cakes in the window make you want to go in. There were two counters with one person ordering at each one. So we waited behind one of those people thinking that we would be next. While waiting a few other people came in. They waited on one other person at "the other" counter and TWO other people at the counter where we were standing waiting to order. There were at least three employees behind the counters waiting on people. They would have taken another customer before us as well if we hadn't finally said something. I know, we should have said something immediately but we try to be nice, it happens so fast and then you figure ok well no big deal we will be next...however, that did not happen in this case. (We were standing right up at the counter looking at the employees. In case you are thinking maybe we were off to the side or doing something else. We were right in front of them ready to order!) There was a strange feeling inside of Alliance Bakery. If they had taken our order right away we would have ordered more. So we ordered 4 cupcakes : 1 (unfilled) Red Velvet, 1 Carrot Cake, 1 German Chocolate, 1 Banana. Three out of four of these small cupcakes were dry and didn't taste like much. If your stock is old then you put it in a day old bin and sell it half price or you remove it from the case and do not serve it. They were so bad we could not believe it. The red velvet was not bad. It was fresher. It was not great though. What a waste of our money and time! We have been plenty of places where people act like they are the greatest thing ever. The difference is that they take a customer's order promptly....and they actually have a reason to act that way...they serve good tasting quality food. We have also been places that will not serve you something if it is not fresh. They do not want you to get a poor impression of the quality of their items. I respect that. We often give places a second or third chance. Alliance will not be getting a second or third chance to take our money. My recommendation - don't waste your time or money here. There are good places within walking distance.
(1)Julia C.
I'm not sure how anyone could refer to Alliance Bakery as horrible. I havent tried their cookies, but the cakes and cupcakes are some of the best I've found in Chicago. I can't even walk by this bakery anymore because I can't help but buy 5 cupcakes!
(5)andy b.
Place is small and crouded. Yet the food and coffee are AWESOME. Not a good place to hang out... but if you want to drive by jump out of the car and get a great treat, this is your stop.
(4)Emma L.
They make the most amazing cakes ever! I've never actually been in the store, but I've been to a few parties with an Alliance Cake. Beautiful and they taste amazing!
(5)Melanie B.
alliance has amazing croissants. if i wanted to get fat, i would eat them all the time. as it is, once a week is prolly too much -- but still. they're very, very good. try the chocolate! or the raspberry... we stumbled upon alliance one day and ended up getting a carrot cheesecake bar. hello. amazing. we couldn't stop oooing and ahhhing. the only thing i wish could change about alliance is their customer service. i've seen them be extremely friendly with regulars -- but my gf and i have been in at least a dozen times in the recent past and they still hardly look at us during our transaction. the last time, they began to help another customer before they'd even given us our change. is this a trend with bakers? still, i'll never stop being french and loving croissants, and all i know is alliance has done 'em right.
(4)Rebekah K.
Good coffee, but not great. I have only had savory here, so I may be skewed... but they microwave their quiche into a rubbery mess, and their bread is scratch your throat dry or worthlessly soggy, their wrapped sandwiches are very displeasing and expensive. The staff was not specifically ruuuuude but kind of snotty and impatient, and charging for refills at the price they charge for a cup? Ok, it's $.50, but still! I seem to be the worst review on here, so if you like the sweet stuff this place seems to be where it is at.. As for the free wifi, Filter and some Starbucks still charge, but there is a ton of free Wifi all over the city now; Even laundromats have it!
(2)Oona B.
despite the yippies (yippies + hippies), typing on their ibook, listening to their ipods and jibbering on their iphones, this cafe is a nice place to get coffee, bite into sweet treats and surf on free wi-fi.
(5)Rob L.
I've been here a few times, including the cupcake crawl of '07. (Strange I thought I had written a review at the time) I've had their sandwiches, cupcakes and brownies. The actual bakery seems a little cramped, but come warmer weather there is more than ample space outside and their loungey coffee shop atmosphere room next door. The sandwich I got was a very tasty tomato, pesto and fresh mozzarella on a wonderful crusty bread. The bread was great, the mozzarella was tasty and the rest was good. The cupcakes I thought were good, but a little too much for me. When I think of a cupcake I think of a little cake that I can eat in three or five bites, here they are a little dense, much more like a small cake, (yes, I know that cupcakes were originally meant to be tester cake portions...), but a little overwhelming. Their brownies are ok, not great, but ok. The service can be okay too, I've had really great service, but also slow service with a meh kinda attitude. A little out of my way, but I don't mind stopping by here when in the area.
(4)cathy a.
i have ordered two cakes from alliance - one for a wedding shower (almond cake with vanilla buttercream frosting...amazing!) and the other for my son's first birthday (chocolate with a hazelnut/praline mousse). both were outstanding - moist, delicious, reasonably priced, and beautifully decorated. the decoration on my son's birthday cake was fantastic (they replicated his invitation motif perfectly!) - we (and our guests) were incredibly impressed. honorary mention to their stock Niagara Falls cake, which is also a favorite in our house! thanks again, alliance!
(5)Emily S.
Got my wedding cake (carrot cake) from Alliance. It was beautiful and guests really liked it. It was a little pricey, but the cake came out just as I wanted it. I would recommend if you are looking for a wedding cake.
(5)Jackie S.
Was once my favorite bakery in my once favorite neighborhood. Still has good Intelligentsia coffee, but the pastries are dry.
(3)Sony L.
gorgeous display cakes, even more scrumptious desserts (personally tried the keylime bars, choco cookie, carrot cupcake, and bread pudding) with good portions, and of course free wifi with functional electrical outlets to work/study! good studying place as room on the side usually quiet. what more can i ask for? oh yeah, and their coffee is good. only weird part is that their room for people to hang out is COMPLETELY separate from where they sell their goodies... maybe consider putting a door in the wall to connect the two??
(5)Kelli T.
alliance is my stop most mornings. the thought of that intelligentsia espresso is what drags me out of bed. i'm a fan of straight up espresso over ice with some half and half thrown in (to widen the waitline). but now that it's cold weather i need to find a new drink of the day. most of the people behind the bar recognize me at this point...and are even offering suggestions for my new warm drink of choice for the bitter mornings. i like their suggestions. maybe i'll just mix it up all winter. i like the attention.
(5)Lee P.
What can I say. If you haven't tried this place yet, DO IT. They make you feel at home.
(4)Finger S.
The baked goods and coffee are great, however if your going there for the internet, you'd better bring a book or a newspaper because it is so slow, you'd be better off going across the street to blend.
(3)Tracy M.
Absolutely delicious! I could eat those fruit tarts all day long and I was actually just thinking I may have them cater a holiday party for me so I can enjoy the leftovers! They also make some really creative, not to mention delicious, cakes.
(5)Michelle C.
This is newly my favorite place to spend cafe time. The baked goods are delicous - not overly sweet, wholesome-tasting and elegant, but the real stand-out is the space! Seating is in a different storefront than the bakery/cafe counter, so it's freaking QUIET and wonderful! Comfortable enough seating, well-lit, patronized by considerate (and generally not bad-looking 20 - 40 year olds... like a library but you can have your cake and eat it too! Free wireless...
(4)Chicago 1.
I wanted to like them more. Really, really wanted to like them as I am not used to dropping close to $200 on a birthday cake for 20 people. I asked for a cake with a man in a boat and emailed them a picture of the boat, mentioned in the phone conversation that the boat was white and green. Did not send them a picture of my husband (actually didn't think of it), so the appearance of the boat was really the only tie to it being my husband driving the boat. And they got the colors wrong. So it looked nothing like the boat I sent a picture of. They did try and rectify it, but at that point they could only add another stripe of the color everything was supposed to be. No one got the joke. The cake was huge, but pretty much everyone took one bite and left the rest to be thrown out. The remainder is in my freezer and even my kids are not asking for it. sigh. I really wanted to like this place. I really wanted to feel justified in buying a cake 10x the price of one at Dominick's . But no dice. The macaroons are tasty, but not worth the trip from the 'burbs.
(2)Michael P.
living near by i frequent alliance for the cupcakes for sure - where else can you get red velvet cupcakes and they are awesome - they have wonderful baked goods and their larger cakes are out of this world - in the morning i USED to like stopping by for all the hotties on the way to work - but the negative snarky attitude of the staff is a major put off - well now is a great time to start my carb free diet -and now there is sweet cakes and i just found Bleeding Heart YUM
(2)Tisha W.
There are so many good things to say about Alliance: free wi-fi, plenty of space, cool clientele, lots of light, an outdoor seating area in the summer, and it tends to be really quiet (partially because cellphones don't seem to work in the building). My experience with their food has been a little hit or miss. The cranberry bar is out of this world, as are the cupcakes, but I wouldn't recommend the lemon bar. The cookies are generally rock hard, they always seem to have 10 different kinds of sugar cookies, and a friend once had a very unfortunate experience with an eggplant sandwich. Overall though, Alliance is great and one of my favorite places in the city.
(5)Nancy T.
Alliance created the most wonderful 40 cupcakes for my baby shower. My favorite was the red velvet, but the vanilla, chocolate and carrot cake were also amazing. This is a great place to cater your dessert bar or to stop in for a quick bite. They have great teas for enjoying in their too-cool sidewalk area.
(4)k s.
I wish I had an occassion to order a cake. They do look amazing. I like the baked goods straight from the display case. The quiche is even tasty. I haven't tried out the new annex next door, but, maybe, maybe, if my treats make if next door...
(5)One T.
This is one of my favorite summer spots. Get some iced coffee, a good book and a seat out in the patio. Nice and relaxing and makes you feel pleasantly alone in a big city . **Add this part on 12.27.07 Of late I've been getting friend's birthday cakes there, which have always been a huge splash at their parties. They're a bit pricey but well worth it, in every way. Normally when my friends have birthday parties no one really eats the cake, but every time I bring an Alliance cake they get eaten within a half hour. Also, their cupcakes are great. My fiancee and I always stop in here to grab treats and coffee when we visit my friend who lives a block away and they love it! so, yeah, I dig the place and you should definitely check it out.
(5)Kurt O.
Alliance is a great spot to sit and sip an Inteligencia brew on a Saturday morning and watch the world go by. The cakes are excellent. The cupcakes are even better -- like best in the city (forget that 'cupcake' place in Lakeview). My wife raves about the apple turnovers, though I find some of their pastries to be a bit tough, like they don't use enough butter, at least compared to some of the old school bakeries in the city where you need a lesson in Polish before you order and a cholesterol test before you leave. (See Weber's bakery on Archer).
(4)Max E.
I have ordered my niece's birthday cake from here every year (going on 3 years now - she'll be 4) and they've been fabulous! For her 2nd birthday, the theme was a luau and they created standing palm trees, etc. It wowed everyone! Last year was the ballerina cake and this year...dinosaurs. (Can't wait to see what they'll do!) The cakes are as delicious as they are creative.
(5)Patrick F.
For sugarhounds, a nice selection of cookies, cupcakes (so good!), brownies, and other pastries awaits at alliance. They also offer fresh breads, coffee drinks, and sandwiches. The next door seating area has free wireless internet, so you can enjoy some goodies while being productive. I have also had the pleasure of enjoying an Alliance prepared birthday cake (red velvet with fresh rasberry filling) and it was fantastic!
(5)Nicole S.
My nail tech just moved to a salon down the street from Alliance so I came across the place by accident (pulling up to park at the MUTHAFRIGGIN HIGH @$$ Parking Meter). So anyway..... as I walked by I noticed all the cutesy pastries in the window. On my way out since I still had 5 minutes on the meter so I went inside to grab something. Everything "looked" good. I decided to try the cupcakes in three different flavors. First of all the cupcakes are way overpriced. I don't care how cute they are. Give me a an ugly cupcake at a reasonable price. I got one chocoloate/chocolate, one red velvet, and one carrot cake. The chocoloate was super dry. I actually had to stop and get something to drink. The red velvet was good especially the frosting. However, I'm not sure how the carrot cake was because when I went to eat it the next morning with coffee it was super dry and the frosty was rubbery. This pissed me off. They should package them to last at least a day. They should also lower their prices or at least offer a package deal like 3 for 5 or something like that. 2.75 is WAY TOO MUCH. We are talking about flour, eggs, sugar......... I've had better cupcakes from Dominicks.
(2)Michelle W.
This place has amazing sweets, definitely good enough to put a wrench any diet. The designs and decorations of Alliance can even make you look as you are driving by. Kudos to them for having an outdoor patio in the summer months. One of the things that makes Chicago and Wicker Park very cool!
(4)Brandon T.
This place is not too shabby. It's not that bad. If there was a 4.5, I'd give it to them, but there isn't. They can still make improvements. Well, the coffee there is not bad, although I prefer coffee from Atomix and the Barista Coffeehouse place. Now, this spot has some nice cakes. The thing that hits me is the cakes. The cakes are really good. Everything else I really haven't tried, and I can't say I recommend it, except for the cookies. The cookies are pretty good. Now, this is an independant business, so give them credit. Of course they can improve on a few things, but I think it's a decent place. The only thing they can use is some more space, maybe nicer staff, and to experiment on some of their "goodies" in order to get the best flavor and texture. I recommend it for the cake, and cookies. Everything else, you are on your own. Not a bad spot at all. Oh, did I mention, Free Wi-Fi? P.S. Don't bring your desktop. ;)
(4)robert q.
Alliance is a bakery that doubles as a decent coffee shop. The coffee shop part is a bit strange, because it's not attached to the bakery part. I don't know why they couldn't figure out a way to put a hallway connecting the two, but all right. You buy your coffee and walk down two doors to the 'Alliance lounge', a living room full of a mixture of vintage furniture, cafeteria tables, and absolutely dead silent people with their faces buried in laptops. There's a serious "college library on finals week" vibe to the place, which can be great if you're like me and you go to coffee shops to escape the numerous distractions in your apartment. Also, the 'lounge' is curiously lacking in outlets, considering how many students hang out here, and some are even dead. You guys couldn't spring for an electrician? The coffee was decent, but nothing to write home about. I also got an overpriced albeit delicious croissant. I'll be back.
(3)Laila K.
we checked out Alliance on Sunday for the Yelp knitting event. since my birthday is coming up, we've been on a search for a place that has beautiful AND tasty cakes (it seems the two ideas can't be found together without spending tons of money). Alliance blew us away. We tried the pumpkin cupcake, which was moist and tasty, like a lovely pumpkin bread with yummy cream cheese frosting. the vanilla actually tasted like vanilla, with again a perfect texture. the red velvet is close to perfect deliciousness with a subtly fruity flavored and cream cheese frosting. But the BEST is the hazelut cupcake, now i'm not a huge fan of chocolate frosting (I prefer my chocolate in the more dense truffle or bar form) but this fudgy frosting was great, rich and deep not overly sweet. The hazelnut cupcake has this great aroma and rich flavor that pairs well with the chocolate (I could also see it pairing well with a cherry or berry preserve filling if being used for a cake). Despite the fact that there was a line out the door, the employees spent time with us discussing options for custom cakes, good combinations, their most popular selections, etc. turn around for custom cakes is quick, service is great, designs are beautiful and innovative, and best of all the taste is hands down the best! what more could you want
(5)K J.
Dangeriously delicious cookies.
(4)yvette n.
this place is terrible. I have received some old sandwiches, cakes, and cookies. The cookies are pretty but tasted horrible! one time my server couldn't even get the change right, totally off. They do have good cupcakes though. However, I would rather go to milk and honey up the street.
(2)Lynnette T.
the macarons are really not good. i don't think they even use almond flour. i will say, though, that the buttercream in the chocolate one was really good. but after spending $20 on those cookies, you would think more than just the buttercream would be good. this was the first time i've been here - passed by during do division - and it was really really busy, so it must be good. i'd give it another go - all these positive reviews can't be wrong. i just know i won't be trying the macarons again.
(2)Zachary A.
good coffee, awesome pretty pastries... the cakes are beautiful. tv cakes. free wifi is a rarity and a BIG plus in this city. the seating next door makes me feel at home... it really feels like they ripped this place out of the faubourg-marigny. kudos, alliance. kudos.
(5)daniel t.
why oh why does your internet go out all the time? great cupcakes
(2)Hannah H.
My cousin and I came here to try out their French macarons - We shared a Passion Fruit and a Lemon Poppy Seed - I preferred the latter as it had a great amount of poppy seeds on its exterior with a lemon curd filling in the middle; nice and tart. The passion fruit was okay, but it was more on the sweeter side. There was limited seating inside, but we were happy to take it to go. +Lemon Poppy Seed macaron
(3)Kelsey G.
Pastries were good. The key lime tart was my favorite dish of the night. So creamy and good!! Could eat those over and over again! Chocolate chip cookie was good as well! Customer service wise, Alliance employees were nice and helpful when it came to suggestions. This was my first time and I wanted to check it out. Only one thing turned me off, the male barista making the drinks had a shirt on that was a sleeveless, and it was 40 degrees out. I thought it was GROSS!! As he reached for different materials you could see his arm hair. What if arm pit hair or sweat dropped into a drink. I work in the food industry and I know how warm it can get overtime moving around but keeping things like arm pits covered is important and also sanitary. Better safe than sorry.
(3)Rafia J.
Very cute little bakery. Ordered Lola and macaroons and they were both delicious! Will def go back!
(3)Evelyn R.
I had a custom cake made from here for my sisters baby shower over the weekend and it turned out to be fabulous!! From the beginning they made the process so simple (1st time getting a custom cake) & they were so helpful. I gave them a picture of what I wanted and they estimated it for me and it turned out just right! And it was super delicious! So many compliments on how it looked and how it tasted. I did a great job choosing Alliance for this special occasion and they did great in every way in return. I want to thank Jory and everyone else there for making this special day/event even more special with such a great cake!!! Thank you! PS.. The cupcakes , macaroons, & coffee are all worth it here too!!! So happy I found this place.. I will definitely come back for all they have to offer!
(5)Andrea T.
Alliance Bakery & Cafe made my wedding cake and it was delicious. We worked with Jennifer. At the tasting, everything was so good, we used all three flavors - vanilla with vanilla pastry cream on the bottom, chocolate with chocolate fudge in the middle and red velvet on top. Hint: don't miss the Italian Meringue Buttercream - it's divine. When picking our bakery, flavor was our biggest priority, not decoration. I'd rather have a great-tasting cake than a masterpiece that has little flavor. That said, I still think my cake tasted great AND was beautiful. I'd use Alliance again in the future and am looking forward to my free 1-year anniversary cake :)
(5)Allan A.
I wanted a Star Trek cake to surprise my cousin with for his birthday. I e-mailed Alliance and they responded within a day with a link to several Google images for Star Trek cake designs. I found one that I really liked, and continued to communicate via e-mail to discuss pricing, size of the cake, and other details related to the order. The whole ordering & communication process went very smoothly and I even spoke with someone else to place the order and the experience was very easy. Now, the best part, the cake was AMAZING. And it was beautiful! The cake was made exactly like the image I selected on-line (from Google, not from an Alliance bakery gallery mind you). I ordered vanilla cake with buttercream frosting. The taste, moisture, icing, everything was wonderful. My cousin, who has lived in Chicago for 15 years was very impressed. And we all enjoyed the delicious cake and beautiful design. And, the second best part, this cake kept in my fridge for another week (maybe longer), and besides the cake parts that were exposed to air - of course they dried out a bit - but when sliced off there was only fresh, moist, sponge like caky goodness inside. So I enjoyed the cake two more times before I finally parted ways with it. I would definitely order a cake from Alliance again. And I'm excited to see what other kinds of designs & creations they can come up with. Highly impressed, I will return!
(5)Teresa N.
We stumbled upon this place while walking around wicker park. So glad we decided to step inside! The workers are super friendly and even took the time to jot down a few places for us to check out while in town. Their cheesecake was also really tasty. We'll be back next time we visit Chicago!
(5)April S.
Macaroons and cappuccino are the BEST I have ever had!! Take it from a foodie and JUST GO!!
(5)Jay I.
This place is separated into two parts, which seem to look like two separate places if you didn't figure it out. There is a bakery with no seating, but then right next door, there is an unattended space with table and couch in which you can freely sit and do whatever. They provide complementary wifi, and the table is larger. Since this part is very quiet you will be able to get some work done. As for the food I liked the macarons and almond croissant. I saw the cronut the other day (only serves on weekends). Looks like it is quite popular since they were all gone when I went back an hour later. Compared to Cafe street this is more of a bakery shop when a lot of baked goods. Definitely worth a try.
(4)Rebecca R.
Crazy little bakery with a place to sit and work or chat next door. Order your coffee and head back outside and over to find a space in the converted house full of chairs, couches, and tables. Coffee is pretty good and the bakery items are ok too. Cakes looks so awesome but I have never had the opportunity to taste one.
(4)Peg C.
A big shoutout to the creative people at Alliance. My teen wanted a fondant cake shaped like a Napoleonic/ Revolutionary War colonel's hat--they are obsessed with Alexander Hamilton and there's a famous painting showing him wearing one. The bakers and decorators supplied us with a very good rendering of the hat, complete with a medallion inscribed to the birthday kid. I had been wary of the idea of a decorated cake like this, I had heard tales of dry uneatable cake and weird tasting fondant. But the red velvet cake was moist and delicious, the cream cheese filling very tasty, and even tho the fondant is almost pure sugar, it wasn't too bad. We made all arrangements over the phone, they created the cake based on images I sent them via email, it was all very painless. Not cheap, but worth it for the offspring's golden birthday.
(5)Lauren A.
I ordered a cake from Alliance last weekend for a baby shower I was hosting and it was literally the best cake I have ever had in my entire life. I was dreaming about it that night and then daydreaming about it the next day. I am not much of a cake person, but obviously that is only because I have been wasting my time eating crappy cake. Best cake ever.
(5)Patrick S.
Had a specialty cake made for my boyfriend's 30th birthday. I brought them my idea and they delivered way beyond my expectations (which were high to begin with -- have you SEEN the cakes in their window?). Not only did the design come out great, the cake tasted good too. The staff was very friendly and easy to work with. I also snagged a chocolate praline cronut while I was waiting for them to package up the cake -- delicious. Highly recommend, especially for specialty cakes!
(5)Allison R.
Came here on a food walking tour - Sidewalk Food Tours of Chicago so I was only able to sample the french macaroons. Flavors were innovative. I tried the Rose and it was floral, nicely colored, and moist. I was visiting from San Francisco so feel like I've had better but it was a nice finish to the day. Overall the display cases looked nice and the service was friendly.
(3)Cheryl I.
Thanks Alliance Bakery for making my friends 30th bday an amazing one! She absolutely loved her cake and it turned out better than we could have ever imagined.
(5)Thea K.
I was first attracted by the ridiculously talented cake decorating in the window the last night, then today I had a craving for cookies, and found the TASTIEST vegan choco chip cookies here, so chocolatey and chewy (which to someone with egg and dairy intolerances and a well-developed sweet-tooth like myself is like finding a golden goose). The fella behind the counter was so charming that if I lived in Chicago I'd make him my friend; he even did a Cookie Monster impression for us. I wish I could teleport this place home with me.
(5)Phill C.
Checking out a new bakery is always fun, because there's a chance I might strike gold and find my favorite dessert on Earth - the French Macaron. You know, the little pastries that look like tiny burgers, that come in dozens of different flavors and colors. The macarons here are a bargain compared to other places that make quality macarons, at $1.50 a piece. They didn't have the price listed, so I was shocked my total was so cheap. I've only been able to try a few flavors, since they were running out when I stopped by. I tried the Pistachio w/ Dark Cherry, Coconut Lime, and Passionfruit Chocolate, which were all really good. Their macarons pack a flavor punch and have a perfect airy chewy texture. They also make a variety of other pastries, including cupcakes, cookies, croissants, bagels, cake pops, as well as sandwiches and java. They make nicely decorated mini tarts, cheesecakes, and other sweets, perfect for giving as a gift. If you're looking for a unique cake, they whip up some nifty designs, which you can check out in their window display. The 3D bloody heart with an arrow through it looked pretty sweet. The bakery itself only has a tiny table, but they do have a lounge next door where you can take your baked goods. Free wifi, macarons, and coffee - sounds like the perfect place to get some work done or read a good book. This place is now my go-to macaron joint and I'm looking forward to going back for their other flavors.
(5)Fred F.
I love the cakes here however I just had a very disappointing experience. I ordered a custom cake with Nora a couple days before the birthday event of a friend. On the day of the event (today), I arrived at the store only to be surprised by a plain white cake. The decorator apparently already left the building and forgot to decorate my cake. Thank you Alliance for ruining my friend's birthday surprise cake. What a lack of professionalism you have! Note: Tried to escalate the issue on Alliance Facebook and they immediately deleted my posting.
(1)Darren F.
ordered the key lime tart, red valvet cupcake, and a roasted chocolate almond cup cake.. red valvet cup cake was really dry the almond cup cake was eh... definitely had better ones before.. key lime tart falls apart after i picked it up and it tasted kind of weird to me..
(1)LaDarian D.
A pastry fanatic's DREAM! Cookies, cupcakes, pies, macaroons, cappuccinos, lattes are all a win. I would say it's becoming common these days where fluffy is taboo in the cupcake world. I miss it, but everything was delicious. You made a former fat guy happy
(4)Terrence W.
Even after over five years of patronizing this place (great pastries), I am unable to bring myself to ever walk through its doors again after the discourtesy shown me on the morning of Friday Oct 25. On the other hand, it forced me to look for other options for my pastry fix, and I'm very glad to have found Vanille Patisserie. Business Owners, the only competitive advantage you have is customer service; there's nothing you offer the market place that is so totally unique as to treat any potential customer/client in an unprofessional manner and keep their loyalty.
(1)Sarah S.
I went to Alliance Bakery yesterday because the cakes in the window lured me in! They were cute & quirky (see pictures) like having a giant heart with a knife in it...a super cute Panda cake...and Nightmare Before Christmas cakes! Love! The shop was super busy for a 530pm on a Saturday so I had a great feeling about it. Long line that didn't ease up our entire time there. Based on my personal preference of how I like my cupcakes (with thick, sugary frosting...not the light airy stuff that so many boutique shops use), these can't take the claim of being amazing cupcakes for me. Buh~buh~buh~break down: Double Chocolate Cupcake - Wasn't a big fan. Cake was slightly too dry. The frosting didn't have a rich flavor or hardly any chocolate flavor to it at all. Vegan Chocolate & Peanut Butter - I'm all sorts of healthy, dontcha know~ so had to try this one (check sarcasm). The chocolate cake had good flavor buy verged on being too dry...it was just barely passing for a good level, but I wouldn't call it moist. As I said, not a fan of this airy frosting but on this cupcake, the frosting tasted straight up like peanut butter. I love me some peanut butter but in a cupcake frosting, the flavor left a lot to be desired. Chocolate Ganache with a Salted Caramel center - The ganache on this cupcake was great! The filling was just like frosting in the center...I was hoping for a thick but not sticky salted caramel center, not the same airy frosting that their cupcakes are topped with so I was a bit disappointed. This shop has so much more to offer than cupcakes, like their awesome inventive cakes plus tons of other goodies. I would absolutely come back to try some of their other items, but will skip the cupcakes.
(3)M P.
Very tasty pastries and quiches - plenty of variety to choose from. I'll have to come back for some macarons.
(4)Fiona C.
This review is for the macarons - I've had better. The fruit ones are only okay. There's this cinnamon one that is just spicy and not pleasant on the palate when you're expecting a sweet treat. The cakes however look absolutely amazing. I wish I had gotten one of those instead!
(1)Britt C.
MACARONS!!! I tried 6 flavors while I was there are they were all pretty good but here is how my list would be ranked: Lemon Poppy Seed Coconut Lime Pistachio Manjari Hazelnut Raspberry Bacon Maple I was surprised I wasn't in love with the bacon maple...I do love bacon. My friend who regularly seeks out macarons also said that they were larger than the average macaron she comes across, so that's a plus to me!
(5)Erika U.
I wanted to take this opportunity to rave about Alliance Bakery to all of my Chicago friends. They were absolutely fantastic and fit us in (virtually last minute) for a wedding cake after our original baker cancelled. Not only was the cake beautiful and affordable, but it was equally delicious. I highly recommend them to anyone looking for a cake for a special event.
(5)Jessica B.
I ordered two cakes for my wedding reception. One was a basic 9" German chocolate cake. The other was a surprise for my groom, a 3D cake of a monster from a relatively obscure video game (a leech from Final Fantasy XI Online). I used their online form to order both cakes. I attached a collage of screen shots of the monster from the game. I had no real idea what to expect, and was pretty nervous since I wasn't picking up the cake and wouldn't see it until the reception. But they did an AMAZING job. It looked exactly like the monster came alive and decided to sit on the dessert table. I could not be happier. It was also delicious--vanilla cake with chocolate mousse filling. Most of my guests had no idea what it was, but they loved it anyway. And the ones who did know where so impressed. The German chocolate cake was also beautifully executed and very tasty (I'm not a huge fan of german chocolate, but the groom looooved it). Star off because every time I called they seemed a little disorganized, and because their prices are a bit high. Regardless, I will definitely go back if I need a 3D cake made.
(4)Ayo R.
The best red velvet cupcakes ever!!! They are so rich!!! They also make the best birthday cakes to order that are delicious. They have a variety of cheese cakes and sandwiches to choose from. This is a cute little cafe spot!!! The professionalism is always on point!!!
(5)Angela S.
I'm so mixed by my recent trip to Alliance. After wanting to stop in for a very long time, I have to say my experience was meh...darn! The Lounge - Depends on your definition of a lounge I recently met a friend I haven't seen in a very long time at Alliance with my 6.5 year old twin boys. Knowing we'd most likely be sitting in the next door lounge for a conversation, I'm thankful for the reviews that mention how it's not conducive to chatter. I came prepared with books and paper and warned them not to make a peep or they'd for sure get the stink eye. I was also a bit worried that the conversation with my friend would be disturbing to the quiet bunch on their laptops, but we sat up front by the door and managed to keep our voices down. A lounge that's not really a lounge, I would have been upset if I happened to walk by with a group of friends wanting to have coffee and a chat. No place for clever conversation, perhaps there should be a warning somewhere on the outside door. The Goods - Come here for cake! My vanilla latte made the Angela cut with it's delicious ever-so-slight burnt flavor, but my chocolate croissant was honestly the worst I've ever had. Having been a baker, I can attest to the fact that there is absolutely no way it was fresh. Completely dry and disappointing, I suggest to opt for the cupcakes or the cookies. A beautiful cornucopia of colors they looked amazing, and in retrospect I should have gone with my gut (and the reviews). On the flip side, this is THE PLACE to go if you want a specialty cake. They are true works of art, and if you can't stop in, check out their window displays. The Service - Exactly what I expected For a funky neighborhood I expected service with a cool city vibe, and this is what I got. I was curious to see how welcoming they would be to kids, and the guy behind the counter was very accommodating and didn't seem to mind being patient (but we were also pretty quick to order). I appreciate the nostalgia of this place and like the idea of supporting local. If I wanted a quiet place to study, I'd spend days on end here with their good vanilla lattes. But, for conversation, I understand why Starbucks was packed!
(2)Michelle I.
Yelp to the rescue! I found this place while cruising around. I wanted to get some birthday cupcakes for the husband. I made him pullover, and told him to wait. Not very incognito but whatevs. The cupcake selection looked amazing. I tend to go hard on cupcakes...I find them trite and super easy to make (from scratch). I often will try them at certain bakeries and I know I can make one that is twice as better at home. The ones here were pretty good, so far one of the best ones I've had in the area. I picked out four, various flavors including red velvet and chocolate peanut butter. My favorite was the one with the chocolate ganache. The girl behind the counter, despite our initial weirdo encounter, was nice and even sweet enough to throw in a birthday candle. I also decided to grab about a half a dozen macarons. Not the best I've had, but they were pretty tasty. My favorite was the pistachio. They held up well since I decided to refrigerate them overnight and ended up eating them while driving home. Overall, a pretty solid bakery. I wouldn't mind checking out the cafe next time I'm in town.
(4)Luke D.
This review is based only on Alliance's awful cronuts and macarons. Alliance's cronuts are terrible filled croissants in a circular configuration. We bought one each of vanilla, chocolate and "strawberry." I have the last one in quotes as it was described as being strawberry and mascarpone, but actually tasted like a combination of rosewater and dishwasher detergent. This was thrown in the trash after one bite. The icings and fillings on the other two were fine, but the cronut itself was so bad that we couldn't make it through any of them. Croissants should be light, flaky and buttery. These were dense, dry and oily. At $5 each, this was a total waste of money. Alliance is probably selling a ton of these based on the current cronut craze, but these are simply awful. AVOID. Their macarons were a little better but still poor. The shells had huge air bubbles and exploded after one bite. We had the Nutella, pumpkin and pistachio variations. The fillings were generally OK but the shells were inexcusably bad. I cannot justify buying macarons like this when there are superior alternatives like Hendrickx and Floriole nearby.
(1)Ted C.
I'm pretty happy with Alliance Bakery as a spot to sit and just relax. They have their 'lounge' space where you can just walk right in and sit down. Before you do you should probably go next door and check out their baked goods, because they're good. The first time I went I bought a box of their cupcakes but I was on a no carb, no sugar, no fun, tremendous b-hole kick and didn't have any while I watched everyone around me enjoy the tasty, well-made treats. I did like the fact that their cupcakes weren't just giant mountains of frosting. I did have their oatmeal raisin cookie and a chocolate-y croissant-y thing and a Mexican coke, because I love real sugar. I liked the quiet, easygoing 'lounge' area. I think I could have just sat there anyway and no one would have bothered me, as long as I kept quiet and still, like everyone there seemed to be doing, no conversation, no chatter, it was a little disconcerting. I think what I'll do next time is just buy my baked treats and run away like a bandit, because the Hipster Stepfords next door kind of weirded me out.
(3)EDILSA E.
I stopped here by chance a month ago. I ordered a cake from here for my son's confirmation. It was a round cake for 12-16 people, red fondant, a white sugar cross, white cake, strawberry and custard filling. The cake was very pretty and of course delicious ($86). I also decided to get some macaroons. I bought two different ones, a Nutella one and a raspberry one. I can say I think about their macaroons a bit since then. The Nutella one wasn't that tasty but the raspberry one was completely delicious. It's super rich and the outside is flaky. The bakery was a tasty discovery. I have stopped here twice after the cake to pick up the raspberry macaroons. I would give it 5 stars I it weren't for their workers. They are pretty dry people. The one that took my order for the cake wasn't friendly or even smiled. He wasn't informative when I was ordering the cake even though I mentioned it was my first time stopping in there. Customer service does go a long way. A smile, a thank you, and even a helpful suggestion can make the experience much more pleasant.
(3)Vanessa K.
The 2 stars are STRICTLY for the "Cronuts" that they advertise heavily about. My friends and I ordered 10 because we thought it was just THAT good... but unfortunately it really wasn't. My girlfriends and I made Alliance Bakery the top of our "noms" list as soon as we landed in Chicago and was just so so disappointed. The Cronuts were stale and really hard, one had a funky taste and we left after spending 10 times $5.00 = $50.00 per cronut... it was so sad. We were so sad, the rose one was the weird tasting one with a too-sweet-rose-esque flavor on top, the chocolate was ok, it tasted like chocolate and nothing special and the other raspberry one was the only decent one and that was still super below average. The only redeeming part is that they have a lounge area right next to the bakery and the flowers were fresh and the area was really cute where we could sit down and relax and take some cute pics. Once again, so sad... :( I can't speak to their other bakery items but def. do NOT make the hike here for cronuts if you knew elsewhere....
(2)Matt B.
So...what's up with that "cafe"? I put that in quotes because it's really just a room with some furniture in it. Apparently, the deal is that you get your coffee and baked goods at the store a couple doors down, then bring it over to the "cafe" to eat in cold, unforgiving silence. Because that's what I and my two companions experienced when we stepped into the "cafe"...a bunch of individuals, all seated at this-is-my-personal-space distances apart, with headphones and laptops engaged, and a sterile blanket of silence enveloping them all. And their brief, dismissive stares, redolent with veiled tinges of hostility, flatly instructed us to not even THINK about sitting down and having a conversation with another breathing, carbon-based life form. As such, we sat outside, and enjoyed our coffee and cupcakes, with the glorious burning sun massaging our shoulders and reminding us that yes, we are alive.
(3)Ashley B.
I got "The Ann", a chocolate hazelnut mousse cake and it was absolutely amazing. It was everything I had hoped it would be and more. It was definitely a good choice for a chocoholic and 100% satisfied my chocolate craving. Not only was the cake to die for, the staff were very friendly and patient. I will definitely be going back!!
(5)Lulu L.
I ordered a custom cake for a shower. The ordering process is a little frustrating and the customer service when picking up the cake was not good. They didn't include the personalized sign that was included on the order form. Cake tasted good though! When ordering the cake I came in with an idea & pics for a 2 tiered cake to serve 30. The person at the counter was friendly enough and walked in the back to talk to the cake decorators for a price. She came back stating it was over $200.00. Not what I wanted to spend so I said what if we change this and this. Again she talked to these mysterious cake decorators and said if you remove one of the fondant items (which I said I didn't want anyway) then it would be $15.00 less. Not the amount of price change I was looking. Luckily I had a second, very simple idea which she took to the decorators and the price came back that was acceptable. Why couldn't I just talk to these elusive decorators myself? When I picked up the cake the person I presumed was the manager said the guy (lets all him Dude) would help me carry it to my car and that he'd cut a hole in the box top for me so the 2nd tier would fit. The Dude came back with the cake with no top, just the bottom of the box. I thought it would have more protection than that. Then the Dude hands me the cake over the counter, whoa!. Juggling a 2 tier cake with a purse on your shoulder is not easy. Dude just looks at me. Then I was like, Dude, can you open the door for me and open my car door? Duh! There was another worker on the phone, let's call him "Bro" who was clearly mortified by the Dude's lack of awareness. Dude opens the door and then opens my car door while I try to put the cake down without my purse slipping off my shoulder, which could have led to disaster. Whew, it was close. Bro had hurried out and was super nice but I wish I had dealt with him the entire time. Thanks Bro! After all that, I get home, put the cake in the frig and notice that the fondant sign that was supposed to be included and was on the order form that said "Welcome to the World Baby X" was not included. The ONE item that personalized this very expensive cake was no where to be seen. I had too much to do to prepare for the shower so I didn't call or go back, and am instead writing this passive aggressive yelp review. Next time I'm just ordering a cake from Mariano's.
(2)April K.
Stopped for macarons. Maybe I ate em too quickly but the texture was a little stale. Wasabi-white chocolate sounded fantastic but didn't deliver. Odd flavor combo. 1 star Pistachio-brandied cherry was much better. I dug the whole cherry in the middle. 4 stars Chocolate-salted caramel was the tits. 5 stars. $1.50 for each cookie. Not the best I've had but A-Ok
(3)Alice L.
I'm torn because the food and drinks aren't bad and the study space next door is nice and bright and cozy, but the girl behind the counter last time I visited was SO rude. Hoping it was just an off day...
(3)Leah B.
We bought macaroons from the new River North store. They were awful. It seemed like most of them were stale. It was my husband's first time trying macaroons, and he says he will never eat them again. This was such a disappointment, especially for how expensive it was. I will never patronize this store again.
(1)Melanie R.
A bakery in Wicker Park with a mouth-watering selection of French Macarons? Yes please! Very charming storefront! The window display proudly showcases some of their cake creations, including a -- hold the phone -- MACARON TOWER! Amazing! Mental note to snag such a treat for my next special occasion. Or, a random Saturday night.. Alliance is above all, a bonafide mecca for macaron lovers. If I lived closer, I would flock to this place daily - with my cash as an offering to the macaron gods. Their flavor listing has something for everyone - from the tried and true Pistachio (with some brandied cherry for a perfect twist), to the slightly savory Maple Bacon. Some of my personal favorites include the 'Coconut Lime' (which, topped with toasted coconut shreds, tastes just like a key lime pie) and the 'Salted Caramel' (which reminds me of a salted hot chocolate). I tend to get one of each of the flavors they happen to have remaining that day, and aside from some of the fruit-inspired flavors (whose filling is more akin to a jam - not quite my style) - Alliance has yet to disappoint! I usually get a cupcake for good measure, and they can certainly hold their own - even with all the macaron excitement that is happening in the neighboring display case. The Red Velvet (my go-to cupcake benchmark) measured up to my standards, with a perfectly moist cake and an unmistakable traditional cream cheese frosting. Yum! With ever-smiling service and quaint outdoor seating to boot - Alliance takes the cake (couldn't resist - pun intended!) as far as my favorite spot to score some macarons!
(5)Michael U.
For our finally mid-day bite in Chicago - this one on day two - we opted for an older member of the culinary scene that I'd actually walked into once prior during the Renegade Art Fair but neglected to buy from due to the line; Wicker Park's own Alliance Bakery. Again scoring free parking and making our way to the shop with ease as hipsters and families alike dined on the sunny patio a stop at the window was mandatory first simply to witness the masterful cakes ranging from Green Eggs n' Ham to Macaron towers to three tiered wedding cakes. With the doors open letting in a cool breeze (and letting out the wonderful smells of butter and vanilla) we next made our way in to see what Chef Peter Rios and a team of youngsters (both in the kitchen and at the counter) had on display and after a few tough decisions we emerged from the shop to enjoy our choices on the patio. Beginning first with the French classics, my mother selected two Macarons - one Blueberry Cheesecake and the other Passion fruit chocolate - both textbook in texture with a crackling shell giving way to lovely filling, but the Passion fruit Chocolate so cloyingly sweet that between two of us the $2 cookie went unfinished. Thankfully the Blueberry Cheesecake fared much better. Moving next to two of the standards by which I judge a bakery my aunt's and my selection were a Red Velvet Cupcake and the Dulce de Leche Bread Pudding. Beginning first with the cupcake, a $3.50 selection with good notes of cocoa and a tangy cream cheese frosting started out with a good base, but was unfortunately a bit dry - so much so that when my aunt took a bite the back half fell off landing directly on her chest; a comedic event to be sure, but not exactly the way a cupcake should be remembered. Moving next to the Bread Pudding which was served in a small tin topped with a sugar lacquered strawberry and powdered - it was dense and it was sweet, no more and no less but thankfully only $2.50.
(2)Jennifer H.
The first couple of times I came here I must admit I wasn't hooked. Until I met "Anne". Anne was a lonely one, sitting peacefully behind the glass waiting for someone to find her. Well, I found her. After purchasing Anne there was some awkward silence, I feel we didn't know what to say to each other at first. So I took her out of the box and and decided to take a bite. Anne changed me as a man. Not many things cause me to question my existence, but Anne succeeded in doing so.
(4)J D.
WHAT HAPPENED!?! This used to be my favorite place for macarons! They were soft, chewy yet textured first bite, with that smack you in your face flavor. For 1.75 each, I expect consistency.... Last visit (granted it was the end of the day) I got 5 macaron cause variety is necessary. All of them were so hard I could hear CRUNCHING when chewing. They were hard and unpleasant to eat. Salted Caramel and Hazelnut flavor was great. Pistachio seemed a little off.
(3)Michael J.
Not impressed. Had a chocolate cupcake -- the frosting tasted EXACTLY like the store-bought can. Expected much more from such an esteemed establishment.
(1)Veronica S.
I live right around the corner and have been a customer for years, but I have to say their food and drinks can be hit or miss and they can be a bit pricey. DRINKS: I was seriously disappointed in the last chai tea latte I got from here last week. The thing was a watery mess and it didn't even fill the cup to the rim. For almost $4.00 they should do better. For coffee drinks, I hate to say it, but I can get better for less money at the Starbuck's down and across the street at Division and Paulina. FOOD: I no longer buy their cupcakes or pastries because I think they are too expensive for the size and the last few I bought tasted stale. Their decorated cakes are beautiful, but I've never ordered one, so I can't comment on those, but they do carry some good sandwiches and I can highly recommend the couscous salad--very tasty! LOUNGE: The separate lounge area two doors to the west of the bakery is a good concept, but I tried to work in there once and found it to be too noisy. SERVICE: The place is tiny and wait times can be long during busy periods, but servers have always been friendly. If you are in the neighborhood and don't mind walking half a mile to the west, I recommend you go to Letizia's Natural Bakery at 2144 W Division Street for coffee drinks, cookies, and pastries.
(2)Reuben H.
Oooooooooooh you bastards... With your irresistible quin aman! Delectible bignets and croissants... Macarons that are really good as well... You make a damn fine cup of caffe au lait and to top it off- aren't over priced and very close to home. Recipe for disaster if you ask me! All that dairy fat and excess carbohydrates go straight to my hips...
(5)Keith R.
If you happen to have a day like me where you ended up eating dessert(frozen yogurt) first, then AYCE sushi lunch, which the fro yo made you too full to really partake fully in, and then for whatever odd reason, the fat guy inside you decided another dessert was in order after the sushi.... come to Alliance Bakery. You can indulge your sweet tooth without going too crazy with fullness. How is this possible? By getting an awesome nearly giant macaron! Of all the macarons I've eaten in my lifetime, I believe Slurping Turtle and Alliance have the largest ones I've seen. And props to Alliance for carrying my favorite flavors, Pistachio, Red Velvet, Hazelnut Chocolate and my newly found friend, Blueberry Cheesecake. I think their cupcakes are lovely as well, and fairly priced IMO. And if you're in need of liquid consumption to go with your cavity makers, they have a great selection of loose leaf tea on the shelf behind the counter. Don't want either? Just check out the art, inside and in the window display. The cakes look too good to eat. Seriously. If I ever bought one of those, I'd pretend I was going to cut it up for the guests, but I'd also have some genero Costco sheet cake that I would actually allow people to eat, while I'm getting the cake bronzed in a super double secret ceremony. Inside, check out the elevation drawings illustrating just exactly what goes into a Marie or an Ellen, layer by layer. The former architecture major in me is in love... Come on down to Alliance. Like me, it's small but packs a punch.
(5)A R.
I've lived around the corner from Alliance for almost 7 years now so I've paid many visits there. It's about time I wrote a review. The goods. There's no doubt they make a beautiful cake. Their showcase speaks for itself. I just learned that they're known for their macaroons so I will have to check them out. But the other baked goods...they're sooooooooo...meh. I have had scones, cookies, cupcakes, etc. And they're allllll sooooo average. I go out of my way for a good dessert. Especially a good cupcake. Can't you guys change your recipes? Molly's and Sweet Mandy B's are winning here (cupcake wise, at least). The staff. I'm going to agree with a comment below about the staff there. Not so nice. Most (not all) of them have that whole snotty, too-cool-to-smile hipster thing going on. It get's old. The price. Way too high for the quality. But probably due to the location. Or so I'm guessing. The space. It's okay. Free wi-fi, which is nice. They redecorated their room next door, which is nice. But it's alright there, I guess. It's always nice sitting outside, I will say. Sorry Alliance, I hate to bring my neighborhood bakery down but I gotta be real. I go here only cause of convenience.
(2)Paul S.
I've had exactly 1 cookie from here, but it was pretty amazing, especially for a vegan chocolate chip cookie. Tasted buttery and chewy and crispy, you know what I mean, so perfect. I'll be back!
(4)Pack C.
i went pick up some today. There were amazing with reasonable price: 1.75 each but they are big! It is not as sweet as the traditional one e.g. Laduree. So, i like it even better. we tried fig, mango, rasberry, and blueberry cream cheese. our favorite are fig + mango. Definitely go back again! it's GREAT!
(4)Steve F.
My review has two parts. The first part is related to the cookies and second part relates to integrity. This is a cute bakery with wonderful treats. I tried their Blackhawks cookies and bought a bunch of delicious cookies for kids, they loved them all. While at the bakery my son forgot his tablet that he loves watching movies on and playing games. We didn't know where we left it and the bakery actual emailed me a few days later with the device, and had it ready for pick up. Thanks a ton! In life, integrity goes a long way
(5)Michael B.
Tried them 20 years ago when there were very few bakeries in the area. Pastries tasted no better than bake goods at Jewels or Dominick's. Fast forward to this past weekend. We had visitors for breakfast so I decided to try them again. Wrong! Still no better than grocery chain bake goods. In addition the looks on their faces when I entered told me they still think people of color in that area are there to do harm.
(1)Shelly W.
My friend had a cake made for my grand opening party from Alliance Bakery and they did a great job! Ashley was given creative freedom to do as she may and she was on point with her design work! Kudos to Ashley and her amazing work. Thanks (:
(5)Ellen M.
I gave up all dessert a few months ago - it was my Kryptonite, and it had to go. Still, I visit Alliance Bakery every few weeks and have no plans to stop. No, no, it's not for me any more... For the kids: Chicago baseball team-decorated huge-ass cookies. When attending dinner parties: French macarons! Oh God, yes! I miss the macarons more than ex-smokers miss their cancer sticks. Chocolate, coconut, passion fruit, berry, banana, and others, I usually get a few of each to bring to my dinner party outings. Nothing creates a buzz like a box full of macarons. Sucking up to the boss: I haven't done this yet, but word is my boss loves carrot cake, so I have good intentions of scoring a carrot cupcake and leaving it on her desk, anonymous style. She'll know it was me. Birthdays: Duh. The cakes are so light and delicious, and very pretty. And they have coffee, so there's a lot to love.
(5)I J.
The macaroons are amazing, plus there's this employee who is extremely cute and friendly. Definitely coming here again! It's an awesome bakery.
(5)Nina I.
Really like the cake display but more so the taste of all the treats. My main squeeze here is the macaroon selection. Definitely a huge fan of the rose, nutella, and pistachio flavored ones! The staff is also friendly. If you're in the area just stop by and take a bite.
(4)Marie G.
I was really excited that my sister wanted to stop in Alliance today. I haven't been in a while and I remember it being a great, friendly place. What happened?? My sister was thrown off when she tried to order because Alex was really rude. I mean heavy sighing, eye-rolling rude. I caught his name as he was on the phone trying to help someone and getting annoyed that the cake artists were not going to be in until the morning. My sister was flustered and almost in tears with his impatience and I told her to "Yelp it". That was met with a smirk. Really? Who do you think you are? The negative energy between Alex and Kimberly (?-She mumbled when I asked her name) made it such an awkward experience that I had to rate this review soley on the people behind the counter. There are way too many great bakeries to put up with rude service people. This was the first experience in years in my neighborhood that I wanted to just turn around and walk out. I almost died when my sister ordered a coffee after all of that and didn't know which kind to choose. Nobody should EVER feel like that and we were the only two people left in there. What a shame.
(1)Richie S.
Quirky bakery on W. Division. Very friendly staff. I was pulled in for their macarons. The maple-bacon was mostly maple and no bacon, but the rose water was lovely. Wife didn't share any others.
(3)Aimee M.
For a while I was obsessed with Macarons, and Alliance was my go-to spot when I wanted a bit of Macaron delight. But who am I kidding, I still love Macarons and I love that Alliance has a nice selection of inventive flavors for Macarons. I've had cupcakes and quiche from here and they have been consistently good. I wish they'd put more passionfruit cream in their filled passionfruit cupcake, but that's just cuz I'm a sucker for anything passionfruit. So that being said. Me lovey the passion fruit Macarons! My all time favorite here at Alliance. I love the tart and sweetness of it, the little crunch of the meringue shell and the bit of chocolate that complements so very well. The most recent time I visited I tried the balsamic fig Macaron--reminiscent of a fig newton, but so much better and so much more adult. Lime coconut, raspberry, vanilla--my other go-to's when I'm treating myself to Macarons. Friendly service. They seem to love it when my eyes open wide and I say Ooooooh, when they describe one of the pastries/desserts I've asked about. So sad that I don't live very close. But it's always worth a stop when I'm in the area.
(5)e n.
Alliance recently shut down 2/3 of their extra seating next door which is super disappointing. So, there is no public bathroom anymore. Their sign does not indicate whether this change is temporary or permanent.
(3)Bonnie A.
Their macarons are delicious! I've been on a best Chicago macaron hunt and Alliance Bakery definitely has one of the better macarons in town. The macarons are fluffy, not too sweet, and once you finish biting into it, you taste the filling. The texture of the filling is palatable. I try not to come here too often because I splurge here. Gotta leave some money in my wallet to try other awesome food!
(4)Marie S.
I HEART Alliance Bakery! A few friends have ordered various cakes from here recently and they have all been simply amazing - BOTH the decoration and the taste. I feel like I have to point that out because so many bakeries can't seem to get both right. Perfect density, moistness, flavor, and filling. Also, their other baked goods are equally good. Cupcakes, french macaroons, specialty pastries .... all yummmm! However, Alliance has won a special place in my heart, not for all the sweets they offer, but for their lounge next door. Its warm, cozy, inviting, and makes you feel at home. During the day, its the perfect spot to work and/or study. There's a bunch of smaller tables if your'e solo and several areas for larger groups, too. The added plus is a plentiful supply of power, with an outlet near almost every table. In the evening, skip dessert at dinner and head to Alliance. The lounge is a perfect spot to hang out with a few friends while you satisfy your sweet tooth.
(5)Meredith K.
I just have to get this off of my chest - I ordered online and I requested chocolate frosting. Instead I got vanilla. Its ok because it may have been too rich but if you know me then you know what a chocoholic I am. That being said such great service and the cake was wonderful. We were quite pleased. Like I said I ordered it online and the very next morning she called to collect payment and confirm. At this point I don't know who was supposed to speak up, but we should have probably gone over the cake, filling and icing. Oh well. When I went to pick it up there was a bit of a wait. Maybe that's how I ended up w/ vanilla? I dunno. I need to let that go. The shop is super nice and everything looks so good! Maybe that's why they make you wait b/c they know you're going to want more things :-) The people were very helpful and brought my cake out. It was for my nephews' birthdays. I had almond vanilla w/ fudge on the inside. Wow that was great. Moist, rich, sugary and just right. Everyone went back for a 2nd piece. I think the almond was a nice change from just yellow. I would definitely order from here again. The product was so delicious that it only lasted for about 20 mins after I cut the first piece.
(4)Imran N.
Great coffee, great macaroons, great cake pops, great baked goods. Excellent little gem.
(3)Angie M.
Despite not being a major fan of the bakery, I can bump up the starts to Alliance for one reason. PACZKIS. Happy Fat Tuesday, ya'll. My raspberry rose paczki is the best treat ever.
(3)Vanessa V.
The adorable cakes in the window display drew us in, and suddenly we're on the lower east side of Manhattan 30 years ago. Awesome well-maintained space that brings me back to childhood. The "authentic" macaron was clearly the wrong choice, and M's "beignet" was equally un-exceptional. And also not a beignet. The coffee was decent and the bagels looked pretty good. They also have a lounge space next door that I wish we'd had time to utilize. There has to be good stuff here... we just didn't happen to order it. I hope.
(3)Raychel Y.
I have ordered 4 cakes from there.. All delicious and beautiful! They always look better than I expect. Pricing is not too bad if you don't want fondant etc. I got the yellow cake with a yummy milk chocolate icing ... Everyone loved it! I could say a more decorative cake to feed 15-20 people could cost you $70. They are always busy but I love getting my special occasion cakes there :)
(5)Susie C.
My fiance ordered a birthday cake for me from here. It's a Funshine birthday cake (Funshine is the yellow Carebear). He sent them an image via email for them to draw on the cake. When we got it the cake, it was so cute! The cake was moist and not too sweet, just the way we like it. I must say that the artwork of Funshine and the sunshines surrounding the cake made the cake so appealing! I love my birthday cake...and I know it costs a lot of money, too. They made my Funshine bear in a fondant.
(4)Kelly B.
They made my birthday "Death Star" cake and it was beautiful and delicious. I highly reco them for any cake design you can think of.
(4)Grace E.
I don't easily give out 5 stars, but Alliance Bakery, you're a winner in my books. i tried two lovely little cakes the other day for my father's birthday, and I'm sure I ate more of it than he did. Oops. But how could I help it when the raspberry chocolate mousse was as delicious as it was? The other dessert I had was a three-layered cake of passionfruit mousse, chocolate mousse, with textural surprises of rice krisps sprinkled lightly in between the layers, and a chocolate cake bottom. It was heavenly. Thanks for the ethereal dessert experience, Alliance!
(5)C D.
Alliance used to be my neighborhood bakery...this is where I would always get my Birthday Cakes, Sunday Brunch treats, decorated cookies for the kids. I'm going down the street from now on, because apparently they don't need my business. I wish the people in the Front of the House were as great as those in the Back of the House at Alliance. The last couple times I came in for treats, the food was great, but it seemed like it was painful for the hipsters behind the counter to help me with anything. I felt like it was an inconvenience for them to make me tea, and asking about the variety of iced cookies pushed them over the edge. I get that it's cool now to be a bit edgy, but Hipster Rude is still RUDE.
(2)Diane G.
I am a study room collector. I can't focus at home for the life of me, and I get about 1000% more work done when I'm at a cafe or library. Libraries are too quiet and depressing, and Starbucks are too crowded. Alliance is juuuust right for studying. They have a room of tables (some big, some small) full of people just like me seeking company and sanity while studying. Music is indie and relaxing, wi-fi is free. Their coffee drinks are so far, so good. A plethora of syrup flavors (ranging from amaretto to pumpkin spice) to spice up your latte, as well as good 'ol espressos and hot cocoa. Whatever floats your boat. Their baked goods look AMAZING but I've yet to try them. Though I still favor the decor of Filter, I have an alliance with Alliance mainly for its value as a study room! =)
(4)Ashley V.
Went to Alliance bakery to try their macarons since I'm on the hunt for the best macarons in the city. Got the Mexican Chocolate, Pistachio, Rasberry, and Nutella. My favorites were Rasberry and Pistachio. Nice crunch to the macarons and soft on the inside - good but not near to the best I've had. They also had a nice selection of macaron flavors available so I will be coming back to try more if I'm in the area!
(3)Andrea F.
rude.
(1)Realtor Karl B.
The Red Velvet Cupcake was moist and the topping was so good, but is it really worth $3.50? As a guy no I don't think so, but girls eat that up! They sell some crazy looking cakes, so if you want to do something different, then you should come here. They also sell coffee, cookies, macaroons, and a whole bunch of other bakery stuff that I haven't tried yet. Looks delicious, but the prices are just too high for my sweet tooth.
(3)Steven M.
After 445 reviews do you really need to hear from me? Absoutely! By the time I walked in at 8:30 they were pretty much cleaned out of everything. It was my friends birthday and you can't have a celebration without cake! I saw the cupcakes, but the selection was down to two. Then the turtle cheesecake that was hiding in the corner started screaming at me. Thank God, because there were only two and the lady in back of me took the last one. So much for, one for me one for you! It looked like a fun place and the seating outside was full. I was told that it was delicious! Thanks! Next time. I'm stuffing my face first and then worring about what is left for the birthday girl.
(5)Maria H.
We used Alliance for our wedding cake. The tasting process was efficient, smooth and the sales staff was awesome in helping us execute our creative vision and staying within budget.. overall the cake was beautiful, and the guests raved on how terrific it was. thanks Alliance!
(4)Anna S.
Shh. Don't tell anyone, b/c I'm on a diet. Don't tell anyone I snuck in, & don't tell my nerdy family that I said "snuck." Don't tell anyone about the chocolate cupcake with caramel filling and the logo on top of it that looks like a paper label but is actually more delicious frosting. Don't tell Miss Manners that I snarfed the whole thing down in about three seconds. (My only complaint: using plastic Solo cups for take-out instead of something more eco-friendly. Still, the verdict: LOVE.)
(4)Sarah Y.
I've been here a couple times for their macaroons and coffee. The macaroons are above average, and they have a rotation of different flavors. My favorite was the bacon maple macaroon. Yumm! I think they have a slight consistency issue with their macaroons because even on the same day, some flavors of macaroons were better in quality (not flavor!) than others. As macaroons tend to be, these little suckers here are expensive...something like $1.75/ea. The coffee drinks here are well made and well balanced. They have such a big assortment of tantalizing desserts that I hope to try next time if I can prevent myself from zero-ing in on those macaroons.
(4)susan m.
This was my favorite cupcake place because they had more than cupcakes. It must have been a bad day. The staff were not too friendly. Tolerant, I would say. I bought a coconut (vanilla?) cupcake and almond croissant. The almond croissant was not what I remember. Prior, it was a fabulous experience. This time it was just good. The cupcake on the other hand. I thought maybe having brushed my teeth and using hydrogen peroxide in the morning that day messed with my tastebuds. It was a horrible cupcake. I don't remember this. I saved half for the next day to see if it was me or not. Nope. Mouth is fine; cupcake was not. I think the coconut was spoiled. It was waxy, with little flavor and very bitter. A tasteless cupcake is just a bad cupcake, but there is something wrong when it is bitter. I felt stupid for thinking this was my favorite place, so I prolly won't go back here for a long time. It seems as though this place has good days and bad days. I just hit the wrong one. The two stars is because I am giving them a break because I think I just hit it on a bad day. I am really wanting to write a good review! The summer eating season has just begun. Yay.
(2)Linda H.
World's best macarons. Hands down. They are a bit expensive ($1.75 each) but full of flavor with just the right amount of pillowy softness contrasted with chewy bite. Additionally, they have delicious cupcakes and other fancy pastries. The cake to frosting ratio is perfect with not-overly-sweet whipped frosting piled on light, fluffy cake. One of my favorite perks of Alliance is the neighboring lounge area. If you exit the bakery and turn right, you can enjoy your treats in their attached lounge, complete with couches and tables. You can buy one cup of coffee and sit there all day, which is what I did when my internet hated me for 2 days.
(5)Mark K.
I like their macarons, like the ambiance, and the location is great. Their almond croissant is merely ok, but still worth trying out. One day I'll have more of their baked goods and desserts and, undoubtedly, will find them at the very least good. Decorative-wise, their desserts look amazing. I find the staff to be a little gruff. I'm nitpicking here, but it's not exactly a friendly and welcoming place as far as service. It gives off that hipster vibe with equal parts impatience that you're there wasting their time buying things. The next door seating area is great if you want to sit down and do work, enjoy one of their delicious items (macarons...) and watch the street.
(4)Happiness L.
Yummy! Yummy! Yummy! Thank you for making this place. The guy who helped me this morning was super nice and very informative and fun to talk to. I am a first timer and bought a selection of sweet and savory. How fresh and delicious! The only recommendation is to add more tables and chairs for dine in or sidewalk dining. A new favorite for sure.
(5)Melanie S.
I was shopping along Division Street and spied Alliance Bakery. I had always meant to try it and after an ill-fated trip to Hoosier Mama Pie (in which I came away empty handed because they were sold out of everything), my sweet tooth was calling out to me. I didn't go too overboard with my ordering because Alliance was uncharted territory for me and they have to earn my spending lots of money. Based on the two things I tried and their beautiful selection of pastries, there is no doubt that much of my discretionary income will be earmarked for Alliance. It was hard to decide what to choose because everything looked delicious. In fact, it looked so good that I was skeptical that it would taste as good as it looked. I opted for a blueberry scone and a lemon cupcake with strawberry buttercream frosting. The scone (which may or may not have been vegan) was positively bursting with blueberries and had a nice crumbly texture. I tell you what - if this was vegan, it was pretty darn good, and if it wasn't, well, I'd still get it again. The real kicker is that I just polished off the cupcake because I forgot about it. It literally knocked my socks off and it was three days old! I wasn't expecting much, but it was incredibly moist and light and the buttercream tasted just like fresh strawberries. The cake part was lovely, with a faint lemon flavor. I've had some bad lemon cupcakes in my day (think Lemon Pledge) and I typically don't order them anymore because most of them taste artificially flavored, but this one made a believer out of me. And again, it was three days old! If a cupcake can be that good after three days, they've more than earned my business. Can't wait to go back for croissants, tarts and other delectables!
(4)Nic N.
Alliance makes my favorite soy latte in Chicago...period. I don't know what they put in their coffee drinks but they are doin' it RIGHT. Their carrot cupcake is ridiculous and I really like the peanut butter chocolate cupcake. A word to the wise is to get your special orders in well in advance. I wanted them to bake a dairy free cake for my girl's birthday and even with a week's notice they weren't able to do it. Other than that I've had nothing but good experiences there and I will definitely keep going back as often as possible!
(4)Ian A.
I ordered a cake from Alliance for my girlfriend's birthday. They worked with me to customize it, and there were no issues when I called back a few days later to change the size. The cake looked great and tasted even better. It was a big hit - It seemed like everyone was talking about how good the cake was. I brought leftovers in to work and had the same reaction. For what it's worth, I bought a chocolate cake with a strawberry reduction filling, with vanilla icing. I highly recommend Alliance.
(5)Ariel L.
Good coffee and free Wi-Fi. That about sums up all you need to know. They have a nice room to sit in an study or read, and the ham & cheese croissant is excellent. I need to come here more often. I like their rules also. "This is not a library, talking is allowed" Right on brothers. Power to the people.
(4)Kee V.
2 stars for both the offerings and the lounge. I had dinner with friends at Yuzu and decided to go a few blocks to Alliance for some sweets. Ended up getting a few macarons and some small pastries....after 15 mins of the lone employeee ignoring us. I tried to get her attention but she would only glance back and then go back to doing, what I can only describe as, nothing. When she finally decided to help, we were met with a fake hello. The macarons were so damn hard I swear they were display models. One of the girls took a bite of one and immediately grabbed a napkin to spit it out. It was her first time trying macarons and she asked if they were supposed to be hard. No Hannah, they aren't. The other desserts (Lola and a layered pistachio pastry I forget the name of) were average at best. We took our desserts to the lounge and were hit with a smell I believe to be a potpourri of moldy rags/armpit/extremely ripened cheese. It was freezing outside and we had nowhere else to go, so we stayed just long enough to finish what we bought. NO wonder there was no one in there. Some of us hadn't seen each other in a while so we tried to endure the stench to catch up but in the end, the beast won. Even if we wanted to stay longer, we couldn't have. The lone employee working informed us because she was working alone, she would be closing up early. Maybe she was just trying to do us a favor.
(2)shannon s.
I stop by this cafe almost every Saturday morning to get myself a treat before my 6th day of work for the week. The coffee is always good, the staff is always friendly, and they have tasty pastries. I'm not into the remodeled big room, though. Even with the slightly slanted tables pre-renovation it felt more comfortable and roomy. The tiny tables make it difficult to do much and the spacing is a little close for comfort. Still a favorite place in Chicago.
(4)Andrew W.
Came here to buy some cupcakes for a friend's birthday. I didn't end up eating any since I only bought three JUST FOR HER, but she said she loved them and thank you and Andrew you're so kind I love you. I bought and ate some macarons as a reward for being such a kind and generous and nice friend. The whole macaron field (or French desserts in general) isn't really my specialty, so I can't give an educated comparison of Alliance's macarons with those of other bakeries, but I really enjoyed the three that I had here. The (two) people behind the counter were very attentive and quick to respond to customer needs. There were a few people in line ahead of me, but I was served very quickly. The prices here are great, and it's located in a nice spot along the strip of restaurants on Division, so I can see myself coming here often after eating elsewhere. Or eating here first and then going to other restaurants to eat again, because desserts are the best.
(4)Kat M.
I am giving it 4 stars because I will love this place no matter what and it's my #1 destination for french macarons (not macaroons) in Chicago. But I have to complain... What happened to the cool creative macaron flavors. They would normally have one or two new odds out of the regulars and it would always be a surprise. Now, it's same old all the time. And one more thing. Why do they always run out of Red Velvet cupcakes. Why not just make more next time! Supply and demand... Still, looove the place!
(4)Tim S.
Been a few years since I updated this one. I like to escape the house occasionally for a little variety during the work week and find myself coming down here to jump on line. From the delicious choices in behind the glass, great service and wonderful coffee/teas that they serve it is still my go to in the neighbourhood. Their space next door is set up well for the person looking to jump on line or visit with a friend. Good music in the background hi enough to hear but low enough to talk over and not be heard by the next table and/or to put your headphones in and have to crank it. Thanks to the patrons that understand and respect others personal space. Ample outlets for laptops that need some juice as well.
(5)Porscha W.
This place is awesome! Had a 3D cake made for my birthday. Not only was the design beautiful but the carrot cake that it was made of tasted so good, it was nice and moist :). I put the picture in the photos on here, it's of a film reel. It costs a little bit but it was well worth it. It helped make my birthday one to remember.
(4)Allyson A.
I guess I should start this review by saying I am a fan of all baked goods, so I'm pretty hard to disappoint in that area. That being said, I can still say honestly that Alliance is good and worth a trip if you're nearby. I like to go to pick up some macarons. I don't actually know what flavors they offer though because I usually just get one of each (luckily they had pre-made variety boxes last time I was in). I never had a flavor I didn't like. Cupcakes are also a good choice. it's on the pricier side, but it's not healthy to be picking up cupcakes everyday anyways. And the staff is hit or miss -- I've had one guy help me who made me feel rushed and forced me to frantically pick cupcake flavors and another that I wanted to be best friends with before I left the place. Guess it depends on the day.
(4)julie q.
I decided to boycott this place forever when they told me that they wanted to charge $25 for a cake tasting for my wedding and then when I asked what happens to my $25 if I don't pick them I got "Well, we're very sure you'll pick us, but if you don't, thank you for your $25 donation." F. U. Anyhow, since that was over a year ago, I decided to walk in and let their bakery goodness overshadow their cake confidence. I'm happy to say that I'm glad I went in. I had a hazelnut and chocolate cupcake and Oh Mm Gee was it fantastic. Husbo had the tiramisu...Crazy freaking good. Do I still hold a grudge against alliance? Of course. I'm not very forgiving, however, another bite of one of their scrumdidilyumptious cupcakes helps my grudge slowly dissipate.
(3)Ana H.
Great cake and pastries. You must try all of their cup cakes at least once.
(5)Yiyun F.
Most desserts there are bit too sweet for me, but the Tramisu there is really delicious, one of the best in Chicago.
(3)Bill S.
I've only been to Alliance Bakery once but the first visit knocked me out! I picked up a small assortment of pastries and sweets to try at home. Everything was terrific - the cinnamon roll stood out in particular, particularly when served warm. I was also impressed by the vibe and service. Everyone in the shop was extremely friendly and seemed genuinely interested in helping me despite being very busy at the time. Seems that the folks who run the place have established a great culture among the employees. Can't wait to go back and visit the lounge.
(5)Bri M.
Alliance made my daughter's baptism cake. It was as beautiful as it was delicious. Granted it was the most I have ever shelled out for a non-wedding cake, based on my guests complimentary ummms, it was well worth the price. The 10" round was enough to generously serve 15 adults and two cake-loving kids, with about a quarter of the cake to spare. Working with Alliance to create my custom confection was a breeze. I produced a couple photos of design ideas and a color scheme and then left the creative work to the pros. The almond vanilla cake, vanilla buttercream frosting with whip cream filling was flavorful, moist, and not too sugary. Much love and thanks to Alliance!
(5)Yen D.
Fun neighborhood cafe and bakery; SO GLAD that I live across the street from this charming place. Very good free wifi. They've been remodeling their lounge for the past two months or so and it's a little schizophrenic/smells like paint but I have high hopes for it! The new furniture is nice and I like the set up with the big table/s in the middle and several small side tables, plus the couches in the front. It's a QUIET lounge, more like a library. People are free to talk in it, but I think in a quiet way is best (there are those couches for chatting). Excellent place to get work done in the evenings before 9, when it closes. A few tips: macarons are all amazing. Take the advice of anyone working there. We've tried maybe a dozen by now and I loved them all. The balsamic fig! The pistachio! The rose! The pumpkin spice! They change pretty often. Decent tea selection, other baked goods also look amazing but I've only ever gotten macarons and sugar cookies. Tip: sometimes the pandora station they sit on in the lounge dies off and wonders if we're all still there listening, so just walk back over to the bakery and ask them to turn it back on.
(5)Yanyao N.
HOLY MILK CHOCOLATE PASSIONFRUIT MACARON. (um, the happiest flavor party of September 2010 in Yanyao's mouth.) You should also probably get a chocolate creme filled banana cupcake as a side because moist banana cupcakes rule the world. My body is thankful that I do not live remotely close but my mouth and heart are already itching for more sweet treats. Total bakery swoon.
(5)Krysten T.
I love this place and not just because I live 5 minutes from here. The service was fantastic and I love their pastries. The line gets pretty long though but it's worth the wait! Oh and kronuts weren't that great.
(5)Michelle M.
Did you know? Alliance bakery has amazing macaroons for $1.75 each! I honestly wish I remembered which flavors I had gotten. They were all so delicious. I was in the neighborhood and wanted to pick up some macaroons to try. My fiance and I are planning to put them into favor boxes for our wedding in May. Almost every town we stop by, we pick up some macaroons. We've even tried the famous ones next to the Penninsula hotel, but these are definitely TO DIE FOR! Typically, all of the other places we've tried are green tea, coconut, vanilla, simple plain flavors. Alliance makes very creative flavors that taste amazing. I think I had the fig + mango, which was so delicious. We ended up refrigerating the rest for 2-3 days and they were still good! They will definitely be getting our wedding order! FYI, they have a $5 minimum credit card order, but it shouldnt matter bc all their macaroon flavors are a must try!
(5)Stephanie B.
The 3-star rating is only because I can't rate this up there with some of the places I've rated 4 stars, but I'd definitely consider it above average. I've been here 3x and have always had great experiences service-wise. The employees are really nice and can offer recommendations if you ask. My sister and I have never had macaroons before we started frequenting Alliance. The rose was interesting- definitely floral but tasty! The pistachio was also good, but I think more one-note, especially after the flavorfulness of the rose. The passion chocolate was probably my favorite so far- you get the chocolate middle part first, and then the passionfruit hits you and takes over in the best way possible. The balsamic fig- ugh, pass. The breads and cookies are really good- I grew up eating what I consider the world's best baked goods from the local bakery (Deerfield's) so it's hard to give an honest assessment. Prices are pretty reasonable. If you're in the area you should definitely stop in!
(3)Catlin P.
Cronuts. You heard me right. It may or may not be a real word, or just something the owner made up, but it's what you're going to get. If you don't, you will live in a perpetual state of loss, and your taste buds will die from curiosity. Maybe I should explain; a cronut is a donut made from the bread of a croissant. Therefore, this is a flaky donut, smothered in icing, and cream filled. What more could you ask for from a pastry?
(4)Jackie M.
I had the coconut lime, pistachio bradied cherry, passionfruit, and poppyseed macaroon. Its a WOW!! Each bite is soo delicious and takes the stress away. It was still good and soft after I left the macaroons overnight. the red velvet cupcake and the vanilla passion curd was okay, it was soft, but just okay. The Lola (mango and passionfruit mousse) was very tasty. This is one of my favorite bakery.
(5)Andrea Z.
I can't begin to rave enough about our wedding cake from Alliance Bakery! Working with Jennifer and the rest of staff was a total breeze and our cake was delicious. We came armed with a photo of what we would like our cake to look like and they nailed it, it was exactly what we were looking for and the cake itself was amazing. Especially given the fact that we had such a negative experience elsewhere, working with Alliance was even better. We can't thank you all enough and are anxiously awaiting the anniversary cake :)
(5)E M.
Why so sad here? You sell baked goods. Fun stuff like cupcakes, cookies, and cakes...that would make me smile. I went in over the weekend and there was NO ONE here yet I couldn't even get a "hello" or "thank you" from the staff. Bizarre. The cookie was pretty good but I require a little friendly interaction when I decide to hand over my $ to a local business. I'll head to Letizia's next time.
(2)Alejandro G.
I went out of my way to get their almond croissants which are fantastic, but their holiday cupcakes and cinnamon buns were rather bland, and dry. And at that price, I was highly disappointed. Yes, they have some interesting items to pick. and I suppose that maybe more than a half are worth it, but, I think I'll be more careful on what I choose and hit some other bakeries before or after I visit this Alliance. Their doggie biscuits used to be free if you purchased a certain amount price. But that's a thing of the past. Guess I'm better off getting some regular doggies treats someplace else. This used to be the Polish National Alliance bakery many years ago. And I must admit that their goods were superior in taste and quality. And they sure didn't last long in the house.
(2)Jose C.
Ok , when My wife and I looked into this place we were excited , we decided to order our wedding cake from here , we did the cake taste a 35$ cost that they deduct from your total if you do decide to order from there. Our expectations were met but only from the exterior , the cake look great and everyone including my self were dying to try a piece of it , everyone was hype up because we had order a cake from the famous Alliance bakery , but as soonest my wife and I took a bite we both were completely disappointed , the cake tasted nothing like it did during the cake taste, the pastry was dry and without a flavor , the filling ..? ehhh what filling .? the cake had a tiny amount of filling , not as promised by the representative when we ordered the 600$ dollar cake. I would recommend looking for a different bakery if you decide to order a wedding cake or any cake at all.
(1)Helen C.
I love the cakes in the window, butI love the stuff inside that I can eat even more. On our exploration of Wicker Park adventure, a cupcake and a brownie from Alliance Bakery set us up nicely for the day. The brownie was HUGE and delicious; the cupcake deserves the same description. I thought it was a bit expensive but the cakes are pretty rich, they'll last you a while! Some of the pastries etc. looked too beautiful to eat (though I would eat them without hesitation) and the Michael Jackson biscuits made me laugh even while Stacey surreptitiously took a photo.... If I explore Wicker Park again, I'll be back to Alliance for sweet sustenance.
(4)Tony F.
I've been going here for years. An ex-girlfriend actually introduced me to this little bakery in Bucktown/Wicker Park. I come here usually for a cup of coffee and once in a blue moon have a sweet tooth. I think their pastry's are a bit pricey but worth it....if you are craving something petite and delicious.
(4)Annie N.
I might be one in a million, but I honestly don't see what the hype is about this place. I've been here couple times and tried some of their baked goods, and I desperately want to give them a better rating, but nothing, really, hit the spot. First off, my boyfriend brought me a red velvet cupcake from here once. It had some sort of berry filling with cream frosting, and i just thought the flavors did not go well together. Nevertheless I decided to wait for future visits before I'd give this place a review. I came back again to get coffee, and everything was fine, but again not worth writing a review. So finally this past weekend, when I suffered from a chronic craving for croissants that we stopped back in here for our morning coffee and snack. Honestly, I think most of their baked goods are overpriced. The spinach & feta cheese croissant was almost 4 bucks, and it was big, but light as a feather. Their normal croissants were 2.50, and I hate paying that much for something I can inhale in under 2 minutes. Although, it seems to be the normal price for croissants in this city. It was good, but not out of this world. It cured my current pain, but of course not too long after I was again craving for some better croissants (I told you it's chronic). The boyfriend got 2 bagels and they were both ok. Coffee was good (Metropolis), and employees were nice. We sat next door in the lounge area for a while. It was around 10:00am, and I was surprised to see the place so crowded with many people on the computer. The lounge area itself was very clean with tons of natural sun light, and I can see it being a perfect place for studying or even a short convo. I do very much appreciate their creativity, which shown on their displayed cakes and baked goods. But honestly, some of the cakes were a bit disturbing for me personally (at the moment it's the human heart being displayed - I assumed - for valentine?).The next time I'm stopping by, I'll buy some macarons, and then I'll have some better judgement. But for now, it's more of an average spot for both desert and coffee.
(3)Laura C.
This is a great place to stop by and pick up little brownies, lemon bars, raspberry oatmeal bars, etc. to bring to someone's party when you are too lazy to bake. :) Cut them in half diagonally and you have cute little triangles to share with your hungry friends! The cupcakes are nowhere as good as Sweet Mandy B's, but the other baked good hit the spot.
(4)Stephanie K.
I think I got my hopes up too high when I came here to indulge my fat kid tendencies. I've been a few times and have tried their red velvet, sugar cookies and the macaroons. Good, but for the price I don't think it was worth it. I'm probably biased though because I can get delicious cream filled cupcakes in my hometown for 1.50..Mmm diabetes. Their cake displays are gorgeous and so creative though! I loooved their Nightmare before Christmas one
(3)Kim B.
I had a cake made for my boyfriends birthday, and it exceeded my expectations w/ both the design and taste. this is my new go-to bakery!
(5)Anonymou S.
I've always loved Alliance Bakery but my last visit there was less than stellar. My sister and I, pleasant and polite people that we are, arrived and attempted to make our usual complimentary small talk with the staff as we looked at all the treats and placed our orders. We didn't expect to be met with eye rolling, impatient sighs and complete lack of verbalization..it was pretty uncomfortable. We felt as though we were bothersome and barely tolerable to Alex, who seems to possess an encyclopedia of dirty looks and aloof mannerisms meant to make customers feel like shit for the mere crime of placing an order or complimenting the pretty cakes. My sister, watching this dramatic display of his, (loudly) told me to just yelp it. Alex then slammed my package down on the counter in front of me and stalked off with a smirk. When I opened the little box with the tiny, beautiful cake inside I brought home for my daughter, I found it was placed in the box on it's side, and I'm sure the slamming didn't help matters, either. It was a mound of goo rather than it's original, perfectly decorated self. My daughter and I enjoyed the sloppy deliciousness of it anyway (God it was good!) but it was just unreasonable callousness for Alex to do such a thing. As lovely as the bakery treats are (and we've also ordered cakes for many occasions over the years) I won't be going back again. Sorry Alliance, your customer service is atrocious.
(1)Breanne G.
Alliance is a cute little pastry and coffee place. They serve intelligentsia coffee and have a great variety of pastries. I personally enjoy everything they bake, especially the almond croissant. The only exception is the cronut. I'm not sure what to think of it and will not be ordering it again. The place next door is great for relaxing and enjoying your coffee and pastry. If it's nice outdoors, then their patio is a place to hang out. Alliance is definitely worth a visit.
(4)Stephanie C.
Nice place. Came here when I was on the hunt for macarons with my cousins :) they were both macaron virgins...so of course we had to go get some! They have a great selection of favors and their other desserts looked pretty good too. The guy behind the counter wasn't that friendly, unfortunately. He was actually kind of condescending and I think he was sort of laughing at our excitement when we saw all the macarons... But not in a nice way- in a "you guys are stupid" kind of way. Other than that, the macarons were good.
(3)Sam S.
Pretty good spot. The wifi is excellent, the coffee pretty good, the bakery not too bad. The lounge area could use an interior designer and some ambiance and culture. The bake shop itself is a cool little dive. Their sign outside is classic. And they have a great storefront display. I'm a fan.
(4)Helen L.
This is the place to buy macaroons! Price is good and lots of selections.
(4)Kiki N.
We ordered our wedding cake and grooms cake from Alliance. The groom's cake was for our rehearsal dinner and was amazing. I gave them a picture of our college mascot and they created a beautiful and delicious lemon cake. For our wedding cake, it turned out exactly how I imagined. We chose red velvet with cream cheese frosting and yellow cake with a strawberry filing. Our guests commented on how it was the best wedding cake they had ever had. The problem was they forgot to deliver our sheet cake. So only HALF of my guests got cake (my parents didn't even get a piece!). The next day we called to find out what happened and they were less than apologetic. They "forgot" to deliver it. Your business is making cake and delivering-- I think that this is completely unacceptable. They did refund us for the sheet cake, but it was a minimal amount. I'm sure this doesn't happen all the time, however- it was really disappointing that half my guests missed dessert due to this mistake. The cake itself was designed perfectly and tasted great.
(3)Mandy P.
I had a fabulous experience with Alliance pretty much up until the guy who boxed my cake broke the "30" on the top of it. I wasn't thrilled however; I wanted to try it before I decided what my general review was going to be. Had the cake been dry, I most definitely would have only given the bakery 3 stars because despite that, it was a work of art. I was happily surprised when I actually got to try it; it was a true culinary delight! The cake was so moist and flavorful. I had chocolate with vanilla buttercream on the base layer and red velvet on the top. The red velvet wasn't anything special without cream cheese icing, but it was still better than some others I've had. I definitely recommend Alliance for special occasion pastries or just any day pastries.
(4)Kris L.
Came here for my wedding cake tasting. Mitchell organized our tasting and was very helpful. He knew more about the flavors than the design, but he spoke w/the bakers after the meeting. We wanted a elegant but work intensive design, and the bakers didn't think this would be a problem at all. The flavors during the tasting were absolutely amazing and we can't wait to see the final project. We are so excited and alliance was a pleasure to work with.
(4)Becky A.
Great coffee, delicious pastries, and a nice outdoor patio.
(5)Leila N.
I wish I could give a Alliance a higher review... but their cupcakes are just too overpriced! My husband and I ordered 2 dozen cupcakes for our baby shower, half vanilla, half chocolate. The chocolate cupcakes were absolutely delicious!! Moist and decadent. The vanilla were just okay. But it turns out that they charged 3 dollars a cupcake (!) I was hoping that we would get some kind of discount because we were ordering in bulk, but no luck there. I'd recommend this place for a snack, but not for catering. The price is just too high.
(3)Mick B.
Alliance Bakery was the starting point of our recent "Bakery Crawl" which I have to say was a novel experience. Other reviewers have covered the ins and outs of Alliance baked goodies, but I wanted to mention that Alliance serves Intelligentsia coffee and even have their own special "Alliance Bakery Blend" which you can purchase whole bean (or ground) by the pound. I enjoy Alliance's special coffee blend but please note that I am a smooth coffee drinker (which does not mean "weak") and I think that certain major chain brand coffee beans taste burned to my palate rather than robust; I feel there is a noticeable difference between the two. I can always tell someone in the Wicker Park area that has been to Alliance recently because they have just a hint of cupcake frosting on their face! It's so hilarous!
(4)Will M.
The pastries are ok, though perhaps over-priced. The coffee is Bowtruss roasted, though perhaps carelessly brewed. Overall the bakery is decent, though perhaps overrated.
(3)Jane Y.
my coworker/friend had bought me a cupcake hereeee it was delicious! i came in last night literally at closing hours.. desperately trying to get my macacron fix which was a fail at ba le they let me in! so sweet of them i tried the blueberry which was pretty good raspberry was the best! pistacio was mehmeh and the mexican chocolate was not too bad either!
(5)Jane E.
One among the many good bakeries in Chicago. I love going here for the treats as they truly are irresistible. And the cafe makes great coffee worth every penny. Also, studying there can be fun - if you can find a place to sit. Oh yeah, finding a place to sit during times that are busy - difficult, if not impossible. And you have to jump rope over the various power cords that dart the area. It's worth going to if you're all by yourself and want to kick it on off hours - heavy hours, forget it.
(5)Jessica W.
This review is only for their pain au chocolat and their ambiance. I'm 8 months pregnant at the moment, and all I can think about is their chocolate croissants, which sucks for me, cause they're not really close to where I live. They're really good. So we've been going every weekend for breakfast. The inside has a nice bakery feel. I hate when I walk into a bakery and it feels dirty. This place has a great balance going on. Feels clean, but warm and not sterile. I haven't tried their coffee (I usually get our croissants and eat them at caffe streets). I suppose I owe it to them to stay and have a cuppa with them this weekend.
(5)Melissa S.
Strolled by here yesterday and decided to walk in after spending a good 10 minutes admiring the cake art in their window display. Friendly staff, yummy treats, I'm into it! I made the person helping me repeat the macaron flavors about 10 times before I realized they were written right in front of my face, but she didn't complain. I'm eating a rose macaron right now, in fact. I'll return! I do wish they had just a couple more gluten-free options around. Oh, and they should make maple macarons, that's a really underrated flavor, IMO. But, you know, not every place can cater to me.
(4)Jake W.
I was inspired to come to this place because of a conversation I was having with my hairdresser at Swagger. I mentioned how I liked the neighborhood because it reminded me of San Francisco, to which the hairdresser replied how hipsterific she found the area. She said she was afraid to even go into Alliance because of the nasty attitude permeating off the workers behind the counter. Of course, I always take such invitations to abuse as a challenge to annoy and overwhelm the hipster chromosomes with a false air of sunshiny happiness. So I decided to dress up in a collared shirt and dress pants, put on a backpack, turn off the Toxic Narcotic and put on the Katy Perry to show them how this firework can sparkle. Well, my apparel change was unnecessary, because the girl behind the counter was wonderful and helpful, easily engaging in playful banter and making suggestions. I ended up getting a Moroccan Mint tea and some pastries that looked good, then wandered over to the next door lounge. It had a giant open area with a leather couch and chairs, tons of tables and chairs, and a bunch of back rooms that feel like old 1920's parlor rooms in an F Scott Fitzgerald novel. It is the perfect place to study and the clientelle is a mixture of punkish people, hipsters, trendsters, and the general public. I have been back a number of times and started doing my study with cookie breaks.
(4)Basil D.
Read all the way through: Let me say that I love the bakery here, but I'm absolutely livid. I was told when I walked in this morning that the beignets were still being made and that there was a new person making them. So I had my coffee and worked in the lounge. An hour later, I went back, and I got my beignet, which was stone-cold. It was obviously not being made fresh, but defrosting from the freezer! More so, they have amazing breakfast sandwiches, but if you ask to have it heated, they put it in the microwave! What the hell? What self-respecting bakery that takes pride in its work will put perfectly excellent bakery and throw it in a microwave so it will get all "gummy". AND...AND....if you ask if they can warm it in the oven in the back, you are promptly told, "no"! Geez people.... so close to being one of the greatest bakeries in Chicago..... Ike H....the same lady was the one who LIED to me about the beignet! I agree, she is NOT the most pleasant person to deal with...everyone else there is pretty cool. So, I went and spoke to the owner about my experience this morning. He informed me that the beignets were in fact made fresh, but that the new girl making them put cold filling in a fresh, out of the oven, hot beignet, which is what caused the problem. So I changed my 2 star to a 4 star. The owner was extremely proactive, very pleasant, and offered me another beignet tomorrow!
(4)Julia S.
Desserts here are heavenly. I'd like to marry the pastry chef if possible. The fluffy macaroons and oh so delicious, perfect amount of cream, dough and frosting eclairs are my favorites. Great place to get dessert for a dinner party or if you just want to treat yourself a bit.
(4)Megan C.
2 million Yelp points for creativity and decorating BEAAAUTIFUL LOOKING CAKES HERE!! (-2 Yelp Stars for so so cupcakes and too sweet frosting. Blah! " ___|___ | | HAVE YOUR CAKE -------------------- ...and eat it too! | | --------------------------- | | ___________________ ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||Â|||||||||| ||||| ||||| ||||| ||||| ||||| ||||| ||||| ||||| ||||| ||||| WOW! What a following! I heard this place was pretty well known but 100 + reviews! We had to buy the only cake left for my Mom's friend who was having a birthday and I just honestly wasn't impressed. I also bought two cupcakes to try them (hoped they would be better than Magnolia in NYC) and was all but let down by the taste. Cake was slightly moist frosting was toooooooo sweet. Not my bag. I'm posting the photos now from the cakes in the window. Unbelievable! Love the purse cake and the ice age cake! Great little sitting area outside and all of the pastries looks really great but I didn't have a chance to try them. Let's just say I think this place is the cooler hipper "Magnolia" of Chicago. Face it everybody the cake wouldn't impress a sweet tooth. Try Billy's in Manhattan or head on back home to your Mamma's kitchen. Date Rating: 5 Pick up Scale: 4 Strong Suggestions: If you're interested in cake. Be specific, know what you want, and get ready to see some creative genius.
(3)Brett K.
My new neighbor and best friend. Breakfast sandwiches on the weekends are becoming and obsession and all the standards are awesome. Dipped into the cakes and pie case for the first time this weekend with parents in town visiting and was not disappointed, cheese cake turtle and key lime graham, mmmm.... Great coffee, people, outdoor seating, dog treats, etc etc etc
(5)Mary Ann C.
We now order all of our birthday cakes from Alliance. They do a fabulous job! We have had them create a Prada handbag cake, cow cake, and Angelina Ballerina cake. Obviously, the handbag was the one for me....and our little one liked the other cakes! The cakes are moist and delicious! Love buying cookies, scones, and any other treat out of the cases when we are in the neighborhood. My favorite bakery!
(5)Jane L.
I had a terrible experience with Alliance when ordering a cake for my gender reveal party. I clearly explained to the sales clerk that we were planning to find out the sex of our baby with our family and handed her an envelope from the doctor's office which listed the gender. Sadly, instead of pink AND blue frosting on the outside like I had requested, our entire cake was pink when my husband picked it up the day of the reveal party. So, instead of together with family, my husband found out the sex of our baby alone at Alliance bakery...not exactly how we'd imagined it. Alliance did make us a new cake so that we can could go on with the surprise for the other 20 guests that were coming. They told us the owner would call us to refund the price of the cake, but no one ever called to explain what happened or refund the price of the cake. It's just very disappointing that our local bakery made such a big mistake and was so unapologetic about it..
(2)Victoria D.
Chai-yi-yi...delicious but not overassuming. I definitely did not need to add sugar to enjoy. Don't pass up on the apricot oatmeal dessert bar. It definitely made my day.
(4)Teri Y.
This review is based on the macarons. My fiance surprised me with macarons from Alliance Bakery when I was getting my hair done at Strange Beauty Show. He knows my love for macarons. I agree with one of the reviewers-- why is it so difficult to get good macarons in Chicago? Is it just Chicago? After traveling to different parts of the world and having the luxury to taste excellent macarons (and I'm talking about Pierre Herme macarons.... he is the god of macarons, IMHO), I was always disappointed at the lack of good macarons in Chicago. Alliance Bakery's macarons look so pretty and they taste so fantastic. Ok granted, no one can beat Pierre Herme. He is after all, the god of macarons. But still, Alliance Bakery's macaron is pretty damn good! Another best part is that the macarons here are only $1.50 each. OMG seriously? I'm so glad I found a place for my macaron fix.
(5)Anahit G.
This is one of my favorite cages in Chicago. Their macaroons are amazing, and I know my macaroons!!! They make delicious pastries and coffee, and beautiful cakes (and offer wedding cake tastings!). The only drawback is the lack of room in the cafe for seating, and the constantly crowded lounge next door. But, for treats to go, it's perfect.
(4)Sarah G.
The cakes are so cool and its really cute there, but the staff is always so rude and unhappy to see a customer, it ruins the experience.
(1)Jelena Z.
The cakes at Alliance are beautiful sculptures. Every single time I walk by their storefront, I linger in front of the window with the Louis Vuitton handbag cake. Admit it, I know you have too! I tried a lemon bar because it's my own personal gauge of goodie greatness. Outcome? Success. I've sampled a slice (or 8) of my friend's birthday cakes over the years and always manage to smuggle a piece home, even if I have to wrap it in a napkin (is that the tacky equivalent of plastic left on a sofa?). Oh well, then I'm a perpetrator. And the cafe next door is perfect for getting work DONE. It's definitely not social hour so move along if you're feeling Chatty Cathy-ish. Yep, like Colleen C says, it's indeed a library sans books. I love my lattes here and right this very moment, I'm enjoyed hot tea that tastes like liquefied Jello. Sweeeeet.
(5)Angel S.
Amazing! Went here during the summer to grab a cup of coffee and some pastries. We walked in only expecting to grab one item, but ended up grabbing a few things because we couldn't make up our minds. Everything was perfect- not overly sweet or overly rich, but the perfect balance. I'm definitely waiting for the first excuse to return!
(5)Kellie W.
First, let's talk coffee. I usually go for specialty drinks instead of drip when I'm at a coffee shop. But the alliance blend is so delicious that I'd always suggest drinking drip here. I've also had their vanilla latte and mocha, but the alliance blend just can't be beat. It's very rich, without being too heavy. Their croissants are fantastic and super flakey in the french style. Very solid bakery.
(4)Jims L.
There's one thing that I've enjoyed at Alliance Bakery - their lemon bars. Have been coming back at least once a week since November to try something new, never to be impressed. Will not be stopping by anymore. Was attempting to put on a bakesale for a charity organization and got in touch with four bakeries on Division. Alliance, and especially Michael Nitschky, the retail manager, was the least accessible and professional of them all. To get just a *response* - what ensued: I stopped in, told to email; emailed, never got a response; stopped in again a few days later, was told Michael would get the letters/brochures I printed out by 9AM; received no call, even though they were aware that the sale was happening in the afternoon; finally called again past 11AM when I received no word; he answered the phone with "this is Michael" and I had to brief him about everything as if he hadn't really gotten any messages. It's not a big deal if you can't help -- the least you can do is respond when the decision is so clear-cut on your end and keep us from waiting around with our hopes up. It was easier to get a hold of (and positive response from) more corporate Sprinkles Cupcakes.
(1)Seth F.
Maybe I haven't given this place enough of a chance. The Yelp community obviously adores it and it's been a mainstay of my neighborhood for far longer than I've been here. But I've been twice and both times I was exceptionally underwhelmed with what I had. Suffice to say, the amazingly stylized cakes in the window project a false image of quality that I've found unmatched by the stuff they make that's actually edible.
(3)Huifang H.
Love their flourless chocolate cake! so rich but not too sweet~~
(4)Cristina C.
I recently wanted a specialty cake made for a special occasion. I have never had a large specialty cake made so I was a little nervous, but Alliance went above and beyond during every step in the process. . When I first called the bakery to describe what I wanted and when I wanted it, they gave me several ideas and suggested several days/times to come in to meet with a cake decorator to design the cake. When I went into the store to design the cake, I met with a great designer who put together a few ideas and then called in the owner who really took it to the next level. My original design would have had very little cake, so the owner came up with a new design that would not only feed my guests but also look great. When I picked up the cake, it looked better than the original sketch. The cashier offered helpful tips to keep it fresh and cool as well as to bring it out to my car. At the party, everyone was very surprised by the design and then thrilled with the taste of the cake. It was extremely moist and had the perfect amount of peanut butter filling for the chocolate cake. All in all, a huge and delicious success!
(5)Christine F.
We got our 4-tiered wedding cake from Alliance and it was perfect! I had a vague idea of what I wanted it to look like, and Jennifer gave us a rough sketch that captured my vision. As our wedding neared, she added some additional detail as we finalized the design. The best part: the cake was DEEELICIOUS!!!!!! I love cake, so the taste and moistness of the cake was really important to me, particularly because this was the only dessert we had at the wedding. But it was perfect. The caterer couldn't cut the cake fast enough. The amount of cake was perfect as well - we only had a small portion leftover. I will go back to Alliance for any cake that we need in the future! YUM!
(5)Nancy T.
The only reason I won't give Alliance 5 stars is because I learned that their cakes that are already made and ready to be picked up are not as delicious as their special order cakes. I purchased a chocolate cake that was ready to go same day and it was just ok. But that same day I placed an order for a small red velvet cake to pick up a week later and it was fantastic! My mother, so picky when it comes to cakes, loved it!!! We all did! It is a little pricey, but the great taste is worth it! The staff is very friendly & helpful, too!
(4)Angela P.
Beep beep! Alliance Bakery, last stop on my Fat Tuesday paczki crawl. This bakery is much smaller than others I stopped at for paczki, and waiting behind three people is hardly what I would call a line. I placed a pre-order anyway (you have to phone it in) for a Raspberry Rose and a Blueberry Lemon paczki. The variety of flavors is lacking, but those two flavors stood out to me. The standard custard and apple are also available. The Raspberry Rose on its own makes Alliance worth a stop. There was tons of tart, raspberry filling, with a light rose flavor that wasn't too perfumey or overwhelming, but certainly exotic enough to make the trip. I'm not lying when I say I'll probably order a dozen or so from Central Continental, but I'll stop at Alliance (kind of, but not really, on the way home) just for one or two Raspberry Rose. The dough is a little more dry than other bakeries, and I didn't like the blueberry lemon at all. The blueberry filling lacked any sweetness. What drew me to Alliance also is that they sell macarons. I figured that in the late morning, on Fat Tuesday, nobody's thinking about macarons. But I was really disappointed when the two I wanted (balsamic fig and rose) were sold out. They still had eight other flavors for $1.75/each, and they sell pre-packaged ones for $20. Next time I'm in Wicker Park I'll stop by for the macarons. There's also a lot of great shopping in the area, so it's totally worth adding Alliance as a destination.
(4)emily h.
The best bakery for wedding cake and favors! Nora at Alliance was so helpful and easy to work with when selecting our wedding cake and wedding favors. My husband and I aren't big cake people so we wanted a smaller cake for the "cutting the cake moment" at our reception. We weren't planning on cutting or serving it, only for the moment for my husband and I. Nora was super receptive to this idea and made us a 10 in, beautiful white and gold cake, exactly what we wanted. She was open to me sending her a picture of the design and colors that i wanted, and made the cake exactly to what we pictured! We were able to take our cake home, eat half and freeze the other half! Not only did it look beautiful, it tastes amazing! even a week later, the cake is still moist and yummy! Where Nora and staff at alliance were so helpful was with our favors. We chose to give our guests each a french macaroon, one purple and one white. My mom made the boxes that each cookie was to be presented in, and alliance was more than happy to work with us in putting each cookie in the box we provided. This was a huge cost savings to us and looked so good! Everyone was eating and loving the favors as they left the wedding reception! We live very close to Alliance and often go for coffee or treats, but now we know they are truly the best for cakes and macaroons!!! I would highly recommend working with alliance for any baked needs you have, not to mention, they delivered the cake and cookies to our venue!
(5)Lindsay p.
Ordered a cake online, received an email with the pricing asking me to confirm. I did, and got another email asking me to call with a credit card number to reserve. I did. I went to pick up the cake, and they did not have the cake, and had no record of my order (despite the fact that I had the email exchange to show them). Fine, you made a mistake. But then they did nothing to try to help me. A discount on a comparable cake, maybe? Or cupcakes? Or something? (There were a bunch of people at my house for a birthday). They seemed to be satisfied with the fact that they hadn't charged my credit card for the cake that they never made.
(1)XTreats X.
Macarons are nice and soft. Lemon poppy seed was a little sweet. Didn't have any other pastries but they looked good. Not the largest selection. What gives this the 4th star is the Bow Truss coffee, cool lounge and nice staff.
(4)Liz B.
This review is for a custom cookie order. I saw cookies on Pinterest that I wanted to have replicated for a baby shower, so I emailed the photo to a couple of Chicago bakeries, including Alliance. They were so quick to respond with a price quote (I emailed with Nora), and when I said that price per cookie was too high for me, they made suggestions about how the design could be tweaked to lower the price. When I picked up the cookies (which were ready and waiting when they said they woudl be), I was blown away by how perfect they were! They were somehow even more amazing than the original picture I had sent in. The colors were awesome and the design was flawless. While custom designed cookies are never cheap, I would certainly go back to Alliance for a future order.
(5)Chris S.
The quality of the products coming out of this bakery is easily some of the best I've had, anywhere in the world. The macaroons are representative of the expert craftwork that's going on at Alliance; too frequently, macaroon flavors are unremarkable, textures border on stale, and prices are absurd. Alliance macaroons are none of this, and everything this treat should capture. Their cakes are creative and delicious, and the cake pops are excellent versions of the larger delicacy.
(5)Athena A.
We ordered our wedding cake from Alliance Bakery. Nora and Jennifer perfectly coordinated our cake tasting and the setup and delivery of the cake. We live in California and they made discussing and choosing a cake design so easy. We got a two-tiered raspberry buttercream cake with the frosting design of our choice. I should add that they did a fantastic job of reproducing the exact design that we wanted. We got lots of compliments on the elegant design of the cake in addition to how delicious it was.
(5)Leigh C.
How cool are the wedding cakes in the window? Well, we got our wedding cake here and it was not that cool at all. We were promised one thing and given something completely different. I insisted I wanted buttercream because it tastes better, and they said they could do a small design around the base in fondant and the rest buttercream, but instead we were lied to and the whole thing was fondant. Second, we never got a design blueprint, despite asking for one every other week for a long time!!! The gray color did not match the swatch I dropped off, the inscription was written in two lines so it didn't match the round inscription on the dome, the design was plain and frankly ugly looking. If you told me I was paying for fondant, I would have picked a much crazier idea and went for looks than taste. In the end, nobody ate the cake either and we were given a full tall 8" top tier round to take home. Terrible experience. Terrible communication about the design. They were not interested in working with is at all. Price was exorbitant. Don't come here if you have a summer wedding. They're just too swamped and don't put the time into working with you.
(2)Saul A.
The pastries and service here are great but the cake we ordered for my 2 year old sons birthday last year was petty bad. My girlfriend placed the order about 3 weeks in advance. She had me pick it up and I seriously should have rejected it because of how crappy it looked. It was a Thomas the train cake but Thomas looked like he had a bums beard and had been drinking for quite some time. He was very bloated looking. I had no choice but to take it as it was picked up on the day of our little guys birthday and we were traveling to see family. I am not sure if it was an off day for the decorator or what but I will not buy another birthday cake from this place again. I will look for pics and try to upload later so you guys can see that I am not exaggerating.
(2)Melissa A.
I discovered Alliance Bakery one evening after dining at Carriage House (one of my favorite restaurants) since they're a few storefronts over. I've only been here a handful of times but I can vouch for their cupcakes, macarons, spinach feta croissant, and coffee! The cupcakes that I've tried (red velvet, salted caramel, and maybe a hazelnut??) were awesome and I don't throw that compliment around easily. Their cupcakes are moist, not overly sweet, and frosting was delicious and not too heavy. The coffee they serve here is Bow Truss (local Chicago based coffee roasters) and it's pretty darn good. I'm sure anything you order here won't disappoint!
(4)Jill M.
Nora and the Alliance team are incredible! The staff is so talented, creative and their customer service is impeccable! No one does cakes better than Alliance Bakery! Thank you for always delivering when I am in a pinch :)
(5)Sara J.
Yikes. This place upsets me so. I live down the street and need cupcakes on a weekly basis to survive. There cupcakes are edible, that's right edible; yet so so expensive. Who are they kidding with those prices? Maybe if the cupcake was phenomenal it wouldn't sting as much. Also I've ordered a Cherry pie to take to a dinner party and it was so artificial tasting. The cakes in the display are darling but it's more so like a museum than a bakery; look don't eat. Sorry Alliance, I will not be visiting again.
(2)C C.
Second best in the Second City, Their almond croissant is what I crave most-- truly amazing! There is only one other that's better, and you need to be in Hyde Park for that one, I've had their other sweet rolls- all very, very good. I haven't tried a lot of there stuff yet-- it's a bit too neo fancy for me, but if you like that kind of stuff, my guess is that it is good, too. It's taking me a long time to write this because some of the waitstaff often seem to sort of "shut down" when they serve me. I'll see them yakking it up with people in front of me-- okay, you know them, I get that. But, the extreme detachment mode when it's my turn is a turn off. and, this from those employees/owners? who have worked there for a long time. Maybe I'm not a "regular enough" customer? FYI, I've been going there since it was a Polish bakery where English was barely spoken and the various saints "namedays" were written on a huge, chalkboard calendar. So, it makes me an oldster, but don't I qualify me for "regular enough" status? I can handle consistent rudeness when a place is good, but what's with the off/on friendliness?
(4)Tiffany C.
Alliance feels like a neighborhood fixture. That's one of the best things about it. They had a wide array of cupcakes to choose from, but the cheesecake is what won me and my sister over. We shared their small fruit cheesecake as a mid-afternoon sweet pick-me-up on a cloudy summer day. I personally really liked it because it WASN'T as dense as cheesecakes normally come - it was actually a bit more airy/mousse-like in its consistency, which made it feel like each mouthful melted easily on my tongue. My only bone to pick with this place is that their coffee was pretty awful. I'm not a coffee drinker normally and even I could tell this was watered down and dreadful. Oh, and their inside seating is completely monopolized by students/Mac-addicts plugging away at their computers. They look up irritably as you enter and attempt to invade their space by daring to eat dessert in the quiet zone. As a result, we relegated ourselves to the outside patio, where thankfully none of these zombie patrons were in sight.
(4)Cerene P.
De-LI-CIOUS!!!!! Today we celebrated 2 birthdays in which we had carrot and german chocolate cake cupcakes. I only tried the Carrot Cake Cupcake, I must say it was AWESOME. Moist, fresh, perfect cream cheese frosting -definitely one of the better cupcakes i've had through out chicago. Perfect treat for a stressful week.
(4)Gina G.
Nothing makes me happier than a place I can pick up a delicious cupcake and macaroons after dinner time! Yummy :D
(5)Stefanie B.
I have to say hands down Alliance Bakery has the BEST almond croissants I've ever had. They don't have much variety in their bakery but what they do have is really good and all you really need is the almond croissants. Last time I was there I tried macarons which I'm not really a fan of but they were really good here and I actually liked them!! They had different flavors than the ordinary ones. The staff is so sweet and friendly...5 STARS!
(5)Mira S.
Good, fresh macaroons in some interesting flavors. The yuzu was refreshing, and bright green to boot. The fig and raspberry were also good. They do a pumpkin spice latte, and they make the syrup themselves, and know where all of the ingredients are from. It's subtle, and it didn't taste like the syrup had much sugar, if any, it was just flavor--I'm a big fan of that. Friendly staff. Awesome looking cakes, including one that looks like a fairy tale book, with a big dragon behind it. I'm sure the cakes are delicious, if they're half as good as they are well decorated.
(4)Zorin D.
So I was walking along the street when I happened to see macaroons out of the corner of my eye. I had to stop and try them as the assorted colors drew you in. It was a great desert and my favorite was the sea salt caramel along with the rose. I did a little mental math later that angered me a little bit. I paid $19.25 for a box of ten macaroons and they were being sold for $1.75 each. This place would have gotten an easy 5 stars for me if I didn't feel like I was getting ripped off a bit to buy a box. I didn't think about it until after we left though. All things considered. Everything I tried was good. Just remember to buy individually instead of the box.
(4)Jennifer L.
I was in the area shopping for a treat to bring to a family gathering for Easter. I had originally intended on getting a pie from another bakery in the area, but quickly changed my mind upon seeing the beautifully decorated cakes in the shop's window. I just had to see if the cakes tasted as good at they looked. I bought a red velvet cake, which was decorated like an Easter egg. We ate the cake after dinner the following day and it still tasted great. I can only imagine how good it would have tasted had I eaten it right away. There was a thin layer of cream cheese frosting in between the cake and the frosting was not overly sweet either. My only critique would be that I would have liked to have more cream cheese frosting inside the cake. The family enjoyed the cake as well. I also bought a raspberry macaron and a key lime tart. The macaron was definitely the best raspberry one that I have sampled so far! I enjoyed the crisp outside and the raspberry filing inside was absolutely delicious. The key lime tart was made to perfection. I loved the thickness of the crust, which held the filing for the tart nicely. I also enjoyed the whipped cream that was on top of it. I ate the tart over the course of two days and it still tasted great on the second day. Overall, I was highly impressed with Alliance Bakery and definitely will be back to try some more of their goodies when I return to the area.
(4)Mark D.
I walked in and ordered a beverage. They made the order and I pulled out my debit card to pay. The guy at the counter told me that I needed to spend at least $5 to use a debit card (lol) but he also explained that the bigger issue was that their credit card machine was broken. He asked me if I wanted to write my debit card number on a piece of paper so that they could charge it when the machine was working. I said no. I probably won't go back here. Two stars because I have a feeling a one star review would be filtered.
(2)Maia D.
The macarons are deeeelicious. The people who work in the shop are great, too. The tres leches cake was really good, but I thought there was too much whipped cream on top but not enough cake (other than that, fabulous). Will stop by again soon!
(5)Michelle L.
I wanted to give this place a shoutout for great service. I was staying across the street at the Ruby Room inn when I got locked out of my room, and no one was around to let me back in. I headed across the street to Alliance and their counter staff Sam and Abie not only let me use their phone to call, but let me stay in the bakery for ninety minutes waiting for someone to come let me in, and served me a coffee and pastry even though I didn't have my wallet on me at the time. They were so patient with me and so helpful with looking up contact information. I'm seriously grateful to them! Oh, the cortado I had was also fantastic. I'm looking forward to bringing some of their macarons home to New York, especially the balsamic fig flavor! Thanks so much guys. :-)
(5)Richa A.
I wish I lived next to this place. This is exactly the kind of bakery I love and seek out in a city. I got a dark chocolate mousse cake which was garnished with what appeared to be really teeny tiny macaroons, and then some kind of vanilla filling with a peanut butter crunch thrown in. It was amazing. I eat a lot of good dessert on a regular basis, but this blew me away. Next door to it is the Alliance Lounge which you can go sit down in if you want, although everyone already in there were using it as a place to do work and it wasn't exactly a fun or cozy cafe vibe.
(5)Morenike K.
So far, one of the best bakeries in the city. The service was great and the food was great.
(4)Misse D.
How have I skipped a review of Alliance? My bad. I dream of their frosting. It is so good and thick that I cannot help but day dream when I am eating a super healthy lunch, like today, of veges and string cheese. Their cupcakes are my favorite. I had had a few of their cookies, which I recommend. They are good but not the best. I love their cake so much that my husband and I came here for a wedding cake tasting. The cake was good but not the Best in the City. Their designs are good but again, not the Best in the City. I prefer to stop in one a cold day for a red velvet cupcake. Yum.
(4)michaelia f.
I want to like this place, I really do. I love pastries, and was on the hunt for a place to study after the demise of Filter. Alliance was one of the first places I tried because I live ridiculously close. I came here on a Wednesday afternoon to get some work done and indulged myself in an iced chai and a red velvet cupcake. Service was slow; it seemed like each of the counter workers had no idea what the others were doing. I got my chai, which was quite nice, if a bit too sweet to my tastes. Their seating area is next door, so I took my delicious-looking cupcake and settled into a table near the wall. The cupcake looked beautiful, but when I bit into it, it was a dry and crumbly mess. I took a bite of the frosting, which was grainy and inedible. I was so disappointed I couldn't finish it. Now, I thought this was just a fluke; maybe they just had an off day and forgot about some cupcakes in the case. No big deal. So I went in again, because the seating space is ok and hardly ever busy. I got a brownie, which unfortunately suffered from the same problems as the cupcake: dry, crumbly, and like it was at least a day or two old. Alliance gets an extra star because their bagels are decent and their seating area is not usually busy. Avoid the pastry.
(2)Ashley L.
These folks made my wedding cake and good Lord was it delicious. They let us choose a different flavor and filling for each tier and all of them were amazing. I absolutely recommend the almond cake with chocolate filling. It's phenomenal (if you like almond). I had a ton of people at my wedding asking me who made the cake. They were also really easy to deal with and very nice folks. They let us choose the almond cake for no extra charge (normally it would be extra with the package we got). The cake itself looked great, too, so that was a plus. Overall, I highly recommend Peter and his team at Alliance.
(5)Joscelyn M.
I find it a true testament to my willpower that I pass this place every day, twice a day and have only been in a few times. Trust me, if chocolate was calorie-free, I would be all over this place. I've had the bars, brownies and cupcakes and have been in heaven with every bite! Now about that calorie-free chocolate, Alliance... Hmmm? However - I have to say the baby shaped cake is a bit weird, but who am I to judge?
(4)Erini S.
Whenever I'm working in Wicker Park, I tend to stop by Alliance. It's a nice place with good treats. Their lemon strawberry cupcake was pretty awesome. Mostly, I love their sugar cookies. It's a basic sugar cookie, but well, they just look awesome. They re-purposed the easter bunny cookie to make owls (which were amazingly cute!), and then a week or so ago they had NES controllers! The geek in me squealed -- then tweeted a picture of it. I think my only complaint of them, ever, has been that they aren't necessarily the speediest, but it wasn't tragically slow. More like Sunday Morning slow. Which normally I wouldn't mind, I just had a shop of my own to open up.
(4)Frances C.
The bakery itself looks pretty cool, but that's not what I want to talk about. What I want to talk about is the fact that the adjoining "lounge" is always chock-full of macbooks, and their too-cool-for-school owners. I'm a writer, ok? So, sometimes I need to get out of the house and go somewhere so I can concentrate in order to get my very, very important, Pulitzer-esque WORK done in a timely manner because I work on a DEADLINE, ok folks? However, on the Sunday afternoon I walked into this dump, I was blinded by lit-up apples, flannel and it wreaked of stale PBR and bike locks. I made a face (think lip snarl, head cock, eyebrow raise with a sudden jolt of the neck) to all of those jerks and took my own MACBOOK PRO elsewhere (Starbucks, so disgusting and not at all cool).
(3)Will C.
Alliance is by far the nearest and most convenient coffee shop to my apartment and I love it when it's not packed to the gills with people and when the radio station in the lounge isn't playing Coldplay and The Dave Matthews Band. I mean, for Christ's sake, really...really? But...but...why? I hear you playing your iPod in the room with the cash register, why can't you rewire it to include the lounge? When I don't have to hear contemporary easy listening crap and tune out the inane conversation of some recent DePaul grads this is a great place. Sadly, far too rarely is that the case. :-(
(2)Natalie M.
I'm giving this place 2stars based mostly on the experience I had trying to order a custom made cake for a 50th bday party I was planning. After coming across Alliance on line, I called to make an appointment for a tasting for a custom made cake. I was informed in a snooty tone that they only did cake tastings for WEDDINGS, not birthdays (though the price of the cake would have been equal to a wedding cake if not higher) but I was free to come in and buy a cupcake to try it out. Perhaps it is irrational for me to believe that money is GREEN no matter wait type of cake you are buying and the fact that just because my cake was not for a NUPTIAL I would be denied the full range of customer service was laughable. I went to the bakery to simply explain my reasoning to the manager, but the cashier at the counter wouldnt even allow me to talk to the manager. Again treating me as if asking for a tasting for a $500 or more priced cake made me "high maintainence" simply because it was not for a wedding. I was tempted to say "well Im not ordering a birthday cake any more, Im ordering a groom's cake- can I get my tasting now??" but I did not, as I choose to give my money to another establishment who would provide me with the type of service I felt $500 or more dollars deserved.
(2)Tyler B.
Cappuccino and pellegrino. Friday afternoon in the sun. Alliance is that classic portrait of the pastry shop of yesteryear. It's the neighborhood bakery. Friendly faces serve you treats and intelligensia coffee. And designer cakes too in a showcase window. A certain sense of nostalgia. Find yourself patio side, sitting back sipping and nibbling; observing the walks of life go by- scurrying about, to and fro, there they go a' commuting. People watchers' paradise and fine treats too. Stop by.
(5)Derrick T.
Excellent coffee, great pastries, and a nice study area (along with free wifi) make this one of my go to places for studying and snacking. Things I have tried thus far: Crossaint - Flaky, buttery, airy. Near perfect. Almond Crossaint - Stickily sweet... more dessert than breakfast, but delicious. Blueberry scone - Now this is a scone... none of those crappy Starbucks bricks has the right to bear the name of scone, but this soft, moist, sugary treat? This is a scone. Macaroons - Mind you I have never had a macaroon before, but these things have been delicious. White chocolate raspberry was delightful, and the chocolate ganache smeared in the banana chocolate one was very memorable. Cakes - You know, I brought a cake back for my parents for dinner one evening, and the differences textural layers and separate but complimenting flavors was phenomenal. This was not a standard cake, and I'm not sure what the name was, but it made me a lifetime fan of Alliance. Lemon Bar/Lime Bar - Tasty, and very flavorful. You can tell the purity of ingredients from the flavors. Almost too tart, but I'm a fan of tart over sweet at times. So why four stars you ask? I noticed that their bakery items definitely carry over to the next day. I had macaroons one night, and stopped in again the next night to get some more, and noted that the same macaroons along with many other bakery items were still there. As a business person, i fully understand the need to sell all of your items, but this makes me wonder how long the items are sitting in the display case before they are tossed or given away. Now I could be wrong and they may have turned over all their items in the 24 hours that had passed, but from my inspecting eye, it sure didn't look like it. May I suggest an Au Bon Pain approach and discounting your items between 8:00 and 9:00 PM right before you close? I feel like you may draw the local crowd and it would help relieve your items and make way for fresh items the next day. Of course, it's important to make a profit (which I have no doubt Au Bon Pain does even discounted) but this may be the cause of people's complaints that the brownies/cupcakes/cookies are too dry...
(4)Nicole T.
Cute bakery with outdoor seating and a separate lounge next door with free wi-fi. The lounge is usually pretty quiet, which is good if you need to get some work done. They are also open fairly late. I usually order iced or hot coffee and most often they have soy milk out with the usual condiments. They also have about 8 different varieties of loose tea. I've tried the vegan cookie and the vegan apple streusel. I've had better vegan cookies but theirs is ok if you want some sweet carbs on the spot. I like the apple streusel much better. Sweetened apples with some raisins and granola bits. Yum.
(4)Jen G.
I haven't had a cake from here yet, but considering how good the cupcakes are, I can only imagine they must be delicious. Those cupcakes couldn't be more addicting if they put crack in them. Just thinking about them makes me crave one. My favorites are the red velvet and the double chocolate. The sandwiches and the quiche are also great for lunch. And I love their chai lattes too. Great neighborhood gem.
(4)Andrea R.
Once upon a cupcake Alliance Bakery had the best red velvet cupcakes in all of Chicagoland. These days they are pretty mediocre- the cake is dry and the frosting doesn't do much for me. Don't get me wrong...they are edible, but Sweet Mandy B's wins my cupcake prize these days.
(3)Julia S.
This place must be hurting for money-because they will charge you more than what you actually should pay. Typically, I love this place. In the last year, I have purchased several treats here for birthdays and special occasions. Yesterday, I stopped in at 6AM to pick up some treats for a co-workers birthday. However, once I boarded the L train and thought about it, I realized I overpaid. My bill was $24, when is should have been $16. (Shame on me for not paying closer attention at 6AM). After work, I took the trouble of going back to Alliance, and kindly explained to the guy behind the counter what happened, showed him my receipt, and asked for the difference back (seems fair, right?). Since the receipt was not itemized, he told me that he couldn't be sure what I bought, and therefore could not give me the difference back. This was so insulting. Being a loyal, repeat customer I was offended that he even thought I would try and "rip him off". I was only trying to pay the correct price for what I bought and I was being fair with him (I would have gladly eaten another $8 of pastries!). Instead, he laughed off my request and I have never left a retail establishment feeling so low. While the pastries are good-there are plenty of other bakeries in Wicker Park and I will not go back here. It is an insult to my character to think that I would lie about my bill. If you go here-PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR TOTAL...they will charge you more than what they should. So keep my $8 Alliance...you obviously need it more than I do.
(1)Blossom C.
I have become a regular here! They have delicious coffee, and great pastries. I have yet to try one of their cakes, but they sure look cool and they are obviously very talented. I also really like the hang out area next door.
(5)Elizabeth H.
If I lived in Wicker Park there is a good chance that I would have the body of that bedridden man that had to be airlifted out of his house. The hazelnut cupcake is bliss, plain and simple, and for a shop that specializes in sweet treats, the sandwiches are quite tasty as well. I thoroughly enjoyed the portobello sandwich on foccia with goat cheese. yum yum yum! See ya again soon Alliance!
(5)Jennifer B.
There are so many reviews on Alliance bakery....their following is huge. Plus, something about knowing that this bakery has been open forever gives it brownie points (pun intended!).... I'm not gonna lie, I came in here for a cupcake because cupcakes are like my crack, and Yelp is my like my dealer, letting me know where I can find them. Everyone raved about the cupcakes here so I had to give them a shot. And well, they're okay. I didn't care for the chocolate cupcake I ate but we also got a turtle brownie that was a-mazing!!! And dog bone desserts for only $0.35? My dog thanks you, Alliance. I don't think the cupcakes were anything special (and I think all cupcakes, like children, are special) yet I would return for their other desserts, and because the cakes in the display window are just too cool.
(4)Susan marie C.
All i can say is, I'm not impressed. too much hype and no delivery. disappointed...very disappointed
(2)mariah c.
Alliance wins my award for best chai of the month. Some of the chain coffee shops use chai mix which is far too sugary for my tastes. I don't know if Alliance uses a mix or not, but the balance of sweetness is juuust right. The array of cakes, cookies and other baked goods is pretty astonishing. I love cake-shop windows, and Alliance's is delightful to me. It would never occur to me to get a cake shaped like a purse, but dang, that Louis Vuitton cake looks amazing! I was pretty stuffed when I last stopped in, but the cute little sprinkled meringue I got was the perfect melt-in-your-mouth dessert. The lounge (next door to the bakery) is a quiet place to work. However, the emphasis is on *quiet*, so as Colleen mentions, if you want to get chatty, you're better off taking your laptop and friend elsewhere. When I was in the lounge working yesterday, there was a 2-3 year old who was inexplicably obsessed with "Smoke on the Water." I'm not sure that has much to do with Alliance -- except for the fact that I was really amused and thought to myself, "If I'd chosen to work at a Starbucks, I doubt I would have happened upon such a Deep Purple-loving little lad to brighten my morning!"
(4)Daphne D.
As the other review said, one word sums up the marvelousness of this place: macarons It is very rare to find macarons in the US, let alone ones THIS good. Plus the flavors are creative, overall true decadence!!
(5)Marie J.
3 words.... Red Velvet Cupcake. Enough said.
(4)Mill V.
I was in the neighborhood and also wanted to try them, so I did. Oh boy, I wish I didn't. I got 4 French macarons and 1 vanilla cupcake. And all came to be $8. The cupcake was absolutely just gross. Buttercream had strong corn starchy taste. The cake part was what made me gag. So dry, so stale, so eck. My French macarons were such a disappointment. I love these guys, almost to an obsession. The cookie part was too dry, and didn't have THEE essential chewy-ness that these wonderful cookies are suppose to have. Buttercream center was "alright". It's cute in appearence, but looks alittle rundown and alittle dirty. I am not coming back to you, sorry babes. I have better at Jewels, bitches. That's pretty gross....
(1)Ross R.
Pretty good donut, but disappointed by the palpable condescension of the hipster cashier who felt it necessary to correct my calling it a donut...it's a beignet.
(3)Amaliya L.
Everyone and their mama has been raving about cupcakes. What the hell is the fascination? I have been fighting this craze for the past year. I'm old school, so screw you cupcakes, I refuse to be converted! Just like a missionary...these damn cupcakes came to me..they were on a mission to show me the way to sweet salvation and all that glory. My little sister, once again had to show me a thing or two about food. Tucked away in a neat little box were 5 of the most beautifully decorated "cupcakes". It's blasphemous to call them cupcakes. They are mini cakes dammit! I tried the pumpkin spice, the chocolate hazelnut, red velvet, and they are damn good! I'm a believer now..and I just might stop by if I'm ever in the area.
(5)Kate G.
I really don't know what to do about Alliance. I want to love it and it just doesn't want me to. So we had Alliance make our wedding cake. It turned out beautifully, exactly how we wanted it (an art deco motif they made from scratch) and it tasted even better. I mean this was a delicious, gorgeous cake-- perfection in every way it counts in a baked good. But the process that lead to getting that cake wasn't really that pleasant and subsequent visits to the cafe have just annoyed me. I don't need over-zealous, happy people to attend to me when I go into a business. Really, I don't. But the people who work here are so unfriendly and aloof they are practically surly. They make me feel like I am asking a HUUUUUUGE favor when I ask to purchase a cookie or a cupcake. It's a popular place and I am sure they are constantly slammed with orders, but everyone who walks in doesn't have to be a chore. The service relating to ordering our wedding cake was honestly not much better-- transactional and a little disorganized. All in all, food is amazing and beautiful. Service is just a drag.
(3)B G.
Me likey the macaroons and dah coffee. Goooood! Nice people. Nice nice nice. Nice.
(5)Quynh-An P.
Mmmmmm macarons. The boyfriend is usually not as eager to go to bakeries as I am. We stopped by here because I had heard the macarons were tasty. I ordered a few macarons and he got the almond croissant. The croissant was delicious...but the macarons were even better. I gave the boyfriend one bite of my vanilla macaron and he was begging for me. It was so good, that he insisted that we stop by there before our flight back to Seattle. We ended getting a box of the passion fruit and vanilla macarons to go and they're already gone now (we flew back last night). We plan to go to Chicago again and I'll be heading back to this place definitely. YUMMY!
(5)Alexis P.
Super delicious cake! The next b-day cake I order is definitely going to be from here. Coffee and pastries are also top notch. A little more effort could be put into the lounge area next door in terms of ambiance. I was in there one day and they were playing this awful Stained/Nicklebackish music and it felt like a cruel joke to be in a room where the people who were controlling the music weren't the ones that had to listen to it.
(4)Becca H.
I love their window displays!! They're crazy cool and unique. I've only really gone there for coffee on the weekends, but their coffee is bomb. Not to mention the cute guys who work there! Their bakery items always look really good. Alliance would probably be the first place I'd go if I needed some grab some desserts. I've tried some of their cookies and cupcakes, and they have always been outstanding. Very cute bakery.
(5)Luis L.
Alliance bakery is amazing. I've had cupcakes from lots of places, but the cupcakes here are some of the best. The ingredients must be of the highest quality, and the head baker's skill is obviously superlative because EVERYTHING I've had here has been amazingly good. My absolute favorite cupcakes are the lemon strawberry ones; the lemon flavor is intense, and the strawberry frosting is buttery and has the prefect sweetness. Gosh, I have gorged on these pieces of pure delight. Anytime a loved one has a birthday, I always try to get him or her a cupcake from here. However, I always have to order more than what I intend to give, because I can never control myself and end up eating at least two on the way. (Also, I'd just like to briefly insert that oddly, a few other reviewers see alliance as a coffee-shop/hang-out/study place, which it kinda is, but really isn't. It's essentially a bakery, not a hang-out. You're essentially sitting in a bakery's seating area, so I think you've got to be really silly if you complain about it.) When I've been there, the staff has always been courteous and professional. The place is small, but also rather old-school and charming. I've never had their cakes, which are incredibly fancy looking (and too pricey to just splurge on my own), but I intend to splurge on one soonish!
(5)Rick J.
What Alliance lacks in food and rink, it makes up for in atmosphere. The best coffee shop to work or study at in the area, easily. I live near Alliance and head there regularly to do all of the usual coffee shop things. The staff is always attentive, friendly and professional and the coffee is consistently good. There's better coffee out there, but I haven't had a bad cup at Alliance. I wouldn't recommend any of the espresso drinks, though. The americanos are good, but any of the milk espresso drinks can be passed on. Maybe I haven't found the right treat yet, but most of the cookies and pastries I've tried as Alliance have been underwhelming. You're paying for presentation. The real draw to Alliance Bakery is their lounge next door. It's usually fairly full, but you can almost always find a table for yourself. Being separate from the kitchen noise of the bakery helps to keep the lounge nice and quiet, and aside from the occasional conversation the clientele tends to preserve that quiet. It's perfect for working and studying. There isn't a better coffee shop in the area if you are looking to hang out for a while. THE END.
(4)Andre W.
I went in again and yes I am now double addicted! The staff thinks I am as well. I got the red velvet cupcake and the cinnamin buns and they were better than the last times I had them. This is a great staff! I will try something else when I go next time, but keep up the great work Alliance
(5)RJ E.
I am the most impatient person in the word. While service is somewhat slow here, it is because this place is not a factory. I would wait an hour for a coffee from Alliance. I would wait a day for the scone to go with it.
(5)Monica S.
Alliance has decent enough coffee & pastries, but the the best part is the seating area next door with free wi-fi. It's kind of weird because the counter and the seating area have two different entrances so you have to get your coffee and then leave the shop and walk outside to go into the seating area. The seating area has lots of room and plenty of people. On a Sunday over a holiday weekend there were a lot of people chatting and hanging out, so it's not a place to go for quiet reading. Also, don't sit near the door in the winter, the door opens and closes every 2 minutes and it's cold. The pastries at Artemio on Milwaukee are way cheaper, almost feels like a rip off to pay for them at Alliance. But they are a bit more upscale with interesting decoration.
(4)Lisa F.
Alliance, Alliance, Alliance. I want to love you, I really do, but I don't. You are steps away from my apartment, you have nice outdoor seating and you make two things that I live for ( Coffee and pastries) yet, everything I order tastes awful. I have heard around the block that you have new management, maybe this will help, but I still am not wasting my time or money.
(1)Heather D.
What can I add to these reviews? Alliance is awesome. It welcomed my boyfriend and I with open arms and helped convince us that Chicago was the right city for us. The large annex has tons of space for you to work with the complimentary wifi. We spent many an hour here when we had first moved and didn't have internet yet. The place is very casual and relaxed - you don't feel you are mooching because they really don't care. But you don't go to a coffeeshop for wifi alone. What keeps you coming back is the quality of the coffee. And the Alliance baristas know how to make espresso. Alliance wistfully reminds me of professional coffee shops in Seattle. The espresso has a full flavor without a touch of the bitterness that uneducated baristas include. Alliance is a stalwart in this neighborhood. It's difficult to stroll down Division without stopping by.
(4)Gia S.
My husband and I chose Alliance Bakery as it was one of the vendors included in our hotel weddubg package. After comparing options, I could see not only were their designs fabulous but they had a wider variety of flavor choices than the others. We went with a sleek and simple design which turned out gorgeous, mimicking the pattern on our invitations. It was a 4 tiered cake and they let us alternate flavors. One was lemon cake with lemon curd and raspberry. SO fresh and delicious. Then we went with a unique take on the traditional chocolate, regular cake with a salted caramel filling. The design, the taste, the planning experience with Jennifer and the team... perfect. They even give you a fresh cake topper for your 1 year anniversary. I'd highly recommend Alliance to anyone!
(5)Fred R.
This review applies to a sandwich I bought. While I'm sure the baked goods are good, the sandwhich honestly had one slice of meat...it was comical they could call it a sandwhich. It was such a poor attempt at a sandwhich I'm not sure why they sell them.
(1)Timothy M.
Color me slightly underwhelmed. I've been meaning to come into this place for about 2 years now, but every time I find myself in the area, it's after their lame 9pm closing time. 9pm, seriously? I do like the quietness. In any case, the baked good I had (a danish-type concoction) was decent, though dry and the Intelligensia was also passable. Strong stuff, but not much flavor - and no non to-go cups. Maybe they're taking a page from Starbucks. Speaking of which, this place is strikes me a little as a bakery-intensive Starbucks for people that don't like Starbucks. I liked the Bowie's "Starman" and Dylan's "Rainy Day Women", but Dave Matthews Band? My iPod comes up with some embarrassing choices sometimes, but at no time ever should DMB be playing in any coffee shop, unless you are, in fact, at Starbucks. Don't get me wrong though, a free wi-fi, free refills, douchebag-free scene is totally my thing. I am definitely going to try some of those other treats - a cilantro-infused cake? Yes. I won't travel across town for Alliance, but I wish I had one near me - since I'm one of those people that don't like Starbucks. EDIT: I am deducting ONE star for the SECOND Dave Matthews Band song I heard in one sitting.
(3)Charlie G.
I would love to write a review about how delicious the baked goods are, but I can't... Alliance is open until 9:00pm. I walked in their open door at 8:54pm to buy some cookies that were sitting in the glass case, only inches from my grasping fingers. Instead of taking my cash for some cookies (that would sit out all night if they weren't bought), the hipster behind the counter told me that the bakery was closed. She refused to sell me the cookies. In disbelief, I politely asked her if she really wanted to turn away a purchaser and informed her that she was losing a customer. She responded by saying, "no, it's really YOUR loss." Unbelievable. No matter how sweet, the cookies in that place must be bitter from all the attitude. I've never been back. I only regret that I didn't hunt down the owner and inform him or her of the offensive "customer service" on offer.
(1)Betty B.
Before I moved away, my friends and I had a running gag to try to get the craziest cakes made here (See Jill L.'s post for more examples). Yes, they were mad expensive. And sometimes they didn't even taste *that* good. But, man, did they look bitchin'. I was particularly moved by the "You're Adopted!" birthday cake that was made for my dude's birthday (see pics). Nice work, Alliance.
(4)rebecca s.
Alliance has really gone down hill. i think a lot of people go here because of what it used to be... still hoping it will be the same...but it isnt. all the baked goods are typical. nothing catches my eye. it is a bummer because its so close to my house. i end up going a lot further to find good baked goods.
(2)Kristy N.
Once again Alliance Bakery did a FABULOUS job! I had a surprise party for my husband this past weekend and had Alliance do a cake that looked like a present! It was beautiful! And tasted DELISH! Thank you Alliance and the design team for making another great cake!
(5)Lakshmi R.
Alliance Bakery is an important establishment: they have a creepy neon sign outside the main entryway. It's one of the few vestiges of how great this neighborhood was before the Lincoln Park kids took it over. The coffee is good, the food excellent. I consider it as crucial to my boyfriend and I getting together (along with The Coffee Studio up in Andersonville). And I credit it with the consumption of thousands of unnecessary yet utterly worthwhile calories from the likes of their cupcakes, almond croissants, cookies and who knows what else. In the weeks following Blago's indictment, Blago cookies appeared, replete with insane frosting hairdos. Let me explain how this place is set up. You go into the tiny, closet-sized bakery, ogle their goodies, and get your food/coffee (which is all good, I promise). Then, if you're nerdy like me and the bf, you exit, take three steps to the right, and re-enter the building through another door to a room that is a bit grubby and filled with tables and chairs and.... grad students!!!! It's silent as a tomb in there. Then you hang out for the rest of the day, studying and eating cupcakes and trying to look as cute as everyone else who comes to this place. So go to Alliance Bakery! Support what's left of once-cool Wicker Park/Bucktown! And Blago too, of course.
(5)Ellen F.
The last time I was here, I think the girl behind the counter helping me was super stoned, or just really spacey (hence slowish service), but whatever, she was nice and the focaccia I had was good. And don't even get me started on the red velvet cupcake. Mmmm...delectible. The lounge is next door and you have to go outside to access it, which, for some reason, I think is kinda funny and I like it.
(4)Kelsey K.
I REALLY wanted to love this place because it was so darn cute and their cupcake flavors were so awesome, but they were really dry. I'll go back there because it's close to my house and we spend a lot of time in that area, but I just wish that they were moister. I went specifically for the cupcakes (it's what I do) but I think I'll order a tart next time because they looked so awesome. The staff was really helpful and the presentation was incredible, but for the best cupcakes in the city, that award still belongs to Sweet Mandy B's.
(3)Tam H.
Free Wi-Fi, quiet place to get things done and too die for pastries...This is a place you really want to continuously frequent. On a lovely sunny day, you may want to sit outside. Although the bakery may be a bit expensive, I still think its worth the investment. It's definitely better than being in Starbucks any day of the week. When I visited, I indulged in a Red Velvet Cupcake and a Iced Mocha Latte. Both were very tasty... The folks behind the counter are nice as well. I really enjoyed my experience here.
(4)Elle F.
Alliance Bakery did our wedding cake for our 5-28-11 wedding. The cake was exactly what we asked for as per our colorful and funky design, and it tasted great! We had 3 layers -- 2 chocolate/raspberry, and 1 chocolate/apricot. YUM!
(5)Christina V.
how can a place have delicious food but horrible service. completely disappointed in the fact that our wedding was last year and they delivered the wrong cake for me and my husband to cut. it was taupe and frosting, not black fondant. they had the nerve to say that is what we ordered when we gave them an invite showing that our colors were green, black and white. because of the mix up, they hesitantly said we could come back for our year anniversary to get what we ordered. we also had cupcakes so we wanted to get some of those instead of the cake. they said we only get 6, fought to get 12 at least. needless to say our year was over a month ago and they just gave us the cupcakes. we couldn't get them on our year because they "didn't" make any. i will NEVER go there again with the service and owner not cooperating when our wedding pictures have a different cake in it and they just don't care! i can live with the cake being different but own up to it and keep your customers happy.
(1)Kristine B.
I stopped in here for the first time because I was bringing desert to a dates house and didn't want to overwhelm him with an entire cake, or with the effort of making my own desert (It was only our second date afterall!). I found precisely what I was looking for when I feasted my eyes on the cupcakes. Two red velvets and one Double Chocolate later, I made my way out. They were beautiful to look at (yes!), smelled delish (yes!) and looked much more expensive than they were (yes!). I didn't want to take them to the said date's nicely prepared dinner unless I knew they were good (hence why I got three), so I have to say - the double chocolate was amazing. It was moist and flavorful. The frosting complimented the flavor of the cake nicely - it wasn't overly sweet (and I love them sweet!) but it was perfect. Don't ask me about the Red Velvet though.. We just didn't have time :) I'll ask him for an update though so stay tuned!
(4)Michelle M.
I love their food so much that I'm willing to pay for its price!!! Why does everything have to be so ridiculously expensive here?? You're killin' me Smalls. I love those red velvet cupcakes - and the ones with filling... OMG Great coffee!
(4)Sara B.
You'd think after a brunch of decadence and about four cups of coffee, I'd think twice about stopping in at Alliance. But I'd heard about Intelligentsia for so long that when I saw they served it here, my friends and I had to pop in for a coffee and a cookie. I ordered a cappuccino and a chocolate macaroon and immediately headed out front to scarf streetside. The chocolate macaroon was absolutely amazing, melt-in-your-mouth perfect -- a satisfyingly chewy coconut cookie topped with a creamy dollop of chocolaty gooeyness on top. And despite this not being an actual Intelligentsia cafe, the barista did my cappuccino up right -- rich, flavorful espresso and expertly foamed milk. By all rights, I should have had a massive coronary right there. Maybe there is a god after all.
(4)RC R.
Just stopped into this place to pick up some pastries and have not tried the desserts just yet, but only one way to describe the service: rude. The woman behind the counter was unhelpful and seemed overall inconvenienced. After paying, she threw the box of pastries at me, and also forgot to give me back my credit card. Ridiculous. Will not stop here ever again.
(1)Terri N.
My cousin Mistey had me on a French Macarons craze. Literally. So, one evening, after picking me up Tony told me he was going to take me to Fritz pastry but by the time we got there they were closing. He turned and said don't worry, there's another place called Alliance Bakery that sold French macarons as well. So Tony, tamia and I headed there instead. Open for business, Alliance had only one worker that evening. Walking in, you can tell it's a cozy little bakery. I was amazed of all the beautiful cakes on display filled with intricate designs. Anyway, the server asked us if we had any idea what to order, since there was another patron in the store we told him to serve her first. When she left we were still clueless on what to order. Tamia decided on a simple chocolate cupcake, which she had devoured in the car. She loved that it was moist and not overwhelmingly chocolaty. I order two almond croissants for my sister and she said it was AMAZING! Tony ordered practically all their macarons (pistachio, chocolate, lemon, rose with rose cream, vanilla, rose with chocolate). The pistachio macarons were awesome. Light, crisp and moist, none of the flavors overpower the other. The rose was refreshing, very airy and definitely taste like rose. The lemon was my favorite; it reminded me of biting into a lemon meringue pie. The chocolate and vanilla tasted stale and old. That was a huge bummer. Overall, Alliance is a nice hidden place and has a great amount of sweets on display. I know that their macarons flavors are seasonal so you just have to wing it for that particular day and hope it's as great as it looks. I need to come back for their almond croissants and hopefully I can pick up some more macarons. We are kind of staying away from it since Tony went a bit overboard in ordering all of it. 6.5/10
(3)J P.
Alliance designed our wedding cake and it was absolutely gorgeous and delicious! We worked with Mitchell and he was super helpful throughout the process. At our cake tasting (one of the best perks of planning a wedding), he explained all the different flavors and frosting options and left us alone so we could talk candidly about all the choices. To stay in our budget and also have enough cake for all our guests, our actual wedding cake was pretty small (served 75) and we had extra sheet cake of the same flavors in the kitchen that made it enough for all 230 peeps at our wedding. Everyone raved about how good it was. Would definitely recommend to a friend.
(4)becky R.
I heart this place. I must admit i mostly order espresso and croissants. Occasionally i will get the key-sh (phonic spelling for the sake of a chronic misspeller). I am really picky about my croissants. If you make a good croissant you basically have my heart just dont fuck up the coffee. So they do a good job at that. I usually dont get other things on the menue cause its all a bit out of my price range.... apparently people pay that much for their snacks. Anyway, its super cute. I have never had a problem with the hipster staff. They get the job done. Mostly, i have found that they smile back and thats really all it takes for me. Their other room is very quite. Its true. I like it, cause i usually go there to do job hunting stuff. BUT the thing with the radio station is DRIVING me NUTS! I feel like it is a relatively new phenomenon. I have even requested that they put something else on cause the Menards commercials were driving me nuts.
(4)Ben A.
Great Chai Tea Latte! I also enjoyed my black and white cookie... two worlds coexisting on one delicious cookie. Cool study lounge next door to the bakery as well. I saw a giant Cookie Monster cake being given to a customer and I was amazed at the level of detail on it! This is the place to buy fun cakes that is for sure!
(4)Joe M.
The best part about Alliance Bakery and Cafe is that they are positioned directly across the street from Starsucks... (I like Starbucks coffee. If you say you don't then you are a liar. There is just something wholesome about the idea of supporting the locals rather the multinationals) I don't know who their pastry chef is but this guy needs to go on the Ace of Cakes! Have you ever looked in the window of this shop? It's like peaking into an artist's gallery! And the coffee isn't too shabby either.
(5)Kyle H.
Stopped here with a friend early on a Friday night. Got a key lime bar and mint tea, both which were FAB! The main indoor seating area you actually have to leave the bakery side and walk outside and go in another door. We were here for an early evening chat and tea. The room was as quiet as a morgue! People were either studying, or on laptops. There was no piped in music and we had to whisper. Don't "shush" me Alliance!
(4)Joe S.
Just a little bit expensive for a bakery but OK I'll pay it. I suppose it's a fair trade that I can pull up to a meter sans quarters and be in and out before getting slapped with a ticket. Cute cookies for about $3 a piece might help you out if you get in a fight with your girl or boyfriend. ("I got you a cookie with a shamrock on it baby and it's St. Patrick's day...forgive me?") Select coffees and teas. Division St. sidewalk seating provides entertainment and hotties walking to the Blue Line when the weather's nice. Support local independently owned businesses.
(3)M M.
Was my cake pricey, yes; but was it worth it, double yes! I worked closely with Lindsay as we collaborated on the idea for this cake. I had a metallic themed party and love disco balls and would certainly come here and buy a special occasion cake again! The cake tasted beyond yummy and all of the party goers felt the same. Almond cake with chocolate pastry cream - DELISH! Thank you Alliance - you came thru and helped make my 30th birthday memorable - not to mention the cake lended itself as a super nice decoration element.
(4)JC D.
Intelligentsia taste for the S'bux price. Not cheap, people. Soy latte was good, and believe it or not, it's easily fucked up. The plain croissant was not too buttery and nice and moist...yummy. I didn't try the pastries, but they looked creatively decorated and good. This place like every joint on Division has an outside patio, but it also has a large room with comfy couches and tables to do your work or homework.
(4)Jess R.
I am basing my review on the vanilla/vanilla cupcake I ate yesterday. Our office had lunch catered by the restaurant in our building. Cupcakes were the dessert. It was the best cupcake I've had in a long time. The cake was moist and had just the right density, but the frosting was the star. It was a sugary butter cream piled almost as high as the cake was tall which made for a great frosting-to-cake ratio (even if I did get frosting on my nose with every bite). It was not overly buttery like most of the bakeries around town seem to go for. It was fluffy yet sturdy and was adorned with just a few pastel colored mini disc sprinkles. Along with the vanilla, we also had chocolate/chocolate and red velvet with vanilla frosting. It took all my will power to stop after the one I had because the raves everyone else were giving the other flavors really tempted me to try them. I asked one of the caterers about the cupcakes and found out they were from Alliance Bakery. I can't wait to try more treats from there.
(5)Jennifer Y.
Been coming here for a while to study. Admittedly, not a great place to hang out with friends and chat but it is a GREAT place to come and study. Quiet, free Wi-Fi, etc. Well, as long as homeless people don't come in and start talking to themselves. Not that I have any thing against homeless people -- it's just not what I expect. The staff here is alright -- I don't think they're especially friendly, but they are friendly enough. Coffee drinks are aiiiiiiiiiight, nothing to write home about any time soon. Baked goods look good -- I had a hazelnut chocolate cupcake which, again, was nothing to write home about any time soon. I really like it here. Oh, except they should put soap in the bathroom.
(4)Eric M.
A small little bakery that makes a ton of food. The front window alone will keep your attention for a few minutes as you gaze over the latest cakes that have been created. With my most recent visit there was a giant hamburger cake, an edible six pack of beer (each can was a little cupcake), and a giant towering cake with each layer looking like a giant strawberry with chocolate drizzling down. Once inside there are plenty of items to try. I went with the cinnamon roll and my fiancee the red velvet cupcake. Both were very good with a nice chewiness on the roll and a moistness on the cupcake. I look forward to going again and again and again.
(4)Jenny L.
On my visit to Chicago, I decided to try out a couple cupcake places, Alliance being one of them. Walking up to the bakery, I can say that if it wasn't for the reviews on yelp, I would have walked away. The place looks like it needs a makeover and some better lighting. The cakes in the display window look like they've been sitting there since the early 90's and need desperately to be modernized. I was happy to see that they had red velvet cupcakes (my favorite), and also got one each of the carrot and mocha cupcakes. Overall, the cupcakes had good flavor but are a little on the dry side. Flavor and taste wise they reminded me a lot of Sprinkles in LA. Not a bad dessert option if you're in the area.
(3)tom b.
For me, if you idiots judge a pastry shop by there cup cakes you need a kick in the ass .the way i see it one day martha stewart had a show on cup cakes and all these wacked out prozac queens could not find vanilla extract because they drank it .so they made it some elses problem ..now it is a cup cake marrygoround out there .bull shit ..... Alliance has some great product eat that and shut up...
(4)Christine J.
After I wrote my review of Alliance, the owner emailed me to tell me that the macaroons weren't stale, but were taken out of refrigeration too early. My, that was a relief.
(3)Audrey H.
We went early on a Sunday morning and there was no wait. I had a ham and cheddar croissant that was delicious. They offered to warm it up for me, and we ended up sitting outside on the patio. I love the coffee here and I thought the staff was super nice.
(4)Michael M.
Don't let the aging cakes in the windows fool you, this place has the freshest deserts, the best tasting coffee, friendliest staff, and awesome free Wi-Fi. Not to mention they have a nice outside patio seating option (though Division St is Loud) and an adjacent coffee lounge indoors with lots of comfy chairs. I love Alliance!
(5)H C.
I don't want to say anything bad about Alliance because I feel I might be doing something wrong because of all the great reviews I've read but I was soooooooo disappointed in my cupcake! I got the chocolate mocha and the frosting had this weird texture but the mocha flavor was really good and the cupcake itself wasnt too bad, a little on the dry side though. I also bought a white chocolate blondie which was also disappointing. I don't know, like I said I don't want to say anything too bad about this place because I really want to like it. I will try it again except this time maybe if I go a little earlier in the day I'll get something a bit more fresh.
(2)Lorraine L.
I revisited my old favorite recently to nosh on some good pastries and take advantage of free wi-fi (sadly free wifi or coffee shops are hard to find in Albany Park where I was visiting my mom). I walked in and immediately noticed the remodeling. I think I liked Alliance better when it wasn't all pastel blue and trying to look like an upscale-yuppie bakery. They also scaled down the size of their pastries and upped the prices. Another bummer. Their delicious cupcakes are about half the size now. I also had a latte which was pretty mediocre. The cookies are still very good and they did add some more variety in the pastries which I was very excited about (mini fruit tarts!) The room next door was also remodeled and now has more tables and comfy couches, but half of the back room is now off-limits. It seems they do their wedding cake consultations back there. Despite the changes it remains one of my favorite independent bakeries. I'm going to keep coming back whenever I'm home.
(4)Eric B.
I can't think of a better place to spend a nice summer/spring day. The outdoor seating area is located pretty close to the mess that is Division Street, but for some reason the exhaust and noise doesn't bother me. The coffee is always great and the baked goods are usually right on target. I haven't tried the sandwiches but I have been meaning to as they look delicious. This is one of the few coffee places where I actually tip the employees since they're ALWAYS courteous and friendly.
(5)melissa g.
I received an incredible chocolate cake with whipped cream from here for a pre-birthday celebration while in Chicago. The chocolate cake itself was done very well and is comparable to my favorite Mazetti's in SF. The artistry that goes into these cakes are phenomenal. Fortunately for me the cake I received was of the same quality.
(5)Lori M.
Just had an iced tea and a spinach feta croissant, which was rather delicious. The room next door to the cafe with couches and tables reminds me of a place I'd hang out in, if I was still in undergrad. That's not to say it's not cool or anything - I am rather fond of those days - but half of the power outlets don't work and I'm not sure when anything was last cleaned. Overall pretty groovy, but on a Monday afternoon, I think the clientele would chase me out of here if I sat with a friend and tried to have a conversation. Meaning it works for the quiet book reader or the cool chick with a Mac but not so much for soulful chats or conference calls (I must sign off now to walk to the rental car where I can gab without disturbing anyone else).
(3)Alexis H.
Alliance Bakery just doesn't cut it for me. Their cakes and treats look so enticing, but they just don't have that much flavor. Their prices are similar to most bakeries, but if I'm getting a specialty cookie or cake from a bakery instead of the grocery store I expect it to be of higher quality. I've also had stomach aches after a visit or two - never a good sign. People rave about Alliance so there's got to be something good there, I'm just not willing to go through the trial and error to find it.
(2)Yukari T.
I'm infatuated with Alliance Bakery. I think about it all the time and I have to talk myself out of taking a quick stroll to grab a coconut macaroon bar. (If only I knew the nutrition facts...) I'm usually in and out of there real quick because there's something kind of embarrassing about going into a bakery and buying goodies for yourself. If you only buy one thing, it's pretty obvious that it's for yourself. But if you grab a FEW things, it could seem like you're going over to a friends place for some afternoon tea...at least that's my justification for picking up more than one delectable item. I've never been in the lounge and after reading the reviews, I don't think I will, ever. I'd rather enjoy my baked goods in private and not have to pretend to study.
(4)Sara B.
This is a really cool little joint. The cafe is separate from the bakery so it is a little weird yet cool to walk outside and next door with my plate but the atmosphere of both sides was pretty neat. I had a yummy cup of coffee and a little treat called the Michelle. It looked cute and sounded really yummy. Chocolate, peanuts and berry stuff....yummy...I was shocked, a little disappointed but yet mildly intrigued and satisfied by the fact this little pretty $5 thing tasted EXACTLY like peanut and butter jelly sandwich. Texture was pretty on point too. Their cakes looked awesome and they have a bunch of awards on the wall for them. The attitude of the place was pretty cool too so I will be back and will definitely keep them in mind for future cake orders.
(4)Janet X.
Absolutely fantastic hazelnut cupcakes, but a bit on the expensive side considering it takes about three bites to eat the whole thing. Macaroons were great also. However, the seating area next to the bakery feels like courthouse -- rather spare and utilitarian. Even though they have helpfully added stickers to the tables that say, "This is not a library, you can talk here," people still tend to give death stares to people who do talk.
(4)Dawn L.
My roommate is always surprised when I'm not familiar with a particular cafe since I know so many of them (and can usually be found working or performing in one!). But this is my first visit to Alliance Bakery, and I'm typing this from my laptop via their free wireless connection. I ordered a mocha (they use Intelligensia coffee) and a turkey and swiss croissant, and I have to say that both were fantastic! It's a little strange to have to go next door to find a place to sit (the seating area is two doors down from the bakery itself, which has no seating), but I can easily see spending a few hours here comfortably. It would be difficult to order more food since that requires walking outside and bringing my stuff with me only to come back again, but that's the only real downside I see.
(4)S B.
The pastries at Alliance are the best in town. The tarts taste as good as they look. Definitely not for anyone on a diet! The coffee is Starbucks quality.
(4)Kevin C.
Alliance Bakery is hands down one of the best bakeries that I have been to in Chicago! I have been suckered a few times into going into "organic" bakeries and have despised every bite that I have had to take after finding out that they were organic. They just don't taste the same as the good ole frankenfoods that we are used to eating. The inside is small, quaint, and cozy with a touch of nostalgia. Inside decor is fairly old fashioned and walking in gives you a sense of stepping back into the 1920's. Looking around on the walls you will find the numerous awards that the owner has won in pastry contests. Nice touch! The people here are always extremely nice and the pastries are a great value. You are sure to find something that will tickle your stomach here!
(4)Ron L.
Do not be fooled by the cakes in the pictures. They completely messed up an important order 6 mos ago and only offered to refund the difference in ingredients cost - what??? Then at my wife's request we tried them again last week for 2 birthday cakes and again, completely messed them up. Do not trust these people with an order for an important event, they suck and do not even provide basic customer care even when they acknowledge that they messed up. That is 3 cakes completely screwed up folks - you decide. Also, the owner Peter is a complete Jerk and refused to provide a any type of credit other than the price of the missing ingredients. If I didn't care about the cake, I would go to Jewel and buy a 10.00 cake, at least then you know what you are buying. They will provide whatever cake they feel like baking that day regardless of what the ticket states There are a lot of talented bakeries in the city that appreciate their customers - Try Bleeding heart or Floriole
(1)Brenna O.
Stop #4 on the Cupcake Crawl. I really liked the cozy side room adjacent to the Alliance bakery, but I felt bad that everyone else got kicked out for our private cupcake party! It worked out well though as we were all able to sit down and chat and sample some of the delicious cupcakes Alliance had to offer. For our first chocolate cupcakes of the day we had the chocolate chocolate, and the hazelnut with chocolate frosting. Both were excellent, and you gotta get a forkful of frosting with the cake to balance it all out right. We also tried the carrot cake one which was nice and moist, but not as good as the carrot cake we had at Sweet Cakes. There was also a big container of coffee for those who drink such things, and the guy who helped us out was very cool and friendly. A great way to end the great Cupcake Crawl 2007! Thanks Rob! Update: We went back for a treat, and I was kind of disappointed with my strawberry lemon cupcake, so I'm moving my 5 to a 4. There was nothing special about the lemon cupcake, it tasted like it could have come out of a box and I had hoped for some more lemon flavor. Also the strawberry part was all in the pink icing, which again did not taste that much like strawberry. I guess it was too subtle for my taste buds.
(4)Eric M.
Wow! For those of you familiar with Tartine in San Francisco, consider Alliance to be Chicago's version, less the attitude! Ordered an almond croissant and a vanilla latte and was very pleased. The cakes looked awesome, just like the ones you see on Charm City. Alliance has seating and wifi available in a room next door. The guy at the counter was great but seemed more like he should be working at a skateboard shop which added a "cool" dimension to the place. I pledge that I will visit here the first Saturday of every month despite the minor inconvenience that we live 2 hours west!
(5)Sophie D.
This place is right around the corner, so I go often. As in almost every day. My lattes are a little inconsistent (sometimes not enough caramel, sometimes too much, sometimes a little heavy on the milk, and -wait- is it sour? next time i'm getting soy... etc.) But who needs a latte everyday anyway? I love the vibe and the cakes in the window and the outdoor seating area, which is superb hipster (and otherwise) watching. I used to give a thumbs-down to their pastries (and it's very hard for me not to like something sweet), but I think they recently changed ownership and, perhaps, pastry chef as well? Either way, I've had some wonderful treats there over the last couple months. The cupcakes are adorable, although the icing on all but the vanilla one tasted a bit oily to me. and most of the items with coconut have done me right. As for savory, on a Sunday morning, I'll usually find myself there enjoying either a turkey and swiss croissant or a slice of spinach quiche. None of it leaves me feeling exactly slim, but that's what i get for hitting up a bakery nearly every day. maybe staying in logan square's solitude wasn't such a bad idea afterall... There's also a big room to the left of where you order (enter from the street), which smells like a library (love it) where you can eat, drink, read and/or web surf. You can almost always find a spot, even on its most crowded days.
(4)Nicole H.
Many of the reviews were pretty accurate and helpful to me. The area where you buy items is small but there is outdoor seating as well as seating next door. Thanks to the Yelper who pointed that out because I would have missed that. It seemed kind of dark when I went. Maybe they were saving energy or something. What I like about Alliance is that all of their items, including the mayo, are made in house. After perusing the case, I decided on a chocolate hazelnut cupcake, turkey sandwich, pistachio & chocolate cookies, coffee and hibiscus lemonade. I enjoyed the items. I never pass up lemonades that are from scratch or anything hibiscus. This one did not disappoint. The sandwich was just okay, but the mayo really jazzed it up. I thought the cupcake was done pretty well. The filling and frosting were well textured and the cake itself was moist. This place is worth checking out.
(3)De Ann W.
This bakery is really cute and old school bakeshop style but the macarons suck! At $1.75 a piece I was really expecting better. I absolutely love pistachio french macarons and the pistachio macarons from Alliance are pretty disappointing. The flavor and texture are both misses for me. The macadamia bar, on the other hand, is amazing! I would like to try the other tarts and cupcakes because they look delicious but will definitely not be purchasing the macarons again.
(3)Shaina B.
Seriously phoned it in on their paczki. Mostly dough with a dime size amount of filling - how did this end up on ANY type of list of where you should get paczki for Fat Tuesday? Disappointed to say the least...
(2)Shayna Y.
French macaroons are delicious - try salted caramel! The large outdoor patio is lovely during the summer. They also serve Bowtruss coffee which is one of my favs!
(4)Samah K.
This place has exotic and fun desserts. And there desserts are delicious. Didn't like the earl grey orange peel macaroon but otherwise loved the salted caramel, nutella, and chocolate macaroons a lot. I loved that they have a study room right next door so there is a quiet study area that i will be sure to use next time.
(4)Kelly T.
Ordered a custom cake for our son's graduation. Cake was beautiful and very tasty - a great hit. They were very flexible in helping me figure out what the design should be, etc. and easy pick-up. Only concerns were the time to get back with a quote (I had to send several reminders) and the cost. That said - you do get what you pay for and I would definitely come back here for custom orders in the future.
(4)Tanker C.
I hosted a baby shower for my daughter. I searched the web and loved the look of Alliance because the State Street location is near me and I wanted macaroons as well as a cake. I went to State Street but was met with indifference about ordering- OK, coffee shop workers -- went to the website and emailed a request ..which was answered in a basic way. So on calling them I was explicit about the boy baby thing, made an order for my cake (baby blue) with scrolling.. I had my own ornament for the top.. and macaroons too..well over $100. Delivery to my River North home was quoted at $35 which I declined! On the date and time instructed my husband went to Division to pick up the order. Lo and behold, the cake came out..pale pale blue (?white?) with St. Patrick's Day scrolling. The macaroons were "not ready"... my husband stood his ground and the cake was redecorated and the macaroons found. The cake was delicious... but the frosting buttercream and not fondant as ordered. Bottom line: great tasting goods but TERRIBLE SERVICE. Haven't even described the mistakes over credit card number, indifferent attitude etc. etc.
(2)Danny M.
My friend wanted to come here because he wanted to try their cronut. Unfortunately, they didn't have any, so we went ahead and ordered some macarons and a few cupcakes. The macarons are kind of expensive at $1.75 each. I tried 5 flavors: rose, hazelnut, peppermint mocha, pistachio, and raspberry. My favorite was the hazelnut and pistachio but even then, it was just okay. They were kind of hard and crunchy, not soft like the macarons that I'm used to. We tried the vegan chocolate with peanut butter frosting cupcake. The cupcake was dry but the frosting was good. We picked this flavor because the cashier said it was his favorite. My friend tried the red velvet and he said it was dry too. Maybe it was towards the end of the day but even the cupcakes from Mariano's taste better than this and it would have been cheaper. I wouldn't crave to come back here anytime soon.
(2)Fay H.
I want to give a surprise to my friend at her birthday , so I decided to order a cake with a "Sailor Moon" figure at Alliance .When I received it I was a little disappointed...But later when I carefully carry this cake to my friend's place , the figure of the cake fell apart ...! I paid this cake for $155 + tax , it's not worth this price at all . Even the taste of the cake is not good as well . I'm a constant customer of Alliance Patisserie in downtown , so I thought this Alliance Bakery could not be bad . But honestly, it could not be worse .
(1)Mei K.
Update: I tried the original cronut from Dominique Ansel Bakery in NYC and confirmed that this knockoff version is crap. That is all..
(1)Maria R.
I had a carrot cake cupcake, yum, my favorite! I also had the bread pudding, this is my all time favorite dish but not here. The chocolate croissants are wonderful, they would be my recommended choice.
(4)Blaise H.
Alliance does a lot of things really well. Whether things are made in house or purchased elsewhere, I'm almost always happy with what I get. My only bad experience there was with a specialty cake I ordered. It came out looking nothing like what I had ordered an was expecting, and it was just too late to do anything about it. Given their ornate window dressing (fabulous looking cakes), it was a BIG disappointment. But as I said earlier, overall it's hard to go wrong. I'm a big fan of their bagels, their Macarons, their quiche, and their cookies. They brew some solid coffee as we'll, using local roasters. And of course having the seating area next door and outside just adds to the perks.
(4)Aj M.
Their savory croissants are amazing! Everything is delicious, you can't go wrong with Alliance.
(5)Sara A.
This place is so good I wish it doesn't become more popular and crowded. So don't come here people ok? This place is just for me
(5)Jonathan S.
Recently placed an order for a fairly last minute birthday cake (about a week's notice). Alliance had no issue with my request. My beautifully designed custom cake was ready that weekend. First impression: the design was beautiful and matched my expectations (a custom Chicago city flag cake). Also, I customized the inside with custard, strawberries, and vanilla and chocolate layers. Over the outside, we used vanilla buttercream. Overall, the cake was a hit and tasted amazing. Also: a great value.
(5)Sarah A.
I could not be happier with the way my cake turned out! Alliance Bakery totally nailed it!
(5)Kat A.
After eating at Carriage House my friends and I saw that Alliance was just a couple store fronts over so we figured, why not stop in to see what they have? We checked out Yelp reviews and saw that it got good ratings. I got one of each flavor macaron and a red velvet cupcake. The macarons are good, but not the best I've had. The red velvet cupcake on the other hand was awesome. Nice and moist, with the smooth cream cheese frosting. It was not overly sweet, which I enjoyed. Next time I go here, I want to try their cakes and cake pops!
(5)Ashley K.
Alliance bakery provided me with last minute engagement cookies for my sister and her fiancee. I called on a Tuesday with a need for custom made cookies, and they were able to have them ready exactly when I needed them (which was on Sunday). I specifically wanted to have 5 engagement ring shaped cookies, with one cookie customized to their names and engagement date. I was really excited to surprise the engaged couple with this and was so happy with the results of the cookies. Beautifully designed, and extremely tasty. We would have finished them all, but want to save two as a great memory. Thanks to Alliance Bakery for the great customer service, and wonderful results!
(5)Josh W.
I've been to coffee shops all around the city and this is my favorite by far. Great sweet treats and they served great bowtruss coffee last time I was there. The best part was the second room they had next door full of tables and couches for reading and studying. It was so quite and quite comfortable. Definitely not your average Starbucks.
(5)Lupe A.
Our new go to bakery!!! They are 100% dedicated to pleasing their customers and are flexible to work with your budget. The cake was delicious and beautiful. We will be back for all our birthday cakes!!
(5)Diana J.
The single lonely star is solely based on their macarons! I normally always get my macarons from Vanille Patisserie, however since it was labor day Monday, they were unfortunately closed. Since I promised a friend I'd bring her some that day, I quickly turned to yelp and found Alliance bakery to be close by. Their selection was as expected, with about 8-10 different flavors to choose from. I made two bags of 5 macarons each which totaled to ~$20. Now it gets bad: the macarons were cold like they just came out of a freezer (which is fine I guess) but then they started to melt.... all of the fillings oozed out and made a bloody mess in the bags. I've brought macrons from Laduree all the way from NYC and they have held perfect shape for several days! Okay, so they are just really ugly looking now... I can get over that if it still tastes good.... boy was I wrong. One of my favorite flavors is rose- their version tasted like the pink liquid soap in divey bar bathrooms. My bf spit his half out immediately. The rest were not any better (pistachio, strawberry, hazelnut, etc.). I was sorely disappointed. We definitely will not be coming back.
(1)Colleen M.
Love this place! The macaroons are amazing. You must try the strawberry shortcake, the salted caramel (which I never even knew existed until recently- previously they were always sold out!) or the rose ones. Amazing!! I tried the German chocolate macaroon before and was slightly disappointed. The coconut was hard as a rock, stale I'm guessing? The staff is so nice, always ready with a smile!
(4)Rachel W.
I love alliance, the people are super friendly and it's a great vibe in there. Their vegan cupcake is a little dry unfortunately, although the peanut butter frosting is awesome :) Great coffee and a really nice patio out front for people watching.
(4)Kathleen C.
Not a town to let New York pass us by with a fad (Cronut)...we have to have our own, thank you very much.... And Alliance is apparently the spot for a cronut in Chicago. Now, I'm not sure if I am just not a cronut person, but I wasn't completely wow'd by the cronut here - though I will say that it was beautifully presented and had a lovey rose glaze. The spot itself is pretty cute and I've had coffee and other treats here before which I have always enjoyed. However, I would pass on the line for the cronuts and stick to their other specialties...which also results in you having more time to eat your treat and a quicker fix!
(4)Linda S.
Went by here for the sole purpose of buying macarons. They were $1.75 each and I got one of each of their variety of 11 different flavors. Haven't finished them all yet but from the ones I've tried, they're amazing! I'd say they are average size and the "hats" and "feet" were perfect with a good amount of filling! Aside from my delicious macaron, the service was great. I was greeted immediately when I walked into the store. I told the worker what I wanted and she immediately boxed them up and sent me on my way. Will definitely come back here again if I'm ever in the neighborhood!
(5)MeFarrahDay D.
3 seconds out of this bakery and completely terrible experience. Be warned... preorder is not a preorder! I ordered a few things to drive to family in Michigan and was told "you get what we have left." Even after confirming 2 hours prior to pick up that I'd be there for my "pre"order. You can be the best place in the world, but 1 bad experience had made me never want to even pass by again.
(1)Matt M.
Sad to say but the last three visits have been underwhelming. So much so that I won't be coming back and I've gone out of my way to visit since moving neighborhoods. The frosted sugar cookies look great but are dry and almost inedible. Ginger snaps were also dried out and devoid of flavor. The real surprise was how awful their cupcakes were. We had a red velvet and a German chocolate and both were so bland that I actually threw my half out after one bite. I could make better at home and it pains me to say that. The macaroons are their strength and I'll continue to recommend them.
(3)Jessica M.
There were 11 of us to share a box of some 25 macarons. In other words, each person is rightfully allowed to have 2.27 macarons. That does not sound like an easy number to work with. Therefore, the best approach is to ally with a partner in crime and divide each of our four macarons into halves. We tried vanilla bean, passion fruit, lemon poppy seed, and raspberry. Halleluiah! I think I just stepped into Mr. Willy Wonka's chocolate factory.....except there are aisles and towers of macarons instead. Each bite sent me frolicking around the room! Each piece of macaron had a smooth crust. The flavors were ever-bursting as I bit through the crust and reached its moist filling. It wasn't overly buttery and the fruit flavors were very vibrant. I can actually snack on it for hours had I let my addiction overcome me. The downside is the macarons were a bit soft. It was a hot day because we left it in a warm environment for too long.
(4)Jewel L.
So Disappointing. :-( I used to have a red velvet cupcake everytime i walked past Alliance but after my last two experiences, I no longer stop in. They're too expensive to be this awful. The cupcakes were overcooked and dry..nothing like the cupcake I fell in love with. The croissants were over cooked, dark brown and dry. Did the baker change? What happened? Good bye for now old favorite :-(
(1)Melissa C.
I was so excited to learn Alliance was selling Packzis. Only to find out that these aren't packzis, they are $2.50 donuts (and not even good donuts at that). As someone who's been eating these once/year delights my whole life, I was sorely disappointed to find Alliance's dry, bland, and lacking filling. Additionally, I asked for each flavor except apple. Welp, I got an apple and no strawberry. What a disappointment. I look forward to this day each year and made a total fail this year by going to Alliance.
(2)Monica J.
This is for their vegan peanut butter cupcakes. They are excellent and the frosting is done right. AFter trying this, you won't even realize it is vegan. The frosting is the right consistency and sweetness as well. Coffee and granola are good, too.
(5)Melissa C.
Came in while I passed by, specifically for the macaroons. The cakes in the window looked gorgeous! Since I was in a hurry, I took one of each of the macaroon flavors since I couldn't decide on which....some were delicious...some were interesting. Overall, the texture was awesome and all the fillings were the perfect amount. Overall they had great macaroons: Lemon Poppy: VERY lemony! It tasted very natural, however a little more on the tart side Rose: I was excited for this one, and I can't decide if I liked it or not. I'm always one that is willing to try the interesting and unique flavors in desserts. When I bit into the macaroon, it definitely tasted like a rose! So much so that it seemed like I bit into a rose. Again, the flavor was true to it's name....just not sure if I liked the flavor! Vanilla: just like the other two, very true to it's name. Nice and sweet...not too sweet, but you could taste the vanilla very clearly. Blueberry Cheesecake: This was a good mix of creaminess and blueberry....not sure what the center was, but it seemed cream-based. Raspberry: This was probably the most fresh raspberry macaroon I've had! Usually I've had raspberry with a jelly based center. This one had a cream based center with pieces of fresh raspberry in it....the only reason I could tell though was because there were seeds in the center. Mexican Chocolate: This was the second one where the verdict is still up in the air! When they say mexican chocolate, it's definitely spicy....to the point where it took me a while to eat the cookie! This is definitely not for the spicy faint of heart.....however the mixture of the heat and the dark chocolate center was delish!
(4)Saima S.
We ordered our wedding cake from Alliance Bakery for about 115 people (ended up with only 80 guests in the end so we had a ton of cake left over). The cake was absolutely delicious - we had three different flavors, all with Italian meringue buttercream frosting: lemon cake with vanilla bean cream and passionfruit mousse filling, vanilla cake with strawberry preserves and chocolate mousse filling, and lemon cake with raspberry filling. Our guests loved every single flavor. There were some issues with communication; sometimes it took a week or so to get responses to emails, and it was tough to reach someone via phone on the day of the wedding. However, the cake was made, decorated, and delivered as planned and on-time. The cake was beautiful, and the quality of the cake itself was wonderful. I would definitely recommend Alliance Bakery to my friends.
(4)S.E. A.
Great place to sit and get work done. Delicious pastries and good tea & coffee. It's nice that the seating area is separate from the room with the cash register. Happy that they are open until 9 every day, since many cafes on Division close earlier.
(5)Jasmine J.
I order custom cookies from Alliance. I only wanted 3 cookies, and they have a minimum of like 4 per kind, but they lowered It to 3 per special cookie I wanted. I sent pictures of what I had in mind and expected some sort of cartoon likeness of what I sent. The price quote I got back was semi high but I went with it. I got my cookies today. WHOA. Beat my expectations beyond belief. They are true artists. My cookies were such a great hit. Tasty. Really beautiful. For how amazing they are, the price is a steal. Thank you alliance gor making this affordable and possible.
(5)Gino W.
The whole hipster landscape has overtaken the independent boutiques and eateries in Chicago. With that comes a bit of a detachment in the customer service department - unless you are a hipster on the "buying" side of the counter. Alliance Bakery & Cafe has all the trimming of a "hot spot" for the hipsters in the know. I bought a latte, one that I ordered through a slightly reticent barista - or it may have been my British accent that was a little off putting for him. Considering I was able to drink the latte without any sweetener, that spoke to the quality of the coffee and I will cosign that it is definitely worth the purchase. I can't speak to the other products that Alliance offers, as I shy away from baked products that are on display in a surplus fashion. (You never know if the baked goods are being recycled from one day - or week - to the next.) For those who go to Alliance, I would recommend their coffee. As I mentioned, I can't speak to the baked goods. And I would suggest that you have an idea as to what you want without pause and guesswork.
(3)Christie B.
I never really gave much thought to macarons. I figured they were just those coconutty sweet mounds that were delicious and nice with a cup of coffee. Never knew that real macarons were something entirely different. So I go over to Alliance for their famous macarons, figuring I'd give it a try. First of all, I was mildly affronted that a tiny macaron cost, well a lot. I can't remember how much, but I do remember thinking, dang man. But maybe they knew something I didn't, so I bought a sea salt caramel one and a pink one. I also bought 2 decorated sugar cookies because I'm a sucker for those things. They just look so gorgeous right? My total bill was around $13. In another, saner world, I might have asked myself what was I thinking to blow so much money on 2 tiny macarons and two (admittedly) really cute cookies. So I bring these macarons home to try with my boyfriend (now husband). We try the sea salt caramel one. It's good. It's really good. I mean really good. I had to sit down because it was so good. The price? No wonder I can't remember. The deliciousness of this macaron drove the price right out of my head. I'm telling you now. These things are worth every penny. And the cookies? It almost seemed like a mortal sin to consume something so gorgeous and perfect. But I did. They are all inside me now and I think I feel better about the world just for having had this bakery experience.
(5)Anna L.
Love their lounge area; clean, quiet, and inviting! It's away from the purchasing counter, next door, to be exact, which is nice! It's quieter & less distracting (if studying). Had a red velvet cupcake & chamomile tea, 'twas delicious. They do have macaroons, which never hurts a bakery ;) will have to try them next time. Parking wasn't much of an issue, or maybe we got lucky? Either way, go! You'll enjoy yourself
(5)Jackie L.
Great service, delicious treats! Had a wonderful experience on the phone and via email working with Alliance on a cookie order. When I picked up the 50 individually wrapped cookies they looked just like the image I had sent over, but cuter! Delivered them to a client and received a WOW note. Thanks for making me look good Alliance! Also grabbed some macarons for my team and they were scrumptious!
(5)Jade C.
Was disappointed in my experience with this bakery, especially after reading all the great reviews. I ordered 6 king cakes to share with my students. I asked them to be made with the little plastic baby inside, in keeping with tradition. When I picked up the cakes, the person who helped us looked at the note on the boxes and confirmed that the plastic babies had been placed inside. However, when I got the cakes to school, and as the kids ate their way through them, we never found a single baby. Such a bummer, as that is the best part of the king cake tradition! When I called to report, the person who answered the phone was unapologetic and did nothing to rectify the situation besides offering to "tell the kitchen." I understand that mistakes happen - though king cakes are supposed to be a specialty of this bakery! - but the poor customer service means I will not be back to this bakery.
(2)Jessica K.
I have to thank this place for humbling me. I had decided to check this place out because my usual wicker park cafe (Lovely Bakery) was becoming a bit.. pretentious. Or at least that's what I thought. But Alliance.. they take pretentious to a level I'd never experienced before. As harsh as this sounds, I think of all the coffee shops I've ever visited in Chicago, it is here at Alliance where I received the worst service ever. And let me tell you, I've been to A LOT of coffee shops in the 5 years that I've lived in Chicago. A lot. I'm not even going to write about the specific incident that made me decide to never return here. It's not even worth the effort to write anything more than I am already. Yes, the pastries and coffee are good but they don't stand out. Go to Lovely Bakery or Just Indulge down the street. Their bakeries taste the same if not better. Alliance's baked goods are pretty small too. So if you're a bang for the buck type of person, I'd stay away. And if it's about the distance and you're looking for a cafe/bakery within walking distance, check out the Starbucks across the street... The place is messy. There is never an actual line. It's just a free for all. When it's busy, it's HORRIBLE. And the employees. They actually complain about not only their job and their stupid lives, but about you and how much they hate you in front of your face. Very classy Alliance..very..classy. I just don't think it's worth supporting a business that treats their customers like crap. It's really not worth it. Bad service, ok baked goods but extremely expensive.. just.. don't bother.
(2)Elaine V.
We came here after having sushi at the horrible place across the street in the hopes that a nicely pulled double espresso would clear our palate. We were absolutely delighted with the offerings. We chose a macaroon each, "raspberry rose" and "coconut lime." The espresso was pulled by hand, and as a former barrista at a hoity-toity espresso house, I could tell the barrista there knew how to steam milk properly, so I'll be back to sample the lattes! The pastries were pure art. My husband and I made a vow to come back and try everything once. There is an annex to the bakery that you have to go outside to get inside of, which-- even in 6 degree weather, added charm. There was music playing in the background and well-worn eclectic furniture spread over a large, open, high-ceilinged, single room. Photos of their artistic pastries covered the walls. Clearly a place committed to quality, but without the haughty atmosphere it had the potential to sport. On the eve of the infamous battle between the Bears and the Packers for the Superbowl berth, they had little cookies that had a swiss-cheese pastry cutout pattern with a red "X" through it that said, "Packers stink." So cute!
(5)Noura K.
I have to give this place a 5 star rating for the delicious bars that they make. I have tried many bakeries in chicago hoping to find good pasteries that are not too sweet nor too creamy. so far I loved everything I and tried at Alliance, expecially the cranberry, coconut, and lemon bars. the reason why I am not giving it a 5 star is because of their chai masala tea that tasted NOTHING like the name! and the waitress insisted that this is what a chai masala taste like.. and she kinda rolled her eyes. I didn't insist too much and just ignored it, but I would have loved to ask for my money back. Anyway.. I will keep on going there for more cranberry bars!
(4)Samantha C.
I have no complains about this place. How could you? Their treats are amaaaaazzzinnnggg! An iced soy latte in the summer with a red velvet cupcake: heaven. A hot soy coco in the winter with an almond croissant: HEAVENLIER (word?) A red velvet birthday cake with chocolate butter cream frosting and layered with berry sauce: an odd combination, but AMAZING none the less! The service is always super friendly and they know what they're doing when it comes to baked goods. The coffee drinks are good, but not as good as say.. *star lounge*. And that's the only reason they don't get that extra star.
(4)Natasha P.
Hands down, the best red velvet cupcakes you'll ever come across. (In the greater Chicago area) I mentioned before that I love bakeries for different reasons, mainly because I love certain cupcake flavors at certain places and this place is red velvet cupcake heaven. Moist, tasty and the ratio of sweet icing to cake is perfectionnnnn. I have to admit I only come here for the red velvet cupcake and the lounge adjacent to the bakery but their other pastries here are pretty tasty. I picked up 8 cupcakes for my co-workers birthday today and everyone really enjoyed them. Alliance is a wonderful staple in the Wicker Park 'hood. Done.
(4)Michelle G.
I worked at a small bakery for over three years and have baked my entire life aside from that, so I will always, ALWAYS try any bakery I come across and I'll be brutally honest about it. So Alliance has some really realllllly delicious stuff (the German chocolate macaroon might be one of my favorite things) but I wouldn't put their sandwiches on that list (they are fine, just not especially great). I will often pop in just to grab something small and sweet and different from what I can get most other places nearby. The main reason for a three star review is the seating situation... I'm really glad they are so busy that it's difficult to find a place to sit without having to ask somebody to condense their stuff and share one of the big tables, and I also don't really mind that the... lounge?... isn't actually in the same space as where you buy the treats. *And* it's okay that it feels like a library in there- I just know that I can't bring friends or chat up a stranger without a bunch of dirty looks from some very serious web surfers. It is a room for reading, typing, daydreaming, and checking out attractive people, sans conversation. Got it. Okay, so I guess that's a little annoying but it's a personal preference... But mainly, my only *real* problem with Alliance is that it smells funny. I mean, has anybody else noticed this?? Just the lounge area, but seriously, it's a weird weird smell and it's been there my past three (short) visits. I won't describe it here the way I described it to my roommate but yeah. I hope somebody will investigate that.
(3)Anjee J.
I had a pumpkin cupcake from here and it was soooo not worth the $3+ I paid for it. Tiny, not very moist and lacking in flavor. I don't get the hype. My search for the perfect cupcakes continues... :( I also tried some pumpkin pie from here on Thanksgiving and found it to be good, but average. It probably cost way more than it should have. And yeah, the workers are a bit standoffish and pretentious, but it's in Wicker Park, so what do you expect?
(2)Denise M.
Whenever I go here I get the tasty iced coffee for $2. It's way better and cheaper than Starbucks down the street. They also have good pastries for the price and the staff is always friendly. I also really enjoy the unique fact the the sitting area is next door. It's great to go their and read a book in a comfy chair without the usual cafe clatter.
(4)Rebekka T.
The newness of Alliance has worn off from when I first moved here. The drinks and food are ok, but the new sitting area looks like a conference room. Also, sometimes there's music playing but if there isn't, it's deathly quiet you can hear every conversation.
(3)Patty S.
I ordered a wedding cake for 225 people over the phone, sent a picture, with out ever, having a tasting. The carrot, and the chocolate, were delicious, and very moist. I talked to Jennifer, from start to finish, she made the entire process so smooth, and effortless.
(5)Eliot J.
super cool cakes and pastries. their food products aren't the best i've had, but they're decent. i often use this place as a study venue and, for that, it's a great destination (although it fills up often) - nowhere near as noisy as a starbucks, and you're supporting independent local business. sadly, the coffee sucks. but i think starbucks' coffee sucks, too, and i'm clearly in the minority on that opinion. the jaded hipsters working the counter aren't particularly friendly, but they're not slouchy. i emailed inquiring about a birthday cake order once via alliance's website but never got a reply.
(3)Jackie N.
If you want to buy and devour a $6 pastry in front of a hipster that looks like their vegan self could benefit from the aforementioned glucose,and if you have fantasies about a film worthy library outburst, this is the place to do it. However, if you ARE a hipster, steer clear. You're skinny jeans won't fit after the pastry is consumed,and the library vibe will only remind you that you studied five years for a degree in the Norfuk language with a minor in the history of alchemy.
(4)Grrlscoutgoneba D.
Ive been living down the street from Alliance for around 10 years now and I've watched it change hands many times. I keep giving it another chance hopeing to relive the glory days of the late 90's. I stopped in their last night to grab a sandwich on my way to work. The male barista was so chatty fast and amped up I was wondering if he had to much coffee or mabye to much speed. My caprise sandwich was just ok, a bit to much bread and not enough filling. What grossed me out was seeing the male Barista behind the counter barefoot! then watching him walk outside into the seating area and back into the kitchen BAREFOOT! GROSS!
(2)Krsna V.
One of the best bakeries in the neighborhood. I always get the chocolate croissants. They sell Intellegentsia coffee by the bag. They make excellent chocolate cake. The staff make this place cool and hip. The minus one star is for not stocking up on baked good and opening late on weekends. They do not open until 7 A.M. I understand the yuppies in wicker park do not get up early on the weekends because they are out all night but, there are people like me who get up early. Also, they run out of most pastries before 11:00 a.m. on a weekday or 10:00 a.m. on a weekend.
(4)James A.
I stop by here on some mornings to get coffee on my way to the train. I think their americano is the best in the neighborhood - my go-to drink. The Alliance blend intelligentsia coffee is great as well, a bit on the sweeter side. I've never felt the need to add either sugar or cream to a coffee drink from here, since it is always perfectly smooth and mild tasting. Great croissants as well!
(4)Sara M.
I got married this past weekend and Alliance Bakery made our wedding cake. From the moment we met with Jennifer (who was wonderful to work with) and had our tasting we thought how incredible the cake was but when your guests all tell you how much they loved the cake, you know you did something right. I would recommend Alliance Bakery for anyone who is hosting a special occasion and needs a cake. You won't be disappointed!!!
(5)Chad C.
I had a chocolate chip cookie, which was pretty decent, and also some of a german chocolate drop, which was not so great. All the cakes in the window do look pretty impressive, but I'm not typically in the market for crazy designer cakes. And the eating/hangout/study room next door seems pretty cool too, not a bad place to chill or read or whatever. I also had the tres leches cake, which was pretty moist, a fairly well done tres leches. I'd give it a 7/10.
(3)Natalie R.
Alliance did our wedding cake in April, it turned out amazing! The design was great and it tasted great too!
(5)Gretchen O.
Alliance is my first stop in search of a replacement for Mercury Cafe. I'll need about three cafes to serve all the purposes Mercury used to - one for studying, another for a place to hang out with my friends, another for cheap, tasty coffee and food. Alliance fills my first need very well. The fact that the seating area and the serving area are in two different buildings helps - the seating area is completely silent, save the music. Whispering is conspicuous. I could never meet a friend here to catch up, but there's literally nothing to distract me from several hours of paper-writing. Pros: The internet is free, the coffee is decent. The whimsically decorated cakes in the front window are highly entertaining (I am easily entertained, but you'd have to be pretty cold not to smile at a severed foot cake.) They have a dinosaur with a shark in its mouth on the counter in front of the register. Cons: There's usually only one barista, so the line isn't commuter-friendly. There isn't that much seating. The food selection is limited once you leave the pastry food group. It is a bakery, after all. Mercury, you left a gaping hole in my consumer's heart, but I'll be stuffing it with lots of gauze. Some of it will come from Alliance Bakery.
(4)Stacey B.
We ordered our wedding cake from Alliance. Not only was the tasting excellent (they actually gave us choices to taste instead of slices from the case like other bakeries), but Mitchell was a delight to work with. He had lots of creative ideas and totally worked with us so we could have exactly what we wanted within our budget. All of our guests thought the cake was beautiful AND was delicious. We got many, many compliments on it. I would highly recommend them due to their professionalism, ease to work with, and both the cake's appearance and taste.
(5)Katherine L.
The perfect place to work in a low-key, casual environment. Great cakes, from the looks of it; haven't tried them, but loved their cuban espresso. The perfect mix of sweet & *strong* (caffeine-wise)!
(5)Sam A.
I was looking for an alternative for StarB's and saw this place on yelp so I tried it. I hate giving places bad reviews but I'm just not crazy about this place. I think it's mainly the ambiance that turned me off. It just doesn't have that cozy coffee house feel (maybe because it's not a coffee house type place, or is it?) Staff: Very friendly and fast Cappuccino: Very good but def had better. They use intelligentsia coffee beans. Why doesn't anyone around here use Illy? Turkey Sandwich: Nothing spectacular, just a regular turkey sandwich. Bottled water: Amazing lol The lounge is two doors down so you order your drink/sandwich/pastry and walk over two doors. Someone needs to plug in a few air fresheners because the smell in there was not so good! Maybe it was just one person who knows. Definitely worth trying, you might love it. I didn't.
(1)Kelly G.
I realize this place is hot right now and every Trixie and Chad in town is knocking on their door for a "unique" cake that looks like all the other "unique' cakes in the bridal mags, but if they expect to last they need to provide good service from start to finish. I set up an appointment for a cake tasting and consultation (a $35 fee and they take your credit card number when you schedule) for a wedding cake two weeks ago. My appointment was at 3pm. At 2:55pm I walked in the door along with my sister and fiancé. Told them we were here for a 3pm cake tasting and one of the many bearded hipsters standing behind the counter offered us a beverage and let us know the consultant was finishing up with another customer and would be with us shortly. No problem. The place is tiny so all three of us tried to stay out of the way as the customers came in and out and the minutes passed by...3:05pm...3:10pm...3:15pm...I asked one of the staff if they knew how much longer it would be (it was getting really hot and crowded in there). He went into the back (where peals of laughter could be heard every few minutes) and came out to tell us that the consultant was having a hard time wrapping it up with the appointment before us but it should just be a few minutes more. "No problem!", I say. Then, 3:20pm...3:25pm...3:30pm...are they serious? How can a professional not have the skills to wrap up a meeting when she knows she has other customers waiting? At 3:35pm, I tell them that we can't wait any longer and I expect a refund of my 35 bucks. The guy runs in the back again and comes out only to apologize and say that the consultant is REALLY trying, but still not capable of ending the previous appointment in order to honor our appointment. We left. You'd think, at the very least, we would have received an email or call from the consultant afterwards to apologize and ask if she could reschedule our appointment but I haven't heard a thing. It was so amateurish, unprofessional and disappointing, but I am glad I got to see their customer service skills in action before I booked them for my wedding.
(1)Meidarda T.
Thank you "Alliance" for creating an exceptionally beautiful birthday cake for my daughter's birthday. I found "Alliance" online and on Yelp. I loved the cakes' clean modern design. I decided to take a chance, and ordered a cake long distance (from Out of State) without ever meeting the staff. My daughter is in Chicago, she misses her cat very much as he doesn't travel well. Amazingly "Alliance" - with Peter's (the owner) meticulous attention to detail, his care and effort to make sure we were on the same page design-wise, in addition to Jennifer's patience (in taking notes) were successful creating a cake portraying our cat (spot on!). You and your team were able to translate my drawn idea into a classy, clean-lined and beautiful cake! Yes Peter, my daughter is very surprised and happy with the cake. She just informed me that the cake (vanilla with fresh berries) were delicious, light and fluffy and fruity. Perfect for summer! You have an amazing team with excellent talent and artistic taste in producing beautiful creations to meet your clients' high expectations. Congratulations! You and your team are the best in the field! Thank you again Peter for taking the time to really listen to your client's wishes.
(5)Elizabeth B.
The lovely Kellie K. got me a brownie from here last week to fix a bad day. It definitely did the trick. Today I find myself sitting in the Alliance Bakery 'computer lab' searching for jobs, sipping coffee, and mowing-down a cheesecake brownie. My roommate said she once got food poisoning from eating here but I don't care; I am trying to lose weight before swimsuit season and there is nothing like a week of diarrhea to get me into a smaller size. The brownie was awesome. The coffee is piping hot and the internet is fast and free. Plus, there are enough hottie dirrrty boys in here to keep me from being bored. I expect to have to continue searching for jobs until my balls drop or for the next 20 years, whichever comes first. For that reason, I will be back here when I need a change of pace from my home internet and crappy homemade baked goods. I took one star off because the music in here makes me want to slit my wrists.
(4)Amanda F.
I have been searching for the perfect coffee shop in Chicago...going around town to continuously be disappointed with the shops here...It seemed like nobody has exactly what I was looking for and I was getting frustrated. I just wanted to find something where I felt like I could come often and feel comfortable. On a recent icy and snowy day, I last-minute decided to come to Alliance-it's only 2 blocks from my house, which I ironically never come to for one reason or another. I absolutely loved it there. It's the perfect shop. Quiet, open, airy, light, comfortable seating, nice sized tables, unpretentious, just plain right NORMAL. I will come back again and again. Moral of the story and reflective point of the day---sometimes the answers are right there, under your nose, and you just need to look more closely. And sometimes what you need most is the overlooked way, or the way that seems the least exotic, simply because it's close to home. :)
(4)Mia P.
Great coffee. Awesomely tasty and moist cupcakes. And the Pumpkin macarons. They were melt in your mouth delicous, so delicous that I wanted to try more flavors. That's where Alliance loses a star. Stale macarons are probably the worst things you could possibly eat. When they're good, they're amazing. But when they're bad, they're basically inedible. And it's luck of the draw unfortunately. Buuuut I will be back.
(4)Jennifer L.
Peter at Alliance did a good job designing a special cake for my 5th wedding anniversary, which happened to fall on the day of a football game between my school and my husband's. The design was creative, the chocolate cake was delicious BUT it had the wrong filling! Peter was very apologetic and offered free cupcakes to make up for it. Hopefully he'll make good on that promise. On another note, it seems like a lot of the people who work there are a bit spacey. Nice, but spacey. There've been times when I'm not 100% sure that an order is going to turn out the way I've requested (although it has, except for the one time).
(4)Justin G.
Nice little bakery that smells amazing. I had a hard time not stopping in here for cookies on a regular basis.
(4)Julia T.
Alliance was on my way home and I decided what the heck, let's give it a try since I pass it all the time. First thing I noticed was they serve Intelligentsia coffee - big plus in my book. They have these adorable cakes displayed in the window and the decor inside is very warm and fuzzy. The staff was super friendly. Tons of sugar rush options to choose from - cookies, cupcakes, pastries, etc. I decided to try their double chocolate cupcake as it is my decision making item of if a bakery has won my heart. I have one word for their cupcake - SCRUMPTIOUS! The cupcake was so moist that it melted in your hands and mouth. It was decadent with its oh so goodness perfect whipped chocolate frosting. The frosting was so light but carried the chocolate flavor through. I've experienced a lot of bakeries that whip their frosting, do not get the flavor through and it just tastes like plain whip cream. Great job Alliance! I will be coming back to try their Tiramisu and many more! I'll be back to review my second adventure. Stay tuned.
(4)Rosie R.
Went here yesterday to pick up some kind of comforting baked good because I was jacked up only having tea and no food so I was jittery. Anyways, it was the 2nd time I've been here and I was looking for their gourmet "fig newton" but they didn't have it. So I went with their cherry scone and a red velvet cup cake price was 5 something for both, but it was worth it!! The Scone was the best I ever had!!! The cupcake (even though it was small) was delicious and cracklicious! A nice place to go to when you want to reward yourself and indulge!
(4)Amy H.
Yesterday I had a little devil and a little angel pop up on my shoulders and the three of us had a little conversation that went something like this... Devil Amy: You look like crap, Amy. Angel Amy: Don't listen to her, dear. You do look like you don't feel well. Amy: I'll be ok. I just went to the pharmacy and picked up this big bag of drugs and now I'm going home to rest. Devil Amy: SWEET!! Let's go home and get high!! Amy: Alright, alright. Keep your horns on, devil. I have to figure out what I'm going to have for dinner, because once I get home I don't want to leave again. Angel Amy: You deserve to treat yourself to something nice. Maybe a cheeseburger from that place you love...or a taco from the restaurant down the street... Devil: ...or cupcakes. Amy: Cupcakes? For dinner?? Angel: Don't be silly, devil. She can't have cupcakes for dinner! She should have a nice well-balanced meal. Something that is good for her. Devil: I"m sick of that healthy crap she's always eating. I want cupcakes!!!!! Amy: Cupcakes? Devil: Yeah!!! CUPCAKES!!!! CUP-CAKES-CUP-CAKES-CUP-CAKES!!!!!! Angel: Where would she find cupcakes? Amy: Well, Alliance Bakery is on my way home...I could stop there. I've heard that they have some good cupcakes. Angel: Well, I guess that just this once it's ok to have cupcakes for dinner. Just as long as we don't make a habit of it. Amy: Really angel?? I can have cupcakes for dinner?!?? :) So off we went to Alliance Bakery. I got a red velvet cupcake for the devil, a vanilla cupcake for the angel, and a carrot cupcake for me. The red velvet was good but the frosting:cupcake ratio was a little off...it needed a bit more frosting. Same with the carrot cupcake...yummy with fresh shreds of carrot but needed a smidgen more frosting. The vanilla was ok...the frosting was too sweet and the cake was a tad dry. Just in case devil, angel, and I were still hungry after the cupcakes we also bought a black and white cookie and a pecan bar. Both ok, but didn't knock my socks off.
(3)