This bakery has what my elitist Eastern European parents call "real tortes and cakes". Of course, I agree with them. Everything I have ever eaten from Oak Mill has been absolutely delicious, including my wedding cake this past December. I asked for a custom filling of lemon/rasberry mousse and they created it for me. My wedding cake introduced most of my guests to the delicious world of Eastern European baked goods, and to the alternative of a sheet cake from your local grocer. Expensive? I don't think so, not for the amazing quality. I would rather pay $20 for an unforgettable cake from Oak Mill than a heavy, overly sweet, with a mountain of diabetes inducing frosting cake from a grocery store bakery. There is a slew of other Polish bakeries, which are good....but they are NOT Oak Mill. If you're not shopping for a custom creation, I highly recommend the Pear Cake. You will NOT be dissapointed.
(5)
U P.
This review is pertaining to this SPECIFIC LOCATION. I love Oak Mill Bakery on North Ave in Chicago. The customer service is excellent there. This location, however, seems like it's owned by a different company. The rude blonde female that works here, would be better off working at a Hollister or like a total Abercrombie, because her teenage-smelling little attitude is completely out of place here! I came in to get a cake for my Mom's birthday because we both love Oak Mill cakes. There was NO OTHER CUSTOMER IN A STORE BUT ME, and the sales people were gossiping in Polish in the back room. The rude blondie came out and started rushing me..not sure if she has ADHD problems, in which case, go visit your doctor, you must be out of meds, or she just has that nasty attitude inherent to SOME people. I asked her to describe what one cake contained and she rushed through that description like she was on cocaine, and I said ok let me get it - so she pulls out another cake. I said that I was asking for a different cake to be described and she just told me that it pretty much is not as good...everything about her attitude was sooo nasty, the inexplicable rush..well maybe it can be explained by the fact that she wanted to run back as to not miss out on any gossip going on in the back room. The way she explained things made me feel like I - THE PAYING CUSTOMER - was greatly inconveniencing her. She doesn't have her facts straight: I asked if the cake was fresh, which she confirmed it was, but it spoiled after a few days and never tasted that fresh to begin with. I asked if this is the only location that no longer accepts Belly Card and she said that all of Oak Mill places stopped accepting it (not true!) Maybe instead of gossiping your day away you can try and LISTEN to your customers. P.S. I just remembered that the last time I got a raspberry bomb here it made me feel kind of sick...so I was going to give up on them. But I really think it's just this location that's so disappointing. Never back again here!
(1)
Bridgett C.
We used Oak Mill Bakery for our wedding cake. The woman who met with us seemed nice and drew out a very detailed diagram of the wedding cake we wanted. Unfortunately the wedding cake was one of the biggest disappointments on my wedding day. The design was totally wrong. When I called to complain about it after we got back from our honeymoon, the woman was rude to me. She offered to refund me $20 for their huge mistake. That's it. She also did not offer the slightest apology for what was her fault.
(1)
Mary Kate F.
"Oh my God!" and "Aaaaggh!" and "Can you believe this?!" That's what kind of reactions we got from people when they saw the sweets table at our wedding this weekend. Our guests will be talking about it for years -- trust me. The spread was almost beyond description. The tables were laden with row after row of little parfait cups, chocolate swans, huge chocolate horns spilling out dozens of tiny pastries (all different), tiny creme cakes, glazed fruit tarts (large and small), tortes, flans, towers of white- and chocolate-dipped strawberries, pyramids of these doughnut hole thingys, and dozens upon dozens of individually beautiful, two-bite-sized European pastries. I love my mother-in-law for raising such an awesome son, but I really, really love her for suggesting Oak Mill Bakery for the sweets table at the wedding. To knock off a star because of the price is silly; quality like this will cost a person serious money. But if you can afford it and you want to dazzle, these people will deliver in a big way. My sister ate a chocolate piano!
(5)
Rachel H.
Being a huge fan of their pear cake, Oak Mill was my only destination when I woke up with paczki on the brain. I was headed to the burbs to visit my parents anyway so I decided on this location. I was scared when I saw the tiny parking lot full of cars, and even more scared when I got in the long line. I shouldn't have feared though, because the quick customer service got everyone through the line. I somehow managed to buy 8 paczki including fresh strawberry with whipped cream. Mmmm. The only thing that sucks is that they require $10 min purchase for credit cards but that just gave me an excuse to buy some bread and a monster croissant.
(5)
Jessica O.
Ok, the one star is taken off because of high prices, but that is the ONLY bad thing that I will say about this place. This is the only bakery that most discriminating eastern-European parents will go to... and for good reason! Their pastries are a-m-a-z-i-n-g, and really quite beautiful to boot! My favorite thing to do for a really special dinner for two is to stop here and get a little assortment of their mini pastries to sample. I highly recommend the little baskets made of chocolate, as well as anything chocolate. Their cakes are also amazing. yummmmmmmmmm.
(4)
Amina Z.
Unfortunately Oak Mill Bakery is definitely not as great as it used to be! I think a lot of people would agree that they have some delicious cakes, but their service & their pricing has just gone out the door. Their service is completely disgusting and unacceptable! Also, it would be great if you can taste test a few of the cakes especially if you are ordering a special occassion cake. The only way to taste anything at this place is to pay $4 per slice. The last time I went here, I was looking to get a bridal shower cake from them and here's the endless list of issues with this place: There was 1 woman in there at the time. I was expecting to tell her what I wanted the cake for and the size needed and then to get options and maybe some suggestions from an 'expert.' Instead, she took it upon herself to keep pushing a rum flavored cake on me. After I clearly explained to her that I do not want a rum cake and the cake has to be free of any alcohol, she had the nerve (or maybe she was just plain stupid) to suggest a champagne cake! Seriously? The whole time she was rushing me and ignoring whatever information I was giving her as to what I would like and kept force selling a cake that was nothing at all like I was describing. Then when it came to the design, it was basically what they already had pictures of in their shop and that could run between $50-$150 for a simple drawing on the cake!!! It's not like it was a 3D object or anything. I don't know how Oak Mill thinks they're prices are acceptable or reasonable 1 bit, they're just outrageous! After this, I decided to give it 1 more chance & call their other location in Arlington Heights in case it was just this 1 idiot employee and sadly the service just seems to be quite consistent no matter the location. I have taken my business elsewhere and will definitely make it a point to never purchase anything from them again. I would love to see a competitor open shop in the area to bring this sorry excuse of a bakery to close for good!
(1)
Carrie J.
Been eating the pastries of this shop for years~so yummy! Thanks to the recommendations of a family friends, my family was introduced to the delicious goodies of Oak Mill. I can't wait to get my mother's day cake for my mom soon, she loves their cream icing that's not sickening sweet like the ones you get at Dominicks or Jewell. Best place for sweets within reasonable driving distance from where I live.
(4)
ashley d.
If you need a special order, don't come here. We have been using Oak Mill Bakery for special occasions since our wedding 12 years ago. For my husband's 50th birthday, I ordered a specific cake, which I have ordered many times before. The day of the birthday, I picked up the cake and it was totally WRONG. What made things worse was the staffs screw you attitude - tried to blame me except the paper that the order was written on was what I wanted. I called the corporate office to complain and noone called back. After 12 years, we will NEVER go back to Oak Mill. No customer service, horrible staff and can't execute a simple cake when that is their business. Called Froggy's bakery in Highwood and they made the exact cake for me by the time I got there 45 minutes later and it was far better than any cake I have bought at Oak Mill. They have gotten to big to be any good.
(1)
Benjamin S.
We bought a selection of pastries and later overdosed on sugar. Still shaking. Would have liked to try the cakes which look amazing.
(4)
Hannah E.
They made my wedding cake and it was so yummy and pretty! A couple of my friends said it was the best thing they had to eat at my wedding which was truly a complement because we had so much food from so many wonderful places. I was worried about the cake because it came in a packaged deal for my wedding venue and thought that it would be small and the design/flavors I would get to pick from would be limited. How they had a large selection and I didn't need to make any upgrades (although I was tempted to). Also a huge reason I am writing this review is because they actually place on the wedding toper I bought from a different place on the cake for free! It's a lot of work to put a toper on a cake because you don't simply place it on top. They mounted it with four small poles so that it would stay in place and in the center. They also delivered the cake on time and it's kind of funny, they didn't even take the delivery tip which my coordinator had for them because they came and left so quickly.
(5)
Julie T.
The worst customer service by the owner of the bakery. They made a mistake on the cake I ordered and so I called the owner to let him know. Instead of apologizing for their mistake his response to me was 'what do you want me to do?' He had the nerve to say there was nothing he could do and that I should have handled it when I was in the store. I was already in the store for over 30 minutes just waiting to pick up my cake because they were dealing with another error on someone else's cake. They offered to substitute a similar cake, but if I am paying $30+ for an 8 inch cake, I would like what I ordered and paying for. If he doesn't want to deal with his customers he probably shouldn't put on the back of the business card "Any concerns or questions regarding our services or products, please give us a call".
(2)
Bunny K.
try the pear cake. very awesome and refreshing. any of the cakes never too sweet. fruit tarts extraordinary.
(3)
Ellen M.
This review is based solely on the kick-assed hazelnut cake our dinner guests brought over last night. The cake was perfect, everyone loved it, and it was aesthetically pleasing with its imprinted chocolate leaves. When I visit my relatives near there, I'll definitely stop in for a dessert to bring.
(5)
B. L.
This is one of their several locations in the area. Fresh bread and pastrys are made here each day. Some of their items have a European flair. Their breads are my personal favorite. If you are on a lo carb diet you may want to go somewhere else.
(4)
Vesna M.
Thank you to whoever invented the Pear Cake at Oak Mill bakery. Yum! Go there and try it!
(4)
Nora F.
If you need something pretty in a hurry -- say, to bring to a dinner party -- Oak Mill is a great choice. They always have something eye-catching, ready to be boxed up, and it's usually good-to-great. (Mysteriously, as it's a Polish-run shop, their klatchkes are awful. Go across the street to Jewel for far better.) And I'll continue to stop there for just such occasions. But today, I literally laughed my way out of there. I stopped to order a birthday cake for my son. I asked for a half-sheet, vanilla-with-strawberry, and a Chicago flag as the decoration. (Two blue stripes, four red stars. Google it.) I was quoted a price of over $165 -- for a basic cake to feed 50 people. $165. The girl explained that the city flag isn't among their zillions of designs on the books, so it's a custom order, which costs twice as much as anything in the books. Again -- four stars, two stripes. When my jaw dropped, she said, 'I know. I want to ask the manager if she'll make an exception, since it's such a simple design.' Nope. Manager refused. I'll drive an extra mile and a half, get it from House of Cakes for half that outlandish price, and it'll be just as good -- if not better, according to other reviews of their cakes. Other friends in the neighborhood, who've lived here longer, don't set foot in the place. Live and learn. As I said, they're fine for pretty fruity tartlets in a hurry, but that's about it.
(2)
Christine E.
I have yet to have something from here that I haven't loved. When you see the selection of backed goods here it'll be hard to pick just one to get, they all look delicious. I got my wedding cake from here (it looked gorgeous) as well as several cakes I've brought to parties. Just writing about it makes me hungry!
(5)
Urszula H.
I love Oak Mill Bakery. Fresh baked goodies for great prices. A lot of the bakes goods are Polish, which is a plus in my book. My favorite is this raspberry tart with pudding I think ( I could be wrong, but it is orgasmic).
(5)
a w.
This is a great place to go for some really fresh baked treats. All their goods are freshly baked everyday and everything is really delicious!
(3)
Satyam C.
Our Family has been getting cake here since we were little. So when I found out that my wedding venue offers a free cake from Oak Mill, I was very excited. We ended up working with Basha. I believe she handles all of the big events. During our cake tasting, she was not pushy at all. She wanted to make sure that we got the flavors that we liked. She offered her suggestions which we took to heart. We ended up getting three cakes for our wedding. One cake was the main cake which was out on display.The other two cakes were sheet cakes for the back of the house. We could not have been happier with the main cake. She suggested that we get our own broaches and cake toppers outside for a cheaper price. She was definitely not trying to hustle us. With that being said, this place is still kind of pricey. But you always get what you pay for. I ended up getting a first year anniversary cakefrom here as well. Basha pulled out the paperwork for the actual wedding cake we received a year prior and replicated the flavors perfectly. Once again she informed me that it would be more pricey if I got fondant so I chose to go with the buttercream option. Even though it was a 6 inch anniversary cake, we were able to get about 12 slices out of it. I would highly recommend Oakmill bakery for any event. But like I said the only downfall is the price. Luckily our wedding venue included the cost of cake. But if you were to get a cake on your own for a birthday party or something, it may be pricey. But once again, you get what you pay for. And in this case, you pay for deliciousness and true artistry
(4)
Stefanie B.
Oak Mill Bakery is out of this world good! Our family has been getting cakes from here forever...it is definitely better than the famous Lutz Bakery. What my family likes about this bakery is all the cakes aren't too sweet but just the right amount. Every cake is delish and I wish I could eat every single cake every day! I also really like their cheese flakeys to eat for breakfast! I LOVE this bakery with all my heart!!
(5)
Paula D.
Very disappointed in this establishment. Went in to look for a birthday cake for my daughter and the staff at first was pleasant enough, handing me a book of different options/themes to choose from. I finally saw something I liked and was ready to consult with someone and discuss prices. Two people walked in after me and they were given attention immediately. Two of the girls working there were chatting away and I apologized for interrupting and told them I was interested in speaking to someone about proceeding with an order. One girl went to the kitchen area in the back to ask someone to assist me. Seriously there were at least 5 other staff members in the back just chatting away and obviously in no rush to take care of me. I patiently waited another 10 minutes and still nothing. At this point the bakery was nearly empty with only me and the couple who had walked in shortly after me. Once the couple, lady in particular, was ready to order, she loudly asked for someone to help her and the two girls practically ran to attend her. All this while I was standing in FRONT of the cashier area with absolutely NO help from any of the 5-7 staff members. I was so offended and upset that my business clearly was not wanted, I took the hint and walked out. A little tip. You'll only get service if you're loud, outspoken or pull up in a luxury car. Don't be polite and patient because they won't bother serving you. Never again. I ended up going to Alliance bakery in the city and spent a little more than I would've liked to but at least they were much more attentive and welcoming. What a shame, I had high hopes for this place.
(1)
N G.
They don't deserve a star. We ordered a cake for our grandfathers 80th birthday in advance at the bakery, received a receipt and awaited delivery at the restaurant. When the party started at the cake didn't come, we card oak mill expressing urgency about the importance of the cake delivery!!! The staff said "they'd look into it". I kept explaining the party is NOW and if they lost /forgot the order they can come up with quick ideas up fix it?!?! They said, they'd look into it. We had to call Lanas dazzling Deserts, a local baker who saved us by providing 2 cakes to cover our guests for dessert. I continued to call and express my frustration but did not feel any response from the staff. Which I still can't believe!! Today I called to speak to a supervisor and he said they would refund me for not delivering . What?!?! A huge birthday event that had a beautiful cake planned for was not made and all I get is a refund. No real apology or explanation. Don't order your cakes for special events here! They might not deliver, But will refund you the next day! Seriously!!
(1)
Datou Y.
amazingï¼ï¼ï¼this is the best cake I have tried in Chicago! So sweet but not too much. I really like it. 5 stars!
(5)
Brittany M.
This place Is awesome! It has a homey feel and yet their work on wedding cakes and other bakery goods Is beautiful. We went there for our wedding cake tasting and design and the woman who helped us was very attentive. They had amazing designs to choose from and the flavours weren't half bad. Personally, my fiance and I liked the red velvet the best Also, they have a private parking lot so don't worry about street parking. Cake tasting Is appointment only but they also have pastries and ready made cakes. Did not try the pastry goods but they looked wonderful!
(5)
Jay K.
I've attached the letter I just sent the owner. I believe it contains enough information to process a general idea of how I feel about Oak Mill Bakery. "Good morning, My name is Jay, and both my extended family and myself had previously been in contact with you and your staff, regarding an incident that happened at the Milwaukee Avenue store on what I believe was during the 1:00 afternoon hour of Thursday, April 2nd, where both my mother-in-law and my one-year-old son, whom she was babysitting, were verbally attacked and threatened by one of your regular customers in an unwarranted episode of rage, both inside and outside of your store. For the entirety of this incident, your staff did nothing but put their heads down and walked away from the attack, even knowing damn well that there was a problem that needed assistance.. a scene that clearly compromised the overall safety of a baby, yet your staff still felt no need in coming to the aid of a customer in obvious distress. The only reason things did not escalate to a higher danger in your store, was because my mother-in-law frantically ran to her car, with my baby in her arms, and drove away as quickly as possible, in fear of being hurt or even killed. .. and before you mistake this description as just an emotional exaggeration, please know that this customer continuously told my mother-in-law he was going to kill her, along with my son.. but you already know all of this, because you talked to her, immediately following the incident. In fact, both the late-afternoon manager and you, yourself, vowed to both my mother-in-law and myself, that with the help of the many cameras you've installed inside of your store, as well as the assistance of the staff on duty at the time, we would get a return phone call on that following Monday, April 6th, with information capable of securing action against this customer with the assistance of the Niles Police Department. Though the days ahead of the incident included no return phone call to us, we gave you the benefit of the doubt, as we understood that it was most-likely a busy weekend for your business with the Easter holiday approaching, but it is now way beyond the 15-day mark since the incident, and we have yet to hear from you. As a business owner, you should take a moment and realize that was not just an example of a potential danger to my mother-in-law and my one-year-old son.. .. but more so an example of a potential danger to every one of your customers, and what should be just as important to you, a potential danger to every one of your staff members. Being told by the afternoon manager that calling the police was something that should've been taken care of by my mother-in-law, not Oak Mill Bakery, is just another prime example of the poor management and social skills that could one day come back to haunt your business.. because as it stands, you are leaving the possibilities wide open, for the same manic customer to do the same thing to another customer, if not to one of your staff members.. .. but this is no longer our problem, really. Since we haven't heard from you, I am now lead to believe that your standard of concern for both your staff and your customers is extremely minimal. Whether your lack of attention to the situation is a deliberate attempt to protect this customer, or merely an isolated incident you hoped would soon be forgotten, your disregard for the lives of the patrons in this community who keep your doors open will not be tolerated, and on behalf of both of my extended families, I end this message with unquestionable judgement, when I say you no longer have our recommendation, and you most-certainly no longer have our future business. Your time to resolve this issue has now expired. A response is unnecessary, and your services have been replaced. Good day." .. how's that, Yelpers..
(1)
Tara L.
We were in town for a friend's baby shower, and drove by this bakery. One thing we love to do when we visit new cities is to see what local establishments there are. I was beyond curious to see what this Oak Mill Bakery was all about, as there was a continuous flow of customers. A quick search on Yelp led me to see that they have European pastries! *insert think bubble with exclamation points here* So, we parked and walked in. (FYI - parking in is only in the front, and not very plentiful. If you're coming northbound, it'll be on your left side, and you'll want to turn left at the signal light before it and go the back way.) The ladies there were super friendly and immediately asked us what we were looking for. Our eyes were darting back and forth, so it took some time to decide. We ended up picking up a big variety box of mille feuille, raspberry tarts, paçzkis, custard cakes. All looked lovely, and all were equally tasty. I thoroughly enjoyed that the pastry was delicate, light, and fluffy when bit into. The sugar levels were balanced, and portion sizes were right on for the price. Each run between $3-$4.50. Their cakes look divine, but we didn't pick one up. Maybe next time. Service was good as stated, but the young gentleman working there wasn't as friendly to others, so that was unfortunate. Fortunately, we got the sweet young girls, so if you do come, just make note of that. Bottom line though - quality pastries and cakes, and good prices too! Bonus that their holiday decorations were so festive and elaborate! We'll be back :)
(4)
Chloe F.
Oak Mill did a wonderful job on our wedding cake. This was one of the three choices we were given included as part of the package at our hotel venue. The cake tasting was nothing special (presentation wasn't great and a lot of the flavors were just ok). Was this the best cake I have ever tasted, not really, but all in all for it being one of the choices we had to choose for our venue we were very happy with the way it turned out. We picked chocolate with chocolate ganache, chocolate with peanut butter frosting, and red velvet. For the actual wedding the cake was moist and tasted very good, we got a lot of compliments. They also gave us a recreation of our top tier to freeze for our first anniversary. The presentation of the cake was beautiful, it looked exactly like the picture I showed them for pinterest, I was extremely happy with the way it turned out, it was beautiful.
(5)
Flora Y.
The sweets and the cakes are very good just the staff they r so rude and the take forever with one customer unless u speak polish I didn't like the attitude at all
(1)
Marcia C.
Bought a cake for my husband's birthday. The cake was pretty to look at but the chocolate was waxy and the cake itself was very blah. Probably won't buy from them again. I wanted to try it because my daughter will be getting married in 2016. The cake was $23 and I threw most of it in the trash. Bought this cake at the Garfield Ridge location on Harlem.
(2)
Nazrin G.
Terrible bakery with terrible service. we have ordered from them twice and twice they do not deliver the cake. Rude people with zero customer service. NEVER AGAIN
(1)
Natalie K.
This two star rating is based on my latest experience at Oak Mill Bakery. Truthfully, it should only be one star, but my previous experiences were decent. I've gone to Oak Mill Bakery a handful of times and the cakes I purchased were a hit or miss. The specific hit is the Chocolate Ganache Cake. Any chocolate lover would absolutely love it. If you want it fresh, order it instead of grabbing one from the case. If you peek into the case (on the far right when you walk in) there is a variety of small cakes/tortes. If you look extra hard, you'll see that there are small labels on cardboard base that says the date of when the cake was made (they remove the label when they sell it to you so you won't see it). Unknowingly, the first time purchasing from there I purchased a cake that wasn't fresh. I've seen dates as old as 12 days, which is repulsing. Anyways, I was heading to a birthday party and I purchased two cakes. I was in a bit of a hurry, but the one cake label said that it was a few days old. I didn't even pay attention to the label on the other one because it looked fresh. The two cakes I purchased by the way were Chocolate Mousse and Red Velvet. Those two cakes costed $50. Yes, $50 for two tiny cakes. Off to my party I went, and everyone oohed and ahhed at how pretty and cute the little cakes were as well as took photos. So I cut the cake and ran my finger down the knife to taste the frosting. I wanted to crawl into a hole in embarrassment. The frosting tasted like freezer burn wax. More specifically, crayons. It was INEDIBLE. I thought maybe the inside would be better, but nope. The cake was dry and had the same old, refrigerator taste. There was no way that cake was only a few days old. I for sure paid for a two week old cake. I told everyone it was no good, and I was SO RELIEVED that I purchased two cakes. Maybe the second cake would be better? NOPE. I sliced the cake and handed a slice to the birthday girl and the look on her face was priceless. It was like she took a sip of curdled milk. She handed it to me, and I tasted it, and the sprinkles/frosting again tasted like refrigerator. We put both cakes back in the box along with the one slice we cut from each cake. We brought back two full cakes and the receipt to demand a refund. They told us no refunds and with our luck, there was no manager on duty, but we left the cakes there along with a note for a manager and our phone number. We received no call, no apology for ruining the birthday party and no $50 refund or store-credit. Nothing. Will never return or recommend this bakery. Go check out the new Whole Foods in Park Ridge. They have the same size cakes for $11.99 and they're fresh.
(2)
J K.
The employees here are rude and don't acknowledge that you exist. I stopped by on Father's Day to get a cheesecake. There were a few employees in back talking and the one girl standing behind the counter was staring off into space looking so miserable like she was just hating life. I tried to make eye contact with her a few times and she was just staring off into space so I just waited. She then disappeared and went in back, not even greeting me. Eventually, someone came out the back and asked if I was being helped. I'd rate their baked goods at 5 stars , but their employees give horrible customer service. I've been coming to this location for over 10 years but I'd rather go elsewhere where my business is appreciated.
(3)
Nikki M.
This place is horrible they messed up my daughter's baptism cake. They messed up the design and the fillings inside. And there was suppose to be a keepsake cross on top and they put a candy cross on there. This cake costed me $320. And they did not offer any of my money back for their mistakes also they were very rude when expressing all the mistakes. I called back many times to talk to a manager and they never called me back. They don't care about their customers. I will never go here ever again. Be careful investing big money here becsuse even if they mess up they don't take care of it. Zero stars if I could.
(1)
Velida V.
Rude staff! Waited 10 minutes for someone to help and wasn't even acknowledged in that time.
(1)
Dominique D.
We dealt with Barbara for ordering our wedding cake. She was very rude while we were there, and she basically tried to rush us through everything even though we were 10 minutes early for our appointment, and we had to wait almost 30 minutes past our meeting time to see her. Aside from this, our wedding cake was beautiful and tasted good.
(2)
Boon K.
So that place at 3 pm on saturday looked like it got ran over as there wasnt alot of baked goods left to purchase but I am not sure if they are short handed but there was a long line waiting for cakes. The three people in front of me were not happy as they have been waiting for a long time and there was one customers just complaining that her order was completely wrong. There was another upset customer asking why they can fix her cake as their facility is in des plaines. Lesson learn as my cake was ok and the color I requested was not correct but it was not anything major.
(2)
Anna B.
Oak Mill Bakery is one of the three bakeries that our wedding reception site gave us to choose our wedding cake from. And they totally impressed us WAY more than the other two! We had our cake tasting appointment with Basia. She was extremely warm, friendly, and helpful. We showed her pictures of cake designs we like (although they have tons of binders filled with ideas). And we got to taste 4 different flavors/combinations of cakes and fillings. Omg, they were ALL so moist, flavorful, and delicious! We had a hard time deciding on just one! We will be updating this review after our wedding day, but we were just so pleased with our experience. We can't wait to see how our cake will turn out!
(5)
Dan E.
I was driving by here late morning and had the urge for another cup of coffee. The coffee here was just OK, but the real story is the sweets. I couldn't decide so I asked for a cheese danish. It was very good. Prices seemed reasonable and the selection was immense. It was busy so I assume everything is fresh because they have a high turnover.
(4)
Andrea C.
Holy crap this place makes delicious desserts. I've gone in twice in two weeks - once for Puczkis and once for a cake - and everything is amazing. GO HERE!
(4)
Nellie G.
I purchased my wedding cake here, and was very satisfied with Joanna who helped me throughout the process. so it was a no brainer to come back, and purchase a cake for my one year olds birthday party. However, I left with no order placed for his cake, and very dissatisfied with the professionalism of the staff. I was quoted a specific amount for the cake (she even had the receipt written out), but as soon as I got to the register to be rung up she said let me make sure this is the correct price. Of course it wasn't! She wanted to add $20 for spray color on the edge of the cake even though she had already quoted me the price with that Already added. Not only is their cake rather expensive, it's another 100 to customize it with your own design! The most they could do for what I think is expensive is write happy birthday. Definitely not worth the money. I can go to the grocery store and have them write happy birthday, and not spend close to 200 for a cake! So I changed my mind, and the girl who was "helping me" for the lack of a better word said fine! And walked away before I could blink. The worst part is I wasn't at all surprised by her response. Either I was going to buy it or not was her attitude the moment I walked in, and my questions were a waste of my time because clearly she didn't want to be bothered.
(2)
Carrie O.
If you would like a beautiful and delicious wedding cake, look no further than Oak Mill Bakery in Niles. My husband and I were married at Cafe La Cave on 08/31/2014 and they recommended Oak Mill Bakery for our wedding cake. Several months before our wedding we visited Oak Mill Bakery for a cake tasting and to choose the cake we wanted for our wedding day. When we arrived, we were directed to sit in a cozy corner area that, I believe, is specifically reserved for cake tastings. The woman showed us 10 books filled with photos of wedding cakes. While we looked through the books, the staff offered us coffee while we tasted all the different choices of fillings and cake we wanted for our wedding cake. Fast forward to our wedding day.... The final product was both beautiful and delicious! Almond flavored cake with one layer of praline filling, one layer of fudge filling and buttercream frosting. Everyone at our wedding loved the cake! It was superb. We can't wait to eat the top on our 1-year anniversary and really be able to sit back and enjoy it!
(5)
Moni K.
I wished they labeled and priced their pastries instead of me asking the woman behind the counter who was very annoyed with me. It is extremely difficult to buy pastries if you do not know what is in it or how much it costs. I ended up dropping $65 here as it turns out that the pastries are between $1.75 to $2 each. Overall, the pastries were good and looked pretty but what I really ordered and what was in each pastry I have no idea. Knowing this is very important, none of my friends have any allergies so I was fine....but really does it take that long to label everything. Communication behind the counter ladies can really be improved. Be more friendly, explain, do not rush your customers. I don't know if I will come back...maybe
(3)
Staci W.
Their pastry might be amazing but they have to work on their costumer service. There is no order, they help out whoever. I was waiting in line and they helped two people that arrived after I did......how does that work???
(2)
Eun L.
The pastries look and taste really good (their pear cake is so very yummy). However, I just wish the staff were a bit friendlier and that they had the pastry prices and names in front. I always have to hope that I have enough money to cover the amounts of tasty stuffs I buy (been lucky so far XD).
(3)
Maggie M.
We just had our wedding this past weekend and our cake was from Oak Mill Bakery. I have never seen a more beautiful presentation, so much so that our guests came up to us and asked if it was fake! We were able to have alternating layers of carrot and red velvet cakes and this was something our guests were overjoyed with. Not only did they love that they had a choice in cake, but they continuously came up to us saying how scrumptious it was! What's more, Oak Mill Bakery even offers a smaller version of our wedding cake for your one year anniversary so you don't have to worry about freezing the actual cake. I am so happy with Oak Mill Bakery!
(5)
Stefanie M.
Our wedding cake was from here. Basia helped me to choose the cake/frosting/fillings, which was difficult as they were all delicious. The design looked elegant and up-to-date. They are professional and helpful. Everything worked out fine.
(5)
Heather L.
Happy Paczki Day to me! So many to choose from. My faves are the strawberry cream cheese and the one with the liquer that I can't remember the name of. In Niles, Il where Polish is the first language. These are not jelly donuts. Of course this place has more than paczkis. 12 years ago I got my wedding cake from here. Their deserts are both beautiful and yummy. My favorite bakery in Chicagoland.
(5)
Janet V.
I love Oak Mill. They have a large selection of great cakes and pastries. All pastries look declicious. My family has been coming here for years. We always order birthday party cakes, graduation, fathers and mothers day cakes here. It is our go to spot.
(4)
Tricia D.
I wasn't as impressed this go around. The chocolate cupcake had a hard sponge-like texture that put me off, and the paczki wasn't as fresh as I anticipated, especially for $1.25 for that sucker. What I was impressed with was how bustling it was at 4pm on a weekday! Albeit small and cramped, the parking lot was full.
(3)
Lenny G.
A really nice bakery with awesome pastries and cakes. The paczkis are amazing. The selection is pretty good with both pastries and cakes. They also make cakes to order (wedding cakes, birthday cakes, etc), but I'm it sure how good that service is. One thing I wish was that they labeled the pastries (and put the price on them). I had to ask the person taking my order what was in each item, which made it time consuming and annoyed her. The prices are pretty high for pastries at $1.50 to $2 each. Finally, their parking lot sucks. There aren't many spaces and its hard to get in and out.
(3)
Laurie H.
Seriously good eats. All sorts of cool pastries. Sometimes I have to ask what something is, because not everything is labeled. They have really yummy fruit tarts and cakes.
(4)
Sara P.
I work across the street and I go to Oak Mill every now and then to pick up a croissant for breakfast or a sweet treat. The baked goods are tasty. The ambrosia cake is truly food of the gods. I like that they have day-old goods for sale too, in case you want some good-quality breadcrumbs or something. The only downside I have experienced here is that it is sometimes hard to get attention from the people who work here.
(4)
Joyce C.
Big selection of pastries, delicious cakes. The pastries are all pretty good but the cakes are the standout. Definitely worth a stop off. Only weird thing is that if you need to order something, they speak to you in Polish first rather than English on the phone?
(4)
Bill G.
Picked up a dozen Paczki from the Arlington Heights location. I have to say they looked delish; however, I was soon disappointed. There was about a tablespoon of filling in everyone of them. At a cost of $18.01 for a dozen, I would pass. I have had Paczki from the Harwood Heights location - Harlem and Lawrence in past years which were preordered and the powdered sugar coated custard were over filled and were absolutely delicious. I will give that a try again next year, but would pass on the Arlington Heights location.
(1)
Fancy N.
This place used to be 5 stars, but recently I think they are only worth 3. First, as reviewers mentioned, its hard to get the attention of the staff. One time I stood there a good 5-10 min, before one of the ladies finally asked if I could be helped. They seemed busy running from left to right, not really doing anything. As mentioned, this used to be a 5 star place, where I'd exclusively go for b-day cakes, delicious individual bakery pieces (like the super awesome fruit cups!). However, their prices have sky rocketed, while it seems they are using slightly cheaper ingredients. I purchased a strawberry pineapple cake, to find there was at most 1 strawberry sliced up inside. Seriously? For $35 1 strawberry as the filling? Nothing but a whole bunch of frosting inside and out. This place used to be real good, were quality was their speciatly. Not anymore, its more profit centered. Last time I was here, I purchased some buns touted as fresh, my mom said they tasted like 1-2 day old, eww. I bought a cherry pie, it was expensive and tasted the same as the ones from Dominicks for a fraction of the price. Oak Mill has no real competition in the area, so they feel they can do as they please, which is sad.
(3)
Lisa A.
They made my wedding cake and it was gorgeous as it was delicious! Family and friends commented that it was the best wedding cake they've ever had, which was truly a compliment coming from so many different guests. My fiance and I were worried about the cake because it came in a packaged deal with our wedding venue and we thought our choices would be extremely limited, and we wouldn't be able to customize anything to make it fit our wedding personality and style. Oak Mill sure did put us to shame! The tasting was everything a bride dreams about for the experience!! Tons of different flavor options, color choices, and combinations. Of course, there are upgrades for a fee, but they give you more than enough options in the "included" book to be able to find something, and they are pretty flexible with asking for adjustments. Whether they're included in your package or not, Oak Mill is definitely a great bakery for your wedding cake or desserts!!
(5)
George F.
Hands down, best in the business in Chicago. To get better, you'll have to pay NYC a visit. After that, you're off to Paris - where the whole thing was invented, the standards were set, and the bar continues to be raised year after year.
(5)
Mable Y.
The selection of baked goods is quite impressive but almost all the cookies taste the same except the frosting is different.. Vanilla cookie, vanilla frosting.. vanilla cookie, chocolate frosting! You get the idea. Pricing on these bad boys were steep.. 1lb of the same type of cookies with different frosting will run you roughly $15. I cannot comment on the cakes because I didn't eat it however, they do look mighty tasty! The bakery is located on a busy street so getting out of the parking lot is almost suicidal. Bottom line: Unless I was desperate for my cookie fix, I wouldn't come here again.
(3)
Sarah R.
Our wedding cake came from here. It was included at our venue and this was the only place they ordered from. Neither of us like sweets so I can't say much on that. I sent my parents for the tasting and they said most of the cakes they tried were good. Some were dry. At the wedding the cake was stunning to look at and other people told us it was very good. Prior to choosing a cake, were invited to an open house that we went to. What a waste and disappointment that was. Niles is kind of a hike for us especially on a weekday in rush hour. We were there for an hour and we didn't speak to one person that worked there. It was a combined open house for the bakery and other vendors. You could try samples and pick out decor. All we wanted to do was find out if there were any limitations on what we can choose for our cake and we wanted to look through the books. After wandering around for a half an hour I found the books myself and we picked a few cakes and left. I would have asked for help but I had no idea who freakin worked there and who didn't. And no one was behind the counter. I tried to look clueless and helpless and make eye contact, but nothing worked. Brides: unless you really want free sweets, avoid the open house.
(3)
David R.
I had a very good experience. The front staff person "Bill" was very helpful. I read some reviews here and scratch my head. I guess some people are hard to please, or worse.
(5)
Janet J.
I was visiting and stopped in to try a number of things none of which I would say were great. We had 4 plates sampling a number of things and the cupcakes were the worst. None tasted fresh or had the "yum" factor in any way. Very disappointed.
(1)
Em P.
This vendor was our contracted baker with our wedding venue. The final product (small cake and cupcakes) were good but it was everything leading up to it that was a disaster. The day we went for our cake tasting.. the lady we were supposed to meet had to leave town and the owner Bogna showed up for the meeting instead. She was 15 min late and when she got there, she proceeded to tell us how she was at home watching tennis. Fast forward 10 minutes and she finally brings out the samples and as my fiance and i went over pricing and what was included in our package, she proceeded to tell us that what we wanted would work and she would even waive the cupcake rental stand because of the amount of work she does with this venue. We were glad there were no additional charges seeing as how it was included in our venues package. I signed a contract after questioning/having her clarify a few things and ran the hell out of there as soon as i could. A couple days before the wedding, i called the bakery to update the final count and was told i had a 200 balance and they wouldnt be putting the cupcakes to production without final payment. I asked to speak directly to the owner, which is who we met with directly... and they conveniently couldnt locate her. I even emailed her directly and never got a response. I thought this company was extremely unprofessional in handing a customer issue. They basically said "deal wtih it" and made me pay the difference because of the signed contract. If you're looking for a more personal experience, this wouldnt be the baker you want because all they care about is mass production and raking the money in. Customers concerns are of no importance.
(1)
Max V.
Service sucks. A girl made asked me if i was ready, and took a phone order in front of me. She literally made me wait 15 minutes. Just to find out that the coupon I got from belly, for one cup of coffee and a slice of cake, they no longer accept. Other than the frantic line and inadequate coupon marketing, the pastries look great! Next time I decide to give this bakery another try, I'll call for pick up. I suggest you do the same.
(1)
Michael C.
Paczki. That's why I came here. I wanted to show my roommate how the Polish People celebrate "Fat Tuesday." We were both disappointed: me highly so. !. The parking is horrible. Being right off Milwaukee avenue is very hard to navigate. Going in with a wheelchair is very difficult. Would be for walkers and canes, too. 2. We waited almost 45 minutes in line. To be fair, it was the Tuesday before Lent, and just after lunch. The woman in front of me was waxing on and on on how wonderful the Paczkis were. We bought a half dozen and took them home: 2 custard, 2 strawberry, 1 lemon, 1 "rose petal." 3. The verdict? It was just "okay" . We spent 10 dollars (I also got an almond-filler Crescent roll - filling was bland). My biggest gripe was that there was LOTS of dough and sticky frosting, and very LITTLE filling. Geez, could they spare it? The rose petal had about a teaspoon of filling, if that! I know that I could have gone to the local grocery store and probably got more filling for my money. And cheaper, too. But the allure would have been that was that it wasn't a real Bakery. My experience tells me that, for a bakery, they are just "okay." I was not impressed by the store nor the fact that the employees were shouting to each other in Polish. THAT, to me, is a no-no in ANY language. Like my roommate says, "Try it once." I did. Once.
(2)
Dora T.
I ordered my cake for my 30th birthday there.i got two cakes which were $107 and there wasnt anything special , just regular cakes they have on display as well. I went back thinking I will get numbers cut up....$129 for those plus the decoration that u "have to have it"as they say which is another 35 buck each number....my fabulous cake would have reached $200.....going back i descovered they actually messed up my order, and they have written down some other cake than the one I said. Talking to the store manager she was very pissed off that I couldn't make up my mind...I left the store not changing anything to the order and I called the next day to cancel it and order a new cake from Artopolis bakery which they were not just cheaper but so much nicer and helpfull!i got a cake twice as big , with decoration, writing without any extra charge, and I paid $70 bucks!!!! I called a day after to Oakmill trying to find out they really cancelled my order just to make sure they WILL refund my money! The same rude store manager told me to check again my account in two weeks, I should have the money,and I said why does it take SO LONG? And she said to me "u just canceled ur order yesterday, I don't see why you worry! You will have your money back"how rude can you be as a store manager? Do you really want to keep your costumers? I ve been shopping there for 6 years, getting at least 6 big cakes a year, and my friends the same.never will go back and I will never recommend them again.i will go to Artopolis from now on,even thou it s so far away from my house!
(1)
RABEEL A.
Stopped by to pick up a small cake. We asked if any of the cakes have gelatin, they couldn't tell us. You run a bakery business and have no idea what goes into your cakes?! They didn't even seem to care for our business. All the girls there seemed annoyed of our questions. Never again, Oak Mill.
(1)
Pamela P.
Everyone at my wedding was raving about the sweet table. Two extra long tables worth of amazing dessert creations and delicious ones at that. We had a chocolate Eiffel Tower, golden swans filled with cream, chocolate topiaries, dark chocolate pianos filled with raspberries, I mean the list goes on and on and on. Oak Mill suggested about 8 pieces per person and if there was any left, that our guests could take some home with them. Well, did they ever! Oak Mill not only came to the hotel reception venue, set up their own tables with decorations and the like, served for hours and even provided to go containers for people to take some yum-yums with them on their drunken way. This place is top notch, over the top, and at the top of my list. Every time my family has a party or whatnot, we get desserts from here and they are stellar! The cakes are deceptively light and moist and fruity and the cookies and pastries will make even the toughest critic smile.
(5)
Rosemary K.
LOVE their cheese strudel, but not a fan of their staffing. Young staff member seemed antsy to get on with the order even though there was a lack of customers in the store and didn't actively listen to my response or question . Other times I've been there I sometimes get ignored. I may keep coming back for those strudels, but seriously more stars if they cheer up a little and gain some people skills.
(3)
Mike O.
Birthday cake to the highest bidder is a good way to begin this review. Now I've been a long-time fan of Oak Mill, getting cakes from there for multiple birthdays and a baptism. People always liked the cakes we bought from there and the place had a good reputation with my family. Something happened in 2006 that changed things the other way for me. Around my son's 3rd birthday, I went to order a cake for the party with a Cars movie theme, since it was his favorite thing at the time. Well, I was informed their cake decorator was hospitalized and his return was uncertain. They could only made "regular" cakes but could not accept orders for decorated ones. Oh well, I settled for the much maligned House of Cakes not too far away. Then in the summer of 2007, I wanted to get a decorated cake for a Curious George themed party. Round with butter cream and strawberries, just enough for 20 people, since most of the kids won't be eating much cake anyway. Total price? $72. Seventy-two friggin' dollars for a cake. That's $3.60 a slice + tax! Might as well go to Starbuck's and pick out 20 individually wrapped baked items instead. When did it become $72 if I ordered cakes from them before in the mid- to upper $30's? Are they still paying off their decorator's medical bills? My wife went to order it herself. When she came home and showed me the price on the receipt, I called and promptly killed the order on the spot. For a mere $32, we got a decorated 1/4-sheet from Jewel by our house and it had the strawberries too. It was intended for about 24 people. We had some yummy leftover cake dessert for the week and nobody seemed to mind it came from Jewel. Oak Mill, we used to love you till you till you got greedy and started charging double for your cakes.
(2)
Jacqueline D.
For years and years my family has been using Oak Mill Bakery and we're always very pleased with the artistry and the fantastic flavors.
(5)
Allison L.
MMMM. We used Oak Mill for our wedding cake. We had red velvet with white chocolate mousse. It was so delicious. We got a lot of compliments along the lines of how wedding cake is usually next to inedible but ours was delicious. It was visually beautiful. My only comment/complaint that was when we were picking out the design, I liked about 3 different kinds of ornamentation. It seems that they would have been able to combine the elements of each to make it work. But they made me pick one exactly from the pictures.
(4)
Vanessa R.
Got my Paczki fix in right before close.... They still had all the flavors, BUT they needed a little more filling. Overall, i love Oak Mill Bakery.
(4)
Tuya S.
In my opinion there are only few nations in the world who are good at pastries and that list shall include Central European countries such as Poland. Every year, somewhere in August, I start rubbing my hands contemplating about my birthday cake to be ordered at Oak Mill. Last year I had chocolate layered cake with cocoa filling. Previous one, I had cocoa cream layered cake. They never skip on good ingredients in order to look for cheaper and trendier options. In general I detest cupcakes. I think they are bastardized versions of beautiful, big, voluptuous creations called cake. I'm glad that this store at least adheres to the strict European tradition of excellent pastry.
(5)
Carolynne M.
On Fat Tuesday I was given 2 paczkis - one from here and one from another bakery. This place wins by a mile. Where the #2 paczki was huge and sloppy, Oak Mill's was perfectly round and nicely sized. Where the #2 weighed probably a half pound from the mass of filling, Oak Mill's filling was just enough, encased within a pastry that was less donut and more like brioche; sweet but not cloying. Someone told me once they put raw potato into their paczki dough, but I dont know about that for sure. I do know that whatever they do makes for a nice & fluffy treat. I havent been into this location for many years, but I am looking forward to trying it the next time I need some bakery-lovin. Thanks for the real deal Oak Mill!
(4)
Tara M.
YUM! Now, I've been here a few times and have never been disappointed with what I've purchased... we didn't have much for breakfast on Saturday morning, in the house, so I asked my husband to pop over and see what he might pick up. Well, true to form... we were not disappointed! We got some of the lightest, fluffiest croissants... I don't like croissants, typically, but man-o-man, these were SO good! We also got these wonderful cheese twist pastries, that were absolutely amazing! Lastly, we got a cherry strudel, and it was like a little bit-o-heaven! Not big on cooked cherries, but with the cheese and the light pastry and not being laden with sugar... seriously, this was delicious! Well, I definitely have to say it's one of the better bakeries that's left and well worth stopping in and buying a tasty treat! MMMMMMMMM!
(5)
Pamela U.
Wow!! My husband and I were trying to find a bakery for our wedding cake that first and foremost was absolutely delicious. We tried three other places, and none of them impressed us until we walked into Oak Mill. The moment you walk in, you're in a pastry wonderland. They greet you and walk you to a little bistro area to sit down for your tasting. Basia, the woman helping us with our tasting, offered us coffee or tea, then gave us all our options of flavors we could try. Then she handed us about 10 different binders with photographs of cake designs they have done before. Holy Moly! Everything was scrumptious! It was also extremely fresh (I'm almost positive it just came out of the oven). We ended up choosing vanilla and chocolate cake, raspberry filling, chocolate ganache, and vanilla and chocolate filling because we couldn't decide which flavors we liked more. Everything was light and fluffy, and the fillings were the perfect amount of sweet, leaving your mouth feeling just delightful! The design we brought in was very different from what the bakery had done in the past, and Basia was actually very excited about the challenge rather than turned off by our somewhat "special request." The best part was that she had us try the fondant that had to be used to decorate, and it was absolutely delicious. I normally hate fondant because I think it tastes chalky and rubbery, but this was so good I would have been happy serving their plain fondant as dessert! All in all, it was such a great experience. We're glad we live close enough to go back every now and then and get some of their delicious pastries!
(5)
Adrian W.
I'm a horrible Pole. I totally forgot about paczki day. Last year, for my office, I waited in line at Weber's Bakery and was a hero for bringing in some fantastic paczkis. This year? Kinda slipped my mind until I had passed by a person with an insanely dark ash mark on her forehead. I thought to myself, "wtf..." then it hit me, Paczki day! I pulled to the side and did a quick google search. Brought me to here. I got in here at 8.40a and was in the 6 deep line. Ordered the 15 delicious paczkis - blueberry, rosa, apricot, custard and chocolate. Granted the lady at the counter was working for quite some time and might have had very little patience for non-Poles ordering and butchering any of the names, I felt that the attitude she had with me was uncalled for. Rather than writing a vicious letter, I will take away a precious star. It was nice hearing my native tongue tossed around, native toungers with the ridiculous mustaches-not trying to be ironic, but because it's the same shit they've been sporting since middle school! I plan on coming back again- cheap pastries to win over my co-workers' hearts again.
(4)
Juliet L.
Got our wedding cake here. For a small charge, I was able to upgrade to the Pear Charlotte flavor, which I highly recommend. We ordered the cake only 2-3 weeks prior and it was not a problem. Cake came out gorgeous and delectable. We got so many compliments!
(5)
Dillard R.
Oh How simply DELICIOUS!!!!!!!!!!! Fresh pastries, scrumptious cakes MY ONLY STOP for satisfying my craving for something sweet! I have very high expectations when it comes to sweets and in my opinion only the FRENCH have this mastered and able to satisfy me but OAK MILL BAKERY is right up there! Try it and experience it for yourself! I am sure the ingredients are the best and the creator of such delicious treats must put a lot of effort into creating their desserts I just love it , no place else in Chicago can compare! I will drive across the city just to have a rose raspberry filled treat. I don't think its expensive because it is worth it to stuff my face with things that are this good! I am pretty sure they use real sugar and not fructose I am sure of it!
(5)
Panagiotis E.
I bought a customed cake for my girlfriend's birthday and it was excellent. I picked the design from an image available from on of their catalogues and it was right on. Design was fantastic and the taste of the red velvet cake even better. I did pay a good price for the size of cake I purchased. They told me in 3 days and the cake was ready on time. I did go to their store before closing and the staff was indeed helpfull, even if I had to ask to place an order. However they have to better plan for larger boxes for their custom-made cakes.
(5)
Jacob T.
A cool Polish bakery... the first one I have been to! They have a great selection of diverse cakes, pastries and sweets. This is the place to come for a cheap(ish) custom decorated cake for any occasion by the looks of the place. I had the kolaczki (sp?) which is kind of like croissant dough with different jams (raspberry, apricot, etc) in the center. Kind of dry so I wasn't much of a fan but the flavor was good. I would like to go back and try more of their other options. The service was friendly and knowledgable.
(3)
Ivy D.
I could live on sweets so I frequent bakeries quite a bit which means I know what fair market value should be. My mom was European and made desserts that were magical so I know all about quality pastries, too. This place is superbly expensive and the staff all needs to be put through some type of finishing school (not the nicest people around). I have no idea how they even stay in business, probably because they don't show prices on anything. By the time they give you what you ask for (by the way, no number dispenser and no clear cut line which makes it hellish on a busy day) you WILL be a "deer in headlights" when you look at the register as they ring up your purchase. On Tuesday this week I purchased a 6" cake and it was....drum roll....$23!!!!!!!! I was in pure disbelief. There are no prices on ANYTHING behind the glass and most people feel cheap to ask so they (like me) proceed asking for the product without realizing how expensive it is. I glanced at a SMALL premade tray of cookies (about the size of your dinner plate) that had a $26 sticker on it! DRY COOKIES FOR $26!!!! I then looked at another small container of kolaches (sp?) and it was.....$8!!!! Must have been 6 kolaches in there. Holy cow. Oak Mill also markets these to local Jewel stores for $8 or $9 per pack. There are two other bakeries I go to (near my past and present employer) that are even better but charge FRACTION of the price. Give Levinson's on Devon/California a try. SUPERBLY cheap and the staff is so nice. Another one is Hanna's Bakery and Cafe in Bloomingdale on Army Trail Rd. It's owned by a Polish family and their cookies are....$7/lb which is less than half the price of Oak Mill at $16/lb Plus, Hanna's cookies put Oak Mill to some serious shame.
(2)
Chander M.
I stood at 3 different counters spread over 15 minutes and no one asked me once as to what i need ..,Sales executives at the counter kept on servicing different customers in east European languages and did not even acknowledge that i was standing over the counter and looking a help. .. I returned my cookie never to see this place again.. and making it known to all I know..
(1)
J P.
I WILL get my wedding cake from here. Any cakes my family gets always come from here, no matter what the occasion. Our family who live further away always request us to bring them their cakes for their special occasions on our way to said party. It is just our duty since we are lucky enough to live so close. I saw them custom making a penis cake once for a bachlorette...teeheehee. But seriously, their treats are great. They even gave me a hot chocolate on the house once! Sweet!
(5)
Brandon W.
Awesome cheesecakes - awesome rum balls and oh so delicious butter cookies! This place is great, they have almost everything you can think of from pastries to cakes and cookies! They are designed so elegantly you almost don't even want to eat them. But eat them you must because they are a taste bud explosion. Very friendly staff of woman who were willing to answer questions and help me decipher what some of the items were made of. I will be back for more treats in the future!
Anna B.
This bakery has what my elitist Eastern European parents call "real tortes and cakes". Of course, I agree with them. Everything I have ever eaten from Oak Mill has been absolutely delicious, including my wedding cake this past December. I asked for a custom filling of lemon/rasberry mousse and they created it for me. My wedding cake introduced most of my guests to the delicious world of Eastern European baked goods, and to the alternative of a sheet cake from your local grocer. Expensive? I don't think so, not for the amazing quality. I would rather pay $20 for an unforgettable cake from Oak Mill than a heavy, overly sweet, with a mountain of diabetes inducing frosting cake from a grocery store bakery. There is a slew of other Polish bakeries, which are good....but they are NOT Oak Mill. If you're not shopping for a custom creation, I highly recommend the Pear Cake. You will NOT be dissapointed.
(5)U P.
This review is pertaining to this SPECIFIC LOCATION. I love Oak Mill Bakery on North Ave in Chicago. The customer service is excellent there. This location, however, seems like it's owned by a different company. The rude blonde female that works here, would be better off working at a Hollister or like a total Abercrombie, because her teenage-smelling little attitude is completely out of place here! I came in to get a cake for my Mom's birthday because we both love Oak Mill cakes. There was NO OTHER CUSTOMER IN A STORE BUT ME, and the sales people were gossiping in Polish in the back room. The rude blondie came out and started rushing me..not sure if she has ADHD problems, in which case, go visit your doctor, you must be out of meds, or she just has that nasty attitude inherent to SOME people. I asked her to describe what one cake contained and she rushed through that description like she was on cocaine, and I said ok let me get it - so she pulls out another cake. I said that I was asking for a different cake to be described and she just told me that it pretty much is not as good...everything about her attitude was sooo nasty, the inexplicable rush..well maybe it can be explained by the fact that she wanted to run back as to not miss out on any gossip going on in the back room. The way she explained things made me feel like I - THE PAYING CUSTOMER - was greatly inconveniencing her. She doesn't have her facts straight: I asked if the cake was fresh, which she confirmed it was, but it spoiled after a few days and never tasted that fresh to begin with. I asked if this is the only location that no longer accepts Belly Card and she said that all of Oak Mill places stopped accepting it (not true!) Maybe instead of gossiping your day away you can try and LISTEN to your customers. P.S. I just remembered that the last time I got a raspberry bomb here it made me feel kind of sick...so I was going to give up on them. But I really think it's just this location that's so disappointing. Never back again here!
(1)Bridgett C.
We used Oak Mill Bakery for our wedding cake. The woman who met with us seemed nice and drew out a very detailed diagram of the wedding cake we wanted. Unfortunately the wedding cake was one of the biggest disappointments on my wedding day. The design was totally wrong. When I called to complain about it after we got back from our honeymoon, the woman was rude to me. She offered to refund me $20 for their huge mistake. That's it. She also did not offer the slightest apology for what was her fault.
(1)Mary Kate F.
"Oh my God!" and "Aaaaggh!" and "Can you believe this?!" That's what kind of reactions we got from people when they saw the sweets table at our wedding this weekend. Our guests will be talking about it for years -- trust me. The spread was almost beyond description. The tables were laden with row after row of little parfait cups, chocolate swans, huge chocolate horns spilling out dozens of tiny pastries (all different), tiny creme cakes, glazed fruit tarts (large and small), tortes, flans, towers of white- and chocolate-dipped strawberries, pyramids of these doughnut hole thingys, and dozens upon dozens of individually beautiful, two-bite-sized European pastries. I love my mother-in-law for raising such an awesome son, but I really, really love her for suggesting Oak Mill Bakery for the sweets table at the wedding. To knock off a star because of the price is silly; quality like this will cost a person serious money. But if you can afford it and you want to dazzle, these people will deliver in a big way. My sister ate a chocolate piano!
(5)Rachel H.
Being a huge fan of their pear cake, Oak Mill was my only destination when I woke up with paczki on the brain. I was headed to the burbs to visit my parents anyway so I decided on this location. I was scared when I saw the tiny parking lot full of cars, and even more scared when I got in the long line. I shouldn't have feared though, because the quick customer service got everyone through the line. I somehow managed to buy 8 paczki including fresh strawberry with whipped cream. Mmmm. The only thing that sucks is that they require $10 min purchase for credit cards but that just gave me an excuse to buy some bread and a monster croissant.
(5)Jessica O.
Ok, the one star is taken off because of high prices, but that is the ONLY bad thing that I will say about this place. This is the only bakery that most discriminating eastern-European parents will go to... and for good reason! Their pastries are a-m-a-z-i-n-g, and really quite beautiful to boot! My favorite thing to do for a really special dinner for two is to stop here and get a little assortment of their mini pastries to sample. I highly recommend the little baskets made of chocolate, as well as anything chocolate. Their cakes are also amazing. yummmmmmmmmm.
(4)Amina Z.
Unfortunately Oak Mill Bakery is definitely not as great as it used to be! I think a lot of people would agree that they have some delicious cakes, but their service & their pricing has just gone out the door. Their service is completely disgusting and unacceptable! Also, it would be great if you can taste test a few of the cakes especially if you are ordering a special occassion cake. The only way to taste anything at this place is to pay $4 per slice. The last time I went here, I was looking to get a bridal shower cake from them and here's the endless list of issues with this place: There was 1 woman in there at the time. I was expecting to tell her what I wanted the cake for and the size needed and then to get options and maybe some suggestions from an 'expert.' Instead, she took it upon herself to keep pushing a rum flavored cake on me. After I clearly explained to her that I do not want a rum cake and the cake has to be free of any alcohol, she had the nerve (or maybe she was just plain stupid) to suggest a champagne cake! Seriously? The whole time she was rushing me and ignoring whatever information I was giving her as to what I would like and kept force selling a cake that was nothing at all like I was describing. Then when it came to the design, it was basically what they already had pictures of in their shop and that could run between $50-$150 for a simple drawing on the cake!!! It's not like it was a 3D object or anything. I don't know how Oak Mill thinks they're prices are acceptable or reasonable 1 bit, they're just outrageous! After this, I decided to give it 1 more chance & call their other location in Arlington Heights in case it was just this 1 idiot employee and sadly the service just seems to be quite consistent no matter the location. I have taken my business elsewhere and will definitely make it a point to never purchase anything from them again. I would love to see a competitor open shop in the area to bring this sorry excuse of a bakery to close for good!
(1)Carrie J.
Been eating the pastries of this shop for years~so yummy! Thanks to the recommendations of a family friends, my family was introduced to the delicious goodies of Oak Mill. I can't wait to get my mother's day cake for my mom soon, she loves their cream icing that's not sickening sweet like the ones you get at Dominicks or Jewell. Best place for sweets within reasonable driving distance from where I live.
(4)ashley d.
If you need a special order, don't come here. We have been using Oak Mill Bakery for special occasions since our wedding 12 years ago. For my husband's 50th birthday, I ordered a specific cake, which I have ordered many times before. The day of the birthday, I picked up the cake and it was totally WRONG. What made things worse was the staffs screw you attitude - tried to blame me except the paper that the order was written on was what I wanted. I called the corporate office to complain and noone called back. After 12 years, we will NEVER go back to Oak Mill. No customer service, horrible staff and can't execute a simple cake when that is their business. Called Froggy's bakery in Highwood and they made the exact cake for me by the time I got there 45 minutes later and it was far better than any cake I have bought at Oak Mill. They have gotten to big to be any good.
(1)Benjamin S.
We bought a selection of pastries and later overdosed on sugar. Still shaking. Would have liked to try the cakes which look amazing.
(4)Hannah E.
They made my wedding cake and it was so yummy and pretty! A couple of my friends said it was the best thing they had to eat at my wedding which was truly a complement because we had so much food from so many wonderful places. I was worried about the cake because it came in a packaged deal for my wedding venue and thought that it would be small and the design/flavors I would get to pick from would be limited. How they had a large selection and I didn't need to make any upgrades (although I was tempted to). Also a huge reason I am writing this review is because they actually place on the wedding toper I bought from a different place on the cake for free! It's a lot of work to put a toper on a cake because you don't simply place it on top. They mounted it with four small poles so that it would stay in place and in the center. They also delivered the cake on time and it's kind of funny, they didn't even take the delivery tip which my coordinator had for them because they came and left so quickly.
(5)Julie T.
The worst customer service by the owner of the bakery. They made a mistake on the cake I ordered and so I called the owner to let him know. Instead of apologizing for their mistake his response to me was 'what do you want me to do?' He had the nerve to say there was nothing he could do and that I should have handled it when I was in the store. I was already in the store for over 30 minutes just waiting to pick up my cake because they were dealing with another error on someone else's cake. They offered to substitute a similar cake, but if I am paying $30+ for an 8 inch cake, I would like what I ordered and paying for. If he doesn't want to deal with his customers he probably shouldn't put on the back of the business card "Any concerns or questions regarding our services or products, please give us a call".
(2)Bunny K.
try the pear cake. very awesome and refreshing. any of the cakes never too sweet. fruit tarts extraordinary.
(3)Ellen M.
This review is based solely on the kick-assed hazelnut cake our dinner guests brought over last night. The cake was perfect, everyone loved it, and it was aesthetically pleasing with its imprinted chocolate leaves. When I visit my relatives near there, I'll definitely stop in for a dessert to bring.
(5)B. L.
This is one of their several locations in the area. Fresh bread and pastrys are made here each day. Some of their items have a European flair. Their breads are my personal favorite. If you are on a lo carb diet you may want to go somewhere else.
(4)Vesna M.
Thank you to whoever invented the Pear Cake at Oak Mill bakery. Yum! Go there and try it!
(4)Nora F.
If you need something pretty in a hurry -- say, to bring to a dinner party -- Oak Mill is a great choice. They always have something eye-catching, ready to be boxed up, and it's usually good-to-great. (Mysteriously, as it's a Polish-run shop, their klatchkes are awful. Go across the street to Jewel for far better.) And I'll continue to stop there for just such occasions. But today, I literally laughed my way out of there. I stopped to order a birthday cake for my son. I asked for a half-sheet, vanilla-with-strawberry, and a Chicago flag as the decoration. (Two blue stripes, four red stars. Google it.) I was quoted a price of over $165 -- for a basic cake to feed 50 people. $165. The girl explained that the city flag isn't among their zillions of designs on the books, so it's a custom order, which costs twice as much as anything in the books. Again -- four stars, two stripes. When my jaw dropped, she said, 'I know. I want to ask the manager if she'll make an exception, since it's such a simple design.' Nope. Manager refused. I'll drive an extra mile and a half, get it from House of Cakes for half that outlandish price, and it'll be just as good -- if not better, according to other reviews of their cakes. Other friends in the neighborhood, who've lived here longer, don't set foot in the place. Live and learn. As I said, they're fine for pretty fruity tartlets in a hurry, but that's about it.
(2)Christine E.
I have yet to have something from here that I haven't loved. When you see the selection of backed goods here it'll be hard to pick just one to get, they all look delicious. I got my wedding cake from here (it looked gorgeous) as well as several cakes I've brought to parties. Just writing about it makes me hungry!
(5)Urszula H.
I love Oak Mill Bakery. Fresh baked goodies for great prices. A lot of the bakes goods are Polish, which is a plus in my book. My favorite is this raspberry tart with pudding I think ( I could be wrong, but it is orgasmic).
(5)a w.
This is a great place to go for some really fresh baked treats. All their goods are freshly baked everyday and everything is really delicious!
(3)Satyam C.
Our Family has been getting cake here since we were little. So when I found out that my wedding venue offers a free cake from Oak Mill, I was very excited. We ended up working with Basha. I believe she handles all of the big events. During our cake tasting, she was not pushy at all. She wanted to make sure that we got the flavors that we liked. She offered her suggestions which we took to heart. We ended up getting three cakes for our wedding. One cake was the main cake which was out on display.The other two cakes were sheet cakes for the back of the house. We could not have been happier with the main cake. She suggested that we get our own broaches and cake toppers outside for a cheaper price. She was definitely not trying to hustle us. With that being said, this place is still kind of pricey. But you always get what you pay for. I ended up getting a first year anniversary cakefrom here as well. Basha pulled out the paperwork for the actual wedding cake we received a year prior and replicated the flavors perfectly. Once again she informed me that it would be more pricey if I got fondant so I chose to go with the buttercream option. Even though it was a 6 inch anniversary cake, we were able to get about 12 slices out of it. I would highly recommend Oakmill bakery for any event. But like I said the only downfall is the price. Luckily our wedding venue included the cost of cake. But if you were to get a cake on your own for a birthday party or something, it may be pricey. But once again, you get what you pay for. And in this case, you pay for deliciousness and true artistry
(4)Stefanie B.
Oak Mill Bakery is out of this world good! Our family has been getting cakes from here forever...it is definitely better than the famous Lutz Bakery. What my family likes about this bakery is all the cakes aren't too sweet but just the right amount. Every cake is delish and I wish I could eat every single cake every day! I also really like their cheese flakeys to eat for breakfast! I LOVE this bakery with all my heart!!
(5)Paula D.
Very disappointed in this establishment. Went in to look for a birthday cake for my daughter and the staff at first was pleasant enough, handing me a book of different options/themes to choose from. I finally saw something I liked and was ready to consult with someone and discuss prices. Two people walked in after me and they were given attention immediately. Two of the girls working there were chatting away and I apologized for interrupting and told them I was interested in speaking to someone about proceeding with an order. One girl went to the kitchen area in the back to ask someone to assist me. Seriously there were at least 5 other staff members in the back just chatting away and obviously in no rush to take care of me. I patiently waited another 10 minutes and still nothing. At this point the bakery was nearly empty with only me and the couple who had walked in shortly after me. Once the couple, lady in particular, was ready to order, she loudly asked for someone to help her and the two girls practically ran to attend her. All this while I was standing in FRONT of the cashier area with absolutely NO help from any of the 5-7 staff members. I was so offended and upset that my business clearly was not wanted, I took the hint and walked out. A little tip. You'll only get service if you're loud, outspoken or pull up in a luxury car. Don't be polite and patient because they won't bother serving you. Never again. I ended up going to Alliance bakery in the city and spent a little more than I would've liked to but at least they were much more attentive and welcoming. What a shame, I had high hopes for this place.
(1)N G.
They don't deserve a star. We ordered a cake for our grandfathers 80th birthday in advance at the bakery, received a receipt and awaited delivery at the restaurant. When the party started at the cake didn't come, we card oak mill expressing urgency about the importance of the cake delivery!!! The staff said "they'd look into it". I kept explaining the party is NOW and if they lost /forgot the order they can come up with quick ideas up fix it?!?! They said, they'd look into it. We had to call Lanas dazzling Deserts, a local baker who saved us by providing 2 cakes to cover our guests for dessert. I continued to call and express my frustration but did not feel any response from the staff. Which I still can't believe!! Today I called to speak to a supervisor and he said they would refund me for not delivering . What?!?! A huge birthday event that had a beautiful cake planned for was not made and all I get is a refund. No real apology or explanation. Don't order your cakes for special events here! They might not deliver, But will refund you the next day! Seriously!!
(1)Datou Y.
amazingï¼ï¼ï¼this is the best cake I have tried in Chicago! So sweet but not too much. I really like it. 5 stars!
(5)Brittany M.
This place Is awesome! It has a homey feel and yet their work on wedding cakes and other bakery goods Is beautiful. We went there for our wedding cake tasting and design and the woman who helped us was very attentive. They had amazing designs to choose from and the flavours weren't half bad. Personally, my fiance and I liked the red velvet the best Also, they have a private parking lot so don't worry about street parking. Cake tasting Is appointment only but they also have pastries and ready made cakes. Did not try the pastry goods but they looked wonderful!
(5)Jay K.
I've attached the letter I just sent the owner. I believe it contains enough information to process a general idea of how I feel about Oak Mill Bakery. "Good morning, My name is Jay, and both my extended family and myself had previously been in contact with you and your staff, regarding an incident that happened at the Milwaukee Avenue store on what I believe was during the 1:00 afternoon hour of Thursday, April 2nd, where both my mother-in-law and my one-year-old son, whom she was babysitting, were verbally attacked and threatened by one of your regular customers in an unwarranted episode of rage, both inside and outside of your store. For the entirety of this incident, your staff did nothing but put their heads down and walked away from the attack, even knowing damn well that there was a problem that needed assistance.. a scene that clearly compromised the overall safety of a baby, yet your staff still felt no need in coming to the aid of a customer in obvious distress. The only reason things did not escalate to a higher danger in your store, was because my mother-in-law frantically ran to her car, with my baby in her arms, and drove away as quickly as possible, in fear of being hurt or even killed. .. and before you mistake this description as just an emotional exaggeration, please know that this customer continuously told my mother-in-law he was going to kill her, along with my son.. but you already know all of this, because you talked to her, immediately following the incident. In fact, both the late-afternoon manager and you, yourself, vowed to both my mother-in-law and myself, that with the help of the many cameras you've installed inside of your store, as well as the assistance of the staff on duty at the time, we would get a return phone call on that following Monday, April 6th, with information capable of securing action against this customer with the assistance of the Niles Police Department. Though the days ahead of the incident included no return phone call to us, we gave you the benefit of the doubt, as we understood that it was most-likely a busy weekend for your business with the Easter holiday approaching, but it is now way beyond the 15-day mark since the incident, and we have yet to hear from you. As a business owner, you should take a moment and realize that was not just an example of a potential danger to my mother-in-law and my one-year-old son.. .. but more so an example of a potential danger to every one of your customers, and what should be just as important to you, a potential danger to every one of your staff members. Being told by the afternoon manager that calling the police was something that should've been taken care of by my mother-in-law, not Oak Mill Bakery, is just another prime example of the poor management and social skills that could one day come back to haunt your business.. because as it stands, you are leaving the possibilities wide open, for the same manic customer to do the same thing to another customer, if not to one of your staff members.. .. but this is no longer our problem, really. Since we haven't heard from you, I am now lead to believe that your standard of concern for both your staff and your customers is extremely minimal. Whether your lack of attention to the situation is a deliberate attempt to protect this customer, or merely an isolated incident you hoped would soon be forgotten, your disregard for the lives of the patrons in this community who keep your doors open will not be tolerated, and on behalf of both of my extended families, I end this message with unquestionable judgement, when I say you no longer have our recommendation, and you most-certainly no longer have our future business. Your time to resolve this issue has now expired. A response is unnecessary, and your services have been replaced. Good day." .. how's that, Yelpers..
(1)Tara L.
We were in town for a friend's baby shower, and drove by this bakery. One thing we love to do when we visit new cities is to see what local establishments there are. I was beyond curious to see what this Oak Mill Bakery was all about, as there was a continuous flow of customers. A quick search on Yelp led me to see that they have European pastries! *insert think bubble with exclamation points here* So, we parked and walked in. (FYI - parking in is only in the front, and not very plentiful. If you're coming northbound, it'll be on your left side, and you'll want to turn left at the signal light before it and go the back way.) The ladies there were super friendly and immediately asked us what we were looking for. Our eyes were darting back and forth, so it took some time to decide. We ended up picking up a big variety box of mille feuille, raspberry tarts, paçzkis, custard cakes. All looked lovely, and all were equally tasty. I thoroughly enjoyed that the pastry was delicate, light, and fluffy when bit into. The sugar levels were balanced, and portion sizes were right on for the price. Each run between $3-$4.50. Their cakes look divine, but we didn't pick one up. Maybe next time. Service was good as stated, but the young gentleman working there wasn't as friendly to others, so that was unfortunate. Fortunately, we got the sweet young girls, so if you do come, just make note of that. Bottom line though - quality pastries and cakes, and good prices too! Bonus that their holiday decorations were so festive and elaborate! We'll be back :)
(4)Chloe F.
Oak Mill did a wonderful job on our wedding cake. This was one of the three choices we were given included as part of the package at our hotel venue. The cake tasting was nothing special (presentation wasn't great and a lot of the flavors were just ok). Was this the best cake I have ever tasted, not really, but all in all for it being one of the choices we had to choose for our venue we were very happy with the way it turned out. We picked chocolate with chocolate ganache, chocolate with peanut butter frosting, and red velvet. For the actual wedding the cake was moist and tasted very good, we got a lot of compliments. They also gave us a recreation of our top tier to freeze for our first anniversary. The presentation of the cake was beautiful, it looked exactly like the picture I showed them for pinterest, I was extremely happy with the way it turned out, it was beautiful.
(5)Flora Y.
The sweets and the cakes are very good just the staff they r so rude and the take forever with one customer unless u speak polish I didn't like the attitude at all
(1)Marcia C.
Bought a cake for my husband's birthday. The cake was pretty to look at but the chocolate was waxy and the cake itself was very blah. Probably won't buy from them again. I wanted to try it because my daughter will be getting married in 2016. The cake was $23 and I threw most of it in the trash. Bought this cake at the Garfield Ridge location on Harlem.
(2)Nazrin G.
Terrible bakery with terrible service. we have ordered from them twice and twice they do not deliver the cake. Rude people with zero customer service. NEVER AGAIN
(1)Natalie K.
This two star rating is based on my latest experience at Oak Mill Bakery. Truthfully, it should only be one star, but my previous experiences were decent. I've gone to Oak Mill Bakery a handful of times and the cakes I purchased were a hit or miss. The specific hit is the Chocolate Ganache Cake. Any chocolate lover would absolutely love it. If you want it fresh, order it instead of grabbing one from the case. If you peek into the case (on the far right when you walk in) there is a variety of small cakes/tortes. If you look extra hard, you'll see that there are small labels on cardboard base that says the date of when the cake was made (they remove the label when they sell it to you so you won't see it). Unknowingly, the first time purchasing from there I purchased a cake that wasn't fresh. I've seen dates as old as 12 days, which is repulsing. Anyways, I was heading to a birthday party and I purchased two cakes. I was in a bit of a hurry, but the one cake label said that it was a few days old. I didn't even pay attention to the label on the other one because it looked fresh. The two cakes I purchased by the way were Chocolate Mousse and Red Velvet. Those two cakes costed $50. Yes, $50 for two tiny cakes. Off to my party I went, and everyone oohed and ahhed at how pretty and cute the little cakes were as well as took photos. So I cut the cake and ran my finger down the knife to taste the frosting. I wanted to crawl into a hole in embarrassment. The frosting tasted like freezer burn wax. More specifically, crayons. It was INEDIBLE. I thought maybe the inside would be better, but nope. The cake was dry and had the same old, refrigerator taste. There was no way that cake was only a few days old. I for sure paid for a two week old cake. I told everyone it was no good, and I was SO RELIEVED that I purchased two cakes. Maybe the second cake would be better? NOPE. I sliced the cake and handed a slice to the birthday girl and the look on her face was priceless. It was like she took a sip of curdled milk. She handed it to me, and I tasted it, and the sprinkles/frosting again tasted like refrigerator. We put both cakes back in the box along with the one slice we cut from each cake. We brought back two full cakes and the receipt to demand a refund. They told us no refunds and with our luck, there was no manager on duty, but we left the cakes there along with a note for a manager and our phone number. We received no call, no apology for ruining the birthday party and no $50 refund or store-credit. Nothing. Will never return or recommend this bakery. Go check out the new Whole Foods in Park Ridge. They have the same size cakes for $11.99 and they're fresh.
(2)J K.
The employees here are rude and don't acknowledge that you exist. I stopped by on Father's Day to get a cheesecake. There were a few employees in back talking and the one girl standing behind the counter was staring off into space looking so miserable like she was just hating life. I tried to make eye contact with her a few times and she was just staring off into space so I just waited. She then disappeared and went in back, not even greeting me. Eventually, someone came out the back and asked if I was being helped. I'd rate their baked goods at 5 stars , but their employees give horrible customer service. I've been coming to this location for over 10 years but I'd rather go elsewhere where my business is appreciated.
(3)Nikki M.
This place is horrible they messed up my daughter's baptism cake. They messed up the design and the fillings inside. And there was suppose to be a keepsake cross on top and they put a candy cross on there. This cake costed me $320. And they did not offer any of my money back for their mistakes also they were very rude when expressing all the mistakes. I called back many times to talk to a manager and they never called me back. They don't care about their customers. I will never go here ever again. Be careful investing big money here becsuse even if they mess up they don't take care of it. Zero stars if I could.
(1)Velida V.
Rude staff! Waited 10 minutes for someone to help and wasn't even acknowledged in that time.
(1)Dominique D.
We dealt with Barbara for ordering our wedding cake. She was very rude while we were there, and she basically tried to rush us through everything even though we were 10 minutes early for our appointment, and we had to wait almost 30 minutes past our meeting time to see her. Aside from this, our wedding cake was beautiful and tasted good.
(2)Boon K.
So that place at 3 pm on saturday looked like it got ran over as there wasnt alot of baked goods left to purchase but I am not sure if they are short handed but there was a long line waiting for cakes. The three people in front of me were not happy as they have been waiting for a long time and there was one customers just complaining that her order was completely wrong. There was another upset customer asking why they can fix her cake as their facility is in des plaines. Lesson learn as my cake was ok and the color I requested was not correct but it was not anything major.
(2)Anna B.
Oak Mill Bakery is one of the three bakeries that our wedding reception site gave us to choose our wedding cake from. And they totally impressed us WAY more than the other two! We had our cake tasting appointment with Basia. She was extremely warm, friendly, and helpful. We showed her pictures of cake designs we like (although they have tons of binders filled with ideas). And we got to taste 4 different flavors/combinations of cakes and fillings. Omg, they were ALL so moist, flavorful, and delicious! We had a hard time deciding on just one! We will be updating this review after our wedding day, but we were just so pleased with our experience. We can't wait to see how our cake will turn out!
(5)Dan E.
I was driving by here late morning and had the urge for another cup of coffee. The coffee here was just OK, but the real story is the sweets. I couldn't decide so I asked for a cheese danish. It was very good. Prices seemed reasonable and the selection was immense. It was busy so I assume everything is fresh because they have a high turnover.
(4)Andrea C.
Holy crap this place makes delicious desserts. I've gone in twice in two weeks - once for Puczkis and once for a cake - and everything is amazing. GO HERE!
(4)Nellie G.
I purchased my wedding cake here, and was very satisfied with Joanna who helped me throughout the process. so it was a no brainer to come back, and purchase a cake for my one year olds birthday party. However, I left with no order placed for his cake, and very dissatisfied with the professionalism of the staff. I was quoted a specific amount for the cake (she even had the receipt written out), but as soon as I got to the register to be rung up she said let me make sure this is the correct price. Of course it wasn't! She wanted to add $20 for spray color on the edge of the cake even though she had already quoted me the price with that Already added. Not only is their cake rather expensive, it's another 100 to customize it with your own design! The most they could do for what I think is expensive is write happy birthday. Definitely not worth the money. I can go to the grocery store and have them write happy birthday, and not spend close to 200 for a cake! So I changed my mind, and the girl who was "helping me" for the lack of a better word said fine! And walked away before I could blink. The worst part is I wasn't at all surprised by her response. Either I was going to buy it or not was her attitude the moment I walked in, and my questions were a waste of my time because clearly she didn't want to be bothered.
(2)Carrie O.
If you would like a beautiful and delicious wedding cake, look no further than Oak Mill Bakery in Niles. My husband and I were married at Cafe La Cave on 08/31/2014 and they recommended Oak Mill Bakery for our wedding cake. Several months before our wedding we visited Oak Mill Bakery for a cake tasting and to choose the cake we wanted for our wedding day. When we arrived, we were directed to sit in a cozy corner area that, I believe, is specifically reserved for cake tastings. The woman showed us 10 books filled with photos of wedding cakes. While we looked through the books, the staff offered us coffee while we tasted all the different choices of fillings and cake we wanted for our wedding cake. Fast forward to our wedding day.... The final product was both beautiful and delicious! Almond flavored cake with one layer of praline filling, one layer of fudge filling and buttercream frosting. Everyone at our wedding loved the cake! It was superb. We can't wait to eat the top on our 1-year anniversary and really be able to sit back and enjoy it!
(5)Moni K.
I wished they labeled and priced their pastries instead of me asking the woman behind the counter who was very annoyed with me. It is extremely difficult to buy pastries if you do not know what is in it or how much it costs. I ended up dropping $65 here as it turns out that the pastries are between $1.75 to $2 each. Overall, the pastries were good and looked pretty but what I really ordered and what was in each pastry I have no idea. Knowing this is very important, none of my friends have any allergies so I was fine....but really does it take that long to label everything. Communication behind the counter ladies can really be improved. Be more friendly, explain, do not rush your customers. I don't know if I will come back...maybe
(3)Staci W.
Their pastry might be amazing but they have to work on their costumer service. There is no order, they help out whoever. I was waiting in line and they helped two people that arrived after I did......how does that work???
(2)Eun L.
The pastries look and taste really good (their pear cake is so very yummy). However, I just wish the staff were a bit friendlier and that they had the pastry prices and names in front. I always have to hope that I have enough money to cover the amounts of tasty stuffs I buy (been lucky so far XD).
(3)Maggie M.
We just had our wedding this past weekend and our cake was from Oak Mill Bakery. I have never seen a more beautiful presentation, so much so that our guests came up to us and asked if it was fake! We were able to have alternating layers of carrot and red velvet cakes and this was something our guests were overjoyed with. Not only did they love that they had a choice in cake, but they continuously came up to us saying how scrumptious it was! What's more, Oak Mill Bakery even offers a smaller version of our wedding cake for your one year anniversary so you don't have to worry about freezing the actual cake. I am so happy with Oak Mill Bakery!
(5)Stefanie M.
Our wedding cake was from here. Basia helped me to choose the cake/frosting/fillings, which was difficult as they were all delicious. The design looked elegant and up-to-date. They are professional and helpful. Everything worked out fine.
(5)Heather L.
Happy Paczki Day to me! So many to choose from. My faves are the strawberry cream cheese and the one with the liquer that I can't remember the name of. In Niles, Il where Polish is the first language. These are not jelly donuts. Of course this place has more than paczkis. 12 years ago I got my wedding cake from here. Their deserts are both beautiful and yummy. My favorite bakery in Chicagoland.
(5)Janet V.
I love Oak Mill. They have a large selection of great cakes and pastries. All pastries look declicious. My family has been coming here for years. We always order birthday party cakes, graduation, fathers and mothers day cakes here. It is our go to spot.
(4)Tricia D.
I wasn't as impressed this go around. The chocolate cupcake had a hard sponge-like texture that put me off, and the paczki wasn't as fresh as I anticipated, especially for $1.25 for that sucker. What I was impressed with was how bustling it was at 4pm on a weekday! Albeit small and cramped, the parking lot was full.
(3)Lenny G.
A really nice bakery with awesome pastries and cakes. The paczkis are amazing. The selection is pretty good with both pastries and cakes. They also make cakes to order (wedding cakes, birthday cakes, etc), but I'm it sure how good that service is. One thing I wish was that they labeled the pastries (and put the price on them). I had to ask the person taking my order what was in each item, which made it time consuming and annoyed her. The prices are pretty high for pastries at $1.50 to $2 each. Finally, their parking lot sucks. There aren't many spaces and its hard to get in and out.
(3)Laurie H.
Seriously good eats. All sorts of cool pastries. Sometimes I have to ask what something is, because not everything is labeled. They have really yummy fruit tarts and cakes.
(4)Sara P.
I work across the street and I go to Oak Mill every now and then to pick up a croissant for breakfast or a sweet treat. The baked goods are tasty. The ambrosia cake is truly food of the gods. I like that they have day-old goods for sale too, in case you want some good-quality breadcrumbs or something. The only downside I have experienced here is that it is sometimes hard to get attention from the people who work here.
(4)Joyce C.
Big selection of pastries, delicious cakes. The pastries are all pretty good but the cakes are the standout. Definitely worth a stop off. Only weird thing is that if you need to order something, they speak to you in Polish first rather than English on the phone?
(4)Bill G.
Picked up a dozen Paczki from the Arlington Heights location. I have to say they looked delish; however, I was soon disappointed. There was about a tablespoon of filling in everyone of them. At a cost of $18.01 for a dozen, I would pass. I have had Paczki from the Harwood Heights location - Harlem and Lawrence in past years which were preordered and the powdered sugar coated custard were over filled and were absolutely delicious. I will give that a try again next year, but would pass on the Arlington Heights location.
(1)Fancy N.
This place used to be 5 stars, but recently I think they are only worth 3. First, as reviewers mentioned, its hard to get the attention of the staff. One time I stood there a good 5-10 min, before one of the ladies finally asked if I could be helped. They seemed busy running from left to right, not really doing anything. As mentioned, this used to be a 5 star place, where I'd exclusively go for b-day cakes, delicious individual bakery pieces (like the super awesome fruit cups!). However, their prices have sky rocketed, while it seems they are using slightly cheaper ingredients. I purchased a strawberry pineapple cake, to find there was at most 1 strawberry sliced up inside. Seriously? For $35 1 strawberry as the filling? Nothing but a whole bunch of frosting inside and out. This place used to be real good, were quality was their speciatly. Not anymore, its more profit centered. Last time I was here, I purchased some buns touted as fresh, my mom said they tasted like 1-2 day old, eww. I bought a cherry pie, it was expensive and tasted the same as the ones from Dominicks for a fraction of the price. Oak Mill has no real competition in the area, so they feel they can do as they please, which is sad.
(3)Lisa A.
They made my wedding cake and it was gorgeous as it was delicious! Family and friends commented that it was the best wedding cake they've ever had, which was truly a compliment coming from so many different guests. My fiance and I were worried about the cake because it came in a packaged deal with our wedding venue and we thought our choices would be extremely limited, and we wouldn't be able to customize anything to make it fit our wedding personality and style. Oak Mill sure did put us to shame! The tasting was everything a bride dreams about for the experience!! Tons of different flavor options, color choices, and combinations. Of course, there are upgrades for a fee, but they give you more than enough options in the "included" book to be able to find something, and they are pretty flexible with asking for adjustments. Whether they're included in your package or not, Oak Mill is definitely a great bakery for your wedding cake or desserts!!
(5)George F.
Hands down, best in the business in Chicago. To get better, you'll have to pay NYC a visit. After that, you're off to Paris - where the whole thing was invented, the standards were set, and the bar continues to be raised year after year.
(5)Mable Y.
The selection of baked goods is quite impressive but almost all the cookies taste the same except the frosting is different.. Vanilla cookie, vanilla frosting.. vanilla cookie, chocolate frosting! You get the idea. Pricing on these bad boys were steep.. 1lb of the same type of cookies with different frosting will run you roughly $15. I cannot comment on the cakes because I didn't eat it however, they do look mighty tasty! The bakery is located on a busy street so getting out of the parking lot is almost suicidal. Bottom line: Unless I was desperate for my cookie fix, I wouldn't come here again.
(3)Sarah R.
Our wedding cake came from here. It was included at our venue and this was the only place they ordered from. Neither of us like sweets so I can't say much on that. I sent my parents for the tasting and they said most of the cakes they tried were good. Some were dry. At the wedding the cake was stunning to look at and other people told us it was very good. Prior to choosing a cake, were invited to an open house that we went to. What a waste and disappointment that was. Niles is kind of a hike for us especially on a weekday in rush hour. We were there for an hour and we didn't speak to one person that worked there. It was a combined open house for the bakery and other vendors. You could try samples and pick out decor. All we wanted to do was find out if there were any limitations on what we can choose for our cake and we wanted to look through the books. After wandering around for a half an hour I found the books myself and we picked a few cakes and left. I would have asked for help but I had no idea who freakin worked there and who didn't. And no one was behind the counter. I tried to look clueless and helpless and make eye contact, but nothing worked. Brides: unless you really want free sweets, avoid the open house.
(3)David R.
I had a very good experience. The front staff person "Bill" was very helpful. I read some reviews here and scratch my head. I guess some people are hard to please, or worse.
(5)Janet J.
I was visiting and stopped in to try a number of things none of which I would say were great. We had 4 plates sampling a number of things and the cupcakes were the worst. None tasted fresh or had the "yum" factor in any way. Very disappointed.
(1)Em P.
This vendor was our contracted baker with our wedding venue. The final product (small cake and cupcakes) were good but it was everything leading up to it that was a disaster. The day we went for our cake tasting.. the lady we were supposed to meet had to leave town and the owner Bogna showed up for the meeting instead. She was 15 min late and when she got there, she proceeded to tell us how she was at home watching tennis. Fast forward 10 minutes and she finally brings out the samples and as my fiance and i went over pricing and what was included in our package, she proceeded to tell us that what we wanted would work and she would even waive the cupcake rental stand because of the amount of work she does with this venue. We were glad there were no additional charges seeing as how it was included in our venues package. I signed a contract after questioning/having her clarify a few things and ran the hell out of there as soon as i could. A couple days before the wedding, i called the bakery to update the final count and was told i had a 200 balance and they wouldnt be putting the cupcakes to production without final payment. I asked to speak directly to the owner, which is who we met with directly... and they conveniently couldnt locate her. I even emailed her directly and never got a response. I thought this company was extremely unprofessional in handing a customer issue. They basically said "deal wtih it" and made me pay the difference because of the signed contract. If you're looking for a more personal experience, this wouldnt be the baker you want because all they care about is mass production and raking the money in. Customers concerns are of no importance.
(1)Max V.
Service sucks. A girl made asked me if i was ready, and took a phone order in front of me. She literally made me wait 15 minutes. Just to find out that the coupon I got from belly, for one cup of coffee and a slice of cake, they no longer accept. Other than the frantic line and inadequate coupon marketing, the pastries look great! Next time I decide to give this bakery another try, I'll call for pick up. I suggest you do the same.
(1)Michael C.
Paczki. That's why I came here. I wanted to show my roommate how the Polish People celebrate "Fat Tuesday." We were both disappointed: me highly so. !. The parking is horrible. Being right off Milwaukee avenue is very hard to navigate. Going in with a wheelchair is very difficult. Would be for walkers and canes, too. 2. We waited almost 45 minutes in line. To be fair, it was the Tuesday before Lent, and just after lunch. The woman in front of me was waxing on and on on how wonderful the Paczkis were. We bought a half dozen and took them home: 2 custard, 2 strawberry, 1 lemon, 1 "rose petal." 3. The verdict? It was just "okay" . We spent 10 dollars (I also got an almond-filler Crescent roll - filling was bland). My biggest gripe was that there was LOTS of dough and sticky frosting, and very LITTLE filling. Geez, could they spare it? The rose petal had about a teaspoon of filling, if that! I know that I could have gone to the local grocery store and probably got more filling for my money. And cheaper, too. But the allure would have been that was that it wasn't a real Bakery. My experience tells me that, for a bakery, they are just "okay." I was not impressed by the store nor the fact that the employees were shouting to each other in Polish. THAT, to me, is a no-no in ANY language. Like my roommate says, "Try it once." I did. Once.
(2)Dora T.
I ordered my cake for my 30th birthday there.i got two cakes which were $107 and there wasnt anything special , just regular cakes they have on display as well. I went back thinking I will get numbers cut up....$129 for those plus the decoration that u "have to have it"as they say which is another 35 buck each number....my fabulous cake would have reached $200.....going back i descovered they actually messed up my order, and they have written down some other cake than the one I said. Talking to the store manager she was very pissed off that I couldn't make up my mind...I left the store not changing anything to the order and I called the next day to cancel it and order a new cake from Artopolis bakery which they were not just cheaper but so much nicer and helpfull!i got a cake twice as big , with decoration, writing without any extra charge, and I paid $70 bucks!!!! I called a day after to Oakmill trying to find out they really cancelled my order just to make sure they WILL refund my money! The same rude store manager told me to check again my account in two weeks, I should have the money,and I said why does it take SO LONG? And she said to me "u just canceled ur order yesterday, I don't see why you worry! You will have your money back"how rude can you be as a store manager? Do you really want to keep your costumers? I ve been shopping there for 6 years, getting at least 6 big cakes a year, and my friends the same.never will go back and I will never recommend them again.i will go to Artopolis from now on,even thou it s so far away from my house!
(1)RABEEL A.
Stopped by to pick up a small cake. We asked if any of the cakes have gelatin, they couldn't tell us. You run a bakery business and have no idea what goes into your cakes?! They didn't even seem to care for our business. All the girls there seemed annoyed of our questions. Never again, Oak Mill.
(1)Pamela P.
Everyone at my wedding was raving about the sweet table. Two extra long tables worth of amazing dessert creations and delicious ones at that. We had a chocolate Eiffel Tower, golden swans filled with cream, chocolate topiaries, dark chocolate pianos filled with raspberries, I mean the list goes on and on and on. Oak Mill suggested about 8 pieces per person and if there was any left, that our guests could take some home with them. Well, did they ever! Oak Mill not only came to the hotel reception venue, set up their own tables with decorations and the like, served for hours and even provided to go containers for people to take some yum-yums with them on their drunken way. This place is top notch, over the top, and at the top of my list. Every time my family has a party or whatnot, we get desserts from here and they are stellar! The cakes are deceptively light and moist and fruity and the cookies and pastries will make even the toughest critic smile.
(5)Rosemary K.
LOVE their cheese strudel, but not a fan of their staffing. Young staff member seemed antsy to get on with the order even though there was a lack of customers in the store and didn't actively listen to my response or question . Other times I've been there I sometimes get ignored. I may keep coming back for those strudels, but seriously more stars if they cheer up a little and gain some people skills.
(3)Mike O.
Birthday cake to the highest bidder is a good way to begin this review. Now I've been a long-time fan of Oak Mill, getting cakes from there for multiple birthdays and a baptism. People always liked the cakes we bought from there and the place had a good reputation with my family. Something happened in 2006 that changed things the other way for me. Around my son's 3rd birthday, I went to order a cake for the party with a Cars movie theme, since it was his favorite thing at the time. Well, I was informed their cake decorator was hospitalized and his return was uncertain. They could only made "regular" cakes but could not accept orders for decorated ones. Oh well, I settled for the much maligned House of Cakes not too far away. Then in the summer of 2007, I wanted to get a decorated cake for a Curious George themed party. Round with butter cream and strawberries, just enough for 20 people, since most of the kids won't be eating much cake anyway. Total price? $72. Seventy-two friggin' dollars for a cake. That's $3.60 a slice + tax! Might as well go to Starbuck's and pick out 20 individually wrapped baked items instead. When did it become $72 if I ordered cakes from them before in the mid- to upper $30's? Are they still paying off their decorator's medical bills? My wife went to order it herself. When she came home and showed me the price on the receipt, I called and promptly killed the order on the spot. For a mere $32, we got a decorated 1/4-sheet from Jewel by our house and it had the strawberries too. It was intended for about 24 people. We had some yummy leftover cake dessert for the week and nobody seemed to mind it came from Jewel. Oak Mill, we used to love you till you till you got greedy and started charging double for your cakes.
(2)Jacqueline D.
For years and years my family has been using Oak Mill Bakery and we're always very pleased with the artistry and the fantastic flavors.
(5)Allison L.
MMMM. We used Oak Mill for our wedding cake. We had red velvet with white chocolate mousse. It was so delicious. We got a lot of compliments along the lines of how wedding cake is usually next to inedible but ours was delicious. It was visually beautiful. My only comment/complaint that was when we were picking out the design, I liked about 3 different kinds of ornamentation. It seems that they would have been able to combine the elements of each to make it work. But they made me pick one exactly from the pictures.
(4)Vanessa R.
Got my Paczki fix in right before close.... They still had all the flavors, BUT they needed a little more filling. Overall, i love Oak Mill Bakery.
(4)Tuya S.
In my opinion there are only few nations in the world who are good at pastries and that list shall include Central European countries such as Poland. Every year, somewhere in August, I start rubbing my hands contemplating about my birthday cake to be ordered at Oak Mill. Last year I had chocolate layered cake with cocoa filling. Previous one, I had cocoa cream layered cake. They never skip on good ingredients in order to look for cheaper and trendier options. In general I detest cupcakes. I think they are bastardized versions of beautiful, big, voluptuous creations called cake. I'm glad that this store at least adheres to the strict European tradition of excellent pastry.
(5)Carolynne M.
On Fat Tuesday I was given 2 paczkis - one from here and one from another bakery. This place wins by a mile. Where the #2 paczki was huge and sloppy, Oak Mill's was perfectly round and nicely sized. Where the #2 weighed probably a half pound from the mass of filling, Oak Mill's filling was just enough, encased within a pastry that was less donut and more like brioche; sweet but not cloying. Someone told me once they put raw potato into their paczki dough, but I dont know about that for sure. I do know that whatever they do makes for a nice & fluffy treat. I havent been into this location for many years, but I am looking forward to trying it the next time I need some bakery-lovin. Thanks for the real deal Oak Mill!
(4)Tara M.
YUM! Now, I've been here a few times and have never been disappointed with what I've purchased... we didn't have much for breakfast on Saturday morning, in the house, so I asked my husband to pop over and see what he might pick up. Well, true to form... we were not disappointed! We got some of the lightest, fluffiest croissants... I don't like croissants, typically, but man-o-man, these were SO good! We also got these wonderful cheese twist pastries, that were absolutely amazing! Lastly, we got a cherry strudel, and it was like a little bit-o-heaven! Not big on cooked cherries, but with the cheese and the light pastry and not being laden with sugar... seriously, this was delicious! Well, I definitely have to say it's one of the better bakeries that's left and well worth stopping in and buying a tasty treat! MMMMMMMMM!
(5)Pamela U.
Wow!! My husband and I were trying to find a bakery for our wedding cake that first and foremost was absolutely delicious. We tried three other places, and none of them impressed us until we walked into Oak Mill. The moment you walk in, you're in a pastry wonderland. They greet you and walk you to a little bistro area to sit down for your tasting. Basia, the woman helping us with our tasting, offered us coffee or tea, then gave us all our options of flavors we could try. Then she handed us about 10 different binders with photographs of cake designs they have done before. Holy Moly! Everything was scrumptious! It was also extremely fresh (I'm almost positive it just came out of the oven). We ended up choosing vanilla and chocolate cake, raspberry filling, chocolate ganache, and vanilla and chocolate filling because we couldn't decide which flavors we liked more. Everything was light and fluffy, and the fillings were the perfect amount of sweet, leaving your mouth feeling just delightful! The design we brought in was very different from what the bakery had done in the past, and Basia was actually very excited about the challenge rather than turned off by our somewhat "special request." The best part was that she had us try the fondant that had to be used to decorate, and it was absolutely delicious. I normally hate fondant because I think it tastes chalky and rubbery, but this was so good I would have been happy serving their plain fondant as dessert! All in all, it was such a great experience. We're glad we live close enough to go back every now and then and get some of their delicious pastries!
(5)Adrian W.
I'm a horrible Pole. I totally forgot about paczki day. Last year, for my office, I waited in line at Weber's Bakery and was a hero for bringing in some fantastic paczkis. This year? Kinda slipped my mind until I had passed by a person with an insanely dark ash mark on her forehead. I thought to myself, "wtf..." then it hit me, Paczki day! I pulled to the side and did a quick google search. Brought me to here. I got in here at 8.40a and was in the 6 deep line. Ordered the 15 delicious paczkis - blueberry, rosa, apricot, custard and chocolate. Granted the lady at the counter was working for quite some time and might have had very little patience for non-Poles ordering and butchering any of the names, I felt that the attitude she had with me was uncalled for. Rather than writing a vicious letter, I will take away a precious star. It was nice hearing my native tongue tossed around, native toungers with the ridiculous mustaches-not trying to be ironic, but because it's the same shit they've been sporting since middle school! I plan on coming back again- cheap pastries to win over my co-workers' hearts again.
(4)Juliet L.
Got our wedding cake here. For a small charge, I was able to upgrade to the Pear Charlotte flavor, which I highly recommend. We ordered the cake only 2-3 weeks prior and it was not a problem. Cake came out gorgeous and delectable. We got so many compliments!
(5)Dillard R.
Oh How simply DELICIOUS!!!!!!!!!!! Fresh pastries, scrumptious cakes MY ONLY STOP for satisfying my craving for something sweet! I have very high expectations when it comes to sweets and in my opinion only the FRENCH have this mastered and able to satisfy me but OAK MILL BAKERY is right up there! Try it and experience it for yourself! I am sure the ingredients are the best and the creator of such delicious treats must put a lot of effort into creating their desserts I just love it , no place else in Chicago can compare! I will drive across the city just to have a rose raspberry filled treat. I don't think its expensive because it is worth it to stuff my face with things that are this good! I am pretty sure they use real sugar and not fructose I am sure of it!
(5)Panagiotis E.
I bought a customed cake for my girlfriend's birthday and it was excellent. I picked the design from an image available from on of their catalogues and it was right on. Design was fantastic and the taste of the red velvet cake even better. I did pay a good price for the size of cake I purchased. They told me in 3 days and the cake was ready on time. I did go to their store before closing and the staff was indeed helpfull, even if I had to ask to place an order. However they have to better plan for larger boxes for their custom-made cakes.
(5)Jacob T.
A cool Polish bakery... the first one I have been to! They have a great selection of diverse cakes, pastries and sweets. This is the place to come for a cheap(ish) custom decorated cake for any occasion by the looks of the place. I had the kolaczki (sp?) which is kind of like croissant dough with different jams (raspberry, apricot, etc) in the center. Kind of dry so I wasn't much of a fan but the flavor was good. I would like to go back and try more of their other options. The service was friendly and knowledgable.
(3)Ivy D.
I could live on sweets so I frequent bakeries quite a bit which means I know what fair market value should be. My mom was European and made desserts that were magical so I know all about quality pastries, too. This place is superbly expensive and the staff all needs to be put through some type of finishing school (not the nicest people around). I have no idea how they even stay in business, probably because they don't show prices on anything. By the time they give you what you ask for (by the way, no number dispenser and no clear cut line which makes it hellish on a busy day) you WILL be a "deer in headlights" when you look at the register as they ring up your purchase. On Tuesday this week I purchased a 6" cake and it was....drum roll....$23!!!!!!!! I was in pure disbelief. There are no prices on ANYTHING behind the glass and most people feel cheap to ask so they (like me) proceed asking for the product without realizing how expensive it is. I glanced at a SMALL premade tray of cookies (about the size of your dinner plate) that had a $26 sticker on it! DRY COOKIES FOR $26!!!! I then looked at another small container of kolaches (sp?) and it was.....$8!!!! Must have been 6 kolaches in there. Holy cow. Oak Mill also markets these to local Jewel stores for $8 or $9 per pack. There are two other bakeries I go to (near my past and present employer) that are even better but charge FRACTION of the price. Give Levinson's on Devon/California a try. SUPERBLY cheap and the staff is so nice. Another one is Hanna's Bakery and Cafe in Bloomingdale on Army Trail Rd. It's owned by a Polish family and their cookies are....$7/lb which is less than half the price of Oak Mill at $16/lb Plus, Hanna's cookies put Oak Mill to some serious shame.
(2)Chander M.
I stood at 3 different counters spread over 15 minutes and no one asked me once as to what i need ..,Sales executives at the counter kept on servicing different customers in east European languages and did not even acknowledge that i was standing over the counter and looking a help. .. I returned my cookie never to see this place again.. and making it known to all I know..
(1)J P.
I WILL get my wedding cake from here. Any cakes my family gets always come from here, no matter what the occasion. Our family who live further away always request us to bring them their cakes for their special occasions on our way to said party. It is just our duty since we are lucky enough to live so close. I saw them custom making a penis cake once for a bachlorette...teeheehee. But seriously, their treats are great. They even gave me a hot chocolate on the house once! Sweet!
(5)Brandon W.
Awesome cheesecakes - awesome rum balls and oh so delicious butter cookies! This place is great, they have almost everything you can think of from pastries to cakes and cookies! They are designed so elegantly you almost don't even want to eat them. But eat them you must because they are a taste bud explosion. Very friendly staff of woman who were willing to answer questions and help me decipher what some of the items were made of. I will be back for more treats in the future!
(4)