Corner Bakery Cafe — Restaurant in Chicago

DO NOT GO IF YOU ARE A PERSON OF COLOR.

I am extremely upset about my experience today, and it’s especially disappointing because this place has been a staple for my family for years.

When I arrived, I walked up to the register to place my order. Multiple employees looked directly at me but chose to ignore me. I waited for 10 minutes with no acknowledgment. Thinking perhaps they had switched to kiosk-only ordering, I placed my order there instead.

Shortly after, an older white gentleman walked in and went straight to the register—exactly as I had. Before I could even let him know he might need to use the kiosk, he was immediately greeted and his order was taken at the register by the same employees who ignored me. To make matters worse, he received his order well before I did, even though I ordered long before him.

Now let me be clear: I would have been more understanding if the restaurant was crowded and employees were overwhelmed. But when I arrived, there were maybe two other customers at most. The place was nearly empty. There is absolutely no excuse for the way I was ignored and treated.

It then took nearly 30 minutes for me to receive just two sandwiches. When I asked an employee how much longer it would be, she brushed me off with, “The kitchen, it’s coming,” without actually checking on my order.

When I finally got my sandwiches, I was asked if I had received my muffins. I ordered four banana muffins, but I had not received them. Other (white) customers who came completely after me had been served bakery items immediately. Only after another employee checked did I find out they were out of banana muffins.

This raises serious issues: • Why wasn’t I told right away that the muffins weren’t available? • Why was I left waiting nearly 40 minutes for an order that could never be completed? • Why are items still listed for sale if they’re unavailable? • Why was I dismissed when I asked about the delay, instead of being given an honest answer?

Instead of immediately offering me a refund, they tried to push multiple substitutions to avoid refunding me. I declined all of them—by this point I was so inconvenienced that I no longer cared for substitutions. Shockingly, the employees became visibly annoyed and gave me attitude simply because I didn’t accept their alternatives.

When the manager finally came out to process my refund, her demeanor was unwelcoming and unprofessional, as if I was wrong for requesting a refund for items they never even had in stock.

This entire experience was unacceptable, humiliating, and discriminatory. We are paying customers, and we do not deserve to be treated this way. I will be reporting this location for racial profiling, and as a social media influencer, I will ensure my followers are aware of this treatment. This Corner Bakery needs to be held accountable.

The entire experience felt discriminatory and dismissive. I paid for my order just like every other customer, but I was not treated with the same respect, urgency, or honesty. My time is just as valuable as...

This was my first time at Corner Bakery, and it definitely won’t be my last. I stopped in on a hectic day in downtown Chicago, the streets were buzzing, and so was this spot. The place was packed, which is usually a good sign, and I decided to go with my gut and order the Carved Ham & Swiss sandwich along with an Arnold Palmer to drink.

Let me just say: what a sandwich. From the first bite, I could tell there was thought behind the ingredients. The pecan wood smoked ham had this deep, subtly sweet flavor with just a hint of smokiness that made it feel hearty and comforting. The Swiss cheese was creamy and mellow, balancing the boldness of the ham without overpowering it.

What really stood out to me were the layers of tomato and red onion, the tomato brought a fresh juiciness, while the red onion added just enough bite to wake up your taste buds. And then there’s the stoneground mustard, It had a bold, tangy character with a little grainy texture that gave the sandwich a rustic, gourmet feel.

All of this was wrapped in a crispy-on-the-outside, soft-on-the-inside baguette, which held everything together beautifully and added that satisfying crunch with each bite. Paired with a refreshing Arnold Palmer, it made for a quick but incredibly enjoyable meal in the middle of a bustling city day.

Highly recommend it if you're in the area and need something fast, filling, and...

If I could I would rate this place 0 stars. When our table of 4 came in, the employees and manager seemed sweet and helpful at first so we ordered our food, paid and were told by the manager we could sit outside and they’ll bring our food out. Our first order came out fast and we waited for our friends thinking the food for them would be out right away, 15? minutes past by we go inside and ask what the hold up is get told by the cashier it’ll be right out. We sit back down for another 15 minutes and still nothing. We went through all the employees serving food to people and asked what the holdup is and they said they had to find our ticket now. We had troubles getting to the manager and kept having to wait and wait. The manager finally starts talking with us and started being rude stating she usually doesn’t do refunds and tried giving my friends HALF credit back on a $30 meal. Your food will be cold, you’ll have to wait damn near an hour and get sent on a wild goose chase with your money. Stay away from here. First...