Mekato's Colombian Bakery — Restaurant in Jefferson Township

You can either sit here and enjoy your baked goodies and cup of Colombian coffee or you can take your goodies home to enjoy! My favorites to get here: Chicken empanadas (make sure to ask for the hot green sauce to go with your empanadas -- no extra charge for this and it is made from scratch. Other goodies: Try the guava and cheese topped off with a little coconut pastry. These three combinations are layered within the flaky, light pastry. The bottom layer is cheese, guava is in the middle and coconut flakes on top of the guava (which you cannot really see but can taste). This pastry is flaky and light and is usually cut/sliced into small triangles. It's rich but super delicious and goes perfectly with their Colombian cafe con leche (coffee with milk). If you like coconut you must try their coconut bread (they look like chubby biscuits and topped off with coconut shavings). Not overly sweet, but definitely satisfying. If you like anything with guava, try the "Gloria" guava pastry. They have them with or without cheese. I prefer without cheese, but both are very good. Have you ever had an Arepa? If not, give it a try -- Arepas are sold with or without cheese. These are not overly sweet and are made with cornmeal. It's an acquired taste, so you may or may not like Arepas, but try it and see! GOOD NEWS: Cash, debit, credit cards are all accepted. The long counter/bar has plenty of stools that fill up quickly on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon. My favorite things to get here are: the chicken empanadas with their green spicy sauce with just the right amount of heat, the Gloria filled with Guava, coconut bread (perfect with their Colombian coffee) and the triangle shaped guava, cheese and coconut pastry. This is my very favorite pastry. I also like their guava filled donuts (looks like a donut but is more dense) and dusted off with sugar (not powered sugar). The staff is very friendly and welcoming. My only complaint is they don't always call out numbers (even if you take a number). Yes, they don't always call out numbers, but I am always amazed how the ladies behind the counter always know WHO IS NEXT. There are a few tables towards the front, albeit small, but always a challenge to get a table on a weekend especially the ones near the large glass window. I tend to sit at the bar (tall stools) and enjoy whatever I purchase here. The price-point is excellent. Their baked goods are made fresh every morning. I went here on 11-11-2018 (for the 100th time -- LOL) and was their first customer at 7:05 a.m. I sat in my car for 20-minutes waiting for them to open Sunday morning. I don't live in the area, but it is well worth the drive (for me). I highly recommend you get to this bakery before 9 a.m. (the earlier -- the better)!

Their baked goods are high quality ingredients. All delicious. Don't be afraid to ask "what is this called" or "what is inside" (some of their baked goods are stuffed/filled with guava, guava and cheese -- or something else altogether). Also, if you like flan I highly recommend their Flan, which is ethereal. STREET parking ONLY and it is ("Pay to Park"). You don't have to "Pay to Park" on Sunday (parking is FREE every Sunday). Mekato's is located across the street from the Chicago Police Department (look for the City of Chicago and USA flags across the street). The bakery owner is very nice, down-to-earth, friendly. My final rating is 4-stars. WHY? They do NOT have a public washroom, parking can be a pain and they don't always call out numbers (even if it is super busy/crowded). If you have to use the washroom you will have to wait until (1) you get home (2) or hit up a fast-food restaurant in the area. If you have a washroom emergency, there's a McDonald's on Foster & Kedzie near North Park University (if you really cannot...

One star because customer service was horrible. Poor customer service when asked about menu items. First they have no menu. They want you to look up at the tv screen to see some menu items which took forever because of a rotating social distance screen that would pop up after every food item. Secondly when asked about their food items, woman had an attitude. It’s like they never want to be bothered with any type of question. When we get our food it’s nothing like the picture we saw on their tv screen and there was no way to figure out what ingredients they have with just a glance at a screen. (So if you have any kind of food allergy be cautious) my advice stick to what you know or learn their lingo otherwise you get a crabby woman bitting your head off. She ruined our entire Colombia experience at Mekatos. *Currently in search of a good Colombia restaurant minus the crabby...

I've been to Mekatos many times over the past few years and had always had great experiences until today. Today I went with my boyfriend who has never been there and left being insulted and disrespected. I placed an order for us and our families and the lady giving us the order stated I bet I can guess who paid, and the lady continued to say it was me because when the ladies pay the men are always showing them affection. My boyfriend had his arm around me and because of that she made a statement that was insulting insinuating that by boyfriend is a deadbeat and a mooch. Very ignorant of her. I called back to speak to a manager and was told there was none and the person I spoke to ended up being her. I will never go back to this place. No one should have to go anywhere and walk out being insulted regardless if it wasnt...