Loba Pastry + Coffee — Restaurant in Lake View Township

Valeria, the owner, stands out as the most rude figure I've encountered in the industry. Despite the quality of the pastries and coffee, her abrasive demeanor makes it clear to never return. I myself have seven years of experience in both restaurants and cafes, I've never encountered such hostility.

My sister and I brought our emotional support dog, who was feeling anxious as he has been quite sick and has not been out for the past week. Though we understand establishments may have strict rules regarding pets (which we fully respect and would never argue on) Valeria's delivery and abrasiveness were unwarranted. She approached my sister to ask the dog to leave, which we would have respected. However, in the midst of adjusting my coffee lid—a task made challenging by its heat—we were interrupted less than three minutes later by Valeria's aggressive insistence that my sister depart.

At that point, I had to intervene, explaining that our dog was a service animal for anxiety and depression. Valeria's unprofessionalism reached a crescendo as she loudly (where other customers could hear) questioned the nature of the service, only to hastily backtrack when she realized the purpose of the dogs presence and that I was experiencing difficulties with adjusting the lid to secure the coffee from spilling.

Valeria, please consider managing your anger and tone towards customers. Chicago boasts fantastic coffee shops and restaurants, and the industry is closely knit. No amount of quality can compensate for a lack of integrity and kindness. While I understand the pressures of the industry, your demeanor leaves a lasting impact. Your reputation precedes you, with multiple reviews citing your rudeness.

I hope you find peace and address this inner turmoil; the consequences of your behavior are significant. Your attempts at being 'funky' and hip fall flat when overshadowed by plain meanness and impatience. Heal this inner anger before it tarnishes your...

They always have delightful pastry options (extra points for a few gluten friendly items) and the coffee is generally quite good. Staff are nice and even though they tend to stay busy, they get orders out in a timely manner.

As mentioned, it's often busy, especially when the pastries are fresh and haven't sold out. If you plan to visit and crowds bother you, then perhaps a to-go order or later in the day (although the pastries might be out) would be the best time for you to visit. Just how it is, when a place sells quality stuff, especially in a big city where space is always at a premium.

One thing that I do have to point out though that surprised me on my most recent visit (since I've been a few times now), is their decision to stop selling decaf espresso. I have friends and family who prefer to avoid caffeine, for various reasons (yes, I know that decaf still has some caffeine). Also, sometimes it's later in the day, and I don't want to be up all night but would still like one of their delicious latte creations. I understand that they have some decaf tea options, but that's like going to the steakhouse and them saying that all they have is chicken. Chicken is good but not what I'm looking for.

If you want or need decaf, then this, unfortunately, is no longer the place for you. Could still get a pastry to go though, I guess. If you just happen to be in the area and are checking out reviews before heading in and want a suggestion for a place with decaf, chill vibes, and some gluten friendly food options too, then I'd recommend the Botanical Cafe just a few blocks north on Lincoln.

No disrespect to the owner, whom I'd guess is making a decision based on demand and wanting to sell a fresh product. That's your priority and it's your place and your call. But I hope that one day you are able to bring back a decaf espresso option. Although, I understand if that is...

All around super disappointing experience here at Loba. My review is harsh because of the way the manager treated us - the staff working the register was fine. I brought my coworkers here as a meeting spot for a day we had planned in the city so we could grab coffee and a pastry before moving on with our day. We got the Pepita seed pastry and buckwheat whole grain scone. None of us finished and most of us barely ate these pasteries because the flavor was so bland and dry. I ended up spitting out the buckwheat scone because it tasted like cut grass and my other coworker thought the Pepita bar was made of birdseed. There were 5 of us in the shop and we were there from 8:15 to 8:45 taking up 1 4 top table and another small table that was open in the corner. The owner came up to us and very rudely, loudly said “we can’t have you guys congregating here, you‘re like taking up half the restaurant“ with an unpleasant tone and look. I said it’s no problem we will leave since she said this loud enough for her staff and patrons to hear. When we walked outside, all of us were shocked at the way she spoke to us. We would have gladly condensed if she had asked politely but she mentioned 0 pleases or kind asks.

After reading other reviews, the owner does not want lap tops in her shop and I had my lap top open. That being the case, then don’t offer Wi-Fi and provide signage so patrons are not embarrassed when they are rudely asked to leave.

I was hoping to recommend and support this small business as my company is very connected in Chicago but I have told all team members and friends...