Mekato’s Colombian Bakery

Just left and I have to say I had a wonderful experience. The lady at the front was very lovely and the empanadas what can I say their amazing especially drizzled with their homemade chimichurri sauce. Can’t wait to come back when I’m in the neighborhood again…

This place is sooooo good! Whenever we are in the city (live in the burbs) we have to stop here. I wouldn’t recommend coming in the evening because it’s basically leftovers of what wasn’t sold and they don’t have everything. I gave it a 5 because it is usually always good, just not as good in the evening.

who the hell this «paisitas» think they are? they are the rudest people i ever known!!! as a colombian itself i find it quite embarrassing that we have such a despicable people in chigago representing our heritage, culture and food. this two girls are very rude and they dont know how to treat costumers .
they dont say hi to you, they give you the worst looks, they are mad all the time and even more if you order more food is like they hate they have to work a bit more and they talk to you in a very upsetting tone of voice!
my first time going there was as worst as the second one and i went again to see if they changed the way they treat people so i can take my boyfriend (american) and his friends (who by the way are filipino, pakistani, american, hindu and mexican) sadly i cant! is very embarrassing to see my own people cant be nice and kind with costumers
the food is delicious! the quality is amazing! a bit expensive but is worth it.
to the owner if he/​she ever care, this is not what colombia is!!!. we are in a country were culture and respect is different and in other level! here the costumer service is more important than even sometimes the food itself. we cannot come here and treat people as if we were in a shity restaurant that shows a bad image of our beautiful contry and culture. this two despicable women need to be trained properly following the american standard services and they cant treat colombians in a shity way and the americans in a good way!
please try to improve! me and other costumers travel very far to eat there and we dont deserve such a despicable service

Alfajores are inexpensive chewy delights that hit the spot with a café con leche. Its a standard Columbian bakery. Go in, get your stuff and enjoy. Its not pricey and their empanadas of beef or chicken both are delicious.
Thank you Mekato’s.

Every food item we have ever gotten here has been amazing. We get arepas to go, often, and bunuelos and natilla for Christmas. We live 20 minutes away and go for snacks and we pile up! I love the coffee, empanadas (all chicken for me!), and the pan de coco is my favorite. But the real kicker is the chicharron. I do have a hard time with the language barrier. I’m still learning Spanish and the ladies there speak primarily Spanish — when they realize I don’t, they tend to converse with my husband.

Visitó esta panadería una vez a la semana, me encanta rl pan de guayaba y el café es delicioso, la atención es buena y los precios son excelentes.

Okay first let me say that my low star rating is not for the food itself. As a fellow Colombian, I was raised on this food and it is very delicious here.
On that note I’m giving this place one star because of their customer service. I called in an order of empanadas de CARNE to be picked up at 4pm. As I noticed I was running late w my errands, I called them at 2pm to let them know I would be picking them up at 415. They said okay, they had the order there. So when I showed up at 420 (5 minutes late) the snotty girl who attended me said because I hadn’t shown up, they sold my already paid for empanadas! She never apologized and basically did not care. Told me that «what do you want me to say?» Really? Then she said they will make a new batch but because it’s so many it will take 7 minutes. We’ll I had no choice but to wait since they were for a bday party. As I waited another lady apologized and offered me something to drink, I didn’t take it but I appreciated her apologizing, unlike the first girl, wish I got her name! Anyway, 15 minutes later I got the empanada order and I was on my way, late of course. And to make matters so much worse, as people were eating them. They were CHICKEN! I specifically ordered beef for a reason! So I was extremely upset with the customer service I received from here. I have been coming here for years with my family to pick up food and bread, for them not to even care that they made a huge mistake. And I mostly mean the girl that attended me. Her attitude was so arrogant that she couldn’t be bother with apologizing or offering anything for the inconvenience and anger they were putting me thru. To the lady and the cook, that had the curtosy to acknowledge the mistake and apologize, thank you.
I will definitely think twice before I ever order from here again ahead of time. Clearly it’s pointless. Your time is meaningless to them. Better just order once you get there because regardless, you’ll be waiting.

I was looking for a toasted garlic bagel. I called ahead. They said they had them. After a 15 minute drive, I found out they don’t sell anything like that. I’m sure they have good bakery, but my experience was not good.

This place is great, not just because the food is excellent and reasonably priced… but because the staff goes above and beyond to help find what you need or make what you need. I had a party once and ordered arapas, cheese bread and empenadas. They sold me everything for just over $ 1 per piece — which is amazing compared to other places in the city.

solid flan, AWESOME coffee (no need to ask for anything but coffee and milk, and that’s what you get, no complications), sit yourself at the bar. lots of weird bread things everywhere. cooks staring at you from the back because I guess they don’t have anywhere else to look. ASK QUESTIONS. the couple in front of me was shamelessly asking what everything was. the gal will talk to you happily about what you’re seeing. legit.

This is an amazing place to come visit. The selection of baked goods is very similar to those found in Colombia. The staff is funny and nice even thought they’re always super busy. I go there at least once a week to get some pastries and enjoy an arepa. This place is always packed and there is a wait but it is definitely worth it.

and cheapest place to get your columbian empanadas. I usually order a couple of dozens to take home. I can pretty much drink the green salsa. The arepa con queso is pretty good as well. Today we tried the cheese bread with guava paste and it was so moist and delicious. Beef empanadas is a must try.

THE COLOMBIANO CONNECTION — OH MY!
Arepas and empanadas are the most ubiquitous Colombian foods that most of us are very familiar with and have tried at one time or another. What kind of Colombiano Connection did you think I meant!!! Arepas and empanadas are a meal unto themselves. Arepas are made with ground corn which explains why the dough is yellow. As we walked in here I noticed the evocative redolent of their fresh baked goodies and the strong aroma of café Colombiano. Arepas con queso (with cheese) are best sampled warm. Of course, this was the first thing I ordered along with a fish bowl sized cup of café Colombiano con leche (with milk).
I also tried a coconut bread, which was not overly sweet. It was light and fluffy. I tried a guava with cheese bread. It was like a cross between a light fluffy bagel and a dense donut, but it was not overly sweet. The amalgamation of the sweet guava and salty cheese was my fave! Yeah, yeah, I got my fix of carbs here. They also have empanadas con carne (either chicken or beef), so I ordered a half-​dozen to take home. I warmed them up for lunch at 325 degrees for five minutes. Wow, these were exceptional and loaded with lots of sabor.
I was depleted after an early morning Spin Class on Saturday. I took out my I-​Phone, and searched and got a hit on Mekato’s Colombian Bakery. I was super fain that they were open for business. BTW, this place is fairly small, but they have a long mustard yellow and hunter green tile counter with about eight bar stools. There are two small tables shoved up against the front large glass windows. You can sit here and enjoy your coffee and Colombian goodies. If you do not enjoy being elbow-​to-​elbow with strangers you may not want to stay here.
Colombia is famous for its coffee (Juan Valdez and Oma), and whether you have ever had it (or not) be sure to sample the Colombian coffee here. El café Colombiano es suave con acidez y cuerpo medio o alto y aroma pronunciado y completo. (Translation: «The coffee is smooth in acidity with a medium or strong body and a pronounced and complete aroma.») No, this is not the kind of coffee that will grow hair on your chest, but if you want to have energy for 12 hours or even good sex, drink several cups. Trust me! Tintos (pronounced «Tin-​tows») are very small cups of coffee (similar to an Italian Espresso). Once you have tried Colombian coffee you’ll be hooked. It’s robust, strong and very addictive.
My friend, who took the Spin class with me, tried something insanely different. Something that I never thought could be possible. WHAT DAT? WHAT DAT? If you have never tried authentic Colombian hot chocolate, well, you haven’t really experienced life! It may sound a bit strange to pair hot chocolate with a soft white cheese. You may even think «no way» but trust me, give it a shot. This typical Colombian food combination is surprisingly delectable as it is unexpected. My friend purchased the soft white cheese down the street (east side of street there is a brand-​name grocery store). The traditional Colombian hot chocolate is made without added sugar or milk (as it should be). Drop in cubes of white cheese and let them sit in your hot chocolate for one or two minutes. Let them soak up the hot chocolate, fish them out with a spoon, and devour those little suckers. Once I tasted this, I had to order one for myself. Padre celestial que increíble y extraordinario — you are very welcome for that tip! ;D
This place was not overly busy when we arrived. I guess most people were sleeping off their Friday night hangovers as it was not crowded. It was nice to be in a quiet environment and talk for a bit. The service was friendly and effusive. I appreciated the young lady’s philoxenia. You have to be aggressive here, otherwise, you may get ignored. Get in their face. Literally. Don’t be afraid to speak up and place your order. They do have a number system (take a number) but they never call any numbers.
Makato’s is on the east side of the street and across the street from the Chicago Police Department. There is a $ 5 minimum purchase for debit/​credit card. Parking was easy and it is «Pay to Park.» When the lady told me my total for everything I asked her to repeat it – I thought there must be some mistake. Wow, it was incredibly inexpensive! The next time I am craving Arepas con queso or delicious meat empanadas (they are small though) and authentic, robust café Colombiano, I will definitely make a special trip back to my Colombiano conexión — Mekato’s!

I’ve never been to a Colombian Bakery before. This was my first time. They have baked breads, empanadas, tamales and cookies. You can also get some coffee. They do the baking in house. You’ll see a lot of cheese based bread.
I had a coffee with my arepas and a fellow customers gave me the low down on the goods. I would venture here again to try some of the cheese based breads. I heard its good to drip in your coffee.

Lovely space, friendly staff. My Colombian boyfriend snd I stopped in for treats while in Chi town. The coffee was out of this world delicious & the baked goods were lovely. My boyfriend felt that they lived up to standards. He also appreciated that not all bakery items were sweet– he is still not used to American bakeries with cookies, etc. A delightful breakfast and lots of goodies to take home too.

As a colombian, I love coming here to drink hot chocolate, have carne empanadas, pandebonos. It is like stepping into Colombia. However, they do have Starbuck prices. .but that won’t stop me. Owners are great too. Brian is devoted to improving the business and he’s committed. Try it! It’s a different, new experience for many. Many haven’t tried a colombian empanada ever… so make sure you do that!

I had to open an account on Unilocal just to review this place.
I have been here on many occasions and LOVE their food/​baked goods. The reason I gave them 2 stars this time around is the service was absolutely horrible the last time I was there.
I walked in and the girl looked at me, turned around and continued to walk toward the register, no «hello», no «I will be right with you» NADA. Once she reached the register and was punching in the numbers, with her back to me she asked what she could help me with! When I didn’t answer her she turned around annoyed and asked again, this time with a greater attitude. I gave her my order, she did not smile, she did not seem to want to help in any way.
I made my purchase, she did not thank me, she left my receipt and my card on the counter and walked away. I have an extensive customer service background and this is just not acceptable. She did not make me feel welcomed at all, if anything I felt as if I was bothering her. I will go back once more because their stuff is pretty darn good, but will not return if the service continues to be that bad.

First, let me say that I teach international students. Many of said students are from Colombia. They have told me this place is extremely authentic. One said, «it’s like stepping back into Colombia.» I just wanted to preface my gushing with some authentication. Now, on we go!
This place is absolutely delicious. I tried several pastries and sweets. I managed to resist the empanadas and arepas on my first visit but I think I might order a tray for my next cocktail party. They looked so good. I had the cheese ball, which was my favorite. It would be great with a traditional American breakfast of eggs and ham or grits but it paired well with the Colombian spread of course. I also loved the guava and cheese pastry. It’s like a guava danish. My husband loved the churro but I’m not a big fan of churros in general. I had the caramel pudding and it was beyond decadent. I could eat a whole bucket. The only thing that was a little odd was the merengue. It was chewier than I thought it would be and had a strong anise flavor. It wasn’t necessarily bad but I was expecting something totally different. In short, this place has a big line for a reason. It’s worth it. Get there early and get as much as you can carry!

I was not too familiar with Colombian breads and sweets before I stopped by Mekatos, but I can now say I am a fan. They have some seriously good stuff here!
I stopped by with my family over the weekend and since we were not sure what to expect, we weren’t exactly the easiest customers to serve. Every time we were ready to pay, something else caught our eye and we would keep piling on the order. In our defense, they have a huge selection. I mean HUGE. And thankfully, the service was patient and understanding.
For starters, they have really good tamales. As someone who doesn’t normally like them, I thought their chicken tamale was delicious. And did I mention it’s the size of brick? Most people are probably use to the size of Mexican tamales and would assume to order 2 or 3. But not here; one will feed you plenty.
I also thought the cheese bread (pandebono) and the cheese croissant were stellar. I mean, who doesn’t like carbs and cheese, right? But the pandebono and the croissant at Mekatos were especially buttery, cheesy and slightly sweet — the perfect treat to complement a cup of black coffee.
Then there were the sweet corn arepas with cheese — fried, sweet, cheesy goodness. I am just drooling thinking about them!
I would urge all carb lovers and Colombian cuisine aficionados to visit. You won’t be disappointed!

I have never left unhappy from Mekatos such a wonderful atmosphere, the people are more than helpful and give just the right amount of attention to their customers, they are more than just a bakery and even on their busiest days I haven’t waited long. I always have an empanada or a pan de coco (coconut bread) which is to die for. You won’t be disappointed, they get more than 5 stars from me!

Great neighborhood bakery.
i visit there at least once a week and it is awesome. They have great empanadas and arepas. Their coffee is way better than any franchise coffee shops.
i definitely suggest this place!