Mom’s Bake Shop

I arrived here on Wednesday around 2pm and was surprised to see that the place was completely empty. There were no patrons awaiting. When they came out, the lady came up to us without saying a single word and handed my party and I our menus. While we opened our menus and started to browse, I noticed the lady was still standing in the same place. I asked her if we could have some glasses of water and as I did so, she turned around immediately and waltzed off without saying a word… again. She came back two minutes later with our water and asked us if we were ready in the most quiet voice I have ever heard. My party hadn’t finished choosing our meals yet so the lady went to a table right next to ours and started to watch Spanish drama on the TV, which was louder than hell. So we all decided to order the Pancit Guisado which is a well known Filipino dish. To our surprise, the wordlessly quiet lady was back in 5 minutes with 3 heaping plates of noodle mess. I was a bit hesitant on trying the meat since 5 minutes seemed like a really short time to cook all that food. Basically, the Pancit tasted like Ramen noodles with some scallions and eggs slices on it. It was god aweful. I stopped eating after about 3 bites and chugged my water hoping to dillute whatever crap I just ate. I would not recommend this place ever. The service, food, décor, and general vibe was just terrible. Ive been to a Taco Bell that had better service.

Not impressed, but maybe because I went in late so things got stale? Bottom line is we found all the cakes to lack moisture. The flan however was pretty good but nothing out of the ordinary.

Born in the Philippines and a big fan of authentic Filipino cuisine, I was hoping to treat myself to some Filipino food for Labor Day and avoid messing up the kitchen. I arrived at the location and no patrons were there, I thought to myself that I must be early for lunch. Knowing that this was a holiday I did not mind the emptiness of the place. The décor was to say the lease dated, reminded me of my old aunt’s place, trinkets and dolls scattered the space. I was a little concern of the size of the menu and how fresh the food would be. I asked the nice server, which items in the menu was prepared today? She thought for a second and replied «Non all were prepared yesterday.» Ok as a true Filipino one could appreciate the old saying that Pancit and Adobo taste better the next day, after the flavors infuses into the meat. But this is a restaurant and if I were to buy leftover then I should be paying the leftover price. I decided to try the Fried Chicken, Pancit guisado and Ice Tea. After I place my order, I start hearing the beeping of the microwave and the fryer going. She first brought my ice tea, which was the powdered instant, ok I raised in the south, so this was indescribable and horrid with a tinged of lemon crystals. I ask the still friendly server to replace it with Sprite. In about 7 minutes my Pancit came out and as expected it had the refrigerated, microwaved taste, reminds me of Pancit my tita prepared for Thanksgiving and re heated the next day, it was edible and flavoring was as I remember Pancit to be. Final the fried chicken came out with rice. All I can say is rubbery, the chicken was cooked previously and refried, and once again flavoring was good. Throughout the experience the server was nice and polite. I did not complain because, if the owners does not know what they are serving or how their food is presented then they have given up on the idea of quality, and I feel bad for the employees. Most likely I will not recommend or dine her again.

My one and only resource for Brazo de Mercedes (a traditional Filipino dessert that is hard to find).

Ube Macapuno Cake (young baby coconut and taro) — -This purple cake is my childhood in a nut shell. A little unexpected, a little crazy, very special, and always awesome. I have been going here for these cakes ever since I could remember for family birthdays. My mom had this cake at a party when she was working as a nurse at a local hospital. Ever since then we have been getting these cakes for all of our birthdays in the family. Although my mother has since passed, we still get these cakes —It’s become a tradition that I still carry on with my brother.
I love mom and pop places – and this place is no exception. The cake is fluffy and not too sweet. There is something about the lavender color icing that mesmerizes and hypnotizes at the same time. When I eat this cake all I can think of is home.

I still remember going to Mom’s old location as a kid for some pancit palabok or mami & siopao (filipino chicken noodle soup and steamed pork buns). Several years later Mom’s is still going, but I swear I never see anyone in here when I do stop by. Most traditional filipino dishes are available, but Mom’s is probably still best known for their mocha cake and ube (a.k.a., «purple») cake made from filipino purple yams.

So, my Filipino neighbors warned us to avoid this place but I wanted to try it for myself. The boyfriend and I tried it on a Monday afternoon which I guess is an off time because we were the only people in the restaurant. However, the waitress was still friendly and got us our drinks and appetizer pretty quickly. We tried the mini shanghai egg rolls which were good when hot sauce was added. Then we ordered chicken adobo and pancit guisado. Not really sure how she was able to whip up chicken adobo in 10 – 15 minutes which leads me to think a microwave was involved, oh well. Anyway, the pancit had nice flavor but the chicken adobo was terrible. Thick brown sauce with no real flavor except blah. I guess try this place either for dinner when they’re hopefully more busy and avoid the chicken adobo completely. I guess I really should have taken my neighbor’s advice!

Pork Siopao.
Never heard of it? Well, it’s basically the Filipino version of a steamed bun. If you’re looking for the BEST one in Chicago… it’s at Mom’s Bake Shop. The pork filling is like adobo, but a little more sweet… with small chunks of pork. (This differs than the kind sold at Uni-​Mart as those are HUGE pieces of pork, blech.) The best part of the siopao is definitely the delicious bun. It’s soft, never dry and just a great treat. AND… at only $ 1.85, it’s just so cheap that you can’t pass up trying it just once.
Eating these are a throwback to childhood, yo! Growing up, my mom and I used to stop here all the time after school to pick up some siopao… or some homemade polvoron (rice candy)…or empanadas. Ahhhh, memories. (Don’t worry — Mom’s still has ALL of these… plus ensaymada, hoopia and other random baked goods I don’t know the name of.)
Mom’s also has all the Filipino dishes you could want on their menu… no lie. Sinigang, dinuguan, lechon, adobo, lumpia (fried AND fresh), etc — name it… it’s on their menu. They also offer Sunday buffet from 11am — 3pm (think tocino, chorizo and eggs galore!).
And, in addition to all the food options, you just can’t forget that Mom’s is a bakery. Their cakes are fabulous… as my entire family can attest. They have a mocha one that is just delicious. You see, the cake is light, flavorful and not overpoweringly sweet. And, the decorations are awesome, too.
Located practically on the corner of Peterson and Western, Mom’s might be hard to miss. Be on the lookout as it’s right next to the car dealer on the Southwest corner. There’s a parking lot, so there really is no excuse to stop in. And, remember… try the pork siopao… best in the city.

I could not imagine a birthday without a cake from Moms. In fact, I would go as far as saying a birthday isnt a birthday without a cake from Moms. To me this isnt just one of those, get a cake for the sake of getting a cake. this is a deal breaker.
Anywhoo…Im sure they offer more than two flavors but these are the two that I grew up on. The mocha cake, which my sister is partial to is awesome. I dont ever drink coffee and I think this stuff is amazing. The ube macapuno is more my speed though. For you non-​filipinos or americanized-filipinos…thats taro coconut. Purple ube cake with macapuno middle. How could you ever go wrong with that. I couldnt resist digging into my cake last month before I could get a picture. But I was able to take a quick shot of my sisters cake before the carnage had occurred.
They have home cooked filipino food options here and even catering platters. But, for me. the cake is more than enough.

I was celebrating my clean bill of health from my oral surgeon (quickest checkup in history), so I popped into Mom’s. At first I was a bit put off when I entered the place, as the dining area was devoid of customers in the late afternoon, and the selection of special occasion cake samples dominated the displays. I just wanted something interesting to take away, not any gigantic cakes. I finally located a pork empanada behind glass along with an ensaimada with macapuno. The baked empanada was very tasty, with minced pork filling plus peas, a bit of red pepper and even raisins. The other thing — I had no idea what I had ordered. The lady asked if I wanted the one with coconut, and I approved of that message. This ensaimada is sort of a muffin-​shaped donut rolled with granulated sugar, and sporadically filled with chunks of coconut flesh — yummy! So much for first appearances then. I have not tried the regular food at Mom’s, but these two bakery items were quite good.

Im a white guy with an adventurous palette. This has 2 implications 1) i am willing to try absolutely any kind of food from any culture in hopes of feeling cultured where white culture has failed me and 2) i know very little about how traditional dishes from other cultures should taste.
I went to Mom’s Bake Shop on a whim with my girlfriend when we were moving her into her new apartment from Lincoln Square. She had said that she had always driven by but never gone in, so we decided to checki it out.
the inside kind of has a feel of a very busy bakery/​catering restaurant but they had a full lunch menu complete with appetizers and unique beverages, like freshly squeezed mango juice.
We ordered an order of fried pork, dumplings, and a vegetable egg roll each. It would have never occurred to me to fry a piece of pork and serve it over rice, but it was divine and completely different from any kind of Southwest Pacific cuisine i had tasted before.
It was delicious, reasonably priced and had giant servings. In my opinion, you can get a few apps and a share an entre with a companion and it will be more than enough for a full meal.

I’m honestly surprised this place is not rated higher. Perhaps it is because of the price, but personally I thought the pricing was fair.
I came here around 3pm and it was fairly empty but since that’s an off hour I don’t really find that odd. They have a banquet hall and do cakes/​desserts that you can take home.
I had the shumai, 2 egg rolls, and a pork dish that I’ve forgotten the name of (it came with tamarind rice and a fried egg). My boyfriend and I shared all of this and we couldn’t even eat our egg rolls (which are HUGE) because we were so full. Overall we spent about 30 bucks here and that was definitely enough food.
I also had a mango juice, which was house made and delicious. So, overall I’d say this place is a good bet for Filipino food and great for groups that like sharing plates.

first time trying this place. looks like their baked good might be better. had the pancit — it was disappointing

I have never had any Filipino food and one of my friends who grew up their said this is a good starter. All their cakes for special events have come from here since he moved to the states, so apparently the baked goods get a stamp of approval.
We tried the adobo and guisado and both were very tasty. The only thing that brings this down is the fact that the Filipino family sitting next to us got some more spices and assorted stuff on their food (ordered exact same stuff). It’s hard to blame the restaurant at all as I too often see people return food when they try something that is too foreign tasting or spicy for them (not me– bring on the heat, pickled ginger, whatever!)
We ended with the sweet purple yam dish. Definitely a new taste for me, so that was appreciated although honestly the play-​dough consistency was a little much after about three spoon fulls. Yummy adventure, great hospitality, and glad to try new things.

Bad Bad Bad! I think my 2 year old said it best when he said «EW» after tasting my Pancit Guisado. I’m American, but my Fiancé was born & raised in the Philippines. I have tasted many Filipino dishes and this was not good. I’m sorry, but I’ve never ever eaten Pancit Guisado that looked and tasted like that (I actually stopped eating after a couple bites). Everytime we asked the waitress something she kind of shrugged her shoulders and had to really think hard about what we were asking. When she did answer she gave us this look like you really don’t want to eat that: P. Also the TV they had on was VERY loud and the waitress just stood around watching it right next to our table… they were playing the Tyra Banks show and it was an episode about obesity… nothing like watching over weight people to make you want to eat, I mean come on what are these people thinking!

This restaurant has a buffet on the weekend, which is pretty good. During the week you just order from their menu, which has a great selection also. They have a lot of Filipino desserts and baked goods, but they are somewhat overpriced. Some things I would pay extra money for, but not for everything. The people are really nice and wanted to know what part of the Philippines I was from and if I was born there or in the states. Nice people and good food!

The first time I fell in love with bibingka was when my mom took me to a flea market in Guam. I was prob looking to buy some second hand Transformers or to sell my collection of GI Joes. Anyway, this old lady was cooking it on top of a makeshift grill with a chicken wire top. This flour cake was wrapped in banana leaves and topped with sugar, butter, white cheese, grated coconut, and sliced salted egg. I just loved how the saltiness of the egg melded with the creaminess of cheese and sweetness of the glazed sugar overloading my senses with the smell of banana leaves. I thought maybe I could relive my childhood for a few minutes with a bibingka from Mom’s Bake Shop. I thought it was pretty good, but I thought it was a bit pricey for what it was at $ 5. For price ($ 3) and taste, Manila Café in Springfield VA is still on top of my list. I haven’t tried anything from the dinner menu, so my rating is just based on the bakery.

It appears this location used to be a car dealership because the faint smell of new car and fresh tires remains in the air… that and the banquet hall still looks like a showroom, but I digress…
Despite the lack of coziness and virtual anonymity along that stretch of Peterson, Mom’s Bake Shop is decent place to dine for those (like me) who grew up on Filipino cuisine. At times the food tastes ordinary and inoffensive but I won’t count that against Mom’s. In fact, that works to its advantage because you can take those who have never had the Pinoy dining experience and not worry about scaring them off. I recommend the Longaniza and Adobo. Call it the jump off point before trying new things…

Fear not, those of you not yet antiquated with Filipino food… for this is the next frontier in the Asian craze! I’m almost certain many of recall when Thai food emerged as competition for the local Chinese restaurant… Well, meet the next contender!
Mom’s Bake Shoppe is a drafty open space, but the warm dishes and even warmer staff of this family-​owned business make up for the cool temperature. They offer something for everyone, which makes it very easy to try out this fare.
If you like simple, though delicious, noodle dishes then I recommend the pancit guisado: thin rice noodles with vegetables, meat and shrimp.
A great way to experience a little bit of everything is their weekend buffet. Call first, they close early. But remember to wear the loosest pants you own, because Filipinos are known for their hospitality and generous portions, and this restaurant follows through and makes good on those expectations.

This is a nice spot in the city (just barely) to get a taste of some Filipino home cooking. The space itself is kind of odd and super informal, it doesn’t quite feel like it was supposed to be a restaurant. They’ve got the crazy Filipino sense of decoration which means anything but classy BUT in the most endearing way. They do have a parking lot adjacent to the building which is always a huge plus.
Though the staff was all hanging out at one table watching television the majority of the time, they were still on top of things and they were pretty friendly overall. We came during the lunch buffet and it was pretty decent though it came nowhere near the level of the actual Filipino home cooking I’ve had. There were a lot of goodies to graze on: Garlicky fried rice, adobo (of course), pancit, lumpia shanghai (tiny eggrolls) plus about ten other things I don’t remember. The dessert table was the best part because they had every Filipino dessert I love though I don’t know the names of most of them! There was plenty of flan and sticky rice cake type of things and they were all very tasty. The bakery had all the classics, too: ensaymada, mammon, empanadas, pandesal (or something similar) as well as mocha and ube birthday cakes that looked delicious. They also sell some frozen Filipino goodies AND crazy Filipino ice cream flavors like cheese and corn (together!).
This place is basically a one-​stop shop for Filipino food that you don’t have to make for yourself but I will warn you that some of the food tends to make you burp up garlic for the rest of the day so order wisely. Mmmm, tastes like the Philippines!