El Nopal Bakery

I have always loved this place since the 1980s. Was so upset when I found out they had closed and yet happily excited to find out that they had been reopened again. Just so I can come and purchase four sweet potato empanadas with barely any sweet potato in them. Taking this inflation thing a little bit too overboard....

I drove 6 hours from Cincinnati just to buy their Hojarasca cookies - they’re exquisitely delicious! It’s like eating Mexican Snickerdoodles. Yummmmmm.

I've come here for some time and I like their cookies among other pastries, there was only one other person in the bakery besides the employee so it was an easy in and out, the bread is done in the morning so by the time I got here in the evening the bread was still good. They do have a restaurant side for fast things to consider, tortas like El chavo Bleu, Maestro ta ta ta, Chilipollo, wingamon, kikotenders, popinachos, jaimichurro, la vecindad are the names of what they have. Paid parking in front and around the place. They do have a couple of chairs to enjoy there but it is up to you.

I called to place an order for home delivery, immediately the person who attended me indicated no, he didn't even let me tell him when or what I needed, it was just a resounding no, 😮‍💨

I just happened to be in the area. My wife wanted to come because she remembered the place. We ended up getting a few things before they closed. I was really looking forward to some sugar doughnuts but they were out. Got a churro and it was really good. Wife got stuff for her and everyone else. $40 worth of stuff jeez. Happy wife, happy life...

Got 2 rosca de reyes the regular and the tres leches both were delicious! Everyone inside was really friendly even offered coffee or water for having to wait a little bit.

Love El Nopal Bakery lived next door in 1968. On Blue lsland Av.

I honestly just go here for the heart-shaped polvorones. I uses to have them when I was a little kid and now me and my nieces/nephews eat them too!! They taste just how they did many years ago!!

I've been here a few times. They have a very friendly staff here with a large selection of Mexican pan dulce. I got my usual, concha's, elotes, and puercitos. I like they place a lot because they don't put cinnamon pieces in their bread. Although this time around, the bread didn't taste freshly baked. Just a tad bit stale then I would have hoped. I wouldn't go out of my way to come here, but wouldn't mind picking some stuff up when I'm in the area.

Their heart-shaped ojarascas are the best! With so many bakeries in the area, El Nopal takes the number one spot in my opinion.

My parents Francisco and Celia Bonilla began El Nopal Bakery in 1954 and we own the US registered trademarks to El Nopal Bakery® and Hojarasca® Cookies. US trademark registration numbers 2,827,012 The bakery at that 3648 W 26th Street location is not authorized to use the El Nopal Bakery® name. It's legal name is GOR Bakery LLC and Yelp should give GOR Bakery its own listing. I, Francisco Bonilla, am the only agent authorized to license my parents Hojarasca® Cookies and El Nopal Bakery El Pan de su Hogar® trademarks. My Facebook page is Original El Nopal Bakery Memories. The ONLY location in Chicago authorized and licensed for El Nopal Bakery® Hojarasca® Cookies is North and Clark Café in the Chicago History Museum. I had my retired master baker teach the museum chef how to properly bake the Hojarasca ® Cookies and they are delicious at the Chicago History Museum Café.

Small bakery, but there is plenty of quality pan. Even mini conchas, which I loved. We were having dinner across the street at Nuevo Leon and decided to stop by for dessert. They have two small tables inside if you want to eat there. And they have coffee and Abuelita chocolate milk. I always look for churros any bakery I go to, and they did not have any. Not a big deal, just thought I should note in case anyone wanted to know.

I been there few times is the house of hojarascas I like the small conchas I stop in this week but the bread taste old and bland

El nopal bakery has the best pineapple turnover go there nice in early to get some very good Mexican bread

El Nopal Bakery is once again open for business. Yay!! I didn't realize how much I would miss it when they closed, but for over a year, I craved their delicious camote empanadas and had to run there once I heard they were opening again. I've been there twice in one week since they reopened and if that doesn't show you that the taste is as delicious as I remember it, I don't know what will. They now accept cash AND cards.

We came here for the famous Rosca. They have two sizes, a large one and a small one. I got the small Rosca and it was 28 dollars. They have tasting for the Rosca so try it before you buy it. I thought if was pretty good. We also couldn't resist and got a but of other sweets. I wish they had a little more of variety but they have the most popular Mexican break. The young cashiers where supper nice, and fast. I also noticed they spoke Spanish and English fluently. This place also has one of those modern cashiers where everything is electronic which I think is awesome. I definitely liked this bakery.

Best cookies in town ... Owned now by the son and glad he kept the same recipe for the cookies . Still on point and glad he decide to open the place . If are out of town and trying to take something for people to appreciate as they eat it . Get the little box of cookies or some Manteconchas or mini cochinitos for the kiddos

im expecting big seleccion of bread but i finned the mini conchas pan de muerto ojos de pancha i hear origal iwners sold the bakery then is a new managment then they closed then they open i also hear they famoust for they hojarascas shappe cookies i will try next time now i will enjoy mi miniconchas i also see manteconchas dosent look to good for me is a family bussines in the hood and i shopp local

The hojarasca cookies just are not the same. They pass but there color is darker and don't crumbled in your mouth as easy. That's what separated them from the other Mexican bakeries. Now it's just another Mexican bakery.

It was the worst experience. I placed an order over a week ago and when I arrived this morning (websit says they open t 6am and the doors says 7am). The doors were closed and we got their before 7am. I called the number on the door and it was disconnected. I found another number and someone answered "hello". Not El Nopal how can I help you, I let him know about the doors closed and he said he would see what's going on. He called me back and said the cashier over slept or would be 5 min. 15 min later I sent him a text and the doors opened. The lady said she was in the back complaining an order, did not over sleep. And the best yet it's a bakery and they had a handful of items that looked like they were from the day before. I sent the owner a text message and have not heard back. So sad.

the place just reopen, and today was my first time there there is only one thing I can say, its Magnifique! Best bread I have tried in years. the Hojarasca Cookies are amazing and the Rosca de Reyes, I cannot wait to get my hand on a piece! I highly recommend this place. they also have a nice new website that I found by coincidence www.Elnopalbakery.com

The cashier should be packing the bread with gloves, germs spread easily. I just made a purchase and asked the cashier for a different paper bag because she open the bag with her hands (with no gloves), she had the odasedy to tell me she is not sick, lady I had nothing g to do with you personally

This place has lost its touch... the Hojarasca Cookies are not what they used to be. These cookies used to be lighter, sweet, and had this melt in your mouth texture. Now they are much darker and have a slightly burnt after taste!

El Nopal is a no frills panaderia in the middle of Little Village. I met some friends for dinner that evening, and when I arrived a little earlier than I expected, I took a stroll down 26th Street. In the early evening, there were families out for a walk, people on their way to and from work, and plenty of Mexican guys in shiny, pimped out pick-up trucks pumping mariachi and cumbias for everyone to hear. The music filled the air, the people bustled on the sidewalks...it reminded me of my childhood. Even though I'm white and grew up in the suburbs. When I walked into El Nopal, I immediately noticed it was HOT. There was no air conditioning and no open doors or windows, and it was probably 80 degrees outside. To add to this strange lack of ambience, it was dark inside, only illuminated by the sunlight from outside. The pastry cases weren't lit up either. I looked around and saw a lady sitting behind the counter almost hidden from view. I offered a cheery, "Hello!" but got nothing in return. I quickly surveyed the cases and looked at the lady again, who then stood to help me. For less than $5 I bought two pineapple empanadas, two of those round things that I'm pretty sure are conchas or at least what I've told myself is a concha, and then I asked the lady, "what's your favorite?" She pointed at one and I swear she said, "banana." I bought two. I ate one later, and it didn't taste a thing like banana, it was a typical Mexican pastry: bread-like, topped with cinnamon and sugar. Maybe something was lost in translation? The lady behind the counter did understand English, as I asked her a few questions like "what flavor?" and said things like, "two, please." But surely if I had used what little Spanish I know, I would have been able to communicate better and ask more questions - by the way, nothing in the case is labeled either. It's not my favorite Mexican bakery, which surprised me since it's in Little Village. However, everything I have had so far was quite delicious.

This is the best for pan Mexicano. Big variety. I have yet to find a place that compares.

Tastefully Simple. That's the best way to describe this great institution located in the Little Village of Chicago for almost 60 years. It's a very modest place filled with some of the best Mexican bakery treats you'll find anywhere in the city. There are many types of baked goods like bolillos, conchas, cuernos, empanadas, galetas, puerquitos, and many more. Like any bakery, I love to go when they first open to get the freshest ones first to enhance the overall taste. I am indeed a lover of bread and if places like this didn't exist, I'd be 15lbs lighter. Check It Out!!! -Papa Bear

One of Chicago's better bakeries fresh and flavorful big selection of pastries. Price is reasonable.

Best cookies i've ever had! Favorite ones are the Fine Hojarasca cookies!

I like how the new propieters who are gourmet chefs are faithful to the original recipes.

I love their cookies I always get a box of the heart shaped ones. However this place has been closed for over 2 weeks and I called and the number is not in service. A nice Facebook update would be nice from the owners. The have a sign that says that it's closed and something about license. Oh well.

Previous reviewer stated it was hot, dark and not fancy. But El Nopal is the best in making their heart cookies! :) I used to go to their Pilsen location but it closed. :( They are barely struggling to keep this last location open so lets give them a break and focus on the good stuff: the bread! So good and delicious. I don't mind that its dark or hot or that the ladies sometimes need a little more energy than they show. Its a small mom n pop bakery, and I support this business. :)

This is where my family went for bread and cakes when I was a child. Empanadas de camote, cochinitos, pastel de tres leches, and I have commuted from Rogers Park to here just for some conchas and corazonsito cookies covered in sugar and cinammon. Yes, it is that serious. I'd highly recommend this place for fresh and quality bread and pastries.

Best place for pan dulce! I always have to stop by here when I am in the area. I love the corazon cookies too.