Saint Anna Bakery

This place accepts cash only. This was $12.95 noodles. I was hoping for a real, authentic, flavorful Chinese noodles but it wasn’t really that. It tasted somehow lacking flavor and a bit boring 🥲 However, I liked that the serving lady was helpful and patient with me. The atmosphere here was nice, some cute Chinese kids hanging around lol. A lovely family-owned business I guess

Great food at great prices! While I was in Chicago, I loved starting off my day with some dimsum and a Hong Kong milk tea. The workers are so attentive and sweet as well! I’ll definitely be back next time.

We got the pork cutlet rice noodles, preserved eggs and pork porridge, and the Char siu bun. Under the breakfast menu, its pretty affordable at 6.50usd before tip and tax. The Char siu bun was similar tasting to the ones in Singapore, sweet and tender. The porridge offered a good amount of preserved egg, and even had bits of preserved vegetable and ginger, which provided a good amount of surprises with every bite. The noodles were classic and simple, but the pork cutlet could be a bit salty, though it pairs well with the noodles. Overall, if you are looking for a nice Cantonese breakfast spot, I would recommend Saint Anna's.

Lucky enough to be staying nearby during our vacation. Great breakfast and beautiful and tasty pastries! Lovely staff and service.

Very good cash only I love getting the buns. They’re so delicious my favorite buns as spam and corn ham and egg cream and barbecue pork delicious amazing coffee is also really good for some strange reason that’s my review.

staffs were really nice, cakes tasted ok, they only accept cash.

Not the best looking bakery or an inviting place to seat down and eat, but I am a fan of their works! It's a bakery and that's all that matters. The BBQ pork bun is unique, not the usual red and sweet ones, but it has chunkier meats and good flavors. Nice breads overall. Would drop by to purchase for family breakfast and snacks the next day

Cash only, but the egg tarts are so good~ the women working in the bakery section were so nice and they are so fast at mental math. 3 for $1 for the small tarts is a very good price. $1 for the large ones. It's also very busy and confusing when you have people waiting for seating and not doing take out but I like supporting small businesses.

I had ordered a fruit cake for my grandma's birthday and it was delicious! The cake was moist, filled with fruit, and not too sweet. It was also very affordable (10" for $36). Yum!

It might be cash only. But I promise it's worth it. The buns are good, but they're not my favorite. We come here for the chicken pot pie and curry turnover! Not every bakery makes it--most only do dessert cakes and buns. The aunties working here are really nice...especially if you speak Cantonese. My husband has come at times forgetting cash and he empties his pockets and asks what he can get--they treat him like their own kid with a little bit of exasperation but are gracious enough to let him have one more treat than what he has money for. There's got to be a special place in heaven for the Saint Anna aunties. There are a few tables to sit at and eat if you wanted to stay, but most people seem to order and go. It's not going to win any points for being IG-worthy, but who cares because this place is OG Chinatown with 10/10 food. Bonus: we got a sheet cake from here to serve at our wedding (the chestnut is so good). What we get: Chicken pot pie (gai pie) - try this!!! The crust is so buttery and crumbly and flaky in the best way. And the filling is so tasty. We could literally come and just buy out the case if we ever remembered to bring enough cash. Curry turnover - try this too! Who doesn't love a turnover?! And make it savory? Yes, please. The curry isn't really spicy--both our kids loved it. Just get it. You'll probably want more. Milk tea - I'm a little particular...this tea wasn't strong enough for my taste. But it wasn't bad. I just prefer stronger tea to milk ratio.

Saint Anna Bakery is cash only!!! We had a classic Chinese breakfast here with Hong Kong milk tea, won ton noodle soup, congee, and cruellers (fried savory doughnut). My kids and I highly enjoyed the beef meatball congee (rice porridge) which was so hearty and filling, which contrasted well with the fried crunchy cruellers. The won ton noodle soup came in a big portion, enough that I saved the leftovers for breakfast the next day. I ordered a bunch of pastries to go---the egg tart, paper cake (sponge cake shaped in a cone), and fried sweet rice ball were all delicious!

My parents & I wanted afternoon tea. My mom has always loved their shrimp rice roll with their sauces. I, on the other hand, prefer my sauces in moderation. Dad ordered the tart, but because we split our rice rolls with him, he didn't have any more room for the tart. With this late summer heat in upper 90's, they could have turned up the air conditioning. It was a bit too stuffy for us. This would be a fine star rating. Service was quick & efficient, as always.

I've been coming here since I was younger to get their egg tart and pineapple bun. The quality of their buns never miss and they maintain a reasonable price despite inflation. It's a family run bakery so everyone is super friendly and work quickly to serve everyone in a timely manner. It's one of the hole in a wall gem without the fancy renovation to attract tourists and it's never disappointment coming here! You're always greeted with a smile by the ladies behind the buns!

Old school asian bakery. Lots of solid selection and price is affordable. The eggtart is shaped like an oval, not round. It's good. The tart is like a sugar cookie. The coconut bun was pretty good. Filled with sweet coconut filling. The lady here was so nice. No seats or tables to sit inside anymore (looks like they used to), but you can stand outside and eat. There are lots of buildings, so nice shade. This place is cash only. There is atm us bank in the same plaza.

Go to outside of the busy section of Chinatown. There are breakfast / lunch items and getting their baked goods to go make for a convenient one stop shop.

This is 4th time visiting here whenever I am in Chicago. My family always take home frozen bao and pork shrimp siomai. But, the hit is the warm soy milk which can only be found in the morning. I would force myself to be an early bird just for these. They also have a great assortment of breads and egg pie. The bbq bun is to die for.

Cash Only‼Xian shui jiao was quite greasy when I had it on the spot but delicious when I heat it up at home Egg tart($1.75) was just ok

This has become my families new go to spot for buns. We live in the suburbs, but since stopping in on Thanksgiving, my wife has been back three times. They have the best BBQ Pork buns I've ever had, and we all love the custard buns and sesame balls as well. The staff are very nice and the prices are fair. Keep in mind it is cash only.

The food/buns here is okay. I got the roast pork bun. The flavor was good but it just felt airy to me. Like buns I've had in other places had more filling. The service here was quick and the ladies are nice. What I do like is how CHEAP it is here. We got 3 baked items in total and it was less than $3. You can't beat those prices. The vibe isn't anything to rave about. Felt like just a takeout bakery.

The best place for HK-style milk tea! You will NOT get the cup of hot water with the cheeky tea bag steeping away. I had Cuppa Tea aka 广芳园 in Flushing last week, and honestly Saint Anna's was basically just as good, and less than half the price. You can specify how sweet you want it, too, which is nice. They also have all the usual Chinese bakery suspects at very reasonable prices; I like getting the boat-shaped egg tarts. The chicken pot pies and sponge cakes are popular and I plan on trying those next time! Inside is very spacious but there's no seating. Cash only. The ladies who run the counter are very nice and seemingly trilingual. Highly recommend!

I rarely feel the need to review but I want to support this place! Delicious custard buns. Super cheap. I don't know how they make any money off it. Feels old school and neighborhoody. I love it.

This is one of my favorite hangouts to eat and chill at, and if you go there long enought, whether it's in the morning, afternoon or evening, you'll see the same group of people. Because it's that good.

The bakery is really good. I am not always in Chinatown as I do not live in the city limits anymore but when I am down in the City I try to buy a few egg tarts, ham and egg bao, and maybe a pineapple bao to go. The only thing is that they are cash only so remember that. Also, its best to go early in the morning as its more fresh at that time.

One of the best cheap eats in Chicago not just Chinatown. Everything is good. They make it all in a tasty soft fluffy bun and everything is under $1.50. yep true story. I got the BBQ pork, the ham and eggs, wife cake, red snow ball, and egg tart. Loved them all. Yes you can eat BBQ pork for breakfast.. lol YOU MUST PAY WITH CASH ONLY. it's a no fuss spot. Nothing fancy inside everything is take out and the line movies very fast. Enjoy

The cake slice we ordered was yummy. Not too sweet. They had breads, danish and more. Service was friendly and fast. Cash only.

I love their almond croissant! Would love to try there other variety next time and also the egg tart tantah

A small hole in the way place. But their goods are very yummy. The white mochi with red bean filling is so good!!! Bbq pork bun was so good too!

A local favorite spot in Chinatown Square. This authentic Chinese bakery is very affordable with big portions. I specifically LOVE their ham sui gok and spare rib cheung fun.  Ham sui gok: Plump and fresh! Still had a very crunchy exterior when I ordered it at a late afternoon Spare rib cheung fun: the spare ribs sauce they used is a bit different from the classic you get at dim sum restaurants but it was still great

This is my favorite bakery in Chinatown. I grew up ~15 years eating the dantats (egg tarts) here. No one makes the crust like this bakery does. It's not too flaky but the perfect texture and bite. I even saw a tourist group visit to try the dantats! The service is great I always see the same workers every time I visit. Bring cash to pay. They have quick service and get everything packed up nicely in boxes for you to take everything home. I love thé cakes as well. They sell different flavors by slice and they are always beautiful.

Wowww. So good! I left with a box full of pastries. I was surprised at the cost as well. I was expecting to pay a good chunk of money and it was the cheapest place I had gone too. Egg tarts, mousse cakes, coconut tarts, so many options. They don't take card, so don't have cash ready. Even though that can be annoying, it's still very worth it. The ladies there are very sweet and it's nice inside. The tables and chairs were put away, so I'm not sure seating is available. Outside there are little benches and stuff to sit on though. If you're in Chinatown, definitely visit this place.

I grew up in NYC, this is a staple for me growing up. We moved to Ohio where.. these places are hard to come by. The ladies are super nice. The buns were great and the pricing is fair. We came during covid protocols, so we fid not experience the lunch options this trip. I love they have mini pineapple bun, which is perfect size for my husband and daughter. He also had the beef curry puff ( whixh we ended up buying almost a dozen over the course of 2 daya for him). Highly recommend stopping here for your buns needs! We will return for sure

Came for some bbq buns and chicken pie. The crust was good but most filling was just gravy. $2 is steep for that. They also sell drinks but I didn't get any. Cash only and even if you spend money at the bakery, you can't use their bathroom.

CASH ONLY. This is your cheap eats breakfast in Chinatown. People rave about the BBQ Pork Bun but I found the Ham and Egg Bun to be much more filling. Get there first thing in the morning when it is fresh and it is awesome. There are apparently drinks and made-to-order breakfast items but I didn't try them. Will hit it up next time. CASH ONLY but totally worth it.

Saint Anna bakery is my go to bakery to buy from whenever I am in China Town. Most of their pastries are priced between 60 cents (small pineapple bun) to 4 dollars. Highly recommend: however, kindly note that the establishment is cash only. Don't expect a fancy bakery either - it's very simple and plain (but good service!)

Today's 咸水角 are totally bland. Need to watch out for quality control. Hope it is just one miss.

I really missed the pineapple buns and it's been a while since my last egg tart. We went inside and it was packed. The table service was full, so some people are waiting for a seat. It gets confusing when you have people who just want the bakery items. Then the prices are so low! The small egg tarts are 3 for $1 and $1 for 1 of the large ones. The lady who was helping me was super nice and her mental math skills are superior because she was able to calculate the total in 2 seconds. It's cash only, but when the good are all in the $1 range and amazing, you're going to come back. The tarts were bite sized and not super flakey and not overly sweet. If you like the crust more, go with the small tart. If you enjoy the custard filling more, go with the large tart. The large tart is also an oval shape, which I'm not used to. I brought mine home and ate some on the way back, so my photos are all on my iPad.

This bakery has the most authentic tasting Hong Kong tea or tea with milk that I've had in all of Chicagoland. I cannot recommend it enough. Get it hot and ask for "a little sweet" and you get the real deal. They only accept cash.

Read great reviews about this place. I love egg tarts, so I had to get one. It was okay. Not really what I'm used to when it comes to egg tarts, I like the flakey crust. With the warm egg custard. This was more like a cookie outside, very firm. But the egg custard was good. It was cold though. I want to go back and try their other stuff, because they have amazing reviews.

We love a good baked pork bun. These were really good. They had a nice soft dough with a shiny sweet finish. The bbq pork was so delicious! A great snack for a low price. There were tons of other items too so go check it out.

Probably more a fan of the prices here than anything else, but if you're looking for a cheap Hong Kong style breakfast or bakery goods from breads to egg tarts... Saint Anna gotchu. Hong Kong breakfast... limited options and combinations, but it's only $3.95 and it includes a drink. I did the spam and egg over ramen noodles with a coffee. I mean probably not most glorious thing to look at, but it's hot, cures hangovers, and doesn't burn a hole in your pocket pricewise. In terms of bakery goods... I tried the hot dog in a bun. Coming from back from a recent trip to Taiwan, it definitely doesn't compare. But for a buck and some change... not bad. Last thing to note is this spot is cash only. 'Til next time, cheers!

This is always a stop when we are in Chinatown. Visited just last week and glad to see their pastry cases are filled and a steady stream of customers coming in. It's still cash only so come prepared. And as of today, they require masks inside. Seems to be take-out only at this time too. The spot is old, the interior definitely shows its age. The ladies behind the counter are no-nonsense but will answer any questions I have. The food is cheap but so good and well-made. My mom, who is very picky, loves their sesame balls and I always get some when we are headed out to the burbs. They are a bit crispy on the outside with a soft chew and mild sweetness of the red bean filling. And if they get cold--a bit of a warm up in the air fryer does the trick! Our usual, the sesame balls, baked pork buns (the filling is chinese bbq pork, sweet and salty), the hot dog bun (for my son, he loves them!) and the egg tarts. Sometimes we get a slice of sponge cake, or mix it up with the steamed pork buns. Our last visit we left with a large bakery box with the items above and our bill came to $17 bux. Totally worth the stop!

The staff is very friendly and it's clean. I wanted the custard pastry (don tot). I don't come this way often as usually I stay on the main street of Chinatown. But I like the pastries here. The Don tot shell is a lot lighter than other places. On the weekend they used to make the small ones. Not sure if they still do. There's a chestnut cake that is good. But it's not offered in slices. The other cake slices look good but haven't tried them yet. There are other bakeries but for don tots, I like them here.

Unbelievably affordable. I think we got 2 curry beef turnovers, egg tart, slice of cake, 3 bbq pork buns for $14. Essential stop in the more touristy part of Chinatown.

Always a great variety! The staff are very friendly and will recommend anything if you're a little lost on all the buns. I THINK they only take cash, so just be aware before you come in. They have it posted on the door when you walk in and there is an ATM attached to the nearest bank if you need some.

This is my favorite bakery in Chinatown. I've been coming since I was a kid and always have cash on hand just to come here. I spent under $15 for around 11 baked goods to feed my family of 10. Egg tarts - they do more of a tart crust than a flakey crust and it is so good. Sweet, light, and crunchy Sponge cake - perfect for kids. So light and subtly sweet Sweet tapioca ball - crispy, chewy, savory and sweet. Love the meat filling with the contrast of the sweet tapioca Coconut bun - filling, soft, and sweet. Quite filling Chocolate mousse cake - got this for my little niece. It's chocolate without being too sweet.

I love all the bakeries in Chinatown, and I love this one too. Three minor problems. Parking, as is a problem all over Chinatown, so at all possible, come by public transportation. There is a convenient Chinatown stop. Second, this bakery is cash only. Third, they run out of stuff by afternoon. "Forget it Jake, it's Chinatown." I really like the hot dogs (probably not what you're thinking, but there is an actual kosher dog in the bun), taro and red bean paste buns (though I think they use mashed ube here not actual taro), lotus bean cakes, preserved egg cakes, curry buns (the stuffing is what's curried), swiss rolls, egg custard tarts, pineapple sweet crust buns (I don't think there's any actual pineapple in them -- it's a look), and I guess there isn't anything they serve here I don't really like. Oh I know, they make fresh coffee once in the morning, so after that, it's old stale burnt coffee. Yech. They will also make special occasion pastries like wedding cake, but they don't have any Asian looking plastic bride and groom toppers.

No frills bakery with freshly baked, diverse array of sweet and savory treats! Can't go wrong. Everything was delicious, especially the egg tart! Service was quick, cash only.

I miss their bakeries so much that this became out first stop since arriving from NYC! I dont understand how a coconut tart can cost $3.5 and the egg yolk and lotus paste cake costs $4.5 in NYC and here it only costs $1 and $1.5 respectively!! Would buy 10 tarts back home so i can have my supplies when I have my cravings again!!

I came here during my first trip to Chicago with my mother, many years ago, hoping to try what was then called some of "Chicago's finest Chinese-style pastries". Like many Asian mothers, mine keeps her taste buds pretty traditional (and picky) and prefers to eat Asian foods--even better if Chinese. We popped in here to get some of those 50-cent egg tarts, pineapple buns, and hot dog buns for breakfast. It was not good. But God were they so damn cheap. The crust was not flaky and the hot dog buns were boring--they both were boring, actually. I crossed this place off and lived and learned. Fast-forward many, many years later and a few visits to Chicago under (below?) my belt, I have managed to avoid getting my Chinese pastry fix here. So, what gives? I stopped in Chinatown specifically to get a drink from Joy Yee right before I hopped on the CTA to the airport. Got my drink. Do I need a light snack to hold me over for the next few hours? Oh, yes I do. Dammit, I have less than 10 minutes to get back to the subway station--my slow-ass legs can't dash to Chiu Quon in time. So, I ended up going to the only place I know--that place being Saint Anna. Here we go. First, I gotta give them credit for keeping it old school. I still love the old-school Chinese-style dingy interiors that I can barely even find in New York bakeries nowadays. I got a hot dog bun. Then, I saw the egg tarts. "Hmm," I thought. "Maybe I'll prank my mom and give this as a souvenir since she said to bring her back something." Alright, I'll have two of those. The lady literally shoved those two egg tarts in the flimsy paper bag, and on top of my hot dog bun. I also have no idea how she managed to charge me an extra five cents when I bought those egg tarts. Well, I got hungry on the plane. And by hungry, I mean I ate one of my mom's souvenirs, which were now crumbling all over. The egg tarts are exactly the way I remember it: bad. Stale. Low-quality. A softer, wet biscuit. Shitty. I can go on, but what did I really expect for a dollar? By the time I got home, it couldn't hold on anymore and looked like I just gave up and sat on it. My mom couldn't even look at it and might've tossed it in the trash, because she really thought it was trash. Ladies and gents, that's how a prank backfires on you. And now I'm just finding out that I could've taken a chance on this place called Captain Cafe that was directly right across Saint Anna.

Small bakery but good quality breads. They sell out early in the day so visit as early as possible for more variety

I can not say enough good things about St. Anna. The BBQ pork buns are my favorite but everything is exceptional. Everything is very affordable, but the spot is cash only.

The best buns you'll find in Chinatown. They have all the classics and do them phenomenally. Coming here reminds me of what I'd eat in Hong Kong for breakfast. Its cash only. I believe most items cost maximum $1.50 each.

Saint Anna Bakery & Cafe is pretty good! All the pastries in the counter looked delicious. While I didn't get to spend a lot of time here, I specifically came here to try their egg tarts. The egg tarts to me were just good. After reading all the reviews I guess I set the bar too high on what to expect with their egg tarts. Don't get me wrong, they were definitely tasty. I just thought the filling could have been just slightly sweeter, and I wish the crust was flakier and butterier. Although I definitely think they were a steal for a $1 each. My next problem with this place is that it's CASH ONLY. I don't see why places these days can't accept card like everywhere else. I still think their prices were very fair, it's just I would be tempted to buy more if they accepted card. Overall this bakery is a lot better than your average bakery, and I recommend it to others. But coming from Houston, TX my standards are set high when it comes to egg tarts. I would still come back here in the future to try everything else in the bakery for sure though.

If you haven't tried Chinese baked goods, you don't knows what you're missing. The Interior = Simple and clean The Service = Decent The Food = Bangin! Saint Anna Has been a staple Hong Kong style cafe for years in Chicago's Chinatown. They are known for their baked good and an assortment of Hong Kong style dishes. My favorites are the egg tarts and ham with egg buns. As for dishes, beef and broccoli Cantonese pan fried noodles, brisket noodle soup, and chicken wings always hit the spot. Onto the next!

Very cute and awesome bakery! Saint Anna has every food you could want from a Chinese bakery. The prices were fair. I could only pick up a few things (egg tarts, red bean cake, etc.), which I loved. I really would like to come back and try some more. Great dessert spot/bakery that I would recommend to anyone going to Chinatown. Can't wait to come back!

The results of our highly scientific 7:30 a.m. Sunday morning head-to-head face-off between Chiu Kwon, Feida and Saint Anna confirmed that hands-down, Chiu Kwon has the skimpiest, most expensive buns. And -- far less relevant given that we're talking Chinatown and although I've been mistaken for Chinese, I'm a non-Chinese speaking Korean girl -- the least friendly service. We compared the basics: char siu bao (bbq pork buns), fried sweet rice dumplings stuffed with pork and veg and beef curry puffs. We bought 6 total buns/dumplings at each bakery and... Chiu Kwon: $7.77 for a paper bag (couldn't be bothered to give us a box) stuffed w/ buns and dumplings w/ the skimpiest of stuffings. All bun, very little of the good stuff. Feida: $6 for a box of well-stuffed, flavorful buns and stuffings. Bonus: char siu available in delish steamed, baked and puff pastry options!! Also, super friendly and helpful employee who answered all of our stupid questions as we pointed at half a dozen buns and asked "what's that?" Saint Anna: $7.30 for a box (which was offered as an option -- bag or box, whichever you prefer). Best char siu to bun ratio. Bonus for the ridiculously well-priced breakfast combos including congee, fried mantou (think Chinese churro) AND coffee for less than $5!! Other combos include spam ramen, fried noodles, dumplings and buns.

Each time I come here, it's for their $3.95 + tax breakfast options. I always order the wonton egg noodle soup with spam, fried egg, and some veggies plus a cup of hot milk tea. The noodle soup taste just like the Hong Kong style breakfast my grandmother used to make for me before I caught the school bus. It's the perfect size (not too much, not too little) and for a really good deal. The downside is that it's cash only. Be prepared to Chase QuickPay or Venmo your friends that will have to cover for you in cash when you forget to bring cash. The waitresses are not the nicest people, not because they're racist against non-English speakers, but because they're really freaking busy and can't waste any time waiting for you to make a decision or answer your questions. I had a lot of their baked goods growing up. The only thing I liked here was the napoleon pastry, but I haven't had it in many years. If you want HK-style baked goods, I recommend Chiu Quon or Fei Da.