Amana Colonies Bakery and Cafe

Raymond Couch

2024-05

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Jacob V.

2023-10

Bought several cookies for a family dinner. Many of them we stale and brittle enough to need a sharp knife to cut through. At first we thought it was the style of cookie, but realized after trying several types that the bottoms were soft but the tops (which had been exposed to air) were significantly firmer, and had off flavors. Estimate they had been sitting in the case several days before we bought them to become this dry. The few that were fresh were very good—sad to have so many different kinds which had been left out so long.

Me

2024-04

This place is a joke. The owner lies and says everything is made in house but it’s all ordered in and frozen. They don’t keep track of dates so all of their “bakery” items are old and stale. They just leave them in the display case until they rot. They view and treat their customers and employees as if they are thieves. And the coffee is awful because the owner has no idea what she is doing.Avoid this place at all costs. The only reason it stays open is because it’s a tourist trap.

Joseph Gillespie

2024-04

Unfriendly. Had a Raspberry Cream danish which was pretty good. Asked for an 8 oz Cappuccino. They said they only had 12,16,20 oz. Asked if they could fill a 12 oz approx half full and not all the way. None of the staff knew how to make so manager came down to make. Politely reminded approximately half full. Manager made a 12 oz anyway and then tried to mansplain to me how steaming milk works and that even though it was full it wasn’t that much milk and that if he only filled it half full he would waste all the milk he steamed. Also wouldn’t fill my water bottles (on bike and needed for the ride back to Iowa city)

Sophia Ruble

2024-04

This place gives Amana a bad name. The owner is exploiting the fact that she is the only bakery open in Amana, knowing she can get away with pretty much anything because she has a constant cycle of new customers (tourists) who don't know any better. She is extremely rude and lies, saying everything is baked in house....100% not true. Everything is ordered in, which is extremely apparent in the quality and flavor, and I'm sure is why the prices are so obscene. If you're visiting Amana, please do not support this business. The Visitor's Center has a small coffee shop inside that serves cinnamon rolls, the Chocolate Haus has delicious homemade chocolates (etc) and serves coffee/espresso as well, and the Ox Yoke and Ronnenburg have cakes and pies that are far superior .

Melissa

2024-01

Traditional themed items.Small christmas cookie overpriced at $3.50 for one.

Craig Allin

2023-07

Great bakery and coffee shop, with an amazing variety of sweets. I am particularly partial to the Bavarian Cream filled Chocolate Eclair. Pricey but delicious. Limited seating, mostly outside.

Brianna M

2023-12

This place is terrible. The owner treats her employees and customers absolutely terrible. For someone who’s so “Godlike” maybe she should remember what God is about. She screams at her employees, doesn’t properly train them, the “in house baked goods” are not baked in house. They are sent to them in boxes. Not fresh, so they are stale and overpriced.The owner of this “bakery” is sue happy but needs to learn that you can’t tell someone with a service animal what they’re for and that they can’t have them there. That’s a lawsuit waiting to happen. Or denying a pregnant women the use of a bathroom. That’s just wrong. You’re better off going to the gas station. Atleast their stuff is baked there. Go to the Chocolate Haus across the street for better service and they’ll also let you use the bathroom with no problem and bring other food and pets into the store (as long as they’re behaved of course) I’d give this place 0 stars if that were an option.

Josh Imdacha

2024-01

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Cary Brock

2023-11

We drove to Amanda this week for a visit. One stop we were looking forward to was the bakery. My wife and I started shopping and I asked to use the restroom while my wife continued to shop. The salesperson refused to give me the key and said I had to purchase something first. I said I really needed to use the restroom and my wife was still shopping. She said that doesn’t matter, it is our policy. I couldn’t believe how rude she was. When we got to the cash register she again was rude and said if you really needed to use the restroom that bad you should have stopped at the gas station before coming here. Needless to say I left the items we picked up. I recommend walking by this establishment, don’t support a business that treats customers this way.

Howard Steffey

2022-05

My wife and I have traveled extensively throughout Austria and Germany and are always on the lookout for good apple strudel (German: apfelstrudel). The apple strudel we had here was average at best and was pricey for what we received (at $4.15 per small slice). The inside contained much more air than filling (see the photo I posted). A good apple strudel should be fully loaded with apple filling. We also had a strawberry cream cheese stix and it tasted just ok as well. All of this said, it’s still worth visiting this bakery if you’ve never been there before. They sell a large variety of breads and pies.

Timothy Bergquist

2024-01

This was our second visit. Granted it was the off season so maybe we didn’t receive the “A game” experience.Espresso was sour.This location could improve customer experience by removing the many many signs all over the store yelling at the customer…“Don’t do this…. !”“Don’t do that…!”“Upstairs closes at …..!”“Card or cash only!”“!!!”

Emmalyne Smith

2023-11

We walked into the bakery today and were looking around to buy a few things. It took about 10 min before the Sales lady attended to us even though we were the only customers there. My husband had ordered a cake and two coffees and I was standing next to him and asked if we could use the restroom. The salesperson was extremely rude and aggressive and said she will not give me the key until the payment goes through. I was completely taken aback. I couldn’t believe how incredibly horrible this experience was. It was my first stop after a two hour drive to get to the Amana Colonies. Do not waste your time here. There is an incredible coffee and chocolate shop across the street that is much better.

Sophia Smith

2023-11

This was the first experience I had when visiting the Amanas and I was very disappointed and upset. I traveled 2 hours to get there, and this was the first place I stopped at with a group of 4 of us. One member in the group was ordering a latte when I asked for the bathroom key. The woman working behind the counter was rude, dismissive, and so snotty. She would not allow me to go to the restroom even though we were ordering coffee. The rule is you have to make a purchase in order to use the bathroom. She told me I was not allowed to use the bathroom until the purchase was through. Horrible and rude service. The worker acted as if she didn’t want us there and was so cold and unfriendly…. DO NOT RECOMMEND!!!

Renata Kanopka

2024-04

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Debra Manasmith

2023-10

We stopped there yesterday. I purchased a chocolate cake which I paid $7.40 for a dry piece of cake. We didn't eat it. Bought kolaches & they didn't have much fruit in them. I would not recommend this bakery to anyone.

Rebecca Smith

2023-11

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Vasilissa Abraham

2023-09

I stopped there on Saturday the 2nd to get a peach pie for guests we had from out of town. I can honestly say it was the worst pie we have ever had! The guests would not eat it ! It was embarrassing ! It was more then half thickening ( cornstarch ?) and almost no peaches and had a weird undertaste. I think The price was too much - $21.00 , but I wanted it for dessert . We called and talked to the owner who clearly didn't care - too busy making more money !!!

KA A

2023-05

Had a lovely afternoon shopping the Amana stores, with this being the only odd experience. The food looks good, baked items seemed a bit pricey so only got a couple packaged things. Then ordered an espresso drink. The woman that handed it to me asked me to try it and tell her if it tasted off because someone earlier had told her a drink did. I tasted it, told her - yeah, it doesn't taste quite right. So she . . . said thanks and turned and walked away. No offer to re-do the drink or to refund it. "Do I just take this one then?" I asked, but no response. So, based on my experience, I wouldn't go back. Based on the baked things looking good - will give them the benefit of the doubt since I didn't taste those.

Ken Weber

2023-06

After visiting this business, I needed to see what others had to say. I wish I had read their reviews first. When my wife requested a certain pastry from those available, the owner made it clear that she only served from the back to the front of the case, and that it was a rule she "made up" because an employee once dropped a tray of pastries. This was followed by the question, "Do you still want one?" We felt her service was indifferent and inflexible. As for the pastries, we felt those were just average at best. Otherwise, our visit to Amana was delightful and we look forward to returning. We'll have breakfast at the beautiful Hotel Millwright or grab something quick from Casey's.

Kyle Cline

2023-06

We ordered a pastry and an iced latte. When my wife got her latte hot, I asked if we could get an iced one like we ordered. The employee took the drink (quite angrily), dumped a hot latte into a cup full of ice, and gave it back to us. It tasted lukewarm and not good at all. Poor customer service experience.

Wendy Duffie

2023-07

I ordered 2 strawberry shortcakes. When I opened them up, there wasn't a single strawberry or anything on them. I called and was basically blamed for not specifying I wanted strawberries and whipcream, or however you make it, on my strawberry shortcake. If I'd wanted just shortcake I would have ordered it. I also bought 1eclair for $6.73. I took one bite and threw the rest away. It was gross! While the cake tasted okay, it was NOT what I ordered. The lady I spoke with made no attempt to rectify the situation. I won't be giving them anymore of my business

Michelle Goodall

2023-05

Stopped in 15min before 4pm on a Saturday afternoon... intending to get a coffee and a pastry and the young worker was dismissive, cold, and honestly annoyed we stopped in to order. Said she couldn't do a coffee because she was closing in 15min (and coffee pots were apparently already cleaned?).Second time we have tried this bakery... and left completely empty-handed. It's just not a friendly place...or we're hitting it just wrong with poor staff? Either way... maybe try the coffee/chocolate place across the street.

Emi

2023-09

I went there over the weekend, it was extremely busy, had to wait all the way up the stairs. The pastries I ordered were overpriced, dry and had little to no filling. And was explained to what syrup was when I ordered a latte with sugar. I did not ask for a flavored syrup.

Ashley Cabrera

2023-05

I am a local in the Amana Colonies and have always loved to go to the shops. Today I went into the bakery and I am so, so disappointment with the service I received. I am almost 8 months pregnant and I needed to use the bathroom (we had a group of about 6 of us shopping around so I wasn’t just going in to use the bathroom) . I was NOT allowed to use the bathroom without making a purchase FIRST before I could even get the key to the bathroom. My husband had to buy $15 work of items and then when I asked for the key I was just given attitude. I should not be required to pay to use a bathroom. This breaks my heat that my hometown has this store that ruined my experience with Amana shopping today. I should not have been treated the way I was.

Sharon Robinson

2023-05

This woman that runs this bakery has a nasty hateful attitude and I am not the only one that has seen it. Went in there to ask if she would post a flier for a cancer patient and donate for the cause. A simple no would have been fine, but she had to rant for 5 minutes and give us the 3rd degree! As for her bread, I have bought it and got it home and it was moldy. Not the only one that has complained about this either.

Chen Jan

2023-05

As a bakery collector, I don’t like to miss any bakery on my trip. I was excited to find a new bakery and this one turned out one of the least worthy of visiting. The products price were even higher than a high end bakery while the quality was poor and portions were so small.

Eileen Eibey Untrauer

2024-03

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Todd Groth

2024-01

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Zats Grazy

2023-05

Nothing here is made from scratch, the bread on the shelves has been frozen for months before it goes out to sell, the cake is box mix, the cookies are frozen premade dough, the pastry’s and pies are frozen premade pastry sheets with canned pie filling.The older lady who owns the bakery is a nasty human who refuses the bathroom to pregnant women unless they buy something first. The grandma who works as a baker, gets there unimaginably early, purely out of boredom like there are things to be done outside of rotating things from the freezer to oven.They are simply playing at bakers, and they have been lying about their goods so long they might actually believe it themselves that they’re doing something special.Walmart quality everything.It’s a scam, skip this place if you value your money. God bless.