Add me to the long list of fans of this fantastic Northside spot. Probably the best and most consistent brunch I've had during my tenure in the Nati. The steak & eggs are a fantastic mixture of flavor & textures--the well-seared rare beef, perfectly poached egg, hints of citrus and chimichurri sandwiched by a buttery biscuit. If I ever find myself back in Cincinnati, and this place is still around, I'd definitely come back.
Review Source:My only other tryst with Take the Cake (TtC) happened more than two years ago when I visited with some friends to watch Jaws for this. That time I'd only tried some kind of dessert as, well, that's what Take the Cake is a little bit known for. Since they are also kind of known for this (TtC is perennially one of Cincinnati's Best Brunches), Date and I decided to give it a whirl one Sunday. We decided on that particular day of the week because TtC has biscuits and gravy every Sunday (at least until they run out): homemade buttermilk biscuits with local Kroeger & Sons sausage gravy.
I cannot say enough great things about the homemade buttermilk biscuits. And this is coming from someone who undyingly loves all things carbs. The biscuits were truly fantastic--so much so that my mouth is watering just thinking about them. The linger factor is real, folks, and the biscuits are heavenly. Switching gears, however, I don't garner the same sentiments for the gravy. While it was top quality and very good, the level of spice and pepper were a bit high for my liking. I will say that I am so, so glad I finally got to try this dish. Perhaps the expectations I held were lofty, but my opinion doesn't quite live up to what I expected--well, for the biscuits, yes, yes it does.
Date opted for the Deep Dish Quiche and Potatoes, as well as a Carrot Cake Cupcake for good measure. The former was pretty good while the latter really impressed.
I'll use a "legit" rating system so that you may have a better idea of why I've given TtC the final score as I have:
Location: I really enjoy Northside and its resurgence. I think the location is fantastic, even if parking isn't 100% convenient. I also think TtC has done a really fantastic job mastering and cornering the brunch market without creating a monopoly of sorts.
Atmosphere: I love the building where TtC is located, as well as the interior décor (eclectic tables and chairs dispersed throughout, as well as a counter bar). As a Graphic Designer, I think it's necessary that I touch on how much I enjoy the minimalist logo (hey! the interior takes the minimalist approach as well, which is fantastic).
Food: The cost of brunch was extremely reasonable comparatively, which is arguably its greatest asset. I will recommend Take the Cake's Brunch to anyone I can, and it helps that it's affordable for most walks of life. Additionally, the entire experience was pretty quick and painless, as you order from the blackboard menu at the register and a worker hand delivers the meal(s) when ready.
Your guess is as good as mine as to why it's taken me so long to return to try brunch. If I can help it, I will most certainly be back.
The food at Take the Cake is always awesome and eclectic, so I love going there for lunch. However, I will admit that I'm a big eater and sometimes feel a tad hungry after my meal there. Then again...that could just mean I should have eaten breakfast that day.
Anyway, lunch is always a quality experience there, The menu changes up regularly, so if you like variety in your food consumption, this place is the way to go. Also, they have the BEST desserts, so be sure you get something! They taste even more delicious than they look!
To top it off, the atmosphere is perfect for Northside. It's a giant open space with a community feel. Enjoy!
We went for a late brunch on Sunday around noon. The set-up was a little different then your typical restaurant with some counter seating and two large communal tables. At first we almost left due to not having a place for our party to sit, but I am glad we waited for some space to open up.
You order at the front off the blackboard menu which changes daily and then they bring the food to you. You grab your own coffee. Between the time we got there and the time we left an hour later the blackboard menu had dropped from 10 items to around 5 items so get there early if you want the best selection.
I had the biscuits and gravy and it was one of the best I've had. The buttermilk biscuits were light and fluffy and the sausage gravy had large chunks of sausage. It was also a pretty good value at $7.95. All items are made from scratch with no pre-prepared foods which really makes it taste all the better.
All the items on the menu seemed to be reasonably priced and the dishes of the others in my party were liked by them as well.
The service was friendly during ordering, when they brought our items, and they came by to see how things were tasting. Look forward to coming back next time we are in town.
Sometime back, I read this post about a husband and wife trying out a different neighborhood breakfast place every weekend, for 52 weeks in Cincinnati. Take the Cake was one of the highlights they mentioned after they completed this journey. That's when I decided that I have to check this out.
One cool thing about the Take the Cake is the ever-changing menu. They serve a brunch every Saturday and Sunday, and it keeps changing every week. There are no printed menus, the menu is written on a black board inside the café. It is very bohemian. That vibe continues on the rustic and cutesy furniture.
They have won many local awards for best restaurant, best brunch, best dessert etc.
This was our first trip to Northside, and we were sad we missed this vibrant neighborhood in Spring/Summer.
On this cold wintry morning I had French toast bread pudding and Orange juice. Â I had my apprehensions - would it be too sweet? Would I be able to finish it? The answers were, No and Yes respectively. Â My wifey had a deep dish quiche with potatoes, which were savory and cheesy to her liking. We also had some cupcakes from the cooler, which were good.
We got here pretty early (early for our standards) and already there was a hipster crowd forming. By 10am, there was a waiting line. So get here early on weekends, enjoy the desserts.
It's been said many times before but this is an excellent brunch place. Â I'm partial to the bisquits and gravy and will gladly drive across town for them. Â If I do, though, I'm going to be heading out early because the secret it out about this place and it gets crowded and loud towards the noon hour. Â If the line is out the door, don't worry, they'll be glad to pack you a brunch to go. Â
Don't miss second saturday dinners - for northsider's in the know - a prix fix meal with the same comfortable attitude as breakfast. Â
And of course, since they are originally a bakery, their cakes and pastries are amazing. Â The buttercream on anything is to die. Â Seriously. Â Get a spoon and scoop that up. Â Yum.
Bottom line, can't miss.
I went to brunch here with some friends a while ago. The brunch itself was tasty. Not haunt-your-dreams delicious, but still pretty good.
But what I was *really* excited about was the cupcakes, since dessert is theoretically what this place is supposed to be great at. My friend and I ordered two flavors and split them, but for maybe the third time in my life, I stopped eating dessert before the food actually ran out. There was just nothing about them that compelled me to keep eating - both flavors were kind of tasteless and dry and....meh.
If you want brunch in Northside, you won't be sad at Take the Cake but you'll be more thrilled with Honey, just a few storefronts away. And if you want dessert, you will probably actually be sad.
This review is bitter sweet. The breakfast deserves 5 stars, but the dessert deserves 1. However, because of my delicious breakfast I am willing to ignore my awful desserts and give this place a 4 star. I will definitely come back, but this time not order dessert, which is strange, since that is what they are known for. Let's start with the bad first.
My blackberry cupcake was incredibly dry. The frosting was rock hard on top. It must have been very old. Why is a bakery that is busy selling old cupcakes? I can't tell you. It had no flavor and I could only force myself to eat half of it. I also tried the cranberry bundt cake. This one had more flavor, but was very dry as well. I was sooo disappointed. I wanted to say something, but I didn't want to be rude.
Now on to the positive. The breakfast was amazing. Sure they don't have a large menu, but the few things they serve are delicious and I am very satisfied. I had the baked brussel sprouts and pear that was topped with a poached egg, fluffy biscuits, and blue cheese. The brussel sprouts and pear were packed with flavor, slightly sweet, a little salty, with the perfect crunch. I don't even like blue cheese and I was loving this meal. I finished every bite and wanted more.
Overall, if I am ever in Cincinnati I will be coming back here for more. I will not be ordering any desserts though regardless of how wonderful they look in the window. Service is great, prices are great, parking is brutal, but this is true for most places in this city.
I dont understand people who complain about the prices. The average meal here costs around $8-9. This is totally a steal to me fore great quality food that is very unique.
Went to Take the Cake for brunch this morning with a friend from out of town. We got there around noon, so there weren't a lot of things remaining on their brunch menu, but I got the bruschetta biscuit (with a poached egg, sweet ricotta, & walnuts), while my friend got steak & eggs. We also got 2 cupcakes to go (blackberry & carrot cake).
Food: I found my bruschetta biscuit really delicious. Everything tasted really fresh, and the flavors melded well together without any one flavor dominating. My friend was less pleased with her steak and eggs, but mainly because she didn't realize the steak would be as raw as it was. The cupcakes were excellent; I didn't find the frosting too sweet, which is a problem I often have with cupcakes.
Service: Great. When my friend brought up her problem with her steak & eggs, the waitstaff addressed it quickly and very professionally, even with my friend acknowledging that she should've clarified the specifics of the dish, knowing how picky of an eater she was. Food came out quickly and dishes were cleared quickly when we were done.
Atmosphere: I really loved the ambiance of the place; it was just the right amount of relaxation/chill for a Sunday morning! I like that it busy, but not too crowded, like some other places can be. I found the combination of more rustic components (like the large wooden table) & more futuristic pieces of decor (like the chairs) to be exceptionally charming.
I definitely plan on returning again, for both brunch and the cupcakes.
Food looked good, service was ok but the food was thoroughly mediocre. With true five star brunches in Mt lookout and other places try this second. Busy, and buzzing but perhaps only because there aren't any other options near by.
Avoid this place and make the trip to Annabels or Nectar in Mt. Lookout.
Best known for it's brunch, Take the Cake serves up artistic, unique creations with toppings one could only dream of. Quiches, bread puddings, and other baked goods are simple divine.
Take the Cake is a giagantic concrete space with European-style seating. That means you sit at a long table next to strangers. No private booths here, but that adds to the atmosphere. Come on the weekends, you'll find a long line winding out the door for brunch. It's worth the wait, just make sure you're in good company.
Price per person: $13.00
It is pretty rare that I go somewhere where I know that it really doesn't matter what I order because whatever they make will be good. Â There have been plenty of times that I have thought to myself I wonder how those ingredients will taste together when I place my order and they always work. Â This is my favorite place to have brunch or meet up for lunch. Â On rare occasions when I have room left for dessert I love the cream puffs and chocolate covered macaroons the best. Â Anyone who doesn't like this place is just plain crazy. Â Where else can you eat lunch at the bar and watch people make beautiful food and cakes while you chat with friends.
Review Source:What do I know?
DO:
-$2 hot coffee, unlimited refills, oh so good.
-Be careful, the mug may have a chip on the edge!
DON'T:
-Skip the french toast. Too sweet on the outside, too bland on the inside. It's the big-square-chunk-of-bread-pudding style french toast.
PARKING:
-Street parking
I've been here about 4 times for Sunday brunch. Their brunch menu rotates, but the majority of the dishes are pieced together around the center stage starch, the biscuit. I really want to like the food here, but I cannot seem to overlook the lack of cohesion in the dish. The several different items surrounding the biscuit sound great, even cohesive, on the menu chalkboard, but the execution is rather poor. Sh-, what do I know? Go check it out yourself.
All i had heard about this place was how great it is and I was let down. Â Don't take me wrong the food was good but just not what I thought it would be. Â For the amount of business there was nowhere enough seating inside. Â It was very cramped because the crowd. Â It is a very hipster place to go. Â The food was Ok just very different, no regular foods like I would have thought. Â They had there own twist on everything. Â Some of it was really weird. Â This is not a place that I would see myself at that often.
Review Source:Coffee- perfect. Don't be a wuss: avoid decaf.
Coffee cake- never my thing, but still recommendable.
Sunday brunch menu apparently changes often. I chose the biscuit with spinach artichoke and beet chips. Beet chips taste like...super fried sweet potato chips. It was almost $9, but an interesting take on spinach-artichoke. It seemed like a healthier version of the dip, if such a thing exists. The biscuit was the best part.
I would definitely want to try something else if I lived in Northside, but I wouldn't travel to come back.
It's a cool joint though. You can watch them make their pastries from the counter. They close early...not sure if it's everyday but on Sundays it closes at 2pm, so don't get drunk on Saturday night and expect to make it for brunch the next day. Get your beauty sleep, ladies~
I've been saying "I really need to try their brunch" for several months now... seeing the tweets/fb posts about their ever-changing weekend brunch menu leaves my mouth salivating. I couldn't resist when Alex added Take the Cake brunch to his victory lap schedule. And I most definitely was not disappointed.
The food is great, but since the menu changes daily I can't really recommend one dish. But each dish is unique - this is not your regular eggs, bacon and toast breakfast joint! I recommend getting there early since the seating is limited. This is the type of place were you order at the counter and they bring you the food. Despite the fact that each table does not have a set server my glass of water never went empty. The portions were perfect - I left full but not stuffed. The only sad part is that I didn't get a chance to try a cupcake thanks to the long line when we were ready to leave. Oh well... guess that just means a return trip is needed!
Some of the best cakes I've ever tasted! Seriously... I recently passed through Cincinnati from a friend's wedding and joined a dinner party at a friend's house. He surprised me with an early birthday cake from Take the Cake. He knew I had ordered all my cakes from there (when I lived in Cincinnati and didn't bake myself) and said "given you're a baker I had to get you the best" and boy did he. This was a seasonal berry cake that was fantastic. Everyone at the dinner party raved on and on about how nice this cake was and that it wasn't too sweet but just right. These folks make some DAMN GOOD cakes so order yours today y'all and impress your guests. Sending nothing but sweet thoughts and well wishes to Doug and crew at Take the Cake from London.
Review Source:I'm still trying to figure out the high ratings Take the Cake gets from my fellow yelpers. I just don't get it.
The food it AOK. Unique, which is good, but my socks have remained decidedly non-blown off.
Service always has been and is the real stinker in this place. But less so this time.
It's been a while since I went and if you read my original review, you'll know why. However, due to circumstances we were in Northside on Sunday and in need of a brunch so in we went.
After approximately 10 minutes of four of us sitting at a table and being ignored by the staff I finally flagged one down for water and an order. Oh, go to the cashier to order then go back after the meal to pay. Well, it would have been nice if someone had told us. And I don't think it was just us. I counted three other parties that had the same confusion. Two caught the eye of two of them and let them know.
Now, I've booted up my ranking from last time by one star. This was because the staff seemed much less hostile. Not really helpful, as noted, but they've definitely dropped much of their haughty attitude.
I discovered Take the Cake a few weeks ago, and boy, am I glad I did! They update their lunch/brunch menus daily, so there are always new things to try. You can keep up with these menu updates via their twitter handle (@TaketheCakeCafe).
I really like how you can order at the counter, and they just bring your food out to you. It's not that I have anything against a wait staff, but saving on tips is always a bonus. If you want something sweet, then the French Toast Bread Pudding is for you! If not, the Steak & Egg: Biscuit/Poached Egg/Chimichurri/Black Beans/Feta/Mango Salsa is another favorite of mine.
It is not a huge place, so I recommend getting there early enough to find a spot. But, it is definitely worth the effort.
Five stars for lunch. Their Amish chicken stew is amazing. Whenever it's on the lunch menu, I have to get it. Huge chunks of chicken and vegetables, and just enough cream in the broth to be filling without being uncomfortable. Awesome atmosphere (Northside is a perfect place for lunch) and the wide-open space with the bakery in the back is adorable.
Their coffee is good, and brunch was very good when I went (got a quiche). However, I was spoiled by their lunch before discovering brunch, so I usually go there for lunch instead. Not really a dessert person, so I can't comment knowledgeably on the cupcakes. I tried one of their cakes for a friend's birthday once and was underwhelmed. Oh, well.
Take The Cake is just not my scene I suppose. It's full of merry hipsters, which is fine. The ambiance is great although very different from its neighbor-across-the-street, Honey. More laid back, large picnic table seating and the kitchen is completely open. Completely. Sitting at the bar is a little unnerving as you can see every container they dip into, everything they pull out of the fridge and microwave....yeah. I know this happens, but I don't need to see it. Particularly watching the staff that doesn't seem super well trained to handle the brunch crowd.
The food was meh. I had the steak and eggs and it was served to me cold and a pretty small portion. I've had a few of their quiches. Their baked goods have been dry. Over all, not too impressed. A cute place to have a coffee and relax with friends, but not where I would brunch normally.
Brunch in a bakery? It sounded a bit weird to me, but I had to try it. This spot up in Northside is not your typical brunch joint: there aren't a lot of chairs and you actually need to make an effort to find enough space if there are 4 of you. That being said, I like the concept of 2 big tables so you get to sit to people you don't know.
As you get in, split up your group and get half of them looking for a table already, because this place gets crowded. We came here on a Sunday a bit after noon and it took us at least 15 minutes to find a spot for 4 people. So that's the seating sorted. Standing in line, you'll see the different options written down on a big chalk board. I went for the steak and eggs and my husband for the fritatta. I asked if they had fresh juice but they didn't (which I found a bit disappointing for a place this trendy and natural). Anyway, the bottled orange good was ok.
After 10 minutes, they came up to our table to tell us that they ran out of fritattas and my husband switched to the steak and eggs, only to hear that was out as well! I guess that's a good sign (as in they only have limited amounts of food because it's fresh?), but don't come in after 12 to get exactly what you want because you may be disappointed. The cool thing was that they offered him a free dessert to apologize (score!). My husband just told them to bring them the best thing left on the menu. That turned out to be a yummy vegetable pie. I really liked the steak and eggs. It was the first time I had this dish, and the thing slices of steak, together with the delicious beans and the homemade bun really made for an excellent dish!
The dessert we tried was the lime cake, and if all their desserts and cakes are as good, I'll be back and back and back!
So, 4 stars for a delicious brunch!
Seriously, how have I not extolled the virtues of this place yet?!?!
I. LOVE. TTC.
This is by far my sister's and my favorite spot to meet for brunch. Yes, I recommend arriving early within the brunch window- or you're liable to find that they've run out of the delicious menu option you've been drooling about since you saw James post it on Twitter that morning...
Several times I've been the person to get the last serving of my choice around 1pm, with 2 more hours to go in brunch.
But I don't care, cause there's almost always something else I would love. Or a cupcake. I had some kind of rhubarb something- I don't remember what it was called, but what made an impression for me was how it TASTED. Â MMMM!
I first heard of this place through some folks on Twitter- and I am so glad. I love it, and it's cute. It's a little loud, but I don't mind that. Â I would eat here every day if it was closer to my place!
For any of you that know when my birthday is (that should be all of you- JULY 16) you can get me a cake- or a cupcake from TTC. LOVE!
I've had a few made to order cakes from here and always loved throwing these guys a new challenge (AARP Cake, Olympic Cake, etc.) and I've always thought that they've done a real nice job--
--but then I went here for brunch.
I literally left the place thinking, "oh my god, that was the best Frittata I've ever had". Â No joke. Â The food here during Sunday brunch was excellent.
Additionally, I ran into four friends, and when the store was closing up they offered everyone a free cupcake (I got a nice moist carrot one) because they had extra. Â This place totally made my Sunday.
The only drawback to this place is the price, it cost me ten bucks for a coffee and Frittata, so, it's not an all the time kinda place, but I will definitely order brunch here again, soon.
I came from brunch at Take the Cake. The menu looked tasty and it took me a while to decide on what I wanted but I went with my stand by and ordered the sausage gravy and biscuits. I figured I've had great gravy and terrible gravy so it would be a good barometer. The chunks of sausage were too big and I had to cut them but other than that the dish was tasty. Definitely in the top 25%.
It was busy and the bustle is loud. I actually prefer my brunch to be a place to have a conversation over trend.
I haven't had any sugary items so I hope to go back and try that side of the bakery.
Not to mention I saw a baby shove its face into the icing of a cupcake. Ca-uuuute!
Uggh! I've tried so many times to make this work. I hear people rave about this place all the time. It's just WAY too difficult. They have what they have. The only way to know what that is is to drive over and read it for yourself. Even then, they sell out of the good stuff quickly.
I really like the space and the decorations, atmosphere, staff. All cool.
As a vegetarian, I don't recommend wasting your time. It's unlikely they'll have a vegetarian option, and if they do have one, it's either sold out or unappealing.
I've been waiting to try and review this place for a while, so I often give them the first shot when I'm in the area. I've walked right back out most times. Once or twice, I've stubbornly stayed for dessert (since that's the name of the place!) and I have to say, I was not at all impressed. I can tell they have skill, but I just am not feeling the execution. The flavor and moistness isn't what it should be and the frosting! Holy cow, that frosting is a disaster. It's grainy, stiff, and has so much damned sugar in it, you can't even taste the cake itself. Yuck.
I think I'm done with this place. I've given up.
I can see my husbands pupils enlarge every time I mention Take the Cake. A little bit of drool starts running down his chin if I go as far as to say "bread pudding."
It's hard to believe such perfection exists in the world, but it does and you've found it. To give you some perspective, take the cake is so good that other restaurants buy from TTC to sell in their own stores. All dishes and desserts are sure to please and the ambiance is so inexplicably cool that you just have to try it for yourself.
Take the cake? Why thank you; I will. I am not a coffee person. At all. I'll swill some if I am nearing a deep REM sleep and need to stay awake for a presentation or something but I don't seek it out. I just don't like the taste. Some people say the same thing about beer. Those people are wrong. Where am I going with this? Oh, yes. Coffee! Not my thing.
Here? It was my thing. I didn't get a fancy coffee mochachokalatta. I just ordered a coffee  - black with my patented blend of real sugar (artificial sweeteners will make you grow a tail; it's true) and proceeded to wake up. The surprisingly good house blend opened my eyes to the bevy of breakfast items set before my in seductive chalk words. Seeing as I'd had a rough evening and didn't have much of an appetite, I ordered the quiche of the day with fresh greens. For breakfast? For real! As I spontaneously grew Birkenstocks and patchouli pheromones, I briefly saw the benefit of a lighter, healthier breakfast that didn't involve sweet baked goods and bacon. Was it possible to have a tasty, filling breakfast that didn't make me want to sing 'Unpretty' to myself as I stared in the mirror and wonder where my obliques went off to? Was it? Was it... ?
Hmm. Maybe I just hadn't woken up yet.
Didn't Live up to the hype. Â My steak and eggs was just ok and the steak was room temperature if not cooler. Â Maybe that's the temperature it was supposed to be, but I didn't really like it. Â On a cold winter morning, I was hoping for a nice warm breakfast to cozy up to. Â No such luck. Â The GF got the fritata. Â The scrambled eggs in her dish were undercooked. Â They weren't fluffy and bouncy like good scrambled eggs should be, but rather they were wet and sloppy. Â
Also, the ordering and paying procedure was annoying, Â If I'm gonna order at the counter before sitting down, why not just take my money at that point. Â Instead, we had to wait in line again to pay after we ate. Â The guy at the register had to rifle through a disorganized stack of tickets to find ours. Â The whole process seemed very inefficient. Â I guess they like making things more difficult for themselves.
On the plus side, the atmosphere was pretty cool. Â Very bright, open and sparse. Â We sat at the counter which looks right into an open kitchen. Â The service was ok. Â Not overly friendly, but not rude. Â I will say one staff member was actually very friendly. Â The others were very neutral attitude-wise.
I don't see myself going back. Â I would just as soon go someplace where I know for a fact I will leave satisfied. Â Maybe their other dishes would have been better, but we were 0 for 2.
I'm not a big brunch fan just mainly because I feel no need to pay $15 for sunny side up eggs and toast...but when it's something creative, interesting and reasonably priced, I am so there.
I had the Cuban biscuit with a poached egg, swiss cheese, local ham, pork tenderloin, mustard aioli, onion, jalapeno and cucumber..... It was really delicious....the mustard aioli was something I would buy a bottle of... really just every bite was different and interesting....ham with the runny egg yolk, pork with the mustard, the really flavorful melty swiss cheese.... this is my kinda brunch!
I love Northside, I'm looking at apartments in Northside, but i'm not FROM Northside, which I guess is my only excuse for not realizing until yesterday that Take the Cake had a great lunch in addition to the goodies they're known for.
I had a ham biscuit with amazing cranberry chutney, and a poached egg on it. It was DIVINE. My boyfriend had the Amish chicken stew with a biscuit. They stew was a bit over creamy and under spiced, but the biscuit was WONDERFUL. Haha! We'll be back.
I'm so glad he convinced me to try something new when my knee was jerking (as it always does) to go to Melt.
EDIT: Just went back (this time for sunday brunch) and my green eggs and ham biscuit was amazing, as was his spinach artichoke biscuit. (See my pictures for details). Coffee good too.
Oh, and I love the ambiance too. Nice art on the walls; open kitchen; and long, barn-wood communal tables in addition to the smaller ones.
So, yes, I managed to make it back for a Sunday brunch a few months ago so this is an update.
When you go for Sunday Brunch, you need to expect a bit of a wait. TtC is only open 9-2 on Sundays. But the wait actually is a great indicator of how freaking awesome this is, and it is TOTALLY worth it.
I had the biscuits and gravy. Now, I know biscuits and gravy. When my mom used to make breakfast, this was one of her staples. So any biscuits with gravy I have, I'm gonna compare to my mom's. And Take the Cake...well, once again they do exactly that. It is as good as my mom used to make if not better. I have not yet tried other things on their menu, which changes daily, but I have to believe it is all good!
You also need to try any of their sweets, as I have previously said. But if you can't make it here for a weekday, then for God's sake, get down here for Sunday brunch. It will not disappoint.
For one, they put poached eggs on their menu of 5 to 7 choices; meaning, they are committed to the poached egg and with that I love them. For second, homemade biscuits. Third, figs. Fourth, exposed kitchen to follow scratch creations. Fifth, seating options of communal tables, small tables, window bar, kitchen bar, wall bar. Sixth, you're missing craft coffee by the cup. Yes self serve drip is the easiest but it doesn't match the complexity of your fig compote and baked de-lites.
I've wanted to be here for years (yes, years), and I made it. I feel validated. I'd eat here everyday and I would be rotund and aplomb, or they'd spur me along to run more often.
Yes I loved the figgy-piggy poached egg, fig compotoe biscuit benedict but did I love-love-love it? Sorta. Maybe I'm just building in the justification to keep coming back.
Oh my goodness YUM! Take the Cake is one of my favorite locally owned restaurants around! I was actually fearful when I first moved to Northside that I might gain roughly a million pounds living so close by.
This place is the epitome of comfort food. I feel comforted just passing by and smelling the delicious confections they make. Take the Cake is a cafe/bakery located in Northside with an ever revolving menu. It literally changes every day. A whole new plethora of intricate delicacies is posted on their giant blackboard daily (it's also posted online at <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.takethecakecincinnati.com%2Fmenu%2Fcafe%2F&s=238c4056d03525fd3a4639ab6808e2b3640d8aac8604adc3c7ab0109b6a9a4cb" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.takethecakeci…</a> if you want to know what you're getting BEFORE you get there). Their menu is constantly changing, but some tried and true items that are not to missed are their deep dish quiche, french toast bread pudding and their Frittata.
AND if that's not enough for you this place is first and foremost a bakery! Dozens upon dozens of cookies, cupcakes, and muffins are available everyday.
Take the Cake does indeed what it's name suggests...everything is delicious, the employees are friendly, the decor is adorable and it is sure to never disappoint!
My first Five Star Rating! Â The lunch I had was incredible....quiche with zucchini and goat cheese, but my dreams last night were about the most delicious cupcakes I have ever eaten (and I am known in some circles as a 'sweetspert').... one was rich chocolate cake, piled high with caramel mousse-like frosting, then finished with a generous dribble of caramel. Â The other, which I got to go, was lemon-blueberry, perfect on a hot summer day. Â I love, love, love chocolate, but both were equally delicious, and I could never pick one over the other.
Summer is the perfect time to visit Take the Cake. Â Saturday afternoon was just-right crowded. Â I loved the menu-du-jour written on a chalkboard, and the neighborhood is a great place to walk around after lunch.
Just go. Â You will love it.
I absolutely cannot believe that the Queen of sweets such as myself, is giving a place called "Take the Cake " only 2 stars. I read such great reviews I had to go check the place out. A friend and I met there for lunch, and if I had rated the place solely on that it would easily be a 5.
I've been trying new things food wise, and had never tried eggplant Parmesan. WOW!! I think my taste buds went into a coma after I ate my meal. It was seriously that delicious!! I could have climbed onto their large wooden table and taken a very comfortable nap. I think I would have gotten kicked out, but still. I'm just making a point. YUM.
So after all that, you're probably wondering why the lack of stars. Well, I found the staff to be pretty drab. I mean, I'm pretty personable and can make friends with just about anyone with a pulse.. and these people were just rude and acted like I was an inconvenience. I was pretty disheartened by that since my food was so amazing.
To make myself feel better after the rejection of the staff I decided on a giant cupcake with a huge piece of chocolate sticking out of the frosting mountain. It was so huge I would have to eat it with both hands, and that made me smile despite the droll attitude of the boy behind the register. I think he was impatient with me because I couldn't decide between that or another dessert and he didn't hide that fact well at all. Sorry that I wasted your precious time by being a PAYING customer.
Still after all that I would have given the place 3 stars because that eggplant just blew me away.. But, I get home with my giant cupcake treat and am drooling just thinking about how delectable it will taste.. I closed my eyes so I'd see the flavor fireworks when I bit into my spongy chocolate and white icing delight... and nothing. There were no flavor fireworks to be seen. The darkness behind my closed eyelids was very prominent.
I blinked my eyes open in disbelief.. How could this be?? I took another bite with my eyes open this time to make sure I was eating the right cupcake...and again.. disappointment seared through me like a hot streak of lightning. :( I've made better cupcakes from a box, and for the price I paid for one I could have made a whole dozen and probably put on the same 10 pounds from eating 12 cupcakes instead of just one huge one.
I seriously am disheartened by this place and I'm not sure if I'll ever return. I keep reading about the brunch though, so maybe I'll give it another shot and try that. I just won't try to be best friends with the staff, or eat any of their sweets. :(
On occasion I do crazy things like drive to Ohio for the weekend. So on my way back home it made perfect sense to ring up the smashing Alex S and force him to take me out to brunch. I'm lucky that Alex was also down with this plan.
We wound our way through the city over to Take the Cake, and it's an absolutely charming little spot. You order at the counter and are forced to take in the sights and smells of the open bakery: it was hard to resist the call of the cupcakes, but I succeeded. Instead my weary liver demanded a proper hangover fix in the form of steak and eggs served on top of a biscuit.
We settled in to the bar in the front and I immediately noticed how incredibly loud the place was, despite it maybe being about 60% capacity. Maybe this is my hangover talking, but I felt like I had to shout to make conversation. It took a little while for our food to arrive, but when it did, we dug in. My dish was pretty solid but nothing life-altering: the biscuit on the bottom gets incredibly soggy from all of the gravy, but luckily they serve one half of the biscuit on top so you can get some of the original goodness.
It's a little spendy for what you get, but I get the feeling that this place makes everything with love. And that's worth paying extra.
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