Lilly Mae's Cinnamon Rolls

FantasticBaby1224

The owner and her children are the sweetest people ever. I got the non frosted cinnamon roll (watching my sugar intake) and not only was it Gluten free (for all the Celiac people out there) but it also was warm, soft, and delicious. I recommend coming here if you visit the Monterey Bay Area for a fine sweet treat. Cheers!

Mon McP

I'm kinda surprised at all the bad reviews. We stopped here yesterday, it was early in the day. I did find my cinnamon roll a little dry, but it was the gluten free one, so not shocking. My family ate normal ones, and didn't have any complaints. The staff was young, yet friendly. I would come back again. I appreciate the GF option. We loved sitting outside. Thank you. The pic of the cinnamon roll is the GF one cut up. I forgot to take one before lol

I came here for the gluten free cinnamon rolls and it was a success for this Celiac! The roll itself is gluten free and vegan, it comes without frosting but you can add it for a small fee. The frosting is not vegan. The roll itself is a little dry, but the frosting and cinnamon sauce balances it all out. They have lots of cinnamon roll flavors, and other pastries. The owner started making gluten free cinnamon rolls several years ago but then realized that Celiacs couldn't have cross-contamination, so she and her son started a gluten-free bakery (Morning Dove GF Bakery), which is basically down the street.

We tried the apple maple cinnamon roll. The roll was more cake like than the typicle gooey cinnamon roll. It did taste excelent though.

Decent cinnamon rolls but overpriced considering the size. Small interior so not ideal for sitting in. Convenient location near Monterey Aquarium and downtown. Quick service since cinnamon rolls are ready to be served.

Sugar High! This is a place that has a little bit of everything. We stopped here for the gluten free items. They have sweet and savory items here. We specifically got the gluten free cinnamon rolls. You have the option to get any of their cinnamon rolls without icing. The seating is minimal, so it's not a place to plan to sit and sip unless you are lucky and get one of the few seats available.

+4

Kammie Swartz

Sugar High! This is a place that has a little bit of everything. We stopped here for the gluten free items. They have sweet and savory items here. We specifically got the gluten free cinnamon rolls. You have the option to get any of their cinnamon rolls without icing. The seating is minimal, so it's not a place to plan to sit and sip unless you are lucky and get one of the few seats available.

Honestly a lot better than expected from the other reviews I saw. My gluten free cinnamon roll was kind of exactly what you think a gluten free cinnamon roll is going to be like (just ok), but my kids absolutely loved their rolls. One had a vegan one and the other had the regular apple one. They both said they were some of the best cinnamon rolls ever. Yes its pricey but its what I'd expect from the touristy location. Is it the freshest thing in the world? No, but its tasty.

Geoff Mann

Honestly a lot better than expected from the other reviews I saw. My gluten free cinnamon roll was kind of exactly what you think a gluten free cinnamon roll is going to be like (just ok), but my kids absolutely loved their rolls. One had a vegan one and the other had the regular apple one. They both said they were some of the best cinnamon rolls ever. Yes its pricey but its what I'd expect from the touristy location. Is it the freshest thing in the world? No, but its tasty.

I'll take the middle ground on this ish. The treats looked smelt good. The cinnamon roll maple apple flavor tastes good at first bite then gets too sweet. And place is way too expensive. The churros were super fresh and delicious tho!

Tasty cinnamon rolls but was not hot, microwaved before serving, so it was okay. Its price was kinda high. Friendly staff during the morning.

+1

Had a cinnamon roll and a cookie. I don’t believe I got a made today. Cinnamon roll. It was dry. The cookie was OK. This place is kind of pricey, but so is every other restaurant on the strip. Customer service was amazing.

Can’t say if the food is good or not, but they do have vegan options! 1. Cinnamon roll with no frosting (can confirm you can add frosting but it’s not vegan) 2. Cookies and brownies (3-4 options) in jars for $7 Prices are high, but that’s just the area~ Also have gluten free options

The cinnamon rolls were pricey, but they tasted fresh! However, I ordered a cappuccino and it was extremely hot. I burned my tongue horribly, it was still hurting after three days. A coffee shouldn't be served in a to-go cup if it's this hot!!!

Ok for a quick snack, but the apple cinnamon roll has a lot of bread and dome frosting, not so much apple or cinnamon. It's a tourist spot so I guess rentals are high.

Geoff Holmes

Ok for a quick snack, but the apple cinnamon roll has a lot of bread and dome frosting, not so much apple or cinnamon. It's a tourist spot so I guess rentals are high.

I had the Apple Cinnamon roll and my friend had the Classic one, taste was okay, but differently overpriced.

Largely overpriced, microwaved rolls. You're better off going to the Starbucks nearby, as the stuff here is just re-heated from frozen. I had a hard time figuring out what they actually made there and what was simply microwaved, but either way it's not worth the marked up prices of $3.25 for a standard cookie and ~$5 for a cinnamon roll. I'm pretty sure the "Chicken Pie" is just a Marie Callendar Pot Pie, and that other items are prepared similarly as other people have mentioned.

You CAN go wrong with cinnamon rolls…and these were TOO EXPENSIVE! The dough was dry, and the texture was off. The icing was too sweet, and didn’t have any flavor. The smell was so enticing as you walked by, and I can’t resist a good cinnamon roll, but I wish I had just walked away. These weren’t far off from the bakery isle cinnamon rolls in grocery stores.

My boyfriend and I decided to treat ourselves to some sweet snacks, specifically craving a funnel cake. However, when we arrived at the stand, the friendly lady informed us that they had run out of funnel cake, which was quite disappointing. In the end, my boyfriend opted for a peach cinnamon roll instead. Unfortunately, the cinnamon roll didn't live up to our expectations. The flavor was lackluster and overly sweet, lacking the delightful balance we were hoping for. Honestly, I felt like I could have just gone to the grocery store, picked up some cinnamon rolls, and baked them at home for a lot less. Overall, we found the cinnamon rolls to be overpriced and overly sugary, leaving us a bit unsatisfied with our outing.

The cinnamon rolls were very dry even with the glaze… I know Monterey is expensive but $10 for cinnamon rolls is ridiculous when they aren’t even moist. Staff was friendly.

Should have read the reviews before coming here . The absolute driest cinnamon roll I ever had . Please save your money

I had high hopes since the store advertises their products as “baked fresh daily” but the cinnamon roll I purchased was quite stale and dry. I also purchased an $8 chicken bake which was still frozen in the middle after being microwaved in front of me. The warm parts of the chicken bake was quite tasty though. In the end I paid a total of $19 for 2 items which were dry and frozen.

Very disappointed. For $7.20 for frosted cinnamon roll, It tasted and appeared to be a day old. It was borderline stale. However, The employee was very friendly. While, I was sitting inside there was probably two or three people that walked in looked at the prices and walked out. However, as a business owner, I can sympathize with the cost of doing business in California the $7.20. Might’ve been worth it, if the cinnamon roll was Fresh.

We stoped by here for a cinnamon bun just from smelling it down the street. It was $9, now I don’t mind paying that much for a cinnamon bun but the size of it is very small. They just throw it in the microwave in front of you, so who knows how fresh they are. We were hungry for a sweet treat so we ate it, but if you’re looking for a good cinnamon bun this ain’t it. Also water here is like $4 bucks and the store next door sells it for $1

Nice people but the cinnamon rolls are ten bucks each and microwaved to warm. Far too sweet and rolls taste dry despite all the glaze

Kevin Zhu

Nice people but the cinnamon rolls are ten bucks each and microwaved to warm. Far too sweet and rolls taste dry despite all the glaze

A. A

We stoped by here for a cinnamon bun just from smelling it down the street. It was $9, now I don’t mind paying that much for a cinnamon bun but the size of it is very small. They just throw it in the microwave in front of you, so who knows how fresh they are. We were hungry for a sweet treat so we ate it, but if you’re looking for a good cinnamon bun this ain’t it. Also water here is like $4 bucks and the store next door sells it for $1

Steven Rank

Very disappointed. For $7.20 for frosted cinnamon roll, It tasted and appeared to be a day old. It was borderline stale. However, The employee was very friendly. While, I was sitting inside there was probably two or three people that walked in looked at the prices and walked out. However, as a business owner, I can sympathize with the cost of doing business in California the $7.20. Might’ve been worth it, if the cinnamon roll was Fresh.

It was our first time here and based on the signage we figured this had to be a promising cinnamon roll place and bakery. It's very small on the inside, only enough space to look at what they had and order. The cinnamon rolls didn't look they best but they had a small variety. Then ended up being dry and disappointing. Honestly, don't waste your time. I expected a lot more for a place thats been here for a while. All the other items they had were mediocre and overpriced.

Lynn Eglan

It was our first time here and based on the signage we figured this had to be a promising cinnamon roll place and bakery. It's very small on the inside, only enough space to look at what they had and order. The cinnamon rolls didn't look they best but they had a small variety. Then ended up being dry and disappointing. Honestly, don't waste your time. I expected a lot more for a place thats been here for a while. All the other items they had were mediocre and overpriced.

The girls working tonight were so rude, one rolled her eyes as I was ordering and the other acted as if we were just a huge inconvenience, and still didnt make my rolls right..like im sorry that you choose to work at a cinnamon roll shop and have to deal with customers. Do better!

We arrived just before opening, hoping to get fresh made cinnamon rolls like at our local shop in Folsom, CA. No, these rolls were day old, dry, and expensive. Highly recommend going anywhere else but here.

These rolls are very crumbly and dry. The flavors are bland and pricey. Warming them in the microwave is not a good thing for the bread. I took two bites and threw it away. Service is not good if you don’t have blond hair or Asian eyes. You get overlooked. I wouldn’t recommend this place.

$25 for by far the two worst coffees my husband and I have ever had. Our mochas were hot chocolate mix, water and an espresso shot. We dumped them in the trash after the first sip.

First time in the Monterey area, my family and I were looking for a place to have something sweet. Stopped by here and were very surprised with how much one single cinnamon roll costs. $10 for a single one and it was not anything special. If this is a self owned business, they should really consider repricing because it is not worth it at all! Don’t be fooled by the smell of the rolls, it’s a trick to get you to waste your money!

If you thought you already tasted the worst coffee ever wait till you had it here. They will win hands down. Disgusting lukewarm watery concoction. Don’t know how this shop is still doing business.

$9 for an apple cinnamon roll is highway robbery, but I rationalized that it was ok in a tourist trap like Cannery Row where common sense about money goes out the door. It turned it into a bank heist when I added a cup of coffee making the total $16. The attendant microwaved the roll. I thought it was already sweet, she poured more white liquid frosting on top. I bought an apple cinnamon roll expecting to taste tart chunks of apples but instead got a doughy ball surrounded by a moat of liquid frosting. Someone bring me some insulin quick, because I’m not sure my body can produce enough to absorb all the glucose from this sugary baked mess. Worst of all I’m not diabetic…yet.

Overpriced dry cinnamon rolls. I was expecting them to taste better, but was so disappointed. Rolls were dry and tasted as if they were made 2 days before. They have them “fresh” out in front, but warm them up in a paper plate when you order. Walnut roll didn’t even have that much walnut in it. Also the coffee tasted watered down

No one was wearing gloves except the lady putting away cookies. YUCK! Speaking if the cookies, they 100% were Safeway or Walmart cookies. I'm a teacher and I've seen those cookies enough times to recognize them immediately. Why did I still order a cinnamon roll after what I witnessed? Because when I was in town in August, my mom ordered some and liked them. I didn't try any at that time, not had I seen the very low rating, and since I'm back in town, I thought to try one. I can 100% verify that they are horrendous. I ordered the apple maple. It looks sad, but it tasted worse. The dough is dry and flavorless, the frosting is thin and gross and the apples tasted like a water chestnut with some cinnamon on it. It wasn't sweet nor buttery and it was a bit crispy. I wasted $11.

I got a small iced coffee for almost $6 and it was literally just watery milk. I had to ask them to add more espresso, was given a weird look from the employee and even then it tasted like watery milk. I also ordered a nearly $10 croissant breakfast sandwich and was handed a comically tiny and very soggy biscuit sandwich that tasted like it was sitting somewhere for a WHILE.

Dadise A.

No one was wearing gloves except the lady putting away cookies. YUCK! Speaking if the cookies, they 100% were Safeway or Walmart cookies. I'm a teacher and I've seen those cookies enough times to recognize them immediately. Why did I still order a cinnamon roll after what I witnessed? Because when I was in town in August, my mom ordered some and liked them. I didn't try any at that time, not had I seen the very low rating, and since I'm back in town, I thought to try one. I can 100% verify that they are horrendous. I ordered the apple maple. It looks sad, but it tasted worse. The dough is dry and flavorless, the frosting is thin and gross and the apples tasted like a water chestnut with some cinnamon on it. It wasn't sweet nor buttery and it was a bit crispy. I wasted $11.

Julia Nevers

I got a small iced coffee for almost $6 and it was literally just watery milk. I had to ask them to add more espresso, was given a weird look from the employee and even then it tasted like watery milk. I also ordered a nearly $10 croissant breakfast sandwich and was handed a comically tiny and very soggy biscuit sandwich that tasted like it was sitting somewhere for a WHILE.

Nino B.

$9 for an apple cinnamon roll is highway robbery, but I rationalized that it was ok in a tourist trap like Cannery Row where common sense about money goes out the door. It turned it into a bank heist when I added a cup of coffee making the total $16. The attendant microwaved the roll. I thought it was already sweet, she poured more white liquid frosting on top. I bought an apple cinnamon roll expecting to taste tart chunks of apples but instead got a doughy ball surrounded by a moat of liquid frosting. Someone bring me some insulin quick, because I’m not sure my body can produce enough to absorb all the glucose from this sugary baked mess. Worst of all I’m not diabetic…yet.

teresita padilla

Overpriced dry cinnamon rolls. I was expecting them to taste better, but was so disappointed. Rolls were dry and tasted as if they were made 2 days before. They have them “fresh” out in front, but warm them up in a paper plate when you order. Walnut roll didn’t even have that much walnut in it. Also the coffee tasted watered down

Owners, please consider hiring staff who truly care about your customers and your business. Using a microwave to heat up cinnamon rolls is unacceptable—especially in a beautiful and clean place like Monterey. It completely ruins the quality and freshness of the product. This place could have so much potential, but the lack of care and attention to cleanliness makes it a disappointment. Monterey deserves better—please step up your game and offer cleaner, higher-quality service instead of serving microwave-radiated cinnamon rolls.

Everything tasted old & super stale. Its all pretty expensive so you expect it to be atleast fresh. Staff was rude & standoffish. Didn't want to answer when things were made. They said no refunds when we politely complained that the Cinnamon roll was completely raw dough in the middle. All they care about is tricking tourists into buying their slop. They dont care about good service or quality of food.

I should have trusted the reviews. The cinnamon roll was very dry and the icing was grainy. They microwave it warm. The coffee was horrible, tasted like cigarettes. The teenage girl was nice but I do not recommend this place

Cinnamon roll was good but kind of pricey. Service was terrible, walked in and cashier wouldn’t look up from her phone. Basically had to beg to get an acknowledgment from her to take our order. Didn’t respond when telling her what we wanted and her coworker just took over. Not very friendly. Disappointing especially with the prices they are charging.

It pains me to do this bc I almost never feel the need to leave bad reviews but these cinnamon rolls are terrible and cost an arm & a leg. I bought a 4 pack, knowing the high price, because I thought they would be worth it. I can buy way better ones just at the grocery store. They are dry & stale. Might want to work on the recipe if your specialty is supposed to be cinnamon rolls. Major disappointment.

Let’s be honest the cinnamon roll is super dry. For a “made from scratch everyday” type of marketed product I’d expect a better quality pastry. The glaze was fine but the roll was dry and lacked the necessary texture for a good cinnamon roll. The microwave to warm process leaves you with a very hot $10 pastry burning your hand through a cheap paper bowl. I think they’d be better off heating and serving Costco cinnamon rolls.

It only takes SECONDS to realize that most of their items are from Costco… The exact same chicken bakes, cherry danishes, soft pretzels, croissants, etc. On top of that, they mark them up 200-400 % from what they bought it for (AT COSTCO) and they sit out for days at a time so they’re also dry. You’re basically paying for 3-day old Costco items at a 300% markup. Stay away…

This is way overprice. Taste like normal cinnamon but times 2.5 the price. Not worth it at all. They microwave the food in front of you too. No one was wearing gloves. I can't really recommend this place. We went in because we saw there was a huge line. Now i wished i looked at the review first.

Brett Jensen

It only takes SECONDS to realize that most of their items are from Costco… The exact same chicken bakes, cherry danishes, soft pretzels, croissants, etc. On top of that, they mark them up 200-400 % from what they bought it for (AT COSTCO) and they sit out for days at a time so they’re also dry. You’re basically paying for 3-day old Costco items at a 300% markup. Stay away…

Sana Haq

I should have trusted the reviews. The cinnamon roll was very dry and the icing was grainy. They microwave it warm. The coffee was horrible, tasted like cigarettes. The teenage girl was nice but I do not recommend this place

Andrea Cornett

It pains me to do this bc I almost never feel the need to leave bad reviews but these cinnamon rolls are terrible and cost an arm & a leg. I bought a 4 pack, knowing the high price, because I thought they would be worth it. I can buy way better ones just at the grocery store. They are dry & stale. Might want to work on the recipe if your specialty is supposed to be cinnamon rolls. Major disappointment.

Amy Bachman

$25 for by far the two worst coffees my husband and I have ever had. Our mochas were hot chocolate mix, water and an espresso shot. We dumped them in the trash after the first sip.

Danielle Johnston

Everything tasted old & super stale. Its all pretty expensive so you expect it to be atleast fresh. Staff was rude & standoffish. Didn't want to answer when things were made. They said no refunds when we politely complained that the Cinnamon roll was completely raw dough in the middle. All they care about is tricking tourists into buying their slop. They dont care about good service or quality of food.

Jacob Hogan

Let’s be honest the cinnamon roll is super dry. For a “made from scratch everyday” type of marketed product I’d expect a better quality pastry. The glaze was fine but the roll was dry and lacked the necessary texture for a good cinnamon roll. The microwave to warm process leaves you with a very hot $10 pastry burning your hand through a cheap paper bowl. I think they’d be better off heating and serving Costco cinnamon rolls.

James Mariela

Owners, please consider hiring staff who truly care about your customers and your business. Using a microwave to heat up cinnamon rolls is unacceptable—especially in a beautiful and clean place like Monterey. It completely ruins the quality and freshness of the product. This place could have so much potential, but the lack of care and attention to cleanliness makes it a disappointment. Monterey deserves better—please step up your game and offer cleaner, higher-quality service instead of serving microwave-radiated cinnamon rolls.