Saturday and Sunday afternoons expect a line, which generally takes about 20-30 minutes to get through. It’s definitely a super popular place and probably not a good idea to go during this time if you are starving and want quick service. During the week (though lunch time is still busy) and mid-morning/mid-afternoon is quieter. Everyone was nice about answering questions and giving recommendations.
We’ve been several times now because this is one of the great bagel joints, but the first time we went we got two bagel sandwiches.
Onion bagel with scallion cream cheese, tomatoes, and onions
Asked whether to go with an onion bagel or garlic bagel and they said to go with the onion. Asked whether to go with the sun-dried tomato cream cheese or the scallion and they said scallion. Added tomatoes and onions. Got it toasted. In hindsight it was a mistake to toast the onion bagel because the onion burned, since the onion is already dried and hard to begin with (garlic bagels do the same). Wouldn’t recommend doing that, but can’t blame them for the burnt onion taste because I asked for it toasted. Otherwise, the bagel was great and the cream cheese was great.
Cinnamon raisin bagel with apple cinnamon cream cheese
Initially asked whether to go with the cheddar cream cheese, apple cinnamon cream cheese, or the sun-dried tomato cream cheese and was told to go with the apple. Asked whether to pair it with an everything bagel or a cinnamon raisin and was told cinnamon raisin. This was delicious for someone who wants something sweeter. Got it lightly toasted, no burnt flavor at all.
Couple comments about the place:
- One co-ed bathroom, not stocked well with toilet paper or towels, but there was soap.
- The place is cold and the AC is on pretty strong. It’s not bad when there is such a huge crowd, but once the crowd dies down, it can get cold.
- The place is pretty large for a bagel spot, but during peak times it’s really crowded, so you probably have to wait a bit for a table still.
- I’ve only gotten bagels with cream cheese here, so I cannot speak for cheese or meat bagels, but normally when you get a cream cheese bagel, they put on a crazy amount of cream cheese and you have to wipe some of it off. Here, they don’t do that. They put on a perfectly reasonable amount. For me that’s a good thing since it would be wasted anyway, but it’s definitely a smaller amount than at other places, so if you want a lot, you won’t get it.
- Prices are decent, but extra for all toppings.
They bake the bagels throughout the day as necessary, but generally speaking the last batch is around 2 pm. They close I think around 5 on weekends, but on weekdays it’s 9.
Staff is nice.