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- Midtown, Stuyvesant Town
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- Restaurants, Bakeries, Catering, Grocery Stores, Bagel Shops, Delis And Delicatessens, Bakery Products, Wholesale Bakers
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At a Glance
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100% ambiance
“Great bagels, bizarre location”
100% dessert
“It's the perfect place for a giant bagel and Dr. Brown's cream soda.”
100% drinks
“The coffee is always fresh too!”
87% food quality
“If you're feeling aggressive order an everything bagel with a cold cut or any salad.”
100% menu variety
“They have a grerat selection of bagels and spreads, not to mention great people that wprk there.”
100% overall
“The best place for bagels!”
100% return potential
“Will never go back here again and STRONGLY recommend you don't waste your time either!”
70% service
“This place has the worst customer service I have ever seen.”
91% value
“Bagels are more expensive but are hearty.”
100% wait time
“There's a long line, but the employees are so great that you don't mind waiting a few minutes.”
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What Our Expert Scouts Say
December 23, 2012
Ess-a-Bagel isn't as good as it once was, but it's still good, especially if you like a heavy coating of poppy seeds / onion / salt etc. The best thing here, for that reason, is the everything bagel. Get it hot.
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Heart
Tips for Ess-a-bagel
September 07, 2011
Never Again !!!!!!!!!!!.
Bagels were good------but several of the staff behind the counter were absolute jerks. Rude and abrasive-------have no concept of waiting on a customer.
Too many other great bagels in this great city to put up with these miserable people.
Never Again !!!!!!!
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Heart
March 27, 2011
Very Busy For a Reason.
You know the old saying "never eat in an empty restaurant"
Well the opposite is true too... if you have to wait 15-20 min on line to get a bagel they are doing something right.
I think these are the best bagels in the city... and what they do that is different than everyone else is they load you up with cream cheese or whatever else you choose...
When I send bagels from NYC to other places in the country or when I visit and my friends ask me to bring them NYC bagels... this is where I go
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February 06, 2010
Careless Service + Lackluster Food = Go to David's Instead.
This place has good bagels 1) If you get them when they're still hot and 2) if they somehow don't screw up your order.
I've been there several times. The line is always a disaster and no one seems to care. There are a lot of employees standing around, but god knows what they're doing. Today the guy literally asked me to repeat my order FOUR TIMES (and asked every customer several times...not just me). I watched more than one employee screw up order after order--and customers coming back for corrections. PAY ATTENTION. THIS ISN'T BRAIN SURGERY. They charge a lot, and I got home today and once again my order was wrong, missing all the ingredients i paid for. The bagels were bland because they weren't fresh out of the oven...I know people like a good bagel that doesn't have to be toasted, but I'd rather go two blocks south to David's and get a toasted bagel, and know that my order will be correct without fail 100% of the time.
Ess-a-NotThatHard.
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December 08, 2008
Best bagels in NYC.
Bagels are more expensive but are hearty.
You know a bagel is good when toasting it does it no justice.
Order it fresh, NOT toasted and enjoy the texture of one of the few LEGIT bagel places, left in the city.
If you're feeling aggressive order an everything bagel with a cold cut or any salad.
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Heart
June 02, 2008
Outstanding New York Bagel. I went to Ess A Bagel expecting the rude counter service written about in many of these past reviews but I was treated very nicely even though it was painfully clear I was a first time customer, and I'm a guy! I had a basic bagel with lox and creamcheese which was quite frankly, the best bagel I have ever eaten. Sure, it is a bit pricey but they do use top quality ingredients. The lox had a deliciously smokey taste and was of Russ & Daughter's quality. The creamcheese was smooth and rich, the perfect accompaniment to their substantial and crusty bagel. I can't wait to go back and try some of their other bagel sandwich offerings. From what I could see from what others were eating, they all looked great.
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March 26, 2008
Best Bagel Sandwich Ever!!!. I recently visited a friend in New York. One morning she suggested we go here for Breakfast/Lunch. I was exactly excited about it, but when she said that they had Lox I was in. It was a little overwhelming as far as order and I had her boyfriend order for me-It was kind of like the Soup Natzi. But they had both been there and knew the ordering situation. At first I thought it was a little pricey, but taking into consideration its in New York, and it was HUGE, I got over that quickly. It was so good. I had an Onion Bagel with Scallion Cream cheese, Lox, tomato, onion and lettuce. It was so good, I was very impressed. I wish my city had something like this, but since then I have actually been looking into opening a shop similar to it in my town. I would recommend trying it out. Just be prepared to deal with a little New York attitude, but the return is well worth it!!!!!
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Heart
July 24, 2007
Not the best, not the worst. When I read reviews about this place, I couldnt wait to go try it out. I read that the bagels were so "Fluffy" on the inside and "Crispy" on the out, I was excited. Never being to New York before, I couldnt wait to try out this "Delicious" bagel. It was small inside, but we found a space to sit down and eat. The people who work there are a little rude. If you have ever watched Seinfeld, you will know who the Soup Nasi is. Thats how I felt when I was there. They expect you to know what it is you are ordering, and they expect you to move along quick. Never being in there before, I wasnt sure what I exactly wanted. They also talk so fast, and are a little edgy if you dont answer them right away. I saw the bin of bagels they had there, but they didnt look as fresh as the past reviews have been raving about on here. They looked as though there was a heat lamp keeping them warm. They were a little nicer to me, since I am female, But they were really rude to my Boyfriend. I got a turkey sandwich. It was ok. I mean it wasnt Bad, but maybe my expectations were a little high. I just didnt think it was Wonderful. For a turkey sandwich, a small diet coke, locks and cream cheese and a small coffee, came up to $19. A little pricey for me. When I go back to New York, I might try out a few other places, just to see the difference. I thought the quality of the bagel was about just as good as bagels here, in California. Overall from what I said, I would possible go back in the future.
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December 17, 2006
Best bagels I ever had. Best bagels I ever had - I haven't lived in New York in 10 years. This place is one of the things I miss the most.
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November 14, 2006
Best HALF-a-Bagel in the City. I go here all the time for the best half of a bagel I can find anywhere in the city. Let me explain: The bagels are usually hot out of the oven, tasty, and they have better than average spreads and such. However, the bagel itself only has a topping on the top. Whether you order, poppy, sesame, or everything, technically it's half a plain bagel (the bottom), and half a flavored bagel (the top).
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November 01, 2006
excellent bagels. this place consistently produces fresh bagels and the store is a lot cleaner than other bagel places. i try to go here as much as possible
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