First NYC bagel did not disappoint! The bagel was so fluffy on the inside yet crispy on the outside (without ordering it toasted like a true New Yorker ). I got the everything bagel with sun-dried tomato basil cream cheese, and it was so perfectly savory. My friend got the onion and chive and liked hers, but liked mine more, haha. A great spot, but I'd also love to try more bagels on the area! read more

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I don't even know how to start this review because I never thought I'd love a bagel as much as I did after trying this spot. I ordered two bagels and both were absolutely amazing. The flavor, the bread, the softness, and the amount of cream cheese.. everything was on point. Literal 1000/10. I got the lox bagel and it was super flavorful. I also ordered a thai tea that was really good too. I don't think you can go wrong with whatever you order here. I actually just asked the worker what they recommended and went with that. I want to say I spent around $25-$35 for three bagels and a drink, which felt worth it for how good everything was. The inside is pretty small so it can get crowded, but the line moved fast when I went so it wasn't that bad. I would 100% come back here again. Just come prepared because they only take cash. read more

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This was the best bagel I have had in the city so far. Especially for the price, this bagel was flavorful, soft on the inside, crunchy on the outside, and generous. The egg was fluffy, cheese perfectly melted, and I really liked the tofu scallion cc here. The service was great! Super efficient and kind. I asked my cashier what her favorite bagel was and she recommended pumpernickel, which I will try next! Inside is decorated well and has a nice aesthetic wall + a ledge to put things down if needed. I'm super happy Absolute Bagel reopened, and this is now my go-to spot! read more

Absolute Bagels - Egg Bagel with Turkey, Cheese, Egg, Tofu Scallion CC - Bakeries Near Me - New York, New York

It says "2788 Bagels" outside, and used to be called Absolute Bagels, and on Google it's called "New Absolute Bagels", so I'm not quite sure what this place is called now. But what I am sure about is that the bagels themselves are pretty good and the cream cheese and lox are exceptional. Put all of that on a sandwich together (e.g. order the nova and plain cream cheese and add everything), and you've got an extremely solid bagel sandwich. The staff are extremely friendly and patient, and the updated interior is beautiful. I don't think it's the best bagel in NYC but it's really good and I'd eat it again. read more

Absolute Bagels - Bakeries Near Me - New York, New York

WELCOME BACK! Your long awaited return was well worth the wait! The bagel was fresh and pillowy. The basically tomato cream cheese was amazing. The basil was potent and the tomato balanced really well. Will be back! And glad they take card now too! Now if only they had seating... read more

Absolute Bagels - Tomato basil cream cheese on a whole wheat bagel - Bakeries Near Me - New York, New York

Popped in during an early Sunday Morning and some things never change. The long lines for bagels are back, so I was eager to see if absolute bagels still stood tall as the best bagels in the uws. The shop is definitely so updated from how it used to be, but unfortunately the bagels don't taste as good and flavorful. Not bad at all, just not the wow that I used to get every time. And at that point you might as well consider going to their competitor a few blocks away for quicker lines and an even cheaper bagel. Regardless i'm glad that they were able to come back to the neighborhood! read more

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The New Absolute Bagels is not as good as the original. It is more efficient with the two registers The Bagels are not the same texture or have the chewy inside. At $2 a Bagel it is just not the same. They are new, so maybe rhey will improve. read more

NYC had ordered them closed because of a whopping 67 public health violations including rats and roaches, but I'm glad they have spent a year resolving the issue and under new management because they have since reopened looking all updated with a swanky ambiance inside! It's wild when people will dismiss public health violations because a bagel is that good, but it truly is that good. They have retained the same quality of bagel and tastes just as good as before - warm, chewy and easy to eat, slightly salted with plenty of cream cheese (they give you a generous amount) and a variety of flavors to choose from! They are back to their long lines out the door, but it does move quickly. read more

Absolute Bagels is GONE or under new ownership. This is a new bagel shop called 2788 Bagels. The bagels were delish and were served warm. I ordered 2 plain, 1 cinnamon bagel and a side of peanut butter. When I looked in the bag, I found cream cheese. I went back to the register but the workers did not speak English. I gave up and left. read more

Absolute Bagels - Receipt - Bakeries Near Me - New York, New York

If there's a line out the door, I'm going to be curious and want to see what's happening! Naturally, busy weekday morning with students, professors, general public waiting in line. It's cash only so have some green on you: I ordered an everything bagel with bacon egg and cheese. The bagel had a good little crunch but nice and soft. I like how the egg was cooked, square. read more

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Whenever my partner is in NYC, we always stop at this bagel shop--it's been his favorite for decades, and I can see why! This place has that cozy, Asian mom-and-pop vibes. The bagels are soft, chewy and flavorful, with none of that bitter taste you sometimes get from over-proofed dough. The cream cheese is top-notch and made fresh in-house. You can even see big chunks of strawberry in the strawberry cream cheese. And they don't skimp on the filling! Our go-to orders are the sesame bagel with strawberry cream cheese, and the everything bagel with scallion cream cheese. And, yes, the lines are often long, but if you go after 10:30 am on a weekday, you're golden. Cash only. read more

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Bagels were amazing, I especially loved the raisin pumpernickel and whole wheat sesame. I've been looking for a whole wheat sesame bagel for my whole life. OK, ever since I first began enjoying bagels in the 80s. The staff behind the counter was very warm despite it being busy. We brought home a half dozen each with bonus bagels to our grateful families in RI. Thank you! read more

This is a cute little hole in the wall type bagel place. Gave off very mom and pop vibes. The bagel came out crispy and chewy without needing to toast it. The scallion cream cheese was lit very oniony but still a good spread and good value bagel. I think they were cash only and the staff was all very friendly and welcoming. The egg bagel was also really good with a slightly sweet flavor and chewy texture. I think this one would be great to take home for sandwiches and flavored spreads. read more

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My favorite bagel spot in NYC. Always a line but well worth the wait! The coffee is great and the best part is that they offer tofu cream cheese for those that cannot consume dairy. If you would like bagels to ship, they can bag them up for you in a special way for a fee. I love the old school nostalgia of this bagel place and they do have great coffee! The longer lines do save me from the calories sometimes. read more

Located on the north end of Central Park. Prepare to wait in line and don't expect much organization once you get in the door. We waited in line about 40 minutes outside on the sidewalk as we are on the mission. Seems like sheer chaos behind the counter once we got inside and it's a bit difficult to place orders through the plexiglass. Make sure you have your cash as there are no credit cards taken at this business, which does make it less expensive, but there are also no ATMs on the premises to accommodate the situation. There are also no tables or chairs on the premises so everything is to go. Honestly, I was expecting a lot more from this business based on the reviews of the bagels. We have been on a tour of a number of bagel shops throughout the city and try to different every morning. This one while good, was not great. The shop was actually a little shabby and they really wasn't sure how the bill was calculated because everything is done on a notepad behind the counter. Bottom line, cheaper, but, not very clean, not very good, l and not worth the wait. Sorry, Ess and Russ are both way better. read more

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Came on a Sunday at noon and the wait was only around 10-15 minutes. They are a cash only shop with no seating inside, but the service is fast and the people are really nice! Was fun to take to central park to eat since it is really close byz. Got lox and cream cheese on an everything bagel, toasted, and paid an extra $3.65 for tomatoes, lettuce and onions. Paid in total $16, which is not too bad, but the bagel itself is definitely on the smaller side. The bagel was delicious though! The bagel was VERY toasted for sure and almost crunchy if you like that, and the veggies added a nice touch of freshness to the bagel. Only wish the bagel was seasoned a bit more, but loved it! read more

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Was so excited that Absolute reopened! We went last week & honestly the bagels are not the same. They are sort of flat with the top being a bit twisted & the bottom very dark. We purchased 4 to go. So we didn't notice this till we got home. The taste was fine but they do t look the same. I may try again. read more

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I swung by Absolute Bagels after seeing it on list after list of top bagel places. And I quite agree with those assessments. I got an everything bagel with plain cream cheese, which I really enjoyed. It was simple, but that allowed the quality of the bagel and filling to shine. This was the most flavorful bagel I've ever had, with just the right amount of chewiness to boot. As a visitor, I think this is the perfect place to start a day in NYC, from the variety of freshly made bagels down to the gruff service (I was lightly scolded for not being quick enough at one point, haha). You won't regret it! read more

Absolute Bagels - plain on everything - Bakeries Near Me - New York, New York

9.0/10 Finally tried New York-style bagels at Absolute Bagels and I can confidently say that these are absolutely the best bagels I've ever had. J. Kenji Lopez-Alt raves about this spot, so it was a must-visit during my stay from Orange County. My boyfriend and I got: Blueberry Cream Cheese on Egg Bagel $5.50 | Bacon & Eggs on Everything Bagel $6.95 Cheese +50¢ | Toasted +10¢ Each. Both were amazing, couldn't pick a favorite. I'm a bit ashamed to say that all the many times I've visited New York, this was my first time trying NY bagels from the place itself. Their bagels have a thin, shiny, crackly crust. When you bite into it, it's dense and chewy but tender and easy to bite through, the perfect texture. The Egg Bagel was amazing and Blueberry Cream Cheese was rich and fruity. The Everything Bagel was a flavor bomb with its malty base and generous toppings. The bacon, eggs and cheese inside complemented the bagel well. These might be some of the best eggs I've ever had, never seen something like this inside a bagel or sandwich before. They're possibly scrambled and then baked or steamed, which reminded me of Korean steamed eggs (gyeran-jjim). I learned that a quality bagel shouldn't need toasting; its freshness should ensure crispness and chewiness. Next time, I'll resist the urge to toast and enjoy them in their pure form. The bagels are huge, I saved half for the next day, while my boyfriend managed to devour his in one go. These are better than any bagel I've ever had in Socal, but maybe I haven't had that many. The only other bagel I had time to try was Bagel co in North Bergen, NJ and these were so much better. I wish I could find bagels like these in LA OC. Though I didn't spot any specific sustainability practices or see mention of them, I hope Absolute Bagels considers eco-friendly initiatives in the future. They're located on a main busy street in Manhattan Valley, Upper West Side. I took the train and walked a few blocks to get here. If you drive here, I'm not too sure about parking but looks like there's just paid metered street parking. The interior is casual, no-frills, small, no inside or outside seating, just a grab-and-go type of spot, a hole in the wall. Service efficient, albeit minimal. Being cash-only, there's a Chase Bank nearby for convenience. I came on a Saturday around 10:30 AM and was surprised by the short wait time, only 15 minutes. They open early for the breakfast crowd. Prices are reasonable, especially given the quality and big portions. read more

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Came here on Sunday afternoon. Found this place through Yelp, saw reviews and pictures and decided to give this place a shot. There was no line luckily and placed my order in front of the bagel spread. I ended up getting an everything bagel with scallion cream cheese with bacon. My friend ended up getting an everything bagel with scallion cream cheese. The total came to $16 and some change.. bagel with scallion cream cheese was $5.50ish.. so adding bacon with scallion cream cheese bagel is close to $10.. bagel was good. Solid bagel spot. * Cash only read more

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Hard for me to compare this to other bagel shops as this was my first and only on New York, but I thought the bagel was excellent. I got the everything bagel with lox spread. The bagel itself had a great texture - slight crunch on the outside from the seasoning but still slightly chewy and soft on the inside. The lox spread was creamy and had plenty of lox mixed into it. Surprisingly this place also serves Thai tea and that was also very good. Overall I think this is a great bagel shop to try once if you are in the area. I probably wouldn't come back as the line was quite long on a Sunday morning (about a 30 minute wait) and I would like to try other places. read more

Crowded even though it was way past breakfast time. The line was out the door, and it loops around inside the establishment. Moves relatively fast. It was past the time for the breakfast special, but they were still serving it when we asked. Ordered a sausage, egg, and cheese. The cheese isn't toasted on the bagel, which was a little disappointing. However, the bagel was warm enough that it melted the cheese that laid on it. They give two slices of cheese, so that was nice. The egg was super fluffy. Sausage was only okay. There's nothing very special about it. Everything bagel was good. Make sure to ask for it toasted. I can see why there's such a long line for it. Especially if people come here for the breakfast special because it's a good deal. They only take cash, so make sure that you have some with you before you come in. read more

Absolute Bagels - Sausage, Egg, and Cheese on Everything Bagel - Bakeries Near Me - New York, New York

Took advantage of having a week day off and ventured up to Absolute Bagels. I figured this would help avoid any long lines. There were only 3 people in front of me when I got there around 10am. I might have been there for a total of 10 minutes. The woman who took your payment was so friendly!!! They make it very clear it's CASH ONLY. I ordered an everything bagel with scallion cream cheese and a few bagels. The bagels are $1.75 each and a bagel with flavored cream cheese is $5.50. They give just the right amount of cream cheese, not too much and not too little. At first I thought I got plain cream cheese though. It's a good bagel but I wouldn't go out of my way for it. It's not very doughy. You wouldn't need to ask for them to scoop out the insides. I doubt they'd do this any way! (They charge 10 cents to toast a bagel.) It seemed very dense/heavy. It also only has seeds on one side. read more

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This is a great bagel spot! The main thing to know is that they are a CASH ONLY establishment and there isn't an ATM inside. There are a few banks close by (Chase and Bank of America) with ATMs inside for members. The line can get long, but it moves quickly. I ordered a sausage, egg, and cheese on a toasted (extra .10) everything bagel. It was everything you want from a breakfast bagel. It was filling, but not so heavy that it slowed me down afterward. The egg is fluffy and balances the entire sandwich, but there are moments when it's a bit salty. I was staying with a friend in the area and didn't know Absolute Bagels was such a well-known place. I would definitely come back, but wouldn't travel for it since it's a bit out of the way. read more

Absolute Bagels - Bakeries Near Me - New York, New York

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I got everything bagel, sausage, egg sandwich. Nothing particularly fancy and amazing but a decent breakfast sandwich. I've had more flavorful everything bagels, it was lacking in garlic and onion flavors. If the egg was runny, that would be awesome. No issues with service. Carryout only. read more

Absolute Bagels - Bakeries Near Me - New York, New York

The BEST bagels in NYC. Probably the BEST bagels in the world. No? Prove me wrong. Friendly and they manage the crowds well. Cash only. read more

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Loved this place! Just recently moved to the area and decided to try this bagel spot. It's a small spot and there was a bit of a line on a Saturday afternoon but it moves pretty fast. No dine-in and they only take cash so be prepared. But the bagels were great, especially the bacon, egg and cheese. Super solid spot and will definitely be coming back. read more

Absolute Bagels - BEC with sausage on everything - Bakeries Near Me - New York, New York

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Line out the door and as others have commented (thanks yelpers!) it moves pretty decently (about 15 minute wait). It's CASH ONLY so be aware. There's a refrigerator of drinks - milk, oj, water, etc. You order at one counter and pay at another. They have so many bagel and cream cheese offerings, it hard to decide. Ordered the sesame bagel with walnut and raisin cream cheese. The cream cheese was fantastic and made me feel like I was eating a dessert. The bagel is fantastic. Those on the West Coast familiar with House of Bagels, this is what it reminded me of from texture and taste. Will definitely come back. It hits the spot! read more

The best bagels in Manhattan are once again available at Absolute..welcome back. It was worth the wait. The new store is beautiful.

What an experience for me!!! I'm from LA so I stopped by here as a recommendation from a local Newyorker. On a Friday late morning, the line was out the door. I waited for 10-15 minutes. Cash only. Friendly family owned place - they are so friendly and sweet. They have sooooo many variety of cream cheese including vegan cream cheese. I wish I was able to order like a dozen bagels but I was only able to get one - everything bagel with scallion cream cheese. As you can see in my picture, they will give you enough cream cheese to spread on another bagel!!!! Both me and the NY park pigeons really enjoyed it :)))) 10/10 would come back. read more

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I was on the Upper West Side with my mom and son, ready to eat at the first vaguely acceptable place that had food for a picky four-year-old, when I found Absolute Bagels sitting in my bookmarks like a forgotten treasure. I looked it up, and it turns out this place is one of the most renowned bagel joints in New York. We were running on California time, so we avoided peak hours and waited in only a short line, at like 2:30 on a Thursday afternoon. It was a small operation, a cash only, no-frills space where you get your bagels and get out, not one chair available for customers. Service was fast and efficiently agreeable. The guy who packed up our food pointed us toward Riverside Park just a short walk away, where we were able to find a bench and enjoy our lunch. My mom and I shared an everything bagel with scallion cream cheese and Nova smoked salmon, which made a wonderful light lunch. The bagel was ideal, fresh and chewy, and I loved both the silky salmon and the lush cream cheese with the bite of scallion. Lettuce, tomato, and red onion made it a whole sandwich. My boy was quite happy with his cinnamon raisin and apple juice, because why wouldn't he be? I tried some of his bagel and it was great too, even though sweet bagels aren't especially my thing. If Absolute Bagels were in my neighborhood, we'd be there all the time, getting bagels by the dozen. I'd recommend it whether you want a regular bagel shop or a special treat on the Upper West Side. Just bring cash and be ready to take your goodies to a secondary location. read more

When my daughter and I visited New York last month, we made it our business to rank the best breakfast bagel sandwiches in the city. Absolute was very good. The bagel itself had great chew. The eggs were fresh, but you could tell they used liquid eggs instead of fresh eggs, because they were really watery. With every bite, liquid would drip down from the sandwich, making a bit of a mess. The sausage was flavorful. The cheese was evenly distributed. The entire thing was very good. Highly recommend! read more

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I've heard a lot about this place. It's hyped up a bit I'll say but it's good. Not my favorite bagel place in the city, but good. The best thing I got was the scallion cream cheese with a slice of lox. That was incredible. The scallion cream cheese is definitely worth returning for. We then got a pumpernickel special with tomato and cheese. It was disappointing. Nothing special from the bread and the cheese and tomato were totally average. No spread which would've made it better. Those two bagels came out to $26 which is an insane price, so that's also a fault. Come on New York! Must've been the salmon. Inside is pretty confusing also. I wish they had signs up for their bagels, the menu has all the info but for some reason, hard to follow more than other bagel spots. read more

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My bf and I were visiting Manhattan, and the one thing that I absolutely had to do was eat a New York bagel. I did the research, and Absolute Bagels kept popping up as one of the most popular places so of course we had to go there. I really wanted to love this place...I really did...but it was unfortunately a letdown. Absolute Bagels was out of the way for us so my bf and I split up to do our "tasks": my task - secure the bagel bag. From Yelp reviews, I saw that this place was cash only so my bf gave me his $20, and I was certain that this would be more than enough with my $10 (*cue internal crying*). I got there around 9:00am on a Thursday and luckily the line was very short. I got two bagels with Nova & cream cheese: one everything and one poppy. Both were untoasted because that is supposedly the "real" way to eat a bagel in NY. To be honest, I haven't bought fresh bagels from a cafe in years and I've never gone to a bagel shop, so I had no idea what "normal" prices were. I did see the price on the menu board, but my exact thoughts went like "$14.25 for a bagel?? That's PREPOSTEROUS. That's probably for a container of nova and cream cheese or something." HAHAHAHA...I really played myself there. Since I had put in the order first and they were already putting it together, it was too late to take it off by the time I paid, or at least my introverted self was too scared to ask. I was scrambling to find every cent in my wallet and I had just enough. I coped by thinking that these were going to be the best bagels I've ever had. I'm sorry but both my bf and I thought these bagels were...meh. I'll give it to them that they didn't skimp out on the Nova or the cream cheese, and the two bagels lasted us two small "meals" to curb our hunger throughout the day. Just purely putting the price of the Nova and cream cheese aside since that was a mistake on my part, the bagel itself wasn't as soft or fluffy as everyone hyped it up to be. It was even hard to bite off and chew and kind of had that slight stale texture. Maybe it would have been better if I had it toasted, but we'll never know. If you're a tourist looking for good NY bagels, don't be like me and go out of your way to make this a stop. It's really no different than the generic bagel you get at your coffee corporation cafe around the corner. I'm sure there are better places elsewhere. read more

Absolute Bagels - Menu (9/21/23) - Bakeries Near Me - New York, New York

Alright, they say the bagels in New York are the thing so I knew that I had to have one, or two, and take some home! They definitely do not disappoint! You can get anything and I'm sure that it will be delicious. The ingredients are simple, yet so so good. There was a line out the door, but it is a quick wait and the staff are very efficient. It is cash only so make sure that you stop at the ATM. There isn't any space to eat indoors so it really is a grab and go spot. read more

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Headed over here on a hot Saturday morning to give this popular spot a try. There was a line but it moved pretty quickly with well organized staff. There's a load of cream cheese options to choose from, as well as simple breakfast sandwiches if you're there in the morning. Bagels looked absolutely beautiful. My egg and cheese sandwich on an everything was heaven. My sister tried the scallion cream cheese and her bagel was stuffed! Perfection. read more

Absolute Bagels - Egg and cheese on an everything - Bakeries Near Me - New York, New York

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Screwed up my order, bagel itself pretty average in my opinion. Cream cheese nothing special either.

Bagels and cream cheese are good I did the everything bagel with the Jalapeno cream cheese. Egg sandwich bagels are decent, could be better. But overall, it's a great spot for bagels but wouldn't give it the 5 star hype it has. read more

Absolute Bagels - Everything bagel with Jalapeno cream cheese - Bakeries Near Me - New York, New York

I wouldn't say Absolute Bagels is better than Best, Russ and Daughters, or Ess-a, but it's still pretty good (and much cheaper). Would recommend everything but the nova, since you can get that elsewhere for the same price (but much tastier). Stick to their other offerings like the BLT, cinnamon raisin, or lox, which can all be had for under $5, depending on how you customize. They're fairly generous with how much food or spread they give you as well. Absolute is also more of a cafe than other bagel places, and their ambiance, diners, and menu reflect that. Lastly, they had a line of 8 people during a flash flood warning rainstorm, which tells you all you need to know about how good it is and how busy it can get. It's not a sit down place, so be prepared to take your food and eat elsewhere. read more

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The best bagels in the city; it is not even close. Picking my favorite thing to get there is very difficult, but I would have to go with an everything bagel toasted with lox cream cheese. Yes, there is usually a long line, but it moves pretty quickly. read more