Ok after seeing the reviews and mayor diblasio claimed the best bagel had to try it...as a Brooklyn native and knows a real bagel ...totally disappointed..not even close...UTOPIA BAGELS in queens is absolutely the best down to their fresh lox that is sliced right off the fish is the best if NYC . read more

I've been going to Bagel Hole for a year since we moved down the street. It's always been a bit grimy, but the bagels are decent and cheap, so I didn't really worry about it. Until this morning... Ordered my bagels as usual and I was walking out a woman slid the drink cooler open to grab a water. A part of the door broke off and fell to the floor. As soon as it hit, a half dozen cockroaches jumped out and scurried away. Absolutely disgusting. This place is pure filth. No idea how they haven't been shut down by the health department... read more

I have been a Bagel Hole loyalist for 7 years. My only complaint is that there hasn't been a tip jar for their lovely employees other than the holiday season. I am SO happy to see that the jar is now back out. Also ,why all the complaints about the bagel size--isn't it nice to sometimes eat something delicious and not be stuffed? read more

The greatest bagels I have ever had.... The everything bagel is EVERYTHING. If it was only bigger. If ur in the area and u are a lover of bagels or bread stop and u will be surprised. Michael read more

These are literally the best bagels I've ever had - as a born and bred new yorker, I think this is a pretty high compliment. They're very small and dense and perfectly crispy on the outside. The first time I went, I was upset that they wouldn't toast it for me, but once I tried it, figured out why: they're often piping hot from the oven. Best bagels in Brooklyn!! read more

This place is some of the best bagels I've had in New York! My friend who lives in the area took us here for breakfast and had the squishiest crunchiest bagel hot out of the oven. I was astonished to learn of the terrible reviews only after reading. It's decently priced and delicious. If I lived here I would definitely go back read more

Bagel Hole was voted "best" bagel by numerous sources. http://newyork.seriouseats.com/2009/10/serious-eats-finds-new-yorks-best-bagel-1.html They said the best bagel they ever had was Bagel Oasis. But the best well rounded bagel was Bagel Hole. I am not sure what the difference is so I will say it is between those 2. CBS news lists it as one of the 5 best bagels. http://newyork.cbslocal.com/top-lists/brooklyns-5-best-bagels/ The NY Times says it is the quintessential NY bagel http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2012/08/01/dining/20120801-NYFOOD.html?_r=0 This though is the best article about bagel Hole and bagels in general. xxhttp://brokelyn.com/hole-lotta-love-for-nycs-best-bagels/ The author says-"The Bagel Hole in the South Slope has the best bagels in Brooklyn, and probably the whole city. It took me a while to realize it this, though. When I moved nearby a few years ago and started going there they seemed kinda small and kinda hard. This is a common reaction, I was later told by Phil Romanzi, who's owned the narrow, no-frills shop for close to 25 years. If your notion of a bagel is a dough bomb as big and round as a softball and as soft as a Twinkie, then they take getting used to. And it almost certainly is, unless you're of a certain age and grew up in or around the five boroughs."-The Brokeavore I am not a huge fan of Serious Eats. I think their writing and pictures are very good but their taste buds IMO do not match up to their skill as writers. Which is why I included the New York Times link. As for my experience with the bagels. I wish I would have read the Yelp reviews especially this one. http://www.yelp.com/biz/the-bagel-hole-brooklyn-2#hrid:WW5BXb4NUxVF2j7LiiDpxA No bathrooms for customers, limited menu, no toasting not much of anything really! They did not have many bagels such as sesame or egg. They actually said they don't make egg bagels. It was 3:30 a half an hour before closing and we walked in and the lights were out. We were at the 7th Ave Street festival in Brooklyn and it was crowded and hot with the food vendors blowing their smoke all over us. We were hot ,tired and walked a while to get to it. When we got there they seemed to have very little.They do not even carry some of the bagels that most bagel places carry. Then when we got home even though we toasted them the bagels were stale and rock hard! I am not a bagel novice and my hubby is what I would even call a bagel expert in some ways. We discussed whether or not we should go back and try it again before reviewing it. But we think for a place that is so highly rated. We should not have to go back and see if it is better the second time. We actually got poppy seed and salt bagels as that was all there was left and we forgot to take pictures of the others. But we did take a picture of the poppy seed bagel. I fail to see the magic in these bagels. People say they are authentic. Well if by authentic you mean stale then yes they are! I should not be eating wheat as I have a sensitivity to it. I thought the wheat indulgence would be worth it. But it was not! The name of it is "Bagel Hole." I think that is appropriate, read more

Bagel Hole - Poppy seed bagel - Bagels Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Options are limited here, but what they serve, they serve well. As a vegan, I typically order a tofu spread or PB&J. Since neither of those options were available (you could buy a carton of plain tofutti, but I didn't need that), I just ordered a plain cinnamon raisin bagel. I did not mind not having a spread because this bagel was straight up steaming. It was speckled with juicy raisins and so much cinnamon, and the inside of the bagel was moist as ever. Who needs a spread when you have that?! read more

Went to Bagel Hole at a2:30pm maybe it was the time but had a everything bagel sand ham and cheese it was hard as a rock if it was wasn't fit the coffee I wouldn't be able to eat it to soften it a little and the coffee wasn't all that great The place need some kind of update as it looks run down with the place had light fixtures that most on not working place looks dingy it could use a freshen after spending almost $8.00 i which I would of went some place else but being it was feature d in one those food network channel it was a disappointment read more

I like that the bagels are small, and when they're fresh I admit they are quite tasty. But last several times I've been there, I was given bagels that were several days old -- rock hard and tasted weird, completely inedible. We had to throw out the bagel after one bite each time. If you aren't going to toast your bagels, at least make sure they're fresh. read more

WARNING: You may be unable to resist consuming your whitefish, lettuce, tomato, onion, and cheddar sandwich on a fresh, warm egg bagel on the train, which means that you will commit a public indecency by making quasi-sexual ululations, licking whitefish and tomato juice off the flesh extending from your fingertips down to your elbows, scraping melted cheese off the wax paper wrapping with your two front teeth, picking every last crumble and piece of red onion off your swelling belly, and maybe doing a good deal of crying. If this sounds overwhelming or repulsive to you, then you are going to miss out on some of the best that NYC has to offer. Funny thing is, I didn't feel this way the first couple of times. The first time, I accompanied a New Zealand friend into this tiny place, which is floored and lit like a basement dentist's pop up office more like a place that serves ecstasy in the form of doughy rings and flavored cream cheese blended on site. Whitefish (my first exposure to it) intrigued me right away, but when I found out that they only took cash, I turned tail and walked away grumbling (I'd just been to Grumpy's so all my cash was definitely gone gone gone). Next, I went to get a dozen, but was broke at the time and picked up a miscellaneous bag of yesterday's everything bagels. Thing is, you never know if they were yesterday's, the day before's, or the week before's, you know what I'm saying? This isn't an accusation or even a suspicion. I'm just keeping the possibility real. I went home and deconstructed those, dried them out in a toaster just to get them warm again, then made my own sad little sandwiches from meager rations of poor ingredients. Therefore, I am grateful that a visit to Canada and my Canadian friend's requests for some good old NYC bagels brought me back here because it's a block from my place and was the only place I had time to go. Plus, it remained in the back of my mind that people rave about the Hole, and that I must have been missing out on something all this time. There was a lot at stake in this third visit, both in terms of delivering the best to my friend and having an experience for myself that wasn't just more of the same. So, I kind of tucked myself back in the wings, while a miserable amount of people flowed into and out of the shop at an alarming rate. Soon, I saw the guy from the back approaching the baskets with assorted bagels on the paddle. I got tremendously excited and had to meditate to keep from clawing past the girls in front of me and vaulting over the high counter to have at it. I used that time to consider every mathematical combination of the 10 or more bagel types in all their little baskets. Ultimately, I got three Everythings because they were fresh (though I woudn't get to Canada until about 48 hours later, I just wanted the thought to count. Then, I went two by two on Onion, Garlic, Poppy Seed, Sesame Seed, plus a Cinnamon Raisin (in case someone developed a sweet tooth), then one Egg as the lucky 13th to make the baker's dozen. While my sandwich was being made, I stuffed the other goods in my bag and asked for a tub of cream cheese mixed in with freshly smoked lox. Oh my god. I wanted to rip into the bags and just start tearing off bits of each bagel and dipping them into that pink-and-white stuff, but resisted with all my might, knowing all I had to do was drop off the bag of bagels, refrigerate the cream cheese, then have my whitefish on Egg bagel sandwich ASAP. Which brings us full circle to the climax described at the top of this review. If you ask someone where the best bagel joint is, people are going to say Ess-a-Bagel or Murray's (have yet to go to this one) in Manhattan. Or, someone will name a croney's spot in one of the other boroughs. All other answers will vary be from seasoned locals of this city's ridiculously old, diverse, and tiny neighborhoods. And this is one of the places you'll end up if you take the advice of said locals. I'm not professing to be one of these experts, but I definitely did have a taste of what it would be like if I were. At this point, I would take a friend here for a mid day sandwich over several other touristic "must-see" experiences elsewhere throughout the city. Egg bagel definitely takes the blue ribbon in my book. I don't think I even gave a crap about egg bagels in my life until I accidentally chose and ate the one from here. To describe it would make me have a mental breakdown, so I will stop here and wait for the place to open again. GO. read more

Was looking for a good bagel spot. It is definitely a hole in the wall - probably hence the name. They don't make breakfast sandwiches or toast their bagels. This actually is usually the sign of a good bagel. It was a small, but really delicious bagel. Cash only! read more

I am shocked! Shocked! That people are saying this just a basic bagel place. Yes, it is a whole in the wall bagel joint, but they without a doubt, serve up the best bagels in all of Brooklyn. The bagels are always crusty on the outside and chewy on the inside, the way a real New York bagel should taste. They are NOT gigantic and doughy the way every other bagel joint that has opened in the last five years makes a bagel. Strangely, they seed the bottom of the bagel and I am not sure why, but I don't think that matters all that much as it still tastes great. The lox spread, usually only available on weekends, is very good. It has real chunks of lox in the cream cheese and the best part about it---it is not dyed pink! You shouldn't expect to find flavored coffees and cranberry scones at Bagel Hole, but this place is the real deal with their perfect bagels, steamy morning windows, old school refrigerators and quick, unfriendly service. read more

As a new Brooklynite who is a HUGE bagel fan I was looking for a new joint. I was referred here by a colleague. The place is literally a hole in the wall lol. When you walk in you go about 5 feet before you encounter the counter. There is a fridge to the right and some shelves to the left but that's about it. The selection of bagels is limited to what I consider basic bagel fare (plain, everything, egg..) No wheat or whole grain etc. Additionally, they are about the size of a Lender's frozen bagel that you purchase from your grocer's freezer. (Though in all fairness they are MUCH better than a Lender's bagel). Unfortunately, Eh is all I can say for this bagel store. The search continues! Also FYI: CASH only read more

Small bagel shop. Great taste, smaller size. Wish they had jalapeno spread but otherwise good stuff. I had veggie cream cheese on everything bagel. Cash only. read more

After a nice run at Prospect Park, I was craving an amazing Brooklyin bagel. After opening my trusty Yelp app and sifting thorough my bookmarks, I came across The Bagel Hole. The Bagel Hole is literally a hole in the wall. Don't even think of trying to eat your bagel here because there absolutely zero seats to do so. Nonetheless, this is one of the most amazing bagels that I've had in NYC to date. When I first saw their bagels, I thought to myself, "Wow these are incredibly tiny bagels." Don't let that fool you because these bad boys are pretty dense. You'll definitely be content after eating one. The outer crust is just nice and crunchy. Once you break that shell, you'll be greeted with a nice softness that is to die for. I go for their egg bagel with regular cream cheese. For those who like their bagels toasted, you're going to have to do that at home because they don't do that at the Bagel Hole. Everything is literally so no frills that I just stick to the basics, which is not a bad thing at all. The Bagel Hole is a place where dreams are made. They pay so much attention to their bagels that there really is no time to spice up the decor of this spot. It literally looks like nothing has changed in the past 20 years. Nonetheless, you're just doing a quick grab and go while you're here, so you'll have plenty of time to enjoy your bagels back home. read more

Dense Bagel (Bagel Hole) vs. Fluffy Bagel (Bagel Factory) Round 1: Atmosphere -Dense bagel: I am a hellhole with horrible service. -Fluffy bagel: I'm full of hipsters and comfortable seating, with warm sunny windows and newspapers strewn about. Winner: Fluffy bagel (+1) Round 2: Toppings -Dense bagel: I have four flavors of cream cheese, including Lox that has been sitting out for a questionable amount of time. -Fluffy bagel: Eight flavors (including the nosewateringly awesome jalepeno cheddar), eggy options, and the lox spectacular. Winner: Fluffy bagel (+1) Round 3: Toasting -Dense bagel: Ya gotta ask for toasting specifically. -Fluffy bagel: Blackened by default Winner: None/Tie Round 4: Lightning round -Dense bagel: Fluffy bagel sucks! As proven by the journalistically credible article hanging on my wall (+1). It's so big and corporate and nontraditional (+1), and puts authentic places like me out of business (+1). -Fluffy bagel: *Puts fingers in ears* LALALALA! Did I mention I seed the bottom halves (+1)? Winner: Dense bagel (+2) Overall winner: TIE! read more

Wasnt thrilled with my local bagel shop so I walked a few extra blocks out of my way to get here cause of great yelp reviews. Hole in the wall with about 6-8 types of bagels... "do you have whole wheat everything?" "no" "fine, everything then, do you have low fat cream cheese" "no" "fine, everything bagel toasted with..." "we don't toast"... Umm, yeah. Call me when you're in the 20th Century. Three strikes, you're out. read more

Best bagels nyc has to offer and this is coming from a park slope native (we are still here). Anyone who thinks bagels should be oversized balls of dough need to take their opinions back to where ever they gentrified from. This is a Classic bagel. I will however admit some days are better than others but i never had a bad bagel here read more

If you ever spend the time reading about this place on the wall, you realize why it's different than the other NYC bagel places. They make bagels the way they're traditionally done - smaller, chewier, and less sweet than most of the other bagel places around. I think this is better - it also feels cooler, like you're supporting something historical. The ambiance sucks, there's no place to sit, and the service isn't anything exciting. However, I think the quality and uniqueness of the bagels more than makes up for this. I hope this place never never closes and never succumbs to the higher-calorie, higher-sugar demand the way the other bagel places have over the years. If you're in park slope, don't miss it, and if you're looking for a traditional NY bagel, it's more than worth the journey. read more

Hmm.... How can I give .5 of a star??? Well, my first experience caused me to pretty much gag in my mouth --- now I'm a New Yorker so I very well know Rodents/roaches are our neighbors... Point blank.. However...... Don't u ever... Ever... Have a roach greet me 1st thing in the morning ... I mean, that is just bottom line GROSS! Threw out my bagel -- as I already paid for it before I saw the roach on the counter --- sigh---- so I guess I'll never be able to give a proper review -- but hey --- it is what it is -- I'll stick with Le Bagel Delight. read more

I take my bagel places SERIOUSLY. I go out of my way to bring freezer bags full of it home to the family in the Midwest, where the best bagel you can find is either from Bruegger's or Einstein's. Now that you are already cringing, I will go off on what I think about the Bagel Hole. I've never been here before until now. I'm incredibly partial to Terrace Bagels, Bagel Factory, and Bagel Pub. Great places in the area. This place is shameful in comparison. I don't care that there isn't anywhere to sit inside. Whatever. It IS totally dirty. You will see a little cooler of drinks to the side and a small selection of cream cheese in the fridge with salad and cold cuts. The bagels are in carriages behind the register. I'm pretty sure they bake them pretty frequently because my bagel at least didn't taste stale at all. But it also wasn't warm. Not the issue. The problem I have with them is that they are SO FREAKING SMALL. This is like A CHILD'S SIZED BAGEL. Yes, its hand rolled, boiled. It tastes fresh. You can't even get your bagel toasted. No, no, no. They don't own a toaster. I stuck to a regular egg bagel with regular cream cheese. Just to kind of gauge a standard favorite and not go fancy. It's a little dense, boasting of flavor though, a little chewy. Almost a perfect bagel that just fails to follow through in life. The cream cheese here sucks and they put very little on. Which at times I appreciate. That day, I did not. And when a bagel fits into the palm of my hand, that is just ludicrous. read more

Another reason to hate the bagel hole. I was forced to stop here because I didn't have time to get to bagel delight. When asked to warm a bagel with butter, husband got a surly "we don't toast." read more

Perfect bagels. Crisp on top, crunchy on bottom, little boiled chewy patches, fluffy inside. Seeds are stuck to the bottom with only a few on top. Usually warm. Sometimes all sold out so wait a few minutes for the next batch. Tiny store, no toasting. 80c, or $1.55 with cream cheese. Smaller than usual NY bagels but the price takes that into account. Since they're always baking the shop can be soggy and hot. My glasses fog up, but I can't resent bagel moisture. Mmmm bagel moisture. read more

Mmm...I ordered an everything bagel with scallion cream cheese and lox! Delicious! read more

Bagel Hole - Bagel Hole exterior - Bagels Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

See all

I don't understand why this place is getting such high ratings, and am thinking that Yelp included it in its "great bagel debate" piece based on reviews and not experience! As a born and raised new yorker, i have been in countless bagel stores, and maybe some of the great reviews are from people who don't know any better? I went there based on this article and was highly disappointed. Here is why: 1. CLEANLINESS. It is a tiny place, and as you stand next to the counter, the meat slicer is right next to you. I looked over at it and it had pieces of old food such as onions and lettuce stuck to it and a collection of liquids building in the bottom of it making a gross yellow color. I thought maybe it was waiting to be cleaned until a guy put a piece of cheese on it for slicing. 2. MICROWAVED EGGS AND BACON: they cooked my eggs and bacon in a microwave. They don't have a grill. The eggs tasted gross and the bacon was very undercooked. 3. SMALL BAGELS. No need to explain that one. 4. EVERYTHING? More like plain! The top half had enough pieces of garlic, poppy, salt, etc for me to count on two hands. Literally..maybe ten specs of seasoning and that was it. 5. CUSTOMER SERVICE, the guys were not mean or anything, but definite language barrier and confusion about whose bag was whose, what was in each bag, etc. they should speak up, be more aggressive. 6. SELECTION: not much there, not many choices..avoid eggs and bacon at all costs! :) read more

The bagel was great, but it was a little bit frustrating that I had to have my fifth pick of cream cheese because they were out of everything else. Other than that the bagel was good. read more

Tiny little place- probably 5 people can stand in line inside. I would call it a hole in the wall but it's very well-known and popular. $2.55 for a plain bagel, egg and sausage - you can't go wrong. The bagel had a nice crunchy exterior with a soft, doughy inside. The bagel is smaller than usual bagel shops (or rather.. I would call this "normal sized" since most places are oversized). Two things to know about this place (besides great bagels): - cash only (they have an ATM, $0.99 fee) - they don't toast bagel read more

Based on this bagel shop being featured in the Yelp email I made a stop. The place is small and only for takeout. The bagel I ordered was small but tasty. They will not toast your bagel by the way. Bottom line, I prefer the Bagel Pub on 9th Street. There are tables and chairs along with outdoor seating in the back garden. They have larger bagels for the same price. read more

I have been coming to this place since I was in pampers and osh gosh bigosh. There bagels are amazingly hand rolled and cooked to perfection by the same person for over 20 years. I don't know the personally but I do know his bagels and they are the shit. They are the best when the first come out of the oven or hit water. I think the book their bagels instead of baking but I'm not an iron chef I only watch the show. But my taste buds don't lie to me. There bagels are delicious that they don't even own a toaster to toast your bagel. This is a classic Brooklyn bagel joint. Very old school and very tasty. I recommend going out of your way to get a bagel from this place. They are all good!!! read more

Full disclosure: I'm not from New York. Or Brooklyn. I've heard Brooklynites, bakers, and Thomas' Bagel Company define "Brooklyn-style" bagels. I don't know what that means. I just know a good bagel when I eat it. From what I can tell, Bagel Hole's bagels participated in a secret government project to create the ultimate bagel weapon, codenamed "Bagel X". From the bagels I've tried from Bagel Hole, the government was successful in coating these bagels in an adamantium shell, impenetrable by human teeth. Also, their cinnamon raisin bagel mysteriously lacks both cinnamon and raisin. read more

Fast quick service in this slice of a store in Park Slope. Fresh bagels constantly being made in the morning hours. These are some of the best bagels I've ever eaten. Top 3 on my list! South slopers cherish this place! Or it's worth the schlep for you bagel aficionados! read more

The crust on some of the bagels were over cooked (or maybe just stale) to the point of tooth breaking inedible. Went there on 06/10/18 at 8:30 in the am thinking that earlier was better. I had to throw out 4 of the 6 purchased. The counter person was rude and seemed put out even though I was the only customer. This is the 2nd time I've had the same experience. 2 bagels warm and soft on top. The rest inedible. Never going back! read more

Small, cold, hard bagel that I could almost chip a tooth on. They also wouldn't slice it for me since I wasn't getting a topping.

These are supremely good bagels in Brooklyn. The real deal: firm, full of volume yet dense, slight crunch on the exterior, and satisfying. Do not miss a trip to Bagel Hole! I will support the other reviews here that bialys are available here, if not baked at Bagel Hole. Note: Don't expect the staff to toast your bagel for you. read more

They're certainly not awful, but I'm not understanding the hype about this place. My pumpernickel bagel was small and sort of stale tasting, with not enough of a rye punch to it flavour-wise. walk a few blocks down to la bagel delight where the service is 100x better and the bagels are soft, fluffy, and amazing. read more

Hole is a good word to describe this place. Easy to miss if you don't know what you're looking for as it pretty much is just a hole in the wall. Bagel are always warm and they give a heaping scoop of cream cheese. Not the cleanest looking place in the world and it tends to get hectic. Cash only, but if you're looking for an authentic NY bagel spot this does the trick. read more

These are real, authentic NY bagels and they are amazing. This place is a tiny, cash only, and not known for its ambience but that's not why you come here. Their bagels are on the smaller side (as NY bagels are supposed to be!), perfectly crisp on the outside, and super doughy inside. I'm normally all for the toasted bagel but they don't do that here, but it doesn't matter because their bagels DONT NEED TO BE TOASTED! Please don't be put off by reviews related to ambiance or customer service - that's not why you come to bagel hole. Grab your bagel and head to the park, you won't be disappointed. read more

Idaho has the potato. Georgia's got the peach. In Brooklyn, it's the bagel. There must be something in the water here that makes Kings County (as well as the Tri-State Area as a whole) the definitive destination for these inner-tubular treasures. Don't even bother in any other part of the country. Even Pennsylvania's too far. And I'm dead serious about the water. I want to know what's in the water, people! Whereas farm crops seem to be a product of their climate, bagels may or may not be a product of their unique filtration and plumbing system. So... I take it back. I don't want to know what's in the water. All I know is that bagels here are delicious. Personally, I like big-ass, doughy bagels, that, when toasted, have a labyrinth-like texture for butter to runneth over. And I'm pleased to say, The Bagel Hole puts out a damn near-perfect product - not the easiest of compliments to dish out when I've spent my entire life across the area. That type of experience logs hundreds of bagels over twenty-five years. Hundreds, I say! The Bagel Hole loses a point here because of the size. Upon the purchase of my first half-dozen, my bag felt awfully light. I wondered if they jokingly gave me miniatures instead. However, the density index is high with these bagels. I'm talkin' one bite will stuff your mouth with as much doughy bagel goodness as it takes in two bites from a bagel twice its size. The Mighty Mouse of Bagels, shall we say. In the end, I'd still prefer the large, but I really can't complain. I mean, I'm getting what I want here - a chewy inside with a crispy outside that tastes terrific. A one, two, three formula - it's as simple as that. Well... and the water. read more

Yummmmm. I think their bagels have a nice equilibrium between dense and chewiness with a glossy hard exterior. Getting one that just came out of the oven is enough to make my day (I guess it doesn't take much to make me happy). Their sandwiches are quick, tasty and not too pricey. Damn. I want one in my belly now, and I'm all the way in midtown. read more