Fresh Bagels . Made the way they should be made. The real deal. Excellent egg breakfast bagel.

In Needham Center, this is one of your best bets for a quick, tasty lunch. My favorite is the Avocado Delite sandwich. They make the bagels on site and sometimes run out of certain varieties, but they are always nice and fresh. As other reviewers have noted, service is hit-or-miss here (some of the servers are perfectly nice, others really need some customer service training) but generally is on-par with what I expect for a no-frills counter-service lunch place. They also offer bagels by the dozen to go. read more

When I first moved to Needham from the New York metro area, I refused to believe that bagels or pizza could be anywhere as good as they were from my hometown. But Bagel's Best gives the bagel stores of the New York tri-state area run for their money! Located in the town center of Needham, the store is always packed with students from the local middle and high schools on half days. Unfortunately, this means that there are certain days that the store quickly runs out of popular bagels, leaving those behind the rush out of luck. This is the only reason I'm taking away one star. The store has many options for bagels, and they make the bagels just doughy enough that they stand out on their own, but also work well when toasted and don't become too hard. They also have a nice selection of sandwiches and breakfast pastries, though their coffee menu is a tad small and a little overpriced. Some people have complained about the service, but my family has never had an issue. One man, who is usually behind the counter, even remembers my grandfather, who comes from New Jersey a couple of times a year and always makes sure to stop by the store. They are always cordial, and generally remember our previous orders. Overall a nice little gem of a bagel store - whose main issue is that they sometimes just can't make enough bagels to feed the demand! read more

Popped in here today for the first time, got a bacon egg and cheese, which was delicious!! Hot and made quickly, right in front of me... Excellent customer service too!! Thanks and I'll be back! read more

I can't do fewer than 1 star? Worse than garbage. The owner's creepy smile makes you want to leave immediately, but alas: you have to wait 15 more minutes for a simple breakfast sandwich. Seeing as they literally serve fake food that's one tier above their dumpster's contents, it's obvious this place is still in business because of the school kids that don't know any better and the pigs (police) that eat slop anyway. Stay far away from this place. read more

Good bagels. Smoked turkey sandwich had a generous portion of delicious, fresh smoked turkey, with actual Dijon mustard, not that day glow yellow American stuff. However, my companion's Italian chicken wrap contained red stuff that tasted like Campbell's tomato soup, rather than the "marinara" sauce noted on the menu; the chicken was fried, not grilled, and was ice cold; and the mozzarella was only about 5% melted. Obviously premise and sitting in a fridge, then microwaved for 30 seconds A real disappointment. read more

This is such a great bagel shop! They have the best coffee. Lots of flavors to choose from and always hot and fresh and oh great iced coffee too! Service is awesome food tastes delicious coffee is amazing! read more

Bagels best is amazing! They have great bagels and a variety of vegan cream cheese (I HIGHLY suggest the vegetable). They know all their regulars the entire store has a homey vibe. Just be aware they are cash only! read more

The name doesn't lie. These are the best bagels for sure. Freshly made, same day, - these bagels are quality. Highly recommend the egg/cheese/meat on a sesame seed bagel. read more

Great breakfast brunch joint. My favorite is the tuna or BLT on a bagel. This is really not enough detail so. Chewy,tasty,crunchy,aromatic breakfast items. read more

It's so nice in today's impersonal and rushed world, to be greeted by name and with a smile. I frequent Bagel's Best a few times a week. I go there with my Mom and my Aunt for coffee and bagels. Usually, our order is ready and waiting for us. Sure, the place can get busy and a bit noisy on a Saturday morning, but they're very efficient and process orders pretty quickly. The bagels are delicious and so is the coffee. I can't speak for the sandwiches, since I only go here for coffee and bagels. read more

The bagels are okay, but the service is just awful! It is right next to my office, so I really wanted to love this place because it is just so convenient... But sadly, I hate it. Every time I go I wish I can't. Today was the final straw. You better stop at the bank if you want to make any substitutions! The menu had a turkey, avocado and cheddar cheese option for $7. I asked to substitute cheddar for cream cheese and got charged $2 for that mistake. By the time I paid tax, it was $10 for a crappy bagel sandwich. The girl that takes your order is so unfriendly and argumentative. They really need to hire some friendly staff members that understand customer service. I'll be driving down the road for bagels from now on. read more

First time there today and let me say that I won't be going back again. 2 bagels 1 small coffee $11.11??!!! You got to be kidding me!! ..One was just cream cheese and the other egg & cheese. The place was so loud at 9:30 am that I had to shout my order over a very busy counter. Very hot inside too. Couldn't wait to get my food and leave. Then come to find out they don't take credit cards and they don't have signs saying this anywhere in the place AND they don't have an ATM on premises like MOST places do that don't take cards. So placed my order then had to walk a block to a bank and get charged $3.00 fee since my bank is not in this town. Get back to BB and notice there is no coffee with my order. I asked a worker about my coffee and she said you take your cup and it's self serve over there..as she pointed to a counter in back of a million people sitting at small tables. I get a cup from her and go do my coffee. Get in the car and the coffee is ice cold. I would have gone back in and and complained in person but I was with my charge that I nanny for and I had to get her back home. I am calling them now to let them know how horrible this experience was. Never again. The only reason they got 1 star from me is that Yelp makes you leave at least 1 star....even if the place sucks. read more

My fiancee and I stopped in to this small eatery one day for lunch and got REALLY bad customer service. The cashiers/servers were cold from the very beginning, acted irritated when we had questions about the menu and specials, and were all-around rude. They essentially threw our food, which we got to-go, at us and we booked it out of there. I give them a rating of 2 stars rather than 1 because the bagel sandwich I got was tasty. read more

Bagel's Best is my go-to bagel/breakfast/lunch stop. I've been coming here since I was little and even though I don't live in Needham anymore, I keep coming back. The bagels are the perfect combination of dense and fluffy for my taste. They're definitely lighter than a classic NY bagel, but I prefer that lightness. I also love that they have big variety, including my favorite - oat raisin. The cream cheese is also really tasty...MUCH better than other bagel stores in the area. This place is family run and you can feel that the owners, Danny and Sharon really care about their product and their customers. Tip - don't pass by the pastry case too quickly. These aren't the stale, mundane cookies you find in most sandwich shops. All the pastries are delicious, but the gingerbread men are my favorite! read more

This bagel place is very cheap, the food is very good and the staff is very nice. The best part is there bagels/ bread is all homemade

Delicious bagels. Great sandwiches & roll-ups too. Staff is super friendly. Local joint vibe; kid-friendly. Nice range of offerings, pizza bagels to lox. We go every weekend. read more

The only reason this place is in business is because the bagels are good. Other than that, there isn't much to write about. Service is non existent. They see a line of people waiting and stare at you. Took me 15 minutes to get a dozen bagels with only 1 person in front of me. Ridiculous! Loud and noisy inside, I don't know why anyone would sit in here. Will try Cafe Fresh up the street next time read more

Bagels mediocre, chewy, and flavorless. Also, the owner rarely shows up at the posted opening time of 6:00. Generally not a big deal, but when the nearby commuter rail leaves at 6:09 and he doesn't get there until after this train leaves, they are losing out on plenty of potential business. read more

Good cider and bagels! They also have vegetarian options, a lot of seating, and other good things you don't find in many bagel places. Bagel's Best makes me happy and so does Needham Center. read more

I was driving back to my office eagerly clutching the chicken salad sandwich (YUM) I had been dreaming of for the past couple of hours, when it suddenly occurred to me that I've never reviewed Bagel's Best! Obviously that had to be rectified. STAT. I love Bagel's Best. Not love love, but definitely love. I've only ever gotten lunch, and usually do take-out, but I did dine in once. Parking seems like it would be a pain in the tukus being on a busy street and all, but I've never had a problem. I notice that some reviewers have commented on receiving poor service - I have never had that problem. In fact, I would say the exact opposite: everyone behind the counter is friendly and accomodating. The time I went without cash only to find they accept cash only, the man working the register gave me directions to more than one ATM so that I wouldn't get charged a fee and was more than gracious about putting together my order while I ran to the nearest. The time I dined in was when the solid customer service was most apparent. There were two employees, one male, one female, cleaning tables, stocking napkins and doing other chores, all the while stopping to ask each customer how they were, if they needed anything, etc. There is a SERIOUS rapport between staff and regulars here. I twice have seen older couples who are clearly regulars joking and teasing the staff, who give it right back, laughing the whole time. The place is full of laughs and warm wishes. As for the food, I've only had tuna and chicken salad (toasted on wheat bread - they don't just serve bagels!) but both have gotten enthusiastic thumbs up from me. The chicken salad has sweet undertones and in even in these economically turbulent times, BB doesn't skimp on either the serving of the chicken salad or the garnishes you may add to them (in my case lettuce and tomato). They have a small array of bottled beverages and I commend them for not carrying soda. They also offer fresh fruit (usually bananas) which always makes my lunch better. I had had never had the chips they sell before, all natural "Dirty" brand, but I am now totally addicted to the salt and vinegar flavor. I'm knocking off a star because it can be drafty in there, service isn't always quick quick quick like I need on my short little lunch break and, well, I definitely can't afford to eat there every day. But, when I have a little extra money in my pocket (or, like today, when I don't, but just can't stop thinking of their chicken salad) I'll splurge on Bagel's Best. I really like the people that work there, I really LOVE the rapport they've forged with a lot of older regulars and I'm mildly addicted to their chicken salad. Four stars, Roger that. read more

I ordered a turkey sandwich on a plain bagel without tomatoes this afternoon. We waited 15 minutes and my sandwich arrived...with tomatoes on it. I went up to the counter and nicely explained that I ordered my sandwich with no tomatoes. The response I received? "Do you want me to take them off or are you going to do it?". It was pathetic. If you're looking for good food AND good customer service, go somewhere else. There are plenty of places in the area that will treat you right. read more

There are many decent bagel places in MA and I stress decent rather than great .Bagel's Best is a cut above decent .Why only the 4 stars , well they make their bagels a little on the thick side so you wind up with a lot of dough in your mouth overpowering the cream cheese ,so you wind up putting more cream cheese on the bagel to regain it's equilibrium .First bagels are a lot like baguettes you have to eat them the same day or they get hard .Thats why most people toast their bagel which makes them indistinguishable from all others .To me there is nothing like a hot bagel or even just a fresh bagel ,crispy on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside .Once the outside gets hard and loses the crispyness and the center starts to get harder ,usually the next day ,time to toast .Here is a tip I learned from an old deli guy .If you buy a dozen fresh bagels split them all after you have eaten one ,then freeze right away .When needed heat your toaster oven to 300 ,when temperature is reached put the bagel still frozen and together into oven, dont open bagel first .Leave in for 3 mins ,turn off oven, then open the split bagel and let the bagel sit open faced for 1/2 a min so the center is still not frozen .Now you have a wonderful bagel like it was just made. Now back to bagel stores , the best bagels I ever had was in Montreal ,Fairmont Bakery ,these are thin bagels and are all made in a dingy bakery .Students sit on the stoop by the dozens eating their bagels daily ,many visitors from the States bring back dozens of bagels from here including me ,I usually get 3-4 dozen giving some to my kids who love them .I don't know much about the touted NY bagel other than I once had one on Long Island which was as good as Fairmont but different.Finagle ,Aesops Brueggers,Einstein all decent ,but not as good as Bagels Best .I still say if you have to toast them they all taste the same .Oh how I miss Eagermans in Natick back in the 1970's ,hot bagels every Sun ,truly missed. read more

Stopped by with my son for breakfast: ~2X$7.00 smoked salmon bagel, no cream cheese, onion, tomato. ~$2.00 medium coffee. ~$3.50 orange juice. ~$1.00 taxes --------------------------------- ~$20.50 for bagel and drink breakfast is a bit on expensive side, especially considering that I don't eat a lot and I could eat another bagel sandwich. read more

Good coffee and sandwiches. The staff is always super nice. Only downside is they don't take cards, cash only.

A great place--very friendly. Some reviews complained about cash-only--they now have an ATM inside. There is a working wheelchair elevator by the front door. They have free WIFI and are glad to give out the password. read more

Absolutely loved the fresh, flavorful everything bagel. Toasted with turkey and all the fixings it was a delicious lunch that I craved for the rest of the weekend. Do get the honey mustard--it's creamy, tangy, and just the right amount sweet. read more

These bagels are just as good at the NY ones- coming from a Long Island, NY native! Yelped a deli while I was in the area and found this place. Wish I had found them earlier- I will surely be back. Cash only so remember to hit the ATM before coming in. read more

The staff here are very nice and the food is decent, but it's more expensive and just doesn't seem to taste as good as the other local bagel place. PROS: Line goes fast (if there is one) and there is plenty of seating to eat and read the paper. It's also kid friendly. CONS: They are cash only, although there is a Bank of America ATM very close. This business is also NOT handicap accessible. There are two entrances in the front and back which are both stairs. I noticed that the front entrance has a modified (open air) elevator, but it's blocked off on the top landing and they use it for storing cups and other supplies instead. read more

I go to Bagel's best every week mostly cause it is near the needham center train stop. The bagels have increasingly gotten less fresh. I can barely eat one the next day. The service is awful! No one ever smiles...especially the people that grab your bagel order? The place always has dirty floors and counter tops and tables. The bathroom looks like it hasn't been cleaned in years. And if you are not going to accept credit cards please post clearly. I won't be back. read more

I do not think I will be returning to Bagel's Best. The place looked trashed, there was liter on the floor, tables and chairs were everywhere, it was obvious that the staff was lax on cleaning up the eating area. After waiting in an unorganized line, I approached the counter and asked for an onion bagel, no onion bagel. I then asked for a garlic bagel, no garlic bagel. I then asked for an everything bagel, no everything bagel. When I finally selected a bagel from the sparse options I went to pay to learn that they don't accept credit cards. No where was it posted that this was a cash only establishment. To further my dismay the closest ATM was down and across the street. NO THANK YOU. read more

The best bagel and coffee place on earth. I said it all. Highly recommended. Toasted whole wheat bagel with Avacado with breakfast blend coffee is my favorite. They have plenty options, fresh and tasty bagels and excellent customer service. Be sure to carry cash on you or a checkbook. Cards are not accepted. read more

Many of you may remember the bagels gas of the 90s. It seemed like there was a bagels place on every street corner. Well, over the years most have gone out of business. I don't know if this place was around back then, but if it was, there's no question why it lasted. Really loving the bagels here. Thick and delicious. They have a great variety. I'm a big fan of the bagel pizzas. The service has always been decent. Cant complain. Overall, unless you're on a low carb diet, give them a try. read more

Great bagels! Crispy outside, soft inside. Doesn't get much better than that!

I love this place...Best bagel shop in town. I know some people are fans of Cafe Fresh Bagel but I just went there and the Lox on my bagel was spoiled...when I brought it to the owner's attention he claimed that "that's how it's supposed to taste". Sure if you want to vomit! Bagel's best always has fresh lox, fresh bagels and they make wonderful platters for catering... read more

I had to come into Needham for a work seminar and happen to get into the town early so I drove around and found this bagel shop.. I was taken back by the way the people that work there treated me.. The young lady at the register was very pleasant and kind but the middle aged couple working the line had such attitude.. First they stare you up an down like if you were from another planet.. Then they put the order up and don't call the food.. I asked if that was my egg and cheese to the gentleman and the lady rudely replied "NO EGG WHITE" I was shocked and appalled.. I stayed and proceeded to wait Bc I was hungry and did not have a lot of time to go look for another place.. As I sat there eating my bagel I could not help but notice how miserable the two were, it made me feel like I was bothering them to give them the business! Awful! I sure wont be eating your under-baked bagels any time soon! And just or the Future, it would be good and respectful to your customers to speak English while they are around you! read more

The bagels were expensive, tasted old and came with service with a frown. I haven't spent much time in Needham but I'd be hitting up just about any place else over this place for bagels. read more

Best bagels in metro-west area! We find ourselves there nearly every weekend! I love their tofu based cream cheese and their cinnamon glaze bagel is a treat!!! read more

Great local place. Everyone knows each other, very friendly service. The bagel are great and so are all the goodies they sell. Very kid friendly.. Check it out, you won't be disappointed read more

Terrible service on more than one occasion. They don't often bother to make sure the signs on the baskets say what is actually in the basket, so the bagel selection is always somewhat of a mystery to those of us "not in the know." Beyond that, more than once having to remind them to give me a coffee cup (which I ordered). Too bad, because the bagels are good. But service trumps taste, so I won't be a future customer. read more