THIS PLACE IS AWESOME! I got the lox sandwich on an Everything bagel and was instantly hooked. Sandwiched between the Everything bagel were a nice slice of brined salmon, healthy slab of cream cheese, and a bit of onions, tomatoes, and cucumbers. It was perfection, made me crave for it every single day afterward. I finally gave in to craving and got it again two weeks later. Still perfect! Of course, the bagels and cream cheese themselves are great. Bagels are well made - tasty, fresh, and has just the right amount of chewiness. My favorite is the XL Chocolate Chip and Everything bagels. I really like the tomato basil too but it might be an acquired taste for some. I should add that everything is dirt cheap here - regular bagels are 45 cents/pc and around $5.40 for a baker's dozen. Carb overloading without breaking your bank account! Forever Bagel has forever changed my view of bagels and minimum standard for bagel sandwiches. Keep doing what you're doing! read more

These are good bagels. They are not large, they have the right amount of chew. The taste is even on par with an average NYC bagel. A very good bagel is usually hard to find outside NY but these satisfy. read more

Start with the simple fact that outside of H&H Bagels in NYC you can't find a decent bagel (and outside of Zabar's you can't find decent lox or smoked sturgeon), but this Madison landmark is the next best thing. Great selection, always super fresh, perfect texture. The store is the experience. Expect a line every morning, and it's worth the wait. Cheap bagels, and a little secret - Boar's Head deli meats for a fraction of what you'd pay at Metcalfes. My favorite, their "Sushi Bagel", a lox and cream cheese on bagel of your choosing with capers, onions and tomato, for like $3.50?? Awesome. read more

BEST BAGELS IN MADISON... seriously, there is no reason to go anywhere else... and cheap and fresh. YUM

Incredible! I cannot believe I've been in Madison for 6 years and missed this place. Good cheap food. Unpretentious service. I cannot believe that I'd pay three times as much for the same bagel at Gotham, Panera and their ilk. If only more people knew about this place! Recommended sandwiches: Lox, Reuben Recommended bagel: "The Everything" Best Deal: potato-salad for 50 cents. ....and look at their prices on ice-creams, juice, milk and other sides. Its incredible that there's a business still around that doesn't want to make a killing on everything. Sometimes I judge a place based on the diversity of its clientele (or the diversity of the cars in the parking lot): This place wins. School kids on break, lawyers in suits, gossiping secretaries, UW students, tradesmen in overalls, grandpa on a walk, this place gets it all. This place shows that, recession, or not, if you have the right business model, a restaurant in Madison can offer good cheap food and thrive. Quit cribbing, other restaurants. One of the best places in Madison. Period. read more

This spot is such a Madison institution - if you like a good bagel this is the spot. The prices are exceptional. I highly recommend the lox on an everything bagel - it is perfection and with a price tag at about $4 you can't beat it!! The bagels are slightly smaller than a standard bagel, but that just allows you to feel less guilty about the indulgence! read more

I just go here for the LOX!!! it's the best I've found in Madison so far..

I'm sorry New Yorkers, but I think these are the best bagels... Maybe I just haven't had the right New York bagel yet. Anyway, I grew up on these and still have an intense love for these bagels. They crisp up on the outside and are still chewy on the inside when you toast them. And, they are the perfect size. Just like Goldilocks' bed: not to big and not too small... Just right! Try the jalapeno cornmeal, which is excellent and not available in stores. read more

I fell in love with their bagels when I discovered them in the freezer section of a Chicagoland grocery store. Even frozen, their bagels are lovely. So, on a recent trip to Madison, I made sure to make a stop at the store attached to the Bagels Forever factory. It was worth the trip through campustown construction. BF makes the best bagels outside of New York - delightfully chewy and delectably delicious. The bagels were still warm at 7:00 on Friday morning. The cranberry oat (my favorite from the freezer case) was even better when it was fresh, and we also got to try their jalapeno-cornmeal and chocolate chip bagels. All outstanding. We got a lox sandwich, which was fantastic and awfully attractively presented, especially considering the no-frills deli counter style of the place. For the price, it is a huge serving of very tasty salmon. If you just want a little bit of lox, get the salmon cream cheese instead. But don't really do that, because the big slice of lox is just so delicious. Our bagels were so terrific that we came back on our way out of town to bring home a ton of their bagels. 4 days later, they are almost gone, but they are still tasting fresh and delicious. I haven't even had to toast them. Love them! read more

People working were very nice and there was a large selection, but this is not a bagel. It's a small puck of bread. Don't see any reason to come back here when the grocery store bagels are no worse to me. read more

These are excellent bagels, small dense and chewy, and the prices are very reasonable ($6 for a bakers dozen). Worth the trip to get them fresh, and to score the cornmeal and jalapeño bagel variety that's harder to find frozen at the supermarket. read more

The bagels themselves are good. Everything you can order from here is good but their customer service SUCKS. My fiance goes in and orders. Waits and is passed up by people who walk in after. Happens EVERY time. I don't know why but it's rude and irritating. read more

Bagels Forever - What is this??? After 15 mins of waiting too. Worst I've ever had from anywhere. - Bagels Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

I LOVE Bagels Forever! I live in Virginia and i have bagels shipped to me by mail. You can order them online. The french toast bagels are my favorite and they will make your kitchen smell great too! Everything from Bagels Forever is Delicious. You don't have to live in Madison to enjoy it. Order online! : ) read more

We always stop in when visiting family! Grew up eating these bagels & now my kiddos love them to!

Fast, friendly and fresh! The bagel was so good, don't forget the cream cheese. Chips and sandwich was around $5, GREAT deal! Lots of parking, no room to eat inside, it's a order and hit the road kind of place. Will def return! read more

I swear, the only reason people go someplace else (god forbid, a chain like Ein-----'- or Brug---'s) is because they don't know BF exists. It's fresher, cheaper and yummier than anyplace else in Madison. I love the place, and I miss it whenever I leave Madison. They even have a parking lot. It doesn't get better than Bagel's Forever! read more

Another NYer here (Brooklyn, not the hipster part). They're adequate. They're cheap. They're crowded and kind of clueless. Better than a kick in the head.Don't think you're missing anything if you buy them frozen from the supermarket, except the really oblivious customers and the unexperienced staff, nice enough, but just not up to it. Maybe I will go during the off hours if I am passing by. More than once I have walked in, saw the disaster going on, and walked out. I have no patience for such things. But really really cheap, really cheap. And not disgusting. So it works for that. read more

When I moved here a few months ago it was the name that caught my eye. I love bagels and it just sounded like a place I needed to be. Being right up against the road it truly called to me. these are the most delicious bagels for the cheapest price I have seen anywhere. They use quality meats and cheeses and it has to be said again how cheap this place is. This is my go to breakfast or lunch place for a quick bite that satisfies every single time. read more

Always a must stop when coming in town. Quick easy in and out for some of the better bagels around. Fresh and made the proper way.

Their bagels were really good and I would get them again. The staff was also very friendly and helpful. My wife has bad food allergies and they were good about not mixing her food with anythig that she is allergic to. The only reason i have to mark them down on is the breakfast sandwich was nothing to special. The egg was just a frozen patty microwaved. Stick with a bagel. read more

Solid bagel joint!! The bagel and lox were great and my only complaint would be that the egg on the bacon, egg and cheese was a bit strange tasting. Other than that, it was a wonderful place to grab bagels. read more

I grew up in NYC and these are my favorite bagels. Especially the poppy seed. They are just the right size, chewy and delicious. They are good frozen from the grocery store but heavenly purchased at the bakery. I always buy a bunch whenever I am in Madison. They are priced great, too. read more

Everything I have tried here has been amazing. Whether it was the $2 bagel sandwiches or $3 for bagels with lox, you cant beat the the quality of bagels at this place. read more

By no means the world's best bagels, but I grew up eating a cinnamon raisin bagel for lunch every single day, so these will always be my favorite. read more

Very good and cheap but crappy service. The staff is slow, rude and inefficient.

This is where I fell in love with bagels... I grab one on my way to work every other day as breakfast, and tried different combinations. Would recommend egg, blueberry, onion bagels, and glazed everything. read more

Forget Einstein's and freezer bagels. With Bagels Forever, why would you go anywhere else? The bagels truly remind me of the best bagels in NYC. read more

The bagels are fresh & yummy. There's a variety of toppings from which to choose. The staff are friendly. The prices are reasonable.

Can be a little slow for a "fast" setup but worth the wait for their amazing bagel sandwiches. Both breakfast and lunch sandwiches are killer. read more

Amazing bagels that are crazy cheap, and in my opinion, making them in-house really improves the flavor.

This place is a local favorite and has unparalleled bagels for unparalleled prices. Their bagel sandwiches are an awesome deal. I highly recommend coming here if you haven't, especially if you're from out of town, because I'd say it's an essential Madison experience! read more

Delicious bagels that are usually cheaper than those made elsewhere and carted in! Very friendly and helpful customer service.

This is essentially a bagels factory. If you love bagels, you should probably hit this place up and not stop coming here if you like them. If you are not looking for just bagels, bagels forever is not for you. read more

Yes the bagels are wonderful and it's great pricing. But the customer service is the worst thing in the world. Every time I have been there, they have the worlds grumpiest old man working, he must be a manager but he is rude the entire time you are there. Starting with the greeting- or lack there of. Then you go on to order, if you ask a question- either don't expect a response or expect not to hear him bc he doesn't speak loud enough in the least. Then he will go out of his way to charge more than he should. I ordered from him a bagel box+another dozen bagels. He said instead we should do 3 dozen bagels and buy cream cheese- so we did that, it ended up costing much more than anticipated. Also he knew it was for a school teacher and refused a discount or any help. He's the worst to everyone. read more

Was hopping for something similar to a Montreal bagel which in my humble opinion is the best bagels on the North American continent. These bagels are good. Slightly better than a quality store boughten bagel. That said, Montreal style bagels are a 7 out of 5. Worth a good if you're in the area but wouldn't go out of my way. read more

By far the best bagle place for 100 miles around. Top that off with fair pricin and great service and you have a winner! By far the best breakfast sandwich around. Too bad they don't have a drive through. Yes they are that fast in the morning. read more

Honestly, I do not understand how Einsteins or any other bagel place is even in business when Bagels Forever is an option. I have to say, this is the only place I have been coming to since I was 3 years old (20 years ago) and it is just as awesome and amazing now as it was then. The best bagels you will ever eat, period. I have yet to find one as good, or even to come close. And in the last 20 years they have added lovely things, like yummy sandwiches made fresh, coffee that is locally made, and hours that allow you to enjoy your bagels morning, noon and night:) All that and the bagels have only gone up 20 cents in 20 years! Seriously, drop whatever you're doing and go. You will be doing yourself the biggest favor. read more

These are some of the best bagels in Madison, and at a great price! I adore their sandwiches, they're the perfect lunch to take to school or work. They wrap them up in a little plastic container, and even include a pickle. Yum! read more

The best, look forward to going every weekend! Inexpensive Bagels (and coffee), stock up for the week and you will thank yourself when you don't have to do any grocery shopping later on in the week. The selection is out of this world and the staff is friendly and efficient. read more

Amazing freshly-made bagels! Very inexpensive as well. Bagels freeze well, and can be purchased in bulk!