This is one of the very few proper bagel shops in the East Bay. It is not just a fancy sandwich shop on circular bread. Rather, it is part of an older generation of storefronts for specialized bakeries. Bagels are baked throughout the day and poured into bins, proudly located for the customer to view and choose. And it doesn't hurt that they make a respectable bagel. The bagels proclaim themselves as New York style, and they fall on the softer end of normal variation. We ordered poppy and onion bagels today. The dough in the poppy was malty and chewy, though it did not provide much structure. You can spread cream cheese over it and tear off pieces, but it won't support an open-faced sandwich. The crust was glossy and toothsome but not crisp. The onion bagel was similar in texture but notable because the bakers roll (rehydrated?) sautéed onion into the dough. The crumb is a bit softer as a result and the flavor is sweet and complex from the onion. It's definitely worth trying here. Berkeley Bagels has been around forever and feels like a real institution. It is not part of the SF bread scene, nor the new wave of modern sandwich-focused shops. It is a dependable, better-than-average bagel made by your neighbors. What's not to love? read more

Unfortunately we were disappointed. I remember loving this place a few years ago, but I think the quality may have dipped a bit :( We ordered a mocha, Thai tea, a bagel, and a kebab plate. The coffee and tea were WAY too sweet, it felt like we were drinking liquid sugar. The bagel was alright, but the slices of tomato and cucumber were very thick and it wasn't appetizing as they kept falling out and making the bagel mushy. The kebab plate had a melted salad dressing container in it, and the melted plastic got on some of the chicken, which made it inedible. I'm not sure if they were just having a bad day or if staff was overwhelmed, but overall it was a bad experience. read more

Excellent quality bagels, good offerings on the menu. Very nice customer service from this family-run business. Easy location to get to and park at. The biggest feature of this shop is that they do mini-bagels to order. This is a great offering to bring to parties and brunches, since guests can get just enough of a bagel and not waste a whole or half full-sized one. read more

Ordered bagels and lox. Too much cream cheese and one thin slice of lox. Not worth the money.

Pretty good bagel place. They even sell kebabs which were freshly cooked! The bagel was packed with food and sauce. Definitely made me full Service was nice. Folks who work there were super chill. They were helpful when we asked what the options had in the menu. Ambiance inside is average, just a typical bagel place with some small chairs tables etc. Overall, a good bagel place! read more

See all

Ordered and paid for two bacon, egg, and cheese bagels. Both missing the bacon. Food was bland. Size of the bagel was small compared to what I get in the city for the same price. Not a good first impression and I'm left unsatisfied. read more

Berkeley Bagels - Ordered bacon, egg, and cheese. No bacon... - Bagels Near Me - Berkeley, California

I really loved this place. It is a small but busy store with fresh bagels and homemade cream cheese. The bagels are reasonably priced for being homemade and a good size. Not as chewy as I like them but still very good. They have many options for flavored cream cheese and we went with the vegetable crunch which was light yet filling. They also have day old bagels for sale- 6 for 6$ which seems like a great price! The staff was very quick and it seems to be a regular place for locals nearby. While it is small, there seems to be a little seating/standing area inside and some seating outside. read more

See all

Stopped by this bagel shop due to the vicinity from my job. The warm chicken sandwich i bought was delicious but the bagels were not great. For a bagel spot, with bagels in it's name, it was such a let down. Bagels were not soft for being day of. If i went back i'd just order the sandwiches, full of flavor read more

These bagels are the most similar to old style NY bagels I've had in California. The crust has a bit of a snap, the interior is dense and chewy, and the savory bagels are not sweet and are a good size, not on steroids like others. The staff let me in a few minutes after they closed. They were so friendly and helpful. Two negatives: the lox spread tasted subtly of lox but had no pieces of lox; the bialy is not right. It was a flattened bagel with the onion mix on it. The taste was fine but a bialy is not a flat bagel- it's a different dough with more air, more crisp, less dense. Boichick bialies are excellent. All in all, a solid choice for a good bagel. read more

I have tried this place a few times this week... First, ordered a pastry and then a bagel. The pastry was an edible, and I threw it in the trash. The pastry was freezing cold... And stale. Also, it had a very strong taste of leftover onion. Like the woman had been storing the pastries with onions and cheese, it was inedible. The bagel on the other hand was overcooked and very small, not a good value. I would not recommend and I would never never go back. read more

Mediocre food and not a real bagel shop. Weird mix of Thai and bagels combined with unappreciative rude Asian ladies making your bagels. Hopefully they go out of business so we can get a real bagel shop there. Only thing keeping them open is location and them begging for support a few years ago. read more

On my way to my son's early 8am little league game. No breakfast this morning, but no worries, something will come up on the drive. At this point i'm thinking to myself: It's 750am, so it'll have to be a quick get-it-in breakfast. No sooner did those thoughts enter my head when Berkeley Bagels appeared on the horizon, so we pulled over and hustled in. The morning line was short, only two people in front of me and before I knew it the lady working the counter took my order. We ordered an everything bagel and cheese bagel with cream cheese along with a medium coffee. Total ran around $10. We were back in the car only a few minutes away from our destination, chowing down on some delicious bagels, and made it to practice with not a minute to spare. The coffee I chose out of the three available was a strong Brazilian medium roast, and my toasted bagel with cream cheese really hit the spot. read more

See all

I haven't been to this bagel place in a while, but went there this morning, where I ordered a sesame breakfast bagel with eggs, cheese and sausage and a hot mocha with almond milk. I was not only impressed with the customer service and efficiency with the comfortable feel of a community-oriented business, but the breakfast bagel and coffee were as good or even better than the equivalent at any other cafe or bagel shop! The sandwich was fresh and tasted homemade and made to order and very delicious, and the 12-ounce mocha was a genuine 12-ounce (some places, it feels like I get 8 ounces when I ask for 12), and it was exactly what I hoped for, and could definitely taste the almond milk. It was very tasty and fulfilling and hot (not lukewarm)! I encourage everyone to go to Berkeley Bagels if you want delicious food and family-oriented customer service at great prices! read more

Berkeley bagels egg and cheese never disappoints. Service can be a wee bit slow but they only have one or two people working behind the counter so I give them some grace there. Lots of different options I've yet to try but can't go wrong with their bagels. read more

The best bagel breakfast sandwich in Berkeley Their bagels rival Boichik Bagels up on College Avenue--i.e. wait-in-like-outside-the-store amazing. Super nice people behind the counter round out a super nice experience. Thanks! read more

Berkeley Bagels - Everything bagel with Turkey sausage, scrambled eggs, cheese, avocado, tomato, and onions - Bagels Near Me - Berkeley, California

Service was amazing. The staff is super friendly. It's a cozy small place that makes you feel like home. Everything is fresh. My favorite is the BLT with avocado. Definitely a hidden gem in Berkeley. read more

See all

The lady running the place is rude. Very rude. Asked for a muffin in middle because it had more blueberries and she yelled "all are same" I said no first two have almost none and she yells "it doesn't matter take one I give" Food isn't good enough for that level of rudeness. read more

The bagel sandwiches were pretty good. Got an everything bagel sandwich with bacon and egg. It was a little bland but luckily the flavoring from the bagel was good. Was disappointed to open my sandwich and see it full of melted cheese. Would've appreciated it if all ingredients were listed under items on the menu so that there aren't surprises like this Edit since I can't respond to the comment below. Unfortunately both comments made are incorrect and it's unfortunate that this is the response to my inquiry. Had to update my rating to reflect this attitude Second edit* the owner continued to call me incorrect in our messages, said they had video of our interaction of them asking if cheese was okay and me saying yes which was false and never provided. They said they had a picture of their menu that reflected that all sandwiches had cheese but unfortunately the photo was taken after our interaction and clearly shows that they erased the old board and written to update with cheese, but if you look back at any older photos posted here of the menu you can clearly see they only added after my review. Overall, poor, poor treatment of a customer. Instead of saying "hey thanks for bringing this to our attention, we've updated the sign to clear up any confusion in the future", I'm being called a liar from the owner. Not great read more

It seems like they could do the one thing Boichik and Saul couldn't, and that's to make a decent cream cheese and Lox on a bagel. I go back home to NY occasionally to get the real thing, but it's always nice to have one close by who can contribute to my cause. BB read more

Service was amazing & my lox bagel was pretty good too! Would love to come again & try their other bagels & house made cream cheese.

Adore family run businesses! Everyone's warm, the bagels & ingredients taste fresh & delicious and the set up's fun & easy. Ps. Just check your order once you get it if requesting multiple bagel sandwiches with various ingredients. read more

Local bagel shop that has been in Berkeley for 30 years. Family run and you can feel it in the service! Bagels are chewy and delicious boiled goodness. Highly recommend the lox schmere. They also make great chicken skewers and fresh juices. read more

Had an garlic bagel BLT and that was by far the hardest BLT I've ever eaten. It hurt the roof of my mouth to the point it was raw. Definitely stay away from that and stick with a different bagel and cream cheese. Did like that they had a bundle option for day old bagels. read more

See all

Yum!!! There's not many bagels around the NorthCal. Wait let me take it back there is places but not all of them are good. Normally, I go to my family places to get some but when I'm in an area like Berkeley which I literally come like 2-3 a week, I come here to shop eat, hangout etc. This place is pretty good! Their bagels aren't so chewy as some places I had. Cream cheese is pretty tasty it wasn't overly salty or powerful taste it's nice and light I got their sun dried tomatoes which I barely see a lot of places have that. I almost got their chicken kebabs which I will try next time. I got their Asiago bagel which was delicious. I like how there's a good amount cheese that's melted on the bagels. Unlike some places again and sometimes Noah. Definitely way better than Panera bread in my opinion. I say this place is a 4/5. Staff was really friendly and helpful. Definitely come back here again. read more

Berkeley Bagels - Sausage, Asiago bagel extra toasted, cucumbers, sun dried tomatoes. - Bagels Near Me - Berkeley, California

My bestie randomly got me a bagel from here a few weeks ago and I have literally been hooked. Its a kind of whole in the wall establishment but once you walk inside its so cute. They have TONS of options - from bagel dogs, bagel sandwiches, actual sandwiches, salads, fruit, desserts, espresso drinks etc! They have all sorts of fancy cheeses they make in house. I always get the one with peppers, and to be honest it had me hooked immediately! I crave these constantly. Check them out! read more

Berkeley Bagels - my go to cheese bagel, toasted, with their super yummy special pepper spread with tomato. - Bagels Near Me - Berkeley, California

Had a chance to try Berkeley bagels yesterday and really enjoyed the food there. They were thankfully open July fourth so we got to walk over and try some of their bomb bagels! This place is pretty extensive with their menu so they have everything from scrambles to bagel sandwiches to juices. I ended up getting a onion bagel with cream cheese, pickled jalapenos and melted cheddar cheese on top. It was one of their melts which was on the menu that I decided to give a try, and thankfully I loved it! Overall enjoyed the experience! read more

Berkeley Bagels - Bagels Near Me - Berkeley, California

Love this place! Super yummy. Classic bagel. Great service. The crust of the bagels from Berkeley Bagels have that quality you want in a real bagel. read more

I've been to this place several times and love the egg sandwich bagels (The Works) for a hearty breakfast. Everything is made on the spot and includes egg, mushrooms, avocado, cheese, and meat of choice! I go back for the quality of their bagels- perfectly crispy on the outside but still chewy. I do think they lack in their service-it is super slow and not very efficient so I hope they can improve this. Several things to note- they add butter to the bagels so if make sure to ask for none if you don't want any! They also charge 0.70 per credit card transaction so try to bring cash if you can. The staff is friendly and I appreciate them being open during Covid so this is a great local place to support. read more

Berkeley Bagels - two halves of a sandwich - Bagels Near Me - Berkeley, California

Crap bagel and an increasingly dumpy space. This could be a very quaint and delightful space. Rude service. This is not a local place anymore. Overcharged for a dry, under toasted bagel with a scant amount of cream cheese cut up for toddlers (I did not ask for this as I'm a grown up capable of eating a half slice of bagel) and a side of lip. I can't imagine how they stay open. read more

We come here every weekend. Believe me when I say it's the best Vietnamese Iced Coffee in East Bay. The bagels are also so good and never disappoint! Worth visiting whenever since they also provide lunch sandwiches. Highly recommend this place! read more

Ok Service, Ok food.. Breakfast burrito was not good at all. It says it has cilantro but it didn't. Tortilla wasn't toasted, I don't even know what I ate. Bagle itselt was good,but not like it has to be here. We probably wouldn't go back.. read more

Great food! Fresh! Yummy bagels! Kabobs, smoothies are delicious! Yum yum yum Cozy neighborhood hangout read more

A gem of a neighborhood bagel shop. Classic bagels done right. And as other reviewers have mentioned, the bagel sandwiches are great with generous servings. A few tables inside and out and decent coffee. read more

Best bagels in East Bay with lovely and friendly staff that always seek to make best food. The challah bread is delicious as are the sandwiches and grilled chicken offered. They've been my go to place for decades! read more

This place is located where Brothers Bagels used to be many years ago. I just had a truly terrible tuna sandwich on an onion bagel. It was a soggy mess. I could hardly keep it from falling apart. The bagel became a slippery soaked sponge. Very unappetizing. read more

This place is my go to spot for bagels when I'm in East Bay. I always have to stop on my way home. The staff there are all really nice and the service is great! It's such a small little hole in the wall kind of place. So don't expect anything fancy, expect really good bagels and service though. read more

A real neighborhood gem. Lots of options and reasonable. Good coffee too! Terrific customer service.

o dears... The Best Bageles for our family since these Wonderful Folks took over Love Nancy Dulberg & Bill Dane. read more

Stopped here for breakfast and I was pleased with the selections and the quality of the food. I had a salt bagel with cream cheese, lox, onions and tomato. My wife had the pizza melt but substituted turkey for the pepperoni. It was really quite tasty. The coffee was good as well. read more

Good bagels. Used to say they were the best in Berkeley but Boichik moved in so they're giving them a run for their money. They are less expensive than Boichik but still pretty pricey ($20 for a dozen bagels). The customer service is pretty mid so I'm thinking next time I'm going to the competition to see if the experience is better. Coffee is self serve in a carafe. That's pretty old school. So, meh. Good, not great. Maybe class it up a little bit to make the prices seem justified. read more