Bernstein's Bagels is more than an eatery - it's a community. We liked the food and the experience so much that we came here two days in a row for breakfast. Bernstein's is a popular spot - having arrived at the opening time we felt lucky to secure a table. Here is what we ordered: bagel and lox, garden bagel and raisin smear bagel; as well as coffee. Everything was so good that even the picky eater amongst us had no complaints. We also enjoyed conversing with other patrons at Bernstein's. Having quickly deciphered that we are visiting from out of town (probably by overhearing us talk - the tables are very close together) they immediately made us feel welcome and recommended places to visit around Portland. We usually don't talk to strangers, so being pulled into a friendly conversation was a different kind of experience for us, but the one that we enjoyed with gratitude. Overall, this a great breakfast spot! read more

Bernstein's is a tough place to grade, especially if you're from the place whose bagels, cream cheese, and sandwiches it's trying to emulate. I've been coming here since they were tucked away in St. John's and were the bagel provider for the Portland Art Museum's cafe, and it's produced a love-hate relationship. I love the new place on Russell Street and the coffeehouse aesthetic that fits its corner of Portland far better than an average bagel shop. I love that they've gone through the trouble of learning to prepare bagels correctly and have trained Portland to expect a chewiness to their bagel and a mild tackiness often incorrectly identified as "crisp" on the exterior. I love that they use Nossa Familia coffee--the city's closest approximation to East Coast Italian roasts--and that they attempt lox and capers, tuna salad, and pork roll, egg, and cheese sandwiches. But there's still a whole lot to hate. I hate that it makes me pay $3 for a bagel that cooked to pretzel density half the time (a common overcompensation in this market) before it's touched by so much as an ounce of cream cheese. I hate that buying in bulk scarcely dents that price to the level of competitors who have rapidly gained on the shop's quality. I hate that pork roll (loose, cheap pig renderings mashed into a sausage and sliced), a Kraft single, and an egg on their bagel goes for $15 (!). And I quite frankly hate that I regularly have to include these obnoxiously pricey bagels among the city's best for lack of better options. It encourages newcomers to set even higher per-bagel prices without the quality to back it up--making for angry, disappointed customers--and creates an unsustainable novelty for a product that thrives in everyday available volume. The one $5 bagel in town exists solely because it's using flavors and ingredients uncommon to the medium, but I'm no sure that spot on Sandy can keep up its one-bagel-at-a-time approach forever. Bernstein's has found its place, but not without making certain adjustments along the way. Its lines have given way to advance ordering and easy pickup. Its bagel, schmear, and sandwich menus have broadened as it attempts to give people more for their money. And with competitors entering the market on the East Side at $4 to $5 per plain bagel, offering that same price for a bagel with cream cheese makes them the better point of comparison on their side of the river. Bernstein's can be an above-average to really good bagel for this market, but its greatness relies heavily on just how willing you are to cross a bridge. read more

Delicious local bagel specialty spot! Great service, including sliced bagels in a ziploc bag for travel order. Pretty cute and cozy antique atmosphere with a limited space for sitting. read more

Bernstein's Bagels - Bagels Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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I've seen pictures on social media and was really looking forward to trying this place and it did not disappoint! The bagel texture is perfectly soft and chewy and they do not skimp on the cream cheese or sandwich ingredients. A little expensive for a bagel, but it is in the city and the size of the bagel is good. read more

Bernstein's Bagels - Lox sando - Bagels Near Me - Portland, Oregon

We stopped at Bernstein's Bagels while on our way to the Falls because we were craving bagels--and we're big bagel people. We happened to find this spot along the way, and the bagels looked really promising, so we had to stop. We grabbed some plain bagels, which were tasty and good flavor. I also ordered a bagel with egg, but that one kind of threw me off. I'm not a fan of spongy eggs--they always feel a little fake to me . That said, I was hungry, so I still ate it. Overall, it was a good stop and definitely satisfied our bagel craving before hitting the road. I'd come back for the plain bagels, just maybe skip the egg next time. read more

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Bernstein's is a cozy bagel shop with delicious bagel sandwiches. I came on a Saturday around 9am and there was surprisingly no line and the food came out fast. I got the summer tomato sando with Mama Lil's schmear on a salt bagel. The salt bagel was amazing as it had a nice firm exterior and a soft and warm inside with the perfect amount of salt. The tomato was sweet and ripe, which paired great with the savory cream cheese and the salty bagel. My boyfriend got the popper sando on a salt bagel and loved it too! read more

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Grabbed a couple lox bagels, before heading out for a walk and picnic. Ordered over the phone, and everything was quick and easy with pick up. Bagels were filled very nicely. Only gripe is they were a bit chewy and sometimes hard to tackle.... but still delicious . I would come back. Maybe it was just the bagel it was? Onion. Either way, forgivable. read more

Insanely good every single time!! One of the best bagel spots in Portland! Can't get enough of their Lox on everything bagel! The consistency and friendliness of the staff keeps us coming back here everytime. There's a lot of street parking that's very easy to find a spot and grab your bagel! read more

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Amazing bagel sandwiches! They do not skim out on the quality and quantity of the their ingrdients here, especially on the house cream cheese which come in many flavors. We loved the Popper and the Breakfast Sandwich. The fluffy omlette was a very nice touch. This was a great breakfast to get you going. Inside is small but super cozy. Most people order to-go anyways so you shouldn't have problems grabbing a seat. Can't wait to try more! read more

Bernstein's Bagels - Breakfast Sandwich - Bagels Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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I am so excited to write this review because of the incredible memories I have made here!! While I have only been to the bagel shop once, it holds such a special place in my heart. First off - the bagels were incredible. Just the highest quality of any that you'll find - anywhere. Fresh made in house, to unique and flavorful cream cheese. I can not say this enough. BEST. BAGELS. EVER. Service was very friendly and fast - great staff works there. Ambiance was quaint like a coffee shop! Me and my boyfriend also got shirts here that we have worn to so many special events and it just fills my heart with the memories we made stopping in during our Oregon trip on a Friday morning. Thank you all so much for an incredible product and incredible memories! Cheers !! read more

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Recognized by Bon Appetit. Seems to be a young hipster destination ~ families are dressed in muted colors & knitted caps. Lots of children & doggies oddly having very little seating indoor or outside. Packed line out the door nevertheless. Do not expect much in service as everyone orders to go and tip is asked. Stand outside if you want to chew it fresh. Nice flavorful spread, well seeded Everything, great for the neighborhood. read more

Bernstein's Bagels - Everything ;) - Bagels Near Me - Portland, Oregon

I love this bagel spot. It was my go-to when I lived closer, now we plan trips around going. The garlic bagel is so good, but you really can't go wrong with any. Holy chiver cream cheese is amazing but I'm always curious what they have for their monthly special. I usually get the garden delight bagel sandwich. Price might feel steep but this company pays their folks and doesn't allow for tip. Service is walk up. Always friendly. Not a lot of places to sit but that's okay. read more

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We were looking for a quick grab and go breakfast and came across Bernstein's Bagels. I ordered the lox bagel, which is my favorite kind. We ordered ahead, so our food was ready for pickup by the time we arrived. The shop is small with limited seating, so I'd definitely recommend it as a grab and go spot. Overall, the bagel was solid, but as someone who's had many in New York, it doesn't quite compare. read more

Bernstein's Bagels - Lox - Bagels Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Like most places in Portland, the customers who all shop here are oblivious and insufferable. Not really the businesses' fault for that I guess. But as for the food, my bagel was boiled to the point where it stopped being a bagel and instead was a pretzel. Literally, tasted exactly like a pretzel. The sandwich itself; $15 for a slice of ham, Kraft American cheese and an egg on a "bagel." Back home in Honolulu, one of the most expensive cities in the US, I can get slow roasted brisket on a bagel for cheaper than that. read more

Bernstein's Bagels - Bagels Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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I loved the amount of creative schmear options! The holy chiver schmear was savory and herby with a pop of lemony citrus that cut through the richness. The bagels themselves were fluffy and on par with ny bagels! read more

Bernstein's Bagels - Salt bagel with holy chiver schmear - Bagels Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Best bagels I've had in Portland. Great prices, always have parking spots nearby, and the customer service is awesome. My favorite spot! I try to order ahead because they're so yummy they can sell out fast read more

Very excellent lox sandwich and the bagel was a lovely texture. The everything bagel had a great array of seeds and things. I will be returning! read more

I love this place. Cute little shop with friendly staff. Every time I've gone they are steadily busy, there's an immediate line when they open. My order is always the salt bagel with holy chiver schmear, I could eat the schmear on its own it's so lemony and delicious. Bagels have a good crust and are soft and fluffy inside. Highly recommend putting in an order on their website if you plan on doing grab and go read more

Bernstein's Bagels - Salt Bagel with Holy Chiver Schmear - Bagels Near Me - Portland, Oregon

I've passed by this place a couple times driving to Mississippi and had it bookmarked as I can never make it on time on the weekends before they're not sold out for what I want to try. I know the whitefish was popular but after checking their socials I saw they had a pork roll special with olympia provisions so I had to come check it out. Again came really close to closing (my bad) but luckily they still had some left. No more everything bagels but I opted for the garlic bagel and I enjoyed it. The bagels sandwiches are massive and with the pork roll, eggs, and cheese it was a great breakfast. The bagel itself had a nice chew and I liked that the garlic wasn't too overpowering. A little messy to eat but staff was super friendly and quick. I didn't get to stay too long as they were closing up but next time I'd be down to come earlier and enjoy the space. read more

Bernstein's Bagels - Bagels Near Me - Portland, Oregon

The breakfast sandwich was amazing. The egg was fresh, the cream cheese was balanced with the bagel and meat. We arrived at the shop right at 8am , the service was great as staff were very friendly. I can't wait to come back on my next visit to Portland. read more

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Excellent egg texture but minimal arugula and prosciutto). Schemer is great but squishes out of the bagels when you bite into it, due to the bagels density/harder exterior. read more

Bernstein's Bagels - Breakfast sandwich - Bagels Near Me - Portland, Oregon

First time here, ordered their lox bagel on an everything bagel and It was delicious. Also tried their pumpernickel bagel with cream cheese and it was different, I never had or tried pumpernickel before so the taste was a little weird at first but it was good. They do add a lot of cream cheese but it was a good amount. Service was wonderful, it's a cute bagel shop on a corner. Definitely will be checking this place out when I'm in the area again! read more

I read somewhere that they've got the best bagels in Portland, so I definitely had to stop by. Unfortunately, I thought they were below average bagels. What I look for, and what I think most people look for, is a thin crisp on the outside and a soft, chewy, inside. I didn't really get either of those things though. There wasn't much of a crisp on the outside that cracks as you bite into it, and the inside was a little tough and hard to chew. It didn't feel like it was fresh. Granted, I showed up around 11:45am. Maybe if I arrived first thing in the morning they'd have been better. But still. The cream cheese was good though. It had a nice little tangyness to it that I enjoyed. read more

Bernstein's Bagels - Bagels Near Me - Portland, Oregon

It's by no means cheap but they do a great job with their bagels and their presentation. For an upscale nosh, I recommend it.

These bagels were the classic chewy bagel, and the schmear is a hearty helping. In short, perfect and maybe the best bagels we have had in a long time. I got the salt bagel with the Timothée Caciomet "Marty Supepe" (cacio é pepe) and my partner had a plain bagel with Holy Chiver schmear, both toasted. So good!! read more

The bagels were so good my boyfriend ordered another of the lox. The ambiance is a cool, hipster vibe. Great music, great food, what more can you ask for? read more

This is a GOOD bagel and cream cheese! I don't think I'd order the cranberry again, it wasn't as flavorful as I would have liked but the everything bagel and cream cheese were perfect! I also ordered for pick up and they were super quick making it! read more

Bernstein's Bagels - Turkey Cranberry bagel - Bagels Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Bernstein's definitely has the best bagels in Portland! I like to order a lox everything bagel. It is loaded with lots of cream cheese, smoked salmon, capers, and onions. Make sure to get there early though, because they often sell out! read more

Bernstein's Bagels - Lox Bagel - Bagels Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Ordered ahead and they were almost out of bagels at 9:30 am. They post that they're open until 2, but if they run out of bagels they close early. We were there on a Monday after a holiday weekend and it was busy! Staff were helpful and seem to really like each other. The vibe is quite industrial and the plant (I'm obsessed with plants) was covered with flour and needed a good wipe down. Our bagels were perfectly chewy and crusty. The shmear is GENEROUS which I wasn't expecting and ordered extra - whoops Single toasting has no color on the bagel, but makes it warm. Beverages are in a case - although they might have coffee - I had juice and it was disappointing. A great bagel spot when the mood strikes read more

Bernstein's Bagels - Interior - Bagels Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Food is amazing! Worth the trip and will definitely visit on my return trips to Portland. It's also right next to McMenamins White Eagle which I'll be back for as well. Service was quick and friendly... we were going to take our bagels a park but it started raining so we ate inside. Nothing fancy but comfortable and clean. It's also clear that the people working there enjoy each others that makes a cozy ambiance. I like that. read more

Bernstein's Bagels - LOX bagel on caraway seed, we all enjoyed so much as a comfort food. Very satisfying! - Bagels Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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We got the breakfast bagel and Lox. The amount of cream cheese they put on the bagel is perfect. Thick and creamy. Not sure if they make their cream cheese in the store but it's super good. The bagel is made in store and it's probably one of the best bagels i've ever tried. It was chewy and the outside was cooked to perfection with a crisp when you bite into it. Even when you can't finish the other half, it sits well and the bagel itself is still chewy. My boyfriend thought the breakfast bagel was very good. It was too much cream cheese for him (he's a weenie hut jr and doesn't like cream cheese that much). I would return here when I come back. The employees were very friendly. Unfortunately there is no dine in. read more

Bernstein's Bagels - Bagels Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Great bagels! The lox is great, we also had Popper that tasted like a certain american mexican chain burrito bowl (in the best possible way). I ordered online before they opened and I got there with my order almost done! Service is amazing. There are few seats, so you may not able to get seating right away. It was 8:15 am when I got there on a Saturday, only 15 minutes after it opened at 8:00. It was already busy with people coming and out. Please make sure you check your amount due before paying, they automatically add service charge on there. read more

Bernstein's Bagels - Lox, Popper, Garlic Bagel with Holy Chiver and Lox addition, Onion Bagel with cream cheese and honey scmear - Bagels Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Very good bagels and lox. Very good service. Appreciate the location. We came in on a busy holiday with the line out the door but still didn't wait very long. Cute neighborhood too. read more

Bagels are the best in Portland! Whenever I'm in the general vicinity in the am I tend to go here. read more

I have been going to this bagel spot for the last 10 years and they are always amazing! Truly the best bagel place in the Portland area. Super fast service and delicious bagel sandwiches. Every time I go I can't help but grab a few for home with their homemade schmear, the cinnamon raisin one is my fave. read more

They make the bagels in the morning and when they are gone they are gone. Better get there early to get the flavor of your liking. But if you are like me I like all the flavors. So much I had them custom make me two sandwiches combined. Cost extra but slapping salmon was if worth the cream cheese. read more

I'm from NYC and I wouldn't say I'm a bagel snob but there are good bagels and bad bagels and this is a good bagel!! I will say that if you get the chive schmear, it definitely has a strong onion and garlic presence haha but I mean that's to be expected :) I love the bite to the bagel and how it doesn't taste almost like a bagel shaped loaf of bread. The people there seemed nice too! I like that you can see the bagels being made and even the post it they put on your order. Idk why I found it cute hehe. The shop looks cozy and if I was a huge lover of bagels I'd probably go here for a bagel and coffee often! read more

Bernstein's Bagels - Sesame bagel with chive schmear - Bagels Near Me - Portland, Oregon

This place is darn good. After years of searching for a good bagel place in Portland, I feel grateful that I have finally found my spot! :) I'm from New York and most of the bagels I've had in this city are pretty mediocre. But not these. These bagels are fresh, chewy, and the texture and flavor are on point! There's no need to toast these bagels, because they are boiled to perfection. I also love that they give you a ton of cream cheese just like they do on the east coast. Can't wait to come back! read more

Bernstein's Bagels - Bagels Near Me - Portland, Oregon

We arrived a tad later in the A.M. and didn't have many choices of bagels. That being said, the two we tried were amazing. The bagels themselves had a nice crust leading to a perfect chewiness. The whitefish bagel was ** chef's kiss ** the saltiness of the fish worked really well with the plain bagel. read more

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Bernstein's had great bagels and I loved their lox sando. Honestly as someone who lived in NYC for years this place doesn't compare to the east coast which is why I'm not giving them 5 stars. However, I'd say this was the best bagel joint in the city and their vibe is very Portland which I appreciate. read more

Bernstein's Bagels - Lox sando - Bagels Near Me - Portland, Oregon