We arrived a little after noon on Saturday 4/10/26. The line was very short and our orders were taken quickly by a friendly person. Our food came out quickly and we were able to snag an table being vacated by another couple. It was a little loud, but not terrible and for as busy as it was, it was really clean. It was a bit of a hike to get here from where we are staying in Times Square, but it was worth it! We were told by the concierge at the hotel we wouldn't find an authentic bagel in Times Square. But this was exactly what we were looking for. As long as the bread is boiled before baking - it's still a heck of a lot closer to authentic than most places claiming to have bagels which is really just a roll with a hole. I had an onion bagel, open faced with herbed cream cheese, tomato slices and cucumber slices. My sister had an onion bagel with veggie cream cheese, sliced turkey, and tomato slices. Both were so good! We really enjoyed our experience and both of us said we would absolutely go back. read more

Ess-a-Bagel - Onion bagel with herbed cream cheese, tomato slices and cucumber slices - Bagels Near Me - New York, New York

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There are several stores in NYC, we stopped by one that was near our hotel that was just a few blocks away. The store is pretty large by NYC standards, having a good amount of space to stand in line, plus decent amount of seating inside. I also saw a restroom ; you'll need to ask for the bathroom code. I love how the menu signage is easy to read from wherever you are standing in line. This means I don't have to use my phone to take photos, and then zoom in to read the menu. :) We really enjoyed the bagels here so much that we stopped by 3 times while we were in NYC! During the first visit, we picked up their Signature Favorite on Garlic bagel and their Signature Favorite on Everything bagel. The Signature Classic contains sliced Nova, scallion cream cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, red onion and capers. We took the sandwiches with us to Central Park and enjoyed them there. OMG this sandwich was so good! It was huge and very filling. On our 2nd visit, I had the Morning Classic on everything bagel. The Morning Classic is a bagel with egg, bacon and American cheese. On our 3rd visit, we picked up an Everything bagel with scallion cream cheese a Blueberry bagel with plain cream cheese, plus 6 bagels to take home. Their bagels are HUGE. It was amazing we managed to find space in our suitcase to squeeze them in. This location has some seating inside... actually seems like a lot by NYC standards LOL but in reality it's not a whole lot of seating. We never ate our bagels there, always choosing to take ours to go. There is no seating outside, as there is no space on the sidewalk out front. This store has a restroom, it's on the left as you walk in, just past the seating area. I didn't actually use the restroom but it looked like a bathroom code is needed to enter. read more

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Ordered 16 bagels for a work meeting through online pickup on a Wednesday morning and everything was seamless. I arrived right at 7:30am and the full order was ready to go -- no waiting, no confusion. The team working was so kind and helpful. I even asked for plates last minute and they happily provided them (just $1), which made everything so much easier for bringing into the office. Best part: the order was exactly right. Nothing missing, nothing mixed up -- which is key when you're grabbing breakfast for a group. Highly recommend Ess-a-Bagel if you need a reliable, last-minute breakfast option for a meeting. They made it easy! read more

I'm honestly really disappointed by this spot, given the popularity and the amount of positive reviews I had. My partner and I decided to grab a bagel every morning and the line for this spot was OUT THE DOOR. So we figured, okay, let's try it! It has to be good with the amount of people waiting , right? Nah, the bacon egg and cheese and sausage egg and cheese were okay. I did like the bacon to egg ratio on this one, but the sausage lacked flavor. My biggest gripe honestly was the fact that the bagel was really quite hard and not steamed at all. We didn't want it toasted, but steam should have been an option instead of just a raw bagel. It was disappointing but we still tried to make the best of it! I would not visit this spot again though and would try other bagel spots. read more

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Did you see that awful Times article about DoorDash heavy users? Seems like it only existed to expand misogynistic "avocado toast" rhetoric to a wider target? "You losers, don't you realize it only takes 30 minutes to whip up pecan-crusted monkfish rillettes with a cilantro-lime reduction plus a side of speck-and-kohlrabi sliders?" Anyhow, I'm pre-empting criticism of my fiscal policies by confessing that I didn't need to order a $5.49 Natalie's orange juice, and beverage pricing is the reason for a mere 4-star score. The everything bagel is dreamy. Today it was sold but there was no need for my brief hesitation on the non-standard everything I got in its place (I think it was whole wheat but I wouldn't state that under oath). The scallion cream cheese was action-packed. The service is friendly, and for a "one minute to track 18" type, the briskness is appreciated. read more

Ess-a-Bagel - Bagels Near Me - New York, New York

So many options for bagels and savory or sweet cream cheese options. Gluten free bagels available! Staff was very friendly! Will update once I try my bagel Update: My gluten free bagel was soft & thick. Eggs tasted like rubber as if they had been microwaved. Too much cream cheese and very little flavor. Hubs regular everything bagel was rock hard. So hard he said it cut the roof of his mouth. Again, eggs seemed microwaved and rubbery. He was not impressed. $35 for two bagel sandwiches and a huge let down. Definitely sad we wasted our first "NYC bagel" experience here. read more

Ess-a-Bagel - Bagels Near Me - New York, New York

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I'm glad we had an Ess-a-Bagel outpost near us in Midtown. We walked here on a chilly morning and the cafe was bustling. Tables were full, guests were warming up and escaping the cold with hot coffee and hot bagels. Nothing better I tell you! This was my first time at Ess-a-Bagel. My wife had great memories of coming here many years ago. It was our first morning in the city and all I wanted was a Bacon Egg and Cheese. This one satisfied the craving! Made fresh to order and served piping hot, I had to wait impatiently as it cooled down. The bagel was fluffy and soft with good chew. The best part of the sandwich was the perfectly melted cheese. Just ooey and gooey and melty cheesiness. The ratio of bread to egg/meat/cheese was not to my preferred liking, as I felt it was more bread heavy, but this was still a commendable sandwich! Definitely a noteworthy spot in the never ending bagel conversation in New York! read more

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Favorite bagel sandwiches in NYC! The staff is very nice, knowledgeable and accommodating to your order at this location. There's lots of seating here and it's so clean. I love the variety of cream cheese they have , truly endless! These bagel sandwiches will fill you up leaving you satisfied and eventually returning! (especially to try all those unique and fresh cream cheeses!) read more

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I've tried a handful of bagels in NY and Ess-a-bagel just doesn't stack up anymore. Both the onion and cinnamon raisin bagel were hard inside and outside. The one saving grace is the lox cream cheese, which was delicious. I'd just buy the cream cheese and get a bagel at Best Bagel or Liberty bagel. read more

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First time at this bagel place as they seem pretty busy with multiple stores so I've decided to give it a go. Popped by on a Friday morning and got myself a whole bagel made signature favorite. Got it with a blueberry bagel which is my favorite. Unfortunately, while it tasted great, but personally, I thought the bagel was too hard and chewy. I love a fresh, crunchy outside and soft and light airy inside and this ain't it. Healthy amount of cream cheese and a thick layer of lox. Sweet, creamy and savory at the same time. read more

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After a long, exhausting day at the Annual NYC India Independence Day Parade, my friend and I decided to grab a little comfort food. Comfort is exactly what I did not find here. I ordered a toasted onion bagel with scrambled eggs, cheese, tomato, lettuce, and chipotle mayo. Sounds delicious on paper, right? Well, the dream ended the second I saw the "scrambled eggs" get reheated in a microwave. Frozen egg patty à la McDonald's/ Burger King style--not the fluffy, fresh eggs I expected. My appetite instantly took a nosedive. Strike two? The bagel. Rock. Hard. Like, I-choke-on-every-bite hard. Not warm, not fresh, just... jaw workout material. To make matters worse, the eggs (patty? puddle?) were bizarrely runny and leaking everywhere, turning the whole sandwich into a slip 'n slide. My friend--who happens to be a doctor--literally watched me choking my way through this sandwich and had to step in. When she tried it herself, even she agreed the bagel was inedible. The cashier offered to remake it, but by then, I already knew a second round wouldn't magically transform the experience. All in all, my "comfort bite" ended up being an overpriced disaster. Between the microwave eggs, rock-solid bagel, and sheer disappointment, I left hungrier, crankier, and pretty sure I won't be back. read more

Ess-a-Bagel - Bagels Near Me - New York, New York

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Within an hour of landing in NYC, you can find me in Ess-a-Bagel. I'm an absolute sucker for a bagel sandwich and this was close, quick, and exactly what I wanted. My friend and I split the whitefish and classic lox, both on everything. I'd never had whitefish before, but I was pleasantly surprised. Not too fishy, but still savory and salty. The lox was fresh and the toppings had a nice crunch. The bagels were crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, perfect for holding everything together. It took about 10 minutes for us to get our order, but we had no issue finding a table. I was a little surprised given there were so few tables, but people seemed to be moving quickly. Definitely worth a stop if you are in the area! read more

Overall: Overall I think Ess-a-Bagel has better cream cheese, but a worse bagel than other spots in New York. Food: I got a poppy seed bagel with chive cream cheese. The cream cheese to bagel ratio was fantastic. The chive cream cheese was very smooth and well made. The bagel itself was a bit on the harder end. Service: They work fast but depending on when you come the wait can be long. Ambiance: Not a ton of seating, most likely you'll want to get your order to-go and eat somewhere else. read more

Ess-a-Bagel - Chive Cream Cheese on Poppy Seed Bagel - Bagels Near Me - New York, New York

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This place was hyped up to me but I honestly thought it was just okay. A salmon lox will easily put you above 20 dollars... that's a pretty pricy bagel. I felt that the bagel was really hard and chewy, like I was working through an overmixed batch of dough. 2 stars because they were generous with their filling (cream cheese and salmon), but the bagel itself.. I was sadly not impressed with it read more

Ess-a-Bagel - Bagels Near Me - New York, New York

Whenever I'm in New York, Ess-a-Bagel is my top choice. It's exactly how a classic New York bagel should be in terms of flavor and texture. Despite all the new bagel spots opening up, this one remains my absolute favorite. read more

A friend told us to check out this bagel place. I've tried a few other ones and I was not disappointed. My sandwich had the perfect amount of cream cheese. You must now exactly what you want because they were just when we arrived but the line moves fast. I wasn't sure what I wanted until I saw a deal on the signature sandwich that came with an iced coffee and chips, perfect lunch combo. My mom got a sesame bagel with Oreo cream cheese and she absolutely loved it. Said it was sweet but not too sweet for her sweet tooth. They have a code to use the bathroom which they'll give you after you order. A few tables to sit and a long table against the window. No outlets that I saw to charge items after being out all morning. It's close to the subway and easy to get to. read more

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I looked up must eat bagels in NYC and Ess-a-Bagel popped up so we had to try it. It's a typical bagel shop which serves different types of bagels, schmears, bagel sandwiches, dessert options, coffees, etc. The place was crowded and there's not much seating available inside. We picked our order and enjoyed our breakfast / brunch at Greeley Square Park which is diagonally opposite. We ordered everything seed bagel with avocado cream cheese (my fav), plain bagel with oreo cream cheese (my kid loved this) and eggsplaining sandwich on everything seed bagel. We enjoyed our breakfast/brunch. The bagels are thick with generous amounts of cream cheese. read more

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The bagel spot near Penn Station. My go to, huge black iced coffee, whole wheat everything bagel with tofu scallion schmear. This dude is fed and quite happy. read more

Ess-a-Bagel - No bad days. - Bagels Near Me - New York, New York

You got me MESSSSSEDDDDD up - 3.7 stars?! Literally how. This was my second time coming to Ess-a-Bagel (arguably my #1 bagel spot in NYC) and it was another glorious experience. The bagels here are freaking out of this world. Their signature favorite is the best lox bagel sandwich I've ever had in my life. The bagels are fresh and thick and so are their sandwiches. They have endless schmears it was so hard to pick one. Yes it's busy but the line still goes by fast, these employees are efficient and waste no time. $20 for a bagel sandwich - yes it's expensive but I mean it is NYC. You bet yo bottom dolla I'll be back here. read more

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A couple of my NYC friends recommended Ess-a-Bagel as a reliable spot since we didn't want to wait in line for too long this past Sunday morning. Fortunately, we waited less than 15 minutes to get our bagels! DIY BAGEL SANDWICH - 2.05 +4.30 for Scallion Tofu +9.60 for Nova The subtotal for the bagel came to 15.95 after all the additions. There's something truly unique about NYC bagels compared to bagels everywhere else. These bagels are thick and dense, with a slight chewiness that makes them superior. The plain bagel we had was perfect. I had never tried scallion tofu as a cream cheese substitute, so I decided to give it a try. It was still pretty creamy, but on the chunkier side, more reminiscent of tofu. Additionally, it lacked the richness of traditional cream cheese, which was what I was looking for that morning. The Nova was nicely salted with the perfect, buttery texture. Ess-a-Bagel isn't my favorite bagel shop in NYC, but it's reliable, and the lines aren't unreasonably long. With several locations in Manhattan, I'd recommend it if you're looking for a convenient and quick option. read more

Ess-a-Bagel - Bagels Near Me - New York, New York

These bagels are good, I don't know if they're the best. I feel like New Yorkers can be delusional about having the best bagels & pizza in the entire universe and that's not true. It's a quick visit here with ordering made easy in and out. Some seating for indoor dining but I think most take bagels to go. Bagels are average at best and I find the outer shell of the bagels can be a bit on the hard side which is why I wouldn't label these the best bagels you can find. read more

Come on! This felt like a proper New York experience. Yeah, it's a busy establishment so prepare to wait online. Know what you want and help keep the line moving. Don't expect ultra friendly service, but the staff aren't rude! They are hustling and keeping the line moving. We were about ten deep in line on arrival and waited only about 5 minutes so don't get defeated! The bagels were so warm and don't need toasting! Very chewy texture outside and soft on the inside. The schmear was on point. A proper 1:1 ratio. And of course there was plenty of cream cheese variety on offer. I go lox spread but the options are endless! There are a handful of tables inside but be prepared to take it to go if the shop is super busy! read more

Ess-a-Bagel - Pumpernickel w/ Lox Cream Cheese - Bagels Near Me - New York, New York

Had a plain bagel and cream cheese. It was a good bagel but a lot of cream cheese, needed just a tad bit less which is fine, and better than not having enough. Service was good and efficient. Surprisingly only a couple of people in front of us in line. By the time we were walking out, the line was almost out the door. 4 stars because the price was a little pricier than other bagel spots. read more

The first time I came to New York I tried their other location and it was so good ! I'm not sure if this time around if it was location or Just quality in general but it didn't hit the same way . read more

Ess-a-Bagel is consistent and high-quality regardless of their location across the city. Foot traffic is quite busy in this particular location but staff still go out of their way to assist with your order. There's a huge range of cream cheese types available plus numerous bagels coming fresh out of the oven. Flanks of salmon are freshly cut, the rainbow bagels look glowing and the mountains of bagels around you - even in the empty boxes - make you feel like you're being well taken care of by experts. Only caveats are that the line can last a while and there's nothing unique about this particular location compared to other chain spots for Ess- around the city. read more

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Ordered off DD and it was ready by the time I arrived. Yummy bagel with fresh nova! They do pack a lottt of cream cheese though. read more

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This was just okay - better bagels elsewhere. Asked for an everything bagel and got a plain one. The bagel itself was just okay, dense and had to chew. The only saving grace is they give a lot of cream cheese and salmon. The bagel is also overpriced - after tax this was $18. The line moves fast and if you want just bagels they have another line. There's also a lot of seating and a restroom. Wouldn't come back but it's okay for a quick bite. read more

Ess-a-Bagel - Nova / Belly Lox with Scallion Cream Cheese - Bagels Near Me - New York, New York

Oh boy, the bagel of my early days in the city when I worked a block over from the 1st Ave ( I worked on 21st & 2nd Ave) location in 1985. On this particular rainy, chilly last day of November, there was no lone or wait. We shared a multi grain with apple cinnamon cream cheese. CC was excellent, the bagel a bit tough to bite through. Funny how it became a known bagel shop, in those days you just ate at wherever was nearby. read more

Can't come to the city without a BEC! I've passed by the Ess-a-bagel near Madison Square Garden often but never decided to grab anything because the line was always so long. The morning that I stopped in, the place was busy but the line only had about 8 people ahead of me so I figured this would be the perfect opportunity before catching the train to Queens. The service was wonderful. They have lots of staff working to collect orders and then get them over to you asap. It's nice that when you order a bacon egg and cheese you can actually select which cheese you want. I went with the classic American cheese but they also had provolone, swiss, etc. If I remember correctly the total was about $10. The sandwich was a big portion. I ate half for breakfast and half for an early lunch. I was happy to see that they had hot sauce... I wish it was Cholula but it got the job done. I would recommend Ess-a-Bagel if you're coming into the city. There's plenty of places to sit inside. And they also have hella cream cheese flavors (there was a banan pudding one!--not sure I would eat that but it may be delicious) and lots of sandwich/bagel options. Enjoy! read more

Ess-a-Bagel - Bagels Near Me - New York, New York

I was in New York for a whirlwind three day trip and while I was there, I knew I had to have a New York bagel! Ess-a-Bagel was highly recommended by a local that has lived there all her life so I trusted her recommendation. The place was pretty easy to find and of course there was a line which is always a good sign. The wait, however, was not long at all because they had plenty of workers there moving people along. The number of cream cheeses and schmears that were available was outstanding. They also had options for different types of breakfast sandwiches as well as lunch sandwiches all made with bagels, of course. I went for something a little more traditional, I had a salt bagel and could not resist the cucumber dill cream cheese spread. The bagel itself was so delicious. It was soft yet chewy and went perfect with the cucumber dill cream cheese. Whoever came up with cucumber dill is a genius! My mouth is watering just think about it! Highly recommend this place for a tasty and toasty NY bagel! read more

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Traveling to NYC from Los Angeles, CA. First time trying Ess-a-Bagel as recommended by colleagues. We went classic with an everything bagel with scallions cream cheese - about $7 total. Overall, bagel is definitely better than back home. It is crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. The scallion cream cheese felt unnecessary. It probably was better to just get the classic schmear. It felt underwhelming from what I remembered as NYC bagel. There is some seating inside, but it is tight. Maybe around 15 seats total. Definitely a grab-and-go place! Overall, thought it was alright! read more

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Ess-a was recommended by a local friend and omg im so glad we waited in the line. Hands down the most fresh and flavor filled bagel I may have ever had!!! We chose the BLTA (avocado) on a plain bagel...it was HEAVEN and jam packed with bacon. The bagel was so fresh, it was heaven! All the staff was gracious and kind despite it being PACKED to the brim! Would absolutely return to try the lox bagel and many many others!! read more

ESS A DISASTER. Expect to be confused. Before stopping by this place, I read tons of reviews and the review all called out how inefficient the establishment is and...it's so true. When we walked in, we, including everyone else in the establishment was confused where we're suppose to order and where we're supposed to wait for our food. For a big establishment like this, I expected some sort of order and efficiency but no...we finally figured out where to stand to order and got our food. The bagel wasn't anything special for me to come back to this place...especially with the logistical nightmare! read more

Ess-a-Bagel - Bagels Near Me - New York, New York

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Overall, I love Ess-a-Bagel's quirkiness. There are so many unique options like my favorite, the Mr. Nova Lova on pumpernickel. I never would have thought to combine such ingredients (nova lox, avocado, avocado garlic cream cheese, and red onion), but everything about it works. I used to go here as a regular until I moved, and now I have a new bagel shop. That said, I will eat at pretty much any of the Ess-a-bagel locations. Service is pretty good. I order ahead and pick up at the counter or ask for delivery. This shop is one of the pricier options for bagels arouns town, though I'm not sure where else I could find such concoctions as at Ess-a-bagel. The inside seems okay, but I probably would not want to sit and eat long. Coffee is great. read more

New York bagel...check! Craving satisfied...check! Delicious...check! First of all upon arriving there was a line out the door but the line moved quickly. There were so many choices not just bagels but cream cheese. The Mr Nova Lova was bomb! The avocado garlic cream cheese was so tasty. They don't have much seating inside so it's definitely more like a grab and go spot. read more

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Stopped in on a whim and ordered a few bagels. At the last minute I decided to get a side of their apple cinnamon cream cheese and I'm so glad I did. The bagel was good, but I've had better. The cream cheese on the other hand...phenomenal!!! It had actual pieces of baked apple inside! I highly recommend looking at their flavor offerings and getting one or two to try! read more

This was our first stop in the city and I enjoyed it! I got their breakfast classic, which is a bacon egg and cheese. I added cream cheese on it. The eggs and bacon were pretty subpar to be honest. If the eggs and bacon were better I'd give this 5 stars. The service was good and they got through the crowd pretty quickly! The inside is super cute and has some seating for you. read more

Ess-a-Bagel - Bacon egg and cheese - Bagels Near Me - New York, New York

This was one of our bagel spots we wanted to try when in NY, but it was unfortunately disappointing. We ordered an Everything Bagel w/scallion CC and a Cinnamon Raisin Bagel w/plain CC. Both bagels were dense and didn't have that bounce or chewiness that we were expecting. The dough was tough and hard to chew, tasting like it had been sitting out for a while and not that fresh. We might've gotten bad bagels, but they were sadly underwhelming. There was no wait when we got there, and there's a wide selection of bagels and cream cheeses you can choose from. They also had bagel sandwiches on the menu. The service was quick and our food came out fast. The shop itself has some indoor seating but it was pretty packed and difficult to find a seat. read more

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Nut allergy friendly, no issues with my pickup order. Gets absolutely packed on weekends and stays packed, for good reason! I ordered pickup and it was ready relatively quickly. Got the classic Nova Lox Bagel with added capers for the same price as competing places nearby that had no add-ons (just under $20). I thought the bagel here was average, but they had a far better balance of lox, cream cheese, and other ingredients compared to other bagels I had in NYC. It was one of the best I had while I was in town. Highly recommend a stop by. read more

Ess-a-Bagel - Saturday crowd - Bagels Near Me - New York, New York

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Going to Ess-a-Bagel was def a new york experience. Tons of choices between the bagels, sandwiches, veggies, cheese, and sour cream options. I liked my sesame egg bagel sandwich with avocado and tomatoe. Bagel was huge and ingredients were fresh. However I found it kind of plain, almost too big to eat, and just didnt think it was worth all the chaos of waiting in line and hovering for a table. I'm sure there's other bagel places around that are was less trendy and just as tasty. read more

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