It's a hit or miss. I've gone and had the freshest bialy I've ever had and made me say "goodbye bagel" for a little. I've also gone and hard a rough bialy and wished I had gotten a bagel instead. It's small but has fast service. read more

Kossar's Bagels & Bialys - Bakeries Near Me - New York, New York

8$ for a bacon egg and cheese... Multiple requests made for crispy bacon... but still somehow it came out uncooked and chewy... 1 slice of cheese? This was 8$. Bagel was great, service/staff were great. Food unfortunate and overpriced. read more

I've been coming to Kossar's since before I was born. In that time they've changed ownership a number of times, remodeled, replaced surly staff with other surly staff, and updated the menu. But though it all, they are what a bagel should be. Yes, you can kvetch about this or that. Especially the constantly shifting, underpaid workers, occasionally stale bialies, high prices, etc. But dammnit, I don't give a damn. Five stars. read more

This place has been here for as long as I can remember. So 30 or 40 years. I asked the girl behind the counter if it's the same owner and she said if the second owner. So the original guy was able to sell the business because it was so in bedded in the community. Crazy the place is still here. read more

Kossar's Bagels & Bialys - Front - Bakeries Near Me - New York, New York

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I was far too generous in my previous review. What this place has become is an absolute disgrace to their origins. It was a bialy shop, I should be able to judge it by walking in and just ordering a bialy and eating it. I get something that's stale and barely has any onions on it. Frankly given the history of the place it's absolutely appalling that this is all that's left of the only business in all of Manhattan to have "bialy" inits name. Go to Hot Bialys out in Queens if you want a bialy that actually tastes like one should, but it seems that the old-school fresh bakery that Kossar's used to be is just gone and there's no real substitute available. read more

Quite possibly one of the worst bialys I've ever had, ever. So bad. Stopped in at 8am after walking by every day, expecting a hopefully warm (if not hot!), light, airy bialy. Instead I got a doughy, cold, stale, tough, hockey puck. Super disappointed, and never again. read more

When I find myself back in NY this is a must stop for me. I pick up 2 dozen bialys for the trip back to Denver. If you wrap them up right away with plastic wrap and then in to freezer bags and get them in to the freezer they defrost and taste yummy for months. I haven't found any places near me (all 2 options I have) that come close to the taste of a Kossars bialys. read more

A friend's family used to own Kossar's back in the 80's and back then the Bialy's were to die for. Most of the times they were still warm out of the oven and it was carb heaven. Soft and chewy with the slight salty flavor. I've lost touch with my friend and not sure if his family still owns the business but they now serve a subpar version of the Bialy's from back in the day. Sometimes they're a bit stale and lack flavor. I've been in a few times and I always hope it will get better but it doesn't. The service on every visit is also very unfriendly. Everyone is surly and seems to be angry at something or woke up on the wrong side of the bed. Be careful not to ask to many questions or you'll get a earful. Stop in if you want a so so tasting Bialy's served with fresh attitude which is the only thing you'll get fresh read more

My daughter was coming home from college so I ordered a dozen assorted bialys to surprise her with. I grew up in Brooklyn so I was very excited to have a bialy since you can't get them where I live now. I would never go here again. The bialys had absolutely no flavor. The onion ones didn't even have the little onion pieces in them. read more

Giovanni is my man! Always friendly and fast service! Orders come out fast and done the first time right! He deserves a raise! Best biyalis on the lower east side! read more

I do not live near Kossars- but have dropped by when bialy cravings tug from my tummy. When they closed for renovations, I feared we would lose this institution, as we've lost so many non-corporate businesses in NYC! I was extremely pleased Kossars reopened... and they Don't look corporate! A team of people I know, were working on a project to support Safe Horizon nearby... I decided to introduce whoever was there to some damn good food! Then it rained and snowed and...3 trains went by...ugh!! I thought of not going... Not looking forward to sloshing back to work afterwards if I did... Then I chose to shift That conversation and Yes! I took a chance and slushed to Kossars! The renovations look bright, clean, crisp, and personable!! Yay! I got 15 cups of coffee, two cream cheese spreads, Whitefish salad, and 18 DEE-LICIOUS Bialys!!! Surprised the team, and enjoyed watching them experience new food adventures for their tastebuds!! #MuchAwesomeness!!! To the Kossars Team: Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! read more

Kossar's Bagels & Bialys - Garlic Bialys!!! Mineminemine!!! #Gahlic #Garlic #BialyYum #Mouthgasm - Bakeries Near Me - New York, New York

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A very delicious, iconic, and homey bagel spot with a huge menu. Tons of options for bagel types, spreads, and toppings. Very clean and old-school interior with a window to watch the bagel making in the back. Does tend to get pretty crowded on the weekends, so be prepared to wait a few minutes for your order. I love their everything bagels, one of my favorites around. read more

I occasionally come here to try to give the place another try. And each time it is the same: hard-as rock bialys and bad service. Even after taking the bialys home and heating them up they are still basically inedible! It is amazing to me that this place is considered a destination by some. I guess they're hoping that its the same place as ages ago.... read more

Really wanted to give no stars but they won't let me.!!!! So it was our first time here since new ownership. I ordered a dozen and my aunt ordered a dozen. When we got home I went to bag them 3/4 were hard as a rock. I called and asked to talk to a manager the girl on the phone asked why I told her , she proceeds to tell me they are hard because they use fresh ingredients. Really I back fresh bread at home it doesn't get hard unless over baked or old. I asked again to speak to a manger so he can void my credit card. She puts me in hold again and comes back and tells me to toast them they will be fine. I tell her it would be easier for her to void he transaction and be done. Now I have to call the credit credit company we used 2 different cards. Now they have this raving review. read more

I'm developing a problem, and addition, an affliction, with Kossar's. It's just too good and I think about getting it like every day lol. My order is usually an everything bagel, scooped, toasted with tofu cream cheese and onion. For some reason this place and other nyc bagel places don't really advertise that they have tofu cream cheese and I have no idea where this cream cheese comes from but it is so convincing and delicious, I would never need to settle for the real thing ever again. When you go in, their setup is a little confusing. You order at the counter where the cooks are and you just tell them what you want, then you go in another line to pay and tell them again what you ordered and they charge you. Could be worse, no big deal. Also, one time when I ordered online I asked for cream cheese to be added to my BEC but they didn't add it, there was no button for it on the app so I added it to the notes hoping they'd understand but alas, the sandwich came without cream cheese. No major flaws, but these are the reasons for one star off. Their delivery usually comes pretty prompt and correct. I just love it though and I'll keep coming back. read more

I had a hankering for an authentic NYC bagel, so what better place than the first bagel shop in America! To be technical, it was the first bialy shop, but bialys are just lighter cousins of bagels. Naturally, I had to try all three types of bialys: Sesame, Onion, Garlic (which is also the order in which I rank my preference for them). Since it had been a while, I felt compelled to buy a tub of whitefish salad. I forgot how overwhelming the traditional whitefish taste can be, so unless this is your first or last fish-bagel combo experience, just order the schmear. Regardless the solid construction of the bagels and bialys make me look forward to returning again, next time just for the carbs. read more

Kossar's Bagels & Bialys - Bakeries Near Me - New York, New York

I ordered a bagel behind another dude named kyle so I went by kyle s. after I paid, they ran out of everything bagels, which affected both me and the other kyle. I bought a water bottle that had a hole in it and it squirted all over the other kyle's leg. read more

So, I've been wanting to try their bagels and their spreads for a while now but every time I past by Kossar's they were always closed. (Doesn't open till 6am). So this thanksgiving weekend, I decided to stop by and and get some bagels with my scallion onion spread to satisfy my cravings, one for me and one for my husband. As he was chowing down his bagel, he noticed a piece of white hair on the bagel and he tried yanking it off from the bagel, turns out that it was stuck in the bagel - I guess they baked the bagel with the hair in it. I'm so disappointed because I really enjoyed my bagel but now, I wished I would have seen it before I finished mine. GROSS! read more

Kossar's Bagels & Bialys - Bakeries Near Me - New York, New York

Blessed are they who expect nothing for they are never disappointed. Well, I expected a lot of a Kossar's babka and boy am I disappointed. Just last week, brought home a Kossar's chocolate babka...$14 seemed steep but I was ok assuming it would be heavenly. Oy. Not heavenly, just heavy! How did they manage to make it gooey, syrupy and dry at the same time?? I toasted a slice to lighten it up; still unappealing. What is the opposite of "delicious"? Texture shmecture. Perhaps I should be grateful; had it been as wonderful as I'd hoped, I'd probably have finished it in a couple of days. But more than half sits in my fridge and I just don't think I can face the rest. Kossar's bialys and bagels?--probably still good. But skip the babka...ech! read more

turkey egg whites and avocado on a bialy... 16 dollars.... never again... how can that be a normal price

I never ever write reviews on here, but my experience at Kossar's was so sad that I felt compelled to do so. I walked in here expecting a nice Jewish deli, but was instead "greeted" with rude staff and below par food. I ordered The Classic and I can not stress this enough - do not order this if you actually enjoy salmon. My sandwich had ONE slice of salmon, cream cheese spread on 1/4 of the bagel, and about 10 onion slices. For nearly $10, I expect an amount of salmon that can be tasted, not just a squishy layer underneath an overpowering amount of onion! I am so, so disappointed in this and wish I could un-eat this waste-of-calories sandwich. read more

Kossar's Bagels & Bialys - The Classic - one slice of salmon and nearly no cream cheese. Not worth your money. - Bakeries Near Me - New York, New York

Ordered their black and white cookies through Goldbelly. These were excellent, but somewhat different from what you might expect. New York black and whites are usually more cake than cookie, with the frosting placed on the flat side; the Kossar's version is truly cookies, with the frosting on the convex side. They taste like sugar cookies with chocolate and vanilla frosting, but within that genre they are a different take on the black and white and definitely something I will order again! read more

I never expect much from bagels, since to me it can only be so good since it's just bread. This is top notch. In NY a lot of places claim to make their bagels, but here you can tell they do! It seems like the cream cheese is home made too. The latte was also quality, nothing crazy but the fact that they didn't put one shot of espresso in a large and call it a latte is enough to make me go back lol. The black and white cookie though...was out of this world! I don't even like those that much but had to get it to avoid small cart fee on postmates. Expected it to be way to sweet but it melts in your mouth and isn't overly sugary. On top of that I was only expecting one for $2.75 but got 3. read more

Came here a few times to give things a try. First time I didn't get a good experience with the service. So decided to go again to give this place more of a chance because it has a good reputation. I have to say the service from staff is sub par at best. Waited in line to be acknowledged but it never happened. The second time I changed my game and was more aggressive and was told to wait my turn while she stared at the register. The bialys were good I initially thought but had a bialy from my local stop and shop and it was much softer and had a lot more onion flavor compared Kossar's. The best thing there is the prepacked egg salad, white fish salad and the salmon salad. Pricey but worth it! read more

A must if you're going to Russ and Daughters. I actually prefer the texture and make of their bialy compared to Russ' good, but not the best, bagels. Even if you don't do the two stops for lox at Russ and bialy at Kossar's, the bialy is definitely worth it, especially at the low entry point of $1. read more

Tried it again yesterday..... Buttered pumpernickel and a cup of coffee First of all I needed a magnifying glass to see the butter ...... I brought it back to the counter and asked why so little butter.....it looked like he simply cleaned the butter off the knife and he said. "next time ask for extra butter"......a real smart ass read more

Great bagels at a great price with great service. Came for the first time this morning and the staff was very helpful and friendly. Will be coming back! read more

In terms of their bagels they are very good, but 85% of the time they mess up my order. Even today I asked for two wheat bagels with bacon,egg and cheese and they put it on an everything bagel. The only reason I go back is because it's the closest bagel shop but I don't think any more, I'm tired of the mistakes read more

It's been years since I went to Kossar's. After going to Moishe's nearby, I wanted a bialy. The bialy itself was inexpensive, but it was $3.25 for the cream cheese. I could understand if it was really good cream cheese, but it just wasn't that great to me. I think the negative reviews are right, that this place is not what it used to be. read more

I have to say I really miss the way Kossar's used to be. Sure, it looked less flashy on the outside but there was a certain old-world Lower East Side charm that's now missing. It's nice that there's seating inside and that there is a huge array of cream cheese and spreads to choose from. But I really miss walking in and seeing white flour on the floor and having the smell of baking bialys hit you in the face. The store doesn't smell the same anymore. They sell nice Harney & Sons tea, but I'd avoid the coffee, they aren't experienced at using the machine and burn it sometimes, but it's only about $3 so if you're not picky about how your coffee tastes, then it's a deal. The one critique I really have is that normally the music is Too Loud. I shouldn't have to yell at someone who's sitting directly across from me, they keep the music blaring and it would be so much more pleasant to have it at a low volume and something more mellow like Nat King Cole than rap or pop. read more

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Ordered bagel and lox, a few bagels, and a spread (everyseed). All of it was good. The bagel and lox was good but not the best I've had (Russ & Daughters). Bagels and spread were very good. For me the price is also very good for the area. read more

NY bagels with a wide range of cream cheeses and quick service. Can't complain at all. Everything, toasted with jalapeño caper CC or even better the garlic thyme CC. Highly recommend. read more

Great bagel spot! This place has been a LES neighborhood favorite forever, and I don't know how I just discovered it. It's the perfect spot to get a bacon eggs and cheese, and their cream-cheeses are amazing! I would say their whole menu isn't created equal because some of the lox based bagels are a little over priced and ended up lackluster, but thumbs up overall on the bagels across the board! It's also a really friendly staff who looks like they're having a good time and they deal with a line well. I don't think you should expect to have an easy time doing eat-in on a weekend, but if you're patient enough to wait 5-10 minutes, that's definitely an option. read more

Just kidding about my previous review - they never refunded me. I guess they assume customers won't look at their CC statements, but I do. You just lost a great customer!! read more

Kossar's Bagels & Bialys - Classic - Bakeries Near Me - New York, New York

I'm not usually one that gives thumbs-up and takes it back, but its justifiable if you're prompt to do so. Today I happened to pass by the shop on a rainy day and decided to simply get 2 bagels, I must admit looking straight at the basket of bagels, they seem less in quality by appearance (size/topping). But I was most appalled when the server went to get my 2 sesame bagels and seemed to dig in the basket, hoping it was for a bigger well rounded studded bagels with sesame. Instead I was discouraged, my "selected" bagels in the bag were small, deformed and sesame naked. It seems the "extra attention" the server gave swimming in the basket was to give me a less appealing one, probably to save better ones to a "preferred" customer. All customers should be treated fairly and equal..DON'T try to cheat a customer with a meager product..BE CONSIDERATE! Never again! read more

This place used to have amazingly delicious bialys loaded with onions or garlic year's ago. I would happily eat them plain. The last two times I've ordered bialys they've been really basic. Barely any toppings, and light on flavor. Not sure what happened but they aren't a must have anymore. read more

**do not use on goldbelly** ** ruined the holidays** i scheduled a delivery way in advance for december 22nd. i got an email stating days later it would now arrive on the 24th. its the 24th. they just now sent an email stating it won't be delivered until the 29th. way past the holidays. holiday ruined, as this was a gift to my parents. avoid this business read more

Have no idea why anyone thinks these are decent bagels. Have had better in Worcester MA. But nice service and outdoor seating.

Amazing customer service! Found through an app. Got amazing bagels for half the price

Living in Brooklyn, I hadn't been to Kossar's in years (since it had been kosher). I found myself on Grand Street. It was a relatively warm day. I could sit outside at one of the tables in front of the store. I ordered a bialy and butter to go with my coffee; I also ordered a bag of bialys to take home. The bialys came from a basket behind the counter. I was surprised that the outside of the bialy ate at the exterior table was harder than what I remember. That bialy and the bialys I took home were okay. They weren't bad. I expected a softer, chewier exterior. read more