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Lefty’s Righteous Bagels

4.0 (73 reviews)
Closed 7:00 am - 2:00 pm

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Aesha E.

We've been wanting to try Montreal style bagels for a few years, but it's never been convenient for me to stop somewhere to get them (actually, the only somewhere I knew they actually had them). Lefty's opened in Evanston last year so I stopped by today and picked up a dozen. They're delicious. And their flavors are great. I got: pink salt & rosemary, plain, cheddar, sesame, garlic & onion, everything, and giardinera. That's right, they have a giardinera bagel! I haven't tried mine yet but my partner did and said it's excellent. They have several cream cheese blends as well. I picked up the jalapeño, which wasn't too spicy (today at least), and I also got a small one of the lemon and dill to give it a try. My toddler loved the lemon and dill. Parking is street only. I'll be back!

Nazia C.

Spontaneously came across this place on a Saturday morning. It's right next to an animal (cat?) shelter. My daughters were watching the cats play while I ordered our breakfast. It smells great even from outside. They have a great variety of bagels and cream cheeses. I had a spicy giardianiera bagel with cacio e pepe cream cheese. My total was $24 for 3 bagels with cream cheese and 1 chocolate s'more bialy. I noted that they also have a cafe inside, so I hope to go back and try their coffee and a breakfast sandwich.

Bagel, cream cheese, and an iced seasonal latte
Elise B.

I really like that the bagels are made fresh here- you can see the wood fired oven! Lots of bagel places say they're fresh but they're frozen and then baked- not the same. My bagel was fresh and tasty and the cream cheese seemed to be homemade as well. I got an iced latte which was a seasonal special on offer. Definitely worth a stop for a quick brunch.

Nina H.

I'm biased but a few weeks ago I had the best bagel ever from Lefty's Righteous Bagels. This is my first time trying a Montreal style bagel and after having an everything bagel from Lefty's, other bagels I've had in the past can't compare. It's that freaking good! Lefty's advertises as Montreal style. I was curious and did some homework researching the difference between NY versus Montreal style bagels. NY bagels are bigger in size and boiled in water with barley malt added. They have a higher content of salt and are pretty dense. In contrast, Montreal bagels are small and thin in size. They are boiled with a sugar sweetener (oftentimes honey) and cooked in a wood fired oven. You can definitely taste the subtle sweetness and crunch when biting into a fresh Montreal style bagel. Having visited a couple times, I was won over based on taste and texture. My biggest gripe with the place is the continuous unsuccessful execution with getting my husband's order right. I shared in my husband's frustration and if I were the unfortunate recipient of an order fail I'd be pretty upset too. The consistent mishaps result in having to check the bag before leaving to make sure what we ordered is what we received. It shouldn't have to be this way. On both visits my husband requested a toasted Pink salt bagel with Lox spread. Both times I didn't bother to check the bag because I left in good faith assuming they got our order right. I come home and unwrap the goods only to find out he ended up with a plain bagel with plain cream cheese. SMH. The second visit they got the bagel right but the bagel was oddly chopped up into quarters and the cream cheese was chive, not Lox. Aside from that, Montreal style bagels from Lefty's are pretty damn tasty and I would visit often to indulge in my bagel fix. Overall staff worked out the kinks post their soft opening cranking out enough bagels for the day avoiding a premature close. The employees are happily engaged with a system efficient enough to get you in and out within minutes. As for which bagel reigns supreme (NY or Montreal) is a preference of taste but if this is your first time, I would definitely give them a try. Hardcore NY bagel fans may sway becoming Montreal style converts.

Everything bagel
Frank T.

Great service. Walked in ordered got my bagel in less than 3 minutes. Plus friendly staff. I came in just to try their everything bagel. Totally worth the $3.25. Chewy inside and seeded all around the outside. There was a slightly floral note from one of the seeds. Super nice. I brought it home to doctor up. Glad they are in my neighborhood.

Inside
celina t.

Lefty's is a spot my boyfriend friend recommended us to go to. They have decent bagels but in my opinion it is overpriced. The drinks are 5-7 dollars and the bagel with shmear is 5 dollars. Their bagels are like 3/4 of the size of normal bagels. Their drinks are fine. I think this is a cute spot to try out but it's nothing super special. The experience here is good their customer service is great. You can also see the process of them making the bagels.

Prep area where you can watch the entire process
Helen T.

Wow this place is incredible! Arguably one of the best bagels in Evanston and Chicago. Delicious Montreal style bagels, sandwiches, and fun specialty coffee drinks. I had the pistachio latte and it was divine! I highly recommend the Lox sandwich sesame or giardinera bagel and the cacio e pepe cream cheese blew my mind! Not only is the food delicious but the atmosphere is so cozy and welcoming. It's always warm in there from the wood burning oven and the kitchen is open concept so you can watch the entire prep process if you're there at the right time. If you happen to be there with your kids during the dough rolling step, they'll let them roll out their own bagel so they feel like they're helping with the prep process. It's so cute! The owner Brad is so kind and charismatic and is always chatting it up with regulars and strangers alike. I love this place with my whole heart. The bagels do tend to sell out. I was there last Sunday and they were already almost out of bagels at noon so get there early so you have all the flavor options :)

Ambience!
Kira G.

An outstanding experience!! So excited that they did a soft open to spread the word and were so successful. All the staff were exceptionally friendly and professional even though they were swamped with customers. The bagels? Hot, chewy with a crisp outside and melted in my mouth with generous cream cheese. Especially love the decor and vibe too. This place has so much more coming soon too - well done Lefty's for rocking the first few days!!

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4 months ago

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7 months ago

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10 months ago

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8 months ago

I had a bialy and an iced coffee. I really liked the bialy. I wasn't crazy about the coffee. I'd go back for the food.

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1 year ago

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7 months ago

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11 months ago

Got two bagel sandwiches to go today. The bagels were dense gobs of uncooked dough. I won't be back.

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1 year ago

The bagels are very good, and the space is very beautiful, modern but cozy. But $6 for a toasted bagel with butter just doesn't sit right.

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2 years ago

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1 year ago

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1 year ago

Great bagels. Ridiculous prices. Unfortunately, I don't plan on returning. It's just too expensive.

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7 months ago

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Ask the Community - Lefty’s Righteous Bagels

Newport Coffee House

Newport Coffee House

4.5
(126 reviews)
0.9 mi
$$

Love this bright, clean, and professional coffee spot! Plenty of free parking with a large lot…read moreattached, which makes stopping by super easy. The baked goods are incredible, and the baristas are friendly and easy to chat with. Lattes are beautifully made, and I really appreciate the care put into the latte art. A great place for quality coffee with a welcoming vibe.

Please bring back the old version of COCO BREW. I'm begging…read more I've been a regular since they first opened a few years ago, I think around 2019? Their Coco Brew used to be one of my absolute favorite coffee drinks for years, up until recently. I'm not exactly sure when the recipe changed, because as far as I remember it still tasted the same through 2025. I've been busy this year and haven't come as often, but the last three times I ordered it, it was completely different. And since it was made by different baristas, I'm assuming this is a recipe change rather than just inconsistency. (Check the photos to see the differences!) The old version was much lighter, mildly sweet, and had that lovely coconut milk aroma. It tasted fresh, smooth, and really balanced. The new version is totally different. The first thing I noticed was the color. It's way darker now. And the taste matches: darker, more sour, and with a strange almost medicinal aftertaste (reminded of some cough medicine..) The gentle sweetness and mildness are completely gone. Now it somehow tastes strong, sour, and watery at the same time. What happened?? Please don't change something that was already so good. Even the ice seems different now. It used to have smaller ice pieces that filled the cup more evenly and let the liquid move through, so you got that really pretty layered look with the coconut milk and cold brew. Now it's large chunks of ice just floating on top. Anyway, this is just my little heartbreak over a drink that used to be so beautiful and delightful. Other than that, the vibe is still nice as usual, maybe a bit more crowded than before. The decor is still cute, and I've always liked the woody interior. It's also one of the brighter coffee shops in Evanston, with really nice natural light.

Photos
Indoor vibe
Indoor vibe
Bar area and tables
Bar area and tables
Maple latter and avocado toast

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Maple latter and avocado toast
Matari Coffee

Matari Coffee

4.1
(95 reviews)
4.0 mi

I would give Matari 4.5 out of 5 stars, so I'm rounding to 5 based on service and ambiance! I heard…read moreabout their fruit mousse cakes online, so we knew we had to stop by to check it out. The cafe is immaculate and service was very friendly. The person who took our order was patient as he explained the different pastries in the case. I wish they had signs explaining what each pastry was so I could have decided while waiting in line. We ended up sharing an iced pistachio latte (delicious and 10/10!), the pistachio cheesecake (10/10!), and the strawberry mousse cake (7/10 - a subtle sweetness, great texture, but needed more cake or crust inside as it was mostly whipped cream and the shell). The mousse cake was $12.00, which felt steep considering it was mostly whipped cream, even though it was obviously beautiful. We would definitely come back for the coffee and to try more menu items! Check this place out!

I wanted to like it. I did. But after a few visits, it's just not for me…read more The first trip, I tried the Matari Tea: Green tea, Himalayan pink salt, milk, and spices, topped with roasted pistachios. Sounds good, right? Alas, it could not have been blander. I couldn't taste any "spices" or even the hint of salt. The profile was that of very watered-down tea mixed with milk, and a ton of pistachios floating on top. Like, barely crushed pistachios. Huge pieces, covering the top of the drink, bobbed around like tiny icebergs, and even they somehow had a toned-down flavor. The drink was definitely a swing and a miss. Fast forward two weeks, and I tried Matari again. This time with a simple cortado. I sat at the table right by the door, and the espresso was pretty good. Solid body, not too bitter. It was on the pricy side ($7+), but I was ok with that. But then, I'm hanging out, sipping my coffee, and I catch a burst of perfume-like scent. I'm shocked, but whatever, I figured someone in heavy perfume walked by, no big deal. A few minutes later, wham, I'm hit in the nose with another burst of perfume. Then, I see it. A slight haze around me. So, not a heavily perfumed woman after all, but an automated air-freshener. After further inspection, I see the unit plugged in on the ground right behind my chair, which sprays up and out on a timer. That's right, an air freshener right next to a table where people consume food and beverages, shooting a mist into the air that slowly rains down onto my head and table, and into my coffee. I ended up tossing the last few sips of my cortado, as I could taste the scented whatever-it-was in my cup. I'd have gone to the counter and asked for a new one, but I was so over my visit by then, I just opted to get out. The staff aren't very friendly. Not rude, but they don't give off a welcoming aura, and I didn't feel like trying to explain the issue. Lastly, can we talk about their little "your order is up" beepers? We've all seen them. The little electronic things that blink and make a noise when your order is ready, so you can go snag it from the counter. When I think of a coffee shop, I think quiet and peaceful, or perhaps a bit louder, with bustling people and well-paired music. At Matari, it's an insane BEEP BEEP BEEP that goes off every few minutes when an order is up. I get it, you don't want to bring the food out to your customers. But does it really need to feel like an airport Chili's? It's a bummer, because Matari is beautiful inside. It's clean, it's chic, and its location is at a notable crossroads in Skokie with plenty of parking, leaving it extremely convenient. They've even got an easy-to-use website, which so many coffee shops simply do not have. There aren't a lot of coffee shops in this particular part of town, which is why I so, so very much wanted to love Matari. But subpar drinks? Air freshener spray intrusions? Frequent and obnoxious beeping? I tried. I'm sorry. I just can't.

Photos
Inside
Inside
June 2025
June 2025
Bakery

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Bakery

Lefty’s Righteous Bagels - bagels - Updated July 2026

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