For me this is the perfect NYC bagel. The queue out the door at 6am was proof that a lot of other people feel the same. The place has a huge selection of things to eat but I went for a classic everything bagel with plain cream cheese. The bagel had a slightly crunchy exterior with a perfectly chewy inside. The piping hot coffee was the perfect match for this. I had asked for a t-shirt and was told they were sold out but a kind lady went and had a rummage around the office and managed to find one for me, great service!

One of our favorite bagel shops in Manhattan. The perfect place to grab a world famous New York style bagel. The Nova sandwich (smoked salmon, lettuce, cream cheese, and capers) is probably the best tasting bagel Ive ever had in my life. The portion is pretty big and can be shared and the staff were super friendly and happy to give recommendations.

The bagels toasted was crispy on the outside but still soft and chewy on the inside. I can see why there is a cult following. I had their sausage, egg, and cheese and it was amazing!

You don’t wanna miss bagels at Ess-a-Bagel. One of the best that you can find in the city. Cause of its well deserved popularity we planned to go very early and managed to be among the first few customers. Minutes later there was a long queue behind us but the turnover is very fast, so wait is really less. Loved the Bagel and the coffee, absolutely great! 👍🏼

Everything tasted amazing. They have all sorts of cream cheese, from avocado to peach, many salads and very fresh bagels. They don’t carry Asiago bagel. Everything bagel was delicious. I had it with green onion cream cheese eggs and sausage and my boyfriend got avocado cheese with egg and pastrami.

SO OVER HYPED.Waited 30 minutes in line to place an order and waited another 20 minutes to get my 4 bagels made.Staff is dull, inefficient, and confused. They got our orders wrong.Plain cream cheese bagels are $4-5 and other sandwich bagels are $11-18. Extremely overpriced for dense, hard to chew, average bagels that I can either make myself or go to Einstein’s for. I was expecting something spectacular based on the hype and line but I didn’t taste anything special about these “NY style” bagels.not worth it.

It is authentic New York bagels and u can build unique flavor.Toasted bagel with Salmon and veggies is amazing. Try the everything bagel)시그니쳐 베이글 강추! 베이글은 everything으로!

Absolutely amazing bagels!! I’m vegan and the tofu cream cheese was out of this world. A man behind me in line was telling his wife what he was going to order and said one of the tofu cream cheeses, and when she questioned him on it, he said you couldn’t tell the difference. The tofu cream cheese really was the absolute best vegan cream cheese I’ve had. The first time I went here I had to wait an hour for my bagel, but it was definitely worth it. Looks like some people order take-out ahead of time though so they don’t have to wait in line. I’ll have to do that if I’m in NYC again.

Probably everyone knows that Ess-a-Bagel is one of the best in this area. The long lines outside the shop are justified. Definitely come in a bit early if you want to avoid the crowd and sit in the limited seating area. The service is quick, so the lines keep moving quickly though.

Great bagels. Lines can get a bit long. Lots of different kinds of cream cheese to choose from. Very tasty.

Nice NY bagel joint. My everything bagel toasted with avocado garlic cream cheese was exactly what I wanted. Their coffee is actually pretty good as well. Service was quick and kind. If I’m feeling fat later I might come back for a slice of that cheesecake.

Not from the area but this place came up as a popular joint and did not disappoint! They serve you so so fast and the food is delicious. Be sure to stay with the person that takes your order down the line so your order doesn’t get lost!

First time to visit here. Its to-go only and the line was long but it was worth the wait. The prices were very good too. My only complaint is that, as a first-time customer, it was difficult to know how/what to order as you go to a counter (which is full of stuff) but with no wall menus of all bagel types, options, etc. Fortunately, despite the many people in line, the staff were patient and helped once you were at the counter to order. The orders were filled reasonably quickly too.

Edit: I went back for their signature lox bagel and it was incredible, bumping my first review of 4 stars to five. Definitely the best bagel shop Ive been to in a long time.Absolutely delicious and very filling bagels. I got the ess-a-BLTA and was certainly not disappointed. Would have given it five stars if the bagel wasnt so tough but overall it was really good and I will definitely be returning to try something else. Highly recommended!

Outstanding Bagels and Cream cheese... So chewy. Moved from NYC to Tucson AZ and all the bagels here taste like slice of bread. The real deal. worth the wait on line. Thinking about the last time we got these on the way to the airport makes me miss them all the more.

Solid bagel but I’ve had better elsewhere. Was a long line and staff was hustling and the line moved pretty fast!

Sesame bagel was too tough. The signature sandwich was a let down…too many red onions and not enough lox which overpowered the flavor. Had better lox sandwiches and expected more.

Very long line but good. I recommend giving your self time if you plan toCome here.

Delicious, good value. Wish there were more seating available. Selection is good.

I love ess-a-bagel 😍I have a signature Favorite bagle and ice latteI’ll be back soon

The bagel sandwiches here are decent but Ive had similar elsewhere. Yes, there seems to often be a line but dont use that as a measure of quality, its really because the establishment is slow as molasses with their production line model of taking your orders, preparing your food, and then having it rung up by the cashier (and as for the latter, they totally need more than 1 cashier).My Whitefish Pumpernickel Raisin bagel was pretty good tho - nice blend of flavors! Pastrami & Cheese on an Everything Bagel was yummy too but the only dissatisfactory portion is the fact that they upcharged me for my Havarti Cheese request yet put American Cheese on the sandwich - so misleading!Cashier didnt even say thank you once I paid for my order. Being as though NYC is the bagel capital, theres too many other options with better service, less wait time, and a cheaper menu. Ill def be going elsewhere next time I have a bagel craving!

Bagel/tofu cream cheese options, service, and COVID-spacing were great. I live in Spain where there are literally orange juice machines with ripe oranges in almost every cafe, bar and restaurant- so I can tell that their expensive OJ is just from a carton and definitely not fresh-squeezed, as the price tag implies. Have to leave 3 stars just for that because I was extremely disappointed and felt ripped-off.

Can’t get better than this on a rainy day in New York City. I’m vegetarian so I ordered everything bagel with vegetable cream cheese. For meat eaters, you should definitely try the “signature favorite”

Nice place! I love to have a bagel for breakfast one in a while, and this place has them delicious. They usually are pretty big and i can have the rest of it later. The service was friendly and you want to come here again and again.

Worth the wait!They are by far the best beagles I have tried in NYC. So flavor rich!You might have to wait if you are going at their peak times ... between 30 to 55 minutes, but it is so totally worth it.They are generously served and very flavourful.

Great bagels, just not a fan of microwave eggs and meats like bacon etc...

I ordered The Signature from the Clinton St location, and this is what arrived. No salmon, just a little salmon cream cheese on bottom, scallion cream cheese on top. The bagel seemed a day old. I obviously didn’t take a single bite and requested a refund. Never again.

Unbelievable. These bagels are next level, and I didn’t even think that was possible with something as simple as a bagel. First of all, you need to know the lines. The huge line you see out the door is for the tourists that don’t know better or the people that want a toasted bagel or a specialty bagel. If you are looking for your simple, fresh out of the oven bagels with cream cheese, go right inside to the separate counter with NO LINE to get that. While I love the everything bagel, the true gem is the garlic bagel. That excellent, toasted garlic flavor is perfect, and when paired with the chive cream cheese, there is nothing better. I cannot recommend this place enough!!!

Solid NY bagel that was soft, fluffy and fresh. Went with my standard bagel order of everything bagel with scallion cream cheese and it was worth the long line that was out the door.

So delicious. Tried the bacon, egg and cheese on an everything bagel. Highly recommend but expect to wait at least 30 min as the place was packed! They move as fast as possible when making your bagel as soon as you order and the team working the counter is friendly.

Try apple cinamon with peach cream chese. roast beef bagle, make sure you use some black pepper and gravy sauce, otherwise, you smell that raw beef which I am not a big fan of

Just okay, would recommend Absolute Bagels on 108th instead

Bagel bread was so good. I lived in Germany for 4 years and spoiled by fresh crispy bread, this bread remind me of those bread! Filling was ok. Eggs and sausage too watery. One minus for messing up order.

Wow. Believe it when they say that New York bagels are really that much better! Super nice, clean place with lots of options. The bagels are amazing! Warm and dense without being too heavy. Their signature sandwich (pictured) is killer and is a must try. If you’re in the area you definitely need to check them out!

Really good bagels, nice and courteous staff. I ordered the Signature sandwich. It was delicious and they do not skimp on the cream cheese.

Amazing bagels, long line going fast.

Great bagels and baked goods. Need a better system for the long lines. Bagels a Soo good though

Average quality bagel. Crust is thick and borderline papery. Crumb is not resilient. Dough tastes under seasoned and bland. Shape is sloppy.

Really the best bagel Ive had in my life though Im not world traveled. The staff was quick but were so friendly to my family and I as tourist. Immediately knew we were from LA and hoped we could get him tacos if we ever visited again, still waiting to get him those. It was packed pretty much every day that we were in New York for (no we did not eat bagels every day). The menu is huge! My sis who lives in NY most of the year cannot find a better bagel in the state or NYC. Love this place with all my heart!

First time husband and I tried New York bagels, being we are visiting from Virginia. Came in around lunch time and ended up waiting a quit a bit, but the bagels were really good. There’s plenty of options to choose from. While the bagels were delicious, I would not recommend the ice coffee.

One the best tasting and consistent bagel shops in all of Manhattan! The staff is very helpful for first timers as it can be very confusing. The line is usually out the door at peak hours for very good reasons so ordering ahead online is recommended if youre crunched for time! Their signature bagel is a must try along with their other creative signature options!

My wife and I had two amazing large jam packed bagels. Fresh baked beauties. The Pepe is lovely. Hot roast beef oh yessss. The Muriel is the one for fish lovers. More salmon that you could shake a stick at. Great

Really good New York bagels. Solid whitefish salad. I go for the Melanie on an everything. Prices are crazy but at least theyre still around!

This place used to be iconic, but not anymore. Not really sure what happened here but every time I come- the service is slow, bagels are stale, staff is stingy on the cream cheese and salmon lox. Will not be back here.

We are visiting from VA and found this little jewel. I got the Iced Cafe Choco, the bf got an Iced Coffee, and a sesame bagel with raisin/walnut cream cheese. Everything was excellent.

Great bagels! They were really fresh (steam coming out of them). The service was slow, but it was moving. There is an express lane to get bagels in the back and avoid the line.

The bagels are to die for and are absolutely worth the wait! We waited in line for about an hour total to get a bagel for a Sunday brunch, which feels like a lot, but can also be avoided by ordering ahead or purchasing from their express line (if you just want unsliced bagels).I got the signature favorite (Lox, cream cheese, onion, tomato, capers) and the bagel was stuffed. It can get a little messy with how much they give you. My wife got a ham, egg and cheese and felt the bagel was really the star of the show.Its easy to see why Ess-a-Bagel is such a popular spot and with a wide variety of toppings, Im eager to return.

Definitely the best bagels in this neighborhood but nothing we cant find in our area. The lines are long and then you have to wait a lot to get your food, so be prepared for that.

Great bagel with lox. Tons of places to get something similar but delicious here too!

Great staffs, superb bagels! Can also find sandwiches and coffee here.A variety of different types of bagels to choose from. You’re more welcome to mix and match your own fav ingredients.Nine grain bagel + smoked salmon + avocado garlic cream cheese is so tasty!

The line was LONG on a Sunday morning, but it moved pretty quickly. Got their signature bagel and, wow, instantly, understood the line. The bagel was fresh, of course, and kind of chewy, NY style, very flavorful. The cured salmon and the tasteful cream cheese together, made it a fantastic breakfast! Lots of to goes, therefore, eating in was not a problem. Worth the wait!

Popular tourist bagel spot. Large, chewy bagels that are slightly firmer than other local bagel shops. Fast service. Amazing options for cream cheese, lox and other additions to your bagel.

Best bagels. Line moved quickly. I wish I wouldve gotten some to take home!! Cant wait to go back.

Love this place, been with this company over 7yrs. Great food and great people here. Definitely a top choice I recommend to anyone.

The bagels here are amazing and the service is super fast. I strongly recommend checking them out. They have a great selection and the prices are reasonable

Perfect experience. Staff have big and humorous personalities. Food was made fresh in front of me. Constant lineup of locals. Coffee was so fresh, hot and tasty, better than coffee chains. Im going again.

This is the first bagel I had in NYC and it has set such a high bench mark for whats to come!We got the salmon and avocado bagel and it was flawless. The components complimented each other very well in just the right amounts.

Great bagels but even better sandwiches. Try the Rueben on garlic bagel toasted with Russian and you will love it. Great desserts too. Our grand kids love the Oreo cream cheese on plain bagels or on blueberry bagels. Forgot to take photos but photos on other reviews are accurate. Check out all of our reviews. If we do not like it we do not review it so all of the ones you see are places that are fantastic.

I have given 5stars before as these are great bagels. But a 1star is for this last purchase. As I do appreciate history and the stories antiques can tell. I don’t appreciate ingesting such things. This hand-made nail was baked into the bagel. Circa 1900? Wonder what it was used for? After all those years.. still strong enough to chip a tooth.

Absolutely amazing bagels, easily the best in NYC. The cream selection is outstanding, and the owners are the kindest and most caring good-hearted people doing what they love. This should be a nationwide franchise so others can taste the deliciousness too. Highly recommended!!!

It was Our first time eating here, so we already confused on how to order a breakfast sandwich an coffee, once we got out breakfast our sandwichs were cold, we asked them to warm it up for us and all the guy did was put it in a microwave and pressed no buttons so they just sat in there while we waited and the lady we gave our coffee order to forgot we ordered coffee an never made them until we reminded her. And this was at 6:30am. So it was a slow time. So it was a bad experience for me. Cheese wasnt even melted 😕

For me Ess-a-Bagel is number One bagel place in Manhattan, I even chose the Maxwells hotel on Lexington because it is close to the place to Ess-a-Bagel and I can get my breakfast every morning around the corner. For three days in a raw the Bagel sandwiches were little hard and not fresh enough!! This is why the four stars nevertheless the taste was still great. I just love the place and I will surely keep going there and I really hope that they go back to their standards, after all they are the best Bagel place in NY.

Long and confusing line and sesame bagel ended up being tough to chew. Friends got everything bagels that were much better. Not a sure thing.

Absolutely loved these bagels. Wow. The best I had so far in NYC.Be ready to queue. I arrived at 10:20 and spent more than 30 minutes in the line. But that was worth it though 😁👍P.S. There are two lines — one just for bagels with cream cheese and one for sandwiches and other dishes. Make sure you go into the correct line. If you want just bagels with cream cheese you most likely don’t need to queue outside.

The bagels here are pretty amazing and the service is one of the best. I strongly recommend trying their bagels out when you have a chance.

One of the best bagels I have ever had. Definitely coming back here next time I visit New York!

We went on a Saturday and it was very busy with a line down the block. I suggest calling ahead or ordering online, so you can walk right in and pick up food up. They also have a quick line if you are just getting bagels and cream cheese to go. The service was awesome and everyone was friendly. The food was delicious and worth the wait.

The greatest bagel you will ever eat.My girlfriend and I waited in the blistering cold for two hours and it was so worth it. The bagels were fresh and warm, they were literally taking them out of the oven as we ordered them. The everything bagels we got had so much flavor I easily could have eaten 2 or 3.Be prepared to wait in line early in the morning, but also be ready to have every other bagel ruined for you.

The Best Bagel in the city. Bagels are made fresh in the store. Tons of different flavored cream cheese from savory to sweet and a large variety of spreads and toppings for your bagel, you name it they have it. They also offer other sandwiches but I have not tried them yet, I bet you they are also good. The only down side is the poor customer service, ambiance not so appealing and the long line. You don’t want to come to this place during lunch rush hours for you will spend 30mins to 1 hour wait in line. The management need to improve their method, organize the store, and improve their system. The store has potential to do better business.

The Signature bagel was delicious, but the wait was ridiculous. Waited an hour and a half in a line that didnt look that long. The food is good, but they are slow. Order online and pick it up, thats the plan for next time.

Their bagels are usually top notch and delicious, however bagels i got last thursday were moldy by the weekend.

Iced coffee and lox bagel: $21. Just a couple thin slices of lox. The coffee even with cream and sweeteners is horribly bland. This is consistent with each of my three visits so far. I dont understand the hype. Better value elsewhere.

Delicious!! Theres always a line but it goes fast

Amazing fresh bagel loaded with lox. Worth every penny. Not to mention their iced tea is exceptional as well!

GREAT bagels. The best I had while in NYC (and prob my life) The wait was INSANE though. We were in line almost an hour. I dont think I will endure that again.

Wrong bagel, not toasted, missing lettuce and tomato (for a BLT/club sandwich.) I asked for mayo on the side bc their menu forces you to choose either mayo or Russian dressing but they put it on. Oh, and the lady at the cashier counter is about as pleasant as sitting on a cactus. For $12.60 before tax, this place just isnt worth it. Too many choices in midtown, go someplace else.

Such wonderful bagels!!! During COVID, you can wait in line in store OR order ahead online BUT KEEP IN MIND: takes 45 to 55 min for orders to be made if you order online, even if simple toasted bagel. So just order early! Bagels are truly delicious. Cannot wait to return! Thank you for the quality 🥯

Staff - 5 stars ( cashier and counter guys)Bagel - 5 stars (everything)Cream cheese - 5 starsTomatoes + cucumber - 5 stars.Chocolate croissant - 2 stars ( didnt factor in my overall rating)My only gripe, my olive cream cheese wasnt olivy!....Follow me on Instagram @AbiteOUTwithJACK

Amazing selection, bagels fantastic and very quick service.

I came in about 1pm, I suppose for the lunch rush because there was a medium line. The employees work diligently while dealing with customers who have no idea what they’re ordering.Here is it folks: The Signature Sandwich at $15.79 (that’s with tax). Verdict: it’s a really fresh sandwich but worth the price? I don’t think so. The bagel is great. The components of the sandwich are nice too. Everything is proportionate. I suppose if you find yourself in the area, it’s a nicer place. It’s out of the way for me. But if I find myself over here again, I will be trying the apple cinnamon cream cheese.

This is the famous bagel shop in NYC. It’s always in a long queue, I queued for one hour to buy the bagel. I tried their signature favourite bagel, the taste was good. But I would say it’s not worth for the wait, the bagel is not that amazing. I will not queue for that again.

Long lines for delicious, chewy bagels loaded with pretty much whatever you might like on them. Theres a dizzying array of cream cheeses and salads for an array of palettes, from sweet to savory. I am a savory fan myself, so my recommendation is the lox on nine grain, toasted. Yum !

Pro: varieties of cream cheese.Con: TOURIST TRAP! LOCALS STAY AWAY! Bagels are large, doughy, and salty. The staff is painfully slow, so theres always a line (mostly of tourists, of course). The store looks rundown and some of the staff have hygiene issues. Tourists think they are experiencing something authentic. They arent.

The service is pretty amazing and the bagels are too tasty. They have a great selection and the service staff are the best.

Could eat these bagels everyday

It’s good but... 15$ for a simple bagel, are you serious? Normally my lunch costs around 10$, I wanted a cheaper option for once and ended up paying even more. I would like the prices to be more transparent because it was written the lox cream cheese is 5, not 15. Not worth the price at all.

Be alert and validate on your orders.May be long waiting time to get your food.

Not great ratios of ingredients in the bagel. The fresh OJ was absolutely not fresh.

The bagels here are amazing and I recommend you try them out when you have a chance. Theyre worth a trip and the service staff are the best.

Amazingly fresh, fluffy soft with a perfect crust, incredible smell, taste and selection! Perfect bagels!

Truly great bagels. The spot on Third Ave is the one with the charm. Expect 20-30mins line in the morning. BLTA on Everything is my favourite.

When my family is blessed to visit new York our store will be ess a bagel

Delicious bagels,any flavor you can choose,what you want,busy place to much.

Best everything bagel I ever ate!! But coffee sucks, just beware. Other flavored cheese creams were good, not too sweet.

Bagels were awesome !!!! But service is slow and inefficient.I will go again for the bagels !

Very nice place with plenty of choices. I had everything bagel with olive cream cheese, tomato and ham. It was a little salty but delicious

Bagels are good! Just be prepared to wait on a long line.

Phenomenal bagels with a variety of gourmet cream cheeses. worth the wait as service is not the fastest while being overwhelmed by number of guests. Limited seating. go early to avoid the line.

Ess-A-Bagel is one of the more popular bagel places in New York and you can tell when you walk by the bagel shop and see the huge line out of the door. I wouldn’t call myself a bagel aficionado, but I do appreciate a good bagel and I feel like Ess-A-Bagel hits the spot if that is what you are looking for.I got the Signature bagel with slices of nova with scallion cream cheese which was very good. I would recommend it on an Everything bagel, but to each their own. I also got the Egg, cheese, and sausage bagel was good, but I would stick with the Signature as you just can’t find quality like this outside of New York.The Signature is more on the pricey side ($15) so I can see why some people aren’t big fans, but I still would recommend Ess-A-Bagel to get your bagel fix, even if it isn’t their Signature.*PROTIP* Order ahead. You can order online or on the phone and go straight to the register to pick up the order. It does take about an hour for the order to get made and ready for you, but it beats standing in line for 30-40 minutes.

Bagels are worth standing in line! Although our pizza bagels were prepared sloppy.