Don't get me wrong. The bagels are GOOD. But everyone seems to know and rave about this place and it's totally nothing special. Being from Long Island where there are a lot of great bagel places may... More

Don't get me wrong. The bagels are GOOD. But everyone seems to know and rave about this place and it's totally nothing special. Being from Long Island where there are a lot of great bagel places may be altering my perception, but the bagels are only slightly better than average. Good bagels, but nothing to rave about and nothing special.
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The bagels are fabulous. We live in New Jersey and whenever we go into New York City we buy bagels to eat hot and then to freeze (they told me that if I call in the order, they'd bring it out to the... More

The bagels are fabulous. We live in New Jersey and whenever we go into New York City we buy bagels to eat hot and then to freeze (they told me that if I call in the order, they'd bring it out to the car so I wouldn't have to look for parking). They are the best bagels I've had. Their whitefish salad is excellent--all whitefish with a little mayo. The bagels are also reasonably priced for NYC.
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Not only do they have the freshest and most delicious bagels in the city, but hey have the absolute best whitefish salad on earth!

Not only do they have the freshest and most delicious bagels in the city, but hey have the absolute best whitefish salad on earth!
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my favorite bagels and c. cheese in the city. once the bagel was warm and my c. cheese was melting. So good I can taste it right now! Pros: great food Cons: not so great ambiance

my favorite bagels and c. cheese in the city. once the bagel was warm and my c. cheese was melting. So good I can taste it right now! Pros: great food Cons: not so great ambiance
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Growing up in NY, I have eaten my share of bagels. Ess-A-Bagel (either by Sty-town or midtown) is by far the best bagel in NY. The bagels always warm, soft on the inside, crispy on the outside and... More

Growing up in NY, I have eaten my share of bagels. Ess-A-Bagel (either by Sty-town or midtown) is by far the best bagel in NY. The bagels always warm, soft on the inside, crispy on the outside and enormous in size. They have a huge selection of different cream cheeses and all of their salads are great. The lox is always fresh too. Highly recommended to all! Pros: Bagels, Cream Cheese Selectio, Lox Cons: Long Lines on Sundays
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This is the best place for bagels. I personally think that Ess-a beats H&H. You get bagels that are crusty on the outside and soft on the inside. If you get them hot, they are just divine. They... More

This is the best place for bagels. I personally think that Ess-a beats H&H. You get bagels that are crusty on the outside and soft on the inside. If you get them hot, they are just divine. They also sell a variety of cream cheeses, etc., but the highlight is the bagels. I will go out of my way for an Ess-a bagel! They also have a branch up in midtown. PROS: Delicious bagels! CONS: You'll wish you could have one everyday
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Essa bagels have the perfect bagel--soft and chewy on the inside, but firm/crunchy outside. They are also huge--I used to joke how they were like life preservers. People rave about H&H bagels, but... More

Essa bagels have the perfect bagel--soft and chewy on the inside, but firm/crunchy outside. They are also huge--I used to joke how they were like life preservers. People rave about H&H bagels, but Essa has them beat hands down! When the bagels come out of the oven, they are divine. They also sell cream cheese and other related foods, but the bagels are the highlights. On weekends, there can be a long line. I used to live in the area and could pop by for bagels. Now I live farther away, but I still love to make a special trip to Essa Bagel. They have 2 branches, one on 1st Ave and 21st, and another at 831 3rd Ave. Bagels are 70 cents each. I highly recommend an Essa Bagel!
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Our first time in New York and we had to try a "New York Bagel". We were not dissappointed in the least bit by this little gem. The bagel was huge. They were served warm and had a soft fluffy... More

Our first time in New York and we had to try a "New York Bagel". We were not dissappointed in the least bit by this little gem. The bagel was huge. They were served warm and had a soft fluffy interior. The workers there also absolutely load the bagel with cream cheese (gets a little messy). I loved it and would HIGHLY RECOMMEND. Pros: bagels, cream cheese, delicious Cons: nothing
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I grew up on these bagels. The staff is no nonsense. The food options rule. When I lived upstate for a while I would buy & freeze the bagels and they would still be better than any else. Worth... More

I grew up on these bagels. The staff is no nonsense. The food options rule. When I lived upstate for a while I would buy & freeze the bagels and they would still be better than any else. Worth visiting the 1st Ave spot because it is the original store. Pros: Best in City, Great Lox, whitefish, Dr. Browns Cons: Line on the weekends
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the bagels are: big, brobdingnagian, colossal, elephantine, enormous, gargantuan, giant, gigantic, huge, humungous, jumbo, king sized, leviathan, mammoth, massive, titanic, tremendous, whopping ...... More

the bagels are: big, brobdingnagian, colossal, elephantine, enormous, gargantuan, giant, gigantic, huge, humungous, jumbo, king sized, leviathan, mammoth, massive, titanic, tremendous, whopping ... best bagels in nyc. always fresh and delicious. so garantuan that you can't fit them in a toaster. my personal favorite is an everything bagel with lox spread, but all the bagles are unbeliavably good.
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