Ess-a-bagel

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359 1ST Ave
New York, NY 10010

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(212) 260-2252
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Ess-a-bagel - New York, NY
Ess-a-bagel - New York, NY
Ess-a-bagel - New York, NY
Ess-a-bagel - New York, NY
Ess-a-bagel - New York, NY
Ess-a-bagel - New York, NY
Ess-a-bagel - New York, NY
Ess-a-bagel - New York, NY
Ess-a-bagel - New York, NY
Ess-a-bagel - New York, NY
Ess-a-bagel - New York, NY
Ess-a-bagel - New York, NY
Ess-a-bagel - New York, NY
Ess-a-bagel - New York, NY
Ess-a-bagel - New York, NY
Ess-a-bagel - New York, NY
Ess-a-bagel - New York, NY
Reviews
( 35 )
( 25 )
( 8 )
( 2 )
( 2 )

Best

You know the old saying ""never eat in an empty restaurant"" Well the opposite is true too... if you have to wait 15-20 min on line to get a bagel they are doing something right....

Worst

Way to big and doughy to be a legitimate NY bagel.!I mean bigger isn't always better....

Never Again !!!!!!!!!!! 9/7/2011

Bagels were good------but several of the staff behind the counter were absolute jerks. Rude and abrasive-------have no concept of waiting on a customer.\r \r Too many other great bagels in this great city to put up with these miserable people.\r \r Never Again !!!!!!! more

Very Busy For a Reason 3/27/2011

You know the old saying ""never eat in an empty restaurant"" Well the opposite is true too... if you have to wait 15-20 min on line to get a bagel they are doing something right. I think these are the best bagels in the city... and what they do that is different than everyone else is they load you up with cream cheese or whatever else you choose... When I send bagels from NYC to other places in the country or when I visit and my friends ask me to bring them NYC bagels... this is where I go more

Careless Service + Lackluster Food = Go to David's Instead 2/6/2010

This place has good bagels 1) If you get them when they're still hot and 2) if they somehow don't screw up your order. I've been there several times. The line is always a disaster and no one seems to care. There are a lot of employees standing around, but god knows what they're doing. Today the guy literally asked me to repeat my order FOUR TIMES (and asked every customer several times...not just me). I watched more than one employee screw up order after order--and customers coming back for corrections. PAY ATTENTION. THIS ISN'T BRAIN SURGERY. They charge a lot, and I got home today and once again my order was wrong, missing all the ingredients i paid for. The bagels were bland because they weren't fresh out of the oven...I know people like a good bagel that doesn't have to be toasted, but I'd rather go two blocks south to David's and get a toasted bagel, and know that my order will be correct without fail 100% of the time. Ess-a-NotThatHard. Pros: Good bagels, when they get your order right Cons: Service, prices, intelligence level more

Best bagels in NYC 12/8/2008

Bagels are more expensive but are hearty. You know a bagel is good when toasting it does it no justice. Order it fresh, NOT toasted and enjoy the texture of one of the few LEGIT bagel places, left in the city. If you're feeling aggressive order an everything bagel with a cold cut or any salad. Pros: Bagels and Spreads Cons: Price more

Outstanding New York Bagel 6/2/2008

I went to Ess A Bagel expecting the rude counter service written about in many of these past reviews but I was treated very nicely even though it was painfully clear I was a first time customer, and I'm a guy! I had a basic bagel with lox and creamcheese which was quite frankly, the best bagel I have ever eaten. Sure, it is a bit pricey but they do use top quality ingredients. The lox had a deliciously smokey taste and was of Russ & Daughter's quality. The creamcheese was smooth and rich, the perfect accompaniment to their substantial and crusty bagel. I can't wait to go back and try some of their other bagel sandwich offerings. From what I could see from what others were eating, they all looked great. Pros: Best Bagel In New York? Cons: Others say rude counter service but I didn't encounter this more

Best Bagel Sandwich Ever!!! 3/26/2008

I recently visited a friend in New York. One morning she suggested we go here for Breakfast/Lunch. I was exactly excited about it, but when she said that they had Lox I was in. It was a little overwhelming as far as order and I had her boyfriend order for me-It was kind of like the Soup Natzi. But they had both been there and knew the ordering situation. At first I thought it was a little pricey, but taking into consideration its in New York, and it was HUGE, I got over that quickly. It was so good. I had an Onion Bagel with Scallion Cream cheese, Lox, tomato, onion and lettuce. It was so good, I was very impressed. I wish my city had something like this, but since then I have actually been looking into opening a shop similar to it in my town. I would recommend trying it out. Just be prepared to deal with a little New York attitude, but the return is well worth it!!!!! Pros: Great Food, Never had better Lox!!! Cons: Very small shop and we took our bagels outside to eat more

Not the best, not the worst 7/24/2007

When I read reviews about this place, I couldnt wait to go try it out. I read that the bagels were so ""Fluffy"" on the inside and ""Crispy"" on the out, I was excited. Never being to New York before, I couldnt wait to try out this ""Delicious"" bagel. It was small inside, but we found a space to sit down and eat. The people who work there are a little rude. If you have ever watched Seinfeld, you will know who the Soup Nasi is. Thats how I felt when I was there. They expect you to know what it is you are ordering, and they expect you to move along quick. Never being in there before, I wasnt sure what I exactly wanted. They also talk so fast, and are a little edgy if you dont answer them right away. I saw the bin of bagels they had there, but they didnt look as fresh as the past reviews have been raving about on here. They looked as though there was a heat lamp keeping them warm. They were a little nicer to me, since I am female, But they were really rude to my Boyfriend. I got a turkey sandwich. It was ok. I mean it wasnt Bad, but maybe my expectations were a little high. I just didnt think it was Wonderful. For a turkey sandwich, a small diet coke, locks and cream cheese and a small coffee, came up to $19. A little pricey for me. When I go back to New York, I might try out a few other places, just to see the difference. I thought the quality of the bagel was about just as good as bagels here, in California. Overall from what I said, I would possible go back in the future. Cons: A little Expensive more

Best bagels I ever had 12/17/2006

Best bagels I ever had - I haven't lived in New York in 10 years. This place is one of the things I miss the most. more

Best HALF-a-Bagel in the City 11/14/2006

I go here all the time for the best half of a bagel I can find anywhere in the city. Let me explain: The bagels are usually hot out of the oven, tasty, and they have better than average spreads and such. However, the bagel itself only has a topping on the top. Whether you order, poppy, sesame, or everything, technically it's half a plain bagel (the bottom), and half a flavored bagel (the top). more

excellent bagels 10/31/2006

this place consistently produces fresh bagels and the store is a lot cleaner than other bagel places. i try to go here as much as possible more

So Over Rated 10/26/2006

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. more

Best Bagels 8/5/2006

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. more

Best whitefish salad in New York City 7/11/2006

Not only do they have the freshest and most delicious bagels in the city, but hey have the absolute best whitefish salad on earth! more

So good! 7/7/2006

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 more

I can eat these 3 times a day... 11/14/2005

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 more

The best bagel I have ever had!!!! 7/9/2005

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 more

The Best for years 6/16/2005

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 more

gargantuan bagels 5/18/2005

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. more

whitefish salad rocks 3/11/2005

For my money, these are the best bagels in the city. And the whitefish salad on sesame is without peer. more

Bagels and Banter 10/9/2004

Great bagels, great cream cheese! There's a long line, but the employees are so great that you don't mind waiting a few minutes. The bagels are always hot and fresh. Pros: Awesome bagels, Friendly staff, Cheap Cons: , Long lines more
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Editorial
  • The Scene
    The interior of Ess-a-Bagel, which opened in 1976 near the northwestern edge of Stuyvesant Town, has all the appeal of a breakfast nook at a Howard Johnson's, with a chintzy...

  • 11/19/2004 Provided by Citysearch
Additional information
  • Hours: Mon 06:00 AM-09:00 PM;Tue 06:00 AM-09:00 PM;Wed 06:00 AM-09:00 PM;Thu 06:00 AM-09:00 PM;Fri 06:00 AM-09:00 PM;Sat 06:00 AM-05:00 PM;Sun 06:00 AM-05:00 PM
  • Payments: Cash, Visa, Master Card, American Express, Discover
  • Neighborhoods: Stuyvesant Town, Midtown
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