Ess-a-Bagel

Be prepared for a long line, but the truth is that it is worth the wait. This place is no frills. On the surface it may even look like a chain or tourist trap, but do not be fooled. I had the nova lox on an everything bagel with cream cheese, red onions, tomato and capers. I’ve had this bagel a million years times at hundreds of other spots but can honestly say this was the best. It was absolutely worth the wait. Believe the hype. This place delivers the goods.

Ess-a-Bagel’s original 1^st Avenue location is now closed. The shutters are drawn and the locals are mourning. Word has it that they will be re-​opening in a new location nearby.
Former review:
Looking for a delicious New York bagel?! Then you have to check out Ess-​a-​Bagel. At Ess-​a, it’s all about the old school store, old-​school staff, and a tried-​and-​true offering of tasty bagels and cream cheeses.
Tips:
Eat the bagel un-​toasted. Besides, if you ask for it toasted, they will give you a funny look.
Looking for a simple savoury bagel? Try the everything bagel with scallion cream cheese.
Eating the pickled herring will make you wish you had a bottle of Listerine in your back pocket.

The original Ess-​a-​Bagel served its last customer yesterday. A Bank of America will take over the space.
Ess-​a hopes to reopen nearby, but nothing is certain.

NYC is the epicenter of great bagels and Ess-​A-​Bagel is it’s undisputed King and #1 bagel in the city, in my opinion, followed by #2 Jumbo/Murray’s and then #3 H&H/Tal/Zuckers/Davids. And if you like everything bagels, try Zaro’s in Grand Central… not that the bagel is the best, but they put a ton of ‘everything’ toppings on both sides, not just the tops, which I love. I think places like Murray’s, Barney Greengrass & Zuckers have much better smoked fish selections, but based on pure bagel, there is no one that does it better than Ess-​A-​Bagel. You can try the rest, but if you want to cut to the chase and get the best, go to «Essa»…that being said though, I much prefer the Midtown location to this location as there’s more seating there.

Ess-​a-​bagel
NY Manhattan Stuyvesant Town
10:30am Sunday 15^th February 2015
****
#FirstNYCbagel #BagelSunday. Apparently some of my friends (Grant and Alyssa) always eat bagels on Sundays. This was one of the famous places on the list. It is a small store where the line wraps around the entire place. We got an everything with Lox Spread, everything with egg salad, and raisin with apple cinnamon. We were able to get a table but we forget to get them toasted. #amateurs. The bagels were delicious filled with processed carbs and gluten. Generally the tops of all pastries are better (cakes, muffins, cupcakes, etc). However with the everything bagel all the seasoning is on the bottom making it the more desirable half. The smear was delicious. The lox was not overpowering or too salty. The apple cinnamon was sweet and had actual hunks of apple.
[Aside: Cream cheese is magical. It can sweet, savory, or spicy. You could put virtually anything in it and it would taste fine if not great.]
Weird side note #2: they did not have egg sandwiches because their microwave was broken.
Practical note #3: there is a separate line to just buy whole unadulterated bagels.
These bagel were worth the carbs, fat, and the wait.

A 1:1 ratio of bagel to shmear and a dose of attitude made for an episode of Seinfeld, Ess-​a-​Bagel is fit for any NYC carb lover. Pumpernickel and sesame bagels are dense and chewy with a nutty, earthy taste that’s made better by a good slathering of plain cream cheese. All cream cheese is not created equal, though. The raisin walnut is cloying to the point of sickening — don’t let it touch your bagel.

Hmmm… where do I begin?
Living in NYC for god knows how long and I have never been to this place… I haven’t been to many places that have been around for god knows how long. And unfortunately some of those places have shuttered.
This location is going to close its doors at the end of the month. Luckily they still have another location in Midtown. I overheard a customer ask the owner (?) if he’s going to move somewhere else but he replied, that he doesn’t know.
When I entered, I saw one long line and I got on it. I didnt know what the protocol was. I just wanted to buy a few bagels for home. While waiting, another patron came in and went towards the register area. I ended up realizing the line I was in was for bagels being prepared however the way you wanted it to be. I ended up stepping to the other line. I bought 4 everything bagels. The total was $ 4.40. The bagels were just made. The paper bag was hot an creating condensation in the plastic bag. I had to open up the paper bag to let it air out so the bagels wouldn’t get soggy.
These bagels are good, soft and chewy. Even eating them 3 days after I bought them, after being toasted, they’re still soft. My only issue with it is that the bagels are a little too salty for me.

Sad news, this Ess-​a-​Bagel is closing at the end of January after 40 years at this location.
Go, get your last schmear in!
As reported by the Jewish Daily:
?

I was in carb heaven when I walked in. I wanted to swim in all those different flavored cream cheeses. OMG, I wish I could have eaten one of everything. I took a half a dozen bagels home with me to Cali and I’m still savoring them (I cut them in 3rds).
Hey Ess-​A-​Bagel, can you open up a shop in Socal?

As far as bagels go in NYC this ess-​a the place. I really love many bagel shops and nothing really sticks out to differentiate the stores that much.
Obviously this joint is run by olé skool Yorkers and the staff is very family like.
The bagels themselves are decently priced and classic. Cream cheese sandwiches are overflowing with goodness and toasted to perfection.
This joint is usually really busy at all times so gotta time it right! I’d say 3.5 rounded up!

Really good bagels. They have such a variety. Its hard to just chose one. I ordered the everything with lox cream cheese. The bagel was fresh out of the oven and was still pipping hot. No need to request for a toasted bagel. Huge bonus, they load that lox cream cheese on. Yum :)
Only problem for me was the wait. There was about a 20 min wait at like 11:00am. The line just snakes around the small shop. I would just not come near any meal time. But highly recommend this place if you’re near by.

I love this place. Wide selection of bagels and spreads, and every bagel I’ve tried here (current count is pumpernickel, everything, multigrain, poppyseed, sesame, plain, and cinnamon raisin) has been similarly great quality. They make them frequently and while they have a no-​toasting policy, the bagels are always hot and delicious.
Last time I was in the city I snagged a bag to bring home to Seattle, and the recipients marveled over the great taste. When I’m not in Queens, this is my go-​to spot.

We really enjoyed NY breakfast! We didn’t know what to order but our great chef prepared for us the «supreme bagel» which consist of huge amounts of sour cream, lux, lattice, tomato and cucumber!
I strongly recommend it!
We will defiantly visit there again! My mom will be happy for gaining some weight here due to the generous dishes!!!
Thank you for lovely experience.

Stop the dam press.
The bagels here really are incredible. Easily the best bagel I’ve ever had. I wish places like this existed on the west coast. This is an institution, and they’ve survived for decades simply by doing one thing and being the best at it. I love places like this. Simple menu, honest and humble décor, but an absolutely stellar, world class product. One of their everything bagels when it’s still warm, with chive cream cheese: it’s so basic, but so, so good.

No need for a toaster when bagels start warm and crispy.
Stopped by on a surprisingly empty Friday morning for an everything with cream and lox. Everything bagel was terrific, probably the best this Lender’s/Costco-raised Californian has ever had. Lox was pretty good, but the $ 14 price tag put this sandwich as a Katz’s like luxury as opposed to a daily breakfast fix.
Alternatively, just stick with the bagels. Dress them at home. Toaster optional.

Smear! My cousin told me about this bagel shop. Its just a block down from where I was staying. Managed to drop by on my very last day in NY & I’m very glad I did.
Ordered an everything bagel w/​cream cheese without even looking at what types of bagels/​spreads they had. Had I checked, I probably would have tried one of their special spreads. They have blueberry, strawberry, lox, raisin, walnut, plain tofu, vegetable tofu, scallion tofu, raisin walnut tofu, egg salad, baked salmon, etc… some were cream cheese spreads, others were for their sandwiches.
My bagel was filled with cream cheese (my cousin informed me that this is the way they do it in NY). OH! This place also sells kosher bagels :] I usually don’t like a ton of cream cheese, but for some reason… I really liked Ess-a-bagel’s spread. I might have taken off a tad bit with my knife, but I didn’t leave much behind.
OJ $ 2.50 (just the right amount)
Bagel $ 2.95
I thought this was a decently priced meal to start off my day exploring parts of the city. Ate my meal inside — really liked the chandeliers and the wide open window. Lots of people walked in to grab something to eat, some stayed to eat, chat with friends or co-​workers. Being as its close to a school and on a corner, let alone on busy street — I’m sure this is one of the popular local spots people frequent on a daily basis. Wish there was one back in Pasadena, CA!

If Goldilocks was looking for a perfect bagel, she would say this one is «just right». Not too big, not too little. Soft on the inside, crunchy on the outside (no need for toasting, although I hear they would refuse anyway). Vegetable cream had all the right ingredients. I hate when places throw in some carrots and call it «vegetable» cream cheese. No, that’s carrot cream cheese.
My everything bagel had a tad bit too much salt, but otherwise I completely enjoyed indulging.
The inside is a bit old but it adds to the character. The price is not antiquated though-​my bagel was $ 4.08!

No gimmicks, just bagels and good spreads. On top of that, I’ve always encountered good service here with no attitude; more than can be said of other places in the neighborhood, and I love how you can see the bagels coming to life to the left of the counter. I’ve heard it does get crazy busy but since I start work fairly early in the morning so I never have more than a wait of a person or two in front on the days I choose to treat myself to my all-​time favorite of lox spread with tomato on pumpernickel; can’t recommend their lox spread enough.
I did have their coffee a few times and it was pretty fresh and tasted no worse than something you’d find at Starbucks. But it’s the bagels you have to come here for. I don’t toast my bagels (runny warm cream cheese is something I’ll never want or understand), so I have no reason to give it anything but 5 stars.
If you’re a New Yorker, you won’t be blown away by Ess-​a-​Bagel but you’ll appreciate what it does right. But if you’re from out of town and you want a taste of New York bagelry, be sure to give it a shot.

We heard great reviews from everyone! It was also the most recommended bagel shop to go to.
I ordered a whole wheat everything bagel with the lox spread. Jayleen Y. ordered the onion bagel with jalapeño spread.
Both were oh so delicious!
Since it was our first time getting a New York bagel, I did not realize how much cream cheese they give you. They give enough to call it a bagel cream cheese sandwich!
For me, the lox spread had a little too much lox & it overpowered in flavor. I loved the bagel sandwich that my sister ordered. A perfect blend of spicy to creaminess.
A New Yorker offered up the suggestion of buying one bagel sandwich, buying a bagel on its own and divvying up the cream cheese for both bagels. Genius idea!

This is the ORIGINAL Ess-​A-​Bagel but about a quarter in size of its second location in Midtown East.
Granted that they are a much smaller location and accommodations have to be made respectively, I still find it upsetting that they do not carry the same types of spread, salads, and meats. I am fine with the reduced number of available seating though, since bagels are usually a grab-​n-​go item anyway.
As I mentioned in my review for their second location, their prices are steep. A ham and egg on a whole wheat flagel cost me $ 6.99. That’s a lot of money for a breakfast sandwich!
Their service is a tiny bit better than that at the Midtown East location since I never had to wait 15 minutes after placing in my order for a cream cheese bagel. But it’s obvious that the employees are just as unhappy and aggrieved.
To make matters worse, they only received a «B» from the Department of Health.
PS There are hardly ever any tourists in the area since it’s so far east.

Die besten Bagels in NY! Reiseführerempfehlungen sind ja immer mit Vorsicht zu genießen, aber in Lilly Bretts Einfach so wird der unscheinbare Eckladen als bester Bagelplatz beschrieben. Und auch unsere neuen New Yorker Freunde waren echt überrascht, dass wir den Weg hierher gefunden haben. Die Auswahl ist riesig, der Geschmack und die Frische grandios und die Preise fair.