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Categories: Bagels, Sandwiches
Neighborhoods: Lincoln Park, DePaulArmitage (Purple Express, Brown)
Mon-Thu. 7:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Fri-Sun. 8:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
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Not only is CBA still rockin' the steamer, they now make onto my nice (in contrast to naughty) list--I lost my CTA card here and was able to come pick it up the next day. Thus, bonus points for honest customers and a functioning lost and found system.
And the banana surprise... sweet, sweet banana surprise.
Eating bagels at Chicago Bagel Authority makes me want to steam everything... I mean really. Gotta… Read more »
I want to be into the CBA. I mean, I love bagels. My roommates are two Jewish girls and I'm their honorary 3rd, a culture Jew by association. Bagels are a staple food to me. When I was a kid, I pretty much lived on the bagel sandwich. So a place where that's all they serve seems perfect for me, right?
Try as I might, I can't truly love CBA. I like them, sure, and I've had many a meal there during a trip to Argo or Vosges for beverages. But I'm always just barely satisfied. Part of is, I think, is the lack of customization. What I want, really, is something with the veggies of the Urban Gardener (which has all of them) and the cheeses and sauce of the Cheesemonger. I want all of this on a garlic bagel, and I want it for a great price. Somehow that just doesn't happen at CBA.
You see, it's a bagel sandwich. I can make that at home for a $1. I get that you need to pay bills and employees, CBA, but $7 for a bagel with cheese and lettuce just seems like too much. When I go, my roommate always gets a plain egg with cream cheese. That costs her $3.06. I could buy a bag of bagels for that and eat bagels every day for a week. I could buy 3 days worth of quality bagels somewhere other than CBA, for sure, for that price. It's just way more than it ought to be. Also, I can get a sandwich for $7 at most places in the city. But at those places, I'd have a server. This is an order at the counter place. I should pay less since you're not paying anyone to take my order or bring my food.
I just can't justify eating here on a regular basis. The food is okay, but I'd do better at home and pay way, way less too.
Rules in C.B.A. Etiquette, because I care about Greg and his hommies (honestly).
1.If you can't read the chalkboard, make your way to the counter and grab a xeroxed menu and back off while you decide. If you can read it, cool back off anyway.
2. Pick a sandwich and don't be an asshole and start changing around the ingredients... these are tried and true sandwich recipes you big baby.
3. Bring your eyes to the level of the men and women working the steamers. Wait for eye contact (what do you want, they are busy and these dudes/dudettes work harder than you for less money). Place your order, be clear and articulate for fuck sake: "I'll have umm..." is bullshit, these are people treat them as such.
4. Cool, you ordered food in a restaurant. Your mom and I are proud of you. Now get in fucking line to pay and get out of everyones way. Check your phone later, get your wallet out and maybe pick a drink and some chips out dummy.
5. PAY! Remember what you ordered? Cool, then tell them. Now tip, and I do mean tip because your sandwich is going to be great (I promise). Paying with a card? No big deal, you can tip on the receipt... Nice try though breakaway pants! I like your sandals by the way man, very manly.
6. Sandwich still not ready? Oh my god dude!!! Un-furrow your fucking brow, what's it been 3 minutes? Back off! You see how busy it is. Move so as not to be in the way (even if your dad told you "no matter where you go, you will always be in the way"). Wait and listen for your order by sandwich name... There it is! Good job again!!!
7. Now if you decide to eat "here" just make sure your fucking pile of onions you picked off your sandwich along with the foil and other garbage, make it into the garbage can... And why don't you like onions btw? You really are a baby.
I know this seems mean spirited or sarcastic or whatever... I just think the food here is extremely good for what it is and I think that the workers here put up with a lot of shit. This neighborhood (LP) is such a waste land of over privileged assholes with terrible senses of entitlement... So in an effort to make the stroller dodging and dirty look experience of eating here a little less painful... I sorted it out for you.
You're welcome.
*Their tuna salad is fucking great. Its not a mayo pudding with 3 chunks of tuna per cup, so if you like that kind of thing head on over to... fucking almost anywhere else. I once heard a stay at home (while my husband runs lines of credit that will eventually sink us so far into debt that we will both contemplate suicide on a daily basis) mom complain that the tuna was too peppery for her her son... Firts of all, if its to peppery why didn't the little 4 year old bastard go up and complain himself (you can't hold his hand forever mom). Second of all, why didn't you just say "Hey this tuna salad is a little too healthy for my accident over their, I'm trying to fatten him up so will hate himself for ruining my social life."
The Chicago Bagel Authority is a sh*t sandwich in sheep's clothing.
I live two blocks from this disaster and cringe every time I have to walk past it. I have four times made the mistake of eating here, and never will again.
There is a big chalkboard menu on the wall, but you can hardly read it because, apparently, chalk has gotten super expensive during the recession and they can't afford to go back over all the chalk lettering that has been brushed away over the years. Recently the management at the Chicago Bagel Authority has made the ever-effective business decision to rub out all the chalk prices by hand (and not replace them). An eraser would have been too much planning, plus the finger marks all over the restaurant's menu tell the customer "Heyyy, dude, it's cool, I mean if we're this laid back on the big chalk menu, don't worry at all about how insect-free we keep the bags of flour in the back."
There is one thing they have maintained quite well, however -- the 8" lettering at the top of the menu that says:
"$0.25 Extra For Every Substitution or Special Cooking Instruction. Customers are advised to order directly off the menu to avoid possible dissatisfaction."
Great, thanks. I can't tell you how welcome I feel. "You want yellow mustard instead of Dijon? That will be an extra charge. Are you okay with that?"
Then you order. That is, if any of the 28-year-old college-educated professional bagel makers decide it's convenient for them to pause the conversation about their personal lives to attend to the growing line of frustrated customers.
Again, I have been here four times. I have never received my bagel sandwich in fewer than 15 minutes. One time I even left to pick up my dry cleaning while my breakfast sandwich was being made. I was the only customer in the restaurant. I got my dry cleaning and then bought milk at the 7-Eleven on the other end of the block. When I returned I was told to wait another 10 minutes because my sandwich wasn't ready (and the conversation about what Sally told Jennifer she heard about David's sister wasn't over). I was the only customer in a bagel shop and my single bacon-egg-and-cheese bagel took just under 20 minutes!
My sandwich came in a piece of aluminum foil with a pretentious attitude from the professional bagel maker. It cost about $6 and was small enough to fit inside a standard coffee cup. These are not traditional boiled bagels. They are half the normal size and STEAMED. It's a soggy, sub-par mess of an insult sandwich.
The Chicago Bagel Authority is a sad example of how a good restaurant can turn bitter, unwelcoming and bad when laziness and mediocre leadership are unhappily married to cheaper ingredients and smaller portions.
A mistake every time.
HOLD ON. WOAH.
This place is called Chicago Bagel Authority. And this place rules.
Met up with a handful of friends for lunch here, and the line went pretty fast. There are SO MANY DIFFERENT KINDS OF BAGEL SANDWICHES. It's hard to choose just one bagel! I ordered the Cheesemonger, which had like 5 different types of cheeses, sprouts, spicy mustard, and tomato on it. It was absolutely fabulous!
The only complaint I would have is that their bagels are tiny, so ordering two would be a good idea, it's just I can't justify spending $11-$15 dollars on two bagel sandwiches. But some of you might be able to afford that...
And the bagels are STEAMED, not TOASTED, which means they are soft and chewy and just really good.
I'm definitely coming back here for more bagels! Love how they decorated the place, too.
I love bagel sandwiches, but I do have standards.
This place is conveniently located between my house and the el, so I've definitely stopped off for a bagel sandwich before work on one of those mornings where it's been a bit rough getting out of bed and I have no taste for yogurt and granola. The bagel sandwiches are incredibly expensive (think $7) and they take forever to make; the ordering process is really chaotic and when this place gets busy, a planned two-minute run in can turn into a 10 minute wait. The food is good, though the steamed bagels come out boiling hot and occasionally soggy. It's worth a try, but if you made this a daily trip, you'd be bankrupt soon!
CBA Sunday has become an official part of my weekend routine. I crave my bagel and it's the perfect hungover cure as many people have noted. (Usually Sara's Secret is my choice...) Yes, it is chaotic in there. Yes, the menu choices are overwhelming. Yes, sometimes it can take a few minutes to get your sandwich. That's all in the fun of it!
Check out their outdoor seating in the back which I feel like not very many people use. See you Sunday.
I now live in Oakland and I have been craving CBA hella bad lately. I really miss the Aunt Beanie's and the Wrigley Fielder. I lived in Wicker and I used to take the blue line to the red line and actually visit that horrible neighborhood of Lincoln Park just to get CBA...
I remember the first time I was there... wah? steamed?
but ya know... it works soooo good.
The service? What do you expect? CBA is a bagel sandwich shop in Lincoln Park- I'm sure the people who work there for a little more than minimum wage get more than their fare share of nasty from the patrons who frequent the establishment. Not saying everyone in LP is difficult, self centered and has a delusional sense of self-worth... just some ya know?
This is not a bagel place - this is a sandwich place that uses bagels.
Yes, bagel sandwiches are good but for me, there is nothing better than a simple bagel with cream cheese. The steaming of the bagels here turns your cream cheese into soup.
My other issue is the way they make the bagels. The people behind the counter were trying to make too many things at once. My garlic bagels with cream cheese also came with some add-ons;
A little bit of turkey (good thing I'm not vegetarian).
Some bits of sprouts.
A dollop of mustard.
Some kind of green leaf.
That's a sign of either laziness or a very sloppy work area. Both are unacceptable. While this is a cool space and the other options on the menu seem tasty, this experience left me with a bad taste.
P.S. Note to the workers of the CBA - the technology for customers to know who gets to order exists. Its called the "take a number" system.
Everyone that knows me knows that I have a terrible bagel addiction. Seriously, it's bad. So last week, right before we hit up the beach, my friend and I decided to try CBA.
Good decision! We walk in and immediately the guys behind the counter ask us which sandwich we'd like to try. We looked over the huge menu on the wall with our eyes glazing over for awhile before finally asking the guy behind the counter for some assistance. He was very helpful and a bit flirty, which is always nice.
I ended up going for the Smittys Nook, which has turkey and bacon (can't go wrong with bacon), and gouda on a bialy and my friend got the Ned's Gold turkey sandwich with banana peppers and spicy mayo. Both were delicious.
The atmosphere reminds me of Lawrence, Kansas (where I went to college) and is very laid back with funny signs on the walls. The service was excellent, and the guys behind the counter were definitely animated and entertaining.
As a bagel connoisseur, I give CBA two thumbs up.
My bagel sandwich was good. It came with smoked cheddar (yumm!) avocado, tomato, sprouts and cream cheese. My boyfriend got the huevos rancheros and said it was excessively wet and a little slimy. Gross.
The line was not a line; it was chaos. The food took a realllllly long time to be ready and the prices were a tad high considering I still felt kinda hungry after eating my sandwich. I don't know if it was just the biale my sandwich came on, but it was TINY, and it cost around $6. I think I'll probably try this place again, but won't be running back anytime soon.
I grew up on Long Island, NY and have yet to find bagels that are noteworthy anywhere outside of the New York City area. This place is no exception.
Steamed bagels with various ingredients. Steamed?! What the hell is that?
I got a mushy pizza bagel with a Sprite Zero, choked it all down and got on with my day. I've had way better and I've had way worse. This place is semi-cheap, in my direction of travel, and I was in and out quick. Whatever.
After zipping dad up north to find Dinkel's closed, we needed another good Chicago breakfast, and fast. PS: it was about 1pm, so breakfast food was waning and pops was hungry.
He humiliated my husband by innocently requesting the Donkey Punch (which Husband had pointedly refused to order in the past) and then raved about it all day ("I'M going to start putting bbq sauce on MY chicken salad!"). Veggie me got the Chia and did not share, and our dining companions loved their meated choices.
I am surprised at how few vegetarian options there are, even in the breakfast category. And the whole 'please stick to the menu' thing cramps my style as an avocado junkie. But I got one of the 2 'cadoed veggie offerings and enjoyed it just fine. It just sucks to see the creativity saved for the carnivores, at a bagel shop of all places.
But wet bread makes me retch, and somehow this place manages to steam bagels without soggifying them, and that's the kind of thing I value.
Disclaimer: having been raised on Long Island to Jewish parents, I am a bagel snob. I was raised on bagels like it was my manna.
I have lived within blocks of CBA for years but never visited before this weekend. I do agree that it would probably be great hangover food, but as I was not suffering that affliction, I cannot agree with the 5 stars. I had the Super Deluxe breakfast sandiwch. My sandwich was thick but tasted overcooked; it was okay but nothing to write home about. Apparently not even much to write a review about, because I forgot about it until just now.
Good bagel sandwiches. Yes there will be a slight wait and yes ordering isn't as straight forward as other sandwich places, but the food is good. Go here after the busy lunch hour and enjoy!
To think I haven't tried out this place - it was about a couple of years ago that I stopped at this bagel shop after some shopping around the hood. The fact that they had a variety of random bagel sandwiches was quite interesting. However, the bagel sandwich that I had, the 'Hide the Salami' - this had some slices of salami, bacon, pepperoni, some bits of banana peppers, a slice of provolone, a strip of lettuce, slices of avocado, and some ranch dressing. It was... not that great. It seemed as if you could make a better sandwich with the same exact ingredients from your local grocery store, and it would just taste so much more awesome-er. However, I wasn't getting the hype. It's quite atrocious that the bagel sandwich itself is quite expensive, and definitely definitely and definitely not worth it. I would like to, one day (maybe), go back there to try out their Oak Pork Bagel sandwich that Candace G. has been raving about - it sounds quite delicious but I'm a little weary in going back!
OMFG!
Hands down, the best made to order sandwich that I have had in the 17+ years that I have lived in Chicago! Amazing!
I ordered The Good Rick. It features super thin crispy bacon, gouda, dill havarti, muenster, tomato, avocado and parmesan peppercorn dressing!
The sandwich was so big that little one and I could not finish it.
Seriously, this is one of those places that you dream about in your sleep and during the day..you can't wait to go back. I want another one now!
The place is always bustling, but thankfully, they work fast and the waits are never long.
Love cba!
The munster mash (chicken salad munster and green peppers) is AMAZING. I've tried a few others, and mostly have been good (the good rick is great) I usually stick to the munster mash. Most people find their sandwich at cba and stick to it, because they know how to satisfy.
Love that it's steamed, gooey gooey goodness. Also the chicken chilli is good.
It is a bit expensive, but not too bad. The worst think about this place is the awkward seating. Get rid of the standing tables and put in some booths already!
Last meal good.
So many choices anyone can find there perfect sandwich. I have not come across a single one I didn't like yet. Don't fear the crowd, there is always a crowd, it moves pretty fast.
Screw you, Chicago Bagel Authority. I know I was a little out of place in the area, but all I wanted was a bagel and some coffee! This place looked cute so I walked inside.
I barely had enough time to look up at the menu when a girl behind the counter shouted "CAN I HELP YOU" in an aggravated voice. I asked her to give me a minute. When I finally decided to order, I asked for a custom bagel sandwich and said girl looked at me like I was ordering something crazy.
I had to explain the order again to the girl at the cash register and I got the same reaction. Not holding this against them, but they didn't have espresso; so I was a bit disappointed. I kind of wanted a latte. The most disappointing part was the bagel sandwich: it was subpar and way too pricey!
All in all, the bagel sucked and both the staff and customers were yuppie assholes. C YA.
This place is another one of my college haunts which has remained in my life since moving off DePaul's campus. I walked in randomly one time because I liked the clever name (it's right under the Brown Line) and have been going back ever since. The atmosphere is relaxed and welcoming, and the food is great.
My only complaint is the relative lack of vegetarian options. There is this enormous board of combinations but just a little section for veggies. I think they have a "no substitutions" policy so you're kind of stuck with the pre-selected sandwiches. Another complaint: it's a bit pricey considering you don't actually get that much food. But the pros outweigh the cons by a lot, so I'll be back for sure.
This place is Bananas!!!
I had to. I will try to refrain from using more Rachel Zoe/Gwen Stefani talk talk.
The absolute, hands down, BEST hangover food EVER! Well, not just hangover, but any day or night of the week food.
It will ALWAYS be packed but luckily they have an area out back for when it's nice to sit outside.
Before becoming a Veggie Terry my fave was the Oak Pork Bagel. I don't believe it's on the menu anymore but you can still order it and it involves double bacon, avocado, nummy cheese... just order it and bring a spare pair of pants for when you cream your first pair.
Go there and love it, live it, lose your CBA virginity. And don't forget to get their delicious crispy treat bars with golden grahams cereal and other various marshmallow'y goodness.
The menu is creative, the actual bagels and sandwiches are just okay. Overall dealing with all the snarky hipsters behind the counter killed my curiosity and appetite.
CBA by the CTA!
Best steamed bagels around. I'm determined to try everything on this menu. So far, the WAM-O is winning (just don't ask me what's on it because all I recognized was delicious-ness).
The bagels take a while to steam, but once you unwrap that aluminium foil, it's like unwrapping a present just for YOU!
Loooooove it.
About 25 years ago there was only one - yes, ONE - Potbelly. I used to frequent the place for lunch when I attended LPHS. At that time, there was NO SANDWICH like a Potbelly sandwich. I haven't had a sandwich quite like those since then...until today.
From the first bite I was getting potbelly deliciousness flashbacks. While I can't remember the name of this glorious creation (it's not on the menu I took home) I can say this: super-thin shaved roast beef, the thinnest, crispiest bacon I've ever had (how DO they do that without burning it???), smoked cheddar, lettuce, tomato and peppercorn dressing on a bialy. When I saw that they steam their sandwiches I was worried, envisioning a soggy mess. NOT. They assemble the sandwich, tightly wrap it in foil, then stick it in the steamer so that the sandwich heats up, melding all the flavors, and crisping up the bread just so. SO DELICIOUS!
CBA is FULL of DePaul kids and LP moms at lunchtime. Despite the seeming chaos of the order-taking system I quickly realized that it's done a lot like at a bar: whoever is ready and makes eye-contact with a sandwich-maker first gets served...then you get "in line" to pay. Super friendly service, despite the mayhem, is noted and greatly appreciated.
Other than the sandwiches...the NUMEROUS selections of sandwiches...they only serve chips, whole fruit, bottled beverages and wrapped treats (the smores crispy treat was interesting). If they went one step further and served nice little sides like pasta and fruit salads, maybe a potato product, I'd give this place 5 stars in a heartbeat.
Potbelly sucks now...they all do. I'm happy to have found CBA.
According (again) to my wise sage friend The Craiger, CBA doesn't F around w/ their lunch sanwiches. (I tend to agree w/ most of his culinary assessments.) That's why it was fun to try their breakfast sandwiches last Saturday before commencing bachelor party festivities all day.
I ordered the Huevos Rancheros breakfast sandwich. It is ham (thinly sliced and layered), egg, pepperjack cheese, and jalapenos on a steamed plain bagel. At first, I thought the notion of a steamed bagel sounded pretty gross. (I'm a toaster guy through and through.) But, I'm happy to report that it was damn good! The cheese was just gooey enough to tie all the other ingredients together.
My one *slight* tweak would be that the jalapenos had little to no flavor. They didn't really present the heat or pop that I was hoping for. Texture was good.. flavor? Nah.
All in all, 4 stars for CBA. I'll have to head back for a non-breakfast sandwich soon and put Craig's wisdom to the test.
I use to go here almost every morning during my high school days. Got a discount too - $1 for a bagel with cream cheese.
I love the environment - it makes everyone feel welcomed. There are plenty of regulars that I use to see almost each time I was there. The staff is great and they are very friendly.
There are so many choices for bagel sandwiches and sub sandwiches, though I've never tried anything without a bagel. Lots of vegetarian-friendly options. Price ranges from like $3-$6 for a bagel sandwich, not too shabby.
Sometimes it gets busy around lunch and they don't have enough seats, but usually this isn't such a big problem.
In warm weather, sit by the wide open windows and people watch as you enjoy your bagel-ly delight. :)
LOVE LOVE CBA, especially Mikey's Munch. It's the most perfect bagel sandwich and the best food the morning after a long night. Even though it is usually crowded and busy, the line moves fast. Another plus is the rice krispie treats. Delicious.
A transplant from the east coast, I didn't think it would be possible for Chicago to even come close to H&H. Though, I have to say, Chicago Bagel Authority stands pretty well on its own. Fresh, steamed bagels with more sandwich combos than you could probably imagine. It would take months to get through them all!
My favorite (so far) is the Jules.
Great neighborhood atmosphere, laid back, friendly staff.
Ok, I've been bialy-deprived for so long. But no more!
I used to live in boston, which doesn't have that great a bagel scene, but I knew where the good spots were. Then i moved to SF which doesn't understand bagels at all. So when i moved here I thought I might be in luck.
So I do a search on yelp for bialies. This place is kinda close, but not as close as i'd like. But on my way to pick up food for an informal brunch thing, I stop by.
First of all, the place is hopping. I compare it to Argo across the street at the same time which had one customer when I walked by. This place was pretty crowded, but I could tell it got a lot more so at other times.
There is a sign that says there are no lines, but to wait for the next available counter person. Isn't that a line? It takes me a while to figure out the rhythm is more like a bar than a sandwich place.
So I see they have TWO kinds of bialies (whole wheat and white). I stick with white and get a few bagels too. All were pretty good and while not piping hot you could tell they were cooked relatively recently.
So basically I have found a good bagel place. Which says a lot for a bagel snob like me. Next time I'll have to try one of those intriguing steamed sandwizzles though.
Um, can I just say I love this place? Its like I never wanna move out of Lincoln Park because I would miss CBA. I usually get bagel breakfast sandwiches here on the weekends with a Nantucket Nectar. I love the Wester Bagel sandwich. I ventured into the other sandwiches before too, and I can say their also GOOD!
Its run by laid back, fun people and its so close I can be in their and out of there in ten minutes devouring my bagel sandwich. I also like their "steam" technique of making sandwiches. It's what they are known for. I love this place so much and you can phone your orders in.
I HEART you CBA! -- Amazing amazing amazing sandwiches -wish they had one in SD because there are about 50 more sandwiches I want to try. I was on vacay and went here 2 days in a row, which I am normally so against (I mean I like variety!) but it was that good. Despite the I don't give a F*** attitude of the workers the atmosphere is neighborhood cool. Side note -all bagel sandwiches are available on a roll or wrap which is nice but they charge you $2 extra and don't tell you -not nice.
mmmmmmmmm steamed goodness. This perpetually busy spot serves up some great bagels. Just jump in and order and park your self in the first seat you see.
any time I go its full of strollers and backpacks.. but that is the price you pay for deliciousness :)
they have plenty of veggie friendly varieties and good chips!!! YUM yogurt and green onion please!!
Don't for get to get your card stamped!
Yummy bagel sandwiches
Y.U.M. for serious.
I've lived in the area 3 years. Walked by lots and lots of times. Never made it in. That was before yesterday...
The guy I'm seeing lives around the corner and as I headed over to join him for lunch we were discussing options.
Me: "hmm... I think I should get something relatively healthy since bikini season is upon us.
Him: "we could go to CBA. They may have some healthy options."
Me: "CBA? What's that?"
Him: "WHHHHAAAAA?!?!?!?!?!!!! You've never been?!?! We're going."
The menu is certainly intimidating and a first-timer, such as myself, is likely to feel a bit intimidated. The staff is super friendly though (and probably used to the contorted faces staring at the menus above) and let me just dictate to them what I wanted on my sammie. When I was done with my order he told me the sandwich from the list it was most similar to and how to ask to modify it. I thought that was helpful since IT WAS THE BEST FRIGGIN SANDWICH I HAVE EVER HAD!!!!!
I love me a good land mammel so I don't always care what kind of veggie/vegan options are, but I keep an eye out for good places for when my brother (a vegan) is in town -- he definately would have been pleased with this place. There certainly are healthy options but I opted for the 'my diet starts tomorrow' approach and gorged. They have windows that open to the street which I like here when its nice. There's even a lost and found for thongs (seriously) which I think is awesome.
So why 4 stars instead of 5? I think its pricey. Two bagel sandwiches and two drinks came to $18. For real? But then again, its LP...
Did not like the mushy, tasteless veggie bagel sandwich. Mediocre food and slow service, and I'm not sure why it's so crowded on Saturdays, but it's not all that. NYC Bagel deli is much better as far as bagels go.
I love their Egg McMahon for breakfast, but my personal favorite is the s'more treats they sell by the register. I go in and get them for a snack all the time! It's super quick, even when full.
CBA is on one of my beaten paths, but I'd not tried it until recently.
A+ for sandwiches on bagels or subs. They are substantial, fresh and delicious. If they haven't got a sandwich you want, you don't want a sandwich.
C+ for something minor like a bagel & cream cheese. At $2.50 it's overpriced. You can go to Starbuck's three doors west for half the price.
Counter Service: superb, fast and friendly.
Environs: Clean, rarely too crowded to find a seat (at least when I've been there), and not too loud.
of course i am biased as a miami grad, but this place is great! I don't even need to talk about how wonderful the kool jules is (you haven't lived til you've tried one), but Greg and his staff do awesome catering as well.
i use them monthly to deliver breakfast to my office, and everyone is always happy. their bagels and drink setups are great, and cost about a third of the other places (corner bakery, alonti) i used before deciding to ignore their delivery map. as long as you give a day or two's notice & the order is decent, they don't seem to mind going outside the boundaries listed on the website.
This place has very good bagels. But I find the sandwich list compeltely overwhelming. Plus the sandwiches are very messy and fall apart.
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