Ess-a-Bagel
Ess-a-Bagel, a beloved NYC institution since 1976, serves massive, delicious bagels with an unparalleled variety of spreads and toppings.
Highlights
Must-see attractions
Social
From TikTok & Reddit
Best Time
Blue hour photography, calmer galleries
Ess-a-Bagel
Highlights
Must-see attractions
Ess-a-Bagel, a beloved NYC institution since 1976, serves massive, delicious bagels with an unparalleled variety of spreads and toppings.
"Ess-a-Bagel is a must-visit for a true New York bagel experience, living up to the hype with every bite."
Beat the Rush
Visit during off-peak hours to avoid long lines, especially during lunchtime.
Creative Combinations
Try unique combinations like the Pepe or chicken Parmesan bagels for a filling and delicious experience.
Quick Facts
Cuisine
Bagel Shop
Price
Mid-range
Highlights
Discover the most iconic attractions and experiences
Generous & Delicious Bagels
Indulge in perfectly baked bagels with crispy exteriors and soft interiors, piled high with generous portions of toppings and spreads.
Iconic NYC Bagel Experience
Experience a classic New York bagel shop with a lively atmosphere, friendly service, and a wide array of tempting bagel creations.
Creative Cream Cheese & Spreads
Explore a vast selection of unique cream cheese and tofu spreads, including Everything Herb, Jalapeno, and Blueberry.
Plans like a pro.
Thinks like you
Menu
Most Popular Items
Insider Tips
from TikTok, Instagram & Reddit
Beat the Rush
Visit during off-peak hours to avoid long lines, especially during lunchtime.
Creative Combinations
Try unique combinations like the Pepe or chicken Parmesan bagels for a filling and delicious experience.
Beyond Bagels
Explore other delicious items like black & white cookies, babka, rugelach, and cheesecakes.
Plan Your Order
If the line is long, consider finishing your coffee before ordering to make the wait more enjoyable.
Tips
from all over the internet
Beat the Rush
Visit during off-peak hours to avoid long lines, especially during lunchtime.
Creative Combinations
Try unique combinations like the Pepe or chicken Parmesan bagels for a filling and delicious experience.
Beyond Bagels
Explore other delicious items like black & white cookies, babka, rugelach, and cheesecakes.
Plan Your Order
If the line is long, consider finishing your coffee before ordering to make the wait more enjoyable.
What Travellers Say
Reviews Summary
Ess-a-Bagel is highly praised for its classic New York bagel experience, offering large, chewy, and flavorful bagels with an impressive array of toppings and spreads. Many visitors highlight the generous portions and delicious combinations. However, some find the wait times considerable, and a few have noted inconsistencies in ingredient quality or preparation.
"I arrived at around 6:15am on a Sunday in May. It might be because it just opened, so there were few customers in the restaurant, and I could order right away.
I ordered RUEBEN FUSION (USD 15). The bagel portion was about the same size as expected, and I felt that the Pastrami portion was sufficient and worth the price. The Pastrami paired with two flavors of cheese brought out the salty taste of the beef. It is worth coming to this store to buy bagels for breakfast (if there are few customers).
The bagels sold in the restaurant can be customized to add the types of food you like to taste.
The restaurant environment is clean & bright, and there are not many spaces/ seats inside. You can imagine that if you come to buy during peak hours, you should have to queue up and spend some time to buy it. Be prepared to avoid affecting the experience of buying bagels. Or you can consider taking it out."
Tseng Simmon
"Good thing the line wasn’t long today. I got my personal favorite combo lox with plain cream cheese. Too bad they ran out of poppyseed bagels today, so I ordered sesame bagels instead. The bagel itself was pretty good. They gave generous amount of lox. However, the lox was a bit too salty for my liking. They also cheaped out on the cream cheese. I don’t think you can call this a schmear. The good thing is that the whole bagel was packed tightly, and it still kept its shape until the last bite. Overall, it was a nice bagel.
They also have all kinds of sweets. I saw black and white cookies, babka, rugelach, and cheese cakes.
I might come back and try their other items.
The staff were nice and organized."
Bradley C
"Ess-A-Bagel is one of those must-visit spots if you’re looking for a true New York bagel experience. It really feels like a classic NYC bagel shop—bustling, lively, and filled with locals and visitors alike. The variety of options is impressive; whether you want something simple with cream cheese or a fully loaded creation, they have it all. What I particularly liked is how all the toppings are displayed right in front of you—they look incredibly fresh and make it hard to choose because everything is so tempting.
The bagel itself was outstanding: perfectly chewy on the outside with that distinctive texture that sets a New York bagel apart, while still soft and flavorful inside. I ordered one with eggs, avocado, and salmon, and it was absolutely loaded, generously filled to the point that every bite was packed with flavor. It’s hearty, satisfying, and exactly what you’d want when you think of a proper bagel.
Beyond the food, there’s just something about the atmosphere that makes it feel authentic—like a piece of New York tradition. Service is quick despite the lines, which shows how well they handle the constant flow of customers.
If you’re visiting the city or even if you’re local and haven’t been in a while, I’d highly recommend going. It’s a delicious, filling, and iconic NYC experience that definitely lives up to the hype."
Francisco Simón Verger
What People Like
What People Dislike
Frequently Asked Questions
The 'Signature Favorite' on an everything wheat bagel with cream cheese and salmon is a top choice, along with various bagel sandwiches and creative cream cheese flavors.
Lines can be long, especially during peak hours. Visiting during off-peak times or early in the morning is recommended to minimize wait times.
Yes, Ess-a-Bagel offers vegan cream cheese alternatives such as Plain Tofu, Scallion Tofu, and other plant-based options.
Yes, Ess-a-Bagel is known for having some of the largest bagels in the city, often described as huge and satisfying.
While the provided information doesn't specify online ordering, some reviews suggest a takeaway option is available.
They offer a wide variety, including unique options like Everything Herb, Jalapeno, and Blueberry cream cheese, as well as tofu alternatives.
Mentioned in
Featured in these publications
Eat & Drink - Time Out Market New York
Ess-a-Bagel has been a Manhattan staple since 1976, and local love for the family-owned business radiates throughout all of the five boroughs. Now, its expertly rolled, boiled and baked beauties are available right here in Brooklyn. Choose your own adventure with a doughy, fluffy everything, pumpernickel or cinnamon raisin bagel, and schmear it with all manner of decadent cream cheese options.
Top 11 Bagel Stores For Lox And Schmear In New York
Warm and welcoming, Ess-a-Bagel is a classic New York City bagel joint that you don’t see much of in Manhattan anymore. While it’s well-known for its fresh, delicious bagels, the storefront has kept its authentic, old-school feel, offering classic New York City sandwiches. Of course, you can’t go wrong with a bagel with lox and cream cheese.
Street Food Vendors in NYC?
NOT DUNKIN DONUTS. Some of the better one’s include Ess-a-Bagel, H &H. Murray’s Tal’s, David’s. Avoid the bagel place in Chelsea Market.
5 Authentically Cool Places to Eat in New York City
Ess-a-Bagel is hailed as one of the best bagel shops in New York by locals and it was right around the corner from our hotel at Pod 51. There’s no denying it, when you arrive at Ess-a-Bagel, you’ll likely find a queue out of the door and around the block, which is exactly what we found when we visited. I decided to wait in line for the ultimate New York bagel experience and to see what the fuss was all about, and I’m really glad I did.
New York's Best Bagel & Lox: Zucker's Bagels and Smoked Fish
In a food culture where smaller is often touted as better, Ess-A-Bagel claims -- without shame-- that they have the largest bagels in the city. The story goes that there was an error in the refrigeration process of the dough that caused the bagels to puff up beyond the normal size. The response was so great to the oversized bagels that the error was re-created and locals and tourists alike now flock here in droves to wait in line.
15 Best Breakfast Restaurants In NYC To Start Off Your Day Right (+ What To Order)
Ess-a-bagel is a classic New York bagel shop that is famous for serving top-notch bagels, pastries, coffee, and more to the locals since 1976. Their bagels are hand-rolled and baked fresh daily at the store, along with tons of fillings to go with!. Start your adventure with a doughy, fluffy everything, pumpernickel, or cinnamon raisin bagel, and schmear it with all manner of decadent cream cheese options!
Best Restaurants in New York City
Ess-a-Bagel is one of those must-visit classics that absolutely lives up to the hype. Serving up fresh, hand-rolled bagels since 1976, this place is known for its generous portions and no-frills, all-flavor approach. If you’re into the kind of bagel sandwich that requires two hands and a game plan, this is your spot.
Best Bagel in NYC? Two Friends Set Out On A Quest
Widely considered to serve one of the best bagels in Midtown, Ess-A-Bagel has a reputation for its long, but quick-moving lines. Founded in 1976, this iconic bagel shop has a wide selection of savory salads and smoked fish allowing you to put anything you choose on your bagel!. They also now have a location in DUMBO.
Four Fabulous Bagel Spots You Have to Try Near NYU
While I have yet to visit Queens, the Bronx, or Staten Island for Bagel Sunday purposes, I have gotten to Brooklyn. Located in Dumbo’s Time Out Market, Ess-a-Bagel won’t disappoint you. Take the F train from West Fourth Street to York Street, and then you’re only a few minutes away.
Best Breakfast Spots in New York City (NYC
Bagels are a New York staple, and Ess-a-Bagel delivers the best of the best. Their hand-rolled bagels come in endless combinations, from classic cream cheese spreads to loaded sandwiches. Be sure to try their smoked salmon spread—it's a fan favorite.
Where to Eat in DUMBO, Brooklyn
Time Out Market New York picked a huge warehouse facility for its big American launch. The idea is to gather a bunch of trendy eateries under one roof to inspire cross pollination. The restaurants are spread across 24,000-square-feet.
THE BEST: New York breakfasts - New York: Dining
And then you also need a subdivision for bagel places like Ess-a-Bagel, because that's really its own genre. I don't even know how I'd categorize Junior's -- is it Jewish?
Best Breakfast in Queens, NY (2025) — 30 Top Places!
This family-owned bakery and mini cafe in one is a culinary jewel in the area for its exquisite bagels, sandwiches and more served in a rustic space.
We Tried to Find the BEST Bagel and Lox in NYC
Aly: From Tompkins Square Bagels, it was time to venture further uptown to Ess-a-Bagel, known for its variety of delicious bagels since 1976.
Cheap Eats in NYC | Where Our Tour Guides Eat on a Budget
Ess-a-Bagel has been making huge, delicious bagels in Midtown Manhattan since 1976. I have been eating them since the 1990s!
Social
from TikTok, Instagram & Reddit