I really wish I could get good bagels in this town but really I feel like Einstein continues to be best for the price. Bagels forever is ok too. I live right around the corner from here and as a bagel addict I thought I had hit the jackpot but no dice. Rather, these bagels are a little too dense for me so they're chewy but don't have the right fluff. Also, this makes toasting them result it a stone-like circular object. They are decently seasoned.
Where it goes downhill is the price/lox cream cheese. Their lox cream cheese is basically this pinkish brown tasteless muck. It adds nothing which is sad because I love lox cream cheese when I don't feel like shelling out a ton of money for the real deal. So my favorite bagel in the world (Poppyseed with lox spread, onions, and capers) does not hit the spot at all. Instead, I find myself having trouble finishing it.
None of the other things I have tried have been better than a 3 and they're all at least 9 dollars. The salads look good but I have yet to try them because I only go when I have a bagel craving. I also had this meat and barley soup one time and it was the fattiest soup I have ever had in my life. Blech.
I'm going to go again and hope for the best by just ordering plain cream cheese and maybe something in the glass showcase but it pisses me off I can't even go to a bagel place and be satisfied with what I would actually want.
Also, I realize bagel chips are a good way to deal with old bagels but who the hell gives bagel chips as a side with a bagel??