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| - Fancy? No. Delicious? Oh YES!
This place has been around for a gazillion years. My dad went here as a teen. I went here when I was a teen. I recently brought my teen kids here on our last visit to Montreal. It was exactly, EXACTLY as I remember it: line of folks waiting to get in, fuddy duddy non-descript décor with vinyl booths and linoleum everywhere, Hymie at the front door trying to get lingerers to vacate their tables, the counter, the Beauty's merchandise for sale at the cash up front, the posted photos of staff in their travels, the dinky booths in the back by the toilets (no one wants to sit there, for good reason! They're right by the toilets! It's also quite dim and dingy back in the restaurant here, without the benefit of natural light from the windows), and the knowledge that you could return in another 50 years and the place would look exactly the same.
The food is hit or miss, but their bagels with cream cheese will always be the cornerstone of their menu, for good reason. It's exactly what I miss, living now in Seattle: perfect Montreal bagels with the best cream cheese with lox and onions and tomatoes. To me, this is the perfect meal! Seriously, it's wonderful.
The sandwiches here are made with challah bread, as is the toast, so need I tell you, it's all delicious.
The service can be great or not so great, depending on your luck of servers. On our most recent visit, we had a lady who was hesitant to give me change for the meter (there's only meter parking outside on the street), despite my having the currency bills. I didn't understand her reluctance; she said we should pay with my credit card. She acted like I was really putting her out. What gives?
The price of food is somewhat high, but to me, it's worth it for the taste of tradition and my beloved Beauty's bagels!
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