I was excited to try Montreal style bagels but think I like NY style much better. I don't know but Montreal-style are much thinner and denser and they remind me of the stuff you buy in the market, laden with preservatives.
It's totally charming that this bagel shop is open 24 hours and has a factory-feel to it but they're not very helpful about pointing out what's fresh: the bagel we ate tasted like it had been sitting there for a month.
Also, all you can add to your bagel is Philadelphia cream cheese. I don't know if that's a delicacy up here but it's the bottom of the barrel where I come from. Guys, get some frickin' whipped cream cheese for christ's sake?
If I had had a fresh bagel from the giant oven, I might be singing a different story -- make sure you ask for one -- as I didn't and was sorely dissapointed.
They also had some crazy "matzoh" which was like a fried flat bagel covered in sesame seeds that I thought was pretty good.
Overall, people, both employees and the long line of daily bagelers behind us seemed grouchy and the whole place had a bad vibe.
St. Viateur -- I think you may be coasting on your reputation and a bagel-loving public who just doesn't know any better. I suggest you warm the place up a bit with some attitude adjustment, fresh products (ditch the Philly, OK?) and try pointing people towards what's fresh. It's why we came in.