My boyfriend (who is from Long Island) was in desperate need of a bagel. Being from NY, he disapproves of most, if not all, bagels made outside of the northeast. So off we set, searching for the best alternative to a true New York bagel. Everything Bagels is certainly a better option than anything else we've found. My boyfriend's critique was that the shell was "adequately chewy", the inside was "decently soft" and the shmear was good but a "little chalky". Travis rating = 4 for Phoenix. I, on the other hand, think bagels are bagels. So I give it a 5 for giving me a bagel.