Corey T.

Love this place, but my only complaint is that the lines are suuuuper long on the weekend. I've waited a half hour for a bacon, egg and cheese. It's really good and worth the wait, but in a perfect world I wouldn't have to wait and otherwise it would be 5 stars. Bagels are some of the best I've ever had. They also have a ton of different cream cheese spreads you won't normally find other places. If you have some time definitely check this place out and you won't regret it.

Scott C.

If you're after a good tasting bagel in the East Village, this is the place to go. With reasonable prices and a huge range of spreads/toppings, you can't go wrong if you head down here. Beware, on the weekend the lines can get quite long.

Em G.

There is absolutely NOTHING negative to say about this place. It is well worth a wait in line to have AMAZING bagels and INCREDIBLE sandwiches. We ordered THE MOO and an everything bagel with tofu cream cheese and we were floored. The tastes were UNREAL! And as you wait in line (which will be the case a majority of the time) you get to see them make the bagels and sandwiches from scratch. There is also outdoor seating (which considering how packed this place gets it's easy to find a seat) in a really cool little backyard. This place ROCKS so hard!!!!!

Will D.

This was one of the most amazing customer service, new york city realness expereinces in my life. I wanted to send bagels as a surprise to a friend who lives in St Louis who had FIVE years ago seen the funfetti cream cheese in the store while visting but never had gotten to taste it then apparently "thought about the cream cheese every day wishing i could have some". I called frank at tompkins square bagels and they put a dozen bagels into a bag, ice packs, packcaged it up and overnighted it to my friend, even didn't charge me the full amount for the shipping. It was so increidble of them to do it and i am proud to be able to call them my neighborhood bagel shop!!! go tompkins square bagels!!!

Mariana J.

Friendly and quick service. The french toast bagel with birthday cake cream cheese is a dream come true.

Daniel D.

First time here was this morning: fantastic bagel, coffee, and service. I didn't realize that dogs weren't allowed, but when I came in with my puggle, the owner/ manager politely informed me of the fact and said that if I stayed outside he would bring me my order. He recommended the breakfast burrito bagel sandwich, and I love alliteration, so I had to say yes. I also got a large iced coffee (overpriced at $4, but it was tasty). Manager was super accommodating, and the sandwich ($7) was great. 5 stars. FYI cash only

Matthew M.

Really, really good bagels. That's why I'm giving them another star. However, they are always slow, there is always a huge line and they pretty consistently screw up my order. Ordering online takes over an hour. And they often don't address the additional meal requests. I am a vegetarian and the words bacon, egg and cheese have never come out of my mouth, yet somehow today that's what I received. It's just annoying that their bagels are so good because their service sucks. The people are usually nice. But that's where it ends. Slow, chaotic and annoying that they screw up my order all the time. Their bagels are a little too overpriced for that.

mollusk h.

Unpleasant. The staff couldn't be less interested and the four times I've been here they've gotten my order wrong. Oh and the bagels taste like they belong in a suburban strip mall.

Matthew C.

I call this the Russian line theory...people just waiting on line cause there is a line. The best part was the look of the place...they got that right and the wait on line wasnt so bad due to the decor and people watching but when it comes right down to it...the bagels weren't that good. I certainly wouldn't wait on line again for their bagels and i dont recommend you do either.

Aaron S.

These bagels are really good. Lox was excellent, poppy seed bagel was just as you'd hope among the best of NY bagels.

Michelle H.

Came here yesterday around 7:30. Really bummed they were sold out of French toast bagel but I opted for the equally cool , chocolate chip . The man that works there is very friendly and didn't seem to rush us even though they were close to closing up . He gave us samples of all the different flavors of cream cheese and suggested some good pairings . Even though everyone gets the birthdaycake cream cheese , I wasn't very impressed with the taste . It looks great , but I'm more into the actual taste than ascetics. I chose the espresso cream cheese which I instantly loved because I'm a coffee snob and this stuff has real coffee bean grinds in it . Since this would be a perfect counterpart for my morning coffee , I saved half and will enjoy the other half this morning :) Other cream cheese flavors that we're great we're lemon lime and almond . I recommend coming here if your in the area !

JE G.

1st time here I had a Mosaic. Delicious. A great, fresh bagel. Wife had a lox deluxe. Quote: It's so good I don't understand.

Harlan G.

Love this place, been coming here for my saturday/sunday morning bagel and coffee since they opened 4 years ago. Only issue is the lines get so long sometimes (can take 20-30 minutes from walk-in until you get your food). Spoke with Chris the owner this morning and a solution that could work for those who want something simple (bagel w/cream cheese and an iced coffee) would be an express window facing directly out onto the street. I'd fully support this move and it would keep me coming back to Tompkins Square Bagels!

Eric G.

So, Tompkins Square Bagels turned into a must-try as soon as I saw that they had BIRTHDAY CAKE CREAM CHEESE. I made it a point to make a visit as soon as possible. Verdict: amazing. The Birthday Cake cream cheese went really well with a sesame seed bagel. Very sweet though... especially because they pack on the cream cheese. But, I love anything Birthday Cake-flavored, so obviously I loved it. They have so many other great cream cheese flavors (i.e. chocolate chip cookie dough, wasabi, chipotle avocado, peanut butter dip, etc.). I need to go back to try more!

Alex G.

Chris rectified the issue and took care of it. If they don't do it right, they make sure to get you back next time! Thanks!

Colton B.

Garrett was very friendly and accommodating as I tried to figure out what I wanted. The food here is top notch and there is even outside seating. Unfortunately it's cash only but that's the only downside. Great place to catch a bite!

Jena F.

I'm so disappointed. I have heard only great things from this place. I ordered an egg bagel sandwich to-go. When I got home I opened my bag to see brown eggs that looked like chicken fat and half of the ingredients I asked for were missing. I couldn't even take one bite because the whole thing looked too gross. The whole staff was very friendly and nice but make sure to check your sandwich before you leave or you will be a very sad hungry gal when you get home.

Arin S.

I moved away from NYC and I really, really missed bagels, and this hit the spot. Extra delicious. Also, that they even OFFER toasting is above and beyond considering how totally unnecessary it is... so stop. The line moves very quickly even though it's a little crowded/intimidating. Negatives are that it's cash only and that they take your order while you're in line before you get to the menu. That's a little annoying if you don't come here all the time-- we got to the front and saw things they had that we never would've even thought about but might have ordered. Ah well! Also, the back patio area was closed because of like imminent danger to humans or something, apparently. Boo.

Victor N.

Best bagel I've ever had! I recommend the blueberry bagel with blueberry cream cheese. Both homemade!

Heather G.

I really like this place but there are a couple things that have me feeling a bit like the side-eyed emoji. Let's get the bad out of the way... I don't know where the communication gets lost, but it seems every time I (or my friend) has asked for our bagel to be toasted (or NOT toasted), it always seems to come out the other way around. Another downside is this place is a bit overpriced for a bagel joint. It was like $8 or something for a bagel w/ cream cheese and a bottle of water. Also, not that this is a big deal, but they always seem to get my name wrong.. it's not like it's hard to pronounce or sounds like other names (I don't think at least.. I guess maybe Tyler? or something?? I don't know). But when there are tons of people eagerly awaiting their carbalicious piece of heaven, it can get confusing when they are calling "Helen" instead of "Heather". The good is obvious.. they have a delicious selection of bagels (def. get the french toast bagel!!) and a variety of cream cheeses (jalepeno cheddar is tasty on a egg or salt bagel). The staff is generally nice. There's always a line on weekends, but it moves pretty quickly. But if you often get hangry for breakfast, like I occasionally fall victim of, I would skip this place on the weekends and try coming in during the week closer to noon time. There's never usually a line during this time.

Frank F.

Gluten Free bagel rocked it. Line moves fast. Super nice staff. Love this place

Alisa M.

Really unimpressed with this spot. I went way out of my way. Peeps were nice and options were good. Cash only is annoying. I had an "italian" on everything bagel...it was super dry and bagel was so so. Not really crunchy, not enough seeds, and no real flavor...I can see this being good for the neighborhood, but pick a bagel, brooklyn bagel co and essa all do it better. The sprinkle cream cheese is like frosting on a bagel, if that sounds good to you, enjoy!

Kenndy H.

Love this local bagel spot in east village! Lox spread on an everything bagel is the best deal you can get for a perfect combo of lox and cream cheese. (At a reasonable price too!)

Cece Y.

I've found my new go-to bagel! -French Toast bagel w/ Birthday Cake cream cheese ($4, cash only): Delicious and so filling! There were plenty of French Toast bagels left when I stopped by mid-afternoon on a weekend. The ambiance here was nicer than I had expected. There are 3 windowfront stools, plus a picnic bench and tables in the back, where it's more restaurant-like with warm lighting and a full breakfast/brunch menu. Clean single-stall BR in the back.

Sarah H.

manager frank is even sweeter than their delicious French toast birthday cake bagel!! Love this place. A must go

Chris B.

A great bagel place. I love myself an almost burnt bagel, so I was bummed at first that I didn't notice they do NOT toast their bagels. But I changed my mind once I bit into my Bacon-Egg-Cheese. Yum...no toasting needed. Bagels are very fresh...we watched them being made while enjoying breakfast. I'll be back the next time I'm in town!

Jess R.

After talking with Chris to resolve the issues from my previous review, I decided to re-review. Chris worked with Yelp and had my order refunded, and gave me credit towards my next in-store order. I've since ordered again from here on Seamless, and did not have delivery or customer service issues - however, this order was on off-peak hours (very early Saturday morning), and I don't doubt that delivery would take a very long time during peak weekend hours, but that's not unusual in the city. Their bagels are delicious and I appreciated Chris working with me to fix what happened, so I increased their rating to 4 stars. Plus they have gluten free bagels, which is awesome.

Lindsay F.

I ordered a custom bagel sandwich. Halfway through my meal, I found a black hair in my food. Was not happy about it. I will not be returning to this bagel shop.

Erica G.

I was pleasantly surprised with how much more delicious my bagel was than I expected. I got a whole wheat with veggie cream cheese. I am not looking forward to how fat I will get knowing this is easily accessible for my walk to work. Looks like I'll have to move, but in the meantime, I will be enjoying delicious bagels.

Morgan N.

Great bagels! Such a wide variety of cream cheeses YUM! Definitely would go back! So many pastries as well!

Joseph K.

Nice bagels. Doesnt worth the wait (45 fucking minutes). And the bday cream cheese is so overrated (it's sweet and doesnt go well with the salmon).

Shawn P.

Perfect place if you want cheap, comforting bagels. Trust me, getting any of them will make you full. In fact, I recommend sharing a bagel with a friend if you're not too hungry. Workers were all really nice, and were really considerate.

Arthur R.

The place is very spacious and nice inside! I've visited on a hot summer day and they have a great air conditioned dining area. And did I say they have an open backyard?! It feels like it's even better to warm up during the cold weather. As per food, I enjoyed the fact they make everything in-house. Funny enough, when I asked for lox spread the cashier lady said they are out and then a guy from the kitchen came out and told her he just finished a new batch. Nice! But the cream cheeses selection is very poor by New York standards. In my opinion pastry is their strong side. They had home made pies, donuts, croissants, pistachio muffins and many more! I was like a Pavlov's dog waiting in line. Had to watch my carbs, though. Bottom line: it's a great place for a quick coffee/bagel fix as well as to spend couple hours with a notebook.

Catalina T.

Gosh! The line for this place is CRAZY LONG and so not organized. You must make sure you are not cutting because people will go nuts on you if you accidentally get in line in front of them. Made what I would hope would be a quick stop on a Saturday late morning and I actually had to step out and have the husband wait inside for me. It was way too crowded and stuffy in there. There is a good amount of different flavors of bagels AND spreads which only make your decision difficult. I couldn't decide if I wanted to try the chocolate chip bagel with the nutella and banana spread or if I just wanted to be simple and get a plain bagel with a flavored spread that maybe I haven't tried anywhere else before. I ended up opting for the second option. I ordered a plain bagel which was huge, which apple cinnamon cream cheese spread. The bagel was big enough to share and enjoy. The bagel itself was soft in the inside with a nicely toasted outer shell. Probably one of the most perfect flavored and texture bagel I have ever had. Only reason why I deducted a star is because I was able to totally tell that the girl taking the orders was annoyed, impatient and just not in the best of moods. The bagel flavor was worth the wait if you aren't in a rush and if you have the patience to wait for it because you will wait and wait and wait. I was told that they also have a very delicious French Toast bagel that unfortunately they were out of when we paid Tompkins a visit. This only means that I must go back to it sometime again. The different variety of bagel combinations with creamy spreads itself makes me eager for more. A must stop for any bagel lover. Tip: They will toast your bagel if you request too but they will not be very happy about it. Their bagels are freshly made throughout the minutes that there is no need to do so. It would be almost 'offensive' if you ask them to toast it for you.

scot r.

Real Old Fashioned Brooklyn / New York Bagels - Salt Of The Earth Owner And Staff "New York City's" Best Kept Secret-Scot Rossillo , "Worlds Premier Bagel Artist"

Jason E.

Is it possible that May 30th was an off-day for Tomkins Square Bagels? Maybe. Was it the the first time I was disappointed by my breakfast from here? Absolutely not. Here's what you should expect: -It's cash only. They've got an ATM, but come on, just because we're in Alphabet City doesn't mean we've all got to act like it's 1980. I don't care that it's overpriced (this is New York, nothing tasty is cheap), carrying too much cash is inconvenient, especially because it's so easy to choose a lot (menu) -The bagels are hard, small and cut in awkward angles. Really, unless you warm it up (which they do if you get something with egg on it) it tastes like it came out of a box -Cream cheese is alright, but the lox is too fishy. They also don't really give you much of it. If you're looking for a skimpy breakfast sandwich then this is your place -The lady who takes your order rushes you, even when the place is empty. Not cool. -Claims that the ingredients are "fresh." I'm no expert, but some of the stuff they have in those display cases doesn't look too sanitary to me -Coffee tastes like someone pissed in it. I hate to be vulgar, but it's the truth -It's out of the way. Unless you live in the neighborhood, it's a schlep Not worth the time, energy or calories. Sure, it'll fill you up, but make sure you order two bagels. Pass.

Alessandro T.

Great service great bagels, still not the best bagel I've had but close. Egg sandwich wasn't that good, the bagel was soggy but the poppy seed with scallion cream cheese was pretty awesome. Great sit down area and decor. Will be back for sure! Ok, second time back was amazing. Egg bagel with bacon scallion cream cheese was awsome

Siena R.

My favorite bagel place in Manhattan thus far! The line can be crazy on weekends or at peak times and they are CASH ONLY but it goes quickly and is well worth the wait. Try the pumpkin, cinnamon apple, or mixed berry cream cheese. The French toast bagel is to die for!

Liliana R.

I came here originally in October because I was excited about trying their pumpkin cream cheese on their pumpkin bagels, but they didn't have pumpkin bagels that day, so I just got a whole wheat bagel with half pumpkin, half regular cream cheese. The pumpkin cream cheese was ok, but I'd never get it again. The regular cream cheese on the whole wheat bagel was good though, so I knew to get the whole wheat bagel on my most recent visit to try their cake-batter cream cheese. I'm sad to say that I was disappointed by their cake-batter cream cheese. It looks so pretty and delicious, but honestly, the cake batter cream cheese dip that I made from a Pinterest recipe last week was way better. Looks like I'll be sticking to Ess-A-Bagels from now on.

Lynsey H.

This place is great! Tons of choice for both bagels & filling. I got the French toast bagel with birthday cake filling. The bagel was delicious, but with the filling it was quite rich, I would probably only chose 1 flavoured item next time to get the most taste out of the experience!

Dan M.

I'm a little surprised by the amount of reviews criticizing Tompkins for its cash-only policy and/or its wait times. I mean, neither are convenient, but it's really no reflection of the food or the service. It's not called Tompkins Square Convenience Emporium. Anyway, yes - on the weekends - you'll be waiting a good 20 minutes for a bagel and cream cheese. Keep in mind, though, that you'll be picking from options as diverse as birthday cake and horseradish cream cheese. You're also biting into one of the tastiest and chewiest bagels in the world. There are dozens of bagel options, including gluten-free and seasonals, and a growing list of amazing (and creative) sandwich offerings. The staff, while buried, is always diligent and friendly. The shop also supports local artists and other independent, neighborhood businesses. If you're not in a hurry, and you have functioning taste buds, you really can't go wrong here.

Misha T.

A very good bagel. A very good one indeed. Switch up your life and get the #1 which comes with whitefish and dill. You can thank me later. Also, don't forget it's cash only.

Glenn D.

Not sure what all the rave is about this place. The line was ridiculous and long. My bagel was not soft and they put very little lox on my sandwich. Expensive $22.50 for two breakfast sandwiches and two ice coffees.

Kara G.

My friend and I came here specifically to try the birthday cake cream cheese that has been plastered all over Instagram lately. I have to say, it looked a lot more delicious than it tasted! I guess I was really expecting it to have the flavor and consistency of Funfetti frosting, but it was really thin and just tasted like slightly sweetened cream cheese. Also, when I order a NYC bagel, I've gotten accustomed to an excessive layer of cream cheese that oozes out of the bagel. Here, the portion seemed a little stingy and barely reached the bagel edge. Maybe because it was a speciality flavor? Nevertheless, I was a little disappointed for the $3.75. But, three starts because the bagel itself was great (even though they had already ran out of whole wheat by 10:15 am, so I ended up with multigrain. Unclear on the nutritional difference here). The line was long but fast and efficient. I tried my friend's French toast bagel and that was pretty tasty. If I ever make it back here, I'd go for the jalapeño cheddar or chive bacon instead.

Kayla M.

look, i know there is an extensive menu here. i know that the food here is amazing. i know that i should stop coming here every morning and ordering the same darn thing every time. but i can't help it: the birthday cake cream cheese (on a multigrain bagel) is amazing. they make their bagels fresh around the clock. the line gets long, so you may find yourself waiting 5 mins or less to order, and maybe 5-10 mins for your food, depending on what you order. don't get the bagels toasted, you don't beed that. there's a huge array of cream cheese there. i always get the birthday cake cream cheese, which is sweet and tasty. definitely recommend, it's always great coming here then heading across the street to Tompkins Square Park.

Sophia G.

Decided to commit and wait the 30-45 minutes in line, but sadly, it wasn't worth it. I'm sure the regular bagels are great but my gluten free bagel didn't taste anything like a bagel, so I was pretty disappointed (especially cause some places master them). They do have a great selection and variety of items but I don't know if that causes the lowering of quality of each individual item or if I just had a particularly bad experience.

Polina K.

If you like you bagels a little undercooked and moist inside, these are THE best bagels in all of NYC. Soft and yeasty. Lox spread and any bagel from the store is a heavenly meal. No decaf coffee in the store unfortunately. And service is not perfect sometimes, which is understandable considering how many people are there during breakfast/brunch time. It could a little dirty at the tables and the wait could be too long sometimes. So I'd recommend going either very very early or later after the breakfast/brunch rush. Weekdays are the best.

Sonja S.

4.5 stars for the bagel and 3 for counter service. The women that run the register are clearly above the job and think they are doing you a favor. They are not speedy, efficient or very friendly. I agree with other people about the line. In midtown the bagel places are super quick because they know you need to get to work, so I know not to go here if in a super hurry. However, hire some people that can say "thanks!" But keep making the bagels like they are, pretty awesome!

Jenn H.

Now I know why everyone takes pics of their food here. It's very good. Also saw guy who works there go way out of his way to help 2 elderly customers who had trouble ordering. He was so kind and respectful. Usually places with great food can afford to be dicks but they have great food & great service here.

Joed E.

Yes... Prepare for a 15 minute wait in line. But yes. You should come here for your bagel needs.

Victor A.

So... it's thanksgiving and I'm trying to have a late breakfast... My mistake was to choose this establishment. I place my order (ohh btw cash only) and as I pay for my spanish omelette and my cinnamon raisin bagel with cream cheese we were told (more like yelled) to get out because they were closing, even though we had called a few minutes earlier and were told they would be open until 3pm. It is 1:50pm as i walk out the door into the cold and rain, omelette in hand the gave me a fork but forgot the napkins. So me and my cousins head to the nearby park to at least be able to sit down while we eat what ended up being a pretty bad and cold omelette and below average bagel. I am truly amazed that this place has 4 stars when the service is awful and the manager was literally pushing people out the door. I understand it's thanksgiving and you want to go home but if you are gonna mistreat your costumers you should rather stay closed. And again even if I didn't have that bad experience the food itself is not deserving of 4 stars. Bagel places are not in short supply in New York and if you pick a random bagel place with your eyes closed you would most likely pick a better place.

Mark G.

Great bagels.... in fact, they are so good, I've stopped eating other bagels as it would be a waste of time, calories and carbs. There are also plenty of great spreads, baked goods and drinks. The line is often long but generally moves fast.

Matt S.

Bagels here are great and they have a ton of cream cheeses--but it is always SUPER crowded on weekends. I'm talking lines that wrap around and go out the door to the street sometimes. They also chronically get your order wrong...I'd say 1 out of 3 times they will get something about it wrong (sausage instead of bacon on your egg sandwich; whole wheat everything instead of regular everything; that sort of thing), and occasionally they'll just be way off (wrong bagel/sandwich/order entirely). I get that it's crowded so this will happen from time to time, but for them it's a pretty consistent issue. Best cream cheeses are: - Jonas (avocado/onion/etc. cream cheese, basically guacamole in a cream cheese) - Bacon scallion - Jalapeno cheddar (though one time I got it and it was way too heavy on the Jalapenos) - Cucumber dill

Jackie D.

A lovely place with a spread of bagels, cream cheeses, fish, deli salads, and magazines at the long table in the back. My first order was egg bagel with lox and tofu cream cheese. Yes! It lives up to the reputation. My second order: sourdough bagel with tofu scallion cream cheese, tomato and onion and mayo. Delicious as well. Come here at an off hour and you won't have to wait in the long line. I will come back for a French toast bagel!

Kristin W.

The name confused me ("They only serve square bagels? Or they're located on Tomkins Square?"), but the deliciousness of the bagels at TSB leaves no confusion at all. There are some crazy cream cheese options (some of which sound like fancy gelato flavors), so I opted for my standard Everything bagel + Light Veggie Cream Cheese. Without being toasted, the bagel was still warm and perfectly seasoned and soft...the cream cheese was generously applied and was chock full of veggies.

Shannon D.

Went just for the birthday cake cream cheese and they were OUT. Still bitter. Bagels were decent but I've had much better.

Alex W.

It's a bit of a trek to get here if you don't live in the area. This place is young and hip. They are strict about their rule about no outside food and drink allowed. So what about the food? The food is good. Their bagels are bagels, nothing special. I did have one in the evening that tasted less than fresh, so I would recommend going in the morning. But they have quite a few options, including GF foods. It would be great if they had more seating.

Colin B.

Went here to get their renowned "cake bagel" and realized that they have an assortment of bagels in which you can stuff with different fillings. They were quick to serve and the bagel was only $4.25. There isn't much seating inside, but when I went it wasn't crowded, so I didn't have an issues with space. Come here if you're looking to treat yourself with an exotic New York bagel and grab a cup of coffee. I will definitely come back here again.

Mike S.

Awesome fresh bagels, friendly service. It gets crowded so be prepared to wait. I had a garlic bagel with lox spread. Very garlicky, chunks of lox in the spread. Delicious. My daughter had strawberry cream cheese on her bagel. First time we've ever seen real chunks of strawberry in a spread! Everybody working here was really friendly. Will definitely return.

Chris E.

many before me have said the same. solid bagels but, man. The service is a disaster. I live steps away and have still only been a handful of times because of this. I just watched two employes work on my order. One kid cut the bagels and walked away to help another guest. A second guy picked up where he left off, got distracted, and eventually got it done. I still remember the first time I went in, the guy behind the counter was giving me a hard time because I ordered one bagel. "don't you want like a dozen?" One bagel and coffee, over 10 minutes, $8?

William T.

Best bagel you will ever have. Baked fresh hourly. It will ruin all other bagels for you. Every time a friend visits the city, I take them here.

Rebecca L.

The food here is absolutely amazing! When i went last i got a whole wheat everything bagel with jalapeno cheddar cream cheese and turkey bacon. Cannot wait to try this place again!

Laura P.

Great bagel shop that knows how to make bagels properly and does so in house and throughout the day so the bagels are always fresh. I love that you can actually see the staff constantly rolling, boiling, and baking the bagels in front of you. Saturday around 1 pm, crowded, but line moves fast enough. I'd say that during peak hours, it takes about 10-15 minutes to pay for your bagel and receive it from the time you order. Lots of people take the bagels to go, but there are plenty of seats if you want to stay and dine in and turnover is pretty quick, so even if the tables were taken, you probably wouldn't have to wait long. I love that they have so many bagel options and even more cream cheeses. Got my favorite, the egg bagel, with wasabi cream cheese, red onions, and tomatoes. Untoasted. The bagel is big and soft with great flavor. Wasabi cream cheese, which I've never had before, really does taste like wasabi, which I appreciate! So many times the flavor of a cream cheese doesn't actually come through, but at this place it does. This one is a bit spicy, but not too much. It was delicious. My only suggestion would be to improve the quality of the tomatoes - not as fresh as they could've been, and they do skimp on the extras you add. Poppy bagel with jalapeno cheddar cream cheese and tomatoes, lightly toasted. Again, great bagel and both the jalapeno and cheddar flavors in the cream cheese come through, so it's on point. I also appreciated the fact that they didn't put up a fight about toasting even though they don't recommend it. Their most popular bagel is the everything and although I didn't eat it, I will say it looked like one of the best. It wasn't overdone, which is a problem with everything bagels in particular, but seemed to have tons of the everything on there, which I'd imagine makes it really flavorful. The only thing that stopped us from getting it was that it has salt on top, which I'd prefer to do without on the bagel. But I could be convinced to try it. Prices are right and they have a bathroom available to customers.

NW S.

The food here is stellar. The customer service here leaves a lot to be desired. This is my local bagel place, and I'm lucky because it's one of the best on the island. I have been in love with their sandwiches and schmears since I've moved here, but I have yet to come here and be treated like a customer, not an annoyance. It really is a testament to how incredible their bagels are that I keep coming back. Really great sourdough bagels.

Tracy H.

I'm pretty amazed at how insane the reviews are for this shop. I live in the neighborhood. I've stopped here more times than I can count. It's a decent bagel shop for NYC, but it's very inconsistent. If I go in after sleeping in(say 1pm on the weekend), I can wait in a ridiculously long line and get a fresh bagel. I get a plain bagel with cream cheese and bacon. Nothing fancy. I even stopped getting it toasted after listening to their silly signs. The bagel consistency isn't the same day to day(sometimes it's fresh and chewy, sometimes they are too small, weirdly dense, and dry). The schmear quantity waivers wildly between gobs and not enough to even smoosh around to cover my entire interior bagel surface. The last time I woke up early on a Sunday(I'll wake up early and grab a bagel to go before I catch a flight out), the bagel was stale. Or weirdly dense and dry again. It was not right. I had to wait a couple of minutes for my bagel even though there was no line and there's nothing beyond cutting my bagel, slapping cream cheese and bacon on it(all the bacon is obviously cooked ahead for time which is understandable), and then handing it to me. It's typical NYC to me. Better bagels than you'll get in any other city, but there's better that I've had in THIS city.

Dan M.

The line might scare you away, but have no fear: it's fast and efficient, and well worth the wait. There's a great selection of funky and traditional bagels and sandwiches here. While you can't go wrong with a classic everything bagel and veggie cream cheese, the french toast bagel with birthday cake cream cheese really took the cake for me. Made fresh to order, these might be the best bagels in the East Village. It's cash only, so come prepared!

Veronica R.

On one hand, their gluten free bagels are divine. As others have mentioned, they are indeed expensive, but worth it to actually get your hands on a real breakfast sandwich when you're craving. I believe I've seen plain, everything, and cinnamon raisin available, but not all at once. On the other hand, on two occasions, I've ordered a gfree bagel sandwich and I've been given an Udi's bagel for ~$8.00. I'm not sure if there's a specific time/magic words/puppy eyes I have to use to get a fresh one, but I'm not too keen on paying eight dollars for egg and cheese on a store bought bagel. Last time, I asked the counterperson when the fresh are available versus store bought and was just told "it's whatever we have available." Granted, it was busy, but come on. Makin' me a little sad over here.

Casey B.

Stopped in here before a show at Bathhouse studios. Kudos to the staff member giving me the code to the bathroom without hesitation, even though I hadn't ordered yet. It was hot as Hades yesterday, and though this shop has AC it was rather stuffy. The bathroom felt like a sauna-- karma for using it before I was an actual "customer"? How does karma work? Whatever, it made me feel guilty enough to buy a cookie. The staff dealt with my weird ingredients question (dairy - intolerant person speaking). The prices seem very reasonable on everything except what I got- a thin, medium sized vegan chocolate chip peanut butter cookie ($3). Love is blind, though, and once I set my sights on a dessert that won't make my GI tract say "wtf, Casey?" it must be mine, even at lunchtime. The thing was a little crumbly, breaking apart in a few sections as soon as I pulled it out of the bag, so I had to the thing in pieces. It was just gooey enough for me to cutely lick my fingers but not worry about getting chocolate all around my mouth. If you're getting Manic Pixie Dream Girl vibes from this description, I'd be hard pressed to say you're wrong :(

Izzy B.

Delicious bagels with more cream cheese options than I can count. I don't know if it was because of the time I came, but the service moved at a snail's pace. Don't come here if you're in a rush. Despite this, the bagels are too good to not go back.

Michelle Y.

I've definitely had better bagels. My whole wheat everything bagel was too doughy and not crunchy on the outside (even after toasting). It was also way too salty. The bacon and herb cream cheese was interesting, but not something I'd have every day...or ever again, for that matter.

Diana S.

I feel like I got lucky on my first visit to Tompkins Square Bagels. This past Sunday morning when we first walked in, we noticed that the line stretched to pretty much the other end of the shop with another handful of people waiting after they've ordered and paid, and also that it was cash only. Usually this situation would deter us but we got a very high recommendation to try it. So the drill is: get in line, order, pay, and wait for your bagel. There was a girl who took our orders as we waited in the very back of the line. I was very surprised at how quickly the line moved. We did spend a minute or two stuck in line but we were able to watch these guys churn out bagels like they were machines...on point! Bagels were steaming hot as one guy was slicing these bagels open...so fresh! They do have a sign that reminds you that your bagel is so hot and fresh that they don't recommend toasting but it doesn't mean that they won't if you ask nicely! It was perfect timing as I reached the register to pay--they called my name because my order was ready! l. I also got an almond croissant for later since they get them from Balthazar (this was so good and nutty sweet). I ordered a sausage, egg, and scallion cream cheese on an everything bagel and it was sooo delicious. It was a huge breakfast sandwich and the bagel was chewy on the inside but had the perfect texture on the outside. This was probably the best bagel sandwich that I've ever had.

Nathan S.

Sourdough bagel with bacon & scallion cream cheese and a tomato. Like a blt except so much better. I had tasted about 7 cream cheeses and they were all interesting but I didn't want a sugar coma before 10 am (you know which colorful cream cheese I'm talking about). Next time I want to try the avocado chipotle c.c. or maybe the same thing I got today. Tompkins bagel is definitely a keeper and I can't wait to come back.

Emily R.

Worth the time/effort. Most satisfying breakfast bagel sandwiches my bf and I have ever had. Baked so fresh they don't need to toast them (in fact, they don't recommend it.) Bring cash and an appetite because you'll need both.

Heather M.

Gluten free bagel was yummy and they have tons of options for cream cheese flavors. They didn't have three GF bagel choices as advertised. I would still recommend

Joseph C.

I can only speak for the one dish I ordered: the pancakes are garbage.

Lee M.

Worst delivery ever, they honestly should not even offer it. The bagel is good but waiting an hour and a half to deliver three blocks away is absolutely ridiculous. They are incompetent about canceling orders when you call, and have no idea where your order is or what to do if it's late. Unless you like cold bagels that aren't even what you ordered, don't do it. OR you can always walk in and wait in line for 45 minutes to still get the wrong order!

Deniz I.

Amazing bagels. The everything bagel is so delicious, fat, warm, and has sea salt chunks on the surface. The only downsides are that the line is always long and they only accept cash. Other than that, this is definitely the go-to bagel place in East Village.

Brianna K.

I can't stop thinking about the birthday cake cream cheese. I had kinda hoped it wouldn't live up to the hype so I wouldn't want to eat it again. It is sweet but not too sweet - just perfect. I also ordered a whole wheat everything bagel to compare with Ess-a-bagel but alas, they gave me a sesame and I didn't realize until I was long gone. Sooo Ess-a still wins that battle.

Megan M.

Tompkins is my go-to bagel place in the East Village. I will happily put up with the line (because there is ALWAYS a line, especially on the weekends), for the perfect bagels they produce. I know there is a lot of bagel competition in New York, but I really think Tompkins is the ultimate victor. Ess-a-Bagel is probably the only thing that comes close, but I live so much closer to TSB. Case closed. There are countless varieties of cream cheese (my fave is the Jonas, but you have to try the birthday cake at least once), and just as many varieties of bagels. Tradition wins with me though--you just can't beat a fresh everything bagel! Although it's becoming increasingly more infiltrated with hungover bros (tanks and shades inside, brah, paying with mom and dad's money), I will battle through their douchebaggery for my morning bagel. Cash only, because New York.

Jennifer O.

Favorite bagel place, hands down. I have to admit, I've only ever tried the everything bagels, but they are top-notch, no toasting required (they will toast though, if you're into that). Great selection of spreads and fillings, and I love that they don't microwave the eggs for egg sandwiches, unlike many bagel places. They have a good selection of drinks and the coffee is good too. Lots of yummy-looking pastries and cookies, but I can't not get a bagel here so I've never tried any. Prices are a little high, but totally worth it. It is cash only, but they have an ATM inside. It gets crowded on weekend mornings, but they know how to deal with it and even the longest line moves quickly. A big plus for me is that there's always an empty table to sit at and you never feel rushed out.

Liz W.

Their bagels are great, I am currently on a lox kick - their deluxe lox with an everything bagel is super tasty. They also have a lot of good toppings and cream cheeses. Definitely avoid this place on the weekends though! I knocked off some stars because the staff is rude - don't put someone on a register who doesn't do well when dealing with customers considering that is their main job description. I had about four or five people in front of me and it took 25 minutes the last time I was there (on a weekday), kind of ridiculous especially considering they didn't even toast my bagel...as someone else has mentioned their ticket system is inefficient. For the price you pay you deserve a friendly person on the register and more efficient service. I will continue to go there if I happen to be in the area but wouldn't go out of my way to eat there.

Latef X.

I love their pumpernickel bagels! Tomkins has the huge fluffy kind of bagels, not the dense classic NYC bagel. I like easy cream cheese so always ask for it on the side -- they give you enough for 2 bagels in my opinion. The wait is pretty crazy long on the weekends, but that's NYC for you. Their system is super efficient though, so once you're in, it's pretty painless. It's $10 if you get one of the sandwiches, but just bagel and cream cheese is $3.something. It was really weird once when I placed a Seamless order for pick-up, but when I showed up, the cashier girl said they don't take pick-up orders even though the email confirmation said in big bold letters YOU MUST PICK UP THIS ORDER -- IT WILL NOT BE DELIVERED. But the expediter gal was really nice about it and wrote a quick ticket for my order for me right away -- I had it in hand in like 2 minutes. Yay, customer service that rocks!

Mary L.

I cannot say enough good things about Tompkins Square Bagels. I work at a beauty PR firm and we do creative mailings for our clients monthly. For a client, we're celebrating national garlic day and sending editors bagels. Not only did Tompkins get back to be super quick, I knew this was something that was out of their element but the owner, Frank, was such a sweetheart and took on this project. He suggested to come in for a bagel tasting and it was phenomenal. Not are the french toast bagels AMAZING, the owner knows his craft and has a true passion for what he does. I will be coming back here every time I get the chance to!!

Emma E.

I was so excited to hear that Tompkins Square Bagels offers a homemade gluten free option. Plus their cream cheese sounded super yum. I haven't had a bagel since diagnosis, and I've been craving one lately. There was a little hump in the process. I am allergic to nuts and peanuts, and almond flour is a common gluten free sub. I called for confirmation and was told unequivocally that there were no nuts in their GF bagels. After noticing that the owner referenced almond flour in one of his replies, I got spooked, and went in to speak to them in person the next time I was in the area. They confirmed with the kitchen that their gluten free bagels are nut and peanut free (but do contain egg whites). I went ahead and got a plain GF bagel with espresso cream cheese. Service was quick and friendly (at 9:00 AM on a Saturday). My bagel was super yum. Light, fluffy, substantial and big, and no weird gf aftertaste. Big con: this set me back $7. Gluten free food IS expensive to make and purchase. That said, I can get 3x the amount of similar-quality gluten free baked goods for the cost of one bagel ($3.50). And while the cream cheese was amazing, there is NO WAY that it's worth $3.50. That's not a criticism of their cream cheese -that's just a statement about all cream cheese ever. So while this was a delicious experience, it's simply not worth it more than once a year or so. Just a final allergy note: this place is full of gluten cross-contamination from shared cutting surfaces to toasters to knives and etc. I am one of the lucky people who can handle some cross-contamination from time to time, so I didn't sweat it. As always, for my reviews that mention allergy-friendliness: everyone's reactions are different. My comments are related to my experience, and are not intended to verify or not verify the safety of any foods. What was safe for me may not be safe for you. Please use caution when consuming products from businesses that use your allergens.

Lauren G.

so glad we made a stop here a few weeks ago - bagels are delish but the cream cheese, coffee, & other baked goods really stole the show. Definitely get the fresh chive and bacon cream cheese and a black and white cookie for dessert!

Anita S.

French toast bagel!! OMG, genius! Egg bagel and cinnamon bagel combined - with powdered sugar on top. I wish I had thought of that. Essa, eat your heart out. But that's line sooooo long. 20 mins in line at 10am Sunday morning?! Don't bother asking for toasted, they won't do it. Bagels are baked fresh every hour so no need. Best bagels in East Village - but there ain't much competition either. Birthday cream cheese?! No comment. Can't go wrong with walnut raisin.

Jen B.

Awesome little spot located in East Village. There are many options to choose from as far as different cream cheese's and bagels. They have a pretty extensive and yummy menu! Not only do they have bagels and cream cheese, but bagel sandwich's as well. I was more in the mood for something sweet, so I decided to try their french toast bagel with birthday cake cream cheese. It was absolutely delicious! The french toast and birthday combo was a hit... it went very well together. They have a few tables and tables where you can stand to eat. They also have an outside garden where you can enjoy your bagels. I saw on their menu that they had a chocolate chip cookie dough cream cheese that they make. Definitely going back for that!!

Sarpreet G.

Loved the bagel and house made cream cheese. Coffee was ok - nothing to get excited about. Next time I'll grab my bagel to go and get a coffee elsewhere. Liked that it was easy to get inside with the stroller - only a small step up into the shop. Also, cafe was large enough to accommodate sitting with the lil' one strapped in the stroller.

Jessica B.

YUM! Go and wait in the line, there's a line for a reason; it's delicious, and it's worth it! YOU NEED CASH, THEY DONT TAKE CARDS. Super nice staff.

Abby L.

Bagels are good, but definitely not worth the 40 minute wait on a Saturday. Also, they advise you not to have your bagel toasted, but I think I would have enjoyed mine better toasted; my bagel was cold.. I prefer Russ & Daughters any day ( :

Felicia T.

My FAVORITE bagel place in the city. I am addicted. Every bagel I've ordered has been absolutely everything I wanted and more. I really enjoy their assortment of bagels and spreads. You get so much for the fantastic price! The coffee is great too. The staff is always pleasant, even on the heavily packed weekends. The wait really isn't that long, so don't be discouraged by the line. It is SO WORTH YOUR TIME. Cash only- ATM inside. It's really nice to take your bagel and coffee to the park to enjoy. Do it. Check out the #tompkinssquarebagels on Instagram (a few photos are from my page mmmm.food). Get ready to drool.

Veronica G.

Soooooo yummy! I got there early so the line was pretty quick but boy did it get packed and stuffy in there. In other words it is well worth the line wish I lived in New York to eat these bagels all the time!

Dave H.

Hungry? Let me introduce you Tompkins Square Bagels, where you can score a tasty, toasty bagel without having to hold up a bank[1]. Try their cinnamon raisin bagel, toasted[2], with wasabi cream cheese - really. Wasabi slathered onto a bagel is an amusing way to spice up your weekday. Service was friendly and I got what I wanted, no fuss, no muss. Except for that cream cheese, which went everywhere. But it's not Tompkins's fault that I eat like a five-year-old. They're cash only, but there's an ATM on-premises. [1] Honestly, what the hell kind of bagels are you buying where you'd need to do that? [2] Yes, toasted, but I'm no New Yorker.

Sung K.

3.5. too much hype. it was really good, but not REALLY good. would come back for a solid bagel, but not for the best bagel in nyc.

Jenna H.

Very good but they charged us for a coffee accidentally though we did not order one. Also be prepared for long line on the weekends. I got an everything bagel with lox deluxe. Delicious and you can taste a real difference with the homemade bagel.

Cindy X.

Boy, was it packed on a Sunday morning. The line stretched out almost near the door. What's great about this Tompkins Square Bagels is that they make their own bagels! They also offer different variety of cream cheese, from espresso to birthday cake cream cheese. What a piece of bagel!! I ordered The Koch, it comes with scallion cream cheese, eggs, and salami for $6.50. Overall the price was decent. Bagel was fresh not toasted. The salami, eggs, and cream cheese goes really well together. The salami is flavorful, eggs were fluffy and not overcooked. The portion was huge. I got so full after consuming all of it.

Dara-Ann B.

Amazing bagels and so many options to choose from. I want to try every single bagel sandwich combo they have! Oh and obviously the birthday cake cream cheese is insane.

Jason C.

Fantastic bagels and sandwiches! Lines are long but worth waiting in. Cash only. I wish there was more seating so you have to snag a table if you see one. Plenty of drink options. Other than it being a little crammed it was fabulous. Must go!

Canny F.

I ordered a toasted whole wheat everything bagel with tofu veggie cream cheese. Their tofu veggie cream cheese was amazing! The diced veggies were evenly spread and there was lots of it! It left a nice crunch. The toasted bagel tasted warmed. I was hoping for a little crispy outside. Additionally, their everything bagel had sea salt. I prefer it to not. Not all bagel shops put sea salt on their everything bagel. The texture of the bagel was too doughy.

Aeron H.

My first bagel in NYC and it did not disappoint. I got an everything bagel with veggie cream cheese that was delicious - you really should not toast their bagels (as they recommend), they are so fresh and delicious without it. I was a little confused about the ordering/paying situation when I arrived, you order at a spot farther back in the shop and then take your ticket up to pay. Its cash only, but they have an ATM inside luckily. I also got a cold pressed juice that, while good, was the most expensive one I have ever purchase (I guess thats because its New York?) so I probably would not buy again. I was a little overwhelmed by the amount of sandwich choices so I just got something simple this time, but I definitely will be back to try something more adventurous. Very glad I only live a few blocks away from this shop!

Danielle D.

This pace has amazing bagels!!!!!!!!!! Only reason I did not give 5 stars is because the line gets CRAZY at times. It's unfortunate because these bagels and sandwiches are heaven. Also it's is cash only!

Jen S.

Today I got the oldest bacon I hope they start useing better stuff because black seed will put them out of business fast plus there delivery is so slow step up your game u can do it u have a good spot

Amanda M.

Loved my experience here! Although the line was very long they have a system that keeps it moving quickly. the only thing is that there is no inside seating and its cash only. Was alittle pricey but completely worth it

Dan M.

Decent bagels with some of the worst staff and reliability around. After all this time, they still can't speed up things or fix wrong orders in the ordering process?

Brett P.

Great spot for bagels, tons of options. Cash only. Don't order in though because they'll most likely mess up the order. "Oh you want an everything bagel with cream cheese, give him lox spread he doesn't know what he wants"

Eric M.

Weekends are hectic, there's no debating that. But it's only because Tompkins is a sceney place, and really the best bagel to be had in the neighborhood. Even when it looks jam-packed, they have a solid system for getting you your food in a reasonable amount of time. Of course, if you can make it here on a week day, that's your best bet for quick service. I've had lox bagels here as well as egg and cheese - are all very, very good. Don't waste your time with delivery from Tompkins. It's worth the walk.

Brian C.

It's Saturday and I want a bagel. I decide to go here since I'm in the area. I get there around 12:30pm and the line is LONG. It reaches all the day to the outdoor seating in the back. At first, I was thinking that the line was way too long but I decided to wait it out. I ordered an everything bagel with jalapeno cheddar cream cheese. Line moves somewhat slowly and it takes me about 20 minutes or so to get my bagel. The bagel tastes fresh and the cream cheese was pretty good. Nice jalapeno and cheddar flavor, maybe a little heat to the cream cheese would make it even better. Would I come back? Probably but only when the line is much shorter. I feel like the system they have for selling and paying should be tweaked a little to make the flow of the line move faster.

Kyle V.

Worst bagel store I have ever been to. Horribly unorganized, over priced, and the quality isn't even that good as well. Literally every time I have gone I laid out a very simple request for an order and still every time it comes home wrong. All the cooks are blaming each other for the error instead of correcting it and I take it back to the chef on a slow day and he tells me "not a good time". I now see the error of the equation. The cook says he was out of what I asked so he just puts whatever else he felt on my bagel without telling me. With poor leadership the whole joint suffers. I will never return again, I'm not spending over 5 dollars for just a bagel and cream cheese (no lox even) that isn't even the bagel I ordered. I'm a chef and this is one of the worst ran places I've seen. ITS JUST BAGELS, NOT ROCKET SCIENCE.

Laura H.

Another favorite spot that I'm surprised I haven't covered before. My favorite bagel place in Manhattan, TSB is cash only, always crowded and hates when you ask for your bagel "toasted" but the final result is 99% worth it. In fact I had one on Sunday. Great to pick up and eat in the park which a friend on a casual Saturday morning. You can literally order any kind of bagel any kind of way. It's the craziest menu perfect from someone with a crazy imagination. Go wild! Go often!

MoCh O.

Since this is the closest bagel place to our apt. and they have decent bagels, we come here about once a week. The line usually is long, but bearable. Today I had to write a review because I had a rude interaction with the cashier (older Hispanic lady).We've had trouble with her once or twice before and had the same experience. If you are the manager and reading this post, please take her off the role of working with any customers.

Jon K.

Great bagels, though often under cooked on weekends. Took 50 minutes to get 2 bagels with cream cheese this morning. Who has time for that.

Darren B.

This place is awesome!!! They totally helped us out with our gluten free orders. The food was DELICIOUS! Totally coming back here!

Annie N.

4.5* ahhh yes, finally, I finally found a legit bagel place in the city after many trips and a year living there! Why did it take me this long? I have no idea, considering NYC is known for their bagels. Given that it's new york and the quality of their bagels, expect there to be a line when you come. No worries, the line moves fast. What I like about this place is the many creative bagel sandwiches they have! My boyfriend and I are huge lox lovers, so we got the grav deluxe (a lox bagel sandwich with a different type of lox, sundried tomato cream cheese, and avocado - mmhh) and the lox deluxe, which were both on point. However, I liked the grav deluxe a tad bit more, because it was more flavorful and a unique sandwich compared to your typical lox and caper bagel sandwich. On top of that, the bagel actually tastes good! I hate bagels that taste like it came from the grocery store, and rest assured, these bagels won't taste like that given the way its made (hand boiled..or whatever it's called). Also, their sundried tomato cream cheese was delicious compared to the one I tried at Murray's bagels. Can't wait to come back on my next NY trip and try their other sandwich options!

Bonnie W.

Tompkins square bagels on ave A between 10&11 street is a touch of park slope in Manhattan , service was perfect , food was perfectly made just the way I ordered it , and when I am satisfied I say so, so thank you TSB I am one hard person to please Signed Sister Valerie

Madeleine T.

Granted, I stick to the basics and typically never deviate from the norm (everything bagel with cream cheese and lox), but that being said - EVERY TIME I've been there it never ceases to fail. It's always delicious, fresh, and their bagels are amazing. I've had good bagels and bad bagels, but TSBagels always is on point (on the occasion I've tried other bagels / sandwiches too). The staff is always extremely friendly, despite the high traffic/long lines. I refuse to go anywhere else for my bagels. Also, don't forget to bring ca$h money!

Liz L.

I never truly began my love for bagels in NYC before Tompkins Square Bagels. You're guaranteed to wait in a line, and with good reason. They offer awesome bagel choices, and even more awesome bagel-toppers. The coffee is prime, the bagels are hot and fresh, and the vibe is just so lively. This is your neighborhood bagel-shop.

Kamila B.

Please come to the west coast. I swear, my business alone will keep you afloat. During my weekend romp in New York, Tompkins' bagels were there every morning like a great starchy, cream cheese-y lifesaver thrown out to save me from my hang-over spins. I got the go-to cinnamon raisin bagel toasted with smear. The bagel is unlike anything here in Portland. It's bloated looking and has a crunchy shell with a light fluffy interior, while our bagels are sad, bready, little things. I also sampled a cohort's everything bagel with lox and smear, which was good despite my tender tummy.

Daniel B.

Solid bagel. A tad overhyped. Woman taking my order couldn't have been more rude. When she called out the name of the customer before me, she was visibly annoyed that she had to walk a few feet over given the customer wasn't standing at the register but rather by the coffee... I will likely go back to see if their custom spreads are worth anything. But will certainly avoid this individual...

Anthony S.

Nice to have had a fresh sesame bagel with egg, crispy bacon, tomato and cucumber and an good arabic espresso here. Friendly service though I could not pay by credit card.

Laurence H.

I wanted to update my previous review. The operations here have been overhauled and has resulted in massive improvements. Since writing my last review, I have been here about 5 times and my order has been correct every time. In addition, the wait time for my orders have been cut to less than half of what it was. As always the bagels are perfect and the sandwiches (try The Koch) are fantastic. Thanks to the owner listening to his customers' feedback, this place has become one of the best bagel spots in the city.

Mary W.

We picked up some bagels around 4 pm on a weekday and no one was in the place. We lucked out since it's usually slammed. We ordered a few bagels for the following day and some tofu cream cheese spreads. The guy at the counter was very friendly and let us try a few spreads. He was adamant about making it clear that the tofu spreads were not "certified vegan," which is confusing. They are non-dairy and made of tofu and he assured us there were no other allergens, but he said they weren't allowed to call them vegan. I think this is because they sell a lox tofu spread, which contains real fish. Referring to the tofu spreads as vegan might further confuse things. We loved the spinach artichoke and sun-dried tomato spreads. The garlic herb one was just too strongly flavored with what I think was dill. This is usually my favorite type of spread, but not here. The next morning the bagels were a bit stale, but a toast in the oven freshened them right up. They were chewy and covered in topping, in the case of the everything bagel. The sourdough was tasty, but not quite sour enough for my liking. I recommend the owners label the vegan tofu spreads as vegan and leave the vegan label off the lox one so it's a little more clear to vegan folks.

Taryn M.

Tompkins is the Time Warner cable of bagels. They've established a monopoly in the neighborhood and use it as an excuse for obscene wait times and terrible customer service. 2 hour wait for deliveries and 45-1 hour wait in person on weekends. A sick, sick joke. If only yelp would allow for zero stars.

Joel M.

I've gone back a few times since. Still no order to the kitchen, and bagels take a while. But bagels are delicious and worth the wait.

Joel S.

Thank heavens for a great bagel place that bakes REAL bagels in-house (yes, hand-rolled, boiled, then baked). Delicious sandwiches, fast service, super-friendly staff. Just be advised that it's cash-only (but with an ATM on-site). Only complaint: I was in there recently with a sandwich order for five people, and they didn't mark which sandwich was which. So we had to open each one and start poking around inside trying to guess who got what order. I think it's pretty standard to write what's inside the wrapper ON the wrapper, guys.

Lauren V.

Are the bagels good? Sure Do they have an array of flavored cream cheeses? Yes But they charge 50 cents to put a drop of soy milk in your coffee. However, the attitude they give you for asking is free. Will I be back? Maybe...but only because there is no other decent bagel place in the immediate area. After I hand over $10 and shake my head about it I let it go and enjoy my breakfast.

Aliza W.

My favorite before-work bagel spot! They have a huge selection of yummy spreads and the sandwiches are always delicious and toasted to perfection. I also love that its an easy in and out. Sometimes it can be very busy in the morning but I never have to wait longer than I would expect for the amount of customers. Friendly staff. Great Selection. A for sure. The only thing I don't recommend is the chai. Very milky and not how I typically prefer it, but that is more a personal opinion than anything.

Christine L.

I am SO glad I came into this bagel place for breakfast. As soon as I walked in I was surprised that it extended all the way to the back. There were plenty of tables here (and also a few stools in the front window, which is where I sat). You go to the end of the counter where a super friendly girl will take your order, then you walk to the register with your receipt and pay (with another super friendly cashier). I ordered the cream cheese and salmon on a plain bagel (toasted) for $8 and it was delish! Not as delish as H&H bagels in midtown... but it was really good.

Pauline M.

TSB is one of the few places where I'll put up with waiting in a huge line (which to me is still a good sign... clearly a lot of people love it too!) for something as casual as a bagel. But I think it's worth it and I've come back time and time again - the Willoughby (with jalapeno cream cheese) is probably one of my favorite sandwich creations ever. The team has really created some inventive and tasty blends of ingredients. Even as I'm enjoying whatever I've ordered I find myself thinking about my next visit and what I'll try then... As they suggest, there really isn't a need to toast the bagel. The shop is small, so it's more of an inconvenience in the colder months that there is limited seating - but when it's nice out, I like to enjoy my bagel at the park right down the block. If I lived close to TSB, it would be dangerous; I'd be there all the time!

Ed L.

Finally, a decent bagel place in Alphabet City. While I am a big fan of David's bagel, it's new location is too far for me. Lucky for me, Tompkins Square bagel opened just below my apartment! YAY! With a wide selection of bagels, cream cheeses and sandwiches, you'll be able to find something to satisfy your hunger pangs. This location has plenty of seating in the back and it even has a backyard area for those especially pleasant afternoons. I also enjoy sitting at the front counter for my favorite past time, people watching. While the service is friendly and prompt, check out is always a bit confusing and slows down the whole operations. At times, the cashier is calling out for pick up orders, at other times it's another back counter employee. I also find it annoying when people who ordered after me get their orders before me. Just a personal pet peeve. Other than that, this joint is spot on for all of your bagel and pastry needs.

Erica W.

Okay this review is tough to write. This has been my go-to bagel place for the past 3 years. Even when I moved to the UES, I still cabbed it down for bagels. Yes the wait is long on the weekends but its because the bagels are that good. HOWEVER, and a big however, I just went today for lunch. Dragged my coworkers on the 30 minute walk because I don't stop raving about this place. And to say we were disappointed is the understatement of the century. At 12PM, the bagels were completely stale. And to add insult to injury, our orders were wrong. Usually not a big deal if an order doesn't come out exact but between the mixup there and the stale bagels, everyone threw theirs out and went to get something else. So I guess moral of the story is, if you want a phenomenal bagel, wait on line on the weekends and you'll get it. If you want a pretty crappy bagel experience with no line, go for lunch.

Jason S.

My favorite bagel spot in NYC and that's saying a lot for anyone, especially me! Nothing beats an NYC bagel. Their variety, quality, selection of all bagels, spreads, sandwiches...are all superb. Excellent coffee as well. Not a chain. Owner is NYC born and bred and knows his bagels and NYC customer service. Everything made from scratch.

Robert S.

The bagels tasted great. We got French Toast and Chocolate Chip bagels. They were big, soft and tasty. We got different cream cheeses. Some tasted much better than others. We were not the biggest fans of cookie dough. We did really like mixed berry. The kids loved, and I mean loved, the mac & cheese bagel. They are still talking about this bagel and want to go back.

Kimberly K.

That was one tasty bagel. It's spacious in here and there is plenty of seating. The employees are super friendly and positive. Restrooms are located in the back left of the shop. In addition to bagels and cream cheese, they offer a variety of pastries, sandwiches, and salads. I was able to try an Everything Bagel with Veggie Cream Cheese ($3.50). The cream cheese was cool, smooth, light, and had loads of freshly diced veggies in it. The bagel is slightly crisp on the outside and soft within. It had a nice chew and beautiful golden color. Memorable. Welcoming staff. Good Bagels. Spacious. Clean. I'll definitely be back!

J. G.

great bagels. i'm a new yorker so i don't mind the 10 - 30 minute wait on weekends for an *awesome* bagel sandwich. but what i do mind is the complete incompetence (and callousness) of the staff preparing takeout orders that people wait so long for. the establishment has successfully screwed up my last 4 of 4 orders. see for yourself: order 1: 1 bacon, egg & cheese sandwich on an everything bagel 1 bacon, egg & cheese sandwich on an onion bagel received: 2 bacon, egg & cheese sandwiches on 2 everything bagels wait time: 25 minutes order 2: 1 bacon, egg & cheese sandwich on an everything bagel 1 bacon, egg & cheese sandwich on an onion bagel received: 2 bacon, egg & cheese sandwiches on 2 onion bagels wait time: 20 minutes order 3: 1 bacon, egg & cheese sandwich on an everything bagel 1 bacon, egg & cheese sandwich on an onion bagel received: 2 bacon, egg & cheese sandwiches on mismatched one-half onion/one-half everything bagels wait time: 30 minutes order 4: 1 bacon, egg & cheese sandwich on an onion bagel 1 plain bagel with cream cheese received: 1 bacon, egg & cheese sandwich in 10 minutes & 1 plain bagel with cream cheese 15 minutes later wait time: 25 minutes combined score: 100% fail. i should also mention that none of the above was discovered until the take-out bag was opened for breakfast, ten minutes later & seven blocks away & many floors up, by hungry people who had waited too long to get the wrong orders. somehow every single deli in the lower east side can bang out a perfect bagel sandwich in 1/4th of the time that these experts take to royally F up your order with extreme indifference. on the plus side: the store's tile marquee, by east village artist jim powers, is a wonderful edition to the diminishing neighborhood landscape.

Alli Q.

I came here because they have gluten-free bagels and I've never seen fresh gluten-free bagels! I hadn't eaten a bagel in a year and half before I came here so I was super excited to try these. The first time I came they were out and it was really disappointing but on the second try I was successful! There are two gluten free flavors and they cost more (like all gluten free things). It tastes a little bit better than those frozen ones at the grocery store but nothing too mind blowing. I'm pretty sure this is just the fact that gluten free bagels will never be as good as real ones and not that Tompkins is doing anything wrong. I'm just grateful that they put in the effort to offer the option and will continue coming because of that. And for what it's worth - my very pretentious bagel-eating friends approve of Tompkins' gluten full bagels and say they are acceptable. Also! Cash only!!

Daniel A.

I've been living above this place for 2 years so I've had more than enough experiences to write this review. It's terrible. 1) the service is poor. Seriously how long does it take to grab an egg bagel out of the crate above your head and slap some creamy cheese on there? 2) way overpriced. Bagel and creamy + Gatorade + iced coffee = 11.50$ - I'd much rather get some Franch toast at a local spot for 11$ 3) inconsistency and the bagels just plain suck. Sometimes stale. Not enough creamy cheese. I just don't understand- I pay 3.50 for a bagel with cream cheese and there's only enough on there for me to eat one half of the bagel. (I usually feed the other half to the pigeons and homeless folks in tomkins square park) 2 stars for 2 positive notes- the cream cheese is pretty tasty (if you get enough where you can make a taste judgement) and the folks working there are really nice. Gotta love a nice bunch of friendly hipsters on a hungover morning

Diana D.

super crazy insanely fresh bagels. they make em throughout the day for a constant supply to keep up with the very high demand. on the weekends there's always a very long line. But the line moves quickly. I've come to learn that it is wise to accept your fate by waiting in line for good food - even if it's just a quick meal. It's Good Food. The experience of enjoying their breakfast sandwiches has always been worth the wait. One of the most wonderful things I've had the pleasure of enjoying in my recent trips to NYC are their everything bagels with scallion cream cheese & sausage. Sseriiously can not go wrong here with toppings. the bagel with butter is a worthy meal and can absolutely stand on its own.. But why keep it simple when you can go wild?! splurge n get what you want.

Rachel L.

Delicious bagels, and so many options! I was boring and got an everything bagel with plain cream cheese. Did not like the iced coffee.. Tasted watered down. Came back the next day and got a regular coffee.. Also tasted watered down. The first day we went, we paid card and the second day They had a sign saying cash only!

Erin M.

Best bagel place in Manhattan. Cash only- Frank is the best, very friendly staff and top quality service. Highly recommend.

Craig S.

Excellent bagels but they need to hire more people for the morning shift. In addition the staff that currently works there needs to act like they are awake and like their customers like to be served. I waited 5 minutes before someone took my order (only one person in front of me on line) and another 5 minutes to pay (no one in front of me on line). 20 minute wait for a bagel when it's not a weekend? No thanks!

Morgan B.

Came out of my way for the bagels but the service is awful. Very slow, very rude. Over priced. A million better bagel places in the city.

S D.

Good bagels and La Colombe coffee. Not much else you could hope for. The long line is painful but they do a good job of being efficient.

Sydney B.

Really good bagels. Busy on the weekends--go figure. Try the cucumber dill cream cheese for a real treat. They also have sandwich rolls available, which baffles me. If you're feeling really fancy, order for delivery.

Sam S.

Delicious! Amazing unheard of selection with really friendly staff. I was warmly welcomed and even offered samples of the creme cheeses without even asking. I walked out with a satisfied stomach and a jolt of bagel energy. I'm from LA and I'm glad my first bagel experience in New York was from Tompkins.

Danielle N.

These bagels are to die for. Keep in mind it's cash only and prepare yourself for a line that wraps around the restaurant. Line moves quickly though and is 100% worth the wait. I always get my bagels toasted, but not here. They are made fresh every hour and toasting is so not necessary.

Nadir A.

On Sundays The "Baltharzar Croissants were from yesterday, we were reimbursed with no questions asked. Go before 10, otherwise you will be waiting in line for 15 minutes at least ...

Juniper W.

Jammed packed but super fast and friendly service. Had some trouble with my order on first visit, when I returned, Frank bought my whole family's breakfast!!!! If you're in the east village, it's a must!!!

John S.

Delicious. But really busy weekend mornings obviously. They have amazon bagels and a variety of both traditional and funky cream cheeses. So you can stay original or get creative of you like. They also have solid breakfast sandwiches and the like. Staff is friendly as well. Only downside is they can and will run out of certain bagels of you get there too late in the day, depending on the day.

George P.

The bagels and cream cheeses are delicious BUT whats up with the no toasting thing? they claim that they're bagels are so fresh out of the oven that they don't need to be toasted, but unless i see the thing literally come out of the oven then I want it toasted. within 30 minutes a "fresh" bagel is room temperature and the cream cheese is hard as a rock. I'd rather have a day old bagel toasted up hot to order Also, the last time I ordered ice coffee, the employee poured their standard hot coffee over ice... when I told her it had no flavor she went to pour me a second one the same way. When i explained the reasoning behind why that is always going to be watery and asked for a refund she still didn't get it. Not to mention pouring hot liquids into plastic cups is bound to melt some BPA into your drink.

Helen N.

This much needer new addition to the neighborhood is pretty much a home run in my book.. and I haven't written a yelp review in forever so trust that this is worth it. 1. Home made interesting cream cheeses. Like jalapeño, avocado, red onion. What? Yes please. 2. Juices. They have some liquiteria options and various others so you somt feel like you are going to carb hell. 3. Friendly people. Even when they are slammed *which they are riiiight now*, everyone is smiling and keeping their cool. 4. Back yaaaaaard!!!!!!! 5. No electronics. I first was unhappy but then realized someone telling me to not use my laptop is like a present. 6. I forgot they were cash only and the nuce girl at the front let me run home and get money without cancelling my order.

Irene H.

I love this place, even though I rarely eat carbs of late, when I do, it has to be worthy of the calorie splurge. They're also on Seamless which is great when I'm feeling lazy. Delivery was lightning fast the first time. I like to get the sesame bagel with lite scallion cream cheese, cucumber, and tomato. The bacon version of the cream cheese is nice too. Their iced coffee isn't bad either. I've also ordered the french toast once. For an extra dollar you get a whole lot of fresh fruit (not the cheap kind, but strawberries as well). Their beverage fridge selection is impression - they had Belvoir elderflower presse! Hint: to avoid the cash only and wait, try ordering on Seamless for pickup.

Sabra N.

Disappointed!! They have a lot of options but that's about it for the positives. The ordering process is confusing, As a first timer, I waited twice in the wrong line before ordering because I didn't see any sign (besides the one in the back but that's not the first thing I look at : the back of the store). I ordered a bagel with "EASY cream cheese, SUPER EASY" and I got the bagel with the most cream cheese I've ever had, so I had to clean up my bagel in the street with the few napkins they gave me and even still that wasn't enough. So here is my suggestion: the person who takes the order AND writes down, so doesn't need to memorize it like in other places, needs to actually listen to the order. That would be helpful. So all of that for $3.75... (One of the most expensive bagel I've had ) ... I get it, it's the experience.

Dennis G.

The Tompkins Square Bagels bagels are top shelf, first rate, however, they have terrible customer service. So bad in fact I had to go with - Meh. I've experienced better.

Allison H.

An absolute must if you're in the area. Their bagels are fresh every hour and their selection of cream cheeses are to die for (such as cucumber dill, very berry, or even birthday sprinkle). You can sample the cream cheese before you commit to a whole bagel which is genius. Frankie was a very welcoming host and lead my friend and I in the perfect direction for our meal. Cash only, but worth every penny.

mike j.

If this place were around for 10+ years, it would be an NY/East Village staple. I compare it to Ess-a-bagel. Yes. It might not have as much history, the bagels might not be quiiite as good, but overall it's just awesome. Where it beats out Ess-a-bagel is on everything else besides a bagel itself: the sandwiches/combos you want. They have chefs and awesome chefs at that, whereas Ess-a microwaves your eggs. It's just, great. Note: it takes a solid 20 minutes during peak times, and the delivery is generally not very good.

Lindà W.

Do not know what all the fuss is about.....my bagel was tasteless and so was the olive cream cheese.....don't waste your time and money.

Daniel B. O.

The Chipotle Chicken Salad on the Everything Bagel was perfect, above average. Paired it with an Organic Lemonade and Tea, very good. The place is very original, check out the mural at the back.

David B.

The only people who think the bagels here are great are newcomers to the neighborhood who have never had a New York bagel and think this is authentic. Don't get me wrong, they're fine. But are they worth the minimum ten to fifteen minute wait, no matter the time of day, size or simplicity of your order? No way. The service is friendly enough, but hipster slow and often incompetent. It thrives because it is the only bagel shop nearby, but if you can get to 15th and 1st your options are much better.

Wilson A.

When you think of New York and food, that happy marriage is bound to bring to mind quintessential staples that include potato knishes, matzo ball soup, "dirty water dogs," street meats, pizza, and bagels. You would think that as a New York resident for nearly 12 years I could easily share a countless number of great bagel eateries. Sadly, good bagel places are hard to find in New York. And great bagel makers are rarer still. Fortunately for the East Village, Tompkins Square Bagels is among that rare, mouthwatering breed. Hand-sized bagels are made and served fresh every hour, with a perfect crust and doughy center. And in addition to the tried and true variety of standard flavors of cream cheese and the mainstay variety of bagels, a host of unique, special batches of one-of-a-kind cream cheese gems are served at Tompkins Square Bagels. But best of all, every bagel and cream cheese flavor is made on-site. For the diehard lox lover, I recommend the recent special, "The Koch," consisting of hot pastrami, eggs, red onions, and scallion cream cheese. The worst thing I can say about Tompkins Square Park is that a counterpart does not exist in Long Island City, where I now live.

Sasha B.

Amazing, great service and great food. My all time favorite bagel store. Just try to beat the morning crowds and remember cash! Best bagel store ever.

Kaitlin B.

Love this bagel spot! The bagels here are oversized and reasonably priced. I also like the variety of choices here from the type of bagel, choice of cream cheeses and spreads, breakfast sandwiches, and pastries. They also have a salad bar and daily soups. There is actually a decent amount of seating as well that I didn't realize at first. There are a number of tables in the back and there is also a small outdoor seating area. Everything here is homemade and extremely fresh. I got apple cinnamon cream cheese with my bagel, and you can definitely tell a difference (there were actual pieces of apple in my cream cheese!) from cream cheeses or spreads from a container. I'm also a fan of the Stone Street brews here! Cash only! Also be prepared for long lines on the weekends. They really do try their best to keep the line moving though.

carolynn c.

Stopped by on a stroll in the LES. I had heard good thinks about this place and, although it is well out of my way, I'll definitely swing by next fine I'm in the neighborhood. I may even make a trip just for the bagel. I went in the early afternoon on a weekday so I did not experience the crowds that I had eras about. My order also was simple. I got a buttered salt bagel to go. I didn't get to enjoy it until hours later but once I did, I wished I had gotten more. I wondered around and it was still chilly out but I would love to go back & check out the cute patio

Larry G.

Prominent physician and nutritionist Dr. Atkins may not have preferred eating bagels or other carbs in his diet, but he is dead and when the cat is away the mice will play. I already knew carbs added to your waistline well before Atkins and other nutritionist spoke to the ill effects of carb overload. Gorilla Monsoon and Bobby"The Brain" Heenan, the WWF announcing team on Saturday Morning Superstars, referred to the stomach as the bread basket. "Kick to the bread basket by the Brooklyn Brawler," got me pumped every weekend. Tompkins is an awesome addition to the neighborhood. We are talking boiled bagels, handmade with fresh ingredients that are leagues above the "artisanal" bagels that Dunkin Donuts and Panera trot out for their advertising campaigns. My chart of bagels is as follows for what most folks consider the 3 best in the city: 1) Murrays Bagels 2) Tompkins Square Bagels 3) Ess a Bagel The bagels are continuously getting better and they are closer to Murrays now than when the shop opened up over a year ago. I also dig the way they promote local art and products. As much as the area is getting gentrified, there is a big contingent causing a stink about the incoming 7-11 on the corner. Businesses like Tompkins are the beneficiary of the negative sentiment towards incoming chains, people want unique experiences in the East Village, a neighborhood that served as the counter-culture headquarters of the 70's and 80's.

Jose D.

bagels were incredible

Kenneth C.

in my neighborhood, ok for bagel cream cheese, no ethnic bagel flavor but just about every restaurant has non authentic cooks nowadays, losing the special flavor and nuances that made the food special in the first place...(the demise of the Deli is a good example as well) Tuna was fishy or maybe that was left over on my upper lip from the night before. Need to add rye bagels but otherwise the place is ok,. reliable and you get what you are paying for. 4 stars.

Tiffany W.

When and if I get bagels for my daughter or when guests come in town, I will always go out of my way to go to Tompkins Square Bagels! I LOVE their whole wheat everything bagel! wow. And there cream cheeses are wonderful as well.."I have tried a few but but so enjoyed the Veggie CC. OH and the folks that work there are the BEST sooo friendly! If you want the best bagel this the place to go!

Jennifer A.

Two of the three things we ordered were wrong and the order was very simple. Employees are complete bitches. What I ended up getting (which wasn't what I ordered) was okay but nothing to lose my skirt over. Not sure if the awful rudeness is just how things are done in NY, but as a native of Southern California I am not used to this low level of customer service. Not recommended unless you like being treated poorly, are a New Yorker and are accustomed to bad service and attitudes.

Tim P.

I never thought a bagel could induce such a religious experience like it did that fateful day in September in the East Village. I was in town on vacation from LA for eight days and decided that each day I would spend in a different neighborhood. After strolling the charming and surprisingly quiet streets during the mid-morning, I opened my handy-dandy Yelp app and found Tompkins Square Bagels. A quick hop from the park, I loved the interior. Nice interior charm while you wait for your bagel. I ordered the everything bagel with lox cream cheese. That first bite. WOWZERS. A moment of clarity. A visage of beauty. I've always heard about the magic of NYC bagels but didn't believe it until that fateful day. Thank you TSB! I'll be back!

Brittany S.

These are by far my favorite bagels in New York City. The bagels, especially the everything bagels, are boiled and then baked to a fluffy perfection, and there's a flavor for any mood that you're in. The french toast bagel in particular is phenomenal. Amazing food aside, what sets Tompkins Square Bagels apart from other bagel places in the city are the atmosphere and the staff. This is a bagel place where you can sit in the back and enjoy your bagel without having to fight for a table and without feeling claustrophobic. Or, if you would prefer to be outside, it's right across from Tompkins Square Park which is a wonderful spot to relax and have a bagel and coffee. Everyone who works at Tompkins Square Bagels is welcoming, friendly and adds to the neighborhood feel of the place as a whole. I can't say enough positive things about this place. Tompkins Square Bagels is the best.

Kristin C.

Came here and got the everything bagel with birthday cream cheese. The bagel was one of the best I've ever had! It's a cute idea to put sprinkles in the cream cheese, but it got very sweet after a while. My cousin had pumpkin cream cheese and she said it was delicious. If I'm in the neighborhood, I would definitely go back.

Nick M.

Not good at all. I have eaten here twice. I will always give a place a second try if the first time is bad. You never know, it could just be an off day but both times I have eaten here the bagels were horrible. Bagels are burnt and very tough. They are also very very skimpy on the cream cheese. Not sure how else to describe it, just very bad bagels. I don't know why there is a line in this place, maybe because there are absolutely no other options in the area.

Lisa T.

Bagels are sooooo good here. Love their Jalapeno Chedder Cream Cheese. The Wasabi Cream Cheese is also very good. Lines are long here, but move pretty fast. Their regular coffee and lattes are not bad here as well. There are seats in the back and also a bench out front. Usually, if it's a nice day, I'll just eat it in the Tompkins Park across the street.

Max A.

Mediocre bagels. There are better bagel places nearby and they don't have lines nearly as big or slow as this one. Not worth it. Why all the hype?

m k.

Perhaps some of the best bagels i have ever had....i ate two. Get the french toast bagel!!!!

John C.

I was pretty excited to visit this place. I ordered an everything bagel with lox spread. My wife got bacon egg and cheese on everything. My daughter got chocolate chip with birthday cake cream cheese, like any kid would. With 2 orange juices and a coffee it was $21. The wait was absurd. Someone with us got their order right away, but a back up in the grill meant that I had to wait nearly 15 minutes for 3 bagels. When I finally got my bagel it was hardly recognizable as an everything, and there was hardly any spread on it at all. I took it to the counter and asked the guy there "is this an everything bagel?" The guy replied "no. Yes? Maybe. Looks like everything fell off." And just left it at that. I just wanted to get out and didn't want to press my luck. But my wife's bagel sandwich was great. Pretty lousy customer service, considering they offered nothing but excuses for the ridiculous wait, and didn't even seem to be phased by my everything bagel with nothing on it. But I guess I don't know what else to expect from a bunch of hipster kids.

Matthias H.

Great bagels and tofu spreads! The line can be insanely long but they work it pretty efficiently with a roving order-taker. Fresh crusty bagels are coming out constantly. A shame the coffee is not great--it's served too hot and tastes burned.

Blaire H.

Taylor Ham/ Porkroll was pretty exciting to see on the menu outside of New Jersey. The Jersey is pretty great. coffee is ok.

Ashley A.

bagels are too soft and bready. good cream cheese. cute place. nice staff.

Leah M.

I never ever write yelp reviews, but it has been 3 years of mistakes and I can't stand the atrociousness of it all. Seriously FUCK this place. I have been trying like crazy to keep my faith in it ever since it opened, but enough is enough. EVERY SINGLE TIME I receive a delivery, something is missing or completely wrong with the order. I once received a sandwich from them with a dirty old pepper (never asked for a pepper) and shredded up disgusting looking meat - of which wasn't organic, like I had specified - on a completely burnt up bagel (and that's one of the better times). The sad thing is, I really really do want to like this place, but ever since they opened they have been inconsistent and completely messing up my orders. At first I attributed it to getting their bearings together when they first opened, but it has been 3 YEARS, you can't get your shit together?!? You don't have the time of day to double check an order before it goes out the door???? Furthermore, whenever I call to tell them something is missing or wrong with my order, all I get is attitude, and you can tell they just don't even care. The fact that the entire East Village is willing to keep paying for their overpriced food makes them think they can do whatever they want I suppose. Go spend your money at a place that actually cares about their customers, there are so many other great neighborhood places around the area that don't mess up orders every single time you call for delivery.

Justine H.

Amazing bagels and food. Best in NYC. Great service too! They move the line soo quickly - even when it looks bad

Amelia B.

Tompkins is my neighborhood bagel shop. Lately, though, I've been very disappointed with the bagel sandwich-assembly-quality. 1. Customized a bagel sandwich that came out to nearly $10 (didn't even have lox in it!). The combination was pretty easy--just a few veggies, egg whites, and a tofu spread--and they forgot the egg whites. It was a Saturday morning so I thought, "ok, it's busy, I'll forget about it for now." 2. Ordered a bagel with scallion tofu spread. First of all, it took nearly 25 minutes until they called out my order. I saw people who were behind me in line get their orders before I did. How long does it take to spread some tofu on a bagel? At that point, I was already pretty hangry so I took my bagel to the park because the shop was too crowded. They normally give me a hefty amount of spread, but this time there was a very, very pathetic amount that seemed very hastily smeared about (seriously, it wasn't even covering the entire bagel!!), leaving me with what was essentially a really depressing bagel. Strike two. 3. Ordered a bagel sandwich special but switched out the scallion cream cheese for scallion tofu. I was in a hurry so I took the sandwich to-go and ate it elsewhere only to find that they had given me the cream cheese instead of the tofu, which cost an extra $2 or something. What if I was allergic to dairy?? Come on, guys, there were only two or three other ingredients in the special and I had only made one change to it. Strike three. All of these incidents happened over the course of three weekends because I normally go every weekend. Now I can't bring myself to ever want to return. Tune in next time.

Michael D.

The weekends should be avoided here. Long lines.... very long lines. BUT - the food is always fresh. Excluding the weekends, there is plenty of seating in an area that is not overran by people on laptops. They usually put shit-tons of cream cheese on my bagel (I love that) and their service is always great!

Alaa A.

I've been coming here for years and I just figured out that the egg n cheese is the best in the city! the service on weekends can be frustrating though. Sometimes it takes 15-20 mins to get your bagel but I keep coming back

Athena C.

I came here on a quiet Saturday morning. The space is big and they serve not only bagels but salad, breakfast and cookies. They have a line of people waiting to help you with your orders. Luckily, I did not experience what other customers went through for the long wait. I got my orders really quickly. The whole wheat everything bagel is chewy and soft at the same time and it is only $1. I am actually bring half a dozen overseas to my mother and she will be thrilled!

Karly W.

lives up to the hype, for the most part.. from someone who sometimes enjoys a little "char" on their toast, the anti-toasting can be sort of annoying

Kris K.

The process flow here makes no sense. You walk in and head to the back where you tell your order to a rude lady who writes it down and hands it to you, only so you can walk 15 ft back to the front and hand it to 1 of 5 employees standing near the register who then VERBALLY call the order back to the employees actually making the bagels near the back of the place. What!? It doesn't take a 6 sigma black belt to figure out that a few steps can be eliminated here to deliver a better customer experience. I ordered avocado on my bagel and after an incredibly long wait (I entertained myself by counting how many customers behind me in line walked out with their orders before me), I was super excited to finally eat. Unfortunately, the avocado was already completely brown, which was utterly unappetizing. (The bagel itself wasn't anything to write home about) I was not a big fan of this place before, but i have to say, after reading the owner Chris P.'s responses on other Yelp reviews, I am really disgusted. Maybe you should spend your time improving your business and customer service rather than launching into offensive rants. Stop defending poor business practices, you're making yourself look worse. Just sad. I will never be coming back. And I will be telling everyone I know about how awful this place is. Oh, and get a credit card processor. If you overcharge for everything on your menu, you need one.

Mai T.

Worth the long wait, a simple everything bagel and blueberry cream cheese is all it takes to keep me satisfied.

Hailey V.

Best bagels in the East Village, hands down. Bagels don't come toasted though, so be sure to ask if you like a crispy bagel! I completely recommend TSB.

Alissar T.

Tompkins Square Bagels is a favorite of mine, and an integral part of my weekend routine. Their bagels are awesome, and quickly took the spot for what used to be David's, for my favorite local bagel spot. TSQB is an East Village favorite with long lines on the weekends that go fast. They are surprisingly good in there... I get my usual here: whole wheat everything with scallion cream cheese, lox, tomato and onion. And it's amazing. And while I always stick to bagels, they have a long menu of sandwiches, including the 'The Wombacher' that I'm always tempted by, made with pepper crusted sirloin, cheddar, onions and roasted peppers. They have an impressively massive selection of drinks; I can't imagine that they don't have the kind or brand of cold beverage your heart desires, as well as lots of pastries, soups, salads, a large variety of Rick's Picks pickles and chips. TSQB rocks. Check out how they make their bagels here.

Allie C.

I give this place a high rating because they're bagels are so big and filling. They have a ton of flavors for bagels and many options for cream cheeses. Flavored cream cheeses will run you $3.50 though. The place is pretty big considering that it looks like a hole in the wall from the outside. Ample seating in the back. The only warning is that weekend mornings that place is crazy packed and you will wait FOR-EV-ER for your order. You'll definitely be full after one bagel. Oh, and they also serve Columbe coffee if you're into that.

Julia L.

Bagels - Delicious Service.... eh My step dad is gluten intolerant so we were very excited to find that this place had gluten free bagels! Yey!! Upon arriving my step dad naturally had questions as to what was gluten free and the gentleman behind the counter told him, but due to the accent my step dad didn't quite hear him and the guy behind the counter just kept repeating it over and over and sounded really irritated. Sorry we're such an inconvenience to you... Having worked in food service before, this kinda upset me. I don't like when anyone is rude to my parents, sure, but honestly just answer his question without being huffy. They could have easily said sorry sir, but we only have these 2 kinds that are gluten free. Grr. okay rant over. In terms of the actual food though - ya know the whole reason why we went there... very impressed. The bagels were delicious and I also noticed that they don't toast them, they bake them hourly so that's pretty darn cool. Also they slather your bagel with a TON of cream cheese... NOMNOMNOMNOM Despite the service, the food was delicious. If the gentleman wasn't so huffy to my parents I probably would have given it 5 stars. Enjoy the bagels. :]

James F.

lets see... how can we extract more money out of our customers? here are some creative ideas we've tried: 1. charge 50 cents to slice a to go bagel. check. 2. instead of selling cream cheese by the 1/4 pound like we have in the past 2 years, lets weight it and add a premium. check. 3. lets change the prices every single day to confuse customers who order the same thing daily. check. the common theme around the hood is that while the bagels are good, the owner is extremely greedy. forget that a bagel and coffee is already a ridiculous $6.50 and forget that the staff is so confused 90% of the time... the real kicker is that management is constantly trying to get creative on prices so he can extract more from his loyal customers as he pulls in to check in on the place in his mercedes. nice. you've already lost a few of us using these disgusting tactics (esp the "slice fee" of 50 cents until customers revolted), but these methods will slowly ruin you. and yeah, your clever "support local" doesn't fly when you're roots are elsewhere. you know what i mean.

Apple F.

Excellent bagels. The twisted cinnamon raisin is perfect. Lots of excellent choices boiled and baked behind a glass windowed kitchen.

Wendi G.

bagels stayed fresh for 3 days

Sheri D.

As a person that is on a gluten-free diet, I can honestly say that I have NEVER had a gluten-free bagel that tasted this "normal". I stopped in after reading the reviews on Yelp and was totally satisfied with my breakfast. The only problem is that it is pretty expensive. A plain bagel is $1.00, a plain gluten-free bagel is $2.50. The day I went with my boyfriend we got 2 plain gluten-free bagels with bacon egg and cheese and jalapeño cheddar cream cheese and split a plain gluten free bagel with scallion cream cheese. The total was over $25.00 and it's cash only. It's definitely good for a day that I'm really craving carbs, but absolutely not a place to frequent every Saturday morning.

Kelli A.

Disclaimer: I'm sure this is a great bagel shop if you are not an allergic person. But I fear that they are doing more harm than good for people with celiac by offering "gluten-free bagels" but not having even basic allergy-avoidance protocols in place. If you are allergic (or celiac), you'll be dismayed to see that the advertised gluten-free bagels will not stay gluten-free for long. The staff must first toast the refrigerated bagels--and they don't use a dedicated toaster for this.* *(If that sounds persnickety, just imagine for a second what a bagel shop toaster looks like. It's a warm conveyor belt that dumps your bagel out into a pile of other bagel crumbs. Now imagine that you're celiac and bagel crumbs are poison to you... which, by the way, is 100% of the people who would choose to order a gluten-free bagel over a real bagel.) See the problem? Also the cutting boards, cream cheese spatulas, etc. All visually/clearly problematic. It seems like this is more of a gimmick to attract customers, sadly, than anything else.

Matthew R.

One of the most welcome additions to the neighborhood in years. Truly exceptional bagels and Chris and Co. have built a business that fit right into the fabric of the East Village from the start. Never leave unsatisfied and always bring out-of-towners here for the true New York Bagel experience. Hope it's around for years to come.

Morgan C.

This place rules! Got a delicious omelette on a bagel, was exactly what I had in mind. Great atmosphere, amazing food! I will be back for sure.

Dan C.

I'm going to keep this at 4 star just because this was my first true NYC bagel and I have nothing to compare it to. It was the best bagel of my life, but I'm from Cleveland, ,OH where we are not known for our bagels. Originally walked by and saw a line all the way to the back. My rule is: If people are willing to waiting in line, then the food must be good. Ordered an original bagel w/ cream cheese (and coffee, which was delicious) - Great bagel. Freshly made and served. - Tons of options for bagels as well as spreads but had to go with the classic. - The cream cheese was very good Like I said, want to rate it 5 but I'll hold off until I try some others. however, it is the leader in the clubhouse.

Elena K.

This place is The Best. Capital T, capital B. High quality bagels, tons of options, quick service, delicious cream cheese, baked goods, huge portions...what more could you ask for. I live in San Francisco but was at Tompkins within an hour of landing in Manhattan for a trip last week. Oh, and I was back two days later. Drooling and dreaming right now...

Matthew K.

Placed Sunday morning order on Seamless. Food never showed up. Called 4 times and they told me it was coming soon. Never called to follow up. Awful service.

Danielle C.

OH MY GOD!!!!!!!!!!! So unbelievably delicious on a Sunday morning, then sitting in the park and devouring it. So many bagels and cream cheese flavors to choose from!!!!! Its a line but its definitely work waiting! They also make it fresh right there!!! NOTE IT IS CASH ONLY!!

Richard D.

I came there over the Independence holiday, and apparently everyone and their mom did too. Probably grandmas and extended family and illegitimate families that they didn't know about. The line was INSANE. It was July 4, so I won't ding them for that. I've been wanting to try this place for some time after walking by over and over again, and I didn't see a line out the door this time, so I decided to go in there and take the plunge. Huge mistake because there was a massive crowd of people who've already paid and were waiting for their food. Because it's a bagel shop, I just wanted to try out a simple bagel, you know, to compare it against the great shops, Ess-a-bagel, Murray's, H&H. I also knew that perhaps, just maybe if I keep it simple, I'll get my bagel faster. I ordered an everything bagel, untoasted(those precious minutes matter), with jalapeno cheddar cream cheese. I paid, and I waited.and waited, and waited some more, until I got fed up and asked the nice girl at the counter and the young man keeping the tickets in order if it was possible for me to just forget about the cream cheese and just get the bagel. They asked for my info, and she was pretty shocked at how far behind they were. They both apologized profusely and said they didn't have any system for splitting up simple orders and complicated orders. Luckily, they managed to sneak my order in and I was able to get my bagel. THANK YOU! I think if I had not said anything, I would have had to wait an hour for that bagel, because even after all of that waiting, I counted at least 30 tickets ahead of me still. Based on the other reviews, I'm not sure if the long wait is a common occurance, but here's some suggestions to improve: split the orders between simple orders (bagels and schmears) and complicated ones (egg, sausage, bacon, etc). If people knew they could get their orders faster, maybe they'll order the simple stuff. Would I come back here? Possibly, it is a fine bagel. I loved the Jalapeno cheddar, and the bagel was quite awesome. It was super soft and chewy. I hope they get their act together because the bagels are good.

Katie P.

The famed birthday cake (don't say funfetti) cream cheese is amazing, but their bagels are just okay. They're too crunchy on the outside.

Drew N.

I've only ever had terrible experiences here even though my roommate seem to like it. First time my bagel was pretty awful (hummus and veggie) and wasn't toasted like I had asked. Second time I waited in line, no one took my order and they told me I would have to return to the back of the line. Crowded, cash only and smug service. Won't be going back, sigh.

Nina P.

I've tried this place a couple times and I'm not impressed. The sandwiches were ok, but they didn't have condiments on them even though it's says on the menu they come with it. My muffin was only half cooked, which would have been fine with me if I didn't find a hunk of mystery hardness. Gross. Also they have a thing about not toasting bagels, even if you ask them to.

Cherno A.

Great food but they consistently charge about 25% more at the register than the prices on the menu/chalkboard. The manager knows about it: seems to be the general policy.

Veronica M.

I'd called twice to ascertain their holiday hours (they said 2pm) and right after I walk in at about 1:35 they close the grate behind me. I figure that instead of an egg bagel or something of the sort, I'd get something quicker like oatmeal so I do. I mean, technically I was still on time to order whatever I wanted but since it's a holiday, what the hell. I'll be nice. As I waited for my food a woman who I assumed to be the manager kept walking around and loudly telling the workers to hurry up so I would leave. Mind you it was now about 1:40. When I finally get the oatmeal, I go towards the back to find napkins and the same woman snaps at me saying that it's now "take out only". I ask her for napkins and she ushers me out the door. I go without saying anything because I'm too hungry to argue. When I finally sit down and open my oatmeal, only half of it was cooked. Probably should have made them cook me eggs instead. I won't be back.

Izzy E.

As much as I am pleased that they did in fact have a gluten-free bagel as well as vegan butter, I'm a little bummed out. If I am paying $1.40 more just to have my bagel gluten-free, at least make it the size that all the other bagels are. My $2.50 (gluten-free) bagel was almost half the size of the normal bagel my friend got, and, might I add, drenched in butter. I guess I haven't had a regular bagel in a while, but my bagel had a chalk-like and dry consistency. I'm assuming that's the reason they put so much butter on it. Overall, I'm not sure I'll be coming here again.

Karim F.

Best bagels place in NYC. Delicious bagels, huge menu of stuff to pick from, very reasonable prices, and very efficient service.

Mark S.

Went here for breakfast with some friends. I got a 3-egg omelet, but it took a long time. However, they said this was because somebody else took my food, so I got a free muffin out of it. The omelet also came with pretty tasty potatoes that weren't supposed to be included. Anyway, the food was fairly good, and I'm not about to complain that I got more than I ordered.

Genene M.

Yummy!!! Great food and tea!! Great people watching if you get a seat by the window. Plus, Chris gave is free cookies!!!

Tessa C.

As a native New Yorker I would like to believe that I have a pretty good understanding of how a bagel should taste. Tompkins Square Bagels exceeds all of my expectations. I have been coming here since they opened and I feel as if the bagels have gotten even better! There can be long lines throughout the day, mainly in the mornings and around lunchtime but their system once you have figured it out does make sense. Order in the back and then wait in the line with your ticket to pay the cashier and pick up your food. Super friendly staff and a great warm cozy atmosphere if you choose to stay and nosh. Side note: Great pastry and drink selection .

Kate C.

I just moved in a couple blocks away and was so happy to stumble upon this bagel place. The bagels were HUGE and fresh and there were many topping/sandwich options. They recommend not toasting the bagels because they are made fresh hourly. I did it anyway and it made the flavors of the everything bagel pop even more. The coffee was so-so, but not bad. The muffins looked good too!

Ann L.

Toasted whole wheat bagel with cream cheese, bacon, and cucumber. Essentially this has been my bagel order since college, when I would order it at the Golden Bear Cafe (UC Berkeley) before class. One day, I decided to reminisce on old times by trying this place. Ordering, pick-up, and payment occurs in an efficient assembly line fashion. NB: cash only, ATM in the back. If that one's not working there's one at the bar next door. Weekends can get crazy, though, in between all the regulars as well as the tourists crowding in to get a taste of a real NY bagel. When I finally received my bagel, I was amazed at the size of it. California bagels seemed absolutely wimpy by comparison. The bacon/cream cheese/cucumber combination was delicious, as usual, and the toasted bagel made an excellent vehicle to get the aforementioned combo into my stomach. There were lots of different flavors of cream cheeses also, but I'm not sure if I can be persuaded to try them. I am a creature of habit, after all. And I think Tompkins Square Bagels has become my new breakfast habit...

Gabe S.

I'm really glad to find someplace with gluten free bagels. However at 8 dollars for a GF bagel and a small coffee my wallet feels as violated as my stomach feels happy.

Anna L.

Have I mentioned how thrilled I am to have a delicious bagel place around the corner from me? From the moment I saw what was going on during construction, I was excited for this place to open. I've always been a Murray's kid, but being that that's on the west side and I live on the east side, I'm not usually down to make the trek (I used to go there all the time because I went to school near there). Anyway, this place is great. Super reasonable, friendly staff, and most of all...delicious bagels. Warning: it gets REALLY packed on weekends. I just called them to get bagels delivered (would have walked but I am sick - bagels and ginger ale are my remedy) and the guy was happy to oblige since I lived around the corner and just told me to "take care of my delivery guy". I did. Thanks Tompkins Square Bagels, really coming through for me in a time of need!!! And the plain bagel is literally the largest fluffiest freshest most delicious plain bagel I have ever had the pleasure of eating.

Leah L.

For those southerners out there, the house made cheddar jalapeño cream cheese is like a spicy version of pimento cheese. Check it out, y'all :)

Jackie L.

Only place in the neighborhood that I know of that has fresh bagels - you can even see them being made while you wait to order. I'm sure that many of these reviews are focused on the food, and in all fairness everything that I've ordered here has been really good. In fact I come in at least once a week for a bagel. Given that I'm a big fan and will continue to keep coming back here, be warned that this place gets packed on the weekends. During peak hours get ready to wait around for a while in a space that starts to feel crowded pretty quick. And certainly don't expect to be able to find a place to sit comfortably - there isn't nearly enough seating and the line typically extends into the seating area. One thing that a friend of mine complained about the first time he was here and we had to wait in line was that in an effort to speed up the ordering process, the staff were taking orders from people far back enough in the line that the menu wasn't visible to them so my friend had no clue what his options were. The fact that I have such a problem with the waits, lines, and fact that it's cash only and still gave the place 4/5 stars should speak enough to how much I like their bagels (or maybe how I have such few options within my walk-able while slightly hung-over radius)

Tina C.

The mother of all bagels, period. Kettle boiled, baked on premises, served hot with toppings of one's choice in Alphabet City all the more for five stars. Oh, so good! Don't let the long-haul eternal line intimidate your desire for breakfast or a simple afternoon brunch for a kiss off. There's always a line at Tompkins Square Bagels irregardless time of day, but it moves moderately. As patrons wait on line your order is placed and delivered to the visible kitchen, thus by the time you reached the cashier it's awaiting for your presence by first name basis. Space is very cramped between the line and the limited seating area. For one measly onion bagel sandwich consisting of ham and cheese (no drink) totals a whooping utter $6.45. Toppings galore may be pleasurable to the stomach and eye but it is not a pleasure to my lack thereof profound budget. Toppings galore-literally, Nutella chocolate, avocado, favored cream cheese, etc. Amid, the high utter price I would surely return for Challah French Toast or a garlic bagel with Monterey Jack cheese... Yum. Their cream cheese is also made on premises. Gluten free bagels are also available. Tompkins Square Bagels is a local Mom and Pop store for the community, which they utilize local artists for the decor and local vendors. Customer service is efficient and professionally courteous with a genuine smile who are sprightly eager to serve patrons. N.B. Cash only as Tompkins Square Bagels do NOT accept plastic in any genre.

Erica H.

I've only been here on the weekends so the lines are pretty long, but the bagels are super fluffy, so if you like big fluffy bagels this is the place to go. My only complaint, aside from being cash-only, is that they are a bit stingy with the cream cheese. Now, I don't need as much as Pick-a-Bagel puts on but for $3.75, I think it should at least cover the bagel when I pull it apart.

Lili K.

Got the jalapeno cheddar on an everything bagel which was tasty, but....a 30 min wait for just a bagel and cream cheese? I wouldn't wait so long again. They have their own patio to sit outside as well, but the wait is just too long.

Sarah S.

Bagels are good but don't ever order delivery. They are super slow, terrible customer service, and they almost always get your orders wrong. I stopped ordering for a while after a bad delivery service and decided to give them one more chance. My order arrived an hour and a half later. I called at around an hour of waiting and the person on the phone was incredible rude and defensive. Once the food arrived, both of our orders were incorrect. When I called to let them know about the incorrect order, the person who answered was again rude and defensive saying that it was not his fault because he wasn't the one who took the order. He agreed to send out the correct orders but didn't apologize and did not accept any accountability for the error. I ended up getting someone else's order instead of the redo of my original order. Never ordering from here again.

Mark W.

Any place that has jalapeno cheddar cream cheese is all right with me. And put that on an everything New York bagel? Whoa baby, it is delicious. Came in here on a Saturday morning around 11, and it was packed. You can't see the written menu on the board from the end of the line, but they have some handouts around so you can see what to order. The line moves quickly, and the orders didn't take too long to come out. Now, I'm not going to lie and say I'm an expert at bagels or anything, but my toasted everything bagel with jalapeno cheddar cream cheese was pretty delicious. 3.5 stars.

Kym H.

This place is amazing. The gluten free bagel was delicious although different to a plain bagel. We found the service great, the choice of fillings was extensive. We had no problem with the ordering system it wasn't very busy though on the day we were there.

Caleb Z.

The absolute worst. Tried the Veggie and Humus option the first time a few months ago, was disgusting. Decided to give them a try again today. No one was available to take our order so we stayed in line. When we got to the cash register, the employees tried to make us wait in the same line for another 10 minutes to speak with their non-existent employee. This place is the worst.

Miguel A.

Tompkins Square Bagels is great. I'm vegan and I've always missed bagels and cream cheese, as I used to love that as a kid growing up. I noticed Tompkins had tofu cream cheese a while ago, so I decided to step in and try it. It was AMAZING. For those who don't do dairy for whatever reason,, you can't go wrong with a toasted whole wheat bagel with the tofu cream cheese. It's absolutely delicious.

Kristi B.

There are lots of bagel topping choices here which is what brought me to Tompkins Square Bagels in the first place. The lines are impressively long and it takes quite a bit of time to get a bagel and coffee (i'll also note that this is not hte least expensive breakfast you will ever have). I thought the bagels were just OK. I tend to like bagels that are a little more airy - these were very dense and not as enjoyable as some of the other bagels I've gotten in the area. Still, a pretty good breakfast. If I couldn't make it to one of my favorite bagel shops I wouldn't turn down a trip here.

Heather L.

Because I've waited so long to write a review, unfortunately the average to poor service and inconsistent lunches have now pushed my rating down to 3 stars. 1. Lunches- The lunch sandwiches are pretty good, but they often range in quality and taste. If I was you- I'd stick to breakfast and their homemade cream cheese (which is really good if you can manage the wait). 2. Unacceptable responses to unfortunate situations (see below) 3.Service- This is a high volume business and they use tickets which is super inefficient..... I put my order in for a sandwich. After waiting 10 minutes and having 5 people served before me- they come to tell me they are out of key ingredients or the bagel type. Why did it take 10 minutes to figure this out? Why wasn't I told prior to the other guests being served? Why doesn't the person taking orders know what is in or out of stock? The worst part, is this has happened many times- at least 4 times in the past month. Just today I ordered an everything bagel. I heard them speak to 3 people who ordered after me to inform them of the lack of everything bagels. Again- why didn't they notice my ticket first? It left me thinking- "man did someone after me get the last bagel?" I also laughed when they suggested a plain bagel to another person. "Plain to everything, seriously?" he asked. A new item was added to the menu- so I wanted to give it a try. Again, after waiting over 15 minutes I was told they never even got the item in stock to serve. Not quite sure why it's on the menu?? Of course I already paid and had to come up with something new and then wait another 10 minutes for my order. I was "promised" they would have it in the next day and was asked to return. So I truck over the next day...and then- NOPE they still don't have it. Literally they asked me to promise to come back. Unfortunately I can give several examples of poor or inefficient service. The worst part- is I often left without an apology. Frankly- I think I deserved a free bagel or something at least. The manager did feel bad because he recognized me from having to tell me "sorry we don't have that" too many times. I'm shocked that they have not once offered me anything. They are lucky their bagels are good- so I'll stick to buying them to take home (go at night when they aren't crowded) or the occasional breakfast sandwich.

Michael J.

Food - average Ambiance - good Service - poor Price - average Walked in around noon on a Sunday and ordered multi-grain bagel with jalapeno cheddar cream cheese. The bagel was a little dense, but at least they gave a generous portion of cream cheese. Service wasn't great. There's no menu where the line ends. They were out of everything I tried to order. The line took forever, mainly because the cashier wouldn't stop complaining about how busy it was. Honestly, it wasn't that bad, on par with an average Starbucks. One last thing, coffee is terrible, you're better off drinking hot tar with a dash of yuck!

Jason N.

I just can't feel the high-review feeling that most folks have heaped on here. I tried the whole wheat everything with lox deluxe (capers, onions, tomatoes) and scallion cream cheese ($9 plus tax). The sandwich was huge and stuffed full but the flavors were indistinct. I ordered a side of pickle wedges and they were lackluster as well. I'd take the similar sandwich on a bialy at Mile End on Bond any day over this sandwich.

Anna And Blake O.

Great little bagel place! Never gone and been underwhelmed. Usually really busy in the mornings as to be expected, but fair prices and incredible food. The service could use a little boost as they can be a little short, but hey, it's nothing to ruin your morning. Also, good god baby jesus almighty, the French toast bagel with Nutella and banana is nearly something that should be placed into a museum. I don't remember the last time something that good was placed into my mouth. My life really hasn't been the same since I started ordering it. Hopefully that explains how good this thing is. The coffee is La Colombe, so it was strong and super delicious. A go-to place if you need a smile in the morning.

Jessie S.

Way better than I expected. My gf insisted that we come here after discovering that they have have gluten free bagels. When we arrived I was a little worried because the place was so full, but they took our order she got a bagel with tofu veggie cream cheese and I got an everything bagel with nova which was amazing. The bagel just melted in my mouth totally blissful. There was seating in the back which was a nice surprise. A great spot that people seem to really love there were tons of young people 20s and even a few families with kids, really something for everything. I was also surprised to see so many menu options, they had mac and cheese bagels and all sorts of eggs. Next time I'll probably try something more adventurous. Oh and the kitchen is open which i love and super clean and organized. It is cash only, and they have an atm inside the shop.

Sarah C.

Delicious! Check the menu before you get in line so you're aware of all the options.

Anna K.

I wish I could give zero stars. This review is for ordering from Tompkins Square Bagels through Seamless. The whole experience was just awful. Ordered Lox Deluxe on an everything bagel and The Koch on an onion bagel. After almost 2 hours of waiting I called Tompkins Square Bagels to follow up on my order, a guy picked up the phone, he sounded very confused, couldn't tell me anything about my order and then just hanged up on me. When the order finally arrived (it took more than 2 hours to arrive, although I live a couple blocks away from the place), there was no onion bagel Koch sandwich that I ordered, instead they put an onion bagel with some vegetable cream cheese on it. I called the establishment again, a woman picked up the phone and instead of being helpful and try to fix the problem by sending a correct order she started arguing saying that it was not their fault (obviously implying that it was the customers fault to order The Koch sandwich), and refusing to do anything about it. Asked for a refund. Horrible experience ordering, horrible service, it's better to go there in person to get the bagels as they will never be as rude to you face to face as they are on the phone.

Katie B.

On a high shelf in the empty seating area of Tompkins Square Bagels sits a collection of several bagel-themed children's books. I think the book title that best describes my experience at this establishment is "Where on Earth is My Bagel?" by Frances and Ginger Park. On a busy Sunday morning, it takes longer than an all-you-can-drink brunch to get a simple poppyseed with schmear. The absurdly organized bagel assembly line is as chaotic as the clump of grumpy, hungover customers confusedly milling about in the narrow front of the shop. If they haven't lost your order, it's impossible to hear one of the sleepy employees barely mumble your name when they are ready to stuff your order into a paper sack.

Ryan C.

I really liked the chipotle chicken salad bagel and the jalepeño cream cheese one. Pretty good stuff. The service is a little weird, but it's just a bagel place...

Carolyn C.

Best bagel ever! Get there early so that you don't have to wait in the long line. I got the whole wheat everything bagel with scallion cream cheese... and am already planning to go back next weekend. It was amazing.

Tina S.

Pros: large variety of bagels/cream cheeses/toppings options, quality ingredients, big bagels, outdoor seating in back Cons: inefficient assembly system (it shouldn't take 30min to get a simple bagel/cream cheese), three times now they've run out of my bagel and/or cream cheese choice (which really sucks when you've waited 30+min to find this out), COFFEE and non-bagel items are really overpriced, CASH ONLY yet they have an ATM with a $2 charge Overall this place is highly overrated, I think because all the customers seem to be college transplants. The line on the weekend is ridiculous and not at all worth it.

Alie A.

I am not quite sure I have ever had a better bagel experience. The line was practically out the door on a Saturday morning, but it moved along quite fast. The bagels are HUGE and the cream cheese selection was unreal. I got the Jalapeño Cheddar on a Sourdough bagel..the cream cheese had fresh and big jalapeño slices and fresh grated cheddar. Mind bogglingly delicious. Super cheap for the portion sizes too. Well done!

Alexis M.

Yummy fresh bagels! Great neighborhood spot with friendly staff. Of course they get long lines on the weekends, but it's worth it. Only negative is cash only, but they do have an ATM inside so it's not too much of an inconvenience.

Victoria L.

I waited and waited for this place to open with anticipation and it was well worth the wait.. Where else can you get fresh bagels made on-site? You can at T Sq bagels!! Don't let the long line there intimidate you. The ordering system is great. Someone at the end of the line takes your food order and by the time you pay your bagel with d-lish shmear is done and ready to eat. I have yet to try the wasabi cream cheese but I will, oh yes, I will.

Heather M.

Like many, I had high hopes for this place. Sadly, the bagels suck and the customer service is inexcusable. When I asked what one type of muffin was, the man behind the counter was extremely gruff, and barked out "Pistachio!" Then he took one and started to put it in my bag (believe me, I didn't indicate in any way that I wanted to purchase one. He rang me up, did not say how much the total was, and when I asked, he was short and obnoxious once again. The bagel itself was dry and mealy. Perhaps most importantly, the bagel was dry and mealy inside, with a rubbery crust outside. I won't be returning. A final note: a family member purchased a container of one of their deli salads and it turned sour by the next morning. Not a good sign.

Bertrand M.

I go there multiple times a week. Better than Murray's. One of the best bagels in NYC.

Victoria J.

Worth the wait! Be warned, while walking into Tompkins Square Bagels on a weekend morning/afternoon you are going to wait. You will probably wait a good long time too. But you have to ask yourself... would all these people be waiting in line for 20+ minutes (upwards of 45) for mediocre bagels? Definitely not. These bagels are some of the best I have had in NY, and I consider myself to have unrealistic standards about bagels. I like them to be soft and chewy with not to hard of a crust. Although TSB's crust is a bit on the crunchy side, it was still amazing,. Ive been there a few times now and had a little bit of everything. Bagel with butter: DON'T TOAST IT! It doesn't need it. The bagels are so fresh that the butter just melts right into it. And not in that gross way where the 8 lbs of butter that bagel shops normally apply drips all over your hands and the bag and your table and basically everywhere but on your actual bagel. They put just the right amount of butter on. I didn't need to scrape it against the wax paper to take off most of what they put on as per usual with other places. It was tasty and delicious! I recommend sesame or everything but honestly they all looked good. Egg sandwich I ordered a sausage, egg, and cheese on a sesame bagel. The sausage is delicious. It's a patty and not a link which I truly appreciate on an egg sandwich. The eggs were a little disappointing. They didn't taste bad by any means but they are a folded up square of scrambled eggs as opposed to eggs fresh from the pan. All together the sandwich was good but not my favorite. Bagel with Lox and CC: Let me preface this by saying that before my first visit to TSB a few weeks ago... I never ate lox. They didn't appeal to me and I'm not a big cream cheese fan anyway. This has all changed now. This bagel was fantastic! The bagel was soft enough that when you bite into it the CC doesn't go everywhere. The lox were fresh and delicious. The combination of the three was to die for. This is now my go to sandwich. I have read some other reviews that have mentioned that the customer service wasn't great. I didn't have this experience at all. Everyone was nice and friendly and even kept their cool during the insane rush. Plus I have to say despite the wait they were pretty efficient. TL;DR: TSB is awesome. The bagels are delish! Go there, but bring your patience. Lox are definitely the best part. I was recommended to TSB by my friends over at eastvillagevibe.com . Thanks for the idea guys!

Cory N.

Hopped in for a hungover ww everything bagel egg, bacon and cheese sandwich today and was not disappointed. Loved the texture of the bagel, not your traditional circle bagel but a bit..oblong showing its handcrafted touch. The place was BUMPIN on a Saturday morning with many o' young faces linin up orderly for their bagels. I at ate my sandwich in the store; the sitting area, decor, and outdoor patio is a nice touch to this east village hangout..however..have to say that the music selection (top 40s) did not really match the feel of the place. that'd be my only complaint about the experience Also, I regret not getting a cream cheese as the variety is interesting and seems to be the specialties. NExt time, i'll be trying the jalapeno cream cheese on the bagel or bacon cream cheese or even the COOKIE DOUGH cream cheese, my god, so inventive. Definitely will return if i'm in the area

Ch M.

This place is delicious. It can get insane on weekend mornings, so I try to avoid it then. When they first opened it was top notch but the weekend crowds have gotten so intense they occasionally mess up your order (only happened to me once). I have never waited all that long, though. Bagels are BIG, and the jalapeno cheddar cream cheese is awesome (though it should be spicier!! come on!). It is reasonably priced and personally I am glad they switched to Stone Street coffee, I much prefer it. They also have a great drink selection in their coolers, and sell other fun stuff like jams and a few grocery items. All in all, I am so glad to have a good bagel option in East Village.

Sdot D.

Good breakfast spot. They can be pricier than everyone else around the area, but the bagels are always fresh and they have a large whip cream selection.

Katharine L.

I'm a big fan of Tompkins Square Bagels. Their bagels are big, warm and loaded with cream cheese. When you walk by you can smell the aroma of fresh baked goods, always a good sign, and inside you can see the baskets of bagels right there hot from the oven. They have nearly every kind you could want and with that tons of cream cheese choices (the normal and not so normal included). Definitely come before 11:30am on a weekend if you want to avoid a 20 minute wait, but even if you get stuck in line, it's worth it for a great bagel and cream cheese for $2.25.

Madhu R.

Rude staff. Look, I know it's hard being a hipster, but at least they could be a tiny tiny bit nicer. If you're going to be in the area and don't want the 'tude, go to OST cafe a couple of blocks away, or B Cup on Ave B.

Lindsay G.

Their bagels are some of the best I've had...it also helps that I live around the corner and they deliver to me..the everything bagel with veggie cream cheese is a must as well as the french toast bagel with the changing cream cheese flavours. The line is long but honestly i always order at least 3 different bagels every time I go to make up for the wait...if you want to cure that hangover get a bagel breakfast sandwich...they load on the cheese!

Gabe b.

imagine for a minute that instead of Jack Rabbit Slims, Vincent & Mrs. Wallace went to a bagel shop in the East Village. Vincent takes a woozy bite of a pumpernickel bagel with light cream cheese and lox, and exclaims "That's pretty good f-in bagel!" Except, I'm Vincent Vega and this is my bagel. I'm also drug free; not bragging, just thought I should clarify. This ain't a movie dog! Living around the corner on 4/A and craving carb induced validation for my cross country move from San Francisco (farewell burritos!), I encountered Tompkins Square Bagels as a viable option. The line was seemingly CRUSHED - high Noon on a sunny Sunday and 20+ bohemians deep. Hold on! They run the place with the efficiency of a German patent office, but everyone is nice and even exhibiting Matrix-esque chill in the face of the chaos. I had my bagel/coffee inside of 7 minutes Extras: They serve Stumptown in large batches and have additional beverage options galore. They also have gluten-free/veg options for all those looking to go down that rabbit hole. Yikes. I'll be back.

Jordan J.

A new bagel place in town? I'm all over that shit. After seeing all of the rave reviews here I decided to cheat on Ess-A for a day and see what all the hubbub has been about. I was immediately impressed by the place itself - the shop is definitely bigger than I expected, with plenty of stools for those who want a quick bagel on their own and a few tables for those looking to set up shop for a bit longer, including one long one if you've come with a bunch of friends. And it's got the right look for a modern-day East Village/Alphabet City establishment - just polished enough, just unpolished enough, and a little hipster-ish but in the right ways. I decided to go with my usual to test these guys out - an everything with baked salmon salad. Along with a large coffee (they serve Stumptown here, which is nice), this ran me $9. I'd label both the bagel and the baked salmon salad as above average. The bagel was pretty tasty and had a good outer crunch, and even though it wasn't hot anymore still tasted fresh. However, it was too bready to truly enter into the land of bagel greatness - the center just wasn't dense and chewy enough. The baked salmon salad was solid as well, with a nice vinegary kick, but not as smoky as I would have liked (and not applied as liberally as I would have liked, either - If I'm going to pay $6+ for a bagel with shmear, I want a lot of shmear). The coffee was good, though it's hard to mess up Stumptown coffee. This was a solid place and definitely seems like a good option if you're in the area and want to grab a bagel somewhere where you have the space to sit and chill for a bit. However, I don't see myself going out of my way for it, especially with Ess-A-Bagel a mere 10 blocks away. I'll probably come back here again to give a breakfast sandwich or something a try, but for a pure bagel craving, I'll continue to look elsewhere.

Bradley T.

Bagels are just above mediocre, often don't seem that fresh; but better than when the place first opened. They seem to be learning on the job. Service can be disorganized. One of the guys, who seems to be the owner, should stay in the kitchen, since he clearly does not have a knack for customer service. The other counter help is pleasant, if a bit slow sometimes. On the plus side: cream cheese is tangy and good, and it's on my way to work. I'm sure I will continue to patronize this place out of sheer laziness mixed with guarded optimism.

Kristen D.

Why why why is this place so popular? I dont even mind the line system, as all bagel places will be psycho busy on sunday mornings. I go to the back of the line, and a pleasant girl takes my order for a pumpernickel bagel. I get to the front and as Im about to pay, they scream out my name and say we dont have any pumpernickel left. okay. i cant see the new list, and he goes we have whole wheat everything? i say fine. i finally get my bagel, and its not whole wheat. as i was waiting for my bagel after paying $11, about 3 others were told they were out of the bagel they ordered. im sorry, but $11 for a bagel with lox? are you insane? i thought, okay, at least this will have a ton of awesome lox on it. i opened up the bagel and there was ONE SLICE OF LOX FOR $11. THAT IS ACTUALLY INSANE. i will never ever go back here, i could get pre-fixe brunch across the street for $11.

Alexander E.

The bagels are great, especially the sourdough. I wish they had rye bagels, but it's certainly not a deal breaker. I was very sad when they switched their coffee from Stump Town to Stone Street. This led to an initially luke warm review that resulted in a long back and forth with the owner. In the end I respect his reasons, despite preferring his former beans. That being said, it should be about the bagels and the city is teaming with every kind of coffee shop amd roaster imaginable so why shouldn't Tompkins Square Bagels us the Stone Street roast? Try the chittle, on sour dough bagel, or the breakfast sandwiches. Note: don't complain to the owner about the music unless you'd like to see an New Yorker get irrationally upset.

John C.

Do what I do. Buy a bagel sandwich, take it home, lock the door, close the blinds and rub it all over your body. It's that good.

Gene E.

So I know New York is known for bagels, but I really haven't ventured out for an amazing bagel. I checked this place out and it was delicious. I had the bacon, egg, and cheese on a garlic bagel. YUM. I hear the cream cheeses are really good too. I hear things about Jalapeno Cheddar cream cheese. Mmmmm. Can't wait to try some other items.

Elise A.

I'm so thrilled that TSB finally opened! The space is open and inviting, the people are warm and friendly, and the food is out of control delicious! We tried an onion bagel with bacon and scallion cream cheese and a cinnamon raisin bagel with apple cinnamon cream cheese. Both were spectacular. They also have incredible breakfast specials and serve Stumptown Coffee for a lot cheaper than anywhere else. I can't wait for warm weather when those large windows in front open up. For now, it's still a great spot for people watching and there's plenty of space in the back to sit down with your laptop or just chat it up in a relaxed environment. Welcome to the neighborhood. I love you!

Neha S.

I lived right above Tompkins Square Bagels this past summer, and I had to make sure I didn't come home with cash on me because otherwise, I would have eaten bagels EVERY day. The smell is intoxicating, and the bagels are amazing--as is the flavored cream cheese! Best bagels in town, in my opinion. The tea selection is fantastic as well. My only complaint is that the drinks are a bit pricey, so unless you're just getting a bagel, expect to spend at least $5.

Joey B.

Great bagels, cooked the old-fashioned and right NEW YORK way. Owner seems great, a Brooklyn boy, who understands the East VIllage neighborhood, it's history, etc. The first time I had it - I'd say the bacon egg and cheese is one of the best classic deli egg sandwiches around - though now it's hit or miss for me (the bacon is sometimes crispy, sometimes not). The weekend crowd is annoying. The amount of people and the type of people. I'd be surprised if what the the kid below said was real, that the guy made the bagels fluffier for these little transient NYU types. Doubt it. Their toaster situation is IDIOTIC and I'd imagine at some point they'll realize that and be normal about it, but for now it's ridiculous. The sign telling you they reccomend the bagels not be toasted is BS - some people just want a toasted bagel; fresh or not, it has a different taste and texture! And then when you order it toasted, it comes out barely toasted at all. I am shocked that a "neighborhood establishment" is so asinine about a typical bagel request. They act like they're too good for toasting - I don't need your attitude when I ask for a toasted bagel at a "neighborhood" bagel shop. I don't care how good the bagel is, some people just PREFER the bagel toasted, even if they were just made - and when they ask for it toasted, they'd like it to actually be toasted, not arrogantly barely toasted as if to condescend the customer. What is the problem? I've never experienced anything like this at any bagel store. Easy fix guys and I know they will get on that soon since everything else is pretty much on point. Cool, nice cashier chicks!!! (Though some of the bagel cutter dudes ain't, especially the newer "tough guy" type). Anyway, dope spot, just respect your customers a little bit more.

Jamie M.

Good bagels, nice weekday staff. Weekends are an absolute shitshow.

J W.

Apple cinnamon cream cheese - with real apples inside - is a little bit of heaven. Had it on a blueberry bagel the first day, and a french toast bagel the second. Totally in love with this place!

Jackie T.

....I had to take one star because of the line that is due to them not having change for cash. I get it. They're new. As long as they clean up that issue and start accepting cards, they can have their star back. Now for the good stuff! Ohhh haiiii whole wheat everything. Where have you been all my life? I tried their chocolate chip cookie dough cream cheese (don't judge until you have it; think sweet and savory); new naughty morning treat! Did I mention they have crossiants from Balthazar and their muffins are huge? Oh, I believe they serve Stumptown coffee as well. Other than their cash issue, I'd say this a definite asset to the East Village.

Dylan T.

Five for atmosphere, very hip and comfortable. 3 for the bagel which was very tough and over toasted. I am a bagel snob so take my opinion with a grain of salt. Still pretty decent bagel and cool place to eat.

Anthony M.

Thompkins Square Bagels is the yuppie bagel shop we East Villagers have been yearning for. I give their product 4 stars: the bagels are delicious and they have ample spread and add-on options. They are so close to being perfect, that they could achieve yuppie-perfection with a few small changes: 1) Ditch the grumpy dudes and hire some cute bagel girls. When we're hung over on a weekend, we don't want a scary dude to be the first person we interact with in the morning. Some peppy bagel girls will do wonders for you (and everyone). 2) Accept credit cards. We all hate cash. Or use one of any start-ups to make this happen. LevelUP (mobile phone payments) would be an improvement, but even better would be iPad ordering + Square ( squareup.com ) payments. I know you hate the fees, but when we're shelling out $4 for a bagel, it's worth it to keep us around. 3) Loyalty program. If you really want me to buy bagels only from you, get with a program (literally). I promise I'll stop sneaking trips to Murray's and Ess-a-bagel if I know I'm getting my 10th Tompkins Sq Bagel fo free.

KL L.

The bagels are good but the gluten free is really pricey. Like what? This bagel is over $10?!?! But the worst part about this place is the douchebag owner. I've been here numerous of times where he was taking the orders. He is just downright RUDE and OBNOXIOUS attitude.The worst customer service ever. I'm actually really livid even writing this review but I wanted everyone to know. If you can't talk to your customers like a human being then I won't be coming back here. Sorry, the person that has taken my orders many times is not owner!!

Andrew W.

Sometimes gets a bit packed on the weekends, but easily one of the best bagel shops in NYC.

Aleksandra D.

I thought my bagel here was pretty good, though a little undercooked on the inside. Maybe that is just the style? Anyway, I would still recommend this as a go to neighborhood bagel shop.

Emma J.

Best bagels I've had in the city so far! Doughy deliciousness, and it is not recommended to get them toasted since they are amazing au naturale

Ralph S.

I am so upset about this place. I was so excited about a quality east village bagel place... And honestly my experiences here have made me write my first yelp review! Let me start by saying I used to live across the street from Daniels bagels... So maybe I am spoiled... But I want to just tell these guys... Go spend a week there and just do what they do! The bagels are good, not great. The smoked salmon was pre-sliced the last time I tried it. The baked salmon salad just wasn't good. Plus.. Every time I call... They aren't delivering. Either it's too early or the guy isn't there mid day.. Or the delivery guy didn't come in. And they are cash only. I am going to try them again in about a month.... And just hope that maybe it's because they are still somewhat new... As I live around the corner and would love to get my bagel fix when I need it!

R Y.

AWFUL! If I could bold those words, I would and let me explained to you why. First off, there really isn't a decent bagel place in the neighborhood so I was excited. 2.50 for cream cheese bagel, not bad price and they make everything on site so I was super excited. However, that's where my excitement ended. I ordered everything bagel with plain cream cheese and plain bagel with lox spread. I walked in when there was a rush of crowd bumping into each other to order, so I had hard time hearing the person taking the order and vice a versa. I wanted the bagels toasted, but they didn't toast them. Thinking about it now, they didn't even ask how I wanted my bagels. I can let it slide that my bagels were not toasted and the guy who took my order to not ask how I want my bagels, but wow.. The bagels made my jaws lock. Yes, while attempting to chew and swallow my bagel, my jaws locked. They were SUPER chewy and tough. Where was the soft fresh texture?! The bagels tasted like a day old bagel. Also, the ladies working the counter were like so busy I don't think they were as organized and friendly as they could have been. Very curt in manner, but meh, it's busy so I can let that slide too. But, ug.. the bagel, never again. I probably won't be going back. I would rather walk a little further out and hit other bagels shops in the city rather than this one. The only reason this place didn't get 1 star was because the decor is cute, lots of drink selection and bagel's only $1- with nothing on it.

Angelica A.

It was a popular place, which is fine but they were very unorganized & didn't have a good handle on the order volume. Long wait, got my order mixed-up, no sequence to order & also messed-up another guy's order standing next to me. They need to re-organize their system to remain popular.

Kelly D.

Had to drag myself outta here after finding out they serve chocolate chip cookie dough cream cheese. This is a carb-lovers' delight, as their bagel's consistency is perfection. Oh, did I mention they have plenty of seating and serve Stumptown coffee? This place is my version of Saturday morning heaven.

Alex W.

This place is great for breakfast or a regular meal as well. I'd definitely recommend it!

Paige S.

This place is like a moody girlfriend. When they are good = amazing bagel, friendly staff and good coffee When they are bad = super rushed, rude staff that acts like ordering a bagel is equivalent to checking in burn victims. Burnt bagels, stingy cream cheese, over priced and worst of all CASH ONLY, This does not make you hip, it makes you an inconvenience & penalizes your customers with the charge in a community that is clearly trying to support local business's have a little respect for your patrons, accept square! Be friendly! Give me plenty of cream cheese!

Shinobi R.

My boyfriend and me go to this place every weekend, Saturday and Sunday almost religiously unless we are not in town or something. I take my friends there when they are visiting me from other countries and I highly recommend it to everyone. It is very busy, but their system is good so you get your stuff quite fast despite the long line. They have spelt and gluten free bagels, like 5 different types of tofu cream cheese and like 20 types of the regular cream cheese (my favourite one is the JALAPEÑO CHEDDAR), they sell naked and tropicana juices, different brands of kombucha, local milk from upstate and they make coffees there as well. They bake their bagels every hour so they are the freshest in town! All the people that work there and the owners are very nice people, friendly, helpful and fast. When we started going there, they messed up our orders but the bagels are so good that we didn't even care, we saw it as an opportunity to try other bagels. I highly recommend it, you will have good quality food and service.

Alex H.

This is the best bagel shop I've been to in NYC. From really interesting bagel options like Nutella and bananas, to seriously good bagels and space to eat them, to the super friendly and enthusiastic staff, this place is an absolute win!

Shiro A.

I work down the street from this place and the bagels are good. i like to eat them sometimes.

Helen L.

I expected more from a bagel shop that makes their own bagels. I got a whole wheat bagel with lox and light cc, it was just ok. Next time I'll try just a bagel with cc. Third star's for the nice atmosphere, especially if you're lucky enough to get one of the window seats and enjoy the nice view with your food. This place also have a lot of other breakfast foods such as cookies (well, it should be!), muffins that looked pretty fresh, along with a surprisingly large selection of chips and drinks.

Inez N.

I went into this place because my brother-in-law said it was good. I Love It. They give you fresh food made to order. Tastes wonderful. I would definitely go back over and over again.

Haesel H.

I ordered a couple of bagels at 9:30am, understanding that there would most likely be a wait of over an hour (even though I live a couple of blocks away). I was busy so the first hour went by quickly. Then I realised I was super hungry so I checked the time and called them. The first thing they said was: "You know it's a 60-75min wait, right? That means an hour to an hour and 25min" Ignoring the fact that they couldn't tell time, I said I understood and just wanted to check if the order had gone out, thinking if not, I could go pick it up. The gentleman on the phone informed me that the order had gone out 15min ago. It's now been about 35min since my order "went out" and my food is nowhere to be seen. This place is cheap but definitely not worth ordering from again.

Justin C.

I had walked by this place several times, but I have my normal bagel spots on 1st Ave (David's and Bagel Boss) and trust me, I will be sticking with those two places from now on. Decided to swing in with a friend just because many other places were closed since it was July 4th, and we figured it would be quick, and easy. As soon as we got in, we couldn't figure out where to order as people seemed to be in line everywhere This should have been a clear warning sign to us, but we were lazy and didn't want to search for another place so we went with it. Ordered our bagels fairly quickly, everything bagel w/ veggie cream cheese, and bacon egg and cheese on a plain bagel. Got an iced coffee at the register, paid, and then began the wait. No big deal right? Just wait for them to make a couple of bagels, how long could it possibly take? Certainly not long enough to drink a 24 oz coffee, right? Wrong. Much, much, much longer. Waited close to 20 minutes for the first bagel, the "easy" one, with just the cream cheese. Waited anotherrrr 10 minutes (after asking them what's taking so long, and they said they were just very busy with no apology) before eating the first bagel since it was warm and what we assumed would be fresh. Well it was warm, but too bad it was also very chewy, undercooked and disappointing. Now that we were there for over half an hour and weren't looking forward to the next bagel, we didn't bother waiting for the second one and got out of there annoyed at how much time we wasted. Could have sat down and as another yelper pointed out, gone to an all you can drink brunch in that amount of time.

Nur Y.

I ordered bagels from TS bagels for our breakfast event. I had really great reviews from the attendees. They delivered on time and the manager was so nice to deal with me constantly making updates at the last minute. Appreciate the trouble they go to for their customers. Definitely recommend! I remember coming to this place when it first opened last year and was like wow its one of the nicest bagel places I have been to!

Rex R.

Great bagels, needs some work on their coffee program and customer service. Wifi is a must too. get onto of those 3 things and its a 4.0 // Good addition to the hood though.

Lisa T.

Best bagels in the area. Fresh, perfect texture, lots of size/flavor/cream cheese options. Always a line, but doesn't take too long. Yummy iced coffee. Perfect for grabbing on the way to TSP for a picnic.

Ian M.

I've found my new favorite place in the city for bagels. At Tompkins, they make their own bagels from start to finish -a process you can watch over the counter. It makes the long lines on the weekend a little less droll, though I have to say the line moved quickly when I was there. The bagels come plump and very fluffy. My everything bagel packed tons of flavor. The quality extends to what goes in between the bagel; the bacon on my bacon, egg and cheese was top notch. They've also got cold brew tea and coffee to boot. The only thing bad about this place? You'll hate all other bagel places.

Bethsbiz R.

Live only a couple of blocks and am thrilled to have TSB in the hood. The bagels are fabulous (way ahead of David's which is close by too) truly the real deal NY Bagel (whole wheat everything is my fav although the french toast bagel is a crazy treat) and the cream cheese spread options are ridiculous (even on with bacon!!). The staff is super friends and the owner is as well. and it's always clean and the coffee is good. As a long time East Village resident it feels like it belongs in our hood, with The Mosaic Man's work out front and a less trendy vibe than some places in the area. It's just Great!!! you can't go wrong.

Brian H.

I have come in here many many times with my girlfriend, my friends, family, as it is a very popular les bagel place. There is a LOT going on at all times and very busy. Lines are long, usually takes about 10 minutes to order, and about another 15-20 to get your food, especially if you order eggs. I always order over-easy eggs, and this usually takes 20 minutes, so much longer than a normal deli that would have this done in about 5. Also for some reason they NEVER cut my over-easy egg sandwich in half, but my bagel is... and they put this sandwich in this huge plastic container as though it was the most annoying thing in the world to make... a normal deli would put the eggs on the bagel sitting in the wrapping paper, then cut the WHOLE thing and wrap it up. I know it sounds silly to complain about, but the last thing I want to do after a night of drinking is wait a half hour to get an egg sandwich and then not be able to eat it without making a huge mess. The only time I will come back here is if I'm with someone who hasn't been before and wants to get a feel of the lower east side, but I usually resort to other deli's in the area due to all the headaches that coffee with using eggs here. If they knew how to serve an over-easy egg sandwich correctly, I would gladly start to come back, but until then I will continue to avoid.

Can Y.

The pistachio muffin and bagels are very good. It can get busy and a bit slow but usually pretty reasonable. I would givethis place 5 stars if the coffee was better but overall one of my fav breakfast joints in east village.

Nicola M.

Great bagels, stale muffins. Stick to the specialty cream cheese options and bagels, which are fresh, large, and doughy inside and crunchy on the outside. Recommend the everything bagel with chive cream cheese add red onions and tomatoes. YUMMMMMM

Jerome L.

As soon as my wife, friends and I walked in, we were very impressed with the decorum , the music and the cleanliness! We all were lucky enough to get some seats as it was packed on this Sunday morning around 9:30am-ish. We also had 2 baby strollers. We ordered a bunch of stuff, pancakes, eggs with sausage bacon egg and cheese on a egg bagel, lox and cream cheese on a plain bagel and Scallion cream cheese with a tomato on an everything bagel. we also got 3 coffees and a bottle of water. When we placed the order, luckily the owner, Chris, I think, helped us put it all together. We thought it was great that the owner was onhand and helping with everything. The food was outstanding, and tasty! The bagels were A MA Z I N G! We look forward to our next visit there. Bravo!

Robbie K.

I'll have to re-rate this one as I had probably the worst customer service experience of my three years living in NYC. Their toaster was broken and every customer that ordered a toasted bagel or inquired about the toaster was berated about how they weren't New Yorkers and real New Yorkers don't eat toasted bagels. I guess if you're a real New Yorker and enjoy being yelled at and/or don't need your bagel toasted, go ahead. Otherwise, see if you can avoid the short, tubby guy behind the counter that is acting like a jerk. The bagels were good, but it will probably be a while before I go back.

Jason M.

Delicious bagels, friendly service.

Yosuke M.

This place has an unbelievable line for what boils down to just a bagel place. Sure they have a bunch of spreads, meats, and bagels, but is it worth the wait? Maybe.

Thomas R.

Perfect for bagels. Cash only, which could be kind of a bummer, but great bagels. Good toppings, and I haven't been dissapointed yet with the different cream cheeses.

Anne G.

Whole wheat bagel with veggie cream cheese = YUM. A wide selection of bagels, toppings, and sandwiches + some salads and soups; a much larger menu than I'd expected. I'll come back to try something else, too, since I appreciate that this place gave a local artist their business (the storefront mosaic) and I think they deserve our community's support. Girl at the checkout line was super nice, although the middle-aged dude preparing the bagel was a bit grumpy. Overall a positive experience.

Jane K.

I feel like I won the lottery. And in the world of breakfast, I sorta did. It's only too bad I don't own my apartment because this ABC/EV 'hood is comin' up more than ever. While I'd been heading up to David's Bagels for my bagel fix, I never knew how good it could be until I visited TSB. How do I love thee? Let me count the ways... From the cool mosaic sign on the storefront to the Stumptown Coffee being served out piping hot, it's pure excellence. They make their bagels the old school way on premise using a kettle and cutler over in an open kitchen so you can actually watch the entire process. They've got an array of at least 10 different bagel flavors and a neat selection of the typical and also completely atypical spreads. Who ever heard of chocolate chip cookie dough cream cheese?! It's phenomenal that they're able to provide something for every palate. On top of this bagel hedonism, they also offer a more traditional breakfast and even have seating in the back. The only downside right now is the ordering and paying process that has a tendency to get mixed up. My order actually got lost in the mix and I had to re-order after paying and waiting around for a few minutes. I'm sure it will get sorted soon, and I'll know for sure when I visit everyday. Thank you for making me love my neighborhood even more!

Alyssa G.

I really love this place, so I'm glad my new apartment is right around the corner. :) The bagels are homemade right in front of you (if you sit at the bar in the back), which is really cool to see. They're delicious with a wide variety of bagel and cream cheese types. I love sitting at the stools or the big table in the back and appreciate the reading material lying around. The staff is really nice and even when there is a long line on weekend mornings, it moves very fast.

Adina F.

I'm going to confess...I've never had a bagel at Tompkin's. I have several bagel places in Brooklyn that are my go to's and I've been looking for a place around work in the village where I can get my fix (hello...I'm a Jew, I need my bagel and I'm PARTICULAR) and though I haven't had a chance to try their bagels, the Stumptown is A-OK and a decent price for a cup of great coffee.

Samantha s.

Totally inconsistent. I go here every other week because they are down the block and half the time the bagels are great, but they are often burnt and the cinnamon raisin bagels taste like garlic (gross). I've had problems with my orders in the past, but figured since they were new they just needed to work out some issues. However, it's been several months and I decided to return two super charred bagels because I was frustrated and just wanted new bagels that were edible . The owner told me it was too late (I bought them to go a couple days ago) and blew up at me when I came in to talk to him about it. I had no idea he would refuse to replace the blackened bagels and argue with me for five minutes ending the conversation by storming off. I was just trying to make a point and have worked in restaurants in the city and didn't think it was too much to ask for two non burnt bagels. Honestly, this guys was totally unreasonable and unprofessional . I won't be going back. In response to the owner Christopher P.: Perhaps rather than spending 45 minutes drafting and editing (8 times!) your erudite comment below, your time would've been better spent on quality control of your product. Or on watching the "Amy's Baking Company" episode of kitchen nightmares. It could be an illuminating lesson for you on the topic of delusional restaurant owners who respond to criticism by lashing out at their formerly-loyal customers. Or perhaps you could consider whether simply refunding my $2 would have been a better approach than starting an internet flame war that makes you look like you don't know how to run a business. Perhaps you could ask the employee who apologized to me on your behalf where you went wrong.

D J.

I suppose the bagels are decent here. But they can't toast them yet for some reason, which is a bit absurd. But the big downer for me was two things: 1. The guy, who I guess is one of the owners, a big pork chop of a guy who seems like he's from Staten Island or somewhere, was kind of rude. Kinda like, "Yo, I'm comin' to you neighborhood and takin your money fa dis bagel. Fork it over, yo-yo." He's not the kid of guy you want to give your hard earned money to. 2. The bagels are expensive. As in giant RIP OFF expensive. I paid $11 for a bagel with little bits of lox in cream cheese(very thinly spread) and a coffee. In a word... a joke. I hope they get their act together and stop trying to screw the locals over. It's disheartening. Best of luck to them. They're gonna need it.

Justin G.

Glad this joint moved in but it's a bit pricey for my tastes ($3.50 for an everything bagel with cream cheese, I dunno, maybe that's my poor side talking). Good selection of cream cheeses -- the wasabi changed my life, and the sun dried tomato is also swell. Don't think they have any wi-fi yet, which is a plus and minus. Stumptown coffee is tasty but not Intelligentsia (9th Street Espresso) tasty. Decent place to hang. I'll stop in semi-regularly cuz I want this place to make it -- the hood needs more support for local business, fact.

Angie D.

Best bagels in New York, hands down!!!! The cream cheese selection is like nothing I've ever seen before (the bacon herb is one of my faves). I go nearly 3 times a week and have yet to be even slightly disappointed. There is usually some sort of line, but it moves at warp speed (which I still cannot figure out). The staff is friendly and the atmosphere is cozy and enjoyable. I am so happy this place is finally open!!!! Congrats Tompkins Square Bagels!!!!

Joanna T.

A+ Bagels, Space & Staff. The best part for me is that the space is not filled to the brim with all the usual crap other bagel stores have, you know, so you have to dance around 20 people and racks of chips while you're waiting for your food. Its clean and simple and not crowded (yet). They have a large table in the back where you can sit and eat as well as a back patio garden that they probably will open during warmer months.

Jeannine K.

We came here to try the gluten-free bagels. I used to love a good bagel. The gluten-free one is not quite the same. But still pretty good, all things considered, especially when loaded with cream cheese!

Kate F.

perfection. my waistline weeps for my never-ending craving for these bagels.

Caitlin B.

This place is a great addition to the neighborhood, but it has made it impossible for me to stick to my New Year's resolution of cutting back on carbs! The staff here is always enthusiastic and friendly. The cream cheese made in house is a VISION, I am making it my goal to sample every one before the end of the month. I don't know if I have just been lucky, but every time I've visited my bagel had just come out of the oven. These bagels are delicious. Come and see for yourself, it will cost you a dollar, and you can be the judge. Bring your cash because they don't accept credit cards yet!

W E.

The bagels are decent, but the service is downright awful. Obnoxious and rude, even when the place is empty, the vibe in this joint does not mesh with the neighborhood at all. In a pinch, suck it up and buy here. But if you can go the extra few blocks, David's Bagels on First Avenue are a bit better (with kinder employees).

Sasha K.

So.... the new place opened. I've been there 5 or so times times It is really depend, who will serve you! There are some very sweet guys, but one Dude can spoiled the whole experience. He looks like a manager or partner of the business. He is kinda bold and wearing a t-shirt and shorts! I don't care if he is nice or not (he isn't) but the bagel he made for me is cold and I can't eat it, because it is very dry and not what I was getting before. $10.62 for a crappy bagel and a coffee. O_o. I agree, the cofee is not the best, but it's OK. One time I was there with my friend. He asked how much is going to be for 2 bagels, coffee and soda (it was a $100 bill in his hand). Guess what? This, let's call him Jack, told him, marking my friend's accent: "It's gonna be hundred buks!" Verrrrry nice, isn't it?? However, I like the bagels (when they are made the way they should be), cream cheese and how the place itself. By the way, they are Cash only. Hmmm, I don't want to come back... There is a Hamptons Market on 13St and 1Ave, they are so friendly and nice! And bagels are ok there Tarallucci e vino - the best coffee, salads, stuff and atmosphere. O, guy's! And this is an East Village! You never know who is in front of you: a student or an owner of the restautrant next block! Don't judge people by the way they are looking today. Cheers

dave r.

Yes! Been waiting for great bagel place that bakes in house in the east village and this is just perfect! Friendly folks and off to a great start. Most importantly the bagels - they are excellent soft moist and delicious. Seems to be a lot of people working behind the counter which causes confusion but I think thats to be expected in the first few months as they get settled. Also glad to see they sell all the necessities for a breakfast almost grocery style as well, what a great idea. one stop bagel brunch bonanza. love it.

Todd A.

Finally! When I moved to NY a couple years ago, I thought I'd be having incredible bagels several times a week, but my corner of the East Village somehow lacked a good bagel place. Tompkins Square Bagels is a great place to have in the neighborhood. I've been by at different times of the day, and the bagels and the coffee are always fresh, as well as being really good. Today my wife came in with me--she hasn't had a (non-frozen, non-awful) bagel since being diagnosed with celiac a decade ago--and asked if they had anything gluten free. Besides a gluten-free black-&-white cookie, fifteen minutes later she had a really excellent gluten-free bagel. Not sure if they made it to order, or if it is still "experimental," as it isn't on the menu board yet, but it's more than good enough to bug them for, if you, too, have missed bagels for that same reason.

Snow B.

THE best bagel spot in NYC. The dough is fresh and light. The spreads are flavorful and inventive. Don't bother with tourist traps like Russ & Daughters or Katz Deli; unless you don't care for flavor and just think that more portions equals better product - and in that case, just go to Costco. Tompkins is home spun, original, and daring. Love the ambiance too. Couldn't get any better - unless they got WIFI.

David P.

Love it. Some people are quite picky about their bagels, it seems, and I won't declare these the definitive New York-Style Bagel In New York - who knows what such a thing is - but they taste great to me. And the cream cheese is excellent: bacon herb? Delish, and actually pretty bacony. Jalapeno cheddar? Hot! Sundried tomato? Velvety and rich. And when you get the bacon-egg-and-cheese combo, there are two slices of cheese, and three good strips of bacon. Forget the haters, and trust the wisdom of crowds: there is a solid lineup at this place for hours on weekends. But they're fast, and you're in and out in five minutes. I'm extremely surprised to read the negative reviews about service, because I've been impressed by their staff every time I've visited. Everyone is pleasant, from the person taking your order to the person delivering it to the cashier, and what's more they're just genuinely nice. Busy, certainly, but nice. Love this place.

Miles H.

Good solid bagel place in the east village. Very well designed, large bagel selection, really one of the nicest cafes in the area. However, a little pricier than the Cafe on the Square in the W. Village. Still overall very solid and a good place to go for bagels in the EV.

Mike B.

Solid bagels, but doesn't really hold a candle to Ess-a-bagel in my opinion. Also their whitefish is incredibly bland and not oily whatsoever. It may be the best option for the bagels in the East Village, but I'll still hop on the M15 and go to Ess-a-bagel in the future.

Steve N.

Went here when looking for a place to sit and read and have a cup of good coffee. Was initially drawn in by the sign for Stumptown coffee but the Stone Street coffee was still pretty good. Haven't tried the food yet but the bagels look really good and fresh. Staff was very friendly, making the experience that much better. Will definitely be going back for brunch soon!

Joy V.

great bagels!!! get busy so go early...but worth it.

kim t.

went there yesterday had a everything bagel just out of the oven nothing on it perfect!!!!!!! a 10 plus!!!!!! nice friendly people i am a ex bagel baker {east village resident since 1972

Ronnie D.

Great bagels, and generally very good cream cheeses - try the french toast bagel (preferably fresh, if not then toasted) simply with butter' nothing compares. The girl behind the counter who always wear a fitted hat with the sticker still on it (she's neither black nor in middle school) isn't very friendly, and the service is a little slow at times.. oh and blueberry cream cheese is quite disappointing (try ess-a bagel for the best, most mind blowingly delicious blueberry cream cheese in the world), but overall this place is incredible, and surprisingly a lot of people take their bagels to go (New Yorkahs for ya) so you can comfortably eat your bagel in the quaint seating arranged in there.

Greg J.

Great bagels, I've only been during off-peak hours, but quick service too. A great addition to the East Village.

Tom G.

Delicious bagels and a clean, inviting space. Equidistant between Russ & Daughters and Ess-a-Bagel; this place admirably fills a vacant niche in the East Village.

E. V.

Love Ess-a-bagel, love Murray's, hate leaving my neighborhood for a bagel. This place makes bagels that are exceptional and fresh and nearby. I love the salt on the everything, but find the salt bagel itself is just too. much. salt. The cream cheese is whipped on site and is so, so delicious. Also a great tofu selection. I can't wait for the expanded menu (bialys!) and I'm hopeful that this place sticks around for a long, long time.

S A.

I've been trying to figure out why the bagel I had here was so bad and it finally occurred to me. I sent my husband in to get me a bagel with any sort of vegan topping. Normal bagels should be vegan but you never know if they brush the tops with eggs or add butter so he was supposed to inquire. They say they make traditional bagels so theoretically except for the egg bagels they all should be anjmal free But he came back with a flat brown disky thing that was barely edible because he was told it was the only vegan option. I now realize what he was sold was a gluten free bagel which I'm sure is fine if you can't eat wheat but I didn't ask for wheat free, I asked for vegan. So now I'm not sure whether their bagels are made with eggs, milk or butter which would be weird, or if the counter person just couldn't be bothered to understand what vegan means, which is also strange for someone working in the food business in NY. If anybody knows the ingredients I would love to know. They don't list them on their website.

D H.

This place is whack. I've been 4 times and have been disappointed each visit. As I've read with other comments, the staff is not exactly rude but definitely never friendly. And I'm pretty darn nice, maybe my jokes aren't the funniest but shoot, acknowledging my existence with a nod or a smile, outside of asking me for money, isn't asking for much. This place has no emphasis on customer service and no recognition that they are now a part of a neighborhood and should get to know faces. Oh, and lets talk about how stingy they are with cream cheese. Never in my entire bagel eating experience in NYC has there been a problem with too LITTLE smear. I The last bagel I got from Tompkins Sq bagel, the cream cheese wasn't even covering both sides of the bagel... I was charged $2.50 for that?! The only time I would recommend this place is if you're reeeally jonesin' for a bagel and you don't have time to go anywhere else.

s r.

This is a new bagel shop in the area. They were promoting their bagels and dropped off a few at my job for the staff to try and I have to say....the absolute best bagels I have ever had. Only downfall is they do not deliver yet. We order breakfast daily and they would have our business if they delivered. Well its Saturday morning and I sent one of my staff members there to pick up breakfast. I am salivating waiting for it to arrive!!

Greg R.

These bagels are LEGIT!! No question they are on par with David's and Essa but to top, there's something great about buying breakfast from friendly and knowledgeable folks. I'm a big fan of the simple bagel and cream cheese, but TSB offers a million different options with their bagel types (french toast bagel!!), 20 or so cream cheese flavors, and fresh deli sides. I was really curious about the "old style" bagel oven which TSB uses, and the owner happily gave me a tour of the restaurant and walk me through the benefits. They're also thinking about selling pre-rolled bagel dough which you can take home and boil/bake yourself. Sounds cool to me...hoping to see how that works!!! TSB is a monster addition to the neighborhood!

yuwi s.

It's tough bc I love that this wonderful and oh-so-charming local mom & pop shop exists in EV -- they sell local grocery items, have wonderful homemade cream cheeses, and a fun efficient service staff. BUT, their bagels are just blegh. Barely better than those you'd get at the local bodega. It breaks my heart. Their Stumptown coffee, honestly, is what makes it all worth it, and will keep me as a customer.

Michael E.

The best part of this place is the bar that overlooks the bagel cooker/steamer and kitchen. I just like it. The bagels are too damn hard on the outside and inside. They cook them too long. You'll get a far better bagel at Heaven's Hot Bagel at Houston and Clinton or thereabouts and a faaaaaar better bagel at Essa Bagel....needless to say. Coffee is also average. They really pack em in here tho. I don't agree that the bagel tastes old, I think it tastes fresh, just overcooked. Bottom was nearly black. I gave em a 2 last time, bumped it up. Still, they need to work on their craft.

Sarah C.

As a longtime resident of the East Village I am always happy when a locally owned shop opens up rather than a chain store. When Tompkins Square Bagels opened, I immediately stopped in to sample the goods and support a mom and pop place in my hood. The benefits are many, the first being that they sell freshly made, kettle boiled, made on the premises, big hearty bagels and a large variety of cream cheeses and sandwich fixings, many of which are organic. I personally love the gluten free bagels, the tofu cream cheese, the sundried tomato cream cheese and their lox. I also like the turkey and spicy mustard and whole wheat (classic). Bonus points for windows that open up and face the park, outdoor bench for outdoor seating and large windows that open up in the back - great to have a bagel and coffee and enjoy open air. They also open early, which is great for grabbing coffee before morning meetings. The cons are that they are a tad pricy - for example an iced coffee is $4 while most delis in area charge $2 or $2.50. Also, some of the staff is a little brusque which I find annoying in the mornings. Lastly, they do not accept credit cards and do not have a customer rewards program. On occasion they run out of stuff - for example they havent had spelt bagels in a few weeks - but I cant fault them for that since everything is handmade on site.

John L.

Everything here is top quality. Great bagels, great croissants, great pastries. As good as Murray's.

Mary C.

We've been here three times now, but today's experience takes the cake (and only in a crap-all-over-me kind of way). We came here for the third time today to pick up a couple bagels with cream cheese and iced coffee. A short white guy took my order and I made it a point to mention to him that my order last Sunday was wrong, which I discovered only after getting home to Queens. He plain as day acted like he just didn't give a rat's ass. But I believe in giving people the benefit of the doubt and so I was confident they'd get it right this time (which should be a really easy task as they're just getting bagels from baskets and spreading cream cheese on them - it's not like they're making complex five-star restaurant entrees from scratch). A white girl was the chosen expediter of the shift/hour/moment. Upon being prompted, I informed her of my bagel order and added a large iced coffee, extra light with one sugar, to that. (Exact details are important here.) An Asian girl was cashiering the orders, and cut me off as I was speaking to the white girl expediting my order. Without any invitation to speak, Asian girl rudely pointed out that there was milk and sugar out in the front as if I couldn't see that already. She rolled her eyes to my face and was just a total bitch. I told her all I wanted was milk from the fridge (c'mon, how hard is walking over a few steps?!). My preference in general is to always use milk from the fridge because "community" milk is disgusting and can be tampered with, harbor bacteria, etc., etc. She made an excuse that it would be difficult for her to get the milk from the back when it was sitting right behind her the whole time! Uggghhh, lazy 21st century employees and their lazy 21st century attitudes! So I went back to the short white guy who took my order and explained the situation to him, and he insisted he was the manager when I asked to speak to management. He didn't seem to care when I told him about Lovely Eye-rolling Asian girl and defended his staff by telling me it's hot today and they're all under pressure. Um, say what??!!! Working in the food industry is ALL about working under constant, nonstop pressure, stress, and heart attacks and strokes waiting to happen. There really is no room for an excuse like this! I should know this, I work in the restaurant and hospitality industries! In fact, one of my main jobs is at a very popular hotel in the East Village, where we're often asked for favorite eatery recommendations. But from now on I think I'll send them over to Bagelsmith instead, a very short train ride away on the L in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Or even Hot n Crusty on 1st Ave. Or any Dunkin Donuts. That goes to show you any other bagel place will be superior in service and have much better attentiveness to details than this pretentious, snooty dump. In response to Christopher P. Of Tompkins Square Bagels: First things first, "Mary Contrary" is my friend's account. She has gone to your bagel shop in person with me before & she was kind enough to let me use her Smartphone to post this review ASAP as I do not have internet access on the go. So we've got that part covered. Secondly, I never once called your Asian female employee a "bitch" publicly nor did I deign to insult anybody with insults or cuss words. Frankly, there were NO children present in that store or that line - beside me, in front of me or behind me - to speak of so YOU, Christopher P. Of Tompkins Square Bagels, are the only liar & fabricator here. You manufacture so many extra details to add to this account that were all FAKE & NONEXISTENT. Descriptive details I used in my original review of my transaction are intended to describe and illustrate - since when did adjectives like "Asian," ,"short" and "white" become insults? Uh, last time I checked they were still only adjectives & nothing else... Regarding your comments about Mr. Meyer & his multiple enterprises, once again you failed to listen accurately to what I was trying to convey to you. I was merely comparing the length (or rather lack of) of your store's line to Mr. Meyer's mile-long line on any given day of the week at any of his manifold locations. I never claimed anything else so no need to jump the gun & form any baseless conclusions here, sir. Furthermore, may I kindly ask what use there is in name-dropping all the other prestigious restaurants you put in your time with previously when it has no bearing whatsoever on the utterly poor customer experience I was so lucky to have? Surely, your 20 years of experience at all those other places didn't come into use here - a simple coffee & bagel shop of all places...? I was never at any point looking to be comped (that's 'compensated' for short, sir) for last week's incorrect order. I just wanted to point out the mistake your staff made so that you, as the store manager, can improve everyone & provide superb service to your customers. What ever happened to courtesy? Dead on arrival!! D:

Daniel R.

Delivers a quality, new york-style bagel with a crisp thin crust and and airy inside. Much better than Ess-A-Bagel or Russ and Daughters. Don't know why you would go anywhere else for bagels in the east village. My order is always pumpernickel with plain cream cheese, a nice-sized snack.

Zach D.

This place wins the weekend bagel spot award. Great iced coffee, and good chocolate chip (!) bagels. The line goes really quickly even when it's long - pretty efficient operation. I'm a fan.

Ragnar D.

bacon cream cheese that got my wife and I sick as dogs for 36 hours. have not returned since...obviously.

JD D.

Dont listen to the negative reviews...have tried many a poor bagel place on the les and finally Tompkins has emerged. Bagels are fluffy with a crisp exterior, wide selection of spreads and surprisingly good deli meats. The coffee isn't especially good and they have an odd drink selection. The line seems long when you walk in but efficient ordering makes the longest wait around 10 minutes.would be a great place to take an out of towner for a true Ny bagel experience.

James W.

The first time I tried their bagels I was so stoked. Best bagel I'd had in NYC at that point. This was when they first opened. I have tried them again recently on three different weekends, and the bagels are sub par at best. Very tough, and overly floury. Bummer.

Chutia S.

i had the whole wheat bagel, toasted, with japapeno cheddar cream cheese. not the best bagel but definitely not the worst. since its conveniently located I'll probably be back to try the rest. for a Saturday morning: pluses: service was friendly and efficient. plenty of seating. they appear to has an outdoor area... with excellent weather around the corner, it would be nice to take advantage of that.

Seth W.

Not really sure what people here are complaining about. I've been going to TSB almost since it opened and I have to say it's a relief to have such a good bagel in the neighborhood--normally I would walk the extra 10 blocks to Ess-a-Bagel but that's becoming rather unappealing in this summer's heat. The service was a little off the first time I went but since then I've had nothing but positive experiences here. Is the food as good as Ess-a? Probably not, but they can also do MORE things as TSB, like, for example, toasting(!) your bagel, or putting an egg and bacon it. And I've had plenty of problems with my orders at Ess-a, they're no angels. Bottom line: all food establishments have their good days and their bad days, regardless of the narcissism of their patrons.

Peter L.

The bagels are tasty, but they get my order wrong at least half the time. Even on slow weekdays. Make sure to check your order before you leave the store!! Also, if you ask for it to be corrected, you usually get attitude from one of the guys in the back..

Ezra P.

be prepared to wait 25 minutes in line for a bagel because of incompetent staff. also read the fine print on the specials- they will charge you a premium.

Scott D.

I came here after church one Sunday specifically for the birthday cake cream cheese. This place was jumping. Like other reviews I had read the line was really long but it moved quickly (10 minutes.) There is a worker going down the line taking orders. I got a Cinnamon bagel with birthday cake cream cheese. Awesome bagel and I like the cream cheese a lot. It wasn't too sweet for me but it depends on your taste ( i wouldn't eat it everyday). My only issue was that I got it toasted and when I went to eat it the cream cheese was melting and since there was a lot, it was dripping everywhere. I definitely would try this place, the other food I saw looked really good too. Cash Only,Cash Only,Cash Only,Cash Only,Cash Only,Cash Only...

Dennis C.

Legit bagels. It gets busy on the weekends in the morning, so i tend to only come on the weekdays. Wide selection of bagels, always fresh. I recommend The Sullivan. It's quite filling! They have ample indoor seating plus an outdoor bench too. I'm always overhearing interesting conversations in here lol.

Logan J.

This place is easily my favorite bagel place in the East Village...maybe even in Manhattan! Some people might think this place is a little overrated or a little too busy, but I love everything about it. It's true, this place is packed on the weekends--the line snakes back to the tables and can be outside on occasion--but the bagels are worth the wait. The bagels are so fresh though that you can even watch them being made! My order is typically a whole wheat bagel with egg white, avocado, and pepper jack cheese, and every time it is delicious! The bagels might be a little more expensive than some other generic places, but I think they are worth every penny. This place has almost anything that you could want, including antipastos and tons of flavors of cream cheese. I have to say that the weirdest flavor that I've seen is birthday cake cream cheese, which not surprisingly, resembles funfetti frosting. They sell some prepackaged baked goods, tons of drink options, and coffee, too...but the bagels are where it's at! Don't forget, this place is cash only though (there's an ATM in the back if you need it)!

Rebecca N.

Long line. So worth the wait. (Moves quick). Lox deluxe was everything you could want and more. Perfection. Don't get it toasted!

Harry H.

Grabbed a sesame bagel (they were out of french toast and mac&cheese looks whack) with birthday cream cheese. A manager type was interviewing an eccentric type at stools near the kitchen, so I took a table along the wall. Though they apparently make the kettle bagels continuously throughout the day, mine must've been sitting longer than most, as the bagel was only relatively fresh and far from warm, let alone hot. That said, pretty tasty stuff for certain, and not a terrible indulgence at $4.25 (cash only) vimeo.com/32267253

Antoine C.

Great bagels and a wide range of selections. Always a line Saturday and Sunday mornings but it's usually pretty quick and worth the wait.

Lori J.

FAVORITE BAGEL PLACE IN THE CITY. Incredible lox (and I don't even like salmon). Strange and delicious cream cheeses, fantastic bagels. Incredibly kind service, the people who work there are SO PATIENT AND WONDERFUL!! The black and white cookies are also super good, and the pistachio muffin is to die for. Can't emphasize how much I love this place. Just don't go on a Sunday morning, or it will be packed and stressful and awful.

Alon X.

Who the heck is coming here ? Why are the lines so long? The girl who gets in line to take our orders is rude. The food is oK nothing different than other bagel shops. I got the salt bagel. Way way too salty. Made my wife cringe. The jalapeño bacon cream cheese is just ok Not a good experience for a 3 buck bagel

Vivian S.

LOVE THIS PLACE. Not only the bagel, the service is 10 times better than Ess A Bagel! Had sesame bagel with avocado cream cheese- BEST CREAM CHEESE FLAVOR I EVER HAVE IN MY LIFE, so close to tears when I was having it. Had cousin Pete for the warm sandwich bagel, pretty good too! Love this place so much I wrote a food blog review: thatswhyihavenoboyfriend…

Alex M.

Returned here for the third time this morning, and am pleased to report this has been the best venture, despite them not serving quite a lot of flavors of cream cheese listed on their menu, both on their website and on the board in store. The first time I came here, I walked away very disappointed. I didn't read Yelp ahead of time and didn't know they were prone to mess up orders, and thus walked away with a bagel completely different from what I ordered. And i'm not very picky when it comes to bagels, but I remember it being some completely ridiculous combination, like a Garlic bagel with espresso cream cheese or something, and my taste buds were just not having it. This morning however I went to pick up breakfast for me and my roommate, and walked away thoroughly satisfied. They didn't have either my roommate or I's first choice in cream cheese claiming they were "seasonal" (pear and espresso?) but the bagels we ended up with were still warm and absolutely delicious. Being a block away, this experience is going to make me return MUCH more frequently.

Emily K.

Great quality bagels for very decent price. Breakfast all day and very wide selection of cream cheese. My only complaint with this place is that they don't toast the bagels... But else than that, decently fast service as well.

Joni B.

Having never tried a true NY bagel and hearing good things from a friend in the East Village, I came here twice during a weekend in the city. The verdict: bagels were super doughy, wonderfully toasted, great flavor, large array of toppings and cream cheeses. No matter how hungover you are, don't bother ordering the bagel egg sandwich. Though HUGE, the sandwiches totally lack seasoning, and do the poor bagels zero justice. Donuts were also nothing to write home about. In summary: bagels are the only thing worth your time, everything else is meh. Oh and cash only!

May Wah C.

Breakfast burrito was cheesy savory with a nice kick. My hubs got the Jersey and liked it. Line is long but constantly in motion. They have a good system going. The waitress walks down the line taking everyone's orders. By the time you reach the cashier your food is ready and hot. We met the end of the line by when we were paying. Also picked up a French toast bagel with birthday cake frosting cream cheese. Taste pretty good but a bit stingy with the cream cheese.

Samer H.

One thing everyone knows about NYC is that old and traditional is often misconstrued as best. Well if old is the best option than I hope you all drive Model T's. This place is my favorite bagel in, well the world. The weekend mornings are a mess but weekdays and lunchtimes on weekends are fine. The bacon egg and cheese bagels are the best bargain, as the sandwiches are kind of pricey. Ess a bagel charges around $17 for a lox sandwich that tastes like everything came out of packaging. This place is extremely fresh. Every ingredient is prepared or baked onsite. Don't be a stubborn traditionalist! Have some fun! Their french toast bagel is amazing, and they often have a few seasonal bagels that are worth a try. It's 2015, let's try to accept cards, no one carries cash. That's the only downside to this place, but otherwise, it's my favorite bagel in all of NYC.

Laura G.

Best time to come here is a Tuesday afternoon, hardly any waiting! Staff was really nice. The lady let me sample the cream cheese flavors! I got to try pistachio (okay), birthday cake, and chocolate birthday cake flavors. I ended up getting a green (for St. Patrick's Day) bagel with birthday cake cream cheese. Admittedly I really have a sweet tooth but I didn't even think this cream cheese was overkill. It had a great flavor and doesn't taste like "fake" cake batter. It's worth it to try at least once. The bagel itself was okay. I don't know if the green food coloring changed its consistency, but it was very chewy and a little bland. There were some other flavors that looked great though, and I'd be willing to come back to try them... sourdough, French toast... There is also some seating in the front and the back which is nice. They had a great looking pistachio muffin as well as other goodies.

Vanessa R.

How had we been to NYC 4 times and JUST NOW are learning about this place?! SO very good and a new fave of ours - we ended up going twice in two days. There will almost always be a very long line - do not get alarmed. It moves pretty quickly and most people take their bounty to go. I for one was excited for a gluten free bagel - it has been years since I've been able to parttake! I ordered both the GF plain and GF plain with Nutella and they were both amazing. Their bagels are made on the hour so they do not recommend toasting them & are fairly large. They have almost 30 home made cream cheeses so the options are endless! In addition to a ton of bagel options they also have breakfast sandwiches, salads, soups, and a huge beverage case. Husband had the french toast bagel which he said was out of this world and a bagel sandwich with egg, ham and cheese. Those looking for gluten free eats will also be excited to know that in addition to gluten free plain bagels they also have gluten free pancakes and some gluten free pastries in the case. Note: Dont sit down after you order - you have to pick up your order from the front. Also, hate the people who go throw a coat down on the limited seats to "save" them when they dont even have their food yet.

Emily V.

Went here to pick up some bagels to take home to DC. On the Sunday afternoon that we went in it was packed and there were people everywhere. The ordering process is sort of confusing as you have to find the woman who will take your order and she's pretty brusque and not really interested in helping you figure anything out. I will say that I changed my order after I placed it though and she did it without grimacing or huffing and puffing. The bagels were pretty good, I was happy with them. Unfortunately, it wasn't until I got home that I realized they had given me salt bagels instead of the garlic bagels I requested (why does anyone like salt bagels anyways?) which I was pretty bummed about. They are also a little pricy. But I would go back (just doublecheck your order before you leave!).

Diane G.

Love this place! Great bagels and great service! Even when they were busy they made a point of making sure customers are taken care of! Will definitely be back!

Shaji K.

Bagels and cream cheese. The old bland American standard now with a flavorful twist. So many options here, you can go each day for a year and still not hit every combination they offer. Huge line as soon as you walk in is daunting, but the efficiency is incredible. You make your order while in line and by the time you hit the register (~10 min), your meal will be waiting for you. For $9 got a large latte and a French Toast bagel with chocolate chip cookie dough cream cheese. Tastes exactly what it sounds like, but became a little overwhelming by the second half of the bagel. If you don't mind the wait, this place has the food/service to make you want to come back.

David Z.

Amazing bagels at a great price! My wife and I have been to NYC numerous times, but had never heard of this place. Since she has Celiac, the gluten-free bagels are a godsend. For the rest of us non-Celiacs, the regular bagels and sandwiches are amazing as well. We loved this place so much that we went multiple times, despite the fact that we usually love to try lots of new breakfast places every time to visit New York. The line might be long, but it moves fast. Good luck finding a seat that someone isn't "saving" though. There is a cute back patio, maybe it is easier in the summer to find seating. Hopefully we'll find out this summer if we head back to NYC! Oh yeah, the bagels are NOT square, by the way. The place is close to Tompkins Square and that is why it has this name. The bagels are still circular :-)

Sasha B.

Was one of the few well rated bagel spots in NYC I had yet to try. I waited in line about 20+ minutes for a regular bagel with cream cheese. I wasn't overwhelmed... not up to par w Ess-a-Bagel or H&H... that being said, it's still a solid choice if you're in Alphabet City and willing to wait it out on a weekend.

Carina P.

I am writing this review after having gone to Thompkin Square Bagels two times. I traveled at least an hour to get there, both times. First of all, I would like to put emphasis on the fact that Thompkin does not take credit cards, which any New Yorker knows is a huge hassle. Not only do they not take credit cards, but their cash machine also charges two dollars *annoying*. The first time I went, I got an egg bagel with their highly coveted birthday cake cream cheese. I will say the cream cheese selection at thompkin is impressive, and they will let you try any flavor before you order. The second time I ordered a French Toast bagel which they charge $2.00 for rather than the regular $1.10 price per bagel. I can honestly say the extra 90 cents is not worth it. The French toast bagel tastes just like a cinnamon raisin bagel. The French Toast bagel at Panera bread is much better. I also ordered birthday cake cream cheese on my bagel and a side of a quarter-pound of lox. The total price for my order was $15.00. A little pricey if you ask me. Additionally, my friend ordered a bagel with the lox tofu cream cheese. However, they charged her $10.00 for a bagel with regular cream cheese and lox on it. Additionally, throughout my second visit the staff were slow and particularly rude every time I asked for my order. Overall, the bagels are fluffy and the cream cheese is delicious. However, Thompkin is over priced and skimpy on the portions.

Jemimah A.

Great place! Went here for little breakfast and I thought that it would be just a regular run of the mill bagel place. Boy was I wrong! The minute you walk into Tompkins Square, you're greeted by the bagels right away. Mounted on the wall are their wide range of variety in bagels. Right on their display case is this array of colorful spreads all begging you to pick them. One great thing I love about this place is they let you sample the spreads. For someone as indecisive as me, I love when any place lets you sample things. Me and my boyfriend decided on the plain bagel but I got the birthday cake spread and he got the chocolate chip. I know their Birthday Cake cream cheese spread is infamous but do not skim over the chocolate chip one. Both of the spreads were sweet but not cavity creating sweet. I loved both of them. I don't know how they made em, but they're pretty much amazing. If sweets aren't your cup of tea, like I said, they have a wide range of spreads that can curb anyone's morning hunger. If bagels aren't your thing, they can accommodate you with delicious sandwiches (both breakfast and lunch). I would very much recommend this to someone and I will be coming back very soon!

Chris N.

If you can make it inside its worth the wait. From a gourmet bagel with the most original cream cheese flavors to a baked macaroni and cheese on a dug out bagel they have what you need to satisfy your craving. The staff and manager are great and always suggest new menu items. Coffee is always fresh.

S M.

It's a decent bagel but it's really not worth the hassle. Obscenely long lines most days, and they consistently mess up orders (at which point you can't get past the crowd to fix it). Expect to wait here least 20 minutes on weekends. The birthday cake cream cheese is just frosting and sprinkles mixed with plain cream cheese. You are better than falling for that. You'll have a much easier time and a better bagel from David's, Ess-a-Bagel, or Bagels on the Square, to name a few.

Nicole D.

The bagels are not too dense and lean more toward a bready texture. I prefer a slightly chewier texture in a bagel, but these are pretty good. There's a nice amount of space for seating in the back and the atmosphere definitely fits right in with the neighborhood vibe. Lots of cream cheese options with some novelty flavors like birthday cake. The French toast bagel is huge and costs a little more. The spice and sweetness come through but a little more of a maple syrup flavor would really boost the overall taste. The location is a great spot and it's surprising that a bagel place like this one hasn't opened in the area sooner.

Shawn C.

If you show up at the wrong time, you'll probably be waiting for a few minutes as the line has gotten pretty epic here the past couple times I've been here. Why is that, though? Because this is prooooooooobably the best bagel spot in the East Village. Really eclectic mix of cream cheese options available. The bagels are always super fresh and super doughy, which I love. Their butter also doesn't taste totally bland (I like butter on my bagels, okay?!) which is something I've noticed to be a problem at many bagel places all over the city. Besides the obnoxious wait every single time I come here, I couldn't be happier. Service can be very hit or miss sometimes, but they're usually friendly even if rushed and in a panic most mornings. Recommended. Get your bagel breakfast on over here.

Elise F.

I'm a huge Mac and cheese fan, and I've been hearing about this bagel shop for months! I finally got around to trying it and I have to say this bagel is pretty much perfect! I had an everything bagel topped with this Mac and cheese and it was just as creamy and cheesy as promised. The lines can get a bit long as the place is super popular but I would say it's worth the wait.

Cindy L.

PRO - nice staff workers - good bagels - comfy/cozy space - efficient ordering and paying process CON - long line - slightly confusing menu I walked in and was a bit confused because I wasn't sure what to do but then I saw a sign telling me where to order. I came here for their birthday cake cream cheese but I couldn't find it on the menu so I assumed they were not selling it that particular day. Turns out they were and it just wasn't on the menu. Speaking of their menu, it is kind of confusing especially the part describing their different cream cheese and bagel selections. It was all over the place. I eventually ordered a plain bagel with chocolate chip cream cheese and it was amazing. I'm definitely coming back for that birthday cake cream cheese next time.

Mandy S.

BIRTHDAY CAKE FLAVORED CREAM CHEESE and FRESH HOMEMADE BAGELS....'Nuff said! My life was forever changed after eating bagels here. I love bagels and Tompkins just made my love for bagels stronger...if that's even possible. It's a travesty that I don't live in NY. I may never be satisfied eating a bagel from the grocery store ever again.

Chris S.

First time, last time customer. No line...but still a long wait...maybe backed up with Seamless? 5 min after ordering they came back to say they didn't have everything bagels. 15min later I asked what was going on. 20min after ordering they started making my sandwich...well, they said they were starting it. Taxi to the airport was waiting, so after 20min of waiting, got my $4.50 back. And I thought Leo's Bagels were disorganized...this place may or may not have good bagels, but for sure the service is chaotic...better skip this place unless you have a lot of time in your hands to "help" them get your order completed.

Mike C.

These are up there with the best bagels in the city, which explains the mobs that are usually here on the weekends. Almost every time I've come on a Saturday or Sunday, it's packed to the point of being unable to move in the front waiting area. You first go all the way to the back of the store and can place your order pretty quickly to someone writing them down on tickets. Then you wait, and wait, and wait a little more. Finally though, you get your bagels, and it's totally worth it. Though they do offer the service of toasting the bagels, it is wisely recommended not to, since they are constantly being made fresh. In the frenzy to order, I missed out on some of the excellent-sounding sandwich combinations like the Weezer, but the regular Bacon, Egg and Cheese on Everything Bagel was pretty excellent anyway, so I didn't mind. We also tried a French Toast Bagel, which was incredible - it was really soft and incredibly dense and had a good amount of sweetness to it. It's listed under their specialty bagels section, along with chocolate chip and blueberry varieties, which cost $2 each. One thing here to skip, that I should've known better about, is the Mac & Cheese Bagel ($5). I'm always a sucker for gonzo food fads and weird-sounding choices, which more often than not turn out to be disappointing. Sure enough, this was very strange - they scoop out the insides of the bagel, which is already a bad start since the bagels here are so good, and then they dump a ton of sloppily made mac & cheese on top of each half, and serve it open-faced. Just take a look at the picture I took of it and you will see that it is not going to be good. Stick with some good old plain bagels here or one of the well-made hot breakfast sandwiches for a really excellent way to start your day.

Darren F.

Place is great. If youre in town and a bagel lover this is the place. Super nice people also. Dont be discouraged about the line, because it goes fast. Everything looks delicious and the food is amazing. Definitely a must have if youre in the area. Everything is clean and you want to eat it all. Why dont they have this where I live. :(

Cait C.

Although the bagels are decent, I can't recommend this place for the food that comes on the bagel sandwiches. I got the Italian and the PROSCUITTO WAS INEDIBLE. It was stale and thick cut, too chewy to even eat had to throw it away. Very disappointed, won't be back.

Jiann M.

Pros: - French toast bagel (cinnamon-y and perfectly sweet) - plain bagel (nice and chewy) - pretty quick service Cons: - birthday cake cream cheese was meh (and not listed on the menu!) - chocolate chip cookie dough cream cheese just tasted like chocolate - confusing? It was confusing where to order - no one there looked too happy and actually rather exhausted.... Note: if you see a lady with short white hair standing by the "Order here" sign, ask her to take your order because she probably won't ask you Bottom line: The bagels were good and quick, but I wasn't impressed by anything else in the shop. No one was mean, but no one was nice either. Maybe I was unlucky or my look just rubbed them the wrong way, but if you want to try their unique cream cheese flavors, I still encourage you to go

Kay W.

All the reviews are true! The bagels are amazing without toasting. Yes, the line is long, especially for the weekends and they only take cash. But the food and the service really make up for these two things. It's actually pretty spacious in the back with plenty seats to sit down. I have tried eggs&bacon&cheese, egg salad, and lox with whole wheat everything. All I can say is that I'm so pleasant that I finish the whole bagel every time. There's also French toast bagel I need to try next time. They also carry Balthazar croissants and some gluten free bakery.

Victoria H.

You know how when you get a new job, you search the surrounding blocks for your go-to lunch spot? Well, I'm searching the neighborhood in search of a job that is near Tompkins Square Bagels! The staff is friendly, the bagels fresh, and the interior very inviting. First of all, they've got a quiet seating area in the back with magazine! Talk about grubbin' some bagels and reading about celebrity gossip (or trends in interior design or whatever) in one sitting! I'm hooked. Their selection of bagel and spread variety is impressive. I grabbed a whole wheat one with plain cc, and sat at the bar stool overlooking the street to people watch. Ps. The restroom is for customers only, and you'll need to ask them for the code to use it.

James A.

Quite possibly the best bagels in NYC. I grew up in the City and these can compete with H&H, etc. the bagels are super doughy and fresh - so fresh and perfect that they generally refuse to toast them even if you want. Whole Wheat everything is my fave but they also make a mean pumpernickel and all the other regulars along with special bagels like French toast. Their sandwiches are also excellent, from eggs to turkey to lox they are all very high quality. They also make a ton of dreamy cream cheese and tofu based spreads. Go there. Eat bagels. Take some home for the freezer. Just do it. There may be a huge line - don't worry it moves quickly. Don't be dissuaded. Beware it is Cash Only. Coffee can be expensive here and not great, so I recommend you get bagels here then a latte from 9th street espresso around the corner. Then go sit in thompkins square park and enjoy one of the best and most quintessential NYC experiences on earth.

Reginald D.

Really good bagels! Perfect for a morning breakfast / brunch / lunch. Usually crowded but the service is fast so don't worry you'll not be waiting too long.

D O.

4 stars on the bagels 3 stars on price. Plus cash only. 2 stars on the services. Life slows down in this place. The mgmt needs to figure a better system. 8am on Friday morning. 18 minutes for bagel/cream cheese and coffee. Don't even try this place on weekend mornings. It's a zoo. So busy that many people walk in and then back out. Like I said. Decent bagel. Slow service. And 20% too expensive.

Emma B.

I have ordered from here ~45 times, and about 43 of those times (half through seamless) they get my order wrong. every ingredient. I order a bacon, egg (fried), and cheese (cheddar) on a poppy bagel. Not complicated. On seamless I check the correct boxes AND repeat the order in the comments section. Its like they're trying to screw it up, half the time I throw it out because they won't refund you. I don't know why I keep trying. I'm done with this place.

Gina M.

This place is delicious! They have the freshest, softest bagels around with a bunch of creative bagel types and cream cheese flavors. My favorite sweet bagel is the French toast bagel with birthday cake cream cheese. They also have a lot of egg-bagel combos- and a really good Taylor ham, egg & cheese (the jersey). The lines are pretty long though on the weekend so I would recommend coming early!

Me M.

Don't be scared of the line when you enter. This place is very organized! Someone gets your order at the end of the line and gives you a copy of the order. By the time you get to the cashier, your order is ready. If you tell them you are eating there, they will bring the food to you right after you pay. It's cash only And the bagels are heavenly! As they say so fresh they don't need to be toasted. I had the omelette with my bagel. Companions had cream cheese. We all loved the food. Thumbs up!

Anthony V.

I got the whole wheat everything with lox tofu. The bagel was really crispy and it had a lot of the spices on both sides of the bagel. Definitely recommend that. Weekends are super crowded, esp this sunday morning when I went.

Catherine P.

OH so delicious bagels and equally delicious cream cheeses (love the apple walnut)! Great variety of sweet & savory flavors, whatever your preference may be.

Mo J.

Great tasting bagels, with lots of variety of spreads. I gave it three stars because while the bagels taste great, the service is slow and the price is high. You'll spend $11 for a bacon egg and cheese on a bagel and an iced coffee.

Lorean C.

The owner send me a lovely response. I completely understand training new employees can be tricky (as I own stores myself). He did the right thing and showed he cares about his business. I look forward to my next visit being smooth as cream cheese:) ... also the bagel I had (even tho I didn't pick it- was tasty! Good luck TSB

Kayla G.

I would have liked to give this place a higher review, because their bagels and cream cheeses are pretty good. However, their poor customer service made my experience pretty awful. I came here at 7:30 a.m, because I heard the crowd can get pretty bad. I was wanting to try their french toast bagel, but was told that they didn't have any, and wouldn't until the afternoon. So I ordered the cinnamon raisin bagel with half blueberry cream cheese, and half chocolate chip cookie dough cream cheese. Apparently, to do this your bagel is served open face, instead of cut, which is fine with me. However, when I got up to the counter they told me since it was open face my total would be $6.50 instead of $3.50! I'm sorry but that makes no sense to me. It's the same amount of food, they just don't cut it! They also failed to tell me it would be twice the cost of my bagel to do so, as I ordered. I finally got my bagel, and as I sat down noticed that instead of chocolate chip cookie dough cream cheese, I had cream cheese with chives. I walked back up to the counter, to get my order fixed and they seemed annoyed, and even dug my ticket out of the trash to make sure I was telling the truth. After fixing my order, they did let me have the other half of my messed up bagel so I did get an extra half. After all that, the bagel itself was really good and still warm. The blueberry cream cheese was near perfect. The chocolate chip cookie dough was really good for a few bites, and then it becomes too much. As I was eating my bagel, not ten minutes after I ordered and was told there wouldn't be any french toast bagels until afternoon, I saw them bring out a fresh batch of them. I just don't understand, when I asked the man taking my order, why he couldn't have checked to see if any were being prepared. I would have happily waited, it's the main reason I went to this place. Like I said, their bagels and cream cheeses are good and it's the only reason they're getting three stars, but I'm not sure I'd return. It's a shame their shoddy service is overshadowing their food. They take themselves way too seriously, and really need to chill out. I can find better bagels in the city, with employees that are much nicer.

Michael C.

Great fresh bagels! The scallion cream cheese was awesome. Only complaint is that the bagels were not warm and the line was ~20 minutes.

Dan B.

Someone at work picked up a few bagels and spreads for meeting and I have to say these are probably my favorite bagels in NYC. The regular bagels are soft and a little chewy but fresh and have a delciious aroma. The spreads were a little different.. I had half of my bagel with the chive spread and the other half with the birthday cake spread.. I loved both. I will be going here soon to get some for the next meeting.

Alexa C.

A glorious return of EV bagels. Quality is high, though spotty, in the early-going. Some days the sesame is the stuff New York carb dreams are made of. And even a bad day is at least on par with David's. The store is large, sleek and almost too aired out for my cramped and cozy village tastes. But smiling staff and a warm-weather outdoor seating option out back nearly make me as happy as the bagels. The convenience of this place could be trouble.

CHRISTINE Z.

Before I say anything else, this place is CASH ONLY. A fact I discovered all too late because of limited signage. I sacrificed $2 to pay the ATM fee for their third-party ATM in the store for other ignorant customers. Bagel and Lox with C/C for just under $10--check. I've passed by this bagel place many times before finally going inside. Noon on a Sunday is not exactly the best time to go--the place is filled to the bursting with people looking to satisfy their need for a kettle-boiled, hand rolled bagel. And they are awesome. They brag about the short and sweet list of ingredients that go into making the bagels, and with good reason. Also, there are signs everywhere that tell you that toasting is not recommended. Unfortunately, I already ordered my bagel to be toasted by the time I saw them... Perhaps the placement should be better or the women taking orders should remind customers that their bagels are baked fresh hourly... But that being said, it was great that they had people taking orders all along the line so that the wait, while still long, was mostly to get to the cashier and pay for your order. You get a carbon copy of your ticket with the items you ordered and your name. Mine was spelled "Christeen" which reminded me of the numerous Starbucks misspellings I have seen over the years. From what I could tell, another big draw to this place is the eclectic variety of cream cheeses. They have BIRTHDAY CAKE cream cheese, for goodness' sake. What does that even mean? Well, it means that there are sprinkles in your pink-ish, icing-like cream cheese! There's also chocolate chip, marshmallow, and peanut butter. The peanut butter one seemed to be cream cheese mixed with chunky PB, though I did not try it and can only speculate as to what it might taste like. While we were waiting on the long, winding line, we were entertained by the many hand-painted messages on wooden signs that hung overhead. As we made our way over to the sitting area, we also approached the kitchen, where they were preparing the bagels and making the sandwiches. There was a grill that was sizzling with mounds of bacon and freshly scrambled eggs, and the bagel making process was fascinating to watch. First, the dough was boiled in a giant barrel-like steel pot. The guy stirred them furiously, steam rising from the cauldron of bagels. Then, he scooped them out, dipped them in a bucket of everything for the everything bagels, and put them on slabs to be baked in the oven. The whole thing looked fascinating and I could have stood there for much longer admiring the cooking process. I appreciated the transparency of the operation, something that I rarely see in your run of the mill bagel shop. We picked up some OJ with our order (one of those bigger Tropicana bottles), and the whole order came to $21 and change (two bagels with lox and cream cheese, plus OJ). The bagels themselves were really good--doughy without being too much so, great crust, $1.10 worth of yummyness.

E Y.

My favorite bagel place in NY. Maybe the world. Such good bagels and a big variety of cream cheese and spreads. I usually get the French toast bagel with chocolate chip cc but they didn't have chocolate chip today so I got the St. Patty's special pistachio cc--which is delicious. One of the guys who work there was really friendly and recommended me another place called Spimoni Gardnes in Bk, which I can't wait to check out.

Joe M.

Vegan tofu cream cheese available. I loved the tofu olive cream cheese on an everything bagel. Excellent service, and not just for New York - attentive and helpful. Put this on your vegan friendly NYC to try list.

Devin D.

I really wanted to give this place five stars but I think they are still trying to find their groove (having been open for only 2 months now?). The bagels here are up to par regarding texture and consistency. I think their Everything bagels are a little too everything haha... meaning they are just a smidgen too salty. There were some inconsistencies with service, execution, and payment. The first time I came in here I ordered a bagel with cream cheese only to get a bagel with VERY little cream cheese. Then actually paying at the register was awkward, the cashier people were like chickens without heads. The next day I came in, I ordered the same bagel with cream cheese, and was extremely satisfied with my bagel to cream cheese ratio, but again expediting and payment was awkward. The space is decorated beautifully; a very warm and inviting environment. All in all, I think TSB can give EssABagel a run for it's money in due time. That is IF they can fix their service logistics :P FOUR stars for some awesome f*ckin bagels and the future potential I see in this place.

Yay Y.

had a nice bagel there. price was okay!

Brian O.

Incredible food. Worst service I've ever experienced in the world. Slow, incompetent and rude at times. They only take cash and will f*ck up the simplest order (you ask for a bagel and cream cheese and they'll give you a turkey sandwich). It's insane but the food is (usually) worth the insanity.

Sara B.

I have never been in this place, but I did have a delivery after I saw reviews on their gluten free bagels. I also saw the owner commented on someone's review about the gluten free bagel, when she raved about the bagel but commented on the price. It showed me this place is legit and really all about their customer - so I had to check it out. I was not disappointed. I had their gluten free cinnamon raisin bagel because they were out of plain bagels. I got it with tofu plain cream cheese (I am also dairy free). This was by far the best gluten free bagel I have ever had. It is near impossible to find a bagel place in NYC that has gluten free bagels, so I have always had to settle for the ones in the freezer section of the grocery stores...which are awful. To be able to have an option for a fresh gluten free bagel is incredible, plus it is GREAT. I can't wait to check out the place in person, and try more of their tofu cream cheeses.

Stephanie B.

I was staying in alphabet city for the week and had the unfortunate pleasure of ordering a bagel at Tompkins square bagels. They had quite a selection and very interesting combos, which was inciting. HOWEVER, the young lady working the counter was quite rude. After ordering an onion bagel with bacon and cream cheese, and getting the wrong thing, I was hassled because THEY did not hear me. Then I had to argue with the young lady to get her to put bacon on my bagel. She refused to apologize and continued to eat her lunch rudely at the counter. I will never spend a dime there again, even though the bagel was quite tasty (mostly because it had bacon on it).

James A.

Forget Essa, this is a GREAT bagel. I had an amazingly light but crunchy toasted salt bagel with a deliciously homemade berry berry cream cheese. There's a cool local hipster vibe in this place, and they have a good amount of natural/gluten-free stuff too.

Ajay R.

A guy a work said one day "I'm going to bring the best bagels you've ever had tomorrow", and man did he deliver. I started making special trips into the EV on the weekend just to stock up on these bagels. The everything bagels are outrageously good. Some might say it's a little on the salty side, but that's how I like 'em.

Emily R.

Murray's does not hold a candle to the excellence that is Tompkins Square Bagels. I'd say it's a neighborhood secret, but it's not much of a secret. The lines are absolutely epic, but I'm serious when I tell you they move quickly. You won't wait more than 10 minutes, despite the 35 person line snaking through the restaurant to the garden out back. They're hipsters that own logistics - a rare and coveted combo. There's a guy designated for order-taking and ticket-distribution to the bagel preppers, who work seamlessly in concert with the cashier girls. It's a work of art. And now on to the actual bagels. Jalapeño Cheddar cream cheese has officially changed my life. I keep wanting to try more of the offerings - bacon herb? wasabi cream cheese? french toast bagels with chocolate chip cookie dough cream cheese? But I just can't tear myself away from the spicy, cheesy spread I love oh so much. Their sandwiches look fantastic too - avocado, red pepper, eggs, turkey...any breakfast combo you can dream, they can create. I shall visit every Saturday until the end of time.

Morten H.

Been here 3 times since they opened. The bagels are ok, but can not really compare against other "high-end" bagel shops. The quality is inconsistent, some of the staff have an attitude and at 2 out of 3 visits they haven't had what I wanted. I'll take my business elsewhere.

Christine B.

Quite possibly the worst bagel place I've ever been to. Everything about it... From the bagels (always hard, never enough cream cheese, egg sandwich cheese never melts) to the service (rude, always gets your order wrong), and everything in between. Yet I keep going back, because it's the only bagel place in the area. The convenience is the only thing they have going for them.

Lara S.

Truly fantastic bagels! I was visiting the city and this place popped up on yelp, so I gave it a try. I walked over from the West Village to pick up breakfast for me and my SO. I was surprised when it was cash only! Luckily, I had the cash. I ordered us a couple of breakfast sandwiches to go and an extra salt bagel just to try it out. The bagels are everything you could want in a ny bagel- a little crunch on the outside and so soft on the inside. Yum! The people who worked there were also super friendly.

Julian R.

UPDATE 9/24/2013 (again): The owner has now edited his comment in an attempt at mollification. He removed some of the more hostile portions of his rant, including a sentence or two where he claimed that I was as angry as someone who lost loved ones on 9/11. Yes, for real, he wrote that. Now he has deleted it. Just for the record, giving this place a 1-star review did not come out of anger; it's non-violent resistance. Writing a Yelp review is power-to-the-people. I give out 5-star reviews to places that deserve it. I give out 1-star reviews to places that deserve it. Despite the deletion of the inane rant, you can still see from the owner's comment that he in no way has taken accountability for the shortcomings of his business. Customer service remains at an all-time low. He blames the customers/victims. It is really, truly egregious and delusional. ------- UPDATE 9/24/2013: Well after reading the owner's comment on my post, I have to say that he did a better job at proving how bad the customer service is than I ever could have. The lack of self-awareness is baffling. ------- 9/20/2013: Simply the worst customer service of all time. Oh and also, as a born n raised Brooklynite, I can resolutely say these bagels aren't even that sweet. They're good, sure. But they won't get your order right, anyway. One more thing: Yelp is supposed to be power to the people. Then why do 1-star ratings of this place seem to mysteriously vanish...hmmm?

Patrick K.

Very good overall, bagels are delicious and priced well. Cash only. Big open space. I do resent being encouraged not to toast my bagel, I've been eating bagels for a long time, just toast it for me, ya know? yelp is evil. Avoid on weekends.

Noah K.

Sum it up!!! 1 star for: Fresh bagels! 1 star for: Tons of different cream cheeses 1 star for: Awesome selection of drinks, and great coffee! 1 star for: Very convenient location, steps away from the park. 1 star for: Nice selection of non-bagel items (try the Tomato Cheddar soup!!!) -1 Star for: The staff is nice, but forgetful. We've had to go back up and remind them of our order a few times. All in all, an AWESOME place for a high quality bagel and a shmear, NYC-style.

K V.

Great addition to the East Village. Awesome everything bagels and very nice staff. In an era when all of the cool places seem to be closing, this is a welcome surprise that maintains the real spirit of the neighborhood.

Elizabeth P.

This has to be one of my favorite bagel spots in NYC. I'm new to the neighborhood and was excited to check it out, as it seemed to be one of the few legit bagel delis in the area. I was pleasantly surprised with the fast, efficient service and delicious bagels -- of every variety! There's also some great non-bagel options like pancakes & egg platters. Everyone who works there seems super friendly, and I really appreciate the efficiency of ordering/picking up food; because it's always pretty crowded on weekends. There's plenty of seating and a cute little outdoor patio area that will be great in the summer. I highly recommend it!

Ric D.

Wow, just wow! This place gave me the worst bagel I have ever had in my life. Burnt to a crisp and inedible. Thanks for nothing Tompkins! I WILL NOT BE RETURNING

Aisha W.

Update: Since this post, the bagel consistency has gotten a bit better (went twice this week and had food delivered). It tasted as I hoped the bagels would; authentic New York. Plus, the delivery took the exact amount of time quoted. Glad to see that management takes feedback seriously as I know that no one can please everyone. Nonetheless, the Lower East Side has aways been the neighborhood with the most diverse food choices in all of NYC and now I am grateful that we have a bagel spot to add to the list of the "greats" of LES. This place is still quite expensive, especially the iced coffee. If you have a bagel, iced coffee, and (heaven forbid) have to use the atm machine ($2 fee), you are looking at over a $10 breakfast experience. **************** The bagels here are good...well...just the tops. Meaning, the bottom of the bagels here are rock hard, that is especially the case when they toast the bagels after cutting them in half. The top part, is delicious; exactly what a NY bagel should taste like (slightly crispy on the outside, chewing on the inside). The bottom could "chip Ms. Minnie's tooth" (#Martinsitcomreference). The fault has to lie with the baking process somehow.... The service is 50/50 depending on who's taking your order. Also, I know that cash-only helps small businesses but it is one of the main reasons I will go to Ray's more often than here (who takes cash around anymore). I think it has some potential so I may keep trying it for a couple more times before moving on/staying on permanently.

Joe M.

overrated. while the bagels are decent, they aren't the reason TSB is so highly rated - the hype, convenient location, and the fact that most folks in the east village didn't grow up with New York bagels is why this place does well on yelp. if the line/ordering process was simplified TSB could be worthy of a 3 star review, but since it takes 30 minutes to get a bagel on a weekend - 2 it is. tip - David's bagels is better, cheaper, and quicker but it doesn't scream "east village" the way TSBs location does - so it will never be as popular

Radford T.

I love Tompkins Square Bagels because it's close to where I live and their bagels are delicious. They have a very nice selection of bagels and bagel sandwiches sometimes it's difficult to decide what you want to order. The service is like an assembly line, right down to the cashier, so it keeps the often-long lines moving. On weekend mornings, this place is truly packed, but don't be intimidated, they'll usually have your food out in about 15 minutes from the time you started waiting in line.

Creichen R.

After living in the East Village for years, the idea of a bagel store opening was welcomed. Sadly, the idea is better than Thompkin Square Bagels itself. The bagels are edible but stay away from the 'best bacon, egg, and cheese in town," we've tried it many times and the bacon is typically raw. Ordering isn't a science in most bagel shops, but here it's rocket science and no one can compute what you're saying and you're 90% likely to walk out with the nothing close to you order. Good notes, they have lots of beverages. Don't forget your cash though because even with the amount of business they do, they don't take plastic.

Jeff C.

It's a bagel shop, it's not rocket science. My experience here did not go well. I went on a Saturday morning around 9:30. It wasn't terribly busy, but there was a steady line... nothing that the 5-6 people behind the counter shouldn't be able to handle, I thought. Whatever system the nice folks behind the counter are using, it's not working. I put in my order, which was the only pleasant part of the experience, until later I find out that the iced coffees that I'd ordered with two bagels were never put in. It wasn't loud in there, so I chock it up to an honest mistake. These happen, sure, but given the general disorder behind the counter, it seems more like a symptom of a bad system. I proceeded to pay and didn't catch the error in my order because the cream cheese cost most than that d@#m bagels. $12.00 for two $ 2.50 bagels with cream cheese is robbery. When your order is ready, they shout out your name and you have to wrestle your way back up to the middle of the counter and insert yourself in the line of people waiting to pay so you can pick up your order. Take a tip from Starbucks, here, and reorganize your process. Also: Cash Only?! You've gotta be kidding me. Of course, there's an ATM on-site with a $ 2 fee (on top of your own' bank's fees), which the merchant gets. So, if you are out of cash, you pay them $ 2 extra for the inconvenience. If you are going to charge $ 3.50 for cream cheese alone, you can take a small hit on that margin and pay some CC merchant fees. This is really insult to injury. In the end, I went here to get gluten-free bagels. I'm grateful that they had these (and hadn't already run out of them), but these days, you have to step up and deliver some flavor in gluten-free items. The bagels were like soft cardboard. I can see, now, why the cream cheese cost more: The bagels were no more than cream-cheese delivery devices that added nothing and actually detracted from the whole experience. Everybody working here was very friendly and very busy (and the cute guys were very easy on the eyes). Perhaps a change in the work process would help eliminate some of the service problems and help each person focus more on what he or she is doing. I also suggest this place lower prices on the extras or start accepting plastic, at the least.

Ava G.

These are the best bagels in NY! I love them. The glitch is that the service is slow and don't try to order delivery..it takes almost an hour and they got my order wrong, but they did refund the missed items which is no easy feat on Seamless. Appreciated!

John D.

YES!!! A bagel place in Alphabet City is long overdue. David's bagels changes location every year and I don't really want to have to cross 14 street to get my fix. Tompkins Square Bagels is right around the corner and the bagels are just as good. Tons of bagel options and they also make good salads. The Chipotle Chicken Salad is my favorite. I still want to try those french toast bagels they have sitting out that look phenomenal. Crowds are kind of long but the line moves. Great addition to the hood!!

Rebecca C.

TSB is something I miss about living in Alphabet City. We really needed a bagel place in the area and TSB delivered on that. Their bagels are huge with the right amount of doughy goodness inside and don't even get me started on the breakfast sandwiches! The pastries are also great.

Daria D.

These are real-deal New York bagels... crisp on the outside, chewy on the inside. Yeah, the wait is a drag (especially on weekends) but that's a price I'm willing to pay for access to the goods. They have a wide variety of spreads, salads and sandwich combos, along with some "regular" breakfast items like pancakes (I think) and baked goods. Which I have never tried, mind you, because even if I think I'm going to branch out and try something else, one of those big, beautiful everything bagels (or sesame, or french toast, or sourdough, or...) lures me every time. Love this place. It's a tasty, welcome addition to a neighborhood which has lost a lot of our unique places over the last few years. The one improvement I would make is to figure out a better way to handle the overflow crowds waiting to order or pick up. Again, it's the price we pay for a great place I suppose.

Fred A.

Great place given its excellent location, quiet atmosphere inside and great food. Although it's mostly very busy, there's always plenty of space to sit at the window, inside or on the little terrace in the back. Staff is friendly and the food is fresh... Cash accepted only. High quality food in a creative and cosy atmosphere - as it should be in EV. Thumbs up for the Mitt Romney bagel: Bologna with processed cheese on a 'hollowed out' bagel! Woohoow.

Phil T.

Ambiance: 4.5. It's a bagel joint that feels like it actually has space. Outdoor patio in back is a great touch in warmer months. It doesn't feel too dumpy, too classy, or otherwise - in other words, exactly how a bagel shop should feel. Cost: 4. Good prices for NY, average prices for East Village. $1 for most bagels and goes up from there as you add things... egg sandwich with cheese, my go to, ~$4. Food Quality: 5. I always say I like limited menus - a restaurant should know what they do well and stick to it. The Cheesecake Factory doesn't make 104 rock-your-world dinner dishes. While I haven't ventured outside of bagels & their variations, despite the ample assortment of offerings at TSB they always hit the spot. Some of my favorites are Everything bagel w/ eggs, cheese, bacon and a French Toast bagel with walnut raisin cream cheese. Oh, and they also have gluten free bagels for anyone with Celiac's. Service: 4.5. They're always super friendly even when the line gets long and they have to deal with grouchy hungover Hipsters. Food usually comes up pretty quickly. Minus a half a point for not taking credit cards. At least take them over $5 or $10. When to return: Brunch. To sit outside. For great bagels. Hungover.

Kayla P.

Quick and easy yummy bites for breakfast on the go. We were busy this morn and didn't have time to sit and eat so bagles it is! I got the blueberry with regular cream cheese. My bf got and everything bagel with Nutella and bananas. Yum! Bagels were humongous, we weren't able to finish them like we wanted but gave them to someone who was asking for donations in the Subway station. I really really wish I got the lox or something salty but I was more in the mood for something sweet this morn. Overall again, I wish we lived in the city to visit here more often!

Josh H.

Tompkins gets three stars for the following reasons: Two sandwiches cost nearly $20 (not cool for a bagel place), they're a little overrated, and they are cash only (Something that normally doesn't bother me but I didn't see any sign until I reached the register. Then I had to take out cash, which added to the cost of my experience because of the ATM fee). The two sandwiches were up there in price for a couple of reasons. First of all, one was a breakfast sandwich while the other was a deli sandwich ($8.50), the breakfast sandwich ($4.25) was on a gluten-free bagel ($2.50), and had sausage (+$1.00, not often you get a fee for sausage). I think the problem is that people in Alphabet City or the East Village can't get a good bagel. It's not the Upper East Side where residents are spoiled with top tier bagels wherever they look. So Tompkins Bagels are the best Alphabet City has to offer... really the only the place you can even get bagels if you are a reasonable person that doesn't want to walk 20-30 blocks for a bagel in the morning. I went in hoping to get a Tal quality bagel and left wishing it had been a little better.

Jackie V.

I was so excited to try these bagels and the famous "birthday cake" cream cheese. I said funfetti cream cheese and received a nasty look from the girl taking my order. I forgot that they only take cash and went to look for an ATM. The cashier failed to tell me they had one right in the store! I went to the bathroom after the long drive I had and there was barely any toilet paper. I went to tell someone who worked at the front counter and he laughed at me. Why he laughed I have no clue but he and the other people who work at this bagel store are so rude! All I was trying to do was save another customer from having no toilet paper. I made the mistake of not reading the past reviews for Tompkins Square Bagels but the customer service was awful! Also, I got a small coffee and the coffee was barely half way filled. I take my coffee black so I don't add milk. The bagel had such a hard outside. It was a decent bagel but not as good as I expected it to be. The birthday cake cream cheese was okay. It didn't have the birthday cake taste I was looking for and it tasted tart. I made the 40 minute trip from my house and I was disappointed by the bagel and customer service I received.

Matt L.

In the almost a year they've been around, TSB is easily proven itself to have some of the best bagels around. If there is a long line at bagel spot, thats almost always a sign of a great bagel; the line is often long at TSB, but it moves quick, and is definitely worth it. As they approach their one year anniversary in December I wish them many more years in the east village!

Andreas B.

First, I was surprised that a ...bagel place could make such an impression on me. Now I come there once a week to pick up a bagel - good for hangovers, with a Royal Flush juice. Get the bacon / scallion cream cheese on the "whole wheat everything" bagel !!!

Megan K.

Biggest regret: sharing a bagel here. In retrospect I should've put my guilty feelings of indulging in a carb loaded bagel aside and eaten an entire one for myself. Oh well, lesson learned for next time where I will dominate my own bagel one small bite at a time. We split an everything bagel with bacon cream cheese (yes, you read that right, BACON cream cheese) and lox. My boyfriend and I had never had a Lox bagel, so we were excited to try one. This sandwich did not disappoint in the slightest--the bagel was toasted to a perfection (not too crunchy, but just a little around the edges) and went wonderfully with the bacon and lox. The lox itself was very fresh tasting and not overly salted. After trying a bagel at Murray's, this made it pale incredibly in comparison. Murray's bagels are chewy and cold, but these bagels have the perfect consistency. They taste light (even though they're obviously dense bread) and the bread is yeasty and flavorful. The employees here were friendly and joked around with us as we were one of the few patrons around 1:30pm on a weekday. They have a nice outdoor area that had ample seating, but it was unfortunately incredibly hot and humid when we stopped by. If you're looking for the "signature NYC bagel experience" I'd highly recommend starting here.

Toby M.

Fantastic bagels in a quintessential East Village style. Skip the coffee, however; it's never very good.

Alexandra H.

We had fun mixing and matching cream cheeses and bagel flavors over the week I visited. Yummy and conveniently located. However, the ordering process IS confusing and the service is very... "new york" (coming from a Californian)

Matthew S.

TSB is my fave place in the city for bagels, and I've tried A LOT of bagels. I came here twice a week for the year I lived in the east village, and now that I live in lower east side I still travel the 12 blocks for them instead of going to one of the other great bagel places nearby. The wait can be long but it doesn't bother me because my bagel is always delicious. I've also never gotten any attitude for wanting my bagel toasted, which I do every time. Thanks TSB!

Brad L.

I read articles about this place saying they were bringing back "reasonable-sized bagels," but was disappointed with what I was served. For me it was too large and fluffy. The owner of Tompkins Square Bagels was actually kind enough to write me about this. It turns out that they did serve a smaller, denser bagel when they first opened, but the clientele (mostly young NYU students), demanded the big, fluffy bagels they were used to, so Tompkins Square had to abandon the kind of bagels I love. That's unfortunate, but I can understand the pressure they're under. The owner tells me he decided to meet them half way, in terms of size and fluffiness. The bagels you'll find here are smaller and denser than most, but just not as small and as dense as I prefer. My other gripe is that I've had a terrible time getting them to serve my bagel the way I order it. Every time I order a pumpernickel bagel, toasted with cream cheese, not stuck together and every time they stick it together, like I'm eating a sandwich. A bagel is not a sandwich! I should note that I'm always polite and very specific when I order. They simply chose to ignore my order.

Ashley Rose S.

I've been here twice, once mid-morning on a week day and once mid-morning on a Saturday. Two VERY different experiences. Weekday: No line, quick service. Bagels are $1 but the flavored cream cheese/drinks make it more expensive. I got a toasted everything bagel with veggie cream cheese - possibly the best cream cheese every. Bagels were big and fluffy to boot. Make sure to ask for a plate if you stay, I hate eating on paper/foil. Weekend: HUGE line. It went pretty quickly, but I was with a friend chatting so I'm not sure exactly how long we waited. This time I ordered a breakfast sandwich: cinnamon raisin bagel with egg, cheese and hot sauce. One of the staff waits at the middle of the line to take your order so it has a better chance of being done by the time you pay - he takes your name and they call it out when your bagels up... Or so you think... I have a pretty common name and usually only give the first half when I am at restaurants.. That's where I went wrong. They call "Ashley" right after my friend got her bagel so I assumed it was mine. WRONG! I opened it up (thank goodness we stayed to eat) and it was an everything bagel with egg and turkey bacon :(. I took it back and turns out my bagel was up next. Next time, I suggest using a crazy fake name or double checking the order before you take it. Cash Only!

Evan M.

Undoubtably, one of the best bagel places in NYC. It's right up there with Murray's and Brooklyn Bagel Co. This is one of those bagel establishments that you wish you could have in your neighborhood. Lots of different cream cheeses to choose from. Tons of bagel variety. The bagels are made fresh daily. Crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside. As good as a bagel can get. The place is huge and there is lots of seating and a bathroom. This bagel establishment would easily make any top 10 bagel list.

Katie S.

I'm completely gluten free, and this place is AMAZING. I literally travel an hour from the upper west side to satisfy my craving on the weekends. Fabulous: maple walnut spread, bacon egg and cheese, you name it. Just make sure you bring cash-they don't accept cards.

Jeb A.

Best lox spread in history, and the bagels are outrageously tasty. I always order pumpernickel with lox, and TSB wins every time. These bagels have the perfect balance between a slightly crisped exterior and a moist (but NEVER chewy) interior. The sourness of the rye is wonderfully evident, while the lox spread is scattered with nubbins of moist salmon. Most lox spread is over-salted and whipped into a dull spread. The chunky creaminess of TSB's spread is the real deal. It's worth waiting in line if you're not in a hurry, and definitely worth the extra buck and change to splurge on one of the nation's best bagels.

Julieta H.

Ordered a sandwich with roast beef, onions, cheese and tomato. It was a delicious combo. I didn't get to try the bagel but definitely will be back! Ordering is a little confusing, you go to the back and then go to the cashier to pay and pickup. They also have a nice seating area in the back which is nice for lunch. Overall, had a great lunch here and will be back when I'm in the area.

Ty C.

Bagelicious Vegan options and gluten free combined with great location, across from the park, makes this place my go to when I'm in the East Village. Cash only

Ashley H.

Holy sh*t this place is amazing. They have incredible bagels and the breakfast sandwiches are unreal. I always get an everything bagel with bacon, egg & cheddar or the Lox Deluxe. The atmosphere is so cute here, which is rare in the realm of bagel shops, and I love sitting in the little courtyard out back or in the open windowed breakfast bar up front when the weather is nice. Their iced coffee is pretty good too and they have a bunch of other fun drink options. The actual bagels may be better at the famous Ess A Bagel in Midtown, but I definitely prefer Thompkins overall because they have way better sandwich options, kill it on the atmosphere front, and you won't find any tourists here.

Andrew K.

Best bagels that I've ever tasted in NYC - even better than Bagel Boss on 1st Ave. The cream cheeses and toppings are great, always fresh. These guys really know what they're doing. The staff are delightful, enthusiastic, friendly, and they're very warm and welcoming to my kids and me. They never act annoyed at my 3 y/o's questions and running around. The decor is great too.

Nicolas H.

I cannot recommend this place enough. While I was there I had a bagel with olive spread that was amazing, but what makes this place stick out in my mind is not just the bagel. When I was there they had just finished baking some muffins and gave us a pistachio one for free. It was great and the fact that it was free made it only taste better. It's not just that it was free, but the people working there were incredibly kind and the service was excellent. All of the baked goods are super!

Emily R.

Great bagels, but come prepared for a long line on the weekends. So sad that I moved away from this neighborhood. The whole wheat everything and lox spread are to die for.

Sydney C.

This place just opened up a couple weeks before I moved away and I'm glad it waited until then or I would have been there every single day stuffing myself with bagels. Great, not greasy breakfast sandwiches and delicious cream cheese and lox. What more do you need from a bagel place?

Peter C.

I'm not originally from New York. If that immediately disqualifies me from offering an opinion on bagels in your opinion, then so be it. This place is great. Locally-owned good vibes? Check. House-made delights of all types? Check. Convenient location close to the TSP dog run? Bonus points. Prices are no higher than expected, and there are no other true bagel shops anywhere nearby, thus sealing the proverbial deal. The bagels have always been fresh and warm. Cream cheeses of all varieties are delicious. They have egg and meat options for breakfast if you so desire, or tuna / whitefish spreads for your mid-day meal. The coffee is good too, so I like to grab a bagel and a cup o' joe and take my pooch over to the dog run. Nice little Sunday morning, that. And, in case your interested, the born-and-raised-in-New-York b*tches at the dog run are always sniffing at my dang bagel, so they must like them too.

Derek S.

I was in NYC for 36 hours and this was the recommendation for best bagel in the East Village. My requirements were simple: not touristy and must make their bagels on the hour in house. And wow did this spot meet expectations: the everything bagel with egg, crispy bacon and avocado was the perfect NYC treat. Line was long but the efficient ordering process made everything move quickly. It's always a good thing when there is a sign on the wall that says we make our bagels every hour on the hour and toasting not recommended. The 40 person line filled with hung over hipsters and lulu lemon wearing yuppies made me feel right at home....I knew JB came through on a solid recommendation.

Alexa O.

I have been wanting to go here and my trip did not disappoint. I had an everything bagel with cheddar jalapeño cream cheese and it was delish! The cream cheese flavors are awesome! I had a bite of a French toast bagel and it was very good but I prefer savory bagels. I gave 4/5 stars because it's cash only and bagels are great but not the best in NYC. You come here for the cream cheese. TIP: They let you SAMPLE the cream cheese flavors

Bianca P.

Came here because I had seen too many pictures of this place on Instagram and my brother and I really wanted a bagel. The place was empty as it was a weekday morning. The service was ok. The lady who took my order was rude and didn't let me look at the menu and when I asked for a few mins she sighed. The lay at the cash register was the complete opposite and was very friendly. I got the everything bagel with egg whites, cream cheese and avocado and it was amazing and so filling that I could not finish half of it. My brother got the birthday cake cream cheese on a plain bagel and said the bagel was average but the cream cheese tasted like cheesecake which he loved. Overall I'd come again on a weekday when it's not crowded.

Kerry G.

Ordered: Sourdough bagel with eggs, avocado, cheddar cheese and bacon & French toast bagel with birthday cake cream cheese Pros-- The bagels were fresh and had a great dough-y consistency. The birthday cake cream cheese tasted like cheesecake, so if you're a cheesecake lover this is a must-try.

Christianne F.

Today my heart was broken. I love their salmon on their excellent everything bagel and I was soooo excited to get it with their scallion cream cheese spread which the worker recommended, but when I peeled back the white paper wrapping, my heart sank to see that there were no scallions and it was too late to go back. Quite frankly, I'd like all the spreads in one bagel because they all looked sooo delicious. Next time I'll add red onions and capers too. Cash only!

Jon W.

Tompkins Square Bagels is a place that I would like to love but their bagels and cream cheeses and bagel egg sandwiches are just OK and not worth the long line and high prices in my opinion. When you walk into the shop there is typically a long line that moves somewhat fast and someone takes your order while on line to get things moving quickly and there a bunch of signs pitching to you to get your company to do catering with them which gives it a very corporate feel and takes away from it acting like an independent shop. On your way to get the bagel you get to see the cooking process and bagel making process which is very cool and lets you know everything is made super fresh. By the time you get to the register its been about 20 minutes and they ring you up and its around $10-13 per person with a drink. At this point I am expecting to be wowed. I go the everything bagel with herb cream cheese the first time and it was just ok nothing special and my friend got the french toast bagel with birthday cake cream cheese which was extremely tasty and sweet. The next time I went here I got egg sandwhiches on everything bagels again nothing special here except the high prices. I got the one with Lox and another. Pros: Fresh Food You can say you went to the over hyped Tompkins Square Bagels Cons: High Prices Long Lines

Kruti S.

My brother raves about this bagel shop so it was a mandatory pit stop before exploring the city. We came here around 10 on a Friday morning & the wait was not bad at all, maybe 20 minutes tops? I could not decide which bagel or cream cheese I wanted and finally decided on a whole wheat bagel with sun dried tomato cream cheese: this was good but I wish I had chosen a different combination! I tried a bite of my brothers bagel & it was delicious! I can't remember which bagel he got but the jalapeño cream cheese paired perfectly! It was SO good & tasted so fresh! Overall I wish I could go back to try all the flavors, but hopefully on my next trip out to the city!

Valentina M.

Nice customer service. High quality in products. Very delicious breakfast. They offer gluten free bagels (the biggest reason why I decided to come since I'm allergic. They take allergies very seriously and toast your bagel separately and everything). The place has a nice interior and even an outdoor area with chairs and funny caricature-like bagels painted in the walls. I will definitely come back here for breakfast. The bagels are huge! At first I thought they were a bit pricey but when I saw the size and how much salmon they added I was happy to pay for it. They are simply delicious. I ordered a deluxe GF bagel (salmon, cream cheese, capers, onions, tomatoes) and I will come back soon to try some other fillings, although it was so good that I might end up ordering the same one!

Ellie L.

Tompkins delivers a completely chewy and satisfyingly large bagel with delicious homemade cream cheese. As I consumed my large sesame bagel with plain cream cheese, I sat watching the bagels being made fresh, further proving the legitimacy of this bagel shop. The bagels rise pretty high but there is still a very good concentration of small bubbles indicating proper gluten formation. If you're into breakfast sandwiches, you'd be pleased with their selection of fillings, all generous is size. I tried a simple egg, sausage, and cheese and there was ample quantities of everything. They also have pretty tasty gluten free cookies if that's your thing.

Matt S.

I seem to only come to TSB on weekend mornings after debauched nights that would make my mother all sorts of teary-eyed. If I were rating consistency in patronage, I'd be forced to give this place 5-stars. I feel like I'm walking into a millennial pride convention every time I come in here. There's always a drawn-out line of young pseudo-intellectuals talking to one another in what seems like every bit a deliberate attempt to validate my suspicions of their misguided self-admiration. As I stand in line hating myself for joining this group in our united pursuit of breakfast, it usually takes about two or three minutes for me to start sweating. The previous night's alcohol isn't helping here, nor is the undulating negative energy from my surrounding patronemies, but it's really one final pest that does me in at this moment. Way outside eyeshot of the shop's displayed menu, a soft-spoken worker (always the same one) reveals herself and demands my order. This woman (again, always the same one) is relentless. You need to give her an answer right on the spot, unless you're looking to hang out with this line of write-offs and leave empty-handed. I'm fairly well-versed with bagel shops, so I can order my way out of a hole, but I genuinely feel as though I'm not getting the opportunity to experiment with all of TSB's offerings due to this untimely and rather off-putting order request. Also, last time here, I got into a little register scuffle over the price of my and my girlfriend's order. I was finally in clear view of the menu so that I could corroborate pricing and immediately identify that I was being overcharged. Cashier gave me some hostility as if her expectation of harmonious bagel transactions outweighed my financial mindfulness. After I briefly explained to her my hesitation of ever wanting to come back to this place due to all my aforementioned gripes, she adjusted her incorrect charge and even gave me a bleak glimmer of a smile as I callously threw my bills on the counter. Good bagels, but I don't know if I could ever subject myself to this place again.

Ami P.

Oh my god... I have never had a bagel this good in my entire life. I had half birthday cake cream cheese and chocolate chip cream cheese on a FRENCH toast bagel and my soul literally danced in heaven. The workers there are SOOO kind and are HAPPY. I LOVE HAPPY WORKERS! I was just so enthralled with the whole experience I did not care about all the calories going into my system. IT WAS WORTH EVERY SINGLE FAT CALORIE I WANTED MORE. IM COMING BACK FOR YOU.

a p.

We loved this place. We got an everything bagel w scallion cream cheese and an egg cheese and bacon on everything. The bagels are so soft on the inside and have a great crust on the outside. They know their stuff!!!!! Lots of poppy seeds and garlic. Good vibe in this place. You can tell the neighborhood loves it. If I could have one last breakfast... It might be a bagel from here

Logan R.

They really do make bagels fresh every hour (you can watch them while you eat) and their cream cheese options are insane. I went with chocolate chip cookie dough but there were 20+ others to choose from including birthday cake. I would have happily eaten here every day of my trip to try all the cream cheese options.

Saacha M.

Don't be fooled by the line, it moves quick and there is usually someone taking your order while you wait. This place has some of the best bagels I've ever had. After a night out in NYC, we stopped in here since it was only a few blocks from our AirBnB. I would definitely take your time with the menu since there are so many cream cheese options. I ordered an everything bagel with chive and onion cream cheese, which is my standard order, and it was delicious. I liked the chewiness of the bagel and the cheese was very creamy. My friend ordered the bacon and scallion cream cheese on her bagel, and it was to die for. I would go back to order that again. They have some bagel sandwiches, but I would avoid those since they are never as good. Also, they have a birthday cake flavor that is apparently amazing, but I didn't get to sample it this time. I would definitely go back here when I'm in NY next time.

Ashley S.

Amazing bacon egg and cheese bagel. Pretty much the best I've ever had. The only downside is the super long weekend lines + sometimes the order isn't always right.

Olivia H.

Can anyone say.... BIRTHDAY CAKE CREAM CHEESE? It's literally a cream cheese heaven in this place.. the flavors they have are so creative... and unique! definitely worth sampling any funky flavors. They are very nice about sampling too, not all snotty about giving samples out. I was in-between a 4 and a 5... anddddd I had not one thing I would change about this place or any complaints. So 5 star it is. EATS: - french toast (taste very similar to cinnamon raisin.. too sweet for me) - everything - pumpernickel --** FAVORITE - cinnamon raisin - tub of regular cream cheese - small tub of cucumber dill --- THE BESTTTTT !! I would definitely go there again. for ANY bagel cravings. The texture of the bagels are just ... something else.. I've never had bagels with this type of texture. BUT I wouldn't recommend you waiting to eat it. It does get hard and I don't recommend you reheating it because its meant to eat fresh right there and then! TWO THUMBS UP Also, I was lucky to have no wait at all. on a sunday at 2pm ! :) CASH ONLY **

Alyssa H.

Best in town! Yes, the line will be out the door, but don't worry, it moves quickly! These bagels are as fresh as humanly possible! There is someone making the bagels in the back, with a quick boil and then some fun in the oven. Fun? Yes. The bagels take a ride on a Ferris wheel that spins inside of the oven, cooking them to perfection. For toppings, you have classic or custom cream cheeses (avocado, birthday cake, wasabi, etc), BEC & co., or some specialty sandwiches such as the pastrami and scallion cream cheese. ***Spoiler Alert: they're opening a second location on 13th and 2nd ave! Oven will be up front by the window. Can't wait!***

Leonard L.

Tompkins Square Bagel NY Manhattan East Village 10:30am Sunday 23rd February 2015 Five Stars (more like a constellation) There is no great way to get here by subway but we made the three avenue trek from the 6 train to have these fantastic hourly baked bagels. There was long line stretching to their snow covered patio but it moved rather quickly unlike Ess-A bagels from last week. There is no double toasting. Also no outside food or drink (I brought my DD coffee in anyways). We ordered 5 Bagels: 1) The Moo on an everything Bagel: Steak, Egg, and American Cheese (they say steak but it's roast beef). The bagel was warm, doughy, slightly crisp, and absolutely packed with flavor. The topping was a majority poppy with smatterings of sesame, salt, and onion. The cheese delivered that classic Kraft-single-like taste. The eggs and beef were on point as well. 2) the Moo on a Salt Bagel. This bagel had the right amount of seasoning. The top had a better ratio but the bottom was not too overwhelming. Usually it's too much that you have to scrap the sodium off. 3) FRENCH TOAST Bagel with walnut and raisin cream cheese. This bagel was incredible! It captured all the right egg, sugar, vanilla flavors of its breakfast cousin but in bagel form. Plus it was cooked better than its brothers and sisters because it was crisper on the outside. You cannot come here and not get this hybrid treat. (Next time I am getting birthday cake spread) 4) Pumpernickel Bagel with chocolate chip cookie dough spread. The bagel tasted of rye, had a heavier consistency and mildly sweet molasses flavor. The spread was packed with sugary, chocolate-y goodness. I wonder what ratio transforms cookie dough cheese cream to cake icing. 5) Healthy Egg Bagel with Chicken Sausage, Spinach, Egg White, and Onion. It was good. I don't have much to say about it since I dropped half of it on the floor. :( Overall, Tompkins Square Bagels are the best in the city and no other place has even come close on BagelSunday.

Chantal M.

ARE THE BAGELS AMAZING ??? YES! If these ratings were based solely on food then yes these bagels are super satisfying. I get an everything bagel or onion bagel toasted with plain cream cheese and grape jelly. The boy gets everything bagel toasted with lox and CC. They recommend that you don't toast the bagel cause they are fresh and I don't know when. Yes they are broiled but if you like your bagel toasted aka a little crispy on the outside then you need toasted I was disappointed the first time because of this. Now the line usually wraps around the restaurant. it's 100 degrees because they keep the doors open when its 95 degrees even though they have a fan on its unbearable. Id like to say the line moves fast but its a snails pace because there is only ONE REGISTER. I can't believe I have been here for 2 years and they still don't have 2 registers open at once. At any given time there are stacks and stacks of completed white paper bags waiting on the counter but the guest are in line still waiting to pay. Its rough . The specialty cream cheese is just OK. Good to try but sure to give you a belly ache. The almond cream cheese would be better on the sweeter side with a little honey.

Kelly M.

Also had the bacon scallion cream cheese more recently and it was a definite WOW WOW WOW as well. The Jonas cream cheese is also amazing. I don't really like spicy things but the mixture of jalapeno and avocado made it refreshing with a little bit of a kick!

Danielle N.

Loved my cinnamon raisin bagel with birthday cake cream cheese! I was skeptical if it would be worth the wait in the the extremely long line, but it definitely was! I will be back!

Kelsey M.

We went here for my friend who is gluten free as they advertised gluten free bagels and I was pleasantly surprised! I had a normal chocolate chip bagel with cookie dough cream cheese and it was the best bagel I've ever eaten. I also was very happy that they were able to take care of my peanut/treenut allergies and make my order separated from others. My friend also said her gluten free bagel was amazing!

Jessica R.

Multiple types of tofu cream cheese..... Heck Yes!!!!!! This place has so many options which I love. Their bagels are delicious and I would say one of the best bagels I've had in a long time. I ended up ordering from here 3 days in a row while I was staying in the city they were that good. I had an everything with tofu lox cream cheese.... AMAZING! Staff overall very nice. I also really like that they deliver!

Andy L.

Awesome little bagel place. The line can be long but it goes fast. Has the Jersey which is a breakfast bagel sandwich with Taylor ham, eggs and cheese. 9/10. Solid sandwich. Only downfall is that they only have cash so be prepared but there also is an ATM.

Carina S.

Loved this place! Great selections of bagels and big size portions. The prices are fair because they're basically sandwich size. I wish they had all the ingredients needed. They were out of some of the meat in my bagel and they didn't have all the bagels. Maybe their shipment didn't come yet. Nonetheless, fantastic food and great place to eat! Tip: cash only and there is an ATM inside the place.

Noelle T.

I'm a tourist but a friend of mine told me I had to have a bagel from TS Bagels. Amazingly, I found my way there and ordered the French Toast Bagel with Apple Cream Cheese. It was amazing! I only wish my stomach had room for the birthday cake cream cheese too. I kind of wish I could fly back just to try it out. Also, I was pleasantly surprised by the laid back atmosphere and the helpful staff. The person taking our order actually took time to answer my questions about the food and she was so patient with us = shocking! In fact, my husband and I joked that being in TS Bagels felt oddly like being in East Nashville. I would go back.

Antonio W.

Holy. Shit. The bagels here are AMAZING! My wife came here with a friend and ordered a blueberry bagel with strawberry cream cheese for me. It was fantastic even as a reheated leftover the next day. I was so impressed I couldn't wait to come here and get a fresh bagel. My sister in law came to visit and we all went to Tompkins. I ordered an everything bagel with bacon and scallion cream cheese and it was really good. It's out of the way for us, but I'll come back another day.

Mike T.

I basically owe this place my life. I live within two blocks of this Mecca of bagel goodness, and I have lost count of the number of times I woke up on the verge of death (sweating in the summer, freezing in the summer, hungover now and then) but took respite in the fact that I knew the exact remedy my body required. I usually go for an everything bagel with plain cream cheese. Basic, I know, but I firmly believe these are the best bagels in town and I don't want to obscure the purity of the bagels with birthday cake cream cheese or something absurd like that. Plus, they're really generous on the cream cheese which no person has ever complained about in the history of cheese. There are some struggle days when I'll order a breakfast sandwich, with bacon, egg, cheese, and tomato. This sucker is greasy and filling and delicious and wonderful. A couple of words of warning, though. This place is cash only (shocker here in the East Village), and the line on weekends and holidays is legendary. Granted, since most people are just getting bagels, the line moves fairly quickly, but do not expect to be in and out in less than 30 minutes during the busier times. Food: 5/5 Value: 5/5 Service: 4/5 Atmosphere: 4/5

Jennifer M.

I am so bummed that they didn't have the Birthday Cake cream cheese when I stopped in one fine morning! I considered it to be one of the more popular choice of cream cheese that Tompkins had to offer, so I thought it would make sense for them to prepare a bit more to accommodate the high demand. I was so disappointed, because I had high hopes to finally try it, but was just turned down so quickly. The bad news was hard to take. I settled on the Kaitlyn (Egg whites, avocado, scallion cream cheese). It was simple and clean tasting. I liked it a lot, just simply because I'm a fan of avocado in/on anything. This was no exception. It wasn't heavy. It was stuffed just right, and the scallion cream cheese gave it the flavor it needed. The bagel itself is great. The dough texture/consistency/density (whatever you want to call it) was how a bagel should be. I am also recommending the French Toast bagel to anyone who hasn't tried it yet. It is amazing. It's not the same level of sweetness as an actual french toast, but just enough to push a regular bagel to a new level. I could eat it all day. The line might seem ridiculous, but do not let this turn you away. It goes by relatively fast, and you'll have your delicious bagel in your hands soon enough. The staff was very friendly, and I appreciated how they didn't fail to smile even when things were getting chaotic.

Madison N.

Yes!!!! A true NYC bagel, my carb-fat-kid-dreams have been waiting for you. I went traditional with the poppyseed bagel, then a little funky with the herb cream cheese. The cream cheese hag the perfect punch, then the bagel. Oh man. Chewy and light, not those gross dense bagels we get here in the Midwest. Thanks for providing me with an awesome airport snack that day!

Ruggy J.

It's quite dangerous having bagels this delicious near my house for consumption at a moment's notice, but hey - you only get diabetes once, right? Tompkins Square Bagels is arguably one of the best spots in the city for a comfy piece of New York lore. Whether smothered in cream cheese or riding alongside a hefty pile of capers and lox, Tompkins Square Bagels are always a winner. If you're feeling frisky, try an egg bagel with birthday cream cheese (it's basically just rainbow sprinkles mixed into a vat of cream cheese). I sort of feel like Buddy The Elf drinking cups of syrup for breakfast, but what fun is it being an adult if you can't eat candy as your first meal of the day?

MaryKate M.

Great New York bagel sandwiches! Oh how I miss the east coast for this breakfast delight! The line was long, but moves fast. They help it move fast by having someone take your order from the line, which is smart, however, I almost wish I had more time in line to look at the menu because we got in line and boom! She was there to take our order. I went with the tried-and-true sausage, egg and cheese on wheat (which did not disappoint!), but would have maybe tried something else (or got something in addition) if I had time to check out the massive menu on the wall. Cool to watch the guys make the bagels & sandwiches as you wait. Tons of cream cheese flavors & deli stuff too, although we didn't get any.

Jasmine C.

The line was extremely long when my friend and I got there to get bagels. While we waited, we could look at the kitchen where they freshly made their bagels. I got the birthday cake cream cheese and my friend got the peanut butter cream cheese. Honestly I think the cream cheese would've tasted better if we eat it fresh but since we had other business to attend, by the time we are it, it was cold already. However it still tasted good, the birthday cake wasn't extremely sweet like I would've thought. It was just the right amount. The peanut butter doesn't even have the cream cheese taste to it, it was pretty good too. I can't wait to come back to try their other unique flavored cream cheese!

El Roy R.

Who would've thought that an $11 bagel sandwich would be something I do regularly. But if you're gluten-free &/or dairy-free, welcome to o p t i o n s! Order side by side with your fiends, the world is your's & you have choices. I like getting the weezer: gf everything bagel, avocado tofu cream cheese, no cheese, eggs, bacon & chorizo. It's worth every dollar. And to our benefit as the only shop in the hood, Tompkins Square Bagels is all-around great: bomb ass bagels, plenty of drink options, serves La Colombe, and the people who work there are stellar. There's nothing like getting a bagel & heading to the park with a book. Welcome to my Thursday.

Christine T.

I thought I knew NY Bagels, but boy was I wrong... living here 2 years and barely getting to try Tompkins?! Boy oh boy I'm glad I did, it was life changing. Do yourself a favor and try the French Toast Bagel!! I had this with the birthday cake cream cheese and woah it blew my mind away! Best bagel EVER. The bagel was fresh, soft and warm with a hint of sweetness like a french toast. I'm usually not a fan of birthday cake flavored items but this was so good! Very very happy with this gem, just wish it wasn't so far East and closer to my apartment, it would be a weekly ritual for me. It's cash only, and the line is pretty ridiculously long but worth every minute!

Camille J.

Got the everything bagel with veggie cream cheese. Quality bagel with really good cream cheese! Not too heavy and lots of flavor. The line was pretty long but it wasn't too bad of a wait because they move pretty efficiently. Plus you get to see the kitchen and watch them prepare the bagels.

Mel L.

My husband and I bought two bagels for lunch on 8/9. We got the Jersey and Dylan. They are delicious. We like the dylan with pesto egg more but the jersey is also delicious. We have eaten in this place many many times. Waited to get our food at a decent time today. Sometimes this place is packed and it could take a long time to get your food. You will be scared to see the line. Love their great variety of bagels (especially the french toast bagel) and cream cheese. Staff is friendly. Will definitely recommend this place to others. Gave only 4 stars because they take cash only.

Brenton H.

Best in the biz, they have everything you could want on a bagel and even the basics are great. Highly recommend!

Anna C.

Tompkins Square Bagel has the greatest variety of bagels and cream cheeses in all of NYC. Some places might have softer/fresher bagels, but this place wins for creativity. Currently my favorite cream cheese is the triple berry - it comes with fresh fruit and has the perfect amount of tartness and sweetness. It goes well with the french toast bagel. I've also tried the birthday cake cream cheese, which is good but too sweet for my tastes. Any of these pretty cream cheeses will win the likes of all your Instagram friends, which is probably a big reason why this place is packed. The menu is so extensive that deciding what to get will take some time - but that's okay because the line is normally massive. To avoid the lines, avoid coming on weekends. They do try to move the line efficiently though. Take your bagel to go, sit in the Tompkins Square Park across the street, and observe the weird-ass people there as you eat your bagel.

Melanie M.

After traveling overseas for two months, my first meal back in America was a sesame bagel with scallion cream cheese and fresh tomato. There's nothing that compares to a boiled NY-style bagel and Tompkins Bagels never fails. They provide the best bagel in the East Village and the line out the door is a sure sign of that (don't fret, it goes pretty quickly). I really enjoy all of the bagels and cream cheeses. The coffee is also delicious. The space is big with plenty of seating, and the outdoor seating area is nice during the summer. Even on a weekday morning this place is packed! Don't miss out.

Scott D.

I came here after church one Sunday specifically for the birthday cake cream cheese. This place was jumping. Like other reviews I had read the line was really long but it moved quickly (10 minutes.) There is a worker going down the line taking orders. I got a Cinnamon bagel with birthday cake cream cheese. Awesome bagel and I like the cream cheese a lot. It wasn't too sweet for me but it depends on your taste ( i wouldn't eat it everyday). My only issue was that I got it toasted and when I went to eat it the cream cheese was melting and since there was a lot, it was dripping everywhere. I definitely would try this place, the other food I saw looked really good too. Cash Only,Cash Only,Cash Only,Cash Only,Cash Only,Cash Only...

Dennis C.

Legit bagels. It gets busy on the weekends in the morning, so i tend to only come on the weekdays. Wide selection of bagels, always fresh. I recommend The Sullivan. It's quite filling! They have ample indoor seating plus an outdoor bench too. I'm always overhearing interesting conversations in here lol.

Logan J.

This place is easily my favorite bagel place in the East Village...maybe even in Manhattan! Some people might think this place is a little overrated or a little too busy, but I love everything about it. It's true, this place is packed on the weekends--the line snakes back to the tables and can be outside on occasion--but the bagels are worth the wait. The bagels are so fresh though that you can even watch them being made! My order is typically a whole wheat bagel with egg white, avocado, and pepper jack cheese, and every time it is delicious! The bagels might be a little more expensive than some other generic places, but I think they are worth every penny. This place has almost anything that you could want, including antipastos and tons of flavors of cream cheese. I have to say that the weirdest flavor that I've seen is birthday cake cream cheese, which not surprisingly, resembles funfetti frosting. They sell some prepackaged baked goods, tons of drink options, and coffee, too...but the bagels are where it's at! Don't forget, this place is cash only though (there's an ATM in the back if you need it)!

Rebecca N.

Long line. So worth the wait. (Moves quick). Lox deluxe was everything you could want and more. Perfection. Don't get it toasted!

Harry H.

Grabbed a sesame bagel (they were out of french toast and mac&cheese looks whack) with birthday cream cheese. A manager type was interviewing an eccentric type at stools near the kitchen, so I took a table along the wall. Though they apparently make the kettle bagels continuously throughout the day, mine must've been sitting longer than most, as the bagel was only relatively fresh and far from warm, let alone hot. That said, pretty tasty stuff for certain, and not a terrible indulgence at $4.25 (cash only) vimeo.com/32267253

Antoine C.

Great bagels and a wide range of selections. Always a line Saturday and Sunday mornings but it's usually pretty quick and worth the wait.

Antonio W.

Holy. Shit. The bagels here are AMAZING! My wife came here with a friend and ordered a blueberry bagel with strawberry cream cheese for me. It was fantastic even as a reheated leftover the next day. I was so impressed I couldn't wait to come here and get a fresh bagel. My sister in law came to visit and we all went to Tompkins. I ordered an everything bagel with bacon and scallion cream cheese and it was really good. It's out of the way for us, but I'll come back another day.

Lori J.

FAVORITE BAGEL PLACE IN THE CITY. Incredible lox (and I don't even like salmon). Strange and delicious cream cheeses, fantastic bagels. Incredibly kind service, the people who work there are SO PATIENT AND WONDERFUL!! The black and white cookies are also super good, and the pistachio muffin is to die for. Can't emphasize how much I love this place. Just don't go on a Sunday morning, or it will be packed and stressful and awful.

Alon X.

Who the heck is coming here ? Why are the lines so long? The girl who gets in line to take our orders is rude. The food is oK nothing different than other bagel shops. I got the salt bagel. Way way too salty. Made my wife cringe. The jalapeño bacon cream cheese is just ok Not a good experience for a 3 buck bagel

Vivian S.

LOVE THIS PLACE. Not only the bagel, the service is 10 times better than Ess A Bagel! Had sesame bagel with avocado cream cheese- BEST CREAM CHEESE FLAVOR I EVER HAVE IN MY LIFE, so close to tears when I was having it. Had cousin Pete for the warm sandwich bagel, pretty good too! Love this place so much I wrote a food blog review: thatswhyihavenoboyfriend…

Alex M.

Returned here for the third time this morning, and am pleased to report this has been the best venture, despite them not serving quite a lot of flavors of cream cheese listed on their menu, both on their website and on the board in store. The first time I came here, I walked away very disappointed. I didn't read Yelp ahead of time and didn't know they were prone to mess up orders, and thus walked away with a bagel completely different from what I ordered. And i'm not very picky when it comes to bagels, but I remember it being some completely ridiculous combination, like a Garlic bagel with espresso cream cheese or something, and my taste buds were just not having it. This morning however I went to pick up breakfast for me and my roommate, and walked away thoroughly satisfied. They didn't have either my roommate or I's first choice in cream cheese claiming they were "seasonal" (pear and espresso?) but the bagels we ended up with were still warm and absolutely delicious. Being a block away, this experience is going to make me return MUCH more frequently.

Emily K.

Great quality bagels for very decent price. Breakfast all day and very wide selection of cream cheese. My only complaint with this place is that they don't toast the bagels... But else than that, decently fast service as well.

Joni B.

Having never tried a true NY bagel and hearing good things from a friend in the East Village, I came here twice during a weekend in the city. The verdict: bagels were super doughy, wonderfully toasted, great flavor, large array of toppings and cream cheeses. No matter how hungover you are, don't bother ordering the bagel egg sandwich. Though HUGE, the sandwiches totally lack seasoning, and do the poor bagels zero justice. Donuts were also nothing to write home about. In summary: bagels are the only thing worth your time, everything else is meh. Oh and cash only!

May Wah C.

Breakfast burrito was cheesy savory with a nice kick. My hubs got the Jersey and liked it. Line is long but constantly in motion. They have a good system going. The waitress walks down the line taking everyone's orders. By the time you reach the cashier your food is ready and hot. We met the end of the line by when we were paying. Also picked up a French toast bagel with birthday cake frosting cream cheese. Taste pretty good but a bit stingy with the cream cheese.

Samer H.

One thing everyone knows about NYC is that old and traditional is often misconstrued as best. Well if old is the best option than I hope you all drive Model T's. This place is my favorite bagel in, well the world. The weekend mornings are a mess but weekdays and lunchtimes on weekends are fine. The bacon egg and cheese bagels are the best bargain, as the sandwiches are kind of pricey. Ess a bagel charges around $17 for a lox sandwich that tastes like everything came out of packaging. This place is extremely fresh. Every ingredient is prepared or baked onsite. Don't be a stubborn traditionalist! Have some fun! Their french toast bagel is amazing, and they often have a few seasonal bagels that are worth a try. It's 2015, let's try to accept cards, no one carries cash. That's the only downside to this place, but otherwise, it's my favorite bagel in all of NYC.

Laura G.

Best time to come here is a Tuesday afternoon, hardly any waiting! Staff was really nice. The lady let me sample the cream cheese flavors! I got to try pistachio (okay), birthday cake, and chocolate birthday cake flavors. I ended up getting a green (for St. Patrick's Day) bagel with birthday cake cream cheese. Admittedly I really have a sweet tooth but I didn't even think this cream cheese was overkill. It had a great flavor and doesn't taste like "fake" cake batter. It's worth it to try at least once. The bagel itself was okay. I don't know if the green food coloring changed its consistency, but it was very chewy and a little bland. There were some other flavors that looked great though, and I'd be willing to come back to try them... sourdough, French toast... There is also some seating in the front and the back which is nice. They had a great looking pistachio muffin as well as other goodies.

Vanessa R.

How had we been to NYC 4 times and JUST NOW are learning about this place?! SO very good and a new fave of ours - we ended up going twice in two days. There will almost always be a very long line - do not get alarmed. It moves pretty quickly and most people take their bounty to go. I for one was excited for a gluten free bagel - it has been years since I've been able to parttake! I ordered both the GF plain and GF plain with Nutella and they were both amazing. Their bagels are made on the hour so they do not recommend toasting them & are fairly large. They have almost 30 home made cream cheeses so the options are endless! In addition to a ton of bagel options they also have breakfast sandwiches, salads, soups, and a huge beverage case. Husband had the french toast bagel which he said was out of this world and a bagel sandwich with egg, ham and cheese. Those looking for gluten free eats will also be excited to know that in addition to gluten free plain bagels they also have gluten free pancakes and some gluten free pastries in the case. Note: Dont sit down after you order - you have to pick up your order from the front. Also, hate the people who go throw a coat down on the limited seats to "save" them when they dont even have their food yet.

Emily V.

Went here to pick up some bagels to take home to DC. On the Sunday afternoon that we went in it was packed and there were people everywhere. The ordering process is sort of confusing as you have to find the woman who will take your order and she's pretty brusque and not really interested in helping you figure anything out. I will say that I changed my order after I placed it though and she did it without grimacing or huffing and puffing. The bagels were pretty good, I was happy with them. Unfortunately, it wasn't until I got home that I realized they had given me salt bagels instead of the garlic bagels I requested (why does anyone like salt bagels anyways?) which I was pretty bummed about. They are also a little pricy. But I would go back (just doublecheck your order before you leave!).

Diane G.

Love this place! Great bagels and great service! Even when they were busy they made a point of making sure customers are taken care of! Will definitely be back!

Shaji K.

Bagels and cream cheese. The old bland American standard now with a flavorful twist. So many options here, you can go each day for a year and still not hit every combination they offer. Huge line as soon as you walk in is daunting, but the efficiency is incredible. You make your order while in line and by the time you hit the register (~10 min), your meal will be waiting for you. For $9 got a large latte and a French Toast bagel with chocolate chip cookie dough cream cheese. Tastes exactly what it sounds like, but became a little overwhelming by the second half of the bagel. If you don't mind the wait, this place has the food/service to make you want to come back.

David Z.

Amazing bagels at a great price! My wife and I have been to NYC numerous times, but had never heard of this place. Since she has Celiac, the gluten-free bagels are a godsend. For the rest of us non-Celiacs, the regular bagels and sandwiches are amazing as well. We loved this place so much that we went multiple times, despite the fact that we usually love to try lots of new breakfast places every time to visit New York. The line might be long, but it moves fast. Good luck finding a seat that someone isn't "saving" though. There is a cute back patio, maybe it is easier in the summer to find seating. Hopefully we'll find out this summer if we head back to NYC! Oh yeah, the bagels are NOT square, by the way. The place is close to Tompkins Square and that is why it has this name. The bagels are still circular :-)

Carina P.

I am writing this review after having gone to Thompkin Square Bagels two times. I traveled at least an hour to get there, both times. First of all, I would like to put emphasis on the fact that Thompkin does not take credit cards, which any New Yorker knows is a huge hassle. Not only do they not take credit cards, but their cash machine also charges two dollars *annoying*. The first time I went, I got an egg bagel with their highly coveted birthday cake cream cheese. I will say the cream cheese selection at thompkin is impressive, and they will let you try any flavor before you order. The second time I ordered a French Toast bagel which they charge $2.00 for rather than the regular $1.10 price per bagel. I can honestly say the extra 90 cents is not worth it. The French toast bagel tastes just like a cinnamon raisin bagel. The French Toast bagel at Panera bread is much better. I also ordered birthday cake cream cheese on my bagel and a side of a quarter-pound of lox. The total price for my order was $15.00. A little pricey if you ask me. Additionally, my friend ordered a bagel with the lox tofu cream cheese. However, they charged her $10.00 for a bagel with regular cream cheese and lox on it. Additionally, throughout my second visit the staff were slow and particularly rude every time I asked for my order. Overall, the bagels are fluffy and the cream cheese is delicious. However, Thompkin is over priced and skimpy on the portions.

Jemimah A.

Great place! Went here for little breakfast and I thought that it would be just a regular run of the mill bagel place. Boy was I wrong! The minute you walk into Tompkins Square, you're greeted by the bagels right away. Mounted on the wall are their wide range of variety in bagels. Right on their display case is this array of colorful spreads all begging you to pick them. One great thing I love about this place is they let you sample the spreads. For someone as indecisive as me, I love when any place lets you sample things. Me and my boyfriend decided on the plain bagel but I got the birthday cake spread and he got the chocolate chip. I know their Birthday Cake cream cheese spread is infamous but do not skim over the chocolate chip one. Both of the spreads were sweet but not cavity creating sweet. I loved both of them. I don't know how they made em, but they're pretty much amazing. If sweets aren't your cup of tea, like I said, they have a wide range of spreads that can curb anyone's morning hunger. If bagels aren't your thing, they can accommodate you with delicious sandwiches (both breakfast and lunch). I would very much recommend this to someone and I will be coming back very soon!

Chris N.

If you can make it inside its worth the wait. From a gourmet bagel with the most original cream cheese flavors to a baked macaroni and cheese on a dug out bagel they have what you need to satisfy your craving. The staff and manager are great and always suggest new menu items. Coffee is always fresh.

S M.

It's a decent bagel but it's really not worth the hassle. Obscenely long lines most days, and they consistently mess up orders (at which point you can't get past the crowd to fix it). Expect to wait here least 20 minutes on weekends. The birthday cake cream cheese is just frosting and sprinkles mixed with plain cream cheese. You are better than falling for that. You'll have a much easier time and a better bagel from David's, Ess-a-Bagel, or Bagels on the Square, to name a few.

Sasha B.

Was one of the few well rated bagel spots in NYC I had yet to try. I waited in line about 20+ minutes for a regular bagel with cream cheese. I wasn't overwhelmed... not up to par w Ess-a-Bagel or H&H... that being said, it's still a solid choice if you're in Alphabet City and willing to wait it out on a weekend.

Nicole D.

The bagels are not too dense and lean more toward a bready texture. I prefer a slightly chewier texture in a bagel, but these are pretty good. There's a nice amount of space for seating in the back and the atmosphere definitely fits right in with the neighborhood vibe. Lots of cream cheese options with some novelty flavors like birthday cake. The French toast bagel is huge and costs a little more. The spice and sweetness come through but a little more of a maple syrup flavor would really boost the overall taste. The location is a great spot and it's surprising that a bagel place like this one hasn't opened in the area sooner.

Shawn C.

If you show up at the wrong time, you'll probably be waiting for a few minutes as the line has gotten pretty epic here the past couple times I've been here. Why is that, though? Because this is prooooooooobably the best bagel spot in the East Village. Really eclectic mix of cream cheese options available. The bagels are always super fresh and super doughy, which I love. Their butter also doesn't taste totally bland (I like butter on my bagels, okay?!) which is something I've noticed to be a problem at many bagel places all over the city. Besides the obnoxious wait every single time I come here, I couldn't be happier. Service can be very hit or miss sometimes, but they're usually friendly even if rushed and in a panic most mornings. Recommended. Get your bagel breakfast on over here.

Elise F.

I'm a huge Mac and cheese fan, and I've been hearing about this bagel shop for months! I finally got around to trying it and I have to say this bagel is pretty much perfect! I had an everything bagel topped with this Mac and cheese and it was just as creamy and cheesy as promised. The lines can get a bit long as the place is super popular but I would say it's worth the wait.

Cindy L.

PRO - nice staff workers - good bagels - comfy/cozy space - efficient ordering and paying process CON - long line - slightly confusing menu I walked in and was a bit confused because I wasn't sure what to do but then I saw a sign telling me where to order. I came here for their birthday cake cream cheese but I couldn't find it on the menu so I assumed they were not selling it that particular day. Turns out they were and it just wasn't on the menu. Speaking of their menu, it is kind of confusing especially the part describing their different cream cheese and bagel selections. It was all over the place. I eventually ordered a plain bagel with chocolate chip cream cheese and it was amazing. I'm definitely coming back for that birthday cake cream cheese next time.

Mandy S.

BIRTHDAY CAKE FLAVORED CREAM CHEESE and FRESH HOMEMADE BAGELS....'Nuff said! My life was forever changed after eating bagels here. I love bagels and Tompkins just made my love for bagels stronger...if that's even possible. It's a travesty that I don't live in NY. I may never be satisfied eating a bagel from the grocery store ever again.

Chris S.

First time, last time customer. No line...but still a long wait...maybe backed up with Seamless? 5 min after ordering they came back to say they didn't have everything bagels. 15min later I asked what was going on. 20min after ordering they started making my sandwich...well, they said they were starting it. Taxi to the airport was waiting, so after 20min of waiting, got my $4.50 back. And I thought Leo's Bagels were disorganized...this place may or may not have good bagels, but for sure the service is chaotic...better skip this place unless you have a lot of time in your hands to "help" them get your order completed.

Mike C.

These are up there with the best bagels in the city, which explains the mobs that are usually here on the weekends. Almost every time I've come on a Saturday or Sunday, it's packed to the point of being unable to move in the front waiting area. You first go all the way to the back of the store and can place your order pretty quickly to someone writing them down on tickets. Then you wait, and wait, and wait a little more. Finally though, you get your bagels, and it's totally worth it. Though they do offer the service of toasting the bagels, it is wisely recommended not to, since they are constantly being made fresh. In the frenzy to order, I missed out on some of the excellent-sounding sandwich combinations like the Weezer, but the regular Bacon, Egg and Cheese on Everything Bagel was pretty excellent anyway, so I didn't mind. We also tried a French Toast Bagel, which was incredible - it was really soft and incredibly dense and had a good amount of sweetness to it. It's listed under their specialty bagels section, along with chocolate chip and blueberry varieties, which cost $2 each. One thing here to skip, that I should've known better about, is the Mac & Cheese Bagel ($5). I'm always a sucker for gonzo food fads and weird-sounding choices, which more often than not turn out to be disappointing. Sure enough, this was very strange - they scoop out the insides of the bagel, which is already a bad start since the bagels here are so good, and then they dump a ton of sloppily made mac & cheese on top of each half, and serve it open-faced. Just take a look at the picture I took of it and you will see that it is not going to be good. Stick with some good old plain bagels here or one of the well-made hot breakfast sandwiches for a really excellent way to start your day.

Darren F.

Place is great. If youre in town and a bagel lover this is the place. Super nice people also. Dont be discouraged about the line, because it goes fast. Everything looks delicious and the food is amazing. Definitely a must have if youre in the area. Everything is clean and you want to eat it all. Why dont they have this where I live. :(

Cait C.

Although the bagels are decent, I can't recommend this place for the food that comes on the bagel sandwiches. I got the Italian and the PROSCUITTO WAS INEDIBLE. It was stale and thick cut, too chewy to even eat had to throw it away. Very disappointed, won't be back.

Jiann M.

Pros: - French toast bagel (cinnamon-y and perfectly sweet) - plain bagel (nice and chewy) - pretty quick service Cons: - birthday cake cream cheese was meh (and not listed on the menu!) - chocolate chip cookie dough cream cheese just tasted like chocolate - confusing? It was confusing where to order - no one there looked too happy and actually rather exhausted.... Note: if you see a lady with short white hair standing by the "Order here" sign, ask her to take your order because she probably won't ask you Bottom line: The bagels were good and quick, but I wasn't impressed by anything else in the shop. No one was mean, but no one was nice either. Maybe I was unlucky or my look just rubbed them the wrong way, but if you want to try their unique cream cheese flavors, I still encourage you to go

Kay W.

All the reviews are true! The bagels are amazing without toasting. Yes, the line is long, especially for the weekends and they only take cash. But the food and the service really make up for these two things. It's actually pretty spacious in the back with plenty seats to sit down. I have tried eggs&bacon&cheese, egg salad, and lox with whole wheat everything. All I can say is that I'm so pleasant that I finish the whole bagel every time. There's also French toast bagel I need to try next time. They also carry Balthazar croissants and some gluten free bakery.

Victoria H.

You know how when you get a new job, you search the surrounding blocks for your go-to lunch spot? Well, I'm searching the neighborhood in search of a job that is near Tompkins Square Bagels! The staff is friendly, the bagels fresh, and the interior very inviting. First of all, they've got a quiet seating area in the back with magazine! Talk about grubbin' some bagels and reading about celebrity gossip (or trends in interior design or whatever) in one sitting! I'm hooked. Their selection of bagel and spread variety is impressive. I grabbed a whole wheat one with plain cc, and sat at the bar stool overlooking the street to people watch. Ps. The restroom is for customers only, and you'll need to ask them for the code to use it.

James A.

Quite possibly the best bagels in NYC. I grew up in the City and these can compete with H&H, etc. the bagels are super doughy and fresh - so fresh and perfect that they generally refuse to toast them even if you want. Whole Wheat everything is my fave but they also make a mean pumpernickel and all the other regulars along with special bagels like French toast. Their sandwiches are also excellent, from eggs to turkey to lox they are all very high quality. They also make a ton of dreamy cream cheese and tofu based spreads. Go there. Eat bagels. Take some home for the freezer. Just do it. There may be a huge line - don't worry it moves quickly. Don't be dissuaded. Beware it is Cash Only. Coffee can be expensive here and not great, so I recommend you get bagels here then a latte from 9th street espresso around the corner. Then go sit in thompkins square park and enjoy one of the best and most quintessential NYC experiences on earth.

Reginald D.

Really good bagels! Perfect for a morning breakfast / brunch / lunch. Usually crowded but the service is fast so don't worry you'll not be waiting too long.

D O.

4 stars on the bagels 3 stars on price. Plus cash only. 2 stars on the services. Life slows down in this place. The mgmt needs to figure a better system. 8am on Friday morning. 18 minutes for bagel/cream cheese and coffee. Don't even try this place on weekend mornings. It's a zoo. So busy that many people walk in and then back out. Like I said. Decent bagel. Slow service. And 20% too expensive.

Emma B.

I have ordered from here ~45 times, and about 43 of those times (half through seamless) they get my order wrong. every ingredient. I order a bacon, egg (fried), and cheese (cheddar) on a poppy bagel. Not complicated. On seamless I check the correct boxes AND repeat the order in the comments section. Its like they're trying to screw it up, half the time I throw it out because they won't refund you. I don't know why I keep trying. I'm done with this place.

Gina M.

This place is delicious! They have the freshest, softest bagels around with a bunch of creative bagel types and cream cheese flavors. My favorite sweet bagel is the French toast bagel with birthday cake cream cheese. They also have a lot of egg-bagel combos- and a really good Taylor ham, egg & cheese (the jersey). The lines are pretty long though on the weekend so I would recommend coming early!

Me M.

Don't be scared of the line when you enter. This place is very organized! Someone gets your order at the end of the line and gives you a copy of the order. By the time you get to the cashier, your order is ready. If you tell them you are eating there, they will bring the food to you right after you pay. It's cash only And the bagels are heavenly! As they say so fresh they don't need to be toasted. I had the omelette with my bagel. Companions had cream cheese. We all loved the food. Thumbs up!

Kayla G.

I would have liked to give this place a higher review, because their bagels and cream cheeses are pretty good. However, their poor customer service made my experience pretty awful. I came here at 7:30 a.m, because I heard the crowd can get pretty bad. I was wanting to try their french toast bagel, but was told that they didn't have any, and wouldn't until the afternoon. So I ordered the cinnamon raisin bagel with half blueberry cream cheese, and half chocolate chip cookie dough cream cheese. Apparently, to do this your bagel is served open face, instead of cut, which is fine with me. However, when I got up to the counter they told me since it was open face my total would be $6.50 instead of $3.50! I'm sorry but that makes no sense to me. It's the same amount of food, they just don't cut it! They also failed to tell me it would be twice the cost of my bagel to do so, as I ordered. I finally got my bagel, and as I sat down noticed that instead of chocolate chip cookie dough cream cheese, I had cream cheese with chives. I walked back up to the counter, to get my order fixed and they seemed annoyed, and even dug my ticket out of the trash to make sure I was telling the truth. After fixing my order, they did let me have the other half of my messed up bagel so I did get an extra half. After all that, the bagel itself was really good and still warm. The blueberry cream cheese was near perfect. The chocolate chip cookie dough was really good for a few bites, and then it becomes too much. As I was eating my bagel, not ten minutes after I ordered and was told there wouldn't be any french toast bagels until afternoon, I saw them bring out a fresh batch of them. I just don't understand, when I asked the man taking my order, why he couldn't have checked to see if any were being prepared. I would have happily waited, it's the main reason I went to this place. Like I said, their bagels and cream cheeses are good and it's the only reason they're getting three stars, but I'm not sure I'd return. It's a shame their shoddy service is overshadowing their food. They take themselves way too seriously, and really need to chill out. I can find better bagels in the city, with employees that are much nicer.

Michael C.

Great fresh bagels! The scallion cream cheese was awesome. Only complaint is that the bagels were not warm and the line was ~20 minutes.

Dan B.

Someone at work picked up a few bagels and spreads for meeting and I have to say these are probably my favorite bagels in NYC. The regular bagels are soft and a little chewy but fresh and have a delciious aroma. The spreads were a little different.. I had half of my bagel with the chive spread and the other half with the birthday cake spread.. I loved both. I will be going here soon to get some for the next meeting.

Elena K.

This place is The Best. Capital T, capital B. High quality bagels, tons of options, quick service, delicious cream cheese, baked goods, huge portions...what more could you ask for. I live in San Francisco but was at Tompkins within an hour of landing in Manhattan for a trip last week. Oh, and I was back two days later. Drooling and dreaming right now...

Richard D.

I came there over the Independence holiday, and apparently everyone and their mom did too. Probably grandmas and extended family and illegitimate families that they didn't know about. The line was INSANE. It was July 4, so I won't ding them for that. I've been wanting to try this place for some time after walking by over and over again, and I didn't see a line out the door this time, so I decided to go in there and take the plunge. Huge mistake because there was a massive crowd of people who've already paid and were waiting for their food. Because it's a bagel shop, I just wanted to try out a simple bagel, you know, to compare it against the great shops, Ess-a-bagel, Murray's, H&H. I also knew that perhaps, just maybe if I keep it simple, I'll get my bagel faster. I ordered an everything bagel, untoasted(those precious minutes matter), with jalapeno cheddar cream cheese. I paid, and I waited.and waited, and waited some more, until I got fed up and asked the nice girl at the counter and the young man keeping the tickets in order if it was possible for me to just forget about the cream cheese and just get the bagel. They asked for my info, and she was pretty shocked at how far behind they were. They both apologized profusely and said they didn't have any system for splitting up simple orders and complicated orders. Luckily, they managed to sneak my order in and I was able to get my bagel. THANK YOU! I think if I had not said anything, I would have had to wait an hour for that bagel, because even after all of that waiting, I counted at least 30 tickets ahead of me still. Based on the other reviews, I'm not sure if the long wait is a common occurance, but here's some suggestions to improve: split the orders between simple orders (bagels and schmears) and complicated ones (egg, sausage, bacon, etc). If people knew they could get their orders faster, maybe they'll order the simple stuff. Would I come back here? Possibly, it is a fine bagel. I loved the Jalapeno cheddar, and the bagel was quite awesome. It was super soft and chewy. I hope they get their act together because the bagels are good.

Katie P.

The famed birthday cake (don't say funfetti) cream cheese is amazing, but their bagels are just okay. They're too crunchy on the outside.

Drew N.

I've only ever had terrible experiences here even though my roommate seem to like it. First time my bagel was pretty awful (hummus and veggie) and wasn't toasted like I had asked. Second time I waited in line, no one took my order and they told me I would have to return to the back of the line. Crowded, cash only and smug service. Won't be going back, sigh.

Nina P.

I've tried this place a couple times and I'm not impressed. The sandwiches were ok, but they didn't have condiments on them even though it's says on the menu they come with it. My muffin was only half cooked, which would have been fine with me if I didn't find a hunk of mystery hardness. Gross. Also they have a thing about not toasting bagels, even if you ask them to.

Cherno A.

Great food but they consistently charge about 25% more at the register than the prices on the menu/chalkboard. The manager knows about it: seems to be the general policy.

Matthew K.

Placed Sunday morning order on Seamless. Food never showed up. Called 4 times and they told me it was coming soon. Never called to follow up. Awful service.

Danielle C.

OH MY GOD!!!!!!!!!!! So unbelievably delicious on a Sunday morning, then sitting in the park and devouring it. So many bagels and cream cheese flavors to choose from!!!!! Its a line but its definitely work waiting! They also make it fresh right there!!! NOTE IT IS CASH ONLY!!

Veronica M.

I'd called twice to ascertain their holiday hours (they said 2pm) and right after I walk in at about 1:35 they close the grate behind me. I figure that instead of an egg bagel or something of the sort, I'd get something quicker like oatmeal so I do. I mean, technically I was still on time to order whatever I wanted but since it's a holiday, what the hell. I'll be nice. As I waited for my food a woman who I assumed to be the manager kept walking around and loudly telling the workers to hurry up so I would leave. Mind you it was now about 1:40. When I finally get the oatmeal, I go towards the back to find napkins and the same woman snaps at me saying that it's now "take out only". I ask her for napkins and she ushers me out the door. I go without saying anything because I'm too hungry to argue. When I finally sit down and open my oatmeal, only half of it was cooked. Probably should have made them cook me eggs instead. I won't be back.

Izzy E.

As much as I am pleased that they did in fact have a gluten-free bagel as well as vegan butter, I'm a little bummed out. If I am paying $1.40 more just to have my bagel gluten-free, at least make it the size that all the other bagels are. My $2.50 (gluten-free) bagel was almost half the size of the normal bagel my friend got, and, might I add, drenched in butter. I guess I haven't had a regular bagel in a while, but my bagel had a chalk-like and dry consistency. I'm assuming that's the reason they put so much butter on it. Overall, I'm not sure I'll be coming here again.

Karim F.

Best bagels place in NYC. Delicious bagels, huge menu of stuff to pick from, very reasonable prices, and very efficient service.

Mark S.

Went here for breakfast with some friends. I got a 3-egg omelet, but it took a long time. However, they said this was because somebody else took my food, so I got a free muffin out of it. The omelet also came with pretty tasty potatoes that weren't supposed to be included. Anyway, the food was fairly good, and I'm not about to complain that I got more than I ordered.

Genene M.

Yummy!!! Great food and tea!! Great people watching if you get a seat by the window. Plus, Chris gave is free cookies!!!

Tessa C.

As a native New Yorker I would like to believe that I have a pretty good understanding of how a bagel should taste. Tompkins Square Bagels exceeds all of my expectations. I have been coming here since they opened and I feel as if the bagels have gotten even better! There can be long lines throughout the day, mainly in the mornings and around lunchtime but their system once you have figured it out does make sense. Order in the back and then wait in the line with your ticket to pay the cashier and pick up your food. Super friendly staff and a great warm cozy atmosphere if you choose to stay and nosh. Side note: Great pastry and drink selection .

Kate C.

I just moved in a couple blocks away and was so happy to stumble upon this bagel place. The bagels were HUGE and fresh and there were many topping/sandwich options. They recommend not toasting the bagels because they are made fresh hourly. I did it anyway and it made the flavors of the everything bagel pop even more. The coffee was so-so, but not bad. The muffins looked good too!

Ann L.

Toasted whole wheat bagel with cream cheese, bacon, and cucumber. Essentially this has been my bagel order since college, when I would order it at the Golden Bear Cafe (UC Berkeley) before class. One day, I decided to reminisce on old times by trying this place. Ordering, pick-up, and payment occurs in an efficient assembly line fashion. NB: cash only, ATM in the back. If that one's not working there's one at the bar next door. Weekends can get crazy, though, in between all the regulars as well as the tourists crowding in to get a taste of a real NY bagel. When I finally received my bagel, I was amazed at the size of it. California bagels seemed absolutely wimpy by comparison. The bacon/cream cheese/cucumber combination was delicious, as usual, and the toasted bagel made an excellent vehicle to get the aforementioned combo into my stomach. There were lots of different flavors of cream cheeses also, but I'm not sure if I can be persuaded to try them. I am a creature of habit, after all. And I think Tompkins Square Bagels has become my new breakfast habit...

Gabe S.

I'm really glad to find someplace with gluten free bagels. However at 8 dollars for a GF bagel and a small coffee my wallet feels as violated as my stomach feels happy.

Anna L.

Have I mentioned how thrilled I am to have a delicious bagel place around the corner from me? From the moment I saw what was going on during construction, I was excited for this place to open. I've always been a Murray's kid, but being that that's on the west side and I live on the east side, I'm not usually down to make the trek (I used to go there all the time because I went to school near there). Anyway, this place is great. Super reasonable, friendly staff, and most of all...delicious bagels. Warning: it gets REALLY packed on weekends. I just called them to get bagels delivered (would have walked but I am sick - bagels and ginger ale are my remedy) and the guy was happy to oblige since I lived around the corner and just told me to "take care of my delivery guy". I did. Thanks Tompkins Square Bagels, really coming through for me in a time of need!!! And the plain bagel is literally the largest fluffiest freshest most delicious plain bagel I have ever had the pleasure of eating.

Jackie L.

Only place in the neighborhood that I know of that has fresh bagels - you can even see them being made while you wait to order. I'm sure that many of these reviews are focused on the food, and in all fairness everything that I've ordered here has been really good. In fact I come in at least once a week for a bagel. Given that I'm a big fan and will continue to keep coming back here, be warned that this place gets packed on the weekends. During peak hours get ready to wait around for a while in a space that starts to feel crowded pretty quick. And certainly don't expect to be able to find a place to sit comfortably - there isn't nearly enough seating and the line typically extends into the seating area. One thing that a friend of mine complained about the first time he was here and we had to wait in line was that in an effort to speed up the ordering process, the staff were taking orders from people far back enough in the line that the menu wasn't visible to them so my friend had no clue what his options were. The fact that I have such a problem with the waits, lines, and fact that it's cash only and still gave the place 4/5 stars should speak enough to how much I like their bagels (or maybe how I have such few options within my walk-able while slightly hung-over radius)

Tina C.

The mother of all bagels, period. Kettle boiled, baked on premises, served hot with toppings of one's choice in Alphabet City all the more for five stars. Oh, so good! Don't let the long-haul eternal line intimidate your desire for breakfast or a simple afternoon brunch for a kiss off. There's always a line at Tompkins Square Bagels irregardless time of day, but it moves moderately. As patrons wait on line your order is placed and delivered to the visible kitchen, thus by the time you reached the cashier it's awaiting for your presence by first name basis. Space is very cramped between the line and the limited seating area. For one measly onion bagel sandwich consisting of ham and cheese (no drink) totals a whooping utter $6.45. Toppings galore may be pleasurable to the stomach and eye but it is not a pleasure to my lack thereof profound budget. Toppings galore-literally, Nutella chocolate, avocado, favored cream cheese, etc. Amid, the high utter price I would surely return for Challah French Toast or a garlic bagel with Monterey Jack cheese... Yum. Their cream cheese is also made on premises. Gluten free bagels are also available. Tompkins Square Bagels is a local Mom and Pop store for the community, which they utilize local artists for the decor and local vendors. Customer service is efficient and professionally courteous with a genuine smile who are sprightly eager to serve patrons. N.B. Cash only as Tompkins Square Bagels do NOT accept plastic in any genre.

Erica H.

I've only been here on the weekends so the lines are pretty long, but the bagels are super fluffy, so if you like big fluffy bagels this is the place to go. My only complaint, aside from being cash-only, is that they are a bit stingy with the cream cheese. Now, I don't need as much as Pick-a-Bagel puts on but for $3.75, I think it should at least cover the bagel when I pull it apart.

Lili K.

Got the jalapeno cheddar on an everything bagel which was tasty, but....a 30 min wait for just a bagel and cream cheese? I wouldn't wait so long again. They have their own patio to sit outside as well, but the wait is just too long.

Leah L.

For those southerners out there, the house made cheddar jalapeño cream cheese is like a spicy version of pimento cheese. Check it out, y'all :)

Sarah S.

Bagels are good but don't ever order delivery. They are super slow, terrible customer service, and they almost always get your orders wrong. I stopped ordering for a while after a bad delivery service and decided to give them one more chance. My order arrived an hour and a half later. I called at around an hour of waiting and the person on the phone was incredible rude and defensive. Once the food arrived, both of our orders were incorrect. When I called to let them know about the incorrect order, the person who answered was again rude and defensive saying that it was not his fault because he wasn't the one who took the order. He agreed to send out the correct orders but didn't apologize and did not accept any accountability for the error. I ended up getting someone else's order instead of the redo of my original order. Never ordering from here again.

Mark W.

Any place that has jalapeno cheddar cream cheese is all right with me. And put that on an everything New York bagel? Whoa baby, it is delicious. Came in here on a Saturday morning around 11, and it was packed. You can't see the written menu on the board from the end of the line, but they have some handouts around so you can see what to order. The line moves quickly, and the orders didn't take too long to come out. Now, I'm not going to lie and say I'm an expert at bagels or anything, but my toasted everything bagel with jalapeno cheddar cream cheese was pretty delicious. 3.5 stars.

Kym H.

This place is amazing. The gluten free bagel was delicious although different to a plain bagel. We found the service great, the choice of fillings was extensive. We had no problem with the ordering system it wasn't very busy though on the day we were there.

Caleb Z.

The absolute worst. Tried the Veggie and Humus option the first time a few months ago, was disgusting. Decided to give them a try again today. No one was available to take our order so we stayed in line. When we got to the cash register, the employees tried to make us wait in the same line for another 10 minutes to speak with their non-existent employee. This place is the worst.

Miguel A.

Tompkins Square Bagels is great. I'm vegan and I've always missed bagels and cream cheese, as I used to love that as a kid growing up. I noticed Tompkins had tofu cream cheese a while ago, so I decided to step in and try it. It was AMAZING. For those who don't do dairy for whatever reason,, you can't go wrong with a toasted whole wheat bagel with the tofu cream cheese. It's absolutely delicious.

Heather L.

Because I've waited so long to write a review, unfortunately the average to poor service and inconsistent lunches have now pushed my rating down to 3 stars. 1. Lunches- The lunch sandwiches are pretty good, but they often range in quality and taste. If I was you- I'd stick to breakfast and their homemade cream cheese (which is really good if you can manage the wait). 2. Unacceptable responses to unfortunate situations (see below) 3.Service- This is a high volume business and they use tickets which is super inefficient..... I put my order in for a sandwich. After waiting 10 minutes and having 5 people served before me- they come to tell me they are out of key ingredients or the bagel type. Why did it take 10 minutes to figure this out? Why wasn't I told prior to the other guests being served? Why doesn't the person taking orders know what is in or out of stock? The worst part, is this has happened many times- at least 4 times in the past month. Just today I ordered an everything bagel. I heard them speak to 3 people who ordered after me to inform them of the lack of everything bagels. Again- why didn't they notice my ticket first? It left me thinking- "man did someone after me get the last bagel?" I also laughed when they suggested a plain bagel to another person. "Plain to everything, seriously?" he asked. A new item was added to the menu- so I wanted to give it a try. Again, after waiting over 15 minutes I was told they never even got the item in stock to serve. Not quite sure why it's on the menu?? Of course I already paid and had to come up with something new and then wait another 10 minutes for my order. I was "promised" they would have it in the next day and was asked to return. So I truck over the next day...and then- NOPE they still don't have it. Literally they asked me to promise to come back. Unfortunately I can give several examples of poor or inefficient service. The worst part- is I often left without an apology. Frankly- I think I deserved a free bagel or something at least. The manager did feel bad because he recognized me from having to tell me "sorry we don't have that" too many times. I'm shocked that they have not once offered me anything. They are lucky their bagels are good- so I'll stick to buying them to take home (go at night when they aren't crowded) or the occasional breakfast sandwich.

Michael J.

Food - average Ambiance - good Service - poor Price - average Walked in around noon on a Sunday and ordered multi-grain bagel with jalapeno cheddar cream cheese. The bagel was a little dense, but at least they gave a generous portion of cream cheese. Service wasn't great. There's no menu where the line ends. They were out of everything I tried to order. The line took forever, mainly because the cashier wouldn't stop complaining about how busy it was. Honestly, it wasn't that bad, on par with an average Starbucks. One last thing, coffee is terrible, you're better off drinking hot tar with a dash of yuck!

Jason N.

I just can't feel the high-review feeling that most folks have heaped on here. I tried the whole wheat everything with lox deluxe (capers, onions, tomatoes) and scallion cream cheese ($9 plus tax). The sandwich was huge and stuffed full but the flavors were indistinct. I ordered a side of pickle wedges and they were lackluster as well. I'd take the similar sandwich on a bialy at Mile End on Bond any day over this sandwich.

Anna And Blake O.

Great little bagel place! Never gone and been underwhelmed. Usually really busy in the mornings as to be expected, but fair prices and incredible food. The service could use a little boost as they can be a little short, but hey, it's nothing to ruin your morning. Also, good god baby jesus almighty, the French toast bagel with Nutella and banana is nearly something that should be placed into a museum. I don't remember the last time something that good was placed into my mouth. My life really hasn't been the same since I started ordering it. Hopefully that explains how good this thing is. The coffee is La Colombe, so it was strong and super delicious. A go-to place if you need a smile in the morning.

Jessie S.

Way better than I expected. My gf insisted that we come here after discovering that they have have gluten free bagels. When we arrived I was a little worried because the place was so full, but they took our order she got a bagel with tofu veggie cream cheese and I got an everything bagel with nova which was amazing. The bagel just melted in my mouth totally blissful. There was seating in the back which was a nice surprise. A great spot that people seem to really love there were tons of young people 20s and even a few families with kids, really something for everything. I was also surprised to see so many menu options, they had mac and cheese bagels and all sorts of eggs. Next time I'll probably try something more adventurous. Oh and the kitchen is open which i love and super clean and organized. It is cash only, and they have an atm inside the shop.

Sarah C.

Delicious! Check the menu before you get in line so you're aware of all the options.

Anna K.

I wish I could give zero stars. This review is for ordering from Tompkins Square Bagels through Seamless. The whole experience was just awful. Ordered Lox Deluxe on an everything bagel and The Koch on an onion bagel. After almost 2 hours of waiting I called Tompkins Square Bagels to follow up on my order, a guy picked up the phone, he sounded very confused, couldn't tell me anything about my order and then just hanged up on me. When the order finally arrived (it took more than 2 hours to arrive, although I live a couple blocks away from the place), there was no onion bagel Koch sandwich that I ordered, instead they put an onion bagel with some vegetable cream cheese on it. I called the establishment again, a woman picked up the phone and instead of being helpful and try to fix the problem by sending a correct order she started arguing saying that it was not their fault (obviously implying that it was the customers fault to order The Koch sandwich), and refusing to do anything about it. Asked for a refund. Horrible experience ordering, horrible service, it's better to go there in person to get the bagels as they will never be as rude to you face to face as they are on the phone.

Katie B.

On a high shelf in the empty seating area of Tompkins Square Bagels sits a collection of several bagel-themed children's books. I think the book title that best describes my experience at this establishment is "Where on Earth is My Bagel?" by Frances and Ginger Park. On a busy Sunday morning, it takes longer than an all-you-can-drink brunch to get a simple poppyseed with schmear. The absurdly organized bagel assembly line is as chaotic as the clump of grumpy, hungover customers confusedly milling about in the narrow front of the shop. If they haven't lost your order, it's impossible to hear one of the sleepy employees barely mumble your name when they are ready to stuff your order into a paper sack.

Ryan C.

I really liked the chipotle chicken salad bagel and the jalepeño cream cheese one. Pretty good stuff. The service is a little weird, but it's just a bagel place...

Carolyn C.

Best bagel ever! Get there early so that you don't have to wait in the long line. I got the whole wheat everything bagel with scallion cream cheese... and am already planning to go back next weekend. It was amazing.

Tina S.

Pros: large variety of bagels/cream cheeses/toppings options, quality ingredients, big bagels, outdoor seating in back Cons: inefficient assembly system (it shouldn't take 30min to get a simple bagel/cream cheese), three times now they've run out of my bagel and/or cream cheese choice (which really sucks when you've waited 30+min to find this out), COFFEE and non-bagel items are really overpriced, CASH ONLY yet they have an ATM with a $2 charge Overall this place is highly overrated, I think because all the customers seem to be college transplants. The line on the weekend is ridiculous and not at all worth it.

Alie A.

I am not quite sure I have ever had a better bagel experience. The line was practically out the door on a Saturday morning, but it moved along quite fast. The bagels are HUGE and the cream cheese selection was unreal. I got the Jalapeño Cheddar on a Sourdough bagel..the cream cheese had fresh and big jalapeño slices and fresh grated cheddar. Mind bogglingly delicious. Super cheap for the portion sizes too. Well done!

Alexis M.

Yummy fresh bagels! Great neighborhood spot with friendly staff. Of course they get long lines on the weekends, but it's worth it. Only negative is cash only, but they do have an ATM inside so it's not too much of an inconvenience.

Victoria L.

I waited and waited for this place to open with anticipation and it was well worth the wait.. Where else can you get fresh bagels made on-site? You can at T Sq bagels!! Don't let the long line there intimidate you. The ordering system is great. Someone at the end of the line takes your food order and by the time you pay your bagel with d-lish shmear is done and ready to eat. I have yet to try the wasabi cream cheese but I will, oh yes, I will.

Heather M.

Like many, I had high hopes for this place. Sadly, the bagels suck and the customer service is inexcusable. When I asked what one type of muffin was, the man behind the counter was extremely gruff, and barked out "Pistachio!" Then he took one and started to put it in my bag (believe me, I didn't indicate in any way that I wanted to purchase one. He rang me up, did not say how much the total was, and when I asked, he was short and obnoxious once again. The bagel itself was dry and mealy. Perhaps most importantly, the bagel was dry and mealy inside, with a rubbery crust outside. I won't be returning. A final note: a family member purchased a container of one of their deli salads and it turned sour by the next morning. Not a good sign.

Bertrand M.

I go there multiple times a week. Better than Murray's. One of the best bagels in NYC.

Victoria J.

Worth the wait! Be warned, while walking into Tompkins Square Bagels on a weekend morning/afternoon you are going to wait. You will probably wait a good long time too. But you have to ask yourself... would all these people be waiting in line for 20+ minutes (upwards of 45) for mediocre bagels? Definitely not. These bagels are some of the best I have had in NY, and I consider myself to have unrealistic standards about bagels. I like them to be soft and chewy with not to hard of a crust. Although TSB's crust is a bit on the crunchy side, it was still amazing,. Ive been there a few times now and had a little bit of everything. Bagel with butter: DON'T TOAST IT! It doesn't need it. The bagels are so fresh that the butter just melts right into it. And not in that gross way where the 8 lbs of butter that bagel shops normally apply drips all over your hands and the bag and your table and basically everywhere but on your actual bagel. They put just the right amount of butter on. I didn't need to scrape it against the wax paper to take off most of what they put on as per usual with other places. It was tasty and delicious! I recommend sesame or everything but honestly they all looked good. Egg sandwich I ordered a sausage, egg, and cheese on a sesame bagel. The sausage is delicious. It's a patty and not a link which I truly appreciate on an egg sandwich. The eggs were a little disappointing. They didn't taste bad by any means but they are a folded up square of scrambled eggs as opposed to eggs fresh from the pan. All together the sandwich was good but not my favorite. Bagel with Lox and CC: Let me preface this by saying that before my first visit to TSB a few weeks ago... I never ate lox. They didn't appeal to me and I'm not a big cream cheese fan anyway. This has all changed now. This bagel was fantastic! The bagel was soft enough that when you bite into it the CC doesn't go everywhere. The lox were fresh and delicious. The combination of the three was to die for. This is now my go to sandwich. I have read some other reviews that have mentioned that the customer service wasn't great. I didn't have this experience at all. Everyone was nice and friendly and even kept their cool during the insane rush. Plus I have to say despite the wait they were pretty efficient. TL;DR: TSB is awesome. The bagels are delish! Go there, but bring your patience. Lox are definitely the best part. I was recommended to TSB by my friends over at eastvillagevibe.com . Thanks for the idea guys!

Kristi B.

There are lots of bagel topping choices here which is what brought me to Tompkins Square Bagels in the first place. The lines are impressively long and it takes quite a bit of time to get a bagel and coffee (i'll also note that this is not hte least expensive breakfast you will ever have). I thought the bagels were just OK. I tend to like bagels that are a little more airy - these were very dense and not as enjoyable as some of the other bagels I've gotten in the area. Still, a pretty good breakfast. If I couldn't make it to one of my favorite bagel shops I wouldn't turn down a trip here.

Cory N.

Hopped in for a hungover ww everything bagel egg, bacon and cheese sandwich today and was not disappointed. Loved the texture of the bagel, not your traditional circle bagel but a bit..oblong showing its handcrafted touch. The place was BUMPIN on a Saturday morning with many o' young faces linin up orderly for their bagels. I at ate my sandwich in the store; the sitting area, decor, and outdoor patio is a nice touch to this east village hangout..however..have to say that the music selection (top 40s) did not really match the feel of the place. that'd be my only complaint about the experience Also, I regret not getting a cream cheese as the variety is interesting and seems to be the specialties. NExt time, i'll be trying the jalapeno cream cheese on the bagel or bacon cream cheese or even the COOKIE DOUGH cream cheese, my god, so inventive. Definitely will return if i'm in the area

Ch M.

This place is delicious. It can get insane on weekend mornings, so I try to avoid it then. When they first opened it was top notch but the weekend crowds have gotten so intense they occasionally mess up your order (only happened to me once). I have never waited all that long, though. Bagels are BIG, and the jalapeno cheddar cream cheese is awesome (though it should be spicier!! come on!). It is reasonably priced and personally I am glad they switched to Stone Street coffee, I much prefer it. They also have a great drink selection in their coolers, and sell other fun stuff like jams and a few grocery items. All in all, I am so glad to have a good bagel option in East Village.

Sdot D.

Good breakfast spot. They can be pricier than everyone else around the area, but the bagels are always fresh and they have a large whip cream selection.

Katharine L.

I'm a big fan of Tompkins Square Bagels. Their bagels are big, warm and loaded with cream cheese. When you walk by you can smell the aroma of fresh baked goods, always a good sign, and inside you can see the baskets of bagels right there hot from the oven. They have nearly every kind you could want and with that tons of cream cheese choices (the normal and not so normal included). Definitely come before 11:30am on a weekend if you want to avoid a 20 minute wait, but even if you get stuck in line, it's worth it for a great bagel and cream cheese for $2.25.

Madhu R.

Rude staff. Look, I know it's hard being a hipster, but at least they could be a tiny tiny bit nicer. If you're going to be in the area and don't want the 'tude, go to OST cafe a couple of blocks away, or B Cup on Ave B.

Gabe b.

imagine for a minute that instead of Jack Rabbit Slims, Vincent & Mrs. Wallace went to a bagel shop in the East Village. Vincent takes a woozy bite of a pumpernickel bagel with light cream cheese and lox, and exclaims "That's pretty good f-in bagel!" Except, I'm Vincent Vega and this is my bagel. I'm also drug free; not bragging, just thought I should clarify. This ain't a movie dog! Living around the corner on 4/A and craving carb induced validation for my cross country move from San Francisco (farewell burritos!), I encountered Tompkins Square Bagels as a viable option. The line was seemingly CRUSHED - high Noon on a sunny Sunday and 20+ bohemians deep. Hold on! They run the place with the efficiency of a German patent office, but everyone is nice and even exhibiting Matrix-esque chill in the face of the chaos. I had my bagel/coffee inside of 7 minutes Extras: They serve Stumptown in large batches and have additional beverage options galore. They also have gluten-free/veg options for all those looking to go down that rabbit hole. Yikes. I'll be back.

Jordan J.

A new bagel place in town? I'm all over that shit. After seeing all of the rave reviews here I decided to cheat on Ess-A for a day and see what all the hubbub has been about. I was immediately impressed by the place itself - the shop is definitely bigger than I expected, with plenty of stools for those who want a quick bagel on their own and a few tables for those looking to set up shop for a bit longer, including one long one if you've come with a bunch of friends. And it's got the right look for a modern-day East Village/Alphabet City establishment - just polished enough, just unpolished enough, and a little hipster-ish but in the right ways. I decided to go with my usual to test these guys out - an everything with baked salmon salad. Along with a large coffee (they serve Stumptown here, which is nice), this ran me $9. I'd label both the bagel and the baked salmon salad as above average. The bagel was pretty tasty and had a good outer crunch, and even though it wasn't hot anymore still tasted fresh. However, it was too bready to truly enter into the land of bagel greatness - the center just wasn't dense and chewy enough. The baked salmon salad was solid as well, with a nice vinegary kick, but not as smoky as I would have liked (and not applied as liberally as I would have liked, either - If I'm going to pay $6+ for a bagel with shmear, I want a lot of shmear). The coffee was good, though it's hard to mess up Stumptown coffee. This was a solid place and definitely seems like a good option if you're in the area and want to grab a bagel somewhere where you have the space to sit and chill for a bit. However, I don't see myself going out of my way for it, especially with Ess-A-Bagel a mere 10 blocks away. I'll probably come back here again to give a breakfast sandwich or something a try, but for a pure bagel craving, I'll continue to look elsewhere.

Bradley T.

Bagels are just above mediocre, often don't seem that fresh; but better than when the place first opened. They seem to be learning on the job. Service can be disorganized. One of the guys, who seems to be the owner, should stay in the kitchen, since he clearly does not have a knack for customer service. The other counter help is pleasant, if a bit slow sometimes. On the plus side: cream cheese is tangy and good, and it's on my way to work. I'm sure I will continue to patronize this place out of sheer laziness mixed with guarded optimism.

Kristen D.

Why why why is this place so popular? I dont even mind the line system, as all bagel places will be psycho busy on sunday mornings. I go to the back of the line, and a pleasant girl takes my order for a pumpernickel bagel. I get to the front and as Im about to pay, they scream out my name and say we dont have any pumpernickel left. okay. i cant see the new list, and he goes we have whole wheat everything? i say fine. i finally get my bagel, and its not whole wheat. as i was waiting for my bagel after paying $11, about 3 others were told they were out of the bagel they ordered. im sorry, but $11 for a bagel with lox? are you insane? i thought, okay, at least this will have a ton of awesome lox on it. i opened up the bagel and there was ONE SLICE OF LOX FOR $11. THAT IS ACTUALLY INSANE. i will never ever go back here, i could get pre-fixe brunch across the street for $11.

Alexander E.

The bagels are great, especially the sourdough. I wish they had rye bagels, but it's certainly not a deal breaker. I was very sad when they switched their coffee from Stump Town to Stone Street. This led to an initially luke warm review that resulted in a long back and forth with the owner. In the end I respect his reasons, despite preferring his former beans. That being said, it should be about the bagels and the city is teaming with every kind of coffee shop amd roaster imaginable so why shouldn't Tompkins Square Bagels us the Stone Street roast? Try the chittle, on sour dough bagel, or the breakfast sandwiches. Note: don't complain to the owner about the music unless you'd like to see an New Yorker get irrationally upset.

John C.

Do what I do. Buy a bagel sandwich, take it home, lock the door, close the blinds and rub it all over your body. It's that good.

Gene E.

So I know New York is known for bagels, but I really haven't ventured out for an amazing bagel. I checked this place out and it was delicious. I had the bacon, egg, and cheese on a garlic bagel. YUM. I hear the cream cheeses are really good too. I hear things about Jalapeno Cheddar cream cheese. Mmmmm. Can't wait to try some other items.

Elise A.

I'm so thrilled that TSB finally opened! The space is open and inviting, the people are warm and friendly, and the food is out of control delicious! We tried an onion bagel with bacon and scallion cream cheese and a cinnamon raisin bagel with apple cinnamon cream cheese. Both were spectacular. They also have incredible breakfast specials and serve Stumptown Coffee for a lot cheaper than anywhere else. I can't wait for warm weather when those large windows in front open up. For now, it's still a great spot for people watching and there's plenty of space in the back to sit down with your laptop or just chat it up in a relaxed environment. Welcome to the neighborhood. I love you!

Neha S.

I lived right above Tompkins Square Bagels this past summer, and I had to make sure I didn't come home with cash on me because otherwise, I would have eaten bagels EVERY day. The smell is intoxicating, and the bagels are amazing--as is the flavored cream cheese! Best bagels in town, in my opinion. The tea selection is fantastic as well. My only complaint is that the drinks are a bit pricey, so unless you're just getting a bagel, expect to spend at least $5.

Joey B.

Great bagels, cooked the old-fashioned and right NEW YORK way. Owner seems great, a Brooklyn boy, who understands the East VIllage neighborhood, it's history, etc. The first time I had it - I'd say the bacon egg and cheese is one of the best classic deli egg sandwiches around - though now it's hit or miss for me (the bacon is sometimes crispy, sometimes not). The weekend crowd is annoying. The amount of people and the type of people. I'd be surprised if what the the kid below said was real, that the guy made the bagels fluffier for these little transient NYU types. Doubt it. Their toaster situation is IDIOTIC and I'd imagine at some point they'll realize that and be normal about it, but for now it's ridiculous. The sign telling you they reccomend the bagels not be toasted is BS - some people just want a toasted bagel; fresh or not, it has a different taste and texture! And then when you order it toasted, it comes out barely toasted at all. I am shocked that a "neighborhood establishment" is so asinine about a typical bagel request. They act like they're too good for toasting - I don't need your attitude when I ask for a toasted bagel at a "neighborhood" bagel shop. I don't care how good the bagel is, some people just PREFER the bagel toasted, even if they were just made - and when they ask for it toasted, they'd like it to actually be toasted, not arrogantly barely toasted as if to condescend the customer. What is the problem? I've never experienced anything like this at any bagel store. Easy fix guys and I know they will get on that soon since everything else is pretty much on point. Cool, nice cashier chicks!!! (Though some of the bagel cutter dudes ain't, especially the newer "tough guy" type). Anyway, dope spot, just respect your customers a little bit more.

Jamie M.

Good bagels, nice weekday staff. Weekends are an absolute shitshow.

J W.

Apple cinnamon cream cheese - with real apples inside - is a little bit of heaven. Had it on a blueberry bagel the first day, and a french toast bagel the second. Totally in love with this place!

Jackie T.

....I had to take one star because of the line that is due to them not having change for cash. I get it. They're new. As long as they clean up that issue and start accepting cards, they can have their star back. Now for the good stuff! Ohhh haiiii whole wheat everything. Where have you been all my life? I tried their chocolate chip cookie dough cream cheese (don't judge until you have it; think sweet and savory); new naughty morning treat! Did I mention they have crossiants from Balthazar and their muffins are huge? Oh, I believe they serve Stumptown coffee as well. Other than their cash issue, I'd say this a definite asset to the East Village.

Dylan T.

Five for atmosphere, very hip and comfortable. 3 for the bagel which was very tough and over toasted. I am a bagel snob so take my opinion with a grain of salt. Still pretty decent bagel and cool place to eat.

Anthony M.

Thompkins Square Bagels is the yuppie bagel shop we East Villagers have been yearning for. I give their product 4 stars: the bagels are delicious and they have ample spread and add-on options. They are so close to being perfect, that they could achieve yuppie-perfection with a few small changes: 1) Ditch the grumpy dudes and hire some cute bagel girls. When we're hung over on a weekend, we don't want a scary dude to be the first person we interact with in the morning. Some peppy bagel girls will do wonders for you (and everyone). 2) Accept credit cards. We all hate cash. Or use one of any start-ups to make this happen. LevelUP (mobile phone payments) would be an improvement, but even better would be iPad ordering + Square ( squareup.com ) payments. I know you hate the fees, but when we're shelling out $4 for a bagel, it's worth it to keep us around. 3) Loyalty program. If you really want me to buy bagels only from you, get with a program (literally). I promise I'll stop sneaking trips to Murray's and Ess-a-bagel if I know I'm getting my 10th Tompkins Sq Bagel fo free.

KL L.

The bagels are good but the gluten free is really pricey. Like what? This bagel is over $10?!?! But the worst part about this place is the douchebag owner. I've been here numerous of times where he was taking the orders. He is just downright RUDE and OBNOXIOUS attitude.The worst customer service ever. I'm actually really livid even writing this review but I wanted everyone to know. If you can't talk to your customers like a human being then I won't be coming back here. Sorry, the person that has taken my orders many times is not owner!!

Andrew W.

Sometimes gets a bit packed on the weekends, but easily one of the best bagel shops in NYC.

Aleksandra D.

I thought my bagel here was pretty good, though a little undercooked on the inside. Maybe that is just the style? Anyway, I would still recommend this as a go to neighborhood bagel shop.

Emma J.

Best bagels I've had in the city so far! Doughy deliciousness, and it is not recommended to get them toasted since they are amazing au naturale

Ralph S.

I am so upset about this place. I was so excited about a quality east village bagel place... And honestly my experiences here have made me write my first yelp review! Let me start by saying I used to live across the street from Daniels bagels... So maybe I am spoiled... But I want to just tell these guys... Go spend a week there and just do what they do! The bagels are good, not great. The smoked salmon was pre-sliced the last time I tried it. The baked salmon salad just wasn't good. Plus.. Every time I call... They aren't delivering. Either it's too early or the guy isn't there mid day.. Or the delivery guy didn't come in. And they are cash only. I am going to try them again in about a month.... And just hope that maybe it's because they are still somewhat new... As I live around the corner and would love to get my bagel fix when I need it!

R Y.

AWFUL! If I could bold those words, I would and let me explained to you why. First off, there really isn't a decent bagel place in the neighborhood so I was excited. 2.50 for cream cheese bagel, not bad price and they make everything on site so I was super excited. However, that's where my excitement ended. I ordered everything bagel with plain cream cheese and plain bagel with lox spread. I walked in when there was a rush of crowd bumping into each other to order, so I had hard time hearing the person taking the order and vice a versa. I wanted the bagels toasted, but they didn't toast them. Thinking about it now, they didn't even ask how I wanted my bagels. I can let it slide that my bagels were not toasted and the guy who took my order to not ask how I want my bagels, but wow.. The bagels made my jaws lock. Yes, while attempting to chew and swallow my bagel, my jaws locked. They were SUPER chewy and tough. Where was the soft fresh texture?! The bagels tasted like a day old bagel. Also, the ladies working the counter were like so busy I don't think they were as organized and friendly as they could have been. Very curt in manner, but meh, it's busy so I can let that slide too. But, ug.. the bagel, never again. I probably won't be going back. I would rather walk a little further out and hit other bagels shops in the city rather than this one. The only reason this place didn't get 1 star was because the decor is cute, lots of drink selection and bagel's only $1- with nothing on it.

Angelica A.

It was a popular place, which is fine but they were very unorganized & didn't have a good handle on the order volume. Long wait, got my order mixed-up, no sequence to order & also messed-up another guy's order standing next to me. They need to re-organize their system to remain popular.

Kelly D.

Had to drag myself outta here after finding out they serve chocolate chip cookie dough cream cheese. This is a carb-lovers' delight, as their bagel's consistency is perfection. Oh, did I mention they have plenty of seating and serve Stumptown coffee? This place is my version of Saturday morning heaven.

Alex W.

This place is great for breakfast or a regular meal as well. I'd definitely recommend it!

Paige S.

This place is like a moody girlfriend. When they are good = amazing bagel, friendly staff and good coffee When they are bad = super rushed, rude staff that acts like ordering a bagel is equivalent to checking in burn victims. Burnt bagels, stingy cream cheese, over priced and worst of all CASH ONLY, This does not make you hip, it makes you an inconvenience & penalizes your customers with the charge in a community that is clearly trying to support local business's have a little respect for your patrons, accept square! Be friendly! Give me plenty of cream cheese!

Shinobi R.

My boyfriend and me go to this place every weekend, Saturday and Sunday almost religiously unless we are not in town or something. I take my friends there when they are visiting me from other countries and I highly recommend it to everyone. It is very busy, but their system is good so you get your stuff quite fast despite the long line. They have spelt and gluten free bagels, like 5 different types of tofu cream cheese and like 20 types of the regular cream cheese (my favourite one is the JALAPEÑO CHEDDAR), they sell naked and tropicana juices, different brands of kombucha, local milk from upstate and they make coffees there as well. They bake their bagels every hour so they are the freshest in town! All the people that work there and the owners are very nice people, friendly, helpful and fast. When we started going there, they messed up our orders but the bagels are so good that we didn't even care, we saw it as an opportunity to try other bagels. I highly recommend it, you will have good quality food and service.

Alex H.

This is the best bagel shop I've been to in NYC. From really interesting bagel options like Nutella and bananas, to seriously good bagels and space to eat them, to the super friendly and enthusiastic staff, this place is an absolute win!

Shiro A.

I work down the street from this place and the bagels are good. i like to eat them sometimes.

Helen L.

I expected more from a bagel shop that makes their own bagels. I got a whole wheat bagel with lox and light cc, it was just ok. Next time I'll try just a bagel with cc. Third star's for the nice atmosphere, especially if you're lucky enough to get one of the window seats and enjoy the nice view with your food. This place also have a lot of other breakfast foods such as cookies (well, it should be!), muffins that looked pretty fresh, along with a surprisingly large selection of chips and drinks.

Inez N.

I went into this place because my brother-in-law said it was good. I Love It. They give you fresh food made to order. Tastes wonderful. I would definitely go back over and over again.

Haesel H.

I ordered a couple of bagels at 9:30am, understanding that there would most likely be a wait of over an hour (even though I live a couple of blocks away). I was busy so the first hour went by quickly. Then I realised I was super hungry so I checked the time and called them. The first thing they said was: "You know it's a 60-75min wait, right? That means an hour to an hour and 25min" Ignoring the fact that they couldn't tell time, I said I understood and just wanted to check if the order had gone out, thinking if not, I could go pick it up. The gentleman on the phone informed me that the order had gone out 15min ago. It's now been about 35min since my order "went out" and my food is nowhere to be seen. This place is cheap but definitely not worth ordering from again.

Justin C.

I had walked by this place several times, but I have my normal bagel spots on 1st Ave (David's and Bagel Boss) and trust me, I will be sticking with those two places from now on. Decided to swing in with a friend just because many other places were closed since it was July 4th, and we figured it would be quick, and easy. As soon as we got in, we couldn't figure out where to order as people seemed to be in line everywhere This should have been a clear warning sign to us, but we were lazy and didn't want to search for another place so we went with it. Ordered our bagels fairly quickly, everything bagel w/ veggie cream cheese, and bacon egg and cheese on a plain bagel. Got an iced coffee at the register, paid, and then began the wait. No big deal right? Just wait for them to make a couple of bagels, how long could it possibly take? Certainly not long enough to drink a 24 oz coffee, right? Wrong. Much, much, much longer. Waited close to 20 minutes for the first bagel, the "easy" one, with just the cream cheese. Waited anotherrrr 10 minutes (after asking them what's taking so long, and they said they were just very busy with no apology) before eating the first bagel since it was warm and what we assumed would be fresh. Well it was warm, but too bad it was also very chewy, undercooked and disappointing. Now that we were there for over half an hour and weren't looking forward to the next bagel, we didn't bother waiting for the second one and got out of there annoyed at how much time we wasted. Could have sat down and as another yelper pointed out, gone to an all you can drink brunch in that amount of time.

Nur Y.

I ordered bagels from TS bagels for our breakfast event. I had really great reviews from the attendees. They delivered on time and the manager was so nice to deal with me constantly making updates at the last minute. Appreciate the trouble they go to for their customers. Definitely recommend! I remember coming to this place when it first opened last year and was like wow its one of the nicest bagel places I have been to!

Rex R.

Great bagels, needs some work on their coffee program and customer service. Wifi is a must too. get onto of those 3 things and its a 4.0 // Good addition to the hood though.

Lisa T.

Best bagels in the area. Fresh, perfect texture, lots of size/flavor/cream cheese options. Always a line, but doesn't take too long. Yummy iced coffee. Perfect for grabbing on the way to TSP for a picnic.

Ian M.

I've found my new favorite place in the city for bagels. At Tompkins, they make their own bagels from start to finish -a process you can watch over the counter. It makes the long lines on the weekend a little less droll, though I have to say the line moved quickly when I was there. The bagels come plump and very fluffy. My everything bagel packed tons of flavor. The quality extends to what goes in between the bagel; the bacon on my bacon, egg and cheese was top notch. They've also got cold brew tea and coffee to boot. The only thing bad about this place? You'll hate all other bagel places.

Lindsay G.

Their bagels are some of the best I've had...it also helps that I live around the corner and they deliver to me..the everything bagel with veggie cream cheese is a must as well as the french toast bagel with the changing cream cheese flavours. The line is long but honestly i always order at least 3 different bagels every time I go to make up for the wait...if you want to cure that hangover get a bagel breakfast sandwich...they load on the cheese!

Bethsbiz R.

Live only a couple of blocks and am thrilled to have TSB in the hood. The bagels are fabulous (way ahead of David's which is close by too) truly the real deal NY Bagel (whole wheat everything is my fav although the french toast bagel is a crazy treat) and the cream cheese spread options are ridiculous (even on with bacon!!). The staff is super friends and the owner is as well. and it's always clean and the coffee is good. As a long time East Village resident it feels like it belongs in our hood, with The Mosaic Man's work out front and a less trendy vibe than some places in the area. It's just Great!!! you can't go wrong.

Brian H.

I have come in here many many times with my girlfriend, my friends, family, as it is a very popular les bagel place. There is a LOT going on at all times and very busy. Lines are long, usually takes about 10 minutes to order, and about another 15-20 to get your food, especially if you order eggs. I always order over-easy eggs, and this usually takes 20 minutes, so much longer than a normal deli that would have this done in about 5. Also for some reason they NEVER cut my over-easy egg sandwich in half, but my bagel is... and they put this sandwich in this huge plastic container as though it was the most annoying thing in the world to make... a normal deli would put the eggs on the bagel sitting in the wrapping paper, then cut the WHOLE thing and wrap it up. I know it sounds silly to complain about, but the last thing I want to do after a night of drinking is wait a half hour to get an egg sandwich and then not be able to eat it without making a huge mess. The only time I will come back here is if I'm with someone who hasn't been before and wants to get a feel of the lower east side, but I usually resort to other deli's in the area due to all the headaches that coffee with using eggs here. If they knew how to serve an over-easy egg sandwich correctly, I would gladly start to come back, but until then I will continue to avoid.

Can Y.

The pistachio muffin and bagels are very good. It can get busy and a bit slow but usually pretty reasonable. I would givethis place 5 stars if the coffee was better but overall one of my fav breakfast joints in east village.

Nicola M.

Great bagels, stale muffins. Stick to the specialty cream cheese options and bagels, which are fresh, large, and doughy inside and crunchy on the outside. Recommend the everything bagel with chive cream cheese add red onions and tomatoes. YUMMMMMM

Jerome L.

As soon as my wife, friends and I walked in, we were very impressed with the decorum , the music and the cleanliness! We all were lucky enough to get some seats as it was packed on this Sunday morning around 9:30am-ish. We also had 2 baby strollers. We ordered a bunch of stuff, pancakes, eggs with sausage bacon egg and cheese on a egg bagel, lox and cream cheese on a plain bagel and Scallion cream cheese with a tomato on an everything bagel. we also got 3 coffees and a bottle of water. When we placed the order, luckily the owner, Chris, I think, helped us put it all together. We thought it was great that the owner was onhand and helping with everything. The food was outstanding, and tasty! The bagels were A MA Z I N G! We look forward to our next visit there. Bravo!

Robbie K.

I'll have to re-rate this one as I had probably the worst customer service experience of my three years living in NYC. Their toaster was broken and every customer that ordered a toasted bagel or inquired about the toaster was berated about how they weren't New Yorkers and real New Yorkers don't eat toasted bagels. I guess if you're a real New Yorker and enjoy being yelled at and/or don't need your bagel toasted, go ahead. Otherwise, see if you can avoid the short, tubby guy behind the counter that is acting like a jerk. The bagels were good, but it will probably be a while before I go back.

Jason M.

Delicious bagels, friendly service.

Yosuke M.

This place has an unbelievable line for what boils down to just a bagel place. Sure they have a bunch of spreads, meats, and bagels, but is it worth the wait? Maybe.

Thomas R.

Perfect for bagels. Cash only, which could be kind of a bummer, but great bagels. Good toppings, and I haven't been dissapointed yet with the different cream cheeses.

Anne G.

Whole wheat bagel with veggie cream cheese = YUM. A wide selection of bagels, toppings, and sandwiches + some salads and soups; a much larger menu than I'd expected. I'll come back to try something else, too, since I appreciate that this place gave a local artist their business (the storefront mosaic) and I think they deserve our community's support. Girl at the checkout line was super nice, although the middle-aged dude preparing the bagel was a bit grumpy. Overall a positive experience.

Jane K.

I feel like I won the lottery. And in the world of breakfast, I sorta did. It's only too bad I don't own my apartment because this ABC/EV 'hood is comin' up more than ever. While I'd been heading up to David's Bagels for my bagel fix, I never knew how good it could be until I visited TSB. How do I love thee? Let me count the ways... From the cool mosaic sign on the storefront to the Stumptown Coffee being served out piping hot, it's pure excellence. They make their bagels the old school way on premise using a kettle and cutler over in an open kitchen so you can actually watch the entire process. They've got an array of at least 10 different bagel flavors and a neat selection of the typical and also completely atypical spreads. Who ever heard of chocolate chip cookie dough cream cheese?! It's phenomenal that they're able to provide something for every palate. On top of this bagel hedonism, they also offer a more traditional breakfast and even have seating in the back. The only downside right now is the ordering and paying process that has a tendency to get mixed up. My order actually got lost in the mix and I had to re-order after paying and waiting around for a few minutes. I'm sure it will get sorted soon, and I'll know for sure when I visit everyday. Thank you for making me love my neighborhood even more!

Alyssa G.

I really love this place, so I'm glad my new apartment is right around the corner. :) The bagels are homemade right in front of you (if you sit at the bar in the back), which is really cool to see. They're delicious with a wide variety of bagel and cream cheese types. I love sitting at the stools or the big table in the back and appreciate the reading material lying around. The staff is really nice and even when there is a long line on weekend mornings, it moves very fast.

Adina F.

I'm going to confess...I've never had a bagel at Tompkin's. I have several bagel places in Brooklyn that are my go to's and I've been looking for a place around work in the village where I can get my fix (hello...I'm a Jew, I need my bagel and I'm PARTICULAR) and though I haven't had a chance to try their bagels, the Stumptown is A-OK and a decent price for a cup of great coffee.

Samantha s.

Totally inconsistent. I go here every other week because they are down the block and half the time the bagels are great, but they are often burnt and the cinnamon raisin bagels taste like garlic (gross). I've had problems with my orders in the past, but figured since they were new they just needed to work out some issues. However, it's been several months and I decided to return two super charred bagels because I was frustrated and just wanted new bagels that were edible . The owner told me it was too late (I bought them to go a couple days ago) and blew up at me when I came in to talk to him about it. I had no idea he would refuse to replace the blackened bagels and argue with me for five minutes ending the conversation by storming off. I was just trying to make a point and have worked in restaurants in the city and didn't think it was too much to ask for two non burnt bagels. Honestly, this guys was totally unreasonable and unprofessional . I won't be going back. In response to the owner Christopher P.: Perhaps rather than spending 45 minutes drafting and editing (8 times!) your erudite comment below, your time would've been better spent on quality control of your product. Or on watching the "Amy's Baking Company" episode of kitchen nightmares. It could be an illuminating lesson for you on the topic of delusional restaurant owners who respond to criticism by lashing out at their formerly-loyal customers. Or perhaps you could consider whether simply refunding my $2 would have been a better approach than starting an internet flame war that makes you look like you don't know how to run a business. Perhaps you could ask the employee who apologized to me on your behalf where you went wrong.

D J.

I suppose the bagels are decent here. But they can't toast them yet for some reason, which is a bit absurd. But the big downer for me was two things: 1. The guy, who I guess is one of the owners, a big pork chop of a guy who seems like he's from Staten Island or somewhere, was kind of rude. Kinda like, "Yo, I'm comin' to you neighborhood and takin your money fa dis bagel. Fork it over, yo-yo." He's not the kid of guy you want to give your hard earned money to. 2. The bagels are expensive. As in giant RIP OFF expensive. I paid $11 for a bagel with little bits of lox in cream cheese(very thinly spread) and a coffee. In a word... a joke. I hope they get their act together and stop trying to screw the locals over. It's disheartening. Best of luck to them. They're gonna need it.

Justin G.

Glad this joint moved in but it's a bit pricey for my tastes ($3.50 for an everything bagel with cream cheese, I dunno, maybe that's my poor side talking). Good selection of cream cheeses -- the wasabi changed my life, and the sun dried tomato is also swell. Don't think they have any wi-fi yet, which is a plus and minus. Stumptown coffee is tasty but not Intelligentsia (9th Street Espresso) tasty. Decent place to hang. I'll stop in semi-regularly cuz I want this place to make it -- the hood needs more support for local business, fact.

Angie D.

Best bagels in New York, hands down!!!! The cream cheese selection is like nothing I've ever seen before (the bacon herb is one of my faves). I go nearly 3 times a week and have yet to be even slightly disappointed. There is usually some sort of line, but it moves at warp speed (which I still cannot figure out). The staff is friendly and the atmosphere is cozy and enjoyable. I am so happy this place is finally open!!!! Congrats Tompkins Square Bagels!!!!

Joanna T.

A+ Bagels, Space & Staff. The best part for me is that the space is not filled to the brim with all the usual crap other bagel stores have, you know, so you have to dance around 20 people and racks of chips while you're waiting for your food. Its clean and simple and not crowded (yet). They have a large table in the back where you can sit and eat as well as a back patio garden that they probably will open during warmer months.

Jeannine K.

We came here to try the gluten-free bagels. I used to love a good bagel. The gluten-free one is not quite the same. But still pretty good, all things considered, especially when loaded with cream cheese!

Kate F.

perfection. my waistline weeps for my never-ending craving for these bagels.

Caitlin B.

This place is a great addition to the neighborhood, but it has made it impossible for me to stick to my New Year's resolution of cutting back on carbs! The staff here is always enthusiastic and friendly. The cream cheese made in house is a VISION, I am making it my goal to sample every one before the end of the month. I don't know if I have just been lucky, but every time I've visited my bagel had just come out of the oven. These bagels are delicious. Come and see for yourself, it will cost you a dollar, and you can be the judge. Bring your cash because they don't accept credit cards yet!

Sasha K.

So.... the new place opened. I've been there 5 or so times times It is really depend, who will serve you! There are some very sweet guys, but one Dude can spoiled the whole experience. He looks like a manager or partner of the business. He is kinda bold and wearing a t-shirt and shorts! I don't care if he is nice or not (he isn't) but the bagel he made for me is cold and I can't eat it, because it is very dry and not what I was getting before. $10.62 for a crappy bagel and a coffee. O_o. I agree, the cofee is not the best, but it's OK. One time I was there with my friend. He asked how much is going to be for 2 bagels, coffee and soda (it was a $100 bill in his hand). Guess what? This, let's call him Jack, told him, marking my friend's accent: "It's gonna be hundred buks!" Verrrrry nice, isn't it?? However, I like the bagels (when they are made the way they should be), cream cheese and how the place itself. By the way, they are Cash only. Hmmm, I don't want to come back... There is a Hamptons Market on 13St and 1Ave, they are so friendly and nice! And bagels are ok there Tarallucci e vino - the best coffee, salads, stuff and atmosphere. O, guy's! And this is an East Village! You never know who is in front of you: a student or an owner of the restautrant next block! Don't judge people by the way they are looking today. Cheers

dave r.

Yes! Been waiting for great bagel place that bakes in house in the east village and this is just perfect! Friendly folks and off to a great start. Most importantly the bagels - they are excellent soft moist and delicious. Seems to be a lot of people working behind the counter which causes confusion but I think thats to be expected in the first few months as they get settled. Also glad to see they sell all the necessities for a breakfast almost grocery style as well, what a great idea. one stop bagel brunch bonanza. love it.

Todd A.

Finally! When I moved to NY a couple years ago, I thought I'd be having incredible bagels several times a week, but my corner of the East Village somehow lacked a good bagel place. Tompkins Square Bagels is a great place to have in the neighborhood. I've been by at different times of the day, and the bagels and the coffee are always fresh, as well as being really good. Today my wife came in with me--she hasn't had a (non-frozen, non-awful) bagel since being diagnosed with celiac a decade ago--and asked if they had anything gluten free. Besides a gluten-free black-&-white cookie, fifteen minutes later she had a really excellent gluten-free bagel. Not sure if they made it to order, or if it is still "experimental," as it isn't on the menu board yet, but it's more than good enough to bug them for, if you, too, have missed bagels for that same reason.

David P.

Love it. Some people are quite picky about their bagels, it seems, and I won't declare these the definitive New York-Style Bagel In New York - who knows what such a thing is - but they taste great to me. And the cream cheese is excellent: bacon herb? Delish, and actually pretty bacony. Jalapeno cheddar? Hot! Sundried tomato? Velvety and rich. And when you get the bacon-egg-and-cheese combo, there are two slices of cheese, and three good strips of bacon. Forget the haters, and trust the wisdom of crowds: there is a solid lineup at this place for hours on weekends. But they're fast, and you're in and out in five minutes. I'm extremely surprised to read the negative reviews about service, because I've been impressed by their staff every time I've visited. Everyone is pleasant, from the person taking your order to the person delivering it to the cashier, and what's more they're just genuinely nice. Busy, certainly, but nice. Love this place.

Miles H.

Good solid bagel place in the east village. Very well designed, large bagel selection, really one of the nicest cafes in the area. However, a little pricier than the Cafe on the Square in the W. Village. Still overall very solid and a good place to go for bagels in the EV.

Mike B.

Solid bagels, but doesn't really hold a candle to Ess-a-bagel in my opinion. Also their whitefish is incredibly bland and not oily whatsoever. It may be the best option for the bagels in the East Village, but I'll still hop on the M15 and go to Ess-a-bagel in the future.

Steve N.

Went here when looking for a place to sit and read and have a cup of good coffee. Was initially drawn in by the sign for Stumptown coffee but the Stone Street coffee was still pretty good. Haven't tried the food yet but the bagels look really good and fresh. Staff was very friendly, making the experience that much better. Will definitely be going back for brunch soon!

Joy V.

great bagels!!! get busy so go early...but worth it.

kim t.

went there yesterday had a everything bagel just out of the oven nothing on it perfect!!!!!!! a 10 plus!!!!!! nice friendly people i am a ex bagel baker {east village resident since 1972

S A.