Awesome breakfast bagel sandwich, quick and easy. Wished I found it sooner! Needs better iced coffee and more coffee options. Very tasty!
(4)
Bruce D.
Microwaved eggs at full price. Service was neutral to negative, not helpful or friendly, no smiles, no connection. I did not feel welcome here. The coffee quality was average, especially given the fantastic competition within a short walk. As Denzel said in Training Day "You need to up your street IQ." The wrap looked rubbery and unappetizing. I did not eat it. There are a lot of great coffee and breakfast opportunities in the immediate area. This location will need to improve its service, food and value to earn a place among them. Cleanliness was a strong point. The register said there is a discount for bringing your own coffee cup. It wasn't applied to my check.
(2)
Jacky O.
Cold coffee, mediocre bagel sandwich not like I remember it from a year ago staff are extra friendly thats the reason they get 2 stars. Bagel was tiny and tasteless so tasteless it kill my appetite couldn't finish it
(2)
Heather G.
Walked in excited to try a new place for soups and sandwiches. Kindly asked what soups they had for today. Girl pointed to sign that was on counter out of the way and said, "here they are" sneering and turned away. So rude! It took restraint not to hit the soup sign over the counter. Instead we left with a sour taste in out mouths-shocked people act like this.
(1)
Ashley L.
I found this place on Google maps and decided to give it a try one Spring day during lunch... It's a nice bright, open cafe with a decently sized menu. I got the Roasted Artichoke panini and it was delicious! I had a tough time deciding exactly what I wanted because they had so many choices including all-day breakfast, smoothies, salads, baked goods and sandwiches. The woman behind the counter was super friendly too! The only downside is I felt almost $9 for a small bag of chips and a panini was a little pricey - but it was worth it for one of the best paninis I've had. They also feature local products and foods that have no hormones, nitrates or any other funky stuff in them. Outdoor seating is a plus! I'll be back!
(4)
Bob A.
I like this place a lot. The staff is friendly and the food is always good. The lentil soup is great and I enjoy that with one of their bagels or bread especially in the winter time. Their hot sandwiches are also really yummy. I like the tuna melt and the artichoke panini the best. They also make delicious breakfast wraps and sandwiches. It is reasonably priced for the area and it is nice because you are getting real food and not processed junk food. The salads are also very good and I like the maple dressing and the creamy dill, which is vegan. The only drawback around lunch is that the high school crowd comes in waves which slows things up but just ask the workers when that happens and avoid these times. Not an issue in the summer when school is out. I think it is one of your best options in the Old Port to grab something quick that is also healthy.
(5)
Leah W.
My friend and I went for lunch here on a blustery afternoon around lunchtime and were surprised with how not-busy they were. I ordered a half a chicken salad sandwich on multigrain with lettuce and tomato. My friend had a grilled turkey sandwich with lots of veggies. The service wasn't stellar but it wasn't that bad. The cashier was bright and friendly, but it was obviously put on. I just think the women weren't busy enough; being bored makes one tired and apathetic. The food was okay. I would have preferred there not to be dill in my chicken salad, but then again I didn't ask any questions and it didn't taste bad. The bread was kind of stale, but I expected that -- it was a dense, whole-grain bread out in the open with obviously very little turnover. The lettuce and tomato were relatively fresh, for which I am thankful. With the capacity for much larger crowds, I knew there had to be a bathroom. It wasn't difficult to find, but a directional sign would have been nice as I had to wander over to the other side of the restaurant and turn down a hall that paralled the depth of the kitchen to find it. I was rewarded with a flattering mirror, though. I've had better and I've had worse. The Works is middling.
(3)
Stephanie V.
Nice staff, clean grounds, process of ordering is self explanatory. Tuna melt Panini was very good. Not greasy and the sour dough bread was great! The garden humus wrap was good as well.
(4)
Jamie R.
This little corporate coffee shop can't help that its franchisers put it smack in the middle of the financial district. But the young barristas in faded red t-shirts and college hair make the atmosphere welcoming. It was also lovely to snag the last cheese danish and have a staffer sing verses of Dr Seuss as she passed the plate to me. It was drizzly outside, and the plastic seats with striped fabric covers intended to fake-out the hardness were upstaged by hot coffee and nice people.
(4)
Peter W.
Years ago, this place was pretty solid with good bagels. Now it is an over-priced boring place with bland (or worse) tasting bagels and mediocre coffee. I grew up in Portland, and I wish I could advocate a local coffee & bagel joint, but this is NOT worth paying a visit to unless nothing else is open.
(2)
Sue C.
Blech.... New England Clam chowder- first bowl a pile if coagulated goo. Brought it back and told, "sorry that was the last of a batch, we have a new batch. Second version barely warm, and literally 1 clam.
(1)
Lora B.
So this is my first review, as well as the first review for Bagel Works-Portland, and unfortunately I cannot say anything really great about this establishment. I'll start with the negatives..First, in general the prices are ridiculously high. For example, a Farmers Veggie which consists of bread, basic veggies and cheese comes to over 6 dollars on it's own, without any add-ons. Trying to spice the sandwich up I asked for it on a multigrain bagel (which ended up being half the size of a "normal" bagel) and added jalapeno tomato cream cheese (which was flavorless). I also ordered Bulgarian Mushroom soup, that had about 10 microscopic dehydrated mushroom pieces, and tasted like a condensed soup that someone added too mush water to. So, for 10 dollars I received a very "meh" unsatisfying meal. The one good thing I can say about Bagel Works-Portland is that the staff is always friendly, and for the most part takes and delivers orders correctly. I would however recommend trying one of the many other sandwich shops on Middle Street before eating at Bagel Works-Portland.
(2)
Chris H.
A very nice atmosphere and pretty good coffee and food. We had breakfast here, so that is all I can attest to.
(4)
Hannah G.
I have gone here at least 50 times, more often for breakfast. I work in monument square and have a temple street garage parking pass, so it seemed extremely convenient for me and my fiance to eat there. And we did, time after time, eating their less than stellar microwaved eggs. So I switched to just bagels with cream cheese, which are more enjoyable, especially with their specialty cream cheese options. Keep in mind, I have consistently gone there over the course of a year once or twice a week, and the staff acts like they have never seen me, has gained no rapport or warm and fuzzy feelings when I walk in to door, that is fine. At other places, I am greeted often by name, but at least with a friendly "hello". At the Works, there is no "hello", but just order and get on with it, which is always okay, except that over the course of a year, I cannot count how many times the staff has been out right rude to me, which is unacceptable. "I am sorry, we are out of ____ but ____ tends to be a good substitute". When raisin bagels were sold out, a staff member rolled her eyes and said "none left" and waited for me to speak next. I did order a different bagel, but that kind of poor service and rudeness sticks with a customer. There is also no "I am sorry, we don't have english muffins". This morning I made the mistake of asking for an english muffin, and the staff member, as always, treated me like an idiot and said "we have NEVER have english muffins". Okay, sorry maybe people have asked you that one million times and you have answered it more times than you would care to, but that was the first time I asked, and I don't think it is too unreasonable to assume that a place that service breakfast all day would have an english muffin. And I did not even care that you don't have english muffins, I care that you are rude about it. Last time I checked, they are in the service industry, and the customer, while they may not always be right, should be treated with respect and courteousness. My fiance finally said today as we left "we will not be back there again, I am tired of the staff speaking to you that way, it bugs me to no end that they think it is okay." I am honestly relieved to say I will never again set foot in that place. I am not an idiot. I am a kind, warm, Portland business woman who treats all in the service industry with respect and request nothing more than the same courteous, as a fellow human. The Works, You are in Portland, Maine, a foodie, young, professional hub with PLENTY of great breakfast spots in walking distance. Competition is HIGH. You need to be set apart. No one can say you have the best breakfast sandwich in town, bagels in town, or brag about your food, because it is quite average and usually microwaved. All you can give your customers is a good customer experience and you are NOT doing that. If anyone wants a delicious breakfast sandwich near monument square, go to the Spartan Grill. They don't serve breakfast until 9am, but the sandwiches are cooked to order on a grill and their staff is AMAZING! They are sweet, welcoming and personable.
(1)
Yousif A.
Very cool place, excellent clam chowder and the young lady behind the counter is genuinely helpful and friendly.
(4)
Liz H.
Okay, I went for lunch the other day and the surly sandwich-maker was audibly complaining about how busy it was. I work in customer service, I get the frustration, but it's completely unacceptable to voice it within earshot of customers. Also, they gave me a low-carb wrap instead of whole wheat bread. What are they trying to imply?! Chicken salad was still rad, though.
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Parking : Street Bike Parking : No Wheelchair Accessible : No Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Noise Level : Quiet Alcohol : No Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : No Waiter Service : No Caters : Yes
Claire D.
Awesome breakfast bagel sandwich, quick and easy. Wished I found it sooner! Needs better iced coffee and more coffee options. Very tasty!
(4)Bruce D.
Microwaved eggs at full price. Service was neutral to negative, not helpful or friendly, no smiles, no connection. I did not feel welcome here. The coffee quality was average, especially given the fantastic competition within a short walk. As Denzel said in Training Day "You need to up your street IQ." The wrap looked rubbery and unappetizing. I did not eat it. There are a lot of great coffee and breakfast opportunities in the immediate area. This location will need to improve its service, food and value to earn a place among them. Cleanliness was a strong point. The register said there is a discount for bringing your own coffee cup. It wasn't applied to my check.
(2)Jacky O.
Cold coffee, mediocre bagel sandwich not like I remember it from a year ago staff are extra friendly thats the reason they get 2 stars. Bagel was tiny and tasteless so tasteless it kill my appetite couldn't finish it
(2)Heather G.
Walked in excited to try a new place for soups and sandwiches. Kindly asked what soups they had for today. Girl pointed to sign that was on counter out of the way and said, "here they are" sneering and turned away. So rude! It took restraint not to hit the soup sign over the counter. Instead we left with a sour taste in out mouths-shocked people act like this.
(1)Ashley L.
I found this place on Google maps and decided to give it a try one Spring day during lunch... It's a nice bright, open cafe with a decently sized menu. I got the Roasted Artichoke panini and it was delicious! I had a tough time deciding exactly what I wanted because they had so many choices including all-day breakfast, smoothies, salads, baked goods and sandwiches. The woman behind the counter was super friendly too! The only downside is I felt almost $9 for a small bag of chips and a panini was a little pricey - but it was worth it for one of the best paninis I've had. They also feature local products and foods that have no hormones, nitrates or any other funky stuff in them. Outdoor seating is a plus! I'll be back!
(4)Bob A.
I like this place a lot. The staff is friendly and the food is always good. The lentil soup is great and I enjoy that with one of their bagels or bread especially in the winter time. Their hot sandwiches are also really yummy. I like the tuna melt and the artichoke panini the best. They also make delicious breakfast wraps and sandwiches. It is reasonably priced for the area and it is nice because you are getting real food and not processed junk food. The salads are also very good and I like the maple dressing and the creamy dill, which is vegan. The only drawback around lunch is that the high school crowd comes in waves which slows things up but just ask the workers when that happens and avoid these times. Not an issue in the summer when school is out. I think it is one of your best options in the Old Port to grab something quick that is also healthy.
(5)Leah W.
My friend and I went for lunch here on a blustery afternoon around lunchtime and were surprised with how not-busy they were. I ordered a half a chicken salad sandwich on multigrain with lettuce and tomato. My friend had a grilled turkey sandwich with lots of veggies. The service wasn't stellar but it wasn't that bad. The cashier was bright and friendly, but it was obviously put on. I just think the women weren't busy enough; being bored makes one tired and apathetic. The food was okay. I would have preferred there not to be dill in my chicken salad, but then again I didn't ask any questions and it didn't taste bad. The bread was kind of stale, but I expected that -- it was a dense, whole-grain bread out in the open with obviously very little turnover. The lettuce and tomato were relatively fresh, for which I am thankful. With the capacity for much larger crowds, I knew there had to be a bathroom. It wasn't difficult to find, but a directional sign would have been nice as I had to wander over to the other side of the restaurant and turn down a hall that paralled the depth of the kitchen to find it. I was rewarded with a flattering mirror, though. I've had better and I've had worse. The Works is middling.
(3)Stephanie V.
Nice staff, clean grounds, process of ordering is self explanatory. Tuna melt Panini was very good. Not greasy and the sour dough bread was great! The garden humus wrap was good as well.
(4)Jamie R.
This little corporate coffee shop can't help that its franchisers put it smack in the middle of the financial district. But the young barristas in faded red t-shirts and college hair make the atmosphere welcoming. It was also lovely to snag the last cheese danish and have a staffer sing verses of Dr Seuss as she passed the plate to me. It was drizzly outside, and the plastic seats with striped fabric covers intended to fake-out the hardness were upstaged by hot coffee and nice people.
(4)Peter W.
Years ago, this place was pretty solid with good bagels. Now it is an over-priced boring place with bland (or worse) tasting bagels and mediocre coffee. I grew up in Portland, and I wish I could advocate a local coffee & bagel joint, but this is NOT worth paying a visit to unless nothing else is open.
(2)Sue C.
Blech.... New England Clam chowder- first bowl a pile if coagulated goo. Brought it back and told, "sorry that was the last of a batch, we have a new batch. Second version barely warm, and literally 1 clam.
(1)Lora B.
So this is my first review, as well as the first review for Bagel Works-Portland, and unfortunately I cannot say anything really great about this establishment. I'll start with the negatives..First, in general the prices are ridiculously high. For example, a Farmers Veggie which consists of bread, basic veggies and cheese comes to over 6 dollars on it's own, without any add-ons. Trying to spice the sandwich up I asked for it on a multigrain bagel (which ended up being half the size of a "normal" bagel) and added jalapeno tomato cream cheese (which was flavorless). I also ordered Bulgarian Mushroom soup, that had about 10 microscopic dehydrated mushroom pieces, and tasted like a condensed soup that someone added too mush water to. So, for 10 dollars I received a very "meh" unsatisfying meal. The one good thing I can say about Bagel Works-Portland is that the staff is always friendly, and for the most part takes and delivers orders correctly. I would however recommend trying one of the many other sandwich shops on Middle Street before eating at Bagel Works-Portland.
(2)Chris H.
A very nice atmosphere and pretty good coffee and food. We had breakfast here, so that is all I can attest to.
(4)Hannah G.
I have gone here at least 50 times, more often for breakfast. I work in monument square and have a temple street garage parking pass, so it seemed extremely convenient for me and my fiance to eat there. And we did, time after time, eating their less than stellar microwaved eggs. So I switched to just bagels with cream cheese, which are more enjoyable, especially with their specialty cream cheese options. Keep in mind, I have consistently gone there over the course of a year once or twice a week, and the staff acts like they have never seen me, has gained no rapport or warm and fuzzy feelings when I walk in to door, that is fine. At other places, I am greeted often by name, but at least with a friendly "hello". At the Works, there is no "hello", but just order and get on with it, which is always okay, except that over the course of a year, I cannot count how many times the staff has been out right rude to me, which is unacceptable. "I am sorry, we are out of ____ but ____ tends to be a good substitute". When raisin bagels were sold out, a staff member rolled her eyes and said "none left" and waited for me to speak next. I did order a different bagel, but that kind of poor service and rudeness sticks with a customer. There is also no "I am sorry, we don't have english muffins". This morning I made the mistake of asking for an english muffin, and the staff member, as always, treated me like an idiot and said "we have NEVER have english muffins". Okay, sorry maybe people have asked you that one million times and you have answered it more times than you would care to, but that was the first time I asked, and I don't think it is too unreasonable to assume that a place that service breakfast all day would have an english muffin. And I did not even care that you don't have english muffins, I care that you are rude about it. Last time I checked, they are in the service industry, and the customer, while they may not always be right, should be treated with respect and courteousness. My fiance finally said today as we left "we will not be back there again, I am tired of the staff speaking to you that way, it bugs me to no end that they think it is okay." I am honestly relieved to say I will never again set foot in that place. I am not an idiot. I am a kind, warm, Portland business woman who treats all in the service industry with respect and request nothing more than the same courteous, as a fellow human. The Works, You are in Portland, Maine, a foodie, young, professional hub with PLENTY of great breakfast spots in walking distance. Competition is HIGH. You need to be set apart. No one can say you have the best breakfast sandwich in town, bagels in town, or brag about your food, because it is quite average and usually microwaved. All you can give your customers is a good customer experience and you are NOT doing that. If anyone wants a delicious breakfast sandwich near monument square, go to the Spartan Grill. They don't serve breakfast until 9am, but the sandwiches are cooked to order on a grill and their staff is AMAZING! They are sweet, welcoming and personable.
(1)Yousif A.
Very cool place, excellent clam chowder and the young lady behind the counter is genuinely helpful and friendly.
(4)Liz H.
Okay, I went for lunch the other day and the surly sandwich-maker was audibly complaining about how busy it was. I work in customer service, I get the frustration, but it's completely unacceptable to voice it within earshot of customers. Also, they gave me a low-carb wrap instead of whole wheat bread. What are they trying to imply?! Chicken salad was still rad, though.
(3)