This is a staple in the lives of the people who work downtown. I should know, I was one of them. Everyone went to Einsteins, for coffee, for breakfast, sometimes for lunch. I'm not a big coffee drinker or that big on bagels, but I still found myself here on occasion. I think for a lot of people it's a good excuse to get out of the office for a little bit. Anything to break that monotonous pattern of a 9 to 5 job. But besides being a good excuse to leave your desk, this place actually has really good food! And the prices really aren't too shabby, especially by downtown standards. This location is just inside the Huntington building (right before the Juice Bar, which I wrote about yesterday) to the right. You'll see it walking outside the building because a huge glass window lets you see inside the whole restaurant. It's not very big, and it can get sort of crowded in here during the work day. As with any eatery downtown, avoid this place during the noon hour when everyone's on their lunch breaks. But it's a good place to get your food to go or sit at one of the tables and avoid going back to work for as long as you can get away with. The atmosphere is nice enough, but the tables and chairs aren't the best for sitting long periods of time. But if you don't work downtown, be aware that there's no parking here. And this place is only open during work hours, not on weekends. You're in downtown employee territory when you come here. That being said, this place was a haven for me to grab a quick meal or get away from work. I liked to come here for lunch. They have some really great sandwiches. I always liked the Club Mex. It had turkey, bacon, pepper jack cheese, a spicy sauce and I'd always get it with sprouts and avocados. They will serve it on any bread or bagel you want. I always got it on challah bread. Yummy! It was a great cold sandwich. And when you got a sandwich, you also got your choice of side. I'd always get their signature side salad. The dressing is already on it and it's really good. But you could also pick chips or fruit salad or coleslaw, etc. They also have grilled paninis. I liked the Italian Chicken a lot. It was chicken breast with spinach, peppers and provolone cheese and pepperoni. My favorite hot sandwich here. I had their Chipotle salad once, and I wasn't a big fan. The dressing that came with it sort of tasted strange. It was pretty good, but I liked Quizno's and Potbelly's salads much better for lunch. And yes, I have had their bagels. They are pretty good. They just taste like every bagel I've ever had. But I don't eat bagels very often. They do have some delightfully fattening pastries and treats up at the counter. Cinnamon twists, big brownies, stuff like that. Their muffins are huge and they have pound cake and coffee cake in all different flavors. Yes, I've tried them on occasion, and they are awesome! They also have prepackaged cookies which come in all kinds of flavors. I like the peanut butter. But I loved their big Rice Krispy treats. Sometimes those would be my unhealthy breakfast. Those were the days... To order food, you form a line at the end opposite the register and tell the people behind the counter what you want. They'll get it for you, and as you move towards the register you can grab prepackaged salads, drinks or cookies, etc. Then you pay and wait towards the other side if your food isn't done yet. They'll bag it up and hand it to you. If you get coffee, they give you a cup and you go fix it yourself in the corner of the restaurant. They have mugs there that you can buy that when you bring it back gives you cheaper refills. They also make cold drinks like smoothies and iced coffees. They are pretty good too, but for this fix I tend to find myself at Starbucks. The employees are nice enough. Some of the people behind the counter are very cheery and put a smile on your face with fun conversations. Then you get down to the register and there's usually this woman there that repeats your order back to you in a droll voice, tells you your total, says the amount you give her, and then tells you how much change you're getting back. It's kind of funny, but she looks quite unhappy. She's not rude or anything, but she just looks like she wishes she was anywhere else. Now that I don't work downtown anymore, I am not sure that I'll be back to Einstein's. It was great while I was so close, but I'm not sure that I like it enough to go back any old time. I don't really find myself missing the food. It was a nice option to have while I worked downtown, but maybe I just don't want to go back because it reminds me of those boring work days that I'm not too fond of remembering. But a lot of people really like their coffee and so if you're a big coffee drinker, maybe give it a try. And I guess it's great if you really like bagels. But I would suggest going to another location where you can park your car. Unless you happen to find yourself walking around downtown for some reason.
(3)
Nick D.
Since I work at the Riffe, Einsteins is easily my favorite coffee shop nearby. It is fairly cheap for a cup of coffee (in comparison to Starbucks, and the now closed Caribou Coffee). Their bagels are quite delicious, although expensive, I enjoy the Cinnamon Sugar bagel the best with plain schmear. The coffee: I must admit I am only a fan of the Neighborhood Blend (NB). People love the Vanilla Hazelnut, but not I! NB is just the perfect cup of coffee needed in the morning. The staff: very friendly and welcoming no matter what time of the day it is. I enjoy that they work to please each customer who comes through the coffee shop. Overall: I give it a 5/5 because I thoroughly enjoy going here for coffee and a quick bite for breakfast. Check it out if you are ever in Cap Square!
(5)
Jade M.
The team at Einstein's always takes care of me. They're always friendly and remember my name. They make you feel appreciated. The people are what make this place one of my go to choices.
(4)
Patti G.
Ordered a bagel egg and cheese, got cold wet gray bacon on my sandwich. The coffee is okay. My friend got turkey sausage and an egg and they put cheese on it. The staff does not pay attention, the food is cold and gross and you might has well stir your coffee with a dirty shoe. Meh!
(1)
Steve G.
I went to Einstein Bros Bagels twice, because I wasn't quite sure how I felt the first time, and my feelings aren't much less melancholy after the second time around either. I've ordered both soup and bagels from here, and have had bagels before when they were a part of party boxes for work. So if there's one thing I can give to this business, they have the best bagels I've had before. And their soup isn't too bad, but I have definitely had better. With that being said, my main issue was paying what I paid for the food I got. It wasn't outrageous, and perhaps it was because I was eating at the downtown location instead of another branch, but I just couldn't justify what I paid for what I ate. So I'm torn between loving their bagels, and hating the prices.
(3)
Brad S.
Why is the coffee so expensive here? $2 for a medium? Seems high. The bagels are fine. They taste just like what you want from a chain bagel shop. I'm not a fan of the bagel sandwiches though... the eggs were slimy (maybe because they're layered with weird green salsa), the sausage was slippery, and the whole thing fell apart. The lunch sandwiches are better, but they're no where near the top of my list when lunching downtown. It's not that I avoid Einstein's...it just never seems like the best option around Capital Square.
(3)
Brian P.
This has become an adjunct office for many capitol square hangers on and bank/insurance execs from nearby offices. That is the price of free wi-fi, I suppose. The real problem here is that Ohio is home to Sammy's bagels, which are actually decent. This has chain store bagelitis - they are OK if someone buys a dozen for you to liven up a meeting, but this is not the place I'd go for bagels for any reason other than convenience of location due to proximity to work. The small bottled orange juices here cost more than a gallon of OJ at the grocery store. No kidding. If you are downtown and need a quick place to meet for coffee, this is a good choice for you. If you need reasonably decent food, though, this place is assembly line, cookie cutter bland. Not terrible, just nothing to write home about. Very friendly counter staff, however, and they always give receipts for those business expense filers. But if you're filing expense reports for bagels and coffee, quit ripping off the feds with this pathetic business expense write off and admit you were going to eat anyway. This national debt won't solve itself.
(2)
Catherine J.
It's a bagel sandwich shop: downtown workin' utility. Get in, get out. I'm a pretty big fan of their breakfast sandwich options. You can go with a lighter option (bagel thin, egg whites, more veggies) or you can get a grease and carb bomb (sausage, fat bagel, cheese, etc). I think Einstein's survived the Bagel Shop Boom/Bust of the mid-90s because they were able to see beyond just bagels, cream cheese, and sandwiches. They seem to have a pretty good variety no matter what your dietary needs may be (while still being primarily a bagel shop). Though I don't mind the serve-yourself coffee concept in general, it's a little awkward in this location. The coffee urns are in a corner, near where people wait for their orders to come out after paying. The coffee-accessories station (milk, sugar, sleeves, lids) is in the same corner on a different table. All of this is jammed in a tiny L-shaped space and it's pretty much impossible for more than one or two people to serve themselves coffee, then move to the fixins station at a time. People can be slow. The flow gets backed up. It's a problem.
(3)
Anthony A.
The food here is delicious although a bit overpriced I feel. The one lady that seems to run the show always looks overworked. I just want to go up to her and give her a hug. Nice place to go to get a bagel sandwhich, although I would note that they always have their TV on way too loud and usually showing those dreadful 'View' type shows.
(3)
K. K.
This place used to be decent for a quick lunch on a cold/rainy day without going outsie (I work in the Riffe). However, it has recently gone downhill. It was great when you got a sandwich with chips and a drink for $6. However, now the sandwich alone costs at least that much. Also, while many are friendly, my past couple of visits have been terrible! I went today, ordered a turkey sandwich, the person taking my order seemed to have no idea what I was talking about. Finally, after staring at the screen for 2 minutes she asked someone for help. I eventaully recieved my food and walked back to my office to find that I had ended up with a turkey sausage, egg and cheese sandwich. (might I point out, she asked me if I was talking about turkey sausage and i said no..) This place is good for grabing a quick coffee or bagel, but anything more than that, try your luck elsewhere. There are much better lunch joints around Cap Square...
(2)
Mike B.
Einstein's best season is certainly the fall. Their autumn roast coffee is good enough to bring a giant trucker coffee cup in for, and the pumpkin schmear on a cinnamon sugar bagel is about the best thing ever. Considering two of the other reviews are from scouts, and the other from someone who confused a bagel joint for a lunch place, this is a highly under-rated establishment that has gotten a bad rap. All einsteins I've been to have offered good consistent bagels, excellent coffee, and fast and cheap service. Five stars all the way.
(5)
doreen w.
I just got back from this place picking up a coveted ticket to Kings of Leon from a nice guy that didn't charge me to much over face value. I love Columbus. Anyway, I have never visited an Einstein before, growing up in NY if a bagel it is not hand roll I can't even look at it. That said I had an everything bagel that was pretty decent not to tough and actually a little to doughy for my taste. Since I had to wait awhile I had a chai tea latte that was made in the microwave that was just gross. Good thing it only cost a little over 2 bucks. The highlight was the selection of tea. I had a red rasberry that was great for an herbal. I would go back for that. If you work downtown this is a good place for tea or to meet up with some white collar folks.
(3)
Kylie F.
Power bagel w peanut butter. I worked her many years ago and thought I'd never want it again, but it's hella yummy and quite full filling
(5)
Tom R.
They are located in my building so that helps, but this place is a rock solid bagel joint. they have good turkey chili, but nothing beats a fresh toasted pumpernickel bagel with cream cheese first thing in the morning. As chains/locations go, this place is really good.
(3)
Chita B.
Overall, kind of a Fail. It's a standard lunch place - standard but unappealing. The bread is often kind of tough to chew, and the ingredients taste like they've been sitting in a fridge wrapped in plastic and then re-heated (which they probably have - Omnivore's Dilemma, anyone? - but I shouldn't have to taste it). My biggest complaint about this place is that they aren't able to "edit" their menu items. I asked for them to add a particular sauce to my wrap. "What, you want the other wrap?" ---No, I want the chicken wrap, WITH this sauce. "Um...the chicken wrap doesn't come with this sauce." URG! I'm going to Potbelly's next door.
(2)
Daniel E.
Nice place in downtown Ohio for a quick bite to eat! Almost the same as in Arizona except they are not a fan of the jalapeno bagel in Ohio!
(4)
Olivia E.
I work in the Riffe building next door, so when I don't bring my lunch, this is my go-to place. I always order from the Smart Choices part of the menu. They have a pretty good selection of low-calorie sandwiches, soups, and smoothies. I just had the Garden Herb Turkey bagel thin sandwich yesterday and I think it's my favorite so far. I always watch people come in for the first time and get super confused about how to order. You order at one register and then pay at another. When your order is ready, they call your name. The only drawback is that they are moderately priced for a bagel shop. A bagel thin sandwich, chips, and a drink here will set you back about $8-10. That might not seem like much to some people, but to a gal who eats for free almost every day (i pack leftovers from the previous night's dinner), it's a lot. That being said, I still like to splurge here every once in a while. The staff members are friendly, but it sort of takes something away when you see EVERY employee head outside for a quick smoke on their breaks. I think it's a prerequisite for working here...you have to smoke. Kidding, of course.
Stephanie B.
This is a staple in the lives of the people who work downtown. I should know, I was one of them. Everyone went to Einsteins, for coffee, for breakfast, sometimes for lunch. I'm not a big coffee drinker or that big on bagels, but I still found myself here on occasion. I think for a lot of people it's a good excuse to get out of the office for a little bit. Anything to break that monotonous pattern of a 9 to 5 job. But besides being a good excuse to leave your desk, this place actually has really good food! And the prices really aren't too shabby, especially by downtown standards. This location is just inside the Huntington building (right before the Juice Bar, which I wrote about yesterday) to the right. You'll see it walking outside the building because a huge glass window lets you see inside the whole restaurant. It's not very big, and it can get sort of crowded in here during the work day. As with any eatery downtown, avoid this place during the noon hour when everyone's on their lunch breaks. But it's a good place to get your food to go or sit at one of the tables and avoid going back to work for as long as you can get away with. The atmosphere is nice enough, but the tables and chairs aren't the best for sitting long periods of time. But if you don't work downtown, be aware that there's no parking here. And this place is only open during work hours, not on weekends. You're in downtown employee territory when you come here. That being said, this place was a haven for me to grab a quick meal or get away from work. I liked to come here for lunch. They have some really great sandwiches. I always liked the Club Mex. It had turkey, bacon, pepper jack cheese, a spicy sauce and I'd always get it with sprouts and avocados. They will serve it on any bread or bagel you want. I always got it on challah bread. Yummy! It was a great cold sandwich. And when you got a sandwich, you also got your choice of side. I'd always get their signature side salad. The dressing is already on it and it's really good. But you could also pick chips or fruit salad or coleslaw, etc. They also have grilled paninis. I liked the Italian Chicken a lot. It was chicken breast with spinach, peppers and provolone cheese and pepperoni. My favorite hot sandwich here. I had their Chipotle salad once, and I wasn't a big fan. The dressing that came with it sort of tasted strange. It was pretty good, but I liked Quizno's and Potbelly's salads much better for lunch. And yes, I have had their bagels. They are pretty good. They just taste like every bagel I've ever had. But I don't eat bagels very often. They do have some delightfully fattening pastries and treats up at the counter. Cinnamon twists, big brownies, stuff like that. Their muffins are huge and they have pound cake and coffee cake in all different flavors. Yes, I've tried them on occasion, and they are awesome! They also have prepackaged cookies which come in all kinds of flavors. I like the peanut butter. But I loved their big Rice Krispy treats. Sometimes those would be my unhealthy breakfast. Those were the days... To order food, you form a line at the end opposite the register and tell the people behind the counter what you want. They'll get it for you, and as you move towards the register you can grab prepackaged salads, drinks or cookies, etc. Then you pay and wait towards the other side if your food isn't done yet. They'll bag it up and hand it to you. If you get coffee, they give you a cup and you go fix it yourself in the corner of the restaurant. They have mugs there that you can buy that when you bring it back gives you cheaper refills. They also make cold drinks like smoothies and iced coffees. They are pretty good too, but for this fix I tend to find myself at Starbucks. The employees are nice enough. Some of the people behind the counter are very cheery and put a smile on your face with fun conversations. Then you get down to the register and there's usually this woman there that repeats your order back to you in a droll voice, tells you your total, says the amount you give her, and then tells you how much change you're getting back. It's kind of funny, but she looks quite unhappy. She's not rude or anything, but she just looks like she wishes she was anywhere else. Now that I don't work downtown anymore, I am not sure that I'll be back to Einstein's. It was great while I was so close, but I'm not sure that I like it enough to go back any old time. I don't really find myself missing the food. It was a nice option to have while I worked downtown, but maybe I just don't want to go back because it reminds me of those boring work days that I'm not too fond of remembering. But a lot of people really like their coffee and so if you're a big coffee drinker, maybe give it a try. And I guess it's great if you really like bagels. But I would suggest going to another location where you can park your car. Unless you happen to find yourself walking around downtown for some reason.
(3)Nick D.
Since I work at the Riffe, Einsteins is easily my favorite coffee shop nearby. It is fairly cheap for a cup of coffee (in comparison to Starbucks, and the now closed Caribou Coffee). Their bagels are quite delicious, although expensive, I enjoy the Cinnamon Sugar bagel the best with plain schmear. The coffee: I must admit I am only a fan of the Neighborhood Blend (NB). People love the Vanilla Hazelnut, but not I! NB is just the perfect cup of coffee needed in the morning. The staff: very friendly and welcoming no matter what time of the day it is. I enjoy that they work to please each customer who comes through the coffee shop. Overall: I give it a 5/5 because I thoroughly enjoy going here for coffee and a quick bite for breakfast. Check it out if you are ever in Cap Square!
(5)Jade M.
The team at Einstein's always takes care of me. They're always friendly and remember my name. They make you feel appreciated. The people are what make this place one of my go to choices.
(4)Patti G.
Ordered a bagel egg and cheese, got cold wet gray bacon on my sandwich. The coffee is okay. My friend got turkey sausage and an egg and they put cheese on it. The staff does not pay attention, the food is cold and gross and you might has well stir your coffee with a dirty shoe. Meh!
(1)Steve G.
I went to Einstein Bros Bagels twice, because I wasn't quite sure how I felt the first time, and my feelings aren't much less melancholy after the second time around either. I've ordered both soup and bagels from here, and have had bagels before when they were a part of party boxes for work. So if there's one thing I can give to this business, they have the best bagels I've had before. And their soup isn't too bad, but I have definitely had better. With that being said, my main issue was paying what I paid for the food I got. It wasn't outrageous, and perhaps it was because I was eating at the downtown location instead of another branch, but I just couldn't justify what I paid for what I ate. So I'm torn between loving their bagels, and hating the prices.
(3)Brad S.
Why is the coffee so expensive here? $2 for a medium? Seems high. The bagels are fine. They taste just like what you want from a chain bagel shop. I'm not a fan of the bagel sandwiches though... the eggs were slimy (maybe because they're layered with weird green salsa), the sausage was slippery, and the whole thing fell apart. The lunch sandwiches are better, but they're no where near the top of my list when lunching downtown. It's not that I avoid Einstein's...it just never seems like the best option around Capital Square.
(3)Brian P.
This has become an adjunct office for many capitol square hangers on and bank/insurance execs from nearby offices. That is the price of free wi-fi, I suppose. The real problem here is that Ohio is home to Sammy's bagels, which are actually decent. This has chain store bagelitis - they are OK if someone buys a dozen for you to liven up a meeting, but this is not the place I'd go for bagels for any reason other than convenience of location due to proximity to work. The small bottled orange juices here cost more than a gallon of OJ at the grocery store. No kidding. If you are downtown and need a quick place to meet for coffee, this is a good choice for you. If you need reasonably decent food, though, this place is assembly line, cookie cutter bland. Not terrible, just nothing to write home about. Very friendly counter staff, however, and they always give receipts for those business expense filers. But if you're filing expense reports for bagels and coffee, quit ripping off the feds with this pathetic business expense write off and admit you were going to eat anyway. This national debt won't solve itself.
(2)Catherine J.
It's a bagel sandwich shop: downtown workin' utility. Get in, get out. I'm a pretty big fan of their breakfast sandwich options. You can go with a lighter option (bagel thin, egg whites, more veggies) or you can get a grease and carb bomb (sausage, fat bagel, cheese, etc). I think Einstein's survived the Bagel Shop Boom/Bust of the mid-90s because they were able to see beyond just bagels, cream cheese, and sandwiches. They seem to have a pretty good variety no matter what your dietary needs may be (while still being primarily a bagel shop). Though I don't mind the serve-yourself coffee concept in general, it's a little awkward in this location. The coffee urns are in a corner, near where people wait for their orders to come out after paying. The coffee-accessories station (milk, sugar, sleeves, lids) is in the same corner on a different table. All of this is jammed in a tiny L-shaped space and it's pretty much impossible for more than one or two people to serve themselves coffee, then move to the fixins station at a time. People can be slow. The flow gets backed up. It's a problem.
(3)Anthony A.
The food here is delicious although a bit overpriced I feel. The one lady that seems to run the show always looks overworked. I just want to go up to her and give her a hug. Nice place to go to get a bagel sandwhich, although I would note that they always have their TV on way too loud and usually showing those dreadful 'View' type shows.
(3)K. K.
This place used to be decent for a quick lunch on a cold/rainy day without going outsie (I work in the Riffe). However, it has recently gone downhill. It was great when you got a sandwich with chips and a drink for $6. However, now the sandwich alone costs at least that much. Also, while many are friendly, my past couple of visits have been terrible! I went today, ordered a turkey sandwich, the person taking my order seemed to have no idea what I was talking about. Finally, after staring at the screen for 2 minutes she asked someone for help. I eventaully recieved my food and walked back to my office to find that I had ended up with a turkey sausage, egg and cheese sandwich. (might I point out, she asked me if I was talking about turkey sausage and i said no..) This place is good for grabing a quick coffee or bagel, but anything more than that, try your luck elsewhere. There are much better lunch joints around Cap Square...
(2)Mike B.
Einstein's best season is certainly the fall. Their autumn roast coffee is good enough to bring a giant trucker coffee cup in for, and the pumpkin schmear on a cinnamon sugar bagel is about the best thing ever. Considering two of the other reviews are from scouts, and the other from someone who confused a bagel joint for a lunch place, this is a highly under-rated establishment that has gotten a bad rap. All einsteins I've been to have offered good consistent bagels, excellent coffee, and fast and cheap service. Five stars all the way.
(5)doreen w.
I just got back from this place picking up a coveted ticket to Kings of Leon from a nice guy that didn't charge me to much over face value. I love Columbus. Anyway, I have never visited an Einstein before, growing up in NY if a bagel it is not hand roll I can't even look at it. That said I had an everything bagel that was pretty decent not to tough and actually a little to doughy for my taste. Since I had to wait awhile I had a chai tea latte that was made in the microwave that was just gross. Good thing it only cost a little over 2 bucks. The highlight was the selection of tea. I had a red rasberry that was great for an herbal. I would go back for that. If you work downtown this is a good place for tea or to meet up with some white collar folks.
(3)Kylie F.
Power bagel w peanut butter. I worked her many years ago and thought I'd never want it again, but it's hella yummy and quite full filling
(5)Tom R.
They are located in my building so that helps, but this place is a rock solid bagel joint. they have good turkey chili, but nothing beats a fresh toasted pumpernickel bagel with cream cheese first thing in the morning. As chains/locations go, this place is really good.
(3)Chita B.
Overall, kind of a Fail. It's a standard lunch place - standard but unappealing. The bread is often kind of tough to chew, and the ingredients taste like they've been sitting in a fridge wrapped in plastic and then re-heated (which they probably have - Omnivore's Dilemma, anyone? - but I shouldn't have to taste it). My biggest complaint about this place is that they aren't able to "edit" their menu items. I asked for them to add a particular sauce to my wrap. "What, you want the other wrap?" ---No, I want the chicken wrap, WITH this sauce. "Um...the chicken wrap doesn't come with this sauce." URG! I'm going to Potbelly's next door.
(2)Daniel E.
Nice place in downtown Ohio for a quick bite to eat! Almost the same as in Arizona except they are not a fan of the jalapeno bagel in Ohio!
(4)Olivia E.
I work in the Riffe building next door, so when I don't bring my lunch, this is my go-to place. I always order from the Smart Choices part of the menu. They have a pretty good selection of low-calorie sandwiches, soups, and smoothies. I just had the Garden Herb Turkey bagel thin sandwich yesterday and I think it's my favorite so far. I always watch people come in for the first time and get super confused about how to order. You order at one register and then pay at another. When your order is ready, they call your name. The only drawback is that they are moderately priced for a bagel shop. A bagel thin sandwich, chips, and a drink here will set you back about $8-10. That might not seem like much to some people, but to a gal who eats for free almost every day (i pack leftovers from the previous night's dinner), it's a lot. That being said, I still like to splurge here every once in a while. The staff members are friendly, but it sort of takes something away when you see EVERY employee head outside for a quick smoke on their breaks. I think it's a prerequisite for working here...you have to smoke. Kidding, of course.
(3)