PopUp Bagels — Restaurant in Boston

Pop-Up Bagels in Boston? Yeah, It’s Legit—Now Can We Talk About That Crunch?

Listen up, Boston—your bagel game just got a serious upgrade, and of course it had to come from New York. Pop-Up Bagels rolled into town like a hero in a flour-dusted cape, and after one bite, I’m ready to swear allegiance.

First off, that everything bagel? A masterpiece. The outside was so crispy and caramelized, I half-wondered if they hired a sugar-glass blower to achieve that perfect crackle. Then—BAM—you tear into it, and steam comes billowing out like a bagel-shaped sauna. The inside? Chewy, dense, exactly how a real bagel should be. None of that soft, sad bread-pretending-to-be-a-bagel nonsense.

My wife went full salt bagel mode, coated in those thicc Maldon salt flakes—basically the caviar of sodium. Paired with scallion cream cheese so smooth, it was like schmear royalty. (Side note: The guy running the line was a legend—shout-out to the sesame bagel stan. You do you, king.)

Yeah, it’s $15 for three bagels and a tub of cream cheese—which, okay, ouch—but let’s be real: You’re not here for a bargain. You’re here because you want a bagel that actually tastes like a bagel, not a circular disappointment.

Final verdict? Worth the hype, worth the cash, and absolutely worth the line. Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to go practice my New York accent in the mirror while eating my...

Came to PopUp on a Monday afternoon, knowing their popularity and recent rise to fame. I left feeling put off by the experience and unsatisfied with their offerings.

First off, I will say that the bagel itself is quite good. Definitely in the top tier spots, akin to what you’d find in a good bagel shop in NY or NJ. The staff ensure that you always leave with something quite fresh and warm. That being said, the pricing model is rigid, overpriced and not at all what you would find in a normal family run bagel shop. You can only buy in certain increments (3, 6, 12). You’re likely paying around $5 per bagel, with a side of cream cheese and (yes we know) it does not come pre-spread for you. So if I’m paying a premium for quality, why is the bagel the smallest I’ve ever had?

The shop itself is playing loud music, intending to convey a sense of energy. But there was a complete lack of organization. People were crammed inside, unsure of where the line started. I waited 30min for 3 bagels because they filled a bunch of to-go orders that never seemed to show up, before mine.

Overall this is giving more gimmick than substance. They need to expand their service offerings, organize the flow of orders, and provide more flexibility with their menu for me to...

I went here the opening week on a Sunday at 8 AM. By the time I got in line, there was around eight people in front of me and the line went by pretty quickly from arrival to leaving, took me 10 minutes. The inside can only accommodate a few people which is used for paying for your order and picking up your order. When you get to the front of the line, there is a man taking your order on the menu which is located outside of the bag, the only reason why I don’t leave because you can’t order just one bagel and a smaller container of the cream cheese Or butter. You are asked will you be getting 36 or 12 today? Great strategy for selling, but inconvenient to people who only want one. Thankfully for me I wanted a few for my family, but I could see how it would be frustrating to other people only wanting one. The bagels themselves were nice and hot. We had the scallion cream cheese which was good. Boston doesn’t have much competition for bagels aside from brick street which is of similar caliber. In terms of parking, a lot of people would park on the side street there and double park. No direct parking lot but there are some garages around the area. I...