Rebelle Artisan Bagels — Restaurant in Cambridge

As a group of students from MIT, we were genuinely excited to host a community-building event at Rebelle Artisan Bagel. Instead of choosing a chain, we really wanted to find and support a local business—and we’d heard amazing things about their bagels. However, what was supposed to be a fun day out turned out being the worse experience we have experienced since moving to Cambridge.

Before our visit, we called ahead to let them know about our group and ask about reservations. They assured us walk-ins would be fine. When we arrived, we explained that this was part of an MIT event, showed our tax-exempt form (which we needed for school reimbursement), and followed their instructions. The server checked with the manager and told us taxes could be removed if we created an account in their system. Everything seemed fine so far.

The server also mentioned that pastries were 50% off and that by signing up for their loyalty program using our university emails, we could each get a free coffee-based drink. Excited to support them, we registered on the spot. But things started to fall apart when the server double-checked with the manager.

The manager came out looking annoyed and claimed the free drink coupons had been sent out the day before, so we wouldn’t be eligible. We tried to explain that we had just signed up, exactly as instructed, but she wasn’t having it. She raised her voice and dismissed our explanations, making us feel humiliated in front of the other customers. It took multiple attempts to clarify before she finally admitted there was a misunderstanding. Even then, she only offered to cancel the drinks instead of resolving the situation.

To avoid more conflict, we paid for the drinks ourselves, even though it pushed us over budget. I made sure to confirm with both the server and manager that taxes had been removed, and they assured me it was handled. As an apology, the server gave us a box of cookies, but they were stale leftovers from the 50% off section—not exactly the thoughtful gesture we’d hoped for.

Later, when I checked my email, I discovered that taxes had still been charged despite all their reassurances. This was the final straw. We went out of our way to support a local business, followed every instruction they gave us, and endured public embarrassment—only to be lied to and overcharged.

It’s a shame because we were so excited to support Rebelle Artisan Bagel. But after this experience, I can’t recommend them to anyone; they clearly don’t value their customers, and frankly,...

Been coming here since they first opened and I think I’ve had enough. Ordered a lox bagel sandwich and a coffee online. $22, including a $2 “online convenience fee” for “asap pickup”… which is scheduled in an hour and a half. I thought I was ordering online because it would be faster than waiting in line at the store. A convenience fee to wait 1.5 hours for a sandwich? Are you kidding me?

I had half a mind to write a review after I ordered their much-advertised latkes last Hanukkah, put in a specific pickup time which was meant to guarantee the latkes would be fresh at that time, picked them up right on time to find that they were sitting in a box, on a shelf, in a pile of similar orders. They must have been sitting there for at least an hour, probably more than one. They were completely cold and soggy and tasted like they wouldn’t have even been great to begin with. And they were something like $5 per piece. I mean, that’s just straight up insulting. But I thought, “I like these guys. I’ll just never get latkes here again”.

It’s been like this for a while — subpar challah, subpar matzah ball soup, subpar and expensive a lot of things. I’m done hoping I won’t be disappointed next time. The pop tarts and cookies are truly great. The people who work here are lovely. The best thing about Rebelle is the branding and advertising, that’s really first rate. The bagels are fine — they’re not better than Providence Bagel and the fact that they get to pretend they’re something special (“artisan”? Really?) just reflects how hard it is to get a really great bagel in all of RI. They’re ok, but not anywhere close to being worth the price, the wait,...

When bagel shops first open in Boston and Cambridge, they usually attract a lot of hype. Even mediocre spots like Brooklyn Bagel Factory had long lines when they first opened. However, during my past few visits to Rebelle, I didn’t see any lines. This Providence transplant hasn’t gained a good reputation among the locals, and the owner's unpopularity on social media and online forums seemed to be the biggest factor.

At Rebelle, owner Milena is strict about how to enjoy her bagels—R&D only, no toasting. She's quite adamant about preserving the air pockets in her freshly-baked bagels, which theoretically gives them a better texture and density. While I respect her dedication to bagel perfection, I have to admit, I prefer to enjoy them in sandwich form for convenience. Sometimes, you just need a bagel that’s more grab-and-go.

During my past few visits, I usually arrived around opening time, and there was always a limited selection of bagels—typically just 3-4 options, with flavors varying by the day. Some of my favorite sandwiches and combos included the pretzel bagel with Honey Fleur de Sel cream cheese, the Lox sandwich, and the BLT Squared sandwich. The bagels here are on the smaller side, but they still have a satisfying chewiness and density. However, because of their size, one sandwich usually isn’t enough to fill me up, which makes me question if it’s worth the price.

Really hoped that Rebelle would become my reliable go-to spot for bagel sandwiches in Cambridge. Their sandwiches are good, but perhaps not the best value. Might return to try their smoked fish sandwiches, but for now, I’ll likely look elsewhere to satisfy my...