Willie's Bagel Cafe — Restaurant in City of Utica

In the food service industry, bad customer service offenses are considered especially heinous. In Utica, the dedicated patrons who report these terrible crimes against food are members of an elite squad known as the Yelpers and Google reviewers. This is my story. To give a backstory, yesterday I cried real tears because McDonalds stopped making bacon egg and cheese bagels, and along with it their glorious breakfast sauce (I'm pregnant and emotionally hungry at this time). My hubby has heard nothing but raving reviews about this place, so he wanted to surprise me by making me my sauce homemade and picking up a seemingly "great" bagel from this joint. Upon opening the hurriedly parchment paper and foil-wrapped sandwich, I immediately noticed two things; the parchment paper was a mess, and there was a stack of bacon thrown only on one side of the sandwich-- nothing I couldn't fix myself. Not the best I've ever had (I worked at a bagel shop in Boston that had bagels from heaven!) but still it was hitting that craving spot. Now I'm about half through my bagel and I chewed on something that made me gag and nearly lose the half I had already eaten. There was a DISGUSTING greasy brown piece of parchment paper that was cooked into my egg (NOT A PIECE THAT IT WAS WRAPPED IN)! Now mind you, I didn't know it was parchment paper until further inspection by the hubby, I couldn't look at it without wanting to vomit. Needless to say the rest of the bagel was tossed. Hubby went back looking for some well-deserved rectification, he brought back said spectacle in a zip-lock bag and made a complaint-- to which there was an "oh" of acknowledgement and he was more or less ignored. Not one to let his temper get the best of him (usually), he left the establishment without proper customer service and returned home, completely disappointed in Willie's Bagel Cafe. 2 stars for effort, whoever was behind the counter was coherent enough to have made the sandwich. There was no love in that sandwich, and customer service clearly needs...

Bad customer service the one time I went but great food and portion size for the price. My wife was very happy with her bacon egg and cheese sandwich on a plain bagel. There are a few tables to sit inside and a lot of people came in while I was there so that shows it’s good. My experience: I ordered bacon egg and cheese on onion bagel. They didn’t ask me if I wanted it toasted but when I got it, it was toasted and I asked for another bagel that wasn’t toasted because the sign doesn’t say it comes toasted and they didn’t ask if I wanted it toasted. I said you can just give me a cut bagel and I will swap it myself. The employee (woman with cornrows) then puts her hand out to me over the counter and doesn’t say a word but I assume she is asking for the sandwich so I hand it to her then she swaps the bagels and I said “I’m sorry to bother you with this, I don’t mean to be a pain it just didn’t say it anywhere or I would have asked when I ordered. The home fries were cold and soggy, had a bland taste (a few onions were there but it tasted like they were put in after cooking).They seem to have been made earlier and put in a container, not fresh which surprised me since they were actively using their flat top griddle to make the sandwiches. I would give this place another try in the future because they had some very good looking items on the menu like pancakes but I was just passing through and didn’t plan to...

I left my hotel room eager to treat my family to a NYC style Easter Breakfast. I ordered a Lox sandwich ($10 +) a great price compared to my regular haunt, home in NYC.. I also ordered another sandwich, a side of loaded potato hash browns, large coffee and and other drinks, total of $31. And change. Lox are watery and tasteless. The sandwich is drowned in soft cream cheese and came with two slices of red onion and two capers.. I didn't think to supervise, like I would at home, as i was distracted , outside texting my grown daughter who is returning from college this morning. My light and sweet coffee was perfect as though I prepared it. I don't mind adding seasons, salt/pepper to the other food, it was all good. But what prompted my review was the attitude of a woman, who was either the owner or the food prep worker, who made my sandwich who was not behind the counter when I initially arrived and ordered. I asked her for paper plates, so I could serve the food, but they said they don't provide that. I then asked for an extra sandwich container that could serve as a bowl but I was told that they cost too much. She then refused to give me a paper bag with handles, to carry it back to my motel. I dropped over $31 and she acted as though I bought a cheese sandwich and begging for a cup of water. ...