Boil & Bake — Restaurant in Costa Mesa

ZERO STARS!! HORRIBLE EXPERIENCE!! TERRIBLE OWNER!!! Absolutely appalled by the customer service from the OWNER!! Went in for lunch with my 80 yo mother. We were excited about trying this place. First, they only had one type bagel left, which was disappointing, but didn’t keep us from ordering. My mom had the Sage and I had the one with figs. She wanted a decaf coffee, which they didn’t have, so she got a regular coffee. I had an iced coffee. Bill was $57.00 not including tip. You seat yourself with your beverages and flatware, they bring food. My mom’s coffee was ice cold, so I took it up and asked to just make it an iced coffee. I was told there was a difference in price. I guess they have to charge you for ice! I declined, and asked for a fresh pot. Then our food came. My bagel didn’t look that great compared to the description. My figs were not even close to being ripe and the bagel was very chewy. My mother’s looked delicious, and may have been, if she had been able to cut it so she could try it. Both of us tried to cut it into bite size pieces so she could safely chew it, but neither of us could cut through the bagel. So I went to the front and asked if I could have a sharper knife and was told they didn’t have any. I asked if the cook could cut it up for her, and was told they couldn’t do that. Mind you, this meal was $57, and my mom still didn’t have her hot coffee yet. I then asked if I could speak to the manager. Several minutes later, he came out. I calmly explained the situation. When I asked the same questions, do you have a sharper knife, No. Can you cut it for her, No. I started to get quite irritated so I said, Are you the head manager? He replied, I am the Owner. This shocked me! Not only did he refuse to accommodate my 80 yo mother who was in a wheelchair, but he was rude and condescending. He told me they are meant to be eaten with your hands. Then why, I said, do you provide a fork and knife? That’s for spreading, he said. I replied, So you expect my mother to pick this up with her hands, bite into it, and possibly break a few teeth because you, being the head decision maker as the owner, can’t provide her a safe way to eat this meal? Are you kidding me? He repeated, It’s meant to be eaten with your hands. There is no way I would eat it with my hands! There was no way anyone would eat this with their hands!! So I asked for a refund since my mother was unable to eat it and he was not willing to simply cut it for her, or provide me a way to. He refused. He offered to make something else, but that would not change the fact that you can’t cut through the bagel!! Never in my life have I had a problem when I had to complain about a meal. I hate to complain, and this had such a simple solution! He could have accommodated her in so many ways. But instead, treated me with such disrespect, I really was shocked. I was so mad by then, I lost my temper, which is VERY rare for me. I said to him, So you just charged my mother $57 for a meal that she can’t even eat when you have the ability to change that? He said Yes. That’s when I took my hand and pushed the plate into the air which hit the wall under the cash register and splattered all over the place. ( no one was near) then I said, OK THEN, YOU CAN CLEAN IT UP! Probably could have skipped the outburst, as it was certainly not my best moment, but you just don’t treat a paying customer like that!! Especially an elderly disabled one. He has lost my business and I plan to post this on every review platform possible. He doesn’t deserve my business! He should really be ashamed for the complete disregard and disrespect of someone who contributes to his livelihood. Without paying customers, he has no business. If you don’t treat your customers right you lose them. I don’t care how good the food is. Which...

Finally had the time to come and visit this bagel place after seeing a ton of reviews and reels on insta. We went there as a family for lunch on a Friday. Arrived around 12:30, there was no one in the store ordering and a couple of parties outside eating in the patio which is quite nice and airy. There is no big menu on the wall so we had to go to the register to see the menu with the small fonts under the glass. The manager or cashier or possibly the owner told us that they have menus by the entrance. He came across a bit aggressive especially given that it was obvious that we are new patrons and needed help. The menu is divided between open faced sandwiched and regular sandwiches and prices range from $10 to $19 with mostly around $14. I ordered the east village on sesame bagels (your other options are plain, everything, caccio e peppe, and jalapeneo cheese), my son ordered greens egg and ham, the other son ordered don’t go bacon my heart and my wife ordered the bob and Larry. She asked for eggs in it which we were told that’s not an option but then told that eggs can be ordered on side for $4 which she did. The outside was nice on a warm on a sunny day and one of the servers nicely cleaned the table for us. The side eggs arrived first, followed by the bagels. They all looked super good although not as packed as the pictures I had seen on insta however nevertheless the food was a solid 4 stars. I would give this place a 3.5 stars but given that’s not an option I will have to give it a 3 based on the service. I had half a bagel left over and was hoping to wrap in in a clean wrapper before putting it in the box, but when I went inside to ask for a clean wrapping paper, I was told that they don’t give wrapping paper out and they can only offer me a to go box which are readily available outside in the patio anyway. I don’t know why giving a piece of wrapping paper was such a big deal but it’s all good. Maybe I visit this place again in a few months when I have a craving for bagels and lox and hopefully will have a better experience and if so will...

I recently had the pleasure of dining at Boil & Bake in Costa Mesa, and I can’t stop raving about my experience! Even with a bustling crowd, the service was outstanding. The staff remained incredibly helpful, making a genuine effort to remember who ordered what. I was pleasantly surprised when the front staff brought my order right to me—talk about attention to detail!

Now, let’s talk about the food. I indulged in the fully loaded Lox on the Cacio e Pepe bagel, and it was nothing short of a culinary masterpiece! The combination of fresh sprouts, radish, herbs, salted cucumbers, and a drizzle of Graza olive oil, all topped with fresh lemon and capers, created a flavor explosion that I simply can’t get enough of. Seriously, need I say more?

Living in Orange County, I’m about a 15-minute drive away, and let me tell you, it’s worth every minute! I attempted to visit over the weekend, but the line was wrapped around the shop—definitely a testament to its popularity. Unfortunately, I had to work and couldn’t stay to wait, but I highly recommend making the trip.

And don’t even get me started on the cookie! It was outrageously good, boasting a perfect crunch with just a hint of salt. I also treated myself to an iced matcha latte, which was absolutely delicious and refreshing.

Parking is plentiful, which is a huge plus. My only wish is for a little more courtesy from fellow customers when it comes to personal space in line—it can get a bit cramped, and standing too close can be quite obnoxious.

Overall, I adore Boil & Bake, and I will always support this fantastic business. This was my second visit, and I can’t wait to come back for more! If you’re in the area, do yourself a favor and stop by—you won’t regret it! 5 stars 5 stars great music play list 5 stars service 5 stars bagels 5 stars lovely cozy...