Bagel Shack — Restaurant in Mahwah

Here’s your foodie-style review with that part added in naturally about the bagels not being flat:

⸻

I saw a couple negative reviews floating around and honestly I think they either hit the wrong spot or they’re just salty competitors. From the second I walked in I was like whoa. The place is gorgeous, spotless, and has that “I could hang out here all day” kind of vibe. The staff were super friendly and really on point with everyone coming through the door.

I rolled in around noon on October 1st and grabbed a whitefish salad sandwich with lettuce, tomato, and onion on a garlic bagel. Yes, I snapped a pic. And wow, easily one of the best bagel sandwiches I’ve ever had. Fluffy, massive, and absolutely loaded. I saw someone say in a review that the bagels here were flat—absolutely not true. Mine was a beast, perfectly baked, soft and fluffy, and piled high. Honestly felt like I could’ve made two sandwiches out of it.

What stood out most was the vibe behind the counter. It looked like some of the owners were there running things, and they were super professional but also just good energy all around. Positive with their employees too, which as a fellow food business owner, I really noticed.

Now the coffee. I don’t say this lightly, but it was one of the best cups I’ve ever had. Rich, nutty, smooth, just perfect. And it wasn’t even flavored, just straight up good coffee.

I didn’t even know this spot existed until now and I wish I had found it sooner. Parking was easy even with some construction going on. The menu has plenty of options, and the prices are almost too good to be true. $9.99 for that monster of a sandwich, while other places like Goldbergs charges double for...

The outdoor sign that trumpeted the new "Bagel Shack" was erected shortly after Boston Market closed, and remained there for at least six months before the grand opening. When at last they opened I had high hopes for a good place to grab breakfast or buy bagels for the ride home. I could not have been more disappointed than my one and only visit to Bagel Shack. There was ZERO atmosphere in the so-called "dining area." Stools surrounded the exterior walls, with shelves that passed for tables. We placed our order and took a seat. Enjoying the view of a thousand cars and trucks whizzing by on Route 17, we waited and waited and waited... where's the food? So we went up to the counter and asked and she said "I called your name." She could have taken a 20 step walk around the store to call our name, but no... lukewarm food would be good enough for us. The food was served in a tin foil plate with plastic utensils and 2 packs of ketchup. Greasy spoons have more class than this. Oh yeah, I forgot to mention there was no ketchup on any of the shelves they called tables. And to top it off, the bagel didn't taste like a store-made bagel. It reminded me of the weird aftertaste of Lenders Bagels. Well, needless to say there's no need to return to Bagel Shack. Sadly...

After a long wait and much anticipation, my wife and I finally visited the newly opened Bagel Shack on Rt. 17 North in Mahwah this past Monday, late morning. We were genuinely hoping for a heavyweight bagel battle—this newcomer squaring off against the reigning local champ, the beloved Bagel Train in Suffern.

Instead, what we got was a disappointing dud.

The interior of the Bagel Shack feels cold and unfinished, almost like they opened before being fully ready. That alone wouldn’t bother me if the bagels were great. Unfortunately, they weren’t.

I ordered my usual: an everything bagel with scallion cream cheese and tomato. My wife got her standard plain mini with lox spread. Both were underwhelming. My bagel had such a thin smear of cream cheese, I’ve honestly had buttered bagels with more spread. My wife’s lox spread had barely a hint of lox—more like cream cheese with a whisper of salmon.

After all the anticipation and delay, we were left disappointed by both the product and the experience. Sadly, the Bagel Shack is not one we’ll be...