El Bagel — Restaurant in Miami

While the food at El Bagel is consistently delicious, the online ordering system leaves much to be desired. This is not the first time I’ve experienced a delay after placing an order in advance. Many customers order online with the expectation of saving time—especially during a busy day—but the system doesn’t clearly state that your order won’t be prepared until closer to the listed pickup time. It’s easy to overlook, and it defeats the purpose of ordering ahead. I was on a tight schedule and ended up delayed for a 1 PM appointment because of this.

To make matters worse, after finally receiving my order, I noticed only one of the two bagels I paid for was in the bag. When I pointed it out, they quickly made the second one—but that just proved my point. If they were able to make it that fast, why wasn’t it ready in the first place? This kind of oversight and miscommunication should not be happening at a place with this reputation and price point.

And honestly—it just sucks. I came here simply wanting to pick up my food and go, and instead I left feeling frustrated and behind schedule. I truly feel bad for whoever told the owner this system works, because it’s clearly not. It’s jeopardizing both the customer experience and the efficiency of the business.

Heads up to others: double-check your pickup time and check your order before leaving. The food is great, but the ordering process and customer service need serious improvement. A clearer order tracking system or real-time prep updates would make a...

Food: 5 stars There's no wrong choice here. I went with the Sausage, Egg, & Cheese was packed with flavor. The cheese perfectly melted after an explosion of taste from the everything bagel.

Service: 4 stars This place usually has a decent wait and line to order since they also handle online orders. My suggestion is to input an online order prior to arriving so you don't have to wait. The employees were friendly and helpful with questions we had on the menu. They do a great job separating both walk in and online orders.

Ambiance: 2 stars Not much to really see here but the busy streets of Biscayne boulevard. Inside is small and no real sitting room, packed with a line of customers awaiting their orders. Outside there are a few spots to enjoy however during busy hours good luck finding a spot. The restrictions to this location makes it difficult to create an environment where you'd want to stay. Other than maybe mingling with other fellow customers this location is more of an order, grab and go place.

Overall: El Bagel is a top choice when it comes to the food and that's why you would want to come here. If you're looking for more ambiance while you eat look elsewhere or grab an order and create your own nearby.

4 stars...

This review is long overdue, as we've been coming here for years almost every single weekend. Great bagels are hard to come by but also consistently great bagels. Pretty much tried all the spots in Miami and most are hit or miss. One day great the next day blah. El Bagel is the best of the best when it comes to quality and consistency. Thankfully they just happen to be down the street from the office. #1 bagels are made perfectly toasted or untoasted. Now for the fun stuff in the middle they have a bunch of great options and by far my fav is the BEC and coming in with a mix of others is Lox, King Guava, Whitefish Grill, and the other go-to is simple with Bagel and Cream Cheese. Additionally, the Whitefish Salad is very good and they serve the best OJ in the world-- Kennesaw! Finally, it is important to note that this place gets crowded and especially on the weekends. Advice: Order online and show up after they tell you your order is ready. They are on point with this and the online ordering process is as smooth...