Baba’s Bagel - Belle Mead NJ — Restaurant in Montgomery Township

I'm usually not one to write bad reviews. I live by the idea "if you have nothing nice to say, don't say anything at all". Giving 3 stars to account for them being a new business and it can be tough getting started. To be honest though, my experience barely warrants 1 star. I have worked in several different restaurants and delis throughout my life and I know how hectic it can be day to day. Maybe we caught them at a bad time but I was really disappointed. For starters, the first impression wasnt all that great. Empty display cases with decorations and crumbs scattered about. It looked like they don't wipe down the cabinet doors and cases very often. The wait was long even though they had an abundance of employees behind the counter. They didn't seem very efficient. At one prep counter there were two employees. If one was preparing a bagel, the other sat still not doing anything and then they would switch. Additionally, there was a woman behind the counter, kind of looked like an owner, walking about the main areas of food prep while her long hair was down, not tied up or in a pony tail or anything. This is typically the simplest effort they could make towards a clean work environment. At one point, during our long wait, I witnessed an employee blow their nose and not change their gloves or wash their hands. We had viewed the baskets of bagels, mostly all full and looked great. We ordered from a basket that was full, paid, then were told they didn't have it. I explained to them they have a full basket of bagels, labelled as the kind we ordered and the guy didn't see to understand. We ended up ordering a different flavor, then went back to double check we were losing our minds, and they infact had a full basket labelled as the flavor we wanted. After waiting for 30 minutes we determined it wasn't worth going back to the counter for clarification. I truly hope they are successful in the future but they need to better their systems and work on their efficiency. While one employee was making bagels and the other sitting around, the one sitting around could have easily gone out and wiped down tables and cabinets, had client interactions to show a friendly Atmosphere, and other odds and ends. It was moderately busy but no where near what it could have been on a Sunday morning. Definitely should have been manageable with the amount of employees they had on staff. I would love to give them the benefit of the doubt but I do not think that I...

Now let me explain my ratings and ill get to the categories of the stars. First we went in and the girl at the register was friendly and very accommodating. That part of the vist was great. Now ill explain the atmosphere of a 2. Besides the helpful counter girl was another woman who i felt was glaring at us the whole time and we felt uncomfortable. If this was just a misunderstanding I apologize for it. Now for the food, it was great. First we got some bagels to go, they were very interesting. I also got the last asiago cheese bagel and had the garden cream cheese , that was also delicious. We got an oreo, chocolate chip, (i think was the second it was next to the oreo,) and the new strawberry one. We didnt eat them yet but il say they look delicious and well made. Then we ordered a black and white cookie, not made there but delicious. Then we got a double chocolate fudge? (I think thats the name, it was all brown and very chocolatey.) For the finally we asked for the Tuscan turkey sandwich. Now this is where the 2 star rating comes in. The sandwich was just a turkey sandwich with lettuce, tomatoes, and onions, nothing else. It was just OK when I ate it. What i wanted was the tuskan turkey, which was roasted turkey, provolone, roasted red peppers and mayo. There was not even mayo on the sandwich. We asked for extra mayo and mustard on the sandwich and the side. We got the side ones though. On too of the thr muffin they gave us was a chocolate chip and not the double chocolate. Oh I forgot the sides for the sandwich we got was the macaroni salad which was great. The price was also good. The 2 comes from the disappointment of opening up something you were waiting for and getting something wrong and the atmosphere feeling from inside. I can get over the atmosphere as the food was great. I would go back, they just have to...

First time here and on walk-in I was immediately impressed with the decor. The light colors give the entire space a pleasant atmosphere. I think you can order directly with someone at the register, but I loved the kiosk set up for you to do this yourself. It eliminated any embarrassment with requesting something like a medium over easy egg out loud, and makes your order completely private. You then take the receipt up to the main counter to complete the purchase. I ordered a Pork-Roll, Egg and Cheese with Salt, Pepper, Ketchup & a sliced Tomato on a Poppy Seed Bagel. When I went up to pay, I was kindly informed they were out of Poppy, so I opted for the Sesame instead. It wasn’t until I finally bit into my breakfast sandwich that I realized why most of the baskets of bagels were nearly empty….the bagel alone was MAGNIFICENT! It had a nice crust and soft inside. It wasn’t overly filled, nor skimpy. Plus, it was served in a platter tray Ruben style (open face). I didn’t know what to think of this, but I LOVED IT. I shared the one half with my wife, and it was like we got two sandwiches for the price of one! Both had equal amounts of my order and it was deliciously, hot and fresh. They have really cool shirts for 15.99, too. Personally, I love having shirts like this because I use them for around the house work, pajamas and/or quick errands. Overall, I can’t wait to come back next week. I don’t live nearby, but I have to return to this area next week one last time and I’m going to make a pit stop here. I just finished my bagel creating this review and I’m tempted to go right now and get another! So good! Thank you Baba’s Bagel, you have another satisfied customer. Keep up...