Bagel Bistro Diner & Grill — Restaurant in New York

You don't go here for the ambiance. And apparently not for the service either. The food (at least what we ordered) was fair. Not fabulous, not horrible, but certainly not worth the price. I've been to this bistro a few times over the years, so I'm sure there's been a change of management from time to time. It's been a while, but the service has definitely gone downhill. And now you're forced to pay a tip, and asked for an additional tip ontop of the mandatory one.

The waitress was pleasant and was probably busy, but she didn't come over right away. The table seemed dirty and the menus piled on it certainly were. But, we were tired & there & didn't feel like hunting around for another place to eat. We also knew what we wanted so we didn't need to touch the menus.

Once we ordered our coffees, she didn't come back until we waved her down. The place wasn't that busy in-house, and she was just standing behind the counter. But once ordered, everything was fine. Food was fair. Coffee was good. But then when we got the bill-- I didn't like seeing everything tallied up without a breakdown of what we ordered. Maybe she forgot to hand us an itemized list of our food? But, I didn't want to hassle over that when I saw that there was a "Dining Fee" added on top of taxes. And they were asking for a tip in addition. So, when going to pay at the register, I asked what the "Dining Fee" was. It took 2 staffers to suss out what it was. I was told it was for the waitress. But I asked about the tip. She insisted it was a tip for the waitress and she couldn't do anything to remove it.

Usually, when you have a large party-- 6 or more people-- there is an added gratuity. But it's called a gratuity. Not a "Dining Fee". And since the service was meh, I removed the tip we were going to add to the bill prior to the discovery of the forced "Dining Fee". I didn't think an egg sandwich and a special (2 eggs, bacon, & hashbrowns) with 2 coffees would cost more than $30.

Not going back,...

Bagel Bistro catered my daughter‘s Bat Mitzvah luncheon. They did an awesome job. Planning and ordering with Ramy and Mariam was seamless and so easy that I felt like my family has a bagel business.

Ramy was available at all hours of the day and responded promptly to any requests.

The food showed up exactly on time! It was beautifully and thoughtfully prepared. Nothing ran low, in fact they had to bring us containers for leftovers and they were delivered promptly.

Bagel Bistro makes excellent NYC bagels! The bagels have a great crust, quality high gloss shine, and they are soft on the inside. The food was delicious!

People were fighting for leftovers, especially the Salmon Mousse and Whitefish salad!

The cookies trays (Rugelach were fantastic), and fruit platters were well arranged and delicious.

The Tuna salad, Egg Salad, Lox, and Cream Cheese, was excellent and thoughtfully prepared to be served in the most convenient manner, and with gorgeous garnishes.

In short if you need catering for any occasion, Bagel Bistro will do a great job.

Member of my congregation were so impressed that will be using Bagel Bistro for their next catered affair, and I suggest you do the same!

Thanks...

I recently visited this establishment with my family and had a mixed experience. We did feel that certain aspects of our visit could be improved. Upon ordering, we noticed that there was a service fee charged without our prior knowledge. This was not clearly disclosed. Our meals varied in quality, with the buffalo chicken burger being a notable exception, as it was enjoyable. My son's pancake was unedible due to its spongy texture, and I also had difficulties consuming it. The watery eggs in my husband's order were underwhelming. On a more positive note, my daughter enjoyed the soup she was served.

We also had issues with the beverages, as the iced tea tasted unusual to us. Furthermore, when my daughter was asked about a choice between soup or salad, she was not given the option, and her meal did not come with the usual accompaniments, such as juice and milk, which my son received.

I hope you will take these comments into consideration and make necessary improvements to enhance the dining experience for...