Rosenfeld Bagel Co — Restaurant in Newton

There are things to love and to hate about this business, so I’ll try to offer a balanced review. Having visited on a regular, weekly basis, I think that some of the “charm” associated with the establishment stems from the fact that it remains somewhat “static” in terms of its business model. That’s fine in some respects - there is no doubt that the bagels are top quality. However, from an operational perspective, it leaves much to be desired.

Specifically:

1. There does not appear to be any rhyme nor reason to the question of early-morning access. If you line up prior to opening (to get fresh, warm bagels), some customers are allowed to enter the store to pick up deliveries while others have to remain outside in the line. Sometimes, clients are told to enter once the door is unlocked (around 6:50am)…At other times, clients are told to wait until the “manager” comes out to formally greet them. In one instance, she didn’t exit until well after 7am and stated that we “should have entered once the door appeared open.” It’s not a huge deal, but it’s more annoying on a cold winter morning. Please establish some consistency here. Even a basic sign outlining the store’s policy would be helpful.

2. Approximately 50 - 75% of the time, one arrives at 7am to find out that they are out of “everything” bagels. How do you run out of your most popular item before you even open? I understand that there are advance orders, but why do you have bins and bins of your less popular bagels but you seem incapable of structuring your operations to ensure that you have your flagship product available for clients who have waited outside in line at the crack of dawn? Again, this happens on a REGULAR basis. I’m not referring to a “one-off” occurrence.

3. It’s nice to have such a broad assortment of cream cheeses, but why can’t you label them CLEARLY? Do you realize that they are often in the wrong part of the fridge (i.e. mixed up) because other clients have taken them out, gotten confused as to which item they are, and then placed them back incorrectly? Do you also not realize that it would be easier to use a clear and visible label (something which you CAN apparently do with the jalapeño flavor) rather than to have your customers rely on random check marks and marker smudges on the container that look like they were applied by Stevie Wonder? It’s NOT. THAT. HARD….

4. I understand that pointing out one or any of these points to the manager may be frustrating to her. Imagine, however, how frustrating it is for your clients. As an employee, you may not relish client interaction, but trust me, your clients would prefer to have a clean, seamless, competent purchase-experience as well. “Help me help you” and address some of this low hanging fruit… Being passive-aggressive and implying that your customers are “foolish” for not being able to navigate an obviously sub-optimal process is not helpful.

I really want to continue to use this establishment, but the benefits of the quality bagels and “nostalgic” atmosphere are severely undermined by persistent (and arguably solvable) operational...

I can't believe how petty some of these reviews are. I've been going here for years and love the service and quality of food. This is a long-standing business that has a great reputation, and the owners deserve a lot of respect for what they've accomplished.

Its amazing to see a review from a frequent customer that has one bad experience and decides to leave a one-star review and announces that they'll be looking for a new bagel store. I bet that person had many five-star experiences with Rosenfeld and never left a good review. This is the exact reason why no one, especially store owners, should pay attention to reviews and only take note of how long the establishment has been in business. That's the only sample size that's not skewed by the whims of jerks.

The best and most ridiculous reviews and the ones that always make me laugh are when people complain about the price of things. Like they were playing a game of roulette and their ball landed on a price they weren't expecting! You saw the price on the menu, right? No one cares about how you're bad at math, or that you're bad at managing your money, or both. No one cares about what you can't afford, lol.

"What bagel shop runs out of plain bagels?!?" Answer: A popular bagel shop!

Rosenfeld Bagel has been in business for a very long time, and they'll be in business for a long time to come. That's all you...

Great NY style bagels in Newton Center.

Known as one of the best bagel spots in the Greater Boston area, Rosenfeld’s Bagel was a great new find during my recent trips to Newton. Unlike the more “hyped” bagel places in Boston and Cambridge, it attracts a predominantly local crowd due to its location. Yet, the line on both Saturday and Sunday mornings was quite long, and I was surprised to see a Newton police officer managing the queue outside the store. Fortunately, they offer a separate line for pre-orders, which is a great convenience if you’re looking to bypass the wait.

On both of my visits, I opted for their bagel sandwiches, which surprisingly weren't that popular. Most people seemed to prefer buying dozens of their favorite bagels and a variety of spreads to take home. The protein topping options were limited to lox slices and tuna salad, and I found the lox slices to be far superior. The bagels themselves were some of the best I've had in the Greater Boston Area. These water-boiled bagels had the perfect balance of a chewy, light, and fluffy interior with a crispy exterior. Additionally, their unique cream cheese flavors, such as Sun Dried Tomato & Dill, paired wonderfully with the classic lox bagel sandwich.

Would highly recommend giving them a try if you’re looking for an authentic NY/NJ style...