Einstein Bros. Bagels — Restaurant in Virginia Beach

I went in to order a Chocolate Cream Cold Brew during while in Town Center. I wish the story stopped there, but it didn’t.

Upon arriving, I placed my order for the Chocolate Cream Cold Brew (as was advertised on the website as being “Classic cold brew coffee, swirled with chocolate sauce and cream, served over ice”), and waited for my order. Right before I received my order, I heard the barista say in a whisper-like manner to her coworker “I hope it tastes good”—in reference to my drink—as she pushed it across the counter for me to receive. At first glance, I knew something wasn’t right—it looked like cold brew coffee over ice, maybe with some chocolate syrup mixed in. As I sipped, I knew this was the case, and I noticed there was no cream in there, as had been advertised on the website and the menu in the establishment, in addition to the name of the beverage itself (Chocolate Cream Cold Brew). Now, I am not one to go up to the counter and inquire about the way my drink was made, but this was so strange that I just had to ask. So I did—I asked the lady behind the register if there was any cream in this, and the barista popped into the conversation to say that I had to add it myself. I don’t think this is true… why would something be advertised as something with specific ingredients and then not have one of those ingredients in it? The employees said that they understood the name was misleading. Misleading? It’s entirely wrong! The barista was kind enough to ask me if I wanted her to pour some off the top of my drink so I could add the cream. I told her no, because it wasn’t worth the trouble and I was generally confused about how this situation even came to be. So I drank a couple sips of the cold brew mixed with chocolate syrup as I went to the add-ins station so I could add my cream. This would have been an ideal situation had there been cream available at the add-in station, and there wasn’t. There was half and half, some variations of milk, stirrers, napkins, etc. but no heavy cream or sweet cream. This was very strange to me.

Do I think the employees are to be blamed for this? No. Even with the strange “I hope it tastes good” comment, I don’t think this is necessarily the fault of the employees. I think that this location maybe lacks the supplies necessary to make this drink, in which case I would have appreciated being told up front that the Chocolate Cream Cold Brew wasn’t available. Either that, or the employees weren’t lying when saying you have to add the cream yourself, which is false advertising on Einstein Bros’ part. Regardless, I hope this situation can be remedied so that in the future, otherwise customers do not have to experience the confusion I did and feel like they wasted money on a drink.

*I am not one to write reviews normally, and even so, a bad one. After the incident yesterday, my coworker went today to order the Chocolate Cream Cold Brew to determine if mine was just a fluke, but he had the same experience—being given cold brew and chocolate syrup mixed together. Unsure whose attention this...

Great service by Joey Ariel and Elijah, top notch professionalism and product. Beware: This review dives deep into a bagel experience that may challenge your very perception of what a bagel can be. My recent visit to Einstein Bagels promised a classic bagel experience. The storefront, with its rustic charm and the enticing aroma of baked goods, hinted at a tradition of excellence. However, what lay beneath the golden-brown crust of their Everything Bagel was a bewildering departure from expectations. The strange and wonderful flavor profile The first bite unveiled a perplexing flavor profile, a medley of notes that defied easy categorization. Beyond the expected garlic, onion, and poppy seed, there was a fleeting hint of...marshmallow? Or perhaps it was the ghost of a Fluffernutter sandwich dancing on my palate? The sweetness, rather than coming from malt or natural yeast, carried a distinctly artificial undertone, reminiscent of a diet soda that hadn't quite committed to its flavor profile.Texture and chew: the enigma deepens The texture further deepened the enigma. Instead of the satisfying chew of a perfectly baked bagel, this one offered a somewhat cake-like interior and a lack of the smooth, shiny crust one anticipates. Slicing it proved a challenge, requiring a serrated knife that verged on weaponry. Toasting, thankfully, improved the situation, allowing the bagel to transform into a more palatable vehicle for cream cheese – which, by the way, was a classic choice of plain cream cheese to balance out the bagel's unexpected quirks. A breakfast enigma This experience, while unconventional, was memorable. It challenged preconceived notions of what a bagel can be and inspired consideration of the boundaries of bakery innovation. Though not a bagel for everyday breakfast, it is a conversation starter and a testament to the fact that even in baked goods, there is always room for the...

Poor food OR poor service I usually ignore and just chalk up to a bad day at the restaurant, however, poor food AND poor service is truly the hallmark of a poorly run establishment. This place unfortunately epitomizes both.

I ordered a lox bagel and was surprised to find it came with what amounted to basically a single bite of VERY thinly sliced lox. It was almost comical how little salmon there was.

When I politely brought this to the attention of the counter person, who identified themselves as Nicole, hoping for a simple fix, I was met with the most abysmal customer service I have ever encountered.

Instead of acknowledging the issue or offering a solution, Nicole immediately became confrontational and defensive. Any attempt to reasonably address the situation was met with hostility and a refusal to even consider rectifying the problem. It was as if I had personally offended her by pointing out the lack of lox on my bagel.

After a few minutes of somewhat frustrating back and forth, and with my appetite thoroughly ruined by Nicole's appalling attitude, I requested a refund for the food and drink I no longer wanted. Even this simple request was met with resistance where she only wanted to refund a single item at a time. I've honestly never seen anything like this before...

I strongly suggest avoiding this franchise. There are plenty of other coffee shops and bagel places in the area that offer both decent food and customer service that doesn't leave you feeling like you wasted your time/money. Do yourself a favor and...