Baked by Yael — Restaurant in Washington

The best cake pop (party) ever!

After trying to book a kid’s birthday party at the National Zoo months in advance and only getting on a waitlist, then cancelling a Zoo picnic after realizing that you cannot reserve seating, we found Baked by Yael, which is right across the street from the Zoo. We decided to have a kid’s party there instead and are so glad we did!

The folks working there are amazing. Alyssa, Charisse, Ethan, and the other lady (sorry I forgot her name) were sweet, fun, and patient with all of the kids, 6 under 8, 3 toddlers, all the parents, and grandpa. It was madness in the kitchen, but they were not fazed at all, and the kids had a ball. Alyssa was especially friendly and attentive and made the whole process pleasant and relaxed.

We paid for the grownups to have coffee and rugelach, the second batch of which we could smell baking while the kids were rolling their cake pops. The rugelach were delicious and tastier than the pops, to be honest, but you can’t really build a party around that! The kitchen itself was incredibly tidy and clean in the kitchen, which was good since a toddler or two ended up eating some crumbs from the floor. It seemed expensive, so I hesitated a little about booking it, but we ended up taking home two enormous boxes of cake pops. I estimate there were about 10-15 pops per kid. They are in a big bowl in my kitchen, so the party continues. The pops themselves are very good!

I would highly recommend this for a zoo-based party, since it’s so incredibly close, air conditioned, and you can still go to the zoo before or...

After lo these many years of consuming her bagels (purchased by my son who lives in Northern Virginia), I finally met Yael this morning at the Saturday Farmer's Market in Alexandria. I should have asked for her autograph, so broadly known is her reputation among friends and family members from both coasts and myriad points between. I live in PA and whenever the extended family gets together at pretty much any location on the East Coast, my son supplies Yael's bagels, typically no less than 8 dozen consumed over perhaps 6 days. I suggest that perhaps Yael might want to start a support group for those of us so addicted. I should mention that I am a chef, mentored by one of the finest culinary practitioners I have ever met over 50 years in hospitality - and (somewhat immodestly) I consider myself to be a real deal bagel maven. Yael's bagels are the ONLY bagels I recognize as being reminiscent of my childhood - freshly made old fashioned hand shaped chewy perfection from the best bagel shops in Philadelphia, among which was White Palace Bakery in the Logan area. ("Sic transit gloria mundi") To maintain integrity and editorial balance I feel compelled to mention that I have not tried Yael's other baked goods, nor have I been to her store in DC, so I have no basis for further comment. The bagels are without peer and the smiles and 'haymishe' attitudes of the folks at her booth were warm...

TL;DR - Food is delicious and kosher, management is bitter and not-so-kosher.

Vegan faire is great! Bagels are tasty, if a bit small. But the customer service was bad enough that I won't be going back.

Submitted my order at 9:28am for 10am pickup. I arrive at 10:01am, to a shop with no customers, and am welcomed by the (seemed to be) manager who couldn't be bothered to look up from her computer. I inquire about my online order for 10am, she finishes her computer task, then walks to the kitchen, where I can see the person just start making my order (2 bagel sandwiches, no modifications). I say, "I was hoping to just run in and out", holding a toddler fidgeting with their mask. The manager says, "it will be right out", again barely looking up. I step outside, and return at 10:10. Still no food in hand. I mumble my frustration, but still no apology from the manager. At 10:12, the person making my order hands me two bags and says zero words. Manager is in the kitchen, waving a paper at her staff.

On my way out, I hear the manager say in an agitated voice to her staff, "you don't have your own thermometers?!"

I had enjoyed getting cake balls on zoo visits, but with management like I witnessed, no thank you,...