Manhattan Bagel — Restaurant in West Orange

If you are coming here for a warm, crusty and delicious bagel, STOP, don’t do it, TURN around and find a local bagel shop. The employees here are super-friendly and provide great service. Coffee is also good.

But after you receive your bagel it all goes down hill from there. After getting your bagel on a plate, not wrapped in wax paper—first sign of a problem—and sit down for what you hope will still be a delicious hot, crusty and substantial bagel you quickly realize that something has gone terribly wrong. From the outside, the bagel looks good. All the proportions are right, good amount of cream cheese, and the all important hole to bagel ratio is right. Then you pick it up and you know this is going to be bad. There is no weight to this bagel it is filled with air. It feels as if you let go of it you might be one of those sad kids that loses a balloon at the carnival.

And then you bite into it and you realize it is not crusty—even after being toasted. And then you look at your OJ and see the problem. This place is a corporate clone of Einstein Bagel. Another place with friendly people that serves pretty good coffee, but that is about it. To sum it up, you want an air filled, frilly sub-standard bagel with friendly people and good coffee this is your place.

If you want a good (or even an OK) bagel then find another locally...

I try not to leave negative reviews, but this one needed to be shared. I frequently visited this location over the last few months, but no more after yesterday. I ordered a bagel with cream cheese and a coffee. As I’m standing near the coffee station, I notice that of the 4 women behind the counter making orders, one of them was making orders WITHOUT ANY GLOVES ON. I’m looking at this woman’s bare hands grab bagels from the toaster and rub the crumbs on her apron. Then she proceeds to spread cream cheese on the bagels still without gloves. I’m watching as the 3 other women are all talking around her. No one said a thing or cared at all. I watched the interaction for a bit hoping one of her coworkers would say something to her, but nothing. She just kept making orders with bare hands. I pointed out to the cashier the fact that she was making food without gloves on. It was only then the women started screaming “Nina, Nina no no”. Then they started making the orders over again. I told the cashier I was disgusted and didn’t want the bagel anymore. She seemed annoyed that I said that. Didn’t offer me a refund, just a nasty glare. I was so uncomfortable and disgusted that i just left. Won’t...

Awful experience. They pick and choose who they serve first. I was standing in line for quite a while when an older white man walked up to the counter. He hadn't even decided what he wanted yet, but THE MANAGER waited patiently for the man to make up his mind. I told the manager that I was first and that there was a line waiting. The MANAGER told me, "I'M GOING TO TAKE HIM FIRST!!!" (He said it as if I was being scolded for speaking up. What is THIS? South Africa?) I said, "Really???" and I continued to wait because I was very hungry and NEEDED to get to work. Needless to say, I was very angry! My time is just as important as that man's time and my money just as valuable. I don't need to start my mornings off with aggravation. They can keep their meh/pricey bagels. I WILL NOT BE BACK. I am going where I can get some RESPECT! I am going where they leave their "white worshipping" ways outside of...