Just wanted to update again about how great this place is - I always come here if I have to bring breakfast treats into the office. They have these amazing fresh bagels that just taste great. They have a great selection of organic cream cheese, as well. Some of my favorite bagels include their whole wheat, sesame, Oregano Parmesan, Pumpernickel, Poppyseed...and more! Also, a tip - if you have a Wildcard - use it. You get 10% off your total purchase here! read more

One of the things we missed the most after moving to Chicago from New York was a decent bagel. After significant searching and many disappointments, we finally discovered Bagel Art. The bagels, sandwiches and intelligentsia coffee are all wonderful. The staff is friendly and helpful, the ingredients are fresh and sandwiches customizable. Try the egg sandwich (made with baked eggs!) or the portabella melt. And to the reviewers who take issue with the short wait: The sandwiches are made to order, so if you are in a hurry, get fast food. :) read more

Pretty good stuff here. It's a little pricey, but that is the price you're gonna pay for all fresh organic food and local produce. I always get the Tuscany bagel sandwich but swap out the pesto for spinach and artichoke cream cheese. They have a wide variety of cream cheeses and plenty of sandwich options. It's a nice little place, the people are friendly. Oh something else I like is you can get a fresh cup of tea here...loose tea, not nasty packets... No cell phones aloud! Oh and they're actually changing locations, just around the corner on Sherman and Dempster I believe. Looks like it'll be a lot bigger, so I can't wait to see the new things they have to offer! read more

This place is pretty bad ass. Think of it like a trip back to the jimi hendrix era, sans drugs but with bagels. They play some good classic rock while you're chowing to a bagel. I would compare this to a girl dressed in punk rock, eating a bagel with a Paris Hilton-esque dog in her purse. It's a funny mix, but they do pull it off. Oh, and they make their bagels fast. Real fast. For us, they also didn't slather on 8 pounds of cream cheese. Some people like that, but I'm absolutely disgusted when people do that. I just want a small layer of cream cheese on my bagel, not half bagel half cream cheese. The bagel options are pretty varied, the vegetarian bagel and vegan soup options are an additional nice touch. read more

LOVE THIS PLACE. Their spinach artichoke cream cheese is so so SO delicious. And you can add fresh veggies to your bagel, so you don't feel as guilty eating all those carbs... My usual is a whole wheat bagel with spinach artichoke cream cheese, with a slice of tomato and cucumber. I always forget to have them toast it though. But who cares, it delicious un-toasted too! Quick, CHEAP breakfast. Yummmmy. 4 stars because there isn't a whole lot of room to eat your bagel. Just a small little counter area, or a few tables outside in warm weather. read more

Bagel Art is a quaint neighborhood bagel-sandwich shop that is sort of like an independently owned Einstein's. I have really enjoyed all the bagel sandwiches I have bought there. Some comments below complain about the price, but $6-8 for a bagel sandwich is comparable to other bagel sandwich places or even other breakfast places. For example, the Lox Key bagel sandwich is about $7-8. On the sandwich you can get a ton of lox, cream cheese, capers and onions. That same plate, deconstructed, is easily $10+ at any diner in the area. And in my experience, the quality of their cream cheese and ingredients are far superior to chain bagel/breakfast places in the area. My only complaints with Bagel Art is that I wish there was more seating and hours were longer. Otherwise, its certainly one of the better breakfast/bagel shops in Evanston. read more

Bagel sandwiches are my naughty. The bagels at Bagel Art are delicious, but you definitely need to ask to have them toasted twice to get a nice crisp, otherwise they come out a little on the anemic side. I've never been to NYC, so I don't really have a comparison on whether or not they're NY bagels, but I like the flavor a lot. While the bagel breakfast sandwiches are very good, they're not the best ever. The eggs are a little spongy and not seasoned at all and the bacon can be a little on the floppy side. Also, no sausage option. HOWEVER The schmear is dynamite. I'm a big fan of the chive cream cheese. Iced coffee is on point as well. And the service is SO friendly. They have a help wanted sign hanging in the window right now. I would 100% work here if it would pay my mortgage. ;) read more

I'm a cereal eater, so I can't comment on bagel-as-breakfast, but I will tell you they've got a great veggie bagel sandwich that I haven't been able to find the likes of since Bruegger's back home. It's piled high with spread, tomatoes, peppers, sprouts, cucumbers, carrots, sun-dried tomatoes, avocado, etc, and worth every penny. The Tuscany with fresh mozzarella, pesto & fresh basil is also good stuff. You want to talk overpriced? Let's start with Jimmy John's... read more

First of all I want to make it very clear that 3 stars does not adequately convey my love of this place. The bagels are delicious and they have some very clever bagel sandwich options. Not to mention the fact that the beverage options here are STELLAR. The drink cooler is full of delicious options like San Pelligrino Limonada and other hard to find drink delicacies. Unfortunately there are a few things holding this place back. 1. Expensive. $7-$9 dollars for sandwiches. Really!? 2. Service can be painfully sloooooooow... 3. Sometimes it smells kinda' funny in there. 4. Parking can be a pain! There is no lot, only street parking on Chicago Ave. These setbacks do not stop me from going to Bagel Art at least twice a week. I love the "Lox and Key" sandwich despite the bad reviews I've read. I say, check it out! Give it a chance! You may not be "wowwed!" but I don't think you will be that disappointed... read more

My neighbor and I have a Saturday morning routine of going to the West Ridge Y for a workout and then drive into Evanston for bagels & coffee. These bagels remind me of the type of bagel I grew up with. I enjoy their choice of schmears - plain, cinnamon, salmon. There is one sandwich on the menu with salami and warmed up. It is outrageously good. The coffee is deep and dark - just the way I like it. My only suggestion is that this place needs to work on the flow of taking orders, fulfilling orders and paying. There is a lack of efficiency and confusion entails. Prices are on the steep side too but I like that there are organic/local choices and is a local establishment. read more

I am a notorious carnivore as you may know from my profile, but on of the greatest things to eat is the Tuscany bagel Sandwhich on a toasted garlic bagel with extra raw onion. The Mozzarella is great the pesto spread is amazing and the tomatoes are always of good quality. Now full disclosure I coached the son of the owner years ago but I still come back for this meatless treat and have one!! A must eat!!! read more

For some reason, I have become a fan of bagels over the past year... I'm used to have the bagels from Einstein Bros which are like factory based. I thought they were very good until I tried this place!!! I really like the homemade style bagels they have. With cream cheese and scallions...they are wonderful!!! read more

Bagel Art Cafe - Whole grain bagel with scallion cream cheese! - Bakeries Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

Ordered 2 bacon and egg sandwiches and a lox and bagel sandwich for delivery. Both were amazing! And they were delivered very quickly on a Sunday morning. Thank you guys! Can't wait to try other things on the menu! We will definitely be ordering again read more

If i had written this review 6 months ago, I would have given a 2 star review, entirely based on the service. The workers they've brought on in recent months are MUCH friendlier and do a better job keeping bagels stocked. The bagels here are delicious, and I walk here every Saturday and Sunday. They used to run out of plain bagels, and when you'd ask, they'd say "eh, maybe twenty minutes. I haven't made them yet." Really? Out of Plain bagels? Recently, much better! Friendly service, still delicious bagels, and neat atmosphere. read more

I dig this place a lot. They're friendly, and they got good stuff. Their chive cream cheese is amazing. Puts any grocery store pre-packaged chive cream cheese to shame. I really like their everything bagels too, and the tuna bagel sandwich is my JAM. (Some of the other sandwiches haven't wowed me, but at a certain point a turkey sandwich is a turkey sandwich.) I do wish their menu were a bit clearer, since the menu in the store never matches the menu on their website, and neither matches the menu on GrubHub. Not the end of the world, but it makes picking up food for multiple people kind of a challenge. Overall, this place is really good, and I try to give them my business as much as I can. read more

Friendly staff. Been here a few times in the past few years, but looks like they've remodeled since I was here last. Brand new expresso machine using Inteligentsia Coffee. A+. Solid bagel roast beef sammich. Looks like they're still working out the kinks with new management & machines so I'll leave it at 4* for now. Will be back! read more

Great food and used to be a great place to eat. There is one employee that is not very nice. And also they don't care if you have a food allergy. Get with times. read more

The absolute best! Their staff is so friendly and their bagel sandwiches are incredible. I've been impressed every time we've gone. Thank you Bagel Art! read more

This is an easy place to grab something quick in the mornings. Nothing special about the bagels or the toppings. They don't have much variety. Not even avocado. I mean cmon! I've gotten breakfast bagels. Again nothing special but they're pretty good when your in a rush and need something. Staff is friendly and service is quick. They get 3 stars for lack of variety. read more

Sort of surprised at the number of negative reviews. Yes, it is expensive. But I haven't ever experienced problems with the staff or their unfriendliness. The sandwiches aren't huge, but if you cared about that, you'd go to Subway. The cream cheeses are great - especially the cinnamon/honey, and the bagels are pretty good too. Sprecher products, an independent place, and some tasty bagels/sandwiches. read more

This is my breakfast stop almost every morning! I love how fresh the bagels are. They make their own whipped cream cheese and it's organic! They even use Organic half and half for the coffee! I am so glad there is a place like this who cares about the quality of their ingredients! well done! read more

LOVE THIS PLACE!!! So i found out Eric is no longer there so your worries with him should be rested. Although he was my favorite. Greeted me every morning even if i didn't stop in, just waved through the window. For all the people who had "problems" at the bagel shop i have to say...you came on a bad day. I go there almost everyday and I have to say the bagels are still great. For those of you who are watching you pennies, if you don't want to spend money for a breakfast sandwich then choose something that is in your price range rather then complaining about it after you pay. My favorite sandwich is the Tuscany on an Oregano Parmesan bagel. Its a cold sandwich with organic tomatoes, fresh basil, pesto and 3 slices of fresh mozzarella. Sometimes I ask for it to be put in the oven if its cold outside. I also love the salads. what ever you want in a bowl its sooooo GOOD! read more

Great bagels and a nice atmosphere. They have live music on the weekends, as well as a cute outdoor patio that's perfect for sunny days. I come here more than once a week, and have never had a bad experience. read more

I really, really wanted to give these guys a favorable review. I like supporting local businesses, and prefer the convenience of being local. Prior to this review, I came here 2 X at their new location. Following my 1st time coming here on a Sunday afternoon to pick up a dozen bagels, I dismissed the fact that my bagels were not quite stale, but certainly not fresh to that fact that I came in the afternoon - following the demand and rush. A month or so later, up and out at 7:30 AM on a Sunday morning, I was looking forward to some fresh hot doughy bagels. What I got was cool, dry, old?, bagels,... and poor service on top of that. Being in line behind the customer they were currently servicing, I of course expected to be sered next, maybe because I'm only 5'9" they didn't see me and skipped over th the next customer. I told the chick behind the counter... excuse me I'm next, she rolled her eyes. You are supposed to get a bakers dozen bagels, when I said I wanted 8 everything and 5 garlic, I was told that they only had 7 everything and proceeded to give those (stale) ones to me with the 5 garlics. I didn't catch this until I got home. Being a bit flustered I had over paid by putting an extra dollar in with my payment, rather than giving me my change back, this chick put it in her tip jar, I guess believing it was for her exemplary service. Want great bagels, do yourself a favor, My local recommendations (from a native NY'er) locally are New York Bagel & Bialy 4714 W Touhy Ave, skokie/Lincolnwood and followed by; New York Bagels & Bialys 3556 Dempster St, Skokie read more

Got a cookie and coffee. The cookie was stale, crumbly, and tasteless. The coffee, although Intelligentsia, was burnt and undrinkable. I understand that the words 'coffee' or 'cookie' do not appear in the name of the shop, but c'mon.... read more

Fast, friendly, and efficient service. Fresh and tasty bagel sandwiches, and lunch wraps. Intelligentsia coffee does not disappoint. Really couldn't ask for more from a place that is self explanitory by name: a bagel cafe, with art on the walls (as well as occasional live music in the mornings :)! I frequent this place before heading to work in the morning, and even if there's a line, I am in and out in 5 minutes tops. Might get a little more backed up on weekends, as it is the only bagel place in Evanston (as others have mentioned, with the exception of Einstein's). There is ample seating area, and large windows that let in a lot of sunlight. I imagine it is a great place to sit down and read, or knock out a few hours of work. read more

$7 for a bagel? Give me a break. I do like that fact that no cell phones allowed in the store, now if the old banged up hippie working behind the counter could respect the sign in her store and get off the phone long enough to give some real customer service it might be a decent place. Also check the expiration dates on the drinks in the cooler, 1 year old sour, moldy orange juice mash taste as bad as it sounds. Food us sub par, about a click above a lenders frozen bagel. The place is not cute, nothing cute or artistic about it. read more

Oh, what a surprise! An "indie" owned and operated "cute" little establishment that's overpriced, and workers with a personality less enchanting than mayonnaise! I went to Bagel Art the other morning for the last time. I've been there three times before and like always, the bagels are small and burnt and overpriced, even with an NU discount. You walk in and all though you're the only one there ordering food, the airhead blonde behind the counter, with her vacant, "too cool to give a shit" expression seems to be annoyed that you're in there at all. "um....buy.....a....ba-gel....um yeah, like OMG!" Moments later and $8 bucks spent you wonder what the hell you even paid for. Oh, I see...the cream cheese is ORGANIC! So the retail value goes from .80 cents to $3.00 bucks on something that they buy in bulk and just mash some frozen veggies into. Let's not forget those overpriced, smaller than s**t, burnt bagels themselves. "Duh....I don't know how to turn the heat down on the oven. Do you....hav'ta...OMG! heeee heee heee like, press a button or some junk..." Hey, Dumbfucks! Go do what you're best at, smoking weed in your parent's basement! read more

I was in heaven when I discovered Bagel Art a few months ago and it quickly became my favorite bagel place in both Evanston and greater Chicago. What set them apart was the equal toppings on both sides of the bagel and delicious homemade cream cheese options. However, Bagel Art recently came under new management and the direction in which it is going is concerning. Most notably, they discontinued all of their cream cheese flavors except for three. Employees explained the new boss implemented this change and is going to wait and see which flavor customers are most angry about losing and then potentially bring those few back. The reasoning behind this approach is incomprehensible. Aren't there many other ways to determine which flavors are most popular without angering the customer base? Don't they keep records of this? Can't they have customers vote? Can't they raise the prices for flavored cream cheese? It makes sense at a place like Starbucks to have limited cream cheese offerings but at a restaurant called Bagel Art there is a higher expectation. For example, Einstein Bagels offers 12 varieties of cream cheese. Overall, the new management seems to have little regard for how their decisions affect the customer experience and lacks any formal direction and I sincerely hope the new management changes their approach so I can have my beloved Bagel Art back. P.S. Bring back the veggie cream cheese! read more

Bagel Art is no Einstein, nor does it try to be. It's small, quaint bagel shop located a block away from the Dempster station. Seating is sparse; there is one bistro table and a few counter stools. Their menu consists of several vegetarian bagel sandwiches and there's an option to create your own. (The Lox & Key is the sandwich that costs more than $7.) If a bagel sandwich isn't filling enough, Bagel Art also has homemade (always) vegetarian soup. Their bagels aren't anything to rave about, but the place is great for those looking for a quick breakfast or lunch. read more

The bagels here are awesome and if you're trying to cut calories, they won't look at you funny if you ask them to scooped out some of the dough before toasting it. (They actually call it a scooped out bagel.) The thing that bothers me about this place though, is the attitude. It seems to come from the top as I've had several encounters with the woman who owns the place. I'm not sure what it is, she's just not very friendly and borders on being bitchy. As a result, the people who work there seem to be a little off as well. It's a drag because I'd stop there more often but some days I just can't deal with the attitude. It's like the whole damn place needs a freakin' pill. read more

How can you go wrong with a bagel? Go to bagel Art and you will be disappointed!!! I received a sandwich that I did not ask and te cheese had a funny taste , I told the person behind the counter and he was extremely rude and my overall impression of Bagel Art is a sloppily-run business ,slow service and overpriced.It was not the first time I was there but it is the last time.The new location is worst than before, we will not be back ever! The place is not cute. read more

Located right off the Dempster Station, I have always wanted to give this place a try. But when I finally did.. it was HUGE HUGE HUGE disappointment. Not only was it pricey, the bagels weren't even fresh! My bf and I ordered 2 bagels: blueberry and oregano parmesan and 2 iced coffees, the total came out to around $12. Luckily they offered a Wildcard discount, but even with the discount, this was way overpriced. Given that it was expensive... the bagels must taste amazing right?! WRONG! Our bagels were stale and overloaded with cream cheese. I had a tough time swallowing that sucker. The iced coffee was ehhh... not much you can say... I've had better. Overall, what a disappointing experience. Not at all what I expected. One star. read more

Meh. Expensive for so-so bagels and the intelligentsia coffee tastes old and weak.

Very cool place. I had a turkey rococo bagel and it was excellent. The staff was great and very friendly.

I've been here twice. The second time was to just make sure the first time was the norm. The bagles are average at best, and prices are too high. The service is very slow and it seems to vary on if they know you. The best thing I had there was the coffee. I might stop again for coffee, but probably not. read more

Bagel Art donated food to our Northwestern student film production the weekend of 11/17-11/19. I loved the plain bagels with cream cheese, and it was a great way to keep us fueled during a long day of filming. Thanks, Bagel Art! read more

I have to admit the bagel's are delicious, a little too small for the price but good non the less. The service on the other hand is horrible! I have never been to a place where I feel like I'm bothering the staff by placing my order, not to mention they take their sweet time. All I wanted was a coffee the other day and waited in line for 5min before I had to rush out with nothing to catch my approaching train - there was 1 person in front of me. The owner is the worst out of all of them, very unfriendly and appears to care less about the customers unless you are in the "inner circle." I won't be giving them any more of my business. read more

This food is always a good service is always nice. Right before you get on the Dempster train stop why not grab a bagel and some coffee to start your day off right? read more

i love bagel art. favorite breakfast place in evanston. iced almond chai & green mountain on everything. amazing