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Bagels Forever

4.4 (167 reviews)
InexpensiveBagels
Open 6:30 am - 8:00 pm

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Ham, egg, & cream cheese breakfast sandwich
Ericka B.

We love coming here to pick up bagels for an event or grab a cheap, yet filling breakfast or lunch. If you can find a tome that they're not busy, you're doing good, otherwise you may have to wait awhile. This is also pretty dependent on who's running the machines or making sandwiches though. When you arrive, you grab a number and then a clipboard to fill out your order. When it's your turn, the cashier will ring it up and get your bagels. You can't go wrong with any of the bagels, or really sandwiches for that matter. The most unique, and best in our opinion though, is their new everything bagel. All the goodness of an everything, without the mess. The only issue why this isn't a five star for us anymore is the hit-or-miss service. Mainly the last 3 times we've been there part of our order was wrong. This most recent we ended up with a regular everything bagel, instead of the new everything bagel that we asked for and there wasn't any sauce on our sandwiches. The two prior times we were also missing ingredients on our sandwiches. Not sure if this is on the inputting in the system or the person making the sandwiches, but just something we've noticed.

Anna B.

Bagels Forever has always been one of my favorite spots in Madison. The quality and prices are unmatched. The bagels are so fresh and delicious! They also freeze really well. Their cream cheese is my absolute favorite. I love their plain whipped cream cheese and their strawberry cream cheese is the best I've ever had. I usually order either a breakfast or lunch bagel sandwich or a toasted plain bagel with strawberry cream cheese. And a bonus if you get a sandwich it comes with a really good pickle on the side. They have a parking lot making it easy to park. When you arrive if the line is long you can grab a number and that's how they flow through the line. Even if there's a long line they move pretty quick. Note, this is just a grab and go spot. They don't have any seating. Highly recommend!

Sausage, egg, and cheese

Bagel was so good and at an unbeatable price. They were quick to get my order out and it had a great local feel.

Turkey pastrami bagel
Sho R.

I stopped by to have a very quick lunch. Turkey pastrami bagel was my item. The price was less than $4. At that price, food was a bargain. The bagel was good as well. It was good enough for a light lunch.

lox bagel
Jenny J.

Nothing can beat Bagels Forever! For the price you pay, these bagels are seriously so amazing. I've never had a more affordable yet delicious bagel anywhere else. I will always come back! And maybe branch out and try some other options too. They were also pretty fast in making the bagel, as I ordered over the phone and picked up. It's a great stop and go place to get your bagel fix!

2 Everything Bagels Toasted
Caleb B.

This place is the standard of bagels. Size, texture, and flavor all hit the mark. PLUS! Best price you can find. Go ahead and try them all.

Lox bagel sandwich
Noah L.

Bagels forever is an institution. A way of life. Bagels are forever and this place... has them. Best bagels in the city. Inexpensive. A little small. Bakers dozen. Good whipped cream cheese that's cheaper than the store. Good lox sandwiches with just the right amount of every ingredient. I haven't tried the other prepared options. But this place is legit.

Onion bagel segregated from the others
PJ C.

I have been meaning to stop here since we moved back to Madison almost three years ago. Over the last six months I have had a real hankering for good bagels and living on the east side of town there was nowhere to go to satisfy my craving. I knew that BF had a very good reputation so when we had plans to be on the near west side I made sure to stop in to get a few bagels. All of the bagels (egg, poppy, sesame, onion, everything) we tried over the next few days at home were very good and just what the doctor ordered. Fortunately a week later I had to be in the area again and I stocked up on more bagels to freeze. My only request is that they open a location on the east side of town!

Lox sandwich
Jevin H.

You know a place is good if you come there multiple times on a 3 day trip to another city. Bagels forever is probably the best bagel spot I've had in my life. Ordering is simple, walk up to the cashier and tell them what type of bun you want and what you want in between. You can get toppings and the bagel toasted as well. Then just wait 3-7 minutes depending on how busy they are and pick up and enjoy your bagel. The lox bagel is probably my favorite that I've gotten here. The salmon is really nice and pairs well with the bagel and cream cheese. The breakfast sandwiches are also really tasty. The best thing about this place is it's affordability. A sandwich can cost from $3-5, so you could feel full for $7-10, which is great value in Madison. If you are into bagels or just want to try something new, definitely check out bagels forever.

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14 years ago

Still super, but they've raised their prices, a nickel a bagel, so a baker's dozen is $5.40 now, not $4.80.

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14 years ago

i thought when I moved to Arkansas I would die without fresh bagels - Bagels Forever rock!!

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12 years ago

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11 years ago

Not a bad bagel but it takes SO LONGGGG. Definitely won't be dropping in on my way to work anymore

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15 years ago

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15 years ago

Delicious bagels! Bagels are not huge, but so good. Great bagel sandwiches. Slower service, though.

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Review Highlights - Bagels Forever

We purchased a box of bagels, a breakfast bagel with sausage and a cream cheese and lox bagel.

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Gotham Bagels

Gotham Bagels

3.3
(378 reviews)
2.9 mi
$

Gotham bagels is THEEE spot to get a bagel in Madison. No where else compares…read more On a weekend, be prepared to wait 15-20 minutes as they have a large influx of customers. I would also recommend taking it to go on a weekend because it's hard to find seating. They are still super fast, friendly, and helpful despite the overwhelming amount of people! On a weekday you can appreciate the New York-esque decor and vibe.

Bagel: 4.0 Toppings etc: -0.7…read morePrice: -0.8 Wait: -0.8 Founder's story: 0.5 Total Score: 2.2 I've seen alot of hype about this place on social media so randomly decided to give it a try while in Madison. The whole experience reminds me of the 1980s movie "The Experts" (the flick where John Travolta met his late wife). Basically this cold war era movie has a couple of dudes trying to run clubs in NYC get kidnaped by the KGB and sent to Russia where they have a whole town of KGB agents living like Americans - but it wasn't quite right..it was like 30 years earlier in a random town in the Midwest (much like Madison, Wisconsin). That's the best way to describe it. Some of the vibe was there, but there was just something off about it. First thing that was a shock - the price! egg & cheese bagel: $9.00 . For reference, Bagel Boss on Long Island is just over $5.00. I get it - bagels are a scarcity in Madison Wisconsin (as is any decent food, but that's a different conversation) while it's a commodity in NYC metro area. I asked the woman why the sign for the menu shows $8.75 and she said they raised the prices. Well, any self-respecting yankee knows a bagel place should either have: 1) prices in different colors written on a black board, or 2) prices with the numbers and letters that can be changed on a board. Next, I was baffled by how long it took and how long i had to wait for bagels. That doesn't fly on the east coast. Look, I get alot of the university is kids from NYC metro area so you have to cater to them so a bagel shop is important. As for the bagels - looked okay at first, but the egg and cheese was really weird...it was mostly white with like an overcooked almost hard boiled yolk and i think they butter the bagels beforehand. Secondly for a scallion cream cheese bagel it showed the true shortcoming of the bagel where the exterior had a good crunch but the interior wasnt chewy it was too hard so when you try to separate the bagel it kinda of breaks. the taste isn't quite right. Anyway they deserve credit since the founder mentions Hot Bagels in Fairlawn in his story and met with Jaques Pepin who is awesome. I'll probably pass on returning as I kinda really dig Bagels Forever in Madison.

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Gotham Bagels
Gotham Bagels
Menu from 04/08/2025

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Menu from 04/08/2025

Bagels Forever - bagels - Updated June 2026

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