Long line in the late morning on a weekday, amazing. It's to go only during the pandemic. read more

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I lived in New York City for 5 years in my early 20s and that set my standard for bagels. I haven't lived in NYC for 20-some years so my criteria may be fading but the bagel at Boichik holds up. I don't order bagels toasted, and the bagel I chose had already cooled and then I put hatch cream cheese on it. Would love to try one fresh and piping hot. read more

Below average bagels nothing special. Also ordered the tuna and got a flavorless watery mess. Waisted $10 wont be back read more

Boichik Bagels - Bagels Near Me - Berkeley, California

Amazing spot for breakfast or lunch!! I've been wanting to try this since the article on the best NY bagels are in CA came out (I don't have strong feelings about bagels myself and can't debate on who's is best so don't come for me lol). We decided to come here on Friday around 11:30am and from the reviews, I thought we were going to be waiting in line for a long time. Though there were several people ahead of me when I got in line, it moved very fast! I got avo + lox on a plain bagel and it was SOOO good. You can absolutely taste the freshness in the ingredients. The bagel had great consistency and was slightly sweet. The lox was perfect paired with the creaminess of the avo. My boyfriend also got their malted choc iced coffee and he really enjoyed that. I'll come back for sure! read more

Boichik may just be the best bagels on the West Coast (likely not in the U.S. though). The delicious bagel will remind you of a NY bagel on the first bite, but with it's own identity in some ways. And by identity, lets start with the price of a Boichik bagel. At $3 its about twice the price of a good NY bagel (e.g. Zabar's). But perhaps we're saving on the price of that flight to NY, so I'm willing to accept the price tag of a loaf of bread for this indulgence. And indulgence it surely is, prepare to get messy with the generous portion of cream cheese that softens if you get your bagel toasted. I found the sesame bagel to have the perfect amount of crisp when toasted, yet chewy, but not as dense as a NY bagel. This is an experience best enjoyed as soon as you get your order, in your car or on the curb with a nice cup of strong coffee from Boichik, or across the street from Philz. read more

Boichik Bagels - Bagels Near Me - Berkeley, California

Bagels here are magically delicious. Yes, they're smaller bagels than what we're used to and it may be a little pricier than most bagels but honestly, the bagels are super high quality and the best I've had. They're fresh out the oven, super crispy and crunchy on the outside (esp if you toast em), and soft yet not dense on the inside. I got an everything bagel sandwich with plain cream cheese, tomatoes and cucumbers this morning and my only complaint is that their cream cheese could use more salt - that's just my preference though. Also, the owner of this bagel shop was super friendly and greeted each customer first thing in the morning. I know people say this a lot in the Bay Area and it gets old but I really did enjoy supporting a local shop. I didn't mind waking up early and standing in line - it's actually really nice to be on College ave when it's quiet. *The only thing I didn't appreciate was the older lady (cashier) yelling at each customer as to whether or not they'd like to tip. I found this to be a tactic so that everyone hears and you definitely tip - it's distasteful. People are always willing to leave a tip anyway; there's no reason an employee should try to shame each customer into tipping lol. read more

Didn't snap a photo but we got their everything bagel, plain cream cheese, red onion, and tomato. Didn't get to eat them until ~40 min later so by then the bagels were quite the chew. But it was still so very delicious. Not too much cream cheese and the tomato was really juicy & fresh. Can't wait to try their flavored cream cheeses and other bagels. However, prices were a little steep bc add-ons are an additional $0.50+ each (~$11 for both bagels). read more

Firstly, I would like to thank Berkeley's crossroads dining hall for serving trash food and forcing me to become innovative which lead to the discovery of how good jam and cream cheese are on a bagel. When boichok bagel came to elmwood, I remember how incredibly excited everyone was--especially after Noah's closed. Boichok, however, is way better. The line looks long at first glance, but it moves very fast! stick with it! Come early if you want a variety of bagels! They ran out of pupernickel by the time I was there :( given I showed up at like noon but still quite tragic. I got a cinnamon raisin bagel with cream cheese and their seasonal apricot jam. This is an off-the-menu item, but i highly recommend everyone order a cream cheese and jam bagel someday because the sweetness of the jam perfectly balances with the tartness of the cream cheese. The lox bagel was also delicious, but at $16~ a bagel, I think I will stick with my usual cream cheese and jam order. One of my friends usually gets a bagel sandwich on a blueberry bagel which is...a bold mix of sweet and savory. I wasn't brave enough to get it today but I will definitely come back and try it next time!! read more

Boichik Bagels - Classic lox bagel - Bagels Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Had high hopes for this place as there is always a massive line and lots of good reviews for this place. However, was left bitterly disappointed as the bagel was not worth the price. I got a salmon lox everything bagel with avocado and capers. Total came out to be $20 and although it was good, it was simply not worth that much. Compared to bagels in New York, I would've liked more lox, more flavor, and a bigger portion size. read more

The GOOD: the bagels are amazing - great flavor, aroma, chew, and tenderness. The fillings on the sandwiches are very generous. The lines have been fine (short, or moves quickly even when long). The BAD: Sadly, they keep short-changing us on the dozen bagels to go. Today, we ordered 4 Salt & Pepper, 4 Everything, and 4 Pumperything. We were short 2 S&P. Last time we got a dozen, the same thing happened. It's like the person who grabs the order grabs12, but uses 2 of them to make our sandwiches so we always end up with 10 in the bag. DEFINITELY COUNT BEFORE YOU LEAVE the store... or end up being a little sad when you find you're short bagels and someone has to go without and no-one wants to with these. Sadness... read more

The line was really long on a Wednesday morning (about 40ish minutes) but definitely worth it. The staff is so kind and the bagels themselves didn't take that long to get ready. Got a toasted eggything bagel with chive cream cheese and it was really tasty! The size was a bit small but still filling :-) read more

Boichik Bagels - a dozen bagels to go! - Bagels Near Me - Berkeley, California

Been craving a NYC bagel after moving out here. I came across this spot after reading a NYT article while in search of a decent pumpernickel bagel- my go to order I used to get a lot back in NYC. After reading the hype and the background of this bagel shop, I was excited to drive out here in the morning. Found a long line and was like, hmm must be really good. Unfortunately, I found it very underwhelming. My pumpernickel really lacked flavor, barely toasted and the cream cheese with chive had a hint of it--I'm so used to the strong onion taste that leaves strong breath afterwards. The size was small but made up with price- so used to the prices back home. My husband changed his order when they didn't offer egg and cheese. Just got a sesame one with cream cheese and tomato. Nice try-- but this wasn't a place that screamed NY bagels! NYT was misleading. Also, just a side note, they ought to be considerate of where they have folks line up for their orders outdoors--you don't go inside. People were blocking the next door clothing/jewelry business and that owner had a passive aggressive way of dealing with folks. read more

Boichik Bagels - Bagels Near Me - Berkeley, California

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I am hooked! I have ordered bagels, bialys and schmears on my own or in conjunction w/ Lori several times now. Alan likes their bialys and their egg salad as well as their chive cream cheese. I like their green olive cream cheese, their garlic-artichoke cream cheese and their chive cream cheese. I love their onion bagels, which have the perfect taste and texture. Today Lori ordered a Dr. Brown's soda along w/ her baked goods. When Alan saw that he thought it was for him and when I told him it was Lori's he determined to get a couple for himself the next time we order. Mostly we've had our orders delivered, which is very convenient, but once I picked up at the back door of the store and that worked well too. There's a small parking lot behind the store, which is very handy. It's just a schlep across town to do that, so delivery is our first choice. I've spoken w/ Emily a couple of times when I've had trouble ordering via the website and she's been very helpful. This last time she walked me through the process and now I understand what I was doing wrong. The experience is a pleasure, from ordering to delivery to eating. read more

Have been a regular customer. I went to place a large catering order the day before at 11:30 AM was told I had missed the cut off for the day (10AM). They mentioned that I could come back early the next day and order it in person. I am came back when they opened the next day at 7:30AM tried to place a $200 order. The staff wouldn't give a plastic tray even when I offered to pay for it. They said the order had to be made online. Service was quite rude and unhelpful. This place is not worth the headache! So just went down the road to a local bakery. read more

Best bagels in the East Bay. Line moves very fast. Spring for their Pink Label cream cheese and their malted coffee is also delicious.

This place has gained a lot more press and what not lately after a feature in the NY Times. I had it before all that and I definitely enjoyed the bagels from Boichik overall. I used to live on the East Coast and before I did, I didn't even like bagels. But I grew to enjoy them in my time there and I agree with most people: (most) California bagels don't compare. The bagels from Boichik are indeed very good. Perfectly chewy and a nice amount of flavor. I was pleasantly surprised that even after almost a week, the bagels were still really good (stored them at room temperature; they got a little harder but were pretty much just as good as the first day once toasted). These are probably about as good as I've had in California. That being said, they are $3 a bagel so definitely on the more expensive side. I would probably get them again because they really are the perfect texture and I appreciate the convenience of ordering ahead and either skipping the line if you pick up or getting them delivered (they deliver across the Bay Area; there is a fee but it beats traveling to Berkeley I felt). In terms of type of bagels, they have a pretty wide selection of options. I was excited to try the eggything (egg everything) but the regular everything bagel was definitely the best and the sesame was good also. With the egg bagels, I think the texture which really makes these bagels stand out ends up getting lost a bit. Don't sleep on the bialy either- I would say these were the best I've probably had, the texture was pretty spot on and sometimes the onions can be a little too on the sweet side but these were perfectly seasoned. Other stuff: the bagel sandwich (lox, chive cream cheese, veggies on an everything bagel) was great. Again, not cheap at over $15 but everything was really fresh and delicious and the quality of all the ingredients was evident. I ordered lox but they accidentally gave me lox cream cheese; when I emailed them they were nice enough to refund the whole item instead of just giving a credit for the difference as if asked. The lox cream cheese was tasty and has a nice amount of lox without being overpowering. Their special pink tub cream cheese I didn't feel was too different from normal cream cheese and I thought it was alright but I've had better cream cheese. Whitefish salad was alright but a bit on the salty side and I wasn't a huge fan of the sable, definitely had better. In the future I'd stick to the bagels and lox and maybe cream cheese (their cream cheese is not my favorite but good enough to not have to make another trip elsewhere for cream cheese. Five stars for the bagels, somewhere between 3.5 and 4 stars for everything else. The bagels are good enough that they warrant coming back. I would probably not stand in line for these (honestly there are few things I'd stand in line for) but the advanced ordering system is definitely a plus. read more

While the line on a Sunday morning stretched well over one hour, it was well worth it! I loved the pastrami lox with Dijon mustard and sauerkraut and the classic lox which featured a generous portion of chive cream cheese and capers! read more

Boichik Bagels - Pastrami Lox on a Pumperthingel Bagel - Bagels Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Boichik bagels was something I have been wanting to try for a while. Long line outside the door at 9am but the line moved fairly quickly. Definitely could've been toasted more for my preference, which is why I gave it a 4/5 for this trip. Next time may try the extra toasted. Total for all 3 was around $18 and was very filling, definitely a great spot for breakfast, especially with the many coffee shops near by. read more

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Came to Boichik and tried the Classic Lox on an everything bagel and the eggything bagel (egg and everything). Both had a generous amount of lox and a good balance of lox, onions, tomatoes and capers. Couldn't tell too much of a difference between the everything and eggything bagel with the lox, but if it was just with cream cheese you might've been able to tell the difference. The reason I gave 4 stars is because the price is expensive for a bagel sandwich that you can buy the ingredients to make at home :/ read more

Boichik Bagels - Bagels Near Me - Berkeley, California

Second time trying Boichik and much better than my first time. And the line moves fast.

Okay fine. The bagels are good. And the line if you go early is palatable. I dunno, I don't think it's worth the money... I'll just leave that there. read more

Hands down the best bagels I've had in the Bay Area! Like the owner, I am originally from NJ and appreciate the dedication to authenticity! Came here to grab a quick bite during Shelter in Place. They had a tent for quick grab-and-go varieties of bagels and cream cheese, with good accommodation for social distancing. I had a classic Everything Bagel with Plain Whipped Cream Cheese, because before trying any interesting variations, I needed to try my staple. I was truly wowed at the first bite! It was firm on the outside with a soft, chewy inside, and packed with that salty, tasty goodness that is Everything Seasoning. The schmear was a perfect light and fluffy cloud of sweet, cheesy heaven! I'm truly in love and can't wait to go back to try more from this East Bay gem! read more

As good or better than anything in NY and NJ. These are WORLD CLASS BAGELS. A day old or thawed, they're better than anything else fresh in the area. Boichik is where it's at. read more

More like 3.50 stars New York Jew here. Probably the best bagels in the Bay Area. My criticism: I prefer my bagels less fluffy, with a little more chew. And too sweet. And they are not hand-rolled. Minus .50 stars Outrageously Overpriced. This is working class NYC Jewish Food for Bay Area Goyim/Rockridge Jews prices. While very good, NYC/Montreal bagels still knock it out of the park for less. And again, not handrolled. Minus 1 star. Despite my gripes, I'll still make a point of patronizing the establishment. Just not often. read more

Came across this hidden shop because of the long line that wrapped around! Perfect timing for a light breakfast so we stopped by for some bagels. It was 11:00 am ish and they were already sold out of their majority "well known" bagels like the everything bagel but it's okay, I ordered the cinnamon raisin and it was delicious! Lightly toasted with a generous amount of cream cheese. As I mentioned earlier, the line was long but it went by fairly quickly and also got our order within 10 min. Overall, check it out! Took a star off for the peak in pricing - two bagels $13 bucks (tip included). With that money, I could buy 4 bagel sleeves at Costco! read more

Great Bagels. Great people. Especially love the pumpernickel and the marbled raisin.

Lox classic sandwich was good but the bagels are depressingly small.. Overpriced. Disappointing after all the SF Chronicle hype.

i picked up a sleeve of everything bagels at the berkeley bowl. they were great. tasty. bagels not bread, that's the key. of course creme cheese, tomato and pepper helped out as well. read more

I wanted to love this place given the typically poor quality (taste) of bagels west of New Jersey. And Boichik certainly delivers on taste! The bagels are crusty on the outside and soft on the inside. Their flavor is close to anything you'd find in NYC these days. So why the four stars? Three reasons. First, if you are going to put seeds on a bagel they need to cover both sides. Who wants a plain bagel on one side? Second, size matters when it comes to bagels. Please add about a third more dough. Finally, charging $3 per bagel is over the top. Yes, the competition is slim in terms of quality, but just because you can do you really need to? So, yes you've got a good product here and there's room to improve. Enjoy! read more

I'm no New Yorker, and if you're a West Coast native like me, you will love these bagels! But, for what it's worth, my mom is from the East Coast and she agrees that these bagels are seriously delicious. I've been waiting to try this place for a while. First, I was waiting for the hype to die down, and second, I was waiting for Boichik to repair their oven. At last, I have been able to taste these dang bagels! I've ordered two batches so far, and I have tried pretty much every flavor they have. Each time I have ordered eight bagels, which comes out to $30 with tax, tip, and a half pint of cream cheese. Yes, they are more expensive than the bagels you get at Costco...but you guys, there is a reason for that. For one, Costco bagels are full of chemical garbage and taste like they've been frozen for 3 months, not to mention Costco makes billions of dollars a year and can afford to sell cheap bagels. Of course, supporting a small business like Boichik means paying a little more. These bagels are made fresh and with ingredients you can recognize. I'm happy to support them over big box bagel people any day. Both times I have arrived here, I have only waited about ten minutes in line. That gives you enough time to decide what you want. The checkout process is super safe. You order and pay while standing about three feet away from the cashier. Be prepared, she will loudly ask if you'd like to leave a tip, and you will, or else you feel like a jerk. But hey, they are a small business, they're working hard, and they have families too, so I'll tip. I cannot speak to the pre-ordering deal, but that seems like a good idea if you'd rather not wait. It took two minutes to get eight bagels today. They were still warm from the oven, freshly baked and right into my hands, right into my belly. Personally, my favorite bagel is the cinnamon raisin. It is not too sweet and has great cinnamon flavor. The bagels themselves have a subtle crunchy exterior, and a fluffy, substantial (but not dense) interior. Highly recommend pairing with their cream cheese, it is bomb. We will be back to support Boichik! A very Berkeley business with a laidback, welcoming vibe and wonderful bagels. read more

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Boichik peaked well over a year ago. Now they are bland and smaller than before, with fewer toppings. Even at their peak they were egregiously overpriced and not as flavorful as NY bagels, despite their stroke of luck with one NYT writer claiming they were superior. (Wrong, even then.) Robots make the bagels now, and yesterday's batch tasted uninteresting, flat - not much better than on the rushed school days we had frozen Lender's, when we couldn't get to the bagel shop. For comparison, in expensive parts of Manhattan - top bagel shops Leo's charges $23 for 14 bagels, Ess-a-bagel $23 for 13, and $6.50 for 8 oz cream cheese, as opposed to Boichik charging $33 for 12 small bagels ($3 / each, one free if buy a dozen - still not NY baker's dozen) and $7 for about 5 oz cream cheese (inconsistent fill). Please don't dupe yourselves. We customers exist to make Boichik rich through rapid expansion - their focus isn't on the joy of bagels, just on profit. Unless they return to their culinary roots, consider taking your business elsewhere. For the reviewers who write 'remind me of NYC bagels' - do you really know those bagels, as those of us who grew up there and return do? After yesterday's disappointment, I'm returning to the bagel shops I frequented before Boichik came along. Never worth the hype, though they were better than most, and now, due to being overpriced, they are a last resort. $40 for 12 plus one little container of cream cheese, with no place to sit? It tastes like the factory that it has become. read more

Delicious bagels. Get the classic and try to go early. They run out of bagels quick. There's a small parking lot you can use which makes this place easier to access. Every time I've gone there's always a long line. Despite the line they get you your food pretty fast. Wish they did a bacon egg and cheese. read more

Really good bagels. Highly recommended, though kind of overpriced.

Great bagels but the prices keep it from being a 5 star spot. Also not quite as fluffy or chewy as an east coast bagel but probably the closest I've found in the bay read more

It lives up to the hype. Best bagel I've ever had! Just accept that this bagel experience requires some planning. Pre order your stuff, cry a little as you wake up at 6, and be there by 6:50. I showed up around then and was 3rd in line. Took about 5 mins. As I was leaving right at opening the preorder line was already 15+ people long. They don't prepare your order until you arrive so you can't just grab and go. I imagine this is what creates the 1-2 hr line. Priority is given to preorder so you'll wait a lot longer in standby even though that line was shorter when I was there. And for those that don't find the only description of the product as "if you know, you know" to be helpful for that pink label cream cheese spread: it's a little lighter and tangier while their standard cream cheese is butterier and milder. Both were delicious! The lox cream cheese is also great but would be overkill if you planned to put lox on top. read more

My experience today: Waited 10 minutes in line to order bagels. Get to the front of the line I see a sign on the plexiglass: out of the following bagels Everything Sesame Poppy Well it would have been nice to have this signage at the back of the line- Also Sunday morning 9:30am and they are out of these popular type of bagels?nice customer service?? Nice customer service part #2 I find it a little inappropriate that the cashier asks everyone for a tip? I mean it's pick up only....she almost makes you feel bad if you don't tip. I've been to many places for pick up and this is the only place that blatantly sets you up... Sorry Boichik- love your story. But you lost me I'll never come back read more

Worth the wait because the line moves FAST! I really appreciate how quick and efficient they are with their ordering process. Boichik bagels cannot be beat. It is really hard to find a great New York bagel like this in the Bay Area. There are a few other spots in the Bay but Boichik is definitely the winner. Think New York quality bagel with fresher California produce. They've nailed the perfect crispy shell, soft bite, but chewy finish. And wow the flavor is incredible - sweet and earthy at the same time. These bagels are light as air and will not make you feel dense. Their classic lox bagel is amazing. Their lox is SO fresh and the sweet summer tomato is to die for. BUT if it's your first time, I'd highly recommend ordering your bagel simply toasted with cream cheese. The texture and flavor of the bagel shines more that way. read more

Boichik Bagels - Whitefish Salad on Poppyseed Pink label cream cheese and tomato on Poppyseed - Bagels Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Boichik really lives up to the hype! Best bagels we've had since moving back from NYC. Tried 2 sandwiches (classic w lox, swapped chive for special roasted fennel spread) and daily special (avo, CC, tom, cucumber, pickled red onion). Both were really fresh and packed with filling. We tried everything and eggything, both toasted. Loved that there was plenty of everything seasoning that didn't fall right off, and the bagels themselves were not too dense and had a fluffy chew Waited about 20 min on a Sunday around 930. Would like to try some of their other flavors too! read more

I have always wanted to try this place, and today I finally did. There wasn't a long line, like I've seen before, and they have a limited menu as far as bagel sandwiches. But you can order bagels and spreads and sides to make your own sandwich too. I got the onion bagel and chive cream cheese and the sandwich kit that includes onion, cucumber and tomato. I also got the iced coffee with chocolate malt and it is absolutely delicious! The bagel was also so delicious, the right amount of chew and crunch. I will definitely be back for more bagels and coffees! read more

Boichik Bagels - Onion bagel with chive cream cheese, the sandwich kit and an iced coffee with chocolate malt. Mmmmmm. - Bagels Near Me - Berkeley, California

The BEST bagels in the Bay! Delicious seasonal cream cheeses, and strong coffee. Friendly staff. Line moves pretty quickly. Love the queer-owned vibes of this very special place! read more