Important: this place steams its bagel sandwiches so if you don't like moist carbs, go elsewhere! A crispy toasted bagel seems beyond them... read more

Okay, I admit it. I have a bagel addiction. But up until now, I had been content with certain other fast-food bagels that were NOTTT cutting it. I unfortunately did not know of CBA before the fire, so I decided to give them a shot and oh my, am I glad I did. The atmosphere is cool and pretty fast-paced, I feel like on a leisurely day I could meet with a friend here and just... bagel. The day that I was there, it was packed, and I ended up waiting awhile for my bagel (I got the Five-0, a bagel with cream cheese and bacon), but I totally understood because they were so busy. But this bagel....... oh wow. The cream cheese was lovely and the bacon was the nice salty kick that I had never thought would go on a bagel before, but I mean, it makes perfect sense, doesn't it? Sweet and salty. And bagel. I am seriously about to drool. Ugh. It was amazing. I know where I will be coming on weekends for my bagel fix. Who knew you could steam bagels? I have so much to learn. Teach me, Chicago Bagel Authority! read more

I gave this place 5 stars not because it is the most amazing breakfast you'll ever have, but it is EXCELLENT for what it is. I have never been to a bagel joint this good. Service was friendly and quick. His- the Oak Pork BLT. Highly recommended. Hers- the Clayboy. Very very very good... But I regretted not going for the Oak Pork. They have a huge menu, and I want to try all of them now! If you're looking for a great quick breakfast that is well crafted, creative, not greasy, and sandwiches in a VERY good bagel... Look no further! read more

This place is clearly very popular. So I can't outright say that it's not good, it's just not for me. I was excited to try it (due to it's popularity) but was really unhappy with my sandwich. The way they seem to prepare them is by steaming. So they took my turkey, cream cheese and tomato sandwich and steamed the whole damn thing. The result: a very wet sandwich. The steamed turkey didn't taste too good. Also, it fell apart. If your preference is to have a toasty bagel (like me), I would suggest avoiding CBA. On the plus side, the staff was very friendly and they seem to have a loyal following. read more

Love this place!! It's quirky vibe and a hundred different sandwich combos make it a must go to And it's right off the Belmont L stop so that is super convenient! Try it read more

Chicago Bagel Authority - The messy Katie - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The Chicago Bagel Authority is where all your bagel dreams come true. Walking into the CBA makes you feel like you're at your best friend's house. If your best friend's house actually served delicious bagels and didn't have dirty clothes all over the floor. The menu at the CBA is wide and varied. There is definitely a bagel or bialy sandwich on the menu for you it just might take you a while to figure out what it is. A perk of the CBA, as if it even needs anything else, is that if you're feeling daring or just completely indecisive, you can ask for the Lottery and cede all control over your bagel, letting the wonderful CBA workers concoct a unique and perhaps bizarre bagel sandwich just for you. The only downside is there aren't nearly as many sweet bagel options and the wait on a Sunday morning can be a bit long because everyone is trying to get their bagel fix, and rightly so. read more

Chicago Bagel Authority - The Dirty Swede - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I'm changing my review after a really awful experience with their online ordering. However, they called me back and explained it was an issue with ChowNow. They were great on the phone, and really worked to rectify the situation. As I explained before, the food is incredible, so with this fixed, I don't have a single bad thing to say about them. We will continue to cure our hangovers with their food for as long as we are able. read more

These bagel sandwiches are amazing. I love how they steam them so the cheese gets all gooey. My personal favorite is a Sam's Sunrise with bacon. Their bagels have the perfect amount of chew. They deliver, too which is perfect after a night out. I've been to the Armitage location as well and it's equally as delicious. Lines are long on the weekend but that's just a testament to the food! read more

Chicago Bagel Authority - Yummmmm. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Best bagel sandwich I have ever had. They are the best bagel shop in Chicago, hands down! I had the Eternal Sunshine and it was amazing. read more

Chicago Bagel Authority - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Delicious savory bagel sandwiches steamed to perfection. The service is quick and friendly. The atmosphere is low key with a hipster vibe. They have goldfish crackers as a side! Maybe I'm the only one who is thrilled at the site of those orange little fishies, but they were a nice accompaniment! I got the Belmont--a monstrous behemoth of maple sausage, ham, egg, cheddar, pepper jack, and chive cream cheese on an everything bagel. Gooey chewy divinity! read more

Chicago Bagel Authority - The Belmont my friends. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Love CBA! The vibe is great and casual, the service is always friendly, and the sandwiches and bagels are great!! I end up trying something new every time I stop in and it's all been amazing! read more

AMAZING pick up set-up during social distancing. It was so nice to feel safe and comfortable while still grabbing our favorite Saturday morning breakfast sandwiches! Thanks, CBA! read more

I love a good bagel and cream cheese in the morning! However, you will not find it here. The bagel was stale and hard and should have been thrown out. I had a plan bagel with salmon cream cheese. The cost is high: it was $3.49 plus tax; Einstein's is $2.49 plus tax. Perhaps the sandwiches are better, but if you cannot serve a good bagel, the sandwich is doomed. read more

there's a moment in life where enough is enough. i've frequented this cba pre-and-post fire, and after this morning's experience, feel like it's finally time to write a review. i've given more than enough chances to this place to have my opinion change for the better, and it has never taken advantage of that. i've never worked with the same person here more than once, and every person i *have* worked with has never seemed happy to be there, not do they care about my experience. i *will* say that the last cba original creation i had, the pinkman (an homage to jesse, of breaking bad), was fantastic. but it also took twenty minutes to make. a bialy sandwich. twenty minutes. that was whatever, since i really had nowhere to be, and it was actually delicious. however. this morning. i used the iphone app because i KNEW it might take some time, even though it was 930a on a monday, and i was quoted a completion time of "about 941a". fine. i'd pick it up and catch my red line train. the timing was near perfect. the experience was not. i walked in, told them i placed an order through the app, and was told it would be "ready soon". i missed a train. the greg-o bialy sandwich + egg i ordered was ready at 946a. i literally had to sprint to the train for fear of being late to work. while being late for work is not cba's fault, i reached my destination (only TWO stops away) and the bialy sandwich was haphazardly thrown together, COLD, and a complete and utter flavorless mess. all for $8.24. i'm sorry, but A BREAKFAST SANDWICH THAT IS ALMOST $9 SHOULD BE WORTH ALMOST $9. i've deleted the app and am not going back anytime soon. i haven't been this disappointed in a while. read more

This place is dope, The Belmont breakfast bagel is the best. High quality ingredients and healthy portions on the sandwiches.

Tried CBA for lunch today and loooved our sandwiches! We had the Turkey Bacon Boat and the Webster Fitness, and enjoyed both of them. Were really looking forward to having CBA join the neighborhood and extremely enjoyed the first experience. Great location and a great addition to Lakeview! read more

Food: Top of the line, great sandwiches and unique combinations. The food is what brings me back every time. Now for the rest... https://www.yelp.com/biz/chicago-bagel-authority-chicago-2 The service is absolutely terrible. You walk in (whether empty or full) and it seems you have to fight to get one of the 8 people standing behind the counter to take your order. There's no organization, no order area, no pick up, nothing. It's a free for all and half the time you could probably walk in grab a sandwich and they wouldn't notice/charge you. Not to mention, you have a minimum 20 min wait after placing your order (on a less busy day) The food + hot sauces keep bringing me back but every time I walk out; I tell myself I won't come back because of the service. read more

Had the Sausage Party bagel sandwich. Soooo good. On an onion bagel, two cheeses, scrambled egg, sausage entire sandwich is steamed. Coffee is good too although I only drink it hot strong and black.... read more

I think it's safe to say that we will probably never return to CBA. I know-the fire and I'm sure that was costly, but I think CBA is now a huge rip off. 2 bagels, 1 drink, and chips cost $23? All of the prices went up, the bagels got much smaller in width and length, and you can taste that the products were from very good and high quality to sub-par Sara Lee type of quality. My sandwich was manly green peppers even though it was supposed to have BBQ sauce, meat, etc all of that was very minimal. The sauce was absolutely watery, had no flavor. It took over 15 minutes for my order when there was no one else in there, service was rude, all of the tables were dirty, and there was at least 4 people behind the counter so I'm not accepting excuses. It's over CBA between the two of us. read more

Amazing hangover food. If you're a guy you can eat 2 while fighting your Sunday scaries no problem. Never had a bad thing on the menu so might as well throw a dart and go with it. Only problem I have is the non existent line. It's just workers saying "whoevers up next I can help" and everyone just looks around thinking "shit was I here before you or was he or her... I'm way too hungover for this." So ya that definitely throws your day off for a sec. Solid food though read more

incredible! i highly recommend the belmont! i kinda waited awhile for one bagel though.

Don't get me wrong. It was tasty. I enjoyed my lunch. What I can't quite get over is that after chips and a drink and 15 minutes to prepare a bagel when no one else was in the place this teeny tiny bagel lunch cost me $10. Really? read more

3.5 stars. Bagels are smaller than expected (not a complaint) - i ordered an everything bagel with lox cream cheese, tomatoes, cucumbers and red onion. The cream cheese was pretty tasteless. Also, for a bagel place it seemed odd to not have lox or capers as toppings. Bagels weren't very fresh and being in plastic bags made it seem like they were brought in from somewhere else. Otherwise, ambiance was good. read more

It's been a year and a half since my last review, and they still get orders wrong most of the time. I started ordering online for pick up so that my order would be in writing while they made it but that hasn't seemed to make a difference. Last week, they gave my vegetarian girlfriend a bacon sandwich and took over 15 minutes to remake her actual order. Again - love the food, but the service is shit. read more

I asked for my sandwich with no sprouts or bacon, and I got the dang sandwich with sprouts AND bacon. I didn't want to ask them to remake it because I have anxiety and I'd rather complain to my fiancé and just eat it anyway. My sandwich was soggy and cold and my friends food was cold too. This was a terrible experience, I am traumatized. I'd rather go to the beef shack down the street and I've never even been there read more

While the bagels here are amazing, order accuracy isn't. I grabbed a veggie sandwich and found bacon after looking closer. Very disappointed. Organize your topping better read more

Chicago Bagel Authority - Bacon in veggie sandwich.. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This location's design seems rushed. Instead of the downhome/goofy decor of the location on armitage, this location has linoleum floors and a cheap deli sandwichboard. It's an awkward mix between sterile white walls and tacky cheap decorations. It seems the design was an afterthought and they just wanted to open during summer and get the foot traffic. I brought my friends here when they were visiting from Pennsylvania, and I'm sorry i wasted 2 hours of their time. Was it that the place was looked so crappy that my sandwich tasted worse than the armitage location? Or was it that the blonde girls were unfriendly and giving off the "i'm so over being here" vibes. I don't mind paying their prices because the good service and the good vibes are included. Although this shop is near my apartment, I'll take the train two stops and go to the original location. read more

Yum. Steamed bagel sandwiches...Possibly even 5 stars on any given day!!!

The staff is always in a great mood and very helpful and patient while you take your time going over the menu. I think my biggest complaint would probably be that it is too extensive. The bagels are always heaping with additions, as they do not skimp. Great meal at a fairly good price. Highly recommend it. Soups/Chilis are always great too. read more

After having to set my alarm for 6:45AM on a Saturday I decided that the only way to compensate for my miserable state was via bagel consumption. I was excited to try CBA as I've only heard good things around town. The shop definitely still has that brand new paint smell and the staff is still clearly learning but all in all I thought the bagel was delicious and I like that they feature Intelligentsia coffee. I ordered the egg and cheese and Manfriend had the same with ham - he even stated that the ham was some of the best he's ever had. He knows his pork, people. Trust. I'll definitely visit again, hopefully next time at a later hour. read more

Food was good but it should not take that long to make a bagel sandwich with just turkey and mayo. It took almost 15 minutes and there was only 2 people in front of me. After I recieved the sandwich it had tomatoes on it. I asked for no tomatoes so you can imagine the frustration. I had to wait another 10 minutes for my fixed sandwich. Needless to say, don't eat here if you're in a hurry. read more

We came here for breakfast on a busy Sunday morning. I had the dank n eggs and my boyfriend had the Belmont. Both were very very good and they definitely don't skimp out. My only complaint is the way you order and then wait for your food. It feels like there's no order. It took us probably 15-20 minutes to get our bagels. read more

Exceptionally good bagels! Soft and chewy, not firm and rubbery. I tried their Aunt Beanie's bagel with tomato, sprouts, hummus, and avocado, which made for a very tasty combination. Service was fast, and I got a free rice crispies treat for checking in on Yelp! (I picked the s'mores one...YUM!) read more

So good, had to get one before i left for Philly. Any east coast expansion possibilities? Haha

So glad they reopened after the fire. A very casual place to grab a steamed bagel sandwich--so many choices--and love that it's BYOB. Service is friendly, and I would recommend it if you want to try a new lunch or inexpensive dinner spot, Also, have noticed groups that linger for a while to watch a game or something. read more

I have to agree with most of the reviews here. The format for ordering is very weird. You go up to the people making the sandwiches and order and then you go pay. This makes for a long wait time and doesn't seem very efficient. I guess I am also too used to toasted warm bagels in New York. Steam bagels seem a little too doughy and soft. The chive cream cheese was very good though. read more

Having gone to Miami OH and living in NYC, I had to get my Bagel & Deli fix when I was visiting Chicago. The names of the bagels are different but the steamed bagels coupled with their huge list of sandwiches, you can't go wrong. read more

CBA on Belmont is every bit as good as the one on Armitage. Only 1 thing: no one is ever in here. Scares the pants off of me. People in Lakeview must not know a good thing when they see it. Every time I walk by Einsteins and see people sitting in there, I want to smack a fool. Einsteins? Einsteins!? Seriously? That place caters the lowest denominator, and clearly its working, but it breaks my heart to see such a fantastic stop like CBA go unnoticed. There bagels are all steamed, just like the one on Armitage. The location itself is huge and sprawling, unlike the spot on Armitage. There are at least 20 sandwich bagels that would be perfect on any given day. I hope the people at CBA don't quit on the neighborhood and pull the plug on this operation. Don't say you weren't warned here. read more

Normally I'd give these guys more, but today they were off there game. The guy was nice, but the lady who rung me up was the definition of sour. I don't expect employees to break out into happy songs for me, but damn i would have settled for a "good morning " or even a smile. It's early I understand. But i assume being nice to customers is part of your job. read more

Just waited 25 minutes to get my sandwich, only to find out they forgot to make it. The ordering "system" at this restaurant needs an overhaul. read more