First of all, Asher at the counter who took my order is very HANDSOME, and extremely polite. There were two of us and we each had a bagel with lox, and a side of Jerusalem salad. Delicious, honestly the best bagel I have had in ages. Everything else was lovely. Listening to the older crowd around me at the other tables, it must be difficult to be polite. Service was quick, everything fresh, coffee good, and clean. read more

A quick stop for a bagel and lox. Filled the gap and left satisfied. Very clean and organized spot!Tasty Israeli salad side choice. Coffee was great. I'd return. read more

Emma's Bagel Cafe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Skokie, Illinois

Poppa loves a cozy little bagel shop! On our rounds to see the town, we stopped before heading to the football game. The menu has a lot to choose from. The portions are generous and everything is reasonably priced. These good folks took the time to answer our inquiries. They will suggest an option or two. They'll even provide you a sample on some things. It was an intimate little spot and everything tasted great! We are definitely stopping here one more time before we leave! 09/25 read more

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Came in with my daughter one morning for breakfast. They have kids bagels that are smaller and perfect for little hands to hold on their own. For myself I ordered a jalapeño bagel with egg omelet with cheese and jalapeños mixed in. Very tasty and filling! The omelet is massive. Just so you know- there are no meat based proteins other than eggs. It's not a deal breaker but good to know in advance. read more

Emma's Bagel Cafe - jalapeño bagel with egg omelet - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Skokie, Illinois

Terrible service. Overpriced Tried to order an egg and it sat out all day and they would not refund pr make a new one. read more

From Bagel Country to Emma's, this place has consistently been an easy, affordable, and convenient place to go for a quick bite. They have a good selection of baked goods as well. They also offer easy to go food! Would recommend! read more

I love this place for brunch or dinner anytime. Their breakfast options are excellent, their pancakes are not to be beat. Dinner is great plus they have an amazing kiosk for sushi, it's a separate company, King of Kosher Sushi, so you can have sushi or any of the menu items from Emma's and all sit together and have a great meal Plus it's a great place to buy bagels to take home! Everyone who works there is pleasant and it's just a fun place read more

Visiting from out of town, what a great discovery! We were just expecting a bagel shop but this place has an extensive menu. Besides bagels of all kinds the menu includes pancakes, waffles, omelettes, Mexican food, salads, sides, baked potatoes, pizzas, egg specialities, soups, fish, and so much more. Service is friendly and the dining room is clean, with large comfortable tables. The cookies and baked good are wonderful. read more

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Probably the best bagel I've had. First time going to this restaurant, thought it would just be a simple cafe, but it's even better! There are so many options, and they all looked delicious. I had the deluxe eggel bagel sandwich which was like having a tasty omelet and bagel with cream cheese - yum! My husband got an egg salad sandwich on a bagel and a side salad. So awesome. Definitely will go back! read more

Yelp keeps asking me to rate this place, but I never ate there, went in and sat at a table, tons of employees working and no one ever bothered to come over to let me know that you dont order at the table you have to go to the back to place your order and take it to your table yourself. I could have died at that table without ever having any interaction with the staff. I did finally get up and ask what the deal was and how this place worked, studied the menu at the back of the place and then decided to leave without ordering anything. Not going back, lazy employees and the place just had a bad unwelcoming atmosphere. read more

Shockingly bad bagel & eggs. The food had no flavor and everything tasted like cardboard. Coffee was terrible too.

Bagels were good, staff was friendly. I wish they would give more consideration to the environmental impact of their packaging. Our three bagels came in individual styrofoam containers placed in a plastic bag with plastic cutlery. read more

The best around no one compares to this. Service, quality and reliability. Ambiance

Bad customer service. Insisted that our bagel was toasted when it's clearly not. Did not give him ur receipt. Would have been our regular place to go but with the bad experience Off our list of breakfast/brunch places to go. read more

Very good bagels and lox sandwich. Sometimes it is hard to get a seat during the busy times.

I'm from NJ and this is the number one place I anticipate every time I visit Chicago. I've never had bad food or experience. However, today seemed like a major miss for me. It took about 45 minutes for our food to come out. When food finally started coming out, it was 1 at a time, at a slow pace. While 2 people in our group were still waiting for their food, and our fries and nachos, the waitress asked us what we were still waiting for, as if they forgot to make it! Another 15 minutes and we had our food. The chocolate chip pancakes were burnt and dense, not fluffy. The nacho chips were burnt. We didn't choose to go up and demand new food or a refund because it's not in our nature. I wrote this review in hopes that the restaurant will see this and rectify this for their future patrons. read more

Emma's Bagel Cafe - Burnt chips - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Skokie, Illinois

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Very good bagels, lox and cream cheese. Many varieties and quick service. Closed on Shabbat.

Very disappointing experience. Four of us went to Emma's for lunch. two dishes were brought initially, a wait of approximately 15 minutes, the second two dishes arrived. Three of the dishes were ok however the eggplant Parmesan arrived barely warm, completely tasteless and the breaded eggplant was 99 percent breading with a sliver of eggplant in between the breading. When I expressed my dissatisfaction ; I was told that the dish was delicious and that no one had ever complained about it. He took the plate of food, threw it out and offered no compensation. I commented that he must need the money the dish cost ; more than I do. I then walked away. Our friends were so perturbed about the treatment of the complaint that they resolved to not return to this restaurant even though they had come on other occasions read more

today was my first experience at Emma's the bagels were absolutely amazing and I ordered a few extra to go. I was absolutely astonished at the variety in the menu. the table next to me had strawberries waffles and chocolate chip pancakes. I am definitely coming back to try them. the service was fantastic and Josh was so friendly and helpful. I would recommend giving Emma's a try!! read more

Time for an update. I really miss the old management. On the upside, many of the same delightful employees are still there. I appreciate the usually adequate amount of outdoor seating. The soups are really good. Overly extensive menu. read more

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We ordered breakfast and we paid very good amount of money for regular breakfast. It took 45 minutes to arrive even though the restaurant wasn't busy." We told to the server what happened to the cream cheese and she was telling you didn't pay but we are showing the receipt it's take her 10 more minutes to bring cream cheese. When we asked about the vegetables the same thing but you didn't pay again show her the receipt took another 5 minutes. When we ask for our coffee again the same story until my husband got upset and when he got to the manager or even the owner he ignored him and passed him over. From the beginning this man ( manager, owner) was so rude. I don't understand for this person if it's hurt work for you don't work but if you want your customer to come back care for them. This shows you he didn't care about any of that. "Sadly, I won't be returning. I hope they improve the service , staff , and customer service." read more

What a gem! I found this restaurant through a Google search. I needed a place to take my grandkids while we waited for my husband to finish a visit at the hospital. My grandson blurted out immediately "Blueberry pancakes." I hadn't even had a chance to look at the menu yet! My granddaughter then states "Mac and cheese." I didn't even see it! Well, I just thought we were getting a small bite so I got an everything bagel with lox cream cheese. The pancakes, three of them, were each bigger around than my grandson's head and the blueberries were were large. My granddaughter's mac and cheese was gooey and cheesy. Quite a lot and with garlic bread, her favorite. My bagel was delicious. It's been a long time since I've had a good bagel. I mean a very good bagel. A VERY GOOD BAGEL. I live in an area where you can only get bagels from places that have never had a BAGEL. I bought six more to take home. I can hardly wait to have to come back to the hospital!! read more

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I visited from out of town and was very impressed with this cafe. I ordered soup to eat while I worked and a Caesar salad & blueberry muffin to go. I especially enjoyed the Caesar salad and blueberry muffin- they were delicious!! The cafe is huge so I had no problem finding a table next to an outlet to work during the day mid-week. The staff were very nice and I would happily come back again. Very fair pricing too! read more

Emma's Bagel Cafe - Sweet potatoes soup - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Skokie, Illinois

Bad customer service. The cashier was rude, and the wait was long after we placed our order.

Nothing fancy but had a nice lox and bagel sandwich and coffee. The sandwich was fantastic, the coffee not really drinkable. read more

Emma's Bagel Cafe - Lox and Bagel Sandwich - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Skokie, Illinois

First time going. I had the Most tasteless Mac n Cheese ever! and they do not serve half n half cream for coffee. Service was okay why they would serve a piece of garlic toast with it I don't know. But that was not good either. Prices are high too. I paid over 36.00 for two Mac n Cheeses and 2 cups of coffee. Horrible dining experience and will never go back. read more

Food is fantastic & the staff are great. They manage to provide both healthy alternatives & comfort food in the same restaurant

I had driven by this place several time. I finally stopped in and it was awesome. Terrific selection and very good food. The inside is clean and the staff was very friendly. Excellent for a bagel and coffee but the have an extensive menu for a great breakfast. read more

The menu here is MASSIVE! I was almost overwhelmed by the sheer number of different items I wanted to try out! On top of that, the prices are super reasonable and significantly lower than most other breakfast/brunch options. I ended up getting a PB&J bagel to go and loved it. The service here was also really friendly. Overall, I definitely would come here again read more

We come here every time we come to Chicago and that is a lot. We love it and won't stop coming. Tons of options, all really good. Good prices. I highly recommend if you like bagels, pancakes, waffles, shakshuka, smoothies, and sushi. read more

Well it's been quite awhile since I've been to Emma's deli. Wanted to support them. Usually I would go to Manny's since they're the best but there's a place up here in Skokie that caters to Jewish deli as well. I had a craving for a lox omelette hash browns which I forgot to note on my photograph with sesame seed bagel which is traditional in Jewish deli and cream cheese next to the soup of the day which is vegetable soup this is an early lunch so had a craving for these and finally for the second time had a bucket list to do this. I'm glad indoor dining is available and I hope people will try this place out to during lunch time remember they are closed I think Friday and Saturday during the Sabbath and with the pandemic I don't know if it's even more complicated but so far they're operating read more

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Visiting the Chicagoland area and thought I'd stop here for a to-go bagel and a coffee. The place was very busy. It is December 25 and few places in the area are open. This the type of place where you order and they bring food out. It's not, from what I can tell, full service with servers. But mind you all of the bagels are displayed in baskets behind the cashiers just like any other chain bagel/donut spot. Anyhow, I went to the counter/cashier and placed my order for a bagel and coffee. I ordered an onion bagel because I could see behind the cashier that the onion bagels were still available. Many other bagels appeared to be sold out. I was told that the wait for the onion bagel could be up to 25 minutes. He said it was up to me if I wanted to wait. He also said they might prepare my bagel (toast it and add cream cheese) before the other orders (I'm assuming full cooked breakfast/brunch/lunch) orders that were ahead of my order. While I appreciate the cashier's upfront opinion, it's a bit ridiculous to put a bagel in the same queue as all of the other orders. This is a major customer service issue and a really poor way to run a business. I'm sure it's not the fault of the cashier, but rather the way the business is operated. I was trying to support a local spot while visiting from out of town, but it looks like I will visit a chain for a coffee and bagel. Take it from this professor, this place needs to revise it's order processes. read more

Emma's Bagel Cafe - Sign from outside. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Skokie, Illinois

FINALLY a great place to gather with friends for authentic bagels & home-brewed coffee in the northwest suburbs of Chicago! While most delis got rid of their indoor seating during the pandemic and then never restored it, this one has plenty of tables in addition to cozy booth seating along 2 walls. Also has a great breakfast and lunch items you order at the counter with wait staff bringing it to your table when ready. read more

Emma's Bagel Cafe - two people sitting at a table - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Skokie, Illinois

My coworkers and I have been going to Emma's for lunch a lot. This place is always busy, so you know it's good. This is a kosher restaurant, they have a really good size menu, and just about everything we've ordered has been really good. Everything seems really fresh and the portion sizes are just right. I've been telling people about this restaurant when asking for lunch recommendations. read more

Emma's Bagel Cafe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Skokie, Illinois

A huge selection of legitimate boiled bagles not the common immatations. Also has an attached deli / Cafe. You must get there very early to get the freshest bagle. Definitely a must try place. read more

The food is always great and the staff are fantastic. I have been coming here for either the Lox omelette or bagels & lox for 8 years. When I am in town and ready for breakfast this is my stop. Very clean and plenty of seating available. read more

Emma's is terrific for a "kosher family fare" experience. Family style tables, warm and inviting experience and very kind staff. You might have a young patron stop in at your table and say hi! Which is awesome in my book...I suspect I have morphed into my final benevolent graybeard form. The Shakshuka is "best in the city" mode. They have sushi which is outstanding. A really strong, welcoming and accomplished neighborhood restaurant. They close early evening so breakfast, lunch and dinner before 7:30, closed Friday and Saturday for sabbath observance. A treasure. Cheers! read more

This place is pretty good I love the coffees and ice cream that they have. The staff are nice and the food is pretty good. Food always tastes better when someone else is paying. Today there wasn't much of a crowd and my food was ready pretty fast. I like that they bring the food to me. read more

Emma's Bagel Cafe - Cheesecake - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Skokie, Illinois

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Food is good but very slow. Restaurant is not even full, and took almost 40 minutes for a basic breakfast to arrive.

Emma's Bagel Cafe took over the space that used to be Bagel Country. Everything here is kosher, so no meat+dairy at the meal (read: don't expect ham or sausage here). Loaves of challah, black and white cookies, cream cheese, and other goodies are also available to go. Like: the extensive bagel choices! Dislike: the bagels I tried were disappointing. The peanut butter chocolate could have very well been called plain bc that's what it tasted like. Both that and the jalapeno bagel were very hard in texture too. Like: the fun coffee/espresso options! Dislike: my iced caramel latte was served to me warm with minimal ice. Wth? An iced drink should definitely not be served at any temperature other than cold. Like: the option to order omelets, waffles, or pancakes off the menu. Dislike: both my and bf's omelets were burnt and really dry. It was crazy busy on the Sunday we stepped in, but I'll be going elsewhere for my bagel needs. read more

Emma's Bagel Cafe - lox omelet with home fries and chocolate chip peanut butter bagel - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Skokie, Illinois

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