The bagels are definitely the best ones in Madison. The bulk bagels are great, and the sandwiches are good as well. Their Babka is AWESOME. The store itself has a very cute, rustic NY/Long Island vibe. The biggest issue is this restaurant's inability to handle the crowd it gets in weekends. If you order food on a Saturday, Sunday, or holiday, you'll likely have to wait at least 30 minutes between when you place your order and when it will be ready. read more

Extremely tasty bagels with creative spreads and combinations. Pricey for a bagel but good quality and portion size Takes longer than I would expect so recommend calling ahead. Some inside and bar seating but pretty small. Staff always friendly and helpful! read more

Gotham Bagels - Brighton Beach on a super egg bagel with smoked salmon cream cheese - Bagels Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Came with a friend on a Tuesday around 10 am. I heard it gets crowded so we ordered ahead on the Toast app, but when we got there the place was fairly empty. They have a pickup counter that's separate from the regular ordering area, so it was very easy to pick up our order without having to wait in the main line. I got a toasted Calabrian chili mozzarella parmesan bagel with honey tart cherry cream cheese. It was the perfectttt combination of sweet and savory. Bagel was soft on the inside, with a good amount of Calabrian chili and cheese. There was a ton of cream cheese, which had a nice whipped texture and tart cherry flavor without tasting artificial. I like a lot of cream cheese on my bagels so this was perfect for me. My friend got the Super Tuscan with a pumpernickel bagel. She liked the toppings but said the bagel was only ok / not as flavorful as other pumpernickel bagels she's had. There was seating inside but the interior of the place is fairly small. We were able to eat comfortably since it wasn't too crowded, but I'd still order ahead next time just in case. Definitely recommend going for the honey tart cherry cream cheese at least, since I haven't seen it elsewhere. read more

Bagel: 4.0 Toppings etc: -0.7 Price: -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. read more

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Gotham bagels is THEEE spot to get a bagel in Madison. No where else compares. 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. read more

Gotham Bagels - Cheddar Avocado Bacon bagel - Bagels Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

The bagels here are delicious! I got a sesame bagel and it was so fluffy and soft, with a crunchy exterior from being toasted. I also really enjoyed the tart cherry honey cream cheese, which had a nice flavor and was very unique. I wish they had put a bit more cream cheese on it, as it got a little lost in the huge bagel, but overall a very yummy breakfast. The service was pretty good, it was crowded even on a Tuesday morning but they took our order quickly and the bagels were out within about 10-15 minutes. The inside has a lot of seating and some items for purchase to make it feel a bit like a New York bagel shop. read more

Gotham Bagels - Sesame bagel toasted with tart cherry honey cream cheese - Bagels Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

I went twice; the first time was for breakfast and the second time was for lunch. For the breakfast trip, I got there 3 minutes after they opened. I was the only one in the place and got fast service. For my lunch visit, it was packed and I had 20 orders in front of me, so it took a while - but they moved through it all. You could just get a bagel, yet what seems best is choices of around 25 different bagel sandwiches with multiple choices of bagel and a few choices of cream cheese. Easy to nearly "make your own". Good sized and good value for the money. read more

Gotham Bagels - Inside - Bagels Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

What a terrific place! It's like New York City in the middle of Madison. They have all of the fresh bagels, homemade cream cheeses and salads and sides. You can make it anyway you want it lettuce tomato onion whatever. I got their chicken salad on a bagel. It was not a mayo-based salad like I'm used to, it was more like chicken with Italian dressing and vegetables cut up in it but it was ridiculously tasty. I did not see any bathroom on site there may have been one. We ate our delicious egg sandwich and chicken salad bagel and went back to the hotel after. (Parking downtown Madison isn't easy) I would absolutely recommend this place for anyone looking for a delicious breakfast. It's a little pricey, but well worth it. read more

Gotham Bagels - Bagels Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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The food is great but the guy who was handing out orders was very rude, the owner I think. Makes me not want to come back even though the bagels are good. read more

Incredible bagels for amazing prices! Loved the atmosphere, the food, service, and ease of accessibility! Highly recommend if you're a bagel lover read more

Gotham Bagels - Bagels Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Fresh, tasty & delicious bagels. Many great options, love the lox & cream cheese. Super nice staff. Very cool vibe. Always takes longer than expected even when you order ahead so be prepared. read more

Gotham Bagels - Salmon & Lox - Bagels Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Not a place for Moms. I had a really upsetting experience at Gotham Bagels. I visited with my 17-month-old in a stroller and my three-year-old when the owner approached me and told me I needed to leave my stroller at the front because of their "no stroller" policy. The restaurant was not crowded, there was no line, and even the owner acknowledged this, yet there were "no exceptions." What bothered me most was not just the policy itself, but the lack of understanding or compassion around accessibility and caregiving. Many parents and caregivers rely on strollers not simply for convenience, but because of physical limitations, postpartum recovery, chronic pain, invisible disabilities, or safety concerns while managing multiple young children. When I questioned whether the same logic would apply to other mobility-related devices, the interaction became dismissive and aggressive. The entire experience left me feeling unwelcome and discriminated against. Policies like this may seem small, but they quietly make public spaces harder for mothers, disabled caregivers, and families to access comfortably and safely. I hope the business reconsiders this policy and approaches future interactions with more empathy and flexibility. read more

Having moved to Madison from Brooklyn, people have told me that the closest thing to a NY bagel was Gotham Bagels. After 2.5 years of living in Madison, I finally tried this place on a Tuesday morning at 8 am and bought a cinnamon raisin and an everything bagel. I didn't say that I wanted them toasted but apparently got them toasted anyway? They were warm when I got them but I also noticed that it was hard as I took a bite into the cinnamon raisin one. I drove for 20 minutes and got home to eat them and discovered that they were quite inedible...super hard. Like hitting them against a plate they made a tough noise and despite microwaving them with a warm towel was still inedible. I think the person who took my order severely over-toasted both bagels. I'll try to give this place another chance and specify that my bagel(s) should not be toasted next time to see if they're any better. Based on this visit though, I was thoroughly unimpressed...in general I wouldn't say they're good bagels, let alone comparable to the Brooklyn bagels that I've had. read more

Gotham Bagels - Menu from 04/08/2025 - Bagels Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Located just one block off from the state capitol square, I was able to find lots of street parking, at 10am on a Tuesday, right in front of the store. Walking in, the store is nicely decorated with both NY and Madison memorabilia. It is very sunny with big plate glass windows looking onto Mifflin Street and the Bartell Theatre. There are two eating counters, one facing south the other facing Mifflin. Also a couple long community tables. There is a choice of 26 different bagels sandwiches, multiple types of bagels as well as cream cheeses. I chose #3, lox and cream cheese on an "everything" bagel, toasted. The wait from order to delivery was seven minutes. The sandwich was delicious, with chewy bagel, a generous serving of lox, the right amount of cream cheese and capers ($1 extra). A nice shop for authentic bagels. read more

Gotham Bagels - Bagel with lox - Bagels Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

SOO GOOD!! The atmosphere is very welcoming The bagels are stuffed to perfection and full of flavor. You get enough for the price as well! The service was very fast even at busy times of the day. read more

Best bagels in Madison. The bagels are great the staff is great and the other little deli shop stuff on offer is great! The place is small and the day we were there a woman came in with a stroller. They clearly have a no stroller sign on the door and the owner came over and tried to politely ask her to keep the stroller out of the way so that people would be able to get through once she had ordered. He did not kick her out or ask her to do anything obscene just to make sure there was space for others. She berated him and told him that he wouldn't ask this if it was a person in a wheelchair. When advised it wasn't the same she told him her baby couldn't walk. The owner remained calm and tried to be reasonable but this woman was abusive towards him. She asked how he could do this to such a marginalized person and then turned to the restaurant and asked why any of us men weren't going to stand up for her. I noted that they had a stroller policy and she said "f*ck the policy" as she stormed out. read more

Gotham Bagels - Corned beef on pumpernickel - Bagels Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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Past three orders from here have been wrong. Items missing and/or handed a completely different order. Once they remade a sandwich and still got it wrong. A couple times is understandable things happen and it's busy but three times consecutively is unacceptable. Won't ever be going back. I would rather go to pinkus down the street for a bacon egg and cheese and know exactly what I'm getting every time. read more

Ordered twice for delivery via Toast. Messed up both times. Manager was rude when called to fix it. Do not order for delivery, they will F it up. I had to write an email to get refunded for missing order. Great good sucky service, terrible delivery. read more

Bagels were solid but the special sandwiches is where it's at! When I said I wanted my bagel NY style they delivered. Everyone we interacted with was super friendly and we will definitely be back! read more

Gotham Bagels - The yellow can on an EGG bagel -- no mayo ADD scallion cream cheese (NY style aka a lot) - Bagels Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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EDIT: I lowered their rating from 2 stars to one star. They made me wait 80 mins, were rude about it at the pick up window, AND they got the order completely wrong. IDIOTS!! The good: food is great. All locations make smashingly good bagels. The bad: waiting times for pickups and lack of clarity to the customer. Restaurants using Toast app for pickups can update customers via text or phone call, when the pickup time extends longer than the promised time. In my case, the promised time was 55 minutes and it ended up taking 80 minutes. 80 minutes for a couple of bagels is absurd to begin with, but understandable if it is truly busy. It can't be difficult for restaurants to update a customer with a new ETA. Other restaurants do this. I'm totally not impressed by this location. The ones near Chicago are way more expensive but I never had to wait 80 minutes for a bagel or two. read more

Gotham Bagels - It's not an Everything bagel. 80 minute wait and they messed up the order as well. - Bagels Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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I got the vegan! Not my favorite bagel ever but appreciate that they have a vegan/plant based option read more

Gotham Bagels - Bagels Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

For the first time, I found myself near Gotham Bagels when I was hungry. I'd seen it many times, but just never had the time to get there, or I'd already eaten elsewhere. I opted for a #17--The Williamsburg. Hot pastrami, strong mustard, on an everything bagel. It came with a spicy dill pickle spear and a four-ounce cup of coleslaw. First, the good: The bagel was tasty, the pastrami was really good, and being able to eat a bagel while staring out a huge window at the Bartell Theater while I was crammed into the place shoulder-to-shoulder with strangers made me feel like I was in New York. Second, the mediocre: The bagel was overly tough. It didn't make a good sandwich. I imagine if I was just eating the bagel with some schmear, it would have been okay, but as a sandwich, it was subpar. The sign also claimed the bagel was "piled high" with pastrami, and in New York this means something. However, it was just a normal amount of pastrami. Pretty lacking, actually. Could have used another couple of ounces of meat to make it "piled high." Third, the bad: There really wasn't anything I found overly lacking. There are a few things I'd complain about if it mattered, though. The location stinks. It's inconvenient to get to. Street parking is always full and it's at least a three-block walk to the nearest parking ramp (which charges a flat fee on the weekends). The girl at the counter was timid and too quiet for such a crowded place. The layout of the store was a little inconvenient. It took more than 15 minutes to get two bagel sandwiches, which I think any NY bagel place would have found appalling. But none of this was really "bad." Just not great. I would definitely go back for another sandwich at some point, but I'm not in a rush to get back there. read more

Honestly... I think they are trying too hard to be an authentic New York Deli... When in reality they should just work to be themselves. You walk in and are subject to a weird check in counter with no menu. They want you to order online and are really forcing the pick up model. They must still be in Covid times. It was not conducive to eating in the restaurant so we took our bagels to a local coffee shop and went about our day. We stopped in over the weekend to try something new downtown... Out of the ordinary! I'm always happy to try somewhere new. Next time I'll stick with a fan favorite! The ambiance is a bit off if I'm honest, on one wall is a collection of old photos and menus that don't seem to go together at all. At first we thought they were family members and old family photos... but in the end they just seemed dusty and outdated. Too bad! Their price point was fairly high. For a bagel sandwich... $10-$15. Drink and chips only add to the price. For average tasting bagels... This is located near the capital so parking is metered parking or parking garage. So not ideal for a quick pick up and leave. read more

Gotham Bagels - Italian sausage breakfast sandwich - Bagels Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

My friend swore by the bagel sandwiches here. I got a breakfast sandwich on an egg bagel with egg, cheddar cheese, and a latke. I was really pumped because having latkes on your bagel sandwich is genius. The latke was way too soft in my opinion. It should have been fried and crispy. Also, I couldn't detect any onion in it. It was just a sadder hashbrown. The egg was cooked well and to my specifications. The bagel was good too. I was just disappointed in the sandwich as a whole. I think I would like to try some of the more creative menu offerings instead of going for a classic breakfast sandwich if I came back here. read more

Gotham Bagels - Bagels Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Stopped in on a weekend around lunch time and got some breakfast bagel sandos. They have a neon sign out front that says espresso but we were told they do not... just regular pour it yourself hot coffee. Great bagels, long wait time as they ran out of everything bagels (they didn't mention it when we ordered though), but they did make more fresh! Very good! Would definitely come back for breakfast! read more

Gotham Bagels - Bagels Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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Good bagels loved the green onion smear go early because it got really busy as I sat there

Took over 2 hours to get 2 sandwhiches. Gave no realistic time line and seemed totally overwhelmed. Wasted a morning here.

Opens at 8am on weekdays :) I showed up early and still wasn't the first in line! The Calabrian chili bagel was delicious. Love this little place with so much character! read more

Gotham Bagels - Bagels Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

This is your local neighborhood bagel joint. The food is great and they have a pick up window outside. They use Toast for ordering, so I recommend ordering ahead. However, that being said, the estimated pick up time? Add at least 15 min to it or stand outside awkwardly while waiting for your 2 sandwiches. The lox Brighton Beach is very tasty with fresh summer tomatoes and microgreens! I would happly wait for this bagel again. The spicy italian sausage, egg, & cheddar is a classic with a kick. The bagels are perfect chewy and soft. I would order from here again, but with th expectation that it will take at least 30mins for 2 sandwiches! read more

The bagels are good, but the service is too long. A bagel joint should let you order at the counter and be ready in 10 minutes. Ridiculous

The other reviews about service pacing were on point. The bagels were average. The staff, particularly the counter help from Arizona, was friendly, so yay her! It is not a place I would go back to but it wasn't horrible. read more

Don't go on Saturday morning. Don't leave your house until you get a text that the food is ready but don't be surprised when it's cold when you pick it up. They have not mastered the online order and in house order system and leave their employees to deal with 50 plus people all demanding their food at once. Not a great system for the employees or customers. Food isn't good enough for an hour plus wait (45 min after we were told it would be ready). read more

I've had a pretty good bagel/cream cheese combo here several times in the past, but today was a real big bummer of an experience. We ordered two sandwiches (one hot) and one bagel with cream cheese and waited over 45 minutes for it which I just can't wrap my head around. When I did get my sandwich it was missing the cream cheese. I did not complain about anything, and was never offered a "sorry for the wait" - but did get an audible sigh when I went up to ask for the missing cream cheese on the side. Interestingly, the person who I assume is the owner was out at a table intermittently playing chess with friends/family) while his restaurant was clearly in the weeds all around him. We had walked in with nearly finished Sencha drinks - my bad in retrospect, I honestly didn't even think twice about it and should have - but still not deserving of the passive aggressive comments from the above mentioned friends/family to the owner (?) about it. Saw a LOT of people in there with outside drinks and one suggestion might be a prominent side outside asking us to refrain instead of being rude. Know that it's hard to find a seat while you wait and it's a pretty crowded atmosphere. Today I half wondered if the owner is trying to go for a stereotypical NY attitude/experience alongside the bagels they serve, like some sort of gimmick. I love downtown Madison and supporting local businesses, but this one is falling to the bottom of the list. read more

A fast-paced place with NYC themed decor. As far as I've found, Gotham is the only place in Madison with vegan cream cheese, and oh my god is it good. For the 6 or so years I've been coming here, it's never not been busy. So expect a bit of a wait if you're stopping in on a whim. And it's not in the most convenient location for parking. But with their walk up window/order ahead model, you can very easily avoid any lines. You can add toppings or get a breakfast sandwich, but I believe the best order is an everything bagel with the tofu scallion cream cheese. It's a short walk off the square, so it's the perfect breakfast on farmer's market Saturdays! read more

Gotham Bagels - Everything bagel with tofu scallion cream cheese - Bagels Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Should not have taken 45min for the most basic (bacon, egg, and cheese) bagels. The bagels were great but we will order ahead next time.

Food is great! You can order any kind of bagel you want. On a hot summer day it can be a bit warm, but you can feel some AC.The later you get there the more packed it is, but you can get your food in the first 10/15 minutes : ) read more

Grabbed lunch here on a Friday and I must say they have their takeout process down. Its probably more efficient now ordering through them since you can just order online and the text you when the food is ready. We got the new cemita sandwich on a garlic bagel and the bronx bomber on a sesame bagel. The cemita was one of the better if not most messy sandwiches I've ever had. The wrapper around it was leaking with juice when I got it, so much so that the bag was dripping from the juices. This sandwich might need a different wrapper. The sandwich itself was very tasty with the avocado and onion-cilantro mix paring well with the tender slow cooked chicken. The pickled red jalapenos gave a little bit of heat but I think I could have used more. I think the pickled jalapenos, avocado spread, cilantro-onion salad, and a slightly runny egg all lead to the messiness, so make sure you grab some extra napkins! That being said I would definitely order this sandwich again! The bagels themselves were just as tasty and soft as always, you can't go wrong here. I will say though that online I noticed that there was the option of a spinach bagel. Not sure if this is just available at the Chicago location, but I would love to try one if they have it in Madison. read more

New York style bagels in Madison, WI! This place is good for a quick bite, however, it gets insanely busy on the weekends so be prepared to wait (especially on a farmers market Saturday). All the workers are super friendly and all their menu options are fantastic! read more

Gotham Bagels - Brighton beach bagel sandwhich from Gotham - Bagels Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

This may be my favorite bagel sandwich ever!! Make sure to ask for their hot sauce for the extra kick!! Love the vibe in there also got some cream cheese to go since they have dairy free scallion!! The service was overall good! Cashier seemed a bit overwhelmed but understandable for how busy it was! Will continue to come back for sure! read more

Gotham Bagels - Pastrami and Egg sandwich on an egg bagel - Bagels Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

This was my fourth attempt to eat a Gotham Bagel. Between business hours and technical difficulties with online ordering, we've been unsuccessful in ordering from Gotham Bagels. That all changed today, and I can confidently say it was worth the wait. We placed an online order before starting our 15-min commute, and were very excited to see that our order was confirmed and would be ready when we got to the store. Pickup was seamless, folks were nice, and before we knew it we had two hot and delicious bagels in our hands. The bread was perfectly toasted - crispy on the outside but soft enough to chew. The cheese was DELICIOUS, but I wouldn't expect anything less of a Wisconsin-based sandwich store. The bacon was plenty, and overall, the sandwich was a 5/5. I can't wait to order again soon! read more

Gotham Bagels - Bacon egg and cheddar on a plain bagel - Bagels Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin