The most stand out thing about Bagels Forever is the DRAMATICALLY lower than average prices…read more Breakfast sandwiches with egg and meat are under 4 dollars. Bundles of 2 dozen bakes and cream cheese come out to under a buck a bagel. The bagels themselves have appropriate chewy texture and shine on the crust. They are modestly sized. My BLT was packed with flavor. There is no place to eat in the shop.

While visiting from out of town, we stopped by Bagels Forever, and wow--what an incredible find!…read moreThese bagels were absolutely perfect, with a beautifully crisp crust and a wonderfully chewy inside. At just $0.75 each, they're an unbelievable deal for such high-quality, freshly made bagels. The breakfast sandwich was fresh, filling, and delicious, but the real star was the bagel sandwich--so good that my daughter literally said, "I think I'm gonna cry!" That pretty much sums it up! I only wish we lived in Madison so we could come here all the time. If you're in town, do not miss this place--it's a true bagel lover's dream!

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.

The food here is very good for the price you pay, although the food service is severely lacking, my…read morefirst thought is why are you so unfriendly at 7 in the morning, if you're not a morning person don't work the mornings. I've only been here twice and each time the service was terrible, long wait time when your the only one in line/store, no greeting when I entered. I'm not asking for the world, but friendliness would be nice, especially when the kiosk asks me for a tip. Love the food, store seems clean but again customer service could use some revision.

After discovering my fav coffee chain ever (Stone Creek Coffee), I realized that there's a…read moreBruegger's Bagels attached to it every time. So I had to go in and try! I got the smokehouse brisket, which is a plain toasted bagel with the most delicious melty jalapeño cream cheese, eggs, smoked beef brisket, and cheddar cheese. This was piping hot, pretty good, and really filling! TBH wasn't the biggest fan of the beef brisket, but that cream cheese made up for it. I couldn't finish the whole thing though as eventually it got too heavy. The store also had a large window into the bakery itself, which is so awesome!

Time to update my review again -- and UPGRADE my review. I am consistently impressed by Viking Brew…read morePub. I love that it's a local joint, love that it has a legit Viking ship bar that blows smoke/steam, and love getting beer brewed on site. And a nice variety of beer at that. It had been awhile since I've been here, but it continues to be delicious. We came here for a Friday fish fry and while busy, the wait wasn't terrible at all. We went to the bar to grab a drink, and it seemed a bit wrong not to get a beer but it also seemed wrong not to get an Old Fashioned while waiting for a fish fry. So, Makers Old Fashioned Sour it was, and it was really good! I'd definitely order it again, and love that they didn't over-fill it with ice. It could sit for a bit and not get so terribly watered down. But OMG the fish fry! We try out a new fish fry spot every month, or at least most months, and I have to say this fish is probably my #1 that we've had. It was so delicious. The breading on the outside was light but crispy, and the inside was juicy and moist (sorry, it's really the best word to describe this!). I brought the third piece home (it took a lot of willpower not to eat it). I tear the breading off and give some of the fish as a topper for my pup's dinner. This fish and breading was seriously so good I'd eat the breading straight out of the refrigerator off the fish. The french fries were good, but had a few too many that were overly crunchy (reject fries, as I like to call them). Even so, still good and the fish still gets it 5 stars and the title of "Best." The roll that came with it was likewise delicious. Fun, local atmosphere and good food all around - the regular menu is great, the fish fry is great, the beer is great, and the drinks from the bartenders are great.

Elsa was a great and attentive server. Pepsi shop. The pretzel was great (we got the lingonberry…read moresauce instead of the mustard and it was a sweeter but very tasty substitute). The Norwegian meatballs were tasty (the brown gravy was a bit heavy) and the fresh roll was to die for! The chicken in my sandwich wasn't vey flavorful and did not bring out the flavor of the pesto aoli. I would go back to try other offerings on the menu.

Ok. So I've lived here for 10 years and every single Saturday I take my sons out for breakfast. And…read morewe have tried almost all of them in Dane County. And this was recommended early on. And it's close to our house. And I drove past it for years. To Koffee Kup. To Pancake Cafe. To Luke's. All great. I didn't go here because in the boys' words it "looked sus". And it does. It looks like a divey bar on the outside. And unsurprisingly it is on the inside too. But What it IS is amazing food wise. Everyone talks about the French toast. Having never had RumChata in a cocktail I can't comment but that toast is OFF THE CHARTS. But so is the biscuits and gravy. A ton of meat. Service is strained but lovely. And when you see what that cook is working with you're even more impressed. A 6'X4' cooking station and you make this? Wow. My only complaint is the bacon. Not great. Not actually good. Worth a drive to Wittenberg to buy cases of odd cut Nueskes and this place is almost James Beard Award worthy. Appearances are deceiving. Do it!

Went for their breakfast on word of mouth. Not a really big place but we got a place at the bar…read more Bloody Mary & chaser , great flavor . Had the eggs Benedict with crabcakes and steak and it was some of the best hollandaise sauce that I've ever had. The bartenders were top notch and there was never a wait for anything. The decor is squirrels of course , the foot rest a little stumps and the people were friendly. A great place for breakfast.

Finally visited Elle's Deli & Bagels when passing through the area! This spot is a little out of…read morethe way for me but the high reviews got my attention. The inside is small but cute with an ordering counter, to-go items, merch, etc. There isn't anywhere inside to sit and enjoy but bagels are nicely wrapped to carry out. While waiting for my order to be ready, the staff were hustling to keep up with taking orders, preparing food, and were constantly bringing out fresh bagels to refill flavors. I ordered The Basic B with crispy bacon, egg, and cheese on a Garlic Bagel. The bagel was extremely fresh and I could taste the garlic flavor infused into the bagel itself as well as the topping. The eggs were fluffy and the cheese added the perfect, melty flavor. My husband got the Everything bagel with Lox cream cheese. He said he could taste the fresh salmon flavor in the cream cheese and their everything bagel house seasoning had a good mix of flavor. Overall, I am so happy I finally got to try Elle's Bagels! This is clearly a neighborhood favorite as it was consistently busy when I visited. The pricing was very fair, everything was fresh, and staff were very kind/patient. Highly recommend coming out to give them a try!

This place is hopping! It was a Saturday morning around…read more10:30am that I arrived. There had to be 15 customers that picked up or ordered in the eight minutes I was there. I ordered the Fox with a Twist for $10.49. I got a garlic bagel, I would try something different, probably everything or salt. I also kept the plain cream cheese and I would sub that next time. I really liked the turkey, there was a lot of it on the bagel. $10.50 is a lot for a bagel sized sandwich, but there was a lot of turkey. I enjoyed the bacon and pickled jalapeños. I could not taste the tomato but was glad it was there, but I was disappointed with the caramelized onions. There were not many, and they had almost no flavor. The sandwich also needed salt, something to draw out the flavor. I also got a French toast bagel for my son. It was served warm. That was $2.49. I heard about this deli because it was used for a catering event I went to. The bagels are delicious!!! The best around. The bagel hole idea is also clever, great snack for a catering tray. I would grab a bagel if I was in the area, but not sure I'll repeat the sandwich at that price point without a bit more punch of flavor.

Stopped during a bike ride in the area. Cute little place, with nice back patio on the river. Great…read morecoffee made to taste and impressive baked goods. Friendly server.

I was here about a year ago.. I still give 5 stars. The only…read morecritique I have is perhaps flip your order/serve stations. It just seems like it would be more natural to me to walk in at the ramp and order then continue walking into the store to pick up your drinks. Today I watched about seven people lined up on that ramp waiting to order before was mentioned that they have to go through the crowd of people waiting for their drinks to the other side to get in line to order their drinks. I just think it would cause a lot less confusion and maybe frustration of customers if you were to flip those two areas

Finally visited Charlotte's Coffee House today, it's been on my "Want to go" list for a while every…read moretime I'm down in Iowa I don't usually drink latte but this Peanut Butter Latte really WOW-ed me. It was very yummy and not sweet at all. Their breakfast burrito was so warm and hearty. Very good experience for my first time and will definitely come back to try more menu items! 10/10 for cute space as well! Staff was amazingly helpful and would suggest drinks based on your preferences.

Very busy coffee spot and I can see why. They have a great menu with so many coffees, pastries and…read morebreakfast choices. The vibe is cozy and intimate and the service was friendly. They have outdoor as well as indoor space. It's a must if you're in Dubuque.

I love Bagels and more! The sourdough is my favorite! This…read moreis a great stop for breakfast or lunch. And the owner David is always a kind face! 3 cheers for Bagels and more!!!

Only come here if you want a side of surly with your coffee order. Did not care for the attitude of…read morethe worker with whom I dealt

We stopped by New York Bagel & Bialy pretty late in the evening on a Saturday night. There was a…read morelittle bit of a line, but I took that as a good sign. We ordered a dozen mixed, cream cheese and lox spread and headed home. Service was fast and the employee helping us was really sweet. The smell in the building was lovely. Ahhhh..... Every single thing we ate was spectacular. Absolutely wonderful. We went to a funeral in Skokie last month, I thought we were stopping to get some goods on the way home. My husband forgot his promise... I am still holding a grudge.

The $5.99 Benchmark for Bagel Integrity Who would have…read morethought you could still find this kind of integrity for $5.99? In a world where most spots are jacking up prices while lowering quality, this place is sticking to the New York gold standard. The line is a total marathon. You're going to wait, and it's going to be a while--but that's the tax you pay for food that actually has a soul. Don't let the deli line distract you. It's white noise. Stay focused on the bagels, the bialys, and the accoutrements. The breakfast sandwich is, hands down, the best in town. Period. It's simple, inexpensive, and lacks any of that "cheap filler" logic you see at other breakfast joints. It's just a masterclass in doing the basics with real care. If you have the patience to survive the wait, you won't find a better return on your investment.