Great bagels. Austin defining has a lack of good bagel joints but this place delivers. Had the bagel sandwich with egg, cheese & bacon. Sesame bagel was fresh and great. Delicious sandwich! Only complaint was the kolaches. They served them cold. I asked if they could heat them up, but they said they couldn't. Can't remember if their microwave was out or it was something else. Mainly, I would have liked to known it would not be hot when ordering since we ate there. read more

I hesitate to write this review because I want you to myself, Wholy Bagel. I want it to just be me and you and your bagel-y goodness, but if you really love someone (or something) you have to share it with the world. Right? The bagels here are everything a bagel should be- slightly crispy yet chewy on the outside and light and airy on the inside. If you like some cream cheese goodness accompanying your bagel (yeah, you know you do), they make several fantastic varieties. (I especially enjoy the veggie spread and the chocolate chip spread.) Everyone in the shop is friendly and helpful- the last time I was there, I had a fun discussion about robots with the cool chick behind the counter as she poured my monster cup of coffee. Everything is reasonably-priced and definitely worth every penny. Stop by sometime soon to grab a bag of bagels, a variety of their cream cheese spreads and a cup of coffee. I promise you'll go crazy stalker on them as well. But look out, you have some serious competition! read more

Lemme explain something. I'm a New Jersey transplant. We invented bagels. For two years, I had to hear people recommend Einstein's as the place to get a bagel in Austin. I was insulted. So insulted in fact, that I had my parents mail bagels to me for two years. Yes, really. They actually did this. And for two years, I had to eat breakfast tacos. Not that I dislike breakfast tacos, but they aren't breakfast food. Or at least not what I grew up on. Pork roll, egg, and cheese? Yes. I'll have that. And I'll have lox and capers and onion. This Jew loves you Wholy Bagel. read more

I can't say enough about their Nova Lox bagel! The salmon is sushi grade, lean, and a fresh, bright orange-pink color. You can choose any bagel and cream cheese, but I recommend the toasted sesame bagel and scallion cream cheese. Go early because they sell out of sesame sometimes. The bagel itself is the real deal - slightly crunchy on the outside and chewy inside - perfection! read more

Wholy Bagel - Italian on garlic bagel! - Bagels Near Me - Austin, Texas

Stopped here on our last morning in Austin! Legit bagels and a taste of real bagels from NYC

It's been a year and I still think about how good that bagel was and I'm sorry I live in another state.

Wholy goodness! This New York bagel shop is the real deal! We found this place serendipitously after our third disappointing trip to a big box bagel place a mile away. Boy, are we glad that other company had trouble keeping their everything bagels in stock. Wholy Bagel's breakfast bagels with bacon, egg, and cheese on nature's most perfect bagel are heavenly. You can customize your bagels and cheese. Their everything bagels are the best I've ever had, and those include bagels acquired in Brooklyn when we went to New York! There are a million schmears made in house to top your bagels as well. They use Katz coffee, which is fine, but their bagels are clearly the star of the show. Make sure you have plenty of time to stand in line, as they are always packed. Seating is exceptionally limited, but their bagels are so good that this is easily overlooked. These are the best bagels this side of the Hudson! read more

I'm not gonna dock a star, but my second experience at Wholy Bagel was not as spectacular as the first. The veggies were not as fresh. Also the tomatoes weren't sliced uniformly. They were in weird chunks, like a little kid was back there slicing veggies. But most importantly, I had asked for extra lox this time. The lady behind the counter said it would be an extra 4 dollars. I said that was fine, thinking it would come out to 10 bucks or something. Wellll.... THE DAMN THING CAME OUT TO 13 DOLLARS! 13 dollars (plus $1 for tip) for, in my opinion, a standard bagel and lox. Ugh. But, it still tasted good. The whole wheat bagel was still amazing! And Wholy Bagel is still about a zillion times better than Einstein. But what would have been a regular eating establishment for me is going to have to be a once in a while thing. Sad face. read more

I'd practically given up on finding a good bagel in Central Texas. Einstein's? Pshh. Grocery stores? Double pssh. Anywhere else? I hadn't even bothered trying in several years. But I know that it's not technically impossible to make a good bagel south of the Mason-Dixon, and Wholy Bagels is now the lone exception to my personal no-bagels-in-Austin rule. The pungent garlic bagel is fluffy (but not doughy like HEB bagels), airy with just the right amount of crunch. The dough itself has a moderate amount of flavor, and the scallion cream cheese packed a wallop. And they're definitely not stingy with it -- I found myself squeezing out a good tablespoon or so from my second half just so I could finish it. A great breakfast! His poppyseed bagel with egg, sausage and cheese was built on the same strong, bagely foundation but the filling looked less than terrific, just generic stuff ("It's OK," he said). The croissant was surprisingly tasty. Buttery, big, and it pulled apart just right. Perfect for dipping in the quality Colombian roast coffee (served in Styrofoam, boo). The staff seemed friendly in a very New Yorky sort of way. Atmosphere is sparse but not dirty. I'll be back next time I want some delicious bagels, but I'll probably get them to go. And I'll try to get there before noon -- almost half the bagel varieties were gone by then, and there were just 4 other pastries in that tray! read more

Oh man, I'm so happy to find this place. I just moved south from the eastside (cherrywood) and have been looking for good food to calm my city-withdrawals. The girls that work the counter are friendly and hipster and the place is a bit disheveled unlike the soul-less strip mall it's planted in. These are the closest thing in Austin that taste like a true NY bagel. Better than rockstar IMO although still enjoy their jalapeño cheddar bagels. The bagel is crispy on the outside, light on the inside and oh so chewy. read more

On the first day the friendly server made me a turkey sandwich on a bagel, and although it was huge and hard to eat...it was good. On the second day the friendly server made me a Taylor Ham and Cheese with pepper-jack cheese which was simply ham, egg, cheese and bagel, but I tell you fellow men, it was good. That's were the book of Jason stops, because every time I go there now I get the TH&C and I would suggest you do the same if you plan on making the pilgrimage. In the name of the Ham, the Egg and the Wholy Bagel, amen. read more

I returned again, to satisfy my unhealthy craving for a round ring of carbs, topped with creamy no-so-hip friendly cheese :-D But, what are ya gonna do? It would be a sin to turn down this deliciousness. So I tossed aside my banana, my intended breakfast, and indulged in a yummy bagel. But don't worry, that banana will find someone else :) They were a little busy this morning, and thus I subtracted a star because I was put to the end of the line for paying even though my order was complete. Instead, I had to wait behind 3 other customers, who were still waiting on their order. No biggie though. As I approached the counter to pay, my eyes were drawn to their French Toast bagels, topped with what I assume was powdered sugar. I did not purchase one this time, BUT I will be back soon, because they looked delicious. Mmmm, freeeench toast read more

Sir refreshing to have a REAL bagel place in ATX! Bagels are fresh, sandwiches are delish and the desserts... YUM! Fantastic service with a smile is just the cream cheese on my toasted everything! Love seeing another successful small biz! read more

Definitely not the same since the new ownership! I'm done with them. Bagels are undercooked and have a strange taste. Don't get near as much bacon and cheese and the breakfast sandwiches. read more

I for one was not aware a bagel could be this good. They are crispy outside, soft and chewy inside. Very big. Lots of toppings/seasonings... on both sides! They are correct also, they really are better not toasted. The cream cheeses I have had have all been amazing, and they have so many choices. I have also enjoyed the sandwiches on a bagel I have tried here, and the cookies they make themselves. My girlfriend always mentions she wants another of their loxs and bagel. read more

EDIT: 4-15-10 Since this seems to be the correct spelling I have deleted my review under "Wholly Bagel" and added it here. Tara M seems to have received capers and tomatoes. Are these request items? I don't know, but since she got them I'd be willing to give Wholy Bagel another shot. Here is my original review. The bagel shortage in South Austin is over. But does Wholy Bagels deliver the goods? I will say this - if you are seeking a quick bagel with cream cheese you will probably be satisfied. The cream cheese looks fresh, fluffy and whipped and likely homemade inside the case. There are at least 6 different flavors. I caught strawberry, scallion and plain. The lox bagel is a different matter altogether. There is huge room for improvement here. I had mine on an onion bagel with scallion cream cheese. The lox was nice and fresh, but where were the capers, tomato or even onions? That's how I've had them in NYC, that's how I have eaten them at delis up north in Michigan. Just seems standard. It's how I make them at home. It's how my friends serve them. I even had it this way out in southern California at Golden Bagel even though those looney tunes attempted to put lettuce and sprouts on it too! We ordered 2 of these and one coffee. The bill was almost $20. Waaaaay too much especially when it felt incomplete! Can't believe I am saying this, but even Einsteins makes the lox bagel correctly some of the time! Without the capers, tomatoes and onions, it just felt wrong. Lacked flavorfulness for me. But like I said, depending upon your expectations, you may just be "wholy" satisfied. read more

PLEASE COME TO NORTH AUSTIN, WHOLY BAGEL! I have to admit -- it takes me 30 minutes to drive to Wholy Bagel, but it is TOTALLY worth it. Their bagels are the BEST & are available in classic flavors. To top those off, their hand mixed cream cheese are also available in a number of flavors. Do yourself a favor & get the Chocolate Chip Cream Cheese. Oy, flavor explosion in the mouth. If you love bagels, drive to Wholy Bagel RIGHT NOW (but make sure they're open!) read more

This is NYC out of the Burroughs. True kettle bagels in all the styles you expect. Hand mixed cream cheese in tons of flavours. Breakfast sandwiches are fantastic. Kolaches are ok at best. True deli counter style with a-hole new York owner. Over priced but what isn't in Austin. Advice: Order the Lox and Cream Cheese. Cost: Expect to spend $7.50 a person. read more

Yummy bagels, busy on Sunday! They do have an online option where you can order beforehand which I highly recommend. Regardless, it was about 10 min wait even with a long line to get food! read more

Best bagels (and only New York-style bagel) in Austin. Going to school in Boston, I always had easy access to a great bagel with cream cheese and lox. When I moved to Austin, I feared I was stuck with subpar bagels for good. Then I found Wholy Bagel, and that "whole" in my life has been filled. This spot has everything you would expect from a New York bagel joint, down to the black and white cookies and Dr. Brown's sodas. Their lox is great and fresh, and they have all of the flavored schmears that you could ask for, even a spicy Texas cream cheese. The staff is friendly and my bagels came out faster than I expected, despite the line out the door. I would love to come here more, but they're way out in the 'burbs and I avoid driving on the weekend. Also they lack any vegan cream cheese options for my girlfriend (#firstworldproblems). Nevertheless, this place is your go-to in Austin when you're hankering for a bagel. read more

Best bagels in Austin! I consider myself an expert in bagels. Being from New York, I ate bagels weekly growing up so when I moved to Austin in 2003 I felt a hole (pun intended) where the familiar schmear and chewy bread should be. It was a bagel wasteland back then. But now, we have a few bagel options and Wholy Bagel tops them all. Two complaints I have are the wait and lack of seating. There's always a line on the weekends and they do sell out. But call ahead to place your order and you can usually skip the line! I wish they had a bigger place but I don't want them to leave where they are since I'm within walking distance now. read more

I love this place. The bagels here are fantastic. I joined yelp just now because I was upset by the review that said "The Owner a N.Yer'. (i guess) sits on this wooden 'Throne' stool right near the register and barks orders at his under trained staff." I've been here about 50 times. I've NEVER seen him act that way. In fact I've witnessed pretty much the opposite. The staff have always been very cheerful and efficient. Just the fact that that negative review is contrary to what I have witnessed would not compel me to join Yelp and reply, but that combined with how much I love the bagels in this place did. The bagels here are fantastic! If you haven't been here and you like genuine NY style bagels, give this place a try. It's the best bagel place I've been to since I lived back east 20 years ago. read more

I'm not a New Yorker but I do love a good bagel. I'd heard rumors that Wholy Bagel was a little taste of home for those from the City. These bagels are amazing! They have hand-mixed cream cheese flavors, which are unique and, most importantly, delicious. Everyone was friendly and I plan to return very soon. They also have black & whites from a NY bakery and other imported (from NYC) and local baked goods. read more

Great bagels. Obv. They appear to be making their cream cheese in-house. The Texas loaded cream cheese has bacon, scallions, and cheddar cheese in it. You're welcome. Note that there are two kinds of lox you can get -- you can get lox spread, which is basically a lox-y cream cheese. Or you can get a lox sandwich that has slices of lox, cream cheese, tomato, capers, and red onion. Obviously these two lox bagels are different, so realize which one you want before you order -- ask for either the lox spread or the lox sandwich to make sure you don't get surprised. Wholly Bagel also makes pies and other baked goods, and is your source for Black-and-White cookies and the New York Post newspaper. read more

Best bagels I've had in Texas. I love that the eggs and bacon are real eggs and juicy bacon. No perfectly square shaped microwave eggs here. My go-to order is eggs and bacon on an everything bagel with garlic and herb cream cheese. Apparently they sell out by 1pm. So get there early on the weekends. read more

Wholy Bagel - Everything bagel with bacon, egg, and garlic and herb cream cheese. - Bagels Near Me - Austin, Texas

The everything bagel is so good that the kids and I can't bring ourselves to try anything else. At first we always got them with butter but then we tried them with garlicky cream cheese and oh man! We are hooked. The only thing that would keep me from getting a bagel in the morning is if I walk in and they have just pulled a PIZZA out of the oven. How is it that the best pizza in town comes from a bagel shop on a Sunday morning?? The prices seem a little steep for a bagel but I imagine that's just how it is with smaller businesses. I've always thought it was totally worth it. I also like that it's a neighborhood place and not downtown. And not in a trailer. A fun place to ride bikes to and really earn your bagel. read more

Wholy Bagel I love you I really do we rarely if ever see each other I miss you. Why did you raise your prices so. Three years ago I loved you two years ago the same. I stopped in for a Celery soda and an egg with veggie. Good as normal but oh how the prices were raised. I love your product and atmosphere reminds me of he best I have had in Jersey and NY. Lose the sandwiches strange cream cheeses and I will be back The B&W cookies are good same with other stuff you ship in. It's time to give up the ghost find Austin alternatives. You lost your magic and now your an overpriced shell of yourself. I may return your product awesome prices need to adjust. To do this go back to your roots please I beg you. read more

Been sitting here for 20 minutes waiting on 2 bagels and I bet it will be another 20 before we see them. Staff rude

Best bagel ever. This is my go to Saturday morning spot. I try to wake up early, so that I can beat the rush. I always get an everything bagel with turkey, cheddar cheese, and Texas loaded cream cheese. What is Texas loaded cream cheese you ask? It's cream cheese with bacon, scallion, and cheddar. It is absolutely glorious. On the sandwiches they use very thinly sliced turkey and pile it on. They don't skimp on the cream cheese either. They also usually have a selection of baked goods and every so often they have pizza. The cream cheese Danishes are yummy too. read more

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What can I say about Wholy Bagel? It's great to have a REAL bagel place and not another chain restaurant. The bagels are the best I've ever had. A BLT or bacon, egg, and cheese on an everything bagel is something I crave every weekend and several times throughout the rest of the week. On the days when they're sold out of those, an egg bagel fills the void nicely. They have some special items that are only available randomly, which gives you a nice change of pace if you are craving that. The NY style pizza is awesome when they have it. The employees are super friendly and really know a lot about what they're selling. They MADE us a card for the birth of our son, which really speaks to how much they care about their customers. read more

Five stars for five reasons: 1. Tons of bagel flavor and cream cheese flavor options (especially love egg bagel!) 2. Pretty speedy service everytime I go. 3. Sinful looking pastries cookies, sweet rolls, pretzels, pies etc. (but I've only had the delicious black and white cookies). 4. Nice enough staff - boss man keeps transactions short and sweet, east coast style, unlike us lolly-gaggin' Texans. 5. Decent iced toddy coffee. You can go everyday for months and not get the same bagel combo - and I will! read more

You know those times when you've had one too many vodka tonics and you find yourself somehow waking up in some stranger's house totally hungover missing a shoe and a tiny bit of dignity? Well Wholy Bagel can fix that! I mean not the dignity part but they can at least do their part to assuage your hangover. A bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich on an everything bagel is really the most amazing thing. Top notch bagels the closest thing to the east coast as you will find ANYWHERE in Texas. read more

This was the best bagel I've had so far in Austin, but I haven't had any of the other highly rated bagel places in Austin. A couple reasons I couldn't quite give it 5 stars: - The speed with which the employees worked was somewhat relaxed. There wasn't a huge line, but there was a line and it just seemed like that would've been cause for some urgency. - This is purely my personal preference, but I like lox cream cheese that is way more chunky on the lox. Yes, I know I can just get the lox straight up. - One time, the bagel I got felt just a smidge too hard when toasted. Very chewy, but hard chewy. I've only been here twice, so I'll definitely keep going and see how it compares to other bagel spots too. read more

Bagels are decent, prices and SERVICE SUCK! Seeing that there aren't many bagel options in town, Wholy Bagel will probably satisfy your bagel craving. I've tried almost all of the different types of bagels they offer. Not a fan of their flavored bagels (like blueberry or cinnamon raisin) probably because I prefer the dough of those bagels to be sweeter than what they serve, and you really can't taste the blueberry in the blueberry bagel. I've also noticed inconsistencies between the bagels themselves. I've gotten bagels that have been baked perfectly, and other times they seemed over baked, where the crust is so hard that it hurts my jaw when I chew. They do have a variety of cream cheese options to choose from, which is nice, but the cream cheese itself is really nothing special.....it almost tastes like they took a block of Philadelphia cream cheese and mixed in some fruit or vegetables. Now the service, this might be the standard if you live in NY, but come on now were in TEXAS! You don't have to act like something is stuck up your a-hole all the time. I don't know how some of these reviews would call these people friendly. I've never once seen the owner smile, he's has no sense of customer service. The last time i went in he asked me what I wanted to order, and then started doing something else while I was in the middle of my order, said "wait" and walked away, never once looking up at me. He never came back to finish my order, I had to wait some more, and then repeat my order to someone else. After this experience i'm left to think - is a bagel that warms my belly really worth it when it leaves me feeling such coldness? read more

I have been waiting for YEARS for a decent bagel place in Austin to open and it has finally arrived in the form of Wholy Bagel! This is what a bagel should be - boiled to give it a good thick chewey outside and then baked with a soft doughy center (Einstein's: take note of this. I'm begging you) . Equally important to me is the selection: mostly traditional old-school flavors (salt, egg, poppy, onion) with only a few "fruity" flavors (cinnamon raisin, blueberry). The owners pay attention to details - good, bagels, great fresh shmears, and good coffee. Just this morning, the owner told me that he tried nearly ten different coffees before deciding on Katz's - good local brew! I was concerned that since Wholy Bagel was my only bagel oasis in Austin I may be overrating them, so I put them to the test. The first weekend they were open, I brought a dozen home to my visiting family - my sister lived in NYC for over a decade, and my parents have enjoyed Detroit bagels for over 60 years..... they all agreed Wholy Bagel is the real thing. My Dad's commented that Wholy Bagel is more NYC style (soft doughy interior) than Detroit style (a denser interior with a thcker skin due to boiling longer). So the verdict is in - authentic bagels!! Some have complained that the ordering/paying process is a bit chaotic on weekends. True, but that somehow gives it a more authentic old school bagel shop vibe. Some of the best bagel shops in Detroit, Chicago, NY and Florida are all been chaotic - by comparison Wholy Bagels is pretty tame!! If there are things that need improvement, I would agree with the group that say post the prices. Also, they were running out of some flavors last Sunday by 11am. I am sure that they will fix these. They definitely have a loyal customer in me!!!! read more

THIS IS NOT a Northeast bagel joint. The staff couldn't be more unpleasant and the bagel was the size of a bagel bite. It's a shame as we had high hopes. read more

A cute little spot for a quick bagel. The place is a little hard to find, but it's got some good bagels for your tastebuds. Come here if you're on the go. read more

If they make or sell it a bagel in Austin, I've tried it. Bagels in Austin have been a joke. The best bagel I had found in Austin had been Randall's grocery. Sad, I know. I had seen several of the reviews for this place show up on yelp and decided to wander over today to try it out. It is the best bagel in Austin. Period. In truth, it holds its own against some of the best bagels I've had across the country. The bagel was crisp/chewy on the outside and soft/chewy on the inside. The cream cheese was also exceptionally good. I got the blueberry today. It was fresh cream cheese with blueberries mixed it. I liked it because it was not sickly sweet. Many smears taste like almost like sugared cereals. Theirs tastes like a high quality cream cheese with a hint of sweetness from the fruit... yum. It's also not cheap. However, its not crazy expensive. Also, given the number bagels I've purchased in this city and thrown out after a couple bites because they were dense dough bombs, this place is pretty reasonable for the quality. read more

Finally, someone knows how to do bagels in Austin. If you've been to NYC, you've had a good bagel. If you've been to Einstein bagels, you've had bread shaped like a bagel. HEB, Whole Foods, Central Market bagels--oh puh-lease. If you go to Wholy Bagel, you're getting an authentic bagel. Chewy on the outside, soft on the inside. The store is a bit plain, but this is about bagels people. BAGELS. They have all the makings for some great sandwiches (try the salami...go on, try it!) and some excellent cream cheese mixes. Oh, and their French Toast bagel that they only make on the weekend? Yeah, it's better than actual french toast. If this place made a bacon bagel I may have to move in. As it is, I'll just have to keep coming back. read more

I love this place. There are no better bagels outside of New York. The staff is fantastic. I could eat a bagel sandwich for every meal. If you just get a bagel with cream cheese you're missing out. They also have DELICIOUS breakfast bagel sandwiches (I get mine with an egg and sausage patty). They also offer bagel deli sandwiches with boar's head meat sliced fresh and piled high. Did I mention everything was super inexpensive? There are only two drawbacks: 1) They close at 3 PM (2 on weekends) so no dinner bagels for me 2) They are closed Monday during the summer. I keep driving there on Monday wanting my bagel fix and only realize they are closed when I walk up to the door and see the sign. I'll learn one of these days. If you're going to order a dozen+ bagels, do everyone a favor and call your order in the day before. I usually go in right before closing and if too many people don't call in their large orders they can run out of some flavors of bagels. They have never been completely out though (and I go in 2-3+ times a week). read more