The Ruben is amazing. The staff is extremely friendly and is quick to make sure you're taken care of. Must try this place when near by.

Stopped by this shop to grab a breakfast bagel since I was kraving a lox sandwich. The place is super cute and Covid friendly with everyone taking the appropriate measures. To be honest was kinda disappointed with the limited amount of cream cheese options and ended up getting plain. Lox sandwich was still tasty so for that reason giving this place 4 stars. read more

Wow the owner uses a cut and paste response to many of her reply's to negative comments?! I to just ordered 2 bagels with cream cheese and tried to eat them 5 minutes after getting into my car. Cold, hard, bland and in fact they were as cold as the owners responses. Why would you not toast a bagel? Especially as they seem to be from Sunday?! Today being Monday... that's what bagel chips were invented for! Wow what bad bagels. Let's see if I also get a cut and paste response as well as this really tells you they don't care. I bake bagels, I opened the first bagel shop in Vietnam years ago. Bagels that are boiled are supposed to have a chewy skin and a soft and slight salty inside to accent the filling. Not taste like an old shoe. read more

I've been revisiting Bay Area bagel shops recently because I'm East Coast born and they're the comfort food I crave during a friggin pandemic! I used to love their bagels but haven't been since they changed ownership. Sadly my bagel wasn't anything I'd come back for. It was BIG and had extremely generous toppings (lots of cream cheese and tons of capers) but it was dry and the crust was just too chewy, it made my jaw sore. And unfortunately someone in the kitchen was not paying attention - the first thing I saw on my veggie open face was rotting lettuce. Bottom of the spring mix bag I guess. I feel bad for them too, the new parking/street situation sucks, it's so frustrating. I reeeeeeeally wanna love Beauty's but the bagels need to go back to the flavor and quality they were before Wise Sons for me to return. read more

Wise Sons - Gross lettuce I took off my bagel sandwich - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Oakland, California

Goooood lawd! I forgot how intense the bagel sandwiches are at Beauty's. I also managed to forget about the weekend LINES (wishful thinking...?) Apparently the entire E Bay knows that the food at Beauty's cannot be beat! In addition to daily, freshly-baked bagels, Beauty's also serves up the perfect sandwiches for a late Sunday morning - toasted onion bagels with lox, cream cheese and capers... everything bagel with eggs, cheddar and thick bacon... sesame bagel with smoked trout, onion and tomato... ahhhhhhhhhhhh!! My friend chided me when I worried about the wait, saying that the weekend line "moves quickly." But check me: NOOOO, not so. How do I know this? Well, a) it was hella cold outside, so standing out there for longer than a minute feels like ten, and b) I was talking to a friend on the phone, and it took 30 mins to get from the end of the line to the register. "Well," said my friend, "was it worth the wait...?" Sigh. Yes!! (p.s. Even though it was a madhouse with lines out the door, staff still managed to be patient, friendly and kind. Gawd bless restaurants that still believe in customer service ) read more

I used to love beauty's bagel because of their salmon shmear, it was a cheap way to have a lox-esque bagel! However, the last couple of times I have ordered the bagels were SO DRY and TOUGH. It's super disappointing and they packed it with so much salmon shmear, it just tasted salty with minimal salmon. I don't think I'll be stopping in anymore, although it used to be my favorite :( read more

Ordered 2 bagels and 2 bottled drinks, they forgot a drink - had to ask for it. The bagels were thin and hard, looks nothing like the pics posted. Disappointing to say the least since we drove out of our way for something special. Ate half and threw the rest away :( The bottled drinks were great :) read more

Great neighborhood spot for fresh, delicious bagels! Beauty's Bagels has been in my rotation of Saturday brunch spots for a few years, and I never get sick of them. I recommend coming early if you don't want to wait in line. The line usually moves quickly, but it can be challenging to find a table to sit at. I've often had to share a table with other diners. I would recommend the classic, open-faced on an everything bagel with lox, capers, and plain cream cheese, so yummy! I also recommend their fresh orange juice. The coffee is okay, but a little too burnt for my tastes. Bagel shop is right around the corner from McArthur BART, making it the perfect location for brunch on the weekends. Can't wait for Beauty's to open up after shelter in place. Pros: - Amazing Bagels - Reasonable prices - Friendly and fast service - Large tables Great for families with children Cons: - Often difficult to find a table to sit at - Coffee tastes a little burnt - Small restaurant and can get crowded read more

Great bagel and cream cheese flavors. Fresh lox, and excellent latkes! My only complaint is the babka. I recommend getting it when its freshly baked otherwise its way to dry and misses the mark- we had to toss ours out it was so bad, a shame since it looked visibly beautiful and smelled nice. read more

Ok I thought I was ride or die for Absolute Bagel in NYC and I always thought the Montreal bagel fans were just a little much. But Beauty's were the best bagels I've had in the west coast bar none. read more

Bagels are such rare, special treat and I was so excited to have a bagel breakfast sandwich. I do appreciate that the eggs and free range. However, the bagel was so overly toasted and hard that it was difficult to taste the beauty of the everything bagel with my mushroom breakfast sandwich. The egg could have been wider (it filled up about 70% of the sandwich). The flavor was good but I know it would have been better with a softer bagel. read more

Wise Sons - Inside the mushroom breakfast sandwich on everything bagel - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Oakland, California

See all

Got a delivery from Beauty's. Smoked turkey sandwich - Jalapeño Jam, Swiss Cheese, Butter Lettuce & Red Onion I ate my delivery about an hour after receiving it, so the lettuce was a little wilted. It was kind of hard to eat this, because every bite I'd take, the delicious insides were sliding out the other end. The jalapeno jam is not really spicy - more on the sweet side - which is a great counterbalance to the smoked turkey and the raw onion. matzo ball soup - great flavors and so satisfying alongside the sandwich. It really washed down the sandwich nicely, but had its own substance, with the two big matzo balls. Delicious and filling meal! read more

See all

It sucks having to leave a two star review... I can tolerate a long line for good food. Especially because it's not overpriced. Being treated like a nuisance by the staff is frustrating though. I also must say it's not all the staff. Maybe the managers need to make sure everyone is taking their breaks. The bagels are also not consistent. Sometimes I come and it's perfect and other times it's like a different business. I can always rely on one thing though. Bad service.... I really like the pickles that come with the sandwiches. They are chips and I have been told they make them there. Either way. Hella good. I usually ask for extra unless I forget. Well today I forgot and the cashier told me they were an extra $.50 I was like oh man I don't think I have change bummer, next time. She insisted she could use my card and then I actually found $2 in my jacket!!! I asked her for two orders of pickles and I tipped her an extra $1 over what I had already tipped. I sat down and told my partner I bet they don't give them or hardly give extra. Ta-da!!!! I have included a picture of the extra pickles I got for $1. I ate one so don't be deceived. I asked the guy who made the food for more. I said "hey I paid $1 for two extra sides" he said "it's right there". He gave me more but it's mind blowing that they choose to be dicks about something so small. Get your system together. I recommend smiling and using catch phrases like "good morning" and "thank you for coming in." read more

Wise Sons - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Oakland, California

I've tried to get a bagel three times in the past few weeks. Every time I go, which is around noon, three hours before close, they are out. The hostesses don't say anything. It's not a bagel shop if there are no bagels. I have been a patron on Beauty's for years. I was hoping to enjoy many more bagels, but sadly that is not the case. The new setup is horrible. Oh and good luck trying to call. They do not answer the phone. read more

Who doesn't love a good bagel? Well, they're hard to find around here but Beauty's does it quite well. I've had this spot bookmarked since I moved to Oakland and we tried it out this morning. At 9am, the line was literally out the door. It took a good 10 minutes to get to the counter to order, during which time we contemplated all of our options. I ordered Shakshuka (two poached eggs served in tomato stew) with an onion bagel and honey cream cheese. He ordered a Fried Chicken Sandwich on a garlic bagel. I found my eggs to be ok but not great. The bagel and honey cream cheese, though, were fabulous. I loved it! I'm glad he knows the drill where we diversify our risk and choices by eating half of each dish and swapping midway through. I liked the chicken sandwich and in particular, the slaw. We debated whether this is better than Bakesale Betty's. We're not sure yet and will have to eat more chicken sandwiches around town before we can come up with a definitive ranking. read more

Beauty's has solid bagels with many options for vegetarians! The vegan cream cheese is delicious, and the bagels are pretty good for being on the west coast. It's a bit overpriced but the service is pretty fast during peak times. read more

The staff was excellent and service was prompt, and compliant with Covid protocols. Excellent people stuff. Unfortunately, the food is as represented in other reviews. The bagel was meh, pre toasted I think, so it was gummy and tough instead of chewy, and not warm when it was handed to me. The egg and cheese were also cool, and barely any cheese to speak of. I had to take it home, microwave it, and add more everything seasoning before it became a good breakfast sandwich. Same for the bagel with cream cheese, cold on pickup and bagel is nothing to speak of. I did email the business, I hope they choose to make some minor tweaks to get rid of these low reviews and bring back more of the beauty bagel I loved before. read more

The line is worth it, they said. The line moves quickly, they said. These are the only bagels in the Bay Area worth being in line for, they said. No. No they are not. Born and raised New Yorker here and former Floridian (most NYers end up here). Just moved to East Bay and when I saw Beauty's had made the number one spot on someone's bagel hunt blog (by a New York native as well), I trusted her. I so wanted to believe her. Also, a friend suggested it was the only good bagel for the Bay. I trusted her. Another Yelper said he drives an hour on a weekend to get here. I trusted him, too. I trusted them all. You know who I forgot to trust? Lady Liberty, folks. Had I stuck to my instincts I would have known not to get my hopes up. There is no such thing as a great bagel outside of NY and MAYBE Jersey. Beauty's is no exception. I'd categorize this bagel as decent, at best. There also weren't as many to choose from as I thought. I thought a shop that touted itself as a hybrid NY/Montreal style bagel (whatever this means) would at least have egg bagels! They had some interesting breakfast choices (shakshuka - rare!) and my mom would have loved to see chopped liver on the menu, but selection does not supersede quality. Aside from the bagels being small and overly chewy (not enough fluffy interior), they didn't treat my ingredients very well. I got an ET bagel with scallion CC, tomato, onion, and arugula. They served it open faced but I made a sandwich out of it (which is how I expect it). The tomatoes they chose were nice heirloom tomatoes but too soft and flimsy for the bagel sandwich and it not only disintegrated in places but slipped out the other end. I finally gave in and ate it open faced but all the tomato juice bogged everything down. The CC didn't taste like CC at all. It had an awkward, loose, almost grainy texture and it was lacking salt. My husband complained about a similar sandwich construction issue when the eggs on his wouldn't stay put. Had they just folded an egg over instead of using multiple shreds of scrambled eggs, it might have worked. He complained that the chicken scrapple was "pasty" but neither of us exactly being connoisseurs on the stuff, who knows if that's right? I'm really confused overall by our bagels they look way smaller and less fluffy than other bagels pictured on Yelp. My one good piece of feedback: their ET bagels had plenty of seeds and they had a good outside texture. Three things I'll confirm: the line isn't worth it; it doesn't move that quickly; and the bagels are mediocre. read more

Wise Sons - What an absolute mess. My tomatoes were so soft, they disintegrated and the juice made everything soggy - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Oakland, California

See all

The bagels themselves are really good. The bagel sandwiches and omelettes are good but nothing exceptional. The place usually is packed and has a long line but it moves pretty fast. Be prepared to wait about 15-20mins, especially if you go on the weekend read more

Wise Sons - Mushroom egg spinach bagel sandwich - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Oakland, California

See all

My wife and I had the classic bagel plates, latkes, and pickles. Classic bagel plate : Perfection ! Delicious! So incredibly satisfying!!! I went for the pickle, anticipating the perfect salty moment - that I had expected... and instead , the most indestructible part of the human body , in this case My own teeth betrayed me, and almost bit through my own finger- because the pickle lacked any density( it was like a flaccid green sour marshmallow- foul- I need therapy! The latkes were as expected. We will be back- hold the pickles ple Im response to the owners response: It may be a normal reaction during fermentation caused by bacteria. If the pickles are soft, they are spoiled from the yeast fermentation. Don't use them. Using too weak a salt brine or vinegar solution may cause soft or slippery pickles, as can using moldy garlic or storing the pickles at too warm a temperature. read more

I showed up at noon and they were out of half of the types of bagel. No plain bagels, no everything bagels. I don't understand how this place operates. I definitely would not recommend coming here for lunch, despite them allegedly being open. read more

I haven't actually taken Shamar up on this offer yet (I will!), but give Beauty's five stars for his response. Exactly what I'd expect from a business that takes pride in its product and concern for customer experience. Thank you, Shamar! Whoops, didn't know that updates delete the original review. Essentially I had some quality concerns with my (Door Dash) order, and Shamar offered a full replacement of the items. Much appreciated! read more

All of my young existence, I've been underwhelmed by doughy bagels and their endless limp toppings. Never have I ever been truly impressed by a bagel in the Bay Area until I came to Beauty's Bagels. When I first arrived, the line was out the door and the rich scent of bread and burning wood curled around the block. There are plentiful seats and menus for congregations of friends, families, and colleagues to chat and munch; the vibe of the restaurant is very warm and friendly. The staff is prompt and quick to dish out breakfast items and bagel sandwiches to the call counter. My new personal go-to order is a Garlic Bagel with Avocado, Shmear, and their Homemade Chicken Scrapple! Ugh, delicious! So many hearty toppings that actually make for an above decent meal. What I particularly enjoy about the bagel... is the structure of the bagel itself. It's exterior is soft with crisp edges, and is thoroughly perfumed with the chosen seasoning it is baked in. The wood-fired process allows a whole different aroma of baking; this is a damn near perfect bagel. If you feel the same way I did about bagels, give yourself a chance to check out Beauty's. read more

See all

I got the veggie bagel sandwich on everything with added sprouts. It comes with veggie cream cheese, open faced. Other toppings include arugula, salted cucumbers, and capers. So yum! Now that authentic bagel company closed I've been searching for a replacement to fill the void in my heart and I will say Beauty's did not disappoint. My only qualm was that a veggie bagel with cream cheese costed $7.25, seems quite high considering. In short, I found my bagel sanctuary in Oakland again and will definitely be back! read more

Wise Sons - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Oakland, California

This place is insane! The line is always out the door. Always a ton of people for sit down and take out. They have some cute outdoor seating that many people bring their dogs to. The bagel sandwiches here are A+. Amazing salmon and great cream cheese. It's a solid bagel shop, cafe, and breakfast place. Would come back again if I'm in the area! read more

Thank goodness for a top-notch Oakland bagel. After being dismayed by what Noah's tries to pass off as a New York-style bagel (ended up evoking Pepperidge farms more than it did Zabar's), was pleased to try the honey water-dipped, wood-fired Montreal type bagels of Beauty's. Everything bagel was crisp to the bite, which gave way to sweet and slightly dense crumb which held up well to both cream cheese as it would a sandwich. Yes, had to wait for a good 20 minutes on a Saturday morning, but at least it was on a 50-degree Oakland sidewalk in December, not the sub-zero chill standing outside of Montreal's St-Viateur or Fairmount. Of note, these bagels were a bit thicker than the slim and sweet Montreal counterparts. Skip the line, order online. read more

I came here for a quick lunch and really enjoyed my meal. I was sick at the time so opted away from their delicious bagels and decided to try their spicy broccoli cheddar soup and a homemade lemonade. The soup was surprising with a kick. It had a nice touch of olive oil drizzle that put it over the top. The lemonade was super fresh and delicious. This is great place for a quick bite. read more

See all

I likedthis spot, but it's a bit over priced. On yelp it states that the breakfast sandwich is about $4.95 without any meat. Then you add about $4-5 if you want meat. So we're looking at a $10 breakfast sandwich. But when I got to the restaurant the cost for just a breakfast sandwich without meat is 7.95. So now we're looking at a $13 bagel sandwich. Add coffee or a drink and you're up to $20. $40 if you brought a plus one‍. The Bagel is a lot drier than I would liked it. But if I had to rate it, 0-10 I'd give it 7. The house made sausage is delicious. But I'm not sure what all the hype is about, or why the price of a bagel sandwich is so expensive. Not sure if I would make this place my regular spot for breakfast or lunch. read more

Since the new ownership took over; this restaurant has gone so down hill it should be a crime for them to be allowed to use the name of the original establishment, Beauty's Bagels. The service is non existent, the bagels are awful, the food is not seasoned, the self serve coffee and water are empty, and the espresso machines have all been removed. read more

We ordered an everything bagel and an onion bagel. One with veggie cream cheese and the other with lox cream cheese. Couldn't tell the difference between the two cream cheeses as they lacked flavor. The bagels were cold and HARD. We asked them to re toast it and they said they already toasted them by default and suggested we waited too long. We ate them within a few minutes of receiving them. When we got our re toasted bagel they were cold within a couple of bites. Had to throw my bagel out because I didn't want to break my jaw trying to chew. Really wanted to like this local spot and didn't think to be so disappointed on a Saturday morning. Would not recommend unless you like cold and hard bagels that taste like they were made a week ago. :( read more

Unfortunately, the bagels just aren't as good now that the oven is gone. Had I not been expecting the old bagels, I might say they were decent. But in comparison, they are just dense, disappointing discs. read more

From the UC Berkeley campus, the trek to the bagel shop is less than ideal. However, the bagels are well worth the trip if you ever have a need for fresh baked bagels that aren't made from Noah's bagel. Taking the 6 bus down telegraph, the shop is in an up and coming part of town. When walking in during brunch on Sunday, the tables are all full with people enjoying different bagel dishes. The one I saw people having the most was the lox bagels that looks to include lox, cream cheese, capers, and red onions. However, I was not there for the lox but for the infamous shashuka dish that is only allowed to be eaten in the restaurant (no take out). To order, people lined up at the register and provided a name that will be called out. Next to the register is a cold case that holds all of the side dishes and other delicious items to go with your bagel. After you have ordered, the next task is to find a seat. Luckily, there is both inside and outside seating. Once your order ready, they'll call your order and it'll be ready for pickup on the left. The shakshuka is basically a condensed tomato stew with onions, peppers, and poached eggs in the middle. It also includes a toasted bagel of your choice. The dish was really well seasoned with each bite exploding with flavors. I never had a shakshuka beforehand, so I'm not to sure how they are suppose to look like. However, compared to pictures online, the shakshuka from here is chunkier and less saucy. Regardless, the shakshuka with each bite with the bagel was well balanced and delicious. My only complaint would be the poached eggs were overdone and was closer to soft boiled eggs than poached. I also got the side creamy beet coleslaw to add a refreshing element to my meal and it went well with the shakshuka. Overall, I had an amazing time and the food was delicious. If I'm ever in the area again, I would be more than happy to return to try the lox bagel or any other bagel. read more

Wise Sons - Shakshuka with an everything bagel! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Oakland, California

See all

Why has it taken me SO long to find you? Beauty's Bagels are one of the best I've had. I recently went to NYC; my best friend and I then made our way to Montreal. Theme of that trip was bagel crawl. Over the course of three days, I tried 3 different bagel spots in Montreal (St. Viateur, Fairmount, and REAL bagel on decarie, if you're curious -- the last was indubitably the best!) as well as some of the usual NYC spots (Barney Greengrass, Russ & Daughters, among others). In my endeavors, it came to light that I am staunchly a Montreal style bagel lover. For the uninitiated, a Montreal bagel is typically smaller, thinner -- but denser! -- and ALWAYS baked in a wood fired oven. It's usually boiled in honey water (not for long) before being baked. Nothing compares to a bagel straight out of a wood fired oven. True comfort food. As for Beauty's Bagel specific bagel reviews, here are the facts: -If you're as obsessed with garlic as I am, you absolutely must try the garlic bagel -The everything bagel is a'ite -Onion is one of my favorites, but was a bit disappointing here; lacking in topping and no poppy seeds baked in -If you get bagels warm, you don't really need cream cheese (I ate an embarrassing number of bagels over the course of a weekend). What the heck, as long as they haven't been refrigerated, they're amazing even 2 or 3 days after you get them (toasted or not) -Lines get long, especially on a weekend morning so expect to wait. However, seating seemed readily available with a respectable flow of diners leaving and entering. I will dine here one day and report back on my findings. -$1.50/bagel -- I think a dozen mix and match was $16.75? -PARKING: Street parking, metered. If you don't mind walking, there is free residential parking nearby. TL;DR I know bagels. Beauty's Bagels are some of the best in the bay! read more

Why so Greasy???? Like dripping out of the bagel every bite. I try my best to support small business but this "made fresh" bagel shop did not pass the quality check and was overpriced for what they give. Bacon was not fully cooked and cost was 3.95 extra on the already $8 plain egg & cheese sandwich. read more

See all

I knew Beauty's Bagel Shop always has a wait, especially on weekends, so I've never made the effort to come here. But when the BF and I were up at 7am on a Tuesday, I figured it would be the perfect breakfast place to try! I was debating between the lox bagel and the shakshuka, and decided with the latter since I've never had it. Ordered with an everything bagel. BF ordered the the fried chicken sandwich with garlic bagel + iced coffee. The shakshuka was delicious. Bold flavored tomato stew with poached eggs. The eggs were a little under than what I would have preferred, but that's just me. I really enjoyed the bagel as well! Fried chicken was juicy and cooked perfectly. I enjoyed the slaw that came with it too. Iced coffee was standard. By the time we were leaving, the line was pretty long, so I can't imagine during the weekends! But great place for breakfast/brunch if you can beat the rush. read more

See all

Beauty's Bagel Shop is what brunchy bagel dreams are made of! Their hand rolled, honey-water boiled beginnings infuse them with extra character and flavor, and their wood-fired finish produces a crusty exterior with a nice chewy inside. Bagels are $1.50 each and breakfast sandwiches with all the fixings are around $8 - a bit pricey, but super yummy and they use organic and locally sourced ingredients when possible. Tons of spread and topping choices, ranging from your typical cream cheese and fruit preserves to hummus and herbed goat cheese. BAGEL CHOICES: Sesame, poppy, everything, plain, salt & pepper, onion, wheat, cinnamon raisin, and garlic RECOMMENDATIONS: 1) Classic: Loxe, cream cheese, capers, and red onions 2) Breakfast Sandwich: Free range eggs, cheddar cheese, and chicken sausage patty ORDERING: Long lines at the shop. Expect to be here for at least 20 minutes, even on a weekday morning, if you're ordering a breakfast sandwich. No phone orders, but you can order online for pick-up. OPERATING HOURS: Tuesday-Friday, 7am-3pm; Sat. & Sunday, 8am-3pm; Mondays: CLOSED. LOCATION/PARKING: Conveniently located on Telegraph Avenue and one block away from MacArthur BART. Adequate amount of metered street parking. Beauty's is popular. While they may not get the same amount of press as other brunch spots/cafes, they have a loyal following. Not for those on low-carb diets. It can get pretty loud and crowded inside, so I usually get my order to-go. Otherwise, be prepared to fight for a table! read more

Wise Sons - Breakfast sandwich w/ chicken sausage - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Oakland, California

This was our favorite place in Oakland for years. We moved away and came back to the Bay to visit friends and just had to go back to Beauty's. From the moment we arrived everything felt different. The decor had changed, some of our favorite menu items were gone, the staff, which used to be eclectic and passionate about their job, were replaced with soulless people who clearly were underpaid and had no pride in their craft. Worst of all, the food went from being the best breakfast in the Bay Area (at a great price) to being, for the most part, inedible and overpriced. This situation is a microcosm of everything that's wrong with the Bay Area. The heart and soul stripped from it all. Go away Wise Sons. read more

Beauty's could hold its own on the East Coast and for a West Coast bagel shop it is in a league of its own. My go to order is the breakfast sandwich on an everything bagel with a chicken sausage patty. The combination of the herbs on the bagel and the savory chicken sausage is amazing. You can tell the owners are Philadelphians because of the scrapple on the menu. As a Philadelphia to Oakland transplant myself it is a nice reminder of home. On the weekend there is always a line but on weekdays you can often make it to the counter to order in under 5 minutes. Note that Beauty's is closed on Mondays! read more

Still hits the spot but miss the old shop and management. They changed bagel style and now they seem harder and more chewy. Still a decent option for the price. read more

I got a bagel with lox here. There was a long line on a Saturday around noon. For the price, there wasn't as much lox as I would expect. The bagel was very special, and very high quality and I was very impressed. I thought what I had was delicious and I would go back. Cool little spot, hipster vibe. read more

Wise Sons - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Oakland, California