After reading Unilocal reviews of Bagel Express, I was hesitant about giving this place a try. I decided, however, that since I’ve visited just about every other bagel shop in the area, I needed to give this place a shot. I was actually pleasantly surprised! Would I say the bagels here are the best in area? No, Alfa’s are #1. Is the ambience and comfort the best? No, Brooklyn Bagel is the nicest place in area to eat in. Here’s what I did like… The staff was extremely friendly and helpful! The coffee was excellent. I had a large vanilla flavored coffee.(Coffee is self serve though, which I’m not a fan of). If you’re in the area and see Bagel Express, give it a shot. It’s not the best in area, but it was decent.
Rara A.
Place rating: 1 Newark, NJ
If I wanted frozen bagels, I could get them at the store myself. Dunkin Donuts has better bagels than this place. Were they edible? Yes. Would I ever go here again? Nope. I know I may have high standards of bagels coming from NYC, but I have had pretty good luck in Jersey too(I really like Bagel Bistro, which is right down the road). This place is also kind of a dump(i.e., dirty and old). They don’t even have a commercial toaster and have to use the one that you have in your own house, which means it takes about 5 minutes to toast a bagel.
Nicole G.
Place rating: 1 Livingston, NJ
Stopped in for lunch at 1:30 on a Thursday. The place was empty, with one person sitting eating. It took 10 minutes to be acknowledged and it still took 30 minutes for 2 turkey sandwiches! Ridiculously slow service and not the most friendly.
Gianna R.
Place rating: 1 Parsippany, NJ
Bagel was eh ok. Cleanliness seemed very lacking. Everything seemed old. And the cook wasn’t wearing gloves. Threw most of my bagel out after that. Took one bite. 1 star for the bagel. The rest deserves 0. Go to Alfa bagels. Always on point and fresh!
William W.
Place rating: 2 Northampton, MA
The bagels here are big and fresh, but otherwise undistinguished. The problem is their texture — the crumb is light and cottony rather than dense and chewy, and the crust is too tender and lacks that toothsome glossy sheen. Good for young children and people with bad teeth, I suppose, but not up to New York Jewish deli standards. They’re also a bit bland — could use more salt and less shortening in the dough I think.
Jinn A.
Place rating: 4 Hackettstown, NJ
I like bagel Express. Great bagels and good coffee(self-serve station). If you are going to eat in they will serve your meal«restaurant style». The owners are really sweet people and their staff offers friendly and efficient service. Catering orders are always top notch, a great place to order for a group meeting or event. And if you aren’t in the mood for a bagel, they have great deli options. I love their Reuben sandwich. Bagel express has the potential to be a five star establishment, they just need to invest some money in sprucing the place up. I know, most of us aren’t going to the bagel shop for the ambiance, but they have put some effort into making the place homey, they have TV, Toys and children’s books for the little ones, and free WIFI, in their spacious dining area. Still, Bagel Express lacks an inviting décor that makes me want to stay and use their free services while I eat. They have plenty of tables and chairs(that look like«odds and ends» furniture that they just picked up somewhere) covered with cheap vinyl mismatched cloths. The floors appear to have be clean, but the tile has an old dingy appearance. Although the kitchen/bakery area is partially hidden, the part that is visible looks cluttered and disorganized. I usually place my order, fix my coffee and chat with the workers, and then leave, thinking that if bagel express was a little nicer inside, I would linger a bit.
Jean S.
Place rating: 3 Mendham, NJ
well I was going to give it 4 stars but I asked for crispy bacon and it was limp and I took most of it off my sandwich