The Great American Bagel
1248 W Belmont Ave, Chicago, IL, 60657
The Great American Bagel Menu
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Address :
1248 W Belmont Ave
Chicago, IL, 60657 - Phone (773) 325-0606
- Website https://www.greatamericanbagel.com/
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :6:00 am - 6:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Breakfast
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : No
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : No
Dogs Allowed : No
Waiter Service : No
Caters : Yes
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
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Brian D.
We were looking for a quick bite to eat at 3pm on a Saturday and figured we'd try this place out. When I got close enough to see inside, I wasn't sure if they were open because they were stacking the chairs upside-down on the tables (usually a sign that the place is closed)... nope, they didn't close until 5pm and the guy waved me inside. I ordered a turkey sandwich bagel which was about as average as you could imagine... nothing special at all. The place smelled bad and there was a lot of obvious water damage on the ceiling panels that made the place look like a dump. I will not return, the city has much better bagel shops than this place.
(1)Steven L.
I get bagels from these guys about once a week. Their bagels are far better than Chicago's mediocre standard - Einsteins. Wide selection of good soft bagels. The staff is also really great.
(5)Robin R.
Their bagels are seriously amaze! Likely to develop a breakfast addiction, not to mention the staff is SO NICE!!!! My fav.
(5)Jenn K.
I work near Great American Bagel, so I'll stop in sometimes for some grub. Bagels are great - my favorite is the cheese herb bagel (or whatever) with garlic herb spread. It's the perfect morning garlicky kick-in-the-mouth. I'm also that annoying customer who asks for iced coffee in the dead of winter, and they always will accommodate me. The sandwiches are great, too. My favorite part of coming in is the staff. They're so friendly and talkative and always put a smile on my face!
(4)Chas S.
Great American makes good bagels, always fresh, and on Wed you can get a baker's dozen for about $6 bucks. I bring these to the office and what a hit, great variety to make everyone happy. Seen a few different managements over the years, the current crop is friendly and nice. Their chicken salad is pretty good, esp on an onion bagel, makes a great lunch.
(4)Liz P.
Why are there not more reviews of this awesome place? The bagels are huge and super fresh. The sandwiches are simple but good and filling. The employees are super friendly. What more could you want in a bagel place?! Don't step foot into a chain bagel place where everything is mediocre. A GABC, you'll get perfection!
(5)Danny M.
Correction - the economy has hit GAB. They now charge for extra cream cheese. Boo!
(3)Annie S.
**UPDATE** The Great American Bagel has changed management and it is SO much better now! The place has really cleaned up and it is TOTALLY different than how it was before. I know there have been bad reviews but seriously, give it another chance. I love this store because every bagel is made fresh every single morning. It's not day old crap that you can find at other bagel stores. They have an amazing selection of bagels and you can find almost anything that you would want - even french toast bagels... those are my favorite!! Also, they give MASSIVE portions of cream cheese with the bagel and if you don't like that (because I don't) then tell them to put the cc on the side. They are very generous. They also make awesome sandwiches with tons of fresh meat and veggies. I love their turkey sandwiches on whole wheat bagel-- SO good! The workers here area friendly and make everything fast. Also, the $5 minimum purchase for credit cards does NOT exist anymore! I'm always embarrassed when I used my card for $1 purchases but hey, I hardly ever have cash on me. I really love this place and you should come here to get your bagels and/or sandwiches!
(5)Kristin V.
Love GAB...go there almost every weekend for breakfast bagels. Service has always been great too. Was saddened to discover it was shut down. Why? And when will you reopen?
(5)Kate B.
I have had a few very disappointing experiences at this place. First off, i think that they are quite pricey for what you get. The coffee is just so-so. And when I placed an order for catering, they were ill prepared and forget necessary items for simple things like a to-go box of coffee, they didn't even give me cups, sugar, cream, etc. When I drove back for the cups, they were not concerned about the mistake. Ugh. I will elsewhere from now on.
(1)Morgan G.
This bagel place is fantastic! There is always parking in the convenient lot located right out front, the employees are always extremely nice, and they create wonderful bagels, sandwiches, anything! They're also very fast, and you'll get much more for your money than if you go to Einsteins. Go to this place!
(5)D S.
The NEW American Bagel is great... I have lived around the block from this place for 3 years and stopped going because of the old owner and staff. My main reason was every time I went in there, I would order the same thing and depending who rang me up I would get charged different prices. Anyway, when I saw it was under new management I figured why not give it another try, and I was glad I did. The new owner and staff are very polite, the place is spotless, and the food is great. It is amazing how much proper management can affect a business. My favorite is the everything bagel toasted with butter and melted cheese. I would recommend this place to everyone.
(5)Jamie C.
This place is disgusting! I'm a huge fan of Great American Bagel. When I lived in the burbs, I went there every morning. My addiction was so bad, the workers saw me in the parking lot and had my order waiting for me. I was so excited when I moved to the city and saw a Great American Bagel. Unfortunately, I was very disappointed with this location. It's dirty. You walk in and are overpowered by this funky smell. When I got my bagel, it tasted like cleaning fluid. Even after my first horrible experience, I still decided to give it another chance. I can't say things were better.
(1)martini g.
Ok, so I was very scared when I read past reviews, especially considering I had just placed a big breakfast order for delivery!! I wanted to say thank you to an office that is on Webster/Southport, so I started calling bagel shops around the area. Einstein bagels was the closest but they were so unhelpful over the phone and she wanted $10 for delivery (look at it on the map, it's practically across the street). Chicago bagel authority and NYC bagel only do large orders. I don't like Dunkin Donuts yucky cream cheese. I was about to give up and gave Great American Bagel a call. Joe was FABULOUS. He put together a package deal and said he could have it delivered in 20 minutes, and the delivery charge was only $3.00!! The whole transaction took about 3 minutes and I wish I had called him first, but on second thought, it's probably great that I called him last so I could see how great his service was. Hoping all the reviews about how the place has changed since new mgmt took over are right and the bagels taste as good as the service was. Update -- talked to the recipients of the delivery and they said it was great!! Also, I realized I forgot to get my receipt in all the chaos of getting the order done, so I called this morning. Joe was not there, and the phone was answered by a very nice lady named Elisa, who showed the same great customer service I got yesterday! I'm definitely going to visit there in person!
(4)Nicholas W.
Homemade bagels done right. Mmmmmmmmm
(5)Michelle B.
They have re-opened! :-) Can't wait to go diving after that Tomazzo Bagel again! :-D
(5)Steve J.
A few things worth mentioning: - The everything bagel has just the right amount of salt on it. The salt is a crucial element of the everything that a lot of establishments leave out. - The veggie cream cheese may look bad, but it's really rather tasty. - The Tomato Cream Dream is a fantastic sandwich, even if it's just a bagel with cream cheese and a few veggies. - I think the Tomazzo bagel is disgusting. Prove me wrong, Yelp.
(4)ER S.
These are some of the worst bagels I've ever had. I live a block away and we drive to NYC Bagel! We used to go out of laziness alone. The texture of the bagels is all wrong (too bready, not chewy or crisp enough). And the coffee often tastes bad... like they forgot to clean out the coffee maker. And several times the milk for coffee has been sour. Gross.
(1)Meredith H.
i can't believe i've waited this long to review GAB!!! my bf lives very close to GAB, so we find ourselves there at least once a weekend. joe, the owner, is a very friendly, generous person and is SO patient with the teenagers that work for him. kudos to him for hiring kids and teaching them with such kindness. i would want to freak out on them for not listening/being slow/etc but he is always calm and encouraging to them. every bagel in here is great. our favorites are the bagel sandwiches - turkey w/ veggie cream cheese, cukes, lettuce, tomato on poppyseed is THE BEST. it is delicious and i tell myself if it's nutritious too ha! it's a little pricey to get a bagel sandwich and a medium fountain drink, but it's worth the service and convenience. i've found the fresh fruit salads to be very tasty year round as well. all in all, a great place for a breakfast/lunch/brunch bagel and drink!
(5)Kathy L.
i love this place. seriously, how can you not like this place? the bagels aren't that expensive, but they're the perfect consistency...light and fluffy. i don't like dense bagels because they make you feel super full and gross for the rest of the day. however, these are awesome and they fill you up without getting you down. the coffee is good. the service is good. the bagels are GREAT. i guess they got the name right...the GREAT american bagel. try it out, especially if you live around the area, its definitely worth a try.
(4)Kathleen C.
Not sure why, but I love this place. My boyfriend says it is the worst food ever but I have never had any complaints other than the diet coke in the fountain soda needing to be fixed. My favorite order: toasted seasame with veggie cream cheese. Yum!
(4)Christine J.
I'm a bagel purist and don't toast my bagels. This is definitely a place that has tasty no-need-to-toast bagels. So soft and chewy and a great variety of flavors. My favorite is the cheddar jalapeno. I love the to-go boxes and that they provide small plates, napkins, and knives.
(4)Jessica M.
Update: **CLOSED** by the Board of Health. I am really surprised how much business this place gets. It's always dirty, the employees are barely tolerant of customers and the last time I ate something from there my chocolate chip bagel tasted like a mixture of onions and the smell inside Great American Bagel. Gross.
(1)P S.
If cleanliness is any sort of indicator in terms of how a restaurant is run, then avoid this place. It's a holy mess in there and the employees appear to wish they were anywhere else - and treat your food the same way. I was actually a little nervous eating my toasted bagel with cream chese, hoping I didn't come across a hair or a bug.
(1)Big Z.
Went here for Breakfast the other day and had a jalapeno bagel w/ egg and cheese. I thought the meal was good and reasonably priced but nothing unbelievable. Overall enjoyed my experience and will be back again.
(4)Kitty G.
I used to like this place, but will never return after my last visit. There was a hair in my eggs! I told the waitress and she looked and said "I don't see one". Totally not the point! I don't need to know whether you see it or not - I DO! She took it away and then proceeded to have the cook make me more. When I got wind of this I told her that I did not want a new plate. She said "well you should have told me". That was the straw. Too much attitude. I should have been asked if there was anything else I'd like to have BEFORE a new plate was being prepared for me. It's called customer service.
(1)Joe U.
Since the city of Chicago severely lacks neighborhood jewish delis that serve bagels, this is the next best alternative. Lox bagel w/everything with cucumber cream chese is a great treat, if not somewhat pricey; it kills Einstein's any day. Yes the decor stinks and the employees are a little spacey, but the bagels are high quality and very tasty.
(4)Rocky B.
Love the variety of bagels they have at Great American Bagel. The pizza bagel is so good oo and their jalapeno cheese bagel...delish! They also have a variety of not so run of the mill cream cheeses and their flavored coffees are super yummy. Wish I still worked in the area so I could come here more often but I guess it's better for my figure that I don't.
(3)Doug S.
I need to go back again to make up my mind, but my first experience with this place was sub-par. I had been by it thousands of times and had eaten at one 5 years ago. I had some Tomazzo (pizza bagel) melt with provolone, roasted red peppers, onions, and spinach. It had absolutely no taste. I am not kidding. Tasted like I was eating a hot tire. I thought that it would be toasted or something, but I came right out of the microwave. The rold gold pretzels were good, but I can't give GAB any credit for that, can I?
(2)jenna p.
This is my absolute favorite place to get my breakfast. Sometimes I don't eat my breakfast until around 3 or 5:00 in the afternoon and they have really terrible hours. They only seem to be open at 10 in the morning and they don't have hours posted outside so it's always a gamble when I decide to make the whole 2 block excursion to see if they're open. They have sooo many delicious flavors to choose from! My favorites: everything bagel with regular cream cheese, sesame seed bagel with strawberry cream cheese and the everything bagel as a ham and cheese sandwhich. Delicious! They also have doggie bagels in the shape of bones which I always buy for the puppy. Although he doesn't seem to like them alot, I still think it's fun to pick something up for the dog while I'm at a resturaunt. I just hope I wasn't lucky enough to get a chocolate milk the morning after Jewlia K turned the refrigerators off.
(4)Danny M.
Correction - the economy has hit GAB. They now charge for extra cream cheese. Boo!
(3)Liz P.
Why are there not more reviews of this awesome place? The bagels are huge and super fresh. The sandwiches are simple but good and filling. The employees are super friendly. What more could you want in a bagel place?! Don't step foot into a chain bagel place where everything is mediocre. A GABC, you'll get perfection!
(5)Chris R.
We just moved here and GAB is about a 1 minute walk away so I had to try them. I like their bagel's alot and it is nice to buy them from a small business owner versus a chain. Bagel's are excellent and the staff is friendly as well. I prefer my bagels left whole but enjoying turning them into a breakfast sandwich (egg, ham, etc..) in my own kitchen. The Wednesday special is a great deal as well, a dozen Bagels after tax for $6.65.
(4)Sixto M.
I do not consider myself a bagel expert, but this place has really turned me on to bagels! After reading some previous reviews about the dirtiness of this place, I'm thankful I only first started coming here a couple of weeks ago. The place is very cute, clean, and great! The first time I went in, I admitted to one of their staff that I didn't know anything about them, and he was very friendly and explained everything to me. Most of their bagels are $0.99 with cream cheese bringing the total to $2.42 for a bagel. They have bagel sandwhiches and other options, but I'm a graduate student, so I need to save money where I can. I LOVED the french toast bagel and the apple cinammon bagel. I also enjoyed the salsa cream cheese, and the apple cream cheese. Be sure to stop by on a Wednesday for a great deal: 13 bagels for 5.99! There's also free wireless internet, and sometimes they have tables on their sidewalk. So if you're in the mood for a toasted bagel with homemade cream cheese for under 3 dollars, check this place out! I'm sure I'll be making plenty of visit there...especially on Wednesdays!
(4)Jay C.
Shortcuts are going to put this location out of Business. A.) If you microwave bread/bagels it gets soggy and gross. Use the Convection Oven that are working and takes only 45 seconds longer B.) Slow service, even when using the microwave at off hours. C.) CBA down the street is way better.
(1)D S.
The NEW American Bagel is great... I have lived around the block from this place for 3 years and stopped going because of the old owner and staff. My main reason was every time I went in there, I would order the same thing and depending who rang me up I would get charged different prices. Anyway, when I saw it was under new management I figured why not give it another try, and I was glad I did. The new owner and staff are very polite, the place is spotless, and the food is great. It is amazing how much proper management can affect a business. My favorite is the everything bagel toasted with butter and melted cheese. I would recommend this place to everyone.
(5)Dianne D.
I'm not a fan of Great American Bagel for two reasons.. 1) They call them bagels?!?! I call them rubbery pieces of dough with a hole in them. They are terrible! 2) The place is always dirty. The back counter where they prepare the sandwich's looks like they are cleaned once every 5 hrs.. The floors have crap all over them.. the trash is overflowing half the time..the place smells. I would not recommend this place to anyone... And like a previous reviewer of this establishment, I live a block away and i still drive to Sheffield/North for NYC Bagel- now that's a real bagel..
(1)Jamie C.
This place is disgusting! I'm a huge fan of Great American Bagel. When I lived in the burbs, I went there every morning. My addiction was so bad, the workers saw me in the parking lot and had my order waiting for me. I was so excited when I moved to the city and saw a Great American Bagel. Unfortunately, I was very disappointed with this location. It's dirty. You walk in and are overpowered by this funky smell. When I got my bagel, it tasted like cleaning fluid. Even after my first horrible experience, I still decided to give it another chance. I can't say things were better.
(1)martini g.
Ok, so I was very scared when I read past reviews, especially considering I had just placed a big breakfast order for delivery!! I wanted to say thank you to an office that is on Webster/Southport, so I started calling bagel shops around the area. Einstein bagels was the closest but they were so unhelpful over the phone and she wanted $10 for delivery (look at it on the map, it's practically across the street). Chicago bagel authority and NYC bagel only do large orders. I don't like Dunkin Donuts yucky cream cheese. I was about to give up and gave Great American Bagel a call. Joe was FABULOUS. He put together a package deal and said he could have it delivered in 20 minutes, and the delivery charge was only $3.00!! The whole transaction took about 3 minutes and I wish I had called him first, but on second thought, it's probably great that I called him last so I could see how great his service was. Hoping all the reviews about how the place has changed since new mgmt took over are right and the bagels taste as good as the service was. Update -- talked to the recipients of the delivery and they said it was great!! Also, I realized I forgot to get my receipt in all the chaos of getting the order done, so I called this morning. Joe was not there, and the phone was answered by a very nice lady named Elisa, who showed the same great customer service I got yesterday! I'm definitely going to visit there in person!
(4)Nicholas W.
Homemade bagels done right. Mmmmmmmmm
(5)Michelle B.
They have re-opened! :-) Can't wait to go diving after that Tomazzo Bagel again! :-D
(5)Steve J.
A few things worth mentioning: - The everything bagel has just the right amount of salt on it. The salt is a crucial element of the everything that a lot of establishments leave out. - The veggie cream cheese may look bad, but it's really rather tasty. - The Tomato Cream Dream is a fantastic sandwich, even if it's just a bagel with cream cheese and a few veggies. - I think the Tomazzo bagel is disgusting. Prove me wrong, Yelp.
(4)Meredith H.
i can't believe i've waited this long to review GAB!!! my bf lives very close to GAB, so we find ourselves there at least once a weekend. joe, the owner, is a very friendly, generous person and is SO patient with the teenagers that work for him. kudos to him for hiring kids and teaching them with such kindness. i would want to freak out on them for not listening/being slow/etc but he is always calm and encouraging to them. every bagel in here is great. our favorites are the bagel sandwiches - turkey w/ veggie cream cheese, cukes, lettuce, tomato on poppyseed is THE BEST. it is delicious and i tell myself if it's nutritious too ha! it's a little pricey to get a bagel sandwich and a medium fountain drink, but it's worth the service and convenience. i've found the fresh fruit salads to be very tasty year round as well. all in all, a great place for a breakfast/lunch/brunch bagel and drink!
(5)Kathy L.
i love this place. seriously, how can you not like this place? the bagels aren't that expensive, but they're the perfect consistency...light and fluffy. i don't like dense bagels because they make you feel super full and gross for the rest of the day. however, these are awesome and they fill you up without getting you down. the coffee is good. the service is good. the bagels are GREAT. i guess they got the name right...the GREAT american bagel. try it out, especially if you live around the area, its definitely worth a try.
(4)Kathleen C.
Not sure why, but I love this place. My boyfriend says it is the worst food ever but I have never had any complaints other than the diet coke in the fountain soda needing to be fixed. My favorite order: toasted seasame with veggie cream cheese. Yum!
(4)ER S.
These are some of the worst bagels I've ever had. I live a block away and we drive to NYC Bagel! We used to go out of laziness alone. The texture of the bagels is all wrong (too bready, not chewy or crisp enough). And the coffee often tastes bad... like they forgot to clean out the coffee maker. And several times the milk for coffee has been sour. Gross.
(1)Christine J.
I'm a bagel purist and don't toast my bagels. This is definitely a place that has tasty no-need-to-toast bagels. So soft and chewy and a great variety of flavors. My favorite is the cheddar jalapeno. I love the to-go boxes and that they provide small plates, napkins, and knives.
(4)Jessica M.
Update: **CLOSED** by the Board of Health. I am really surprised how much business this place gets. It's always dirty, the employees are barely tolerant of customers and the last time I ate something from there my chocolate chip bagel tasted like a mixture of onions and the smell inside Great American Bagel. Gross.
(1)P S.
If cleanliness is any sort of indicator in terms of how a restaurant is run, then avoid this place. It's a holy mess in there and the employees appear to wish they were anywhere else - and treat your food the same way. I was actually a little nervous eating my toasted bagel with cream chese, hoping I didn't come across a hair or a bug.
(1)Big Z.
Went here for Breakfast the other day and had a jalapeno bagel w/ egg and cheese. I thought the meal was good and reasonably priced but nothing unbelievable. Overall enjoyed my experience and will be back again.
(4)Kitty G.
I used to like this place, but will never return after my last visit. There was a hair in my eggs! I told the waitress and she looked and said "I don't see one". Totally not the point! I don't need to know whether you see it or not - I DO! She took it away and then proceeded to have the cook make me more. When I got wind of this I told her that I did not want a new plate. She said "well you should have told me". That was the straw. Too much attitude. I should have been asked if there was anything else I'd like to have BEFORE a new plate was being prepared for me. It's called customer service.
(1)Joe U.
Since the city of Chicago severely lacks neighborhood jewish delis that serve bagels, this is the next best alternative. Lox bagel w/everything with cucumber cream chese is a great treat, if not somewhat pricey; it kills Einstein's any day. Yes the decor stinks and the employees are a little spacey, but the bagels are high quality and very tasty.
(4)Rocky B.
Love the variety of bagels they have at Great American Bagel. The pizza bagel is so good oo and their jalapeno cheese bagel...delish! They also have a variety of not so run of the mill cream cheeses and their flavored coffees are super yummy. Wish I still worked in the area so I could come here more often but I guess it's better for my figure that I don't.
(3)Doug S.
I need to go back again to make up my mind, but my first experience with this place was sub-par. I had been by it thousands of times and had eaten at one 5 years ago. I had some Tomazzo (pizza bagel) melt with provolone, roasted red peppers, onions, and spinach. It had absolutely no taste. I am not kidding. Tasted like I was eating a hot tire. I thought that it would be toasted or something, but I came right out of the microwave. The rold gold pretzels were good, but I can't give GAB any credit for that, can I?
(2)jenna p.
This is my absolute favorite place to get my breakfast. Sometimes I don't eat my breakfast until around 3 or 5:00 in the afternoon and they have really terrible hours. They only seem to be open at 10 in the morning and they don't have hours posted outside so it's always a gamble when I decide to make the whole 2 block excursion to see if they're open. They have sooo many delicious flavors to choose from! My favorites: everything bagel with regular cream cheese, sesame seed bagel with strawberry cream cheese and the everything bagel as a ham and cheese sandwhich. Delicious! They also have doggie bagels in the shape of bones which I always buy for the puppy. Although he doesn't seem to like them alot, I still think it's fun to pick something up for the dog while I'm at a resturaunt. I just hope I wasn't lucky enough to get a chocolate milk the morning after Jewlia K turned the refrigerators off.
(4)Susan F.
Their bagels are packed with flavor, and they're big too, unlike Einstein. They pack on the cream cheese and they have a ton of flavors. I like the jalapeño cheddar. (See my pic) You can also purchase tubs of it. MMM tubs o' cream. They have a lot of sandwiches for a mid afternoon lunch but I haven't tried them out yet. Their coffee is fine, they have flavors like regular, hazelnut, french vanilla, and flavored creamers too which is a plus! No soy milk, I don't think. I really dig how they don't skimp on the goods here, and they're super friendly. I'm a fan! They have Belly, so I might start using that to get some deals since they are across the street from my new place.
(5)Wendy G.
Nice friendly customer service. Much appreciated in the morning! Smells great and bagels are fresh and delicious.
(5)Annette I.
My bagel and coffee cost me $140 after my car was booted in their parking lot! When I went in to ask what the deal was the guy behind the counter said what do I care about your $2 bagel/coffee when I just got $140.....total scam and nothing I could do until their guy unbooted my car....they said they saw me leave their parking lot and that gives them the right to charge $140 for parking. Hmmmm.
(1)James K.
I got a egg and cheese sandwich and was shocked to see the egg cooked in a microwave in a plastic cup of all things. Within a five minutes walk theres several other places you can get a breakfast sandwich made the proper way.
(2)Jessica V.
So many choices how can I just chooo choo choose one!? I have never been here but I was looking for a breakfast sandwich and decided to come here because they have a parking lot & they sounded good. What an odd combination I know. Anyways, the place was clean and organized. There was a guy behind the counter who was extremely helpful and picked out some sandwich choices for me! I got the Spanish Omelet Bagel & the Asiago Sandwich. The asiago came on an asiago bagel ... dur w/ BIG slices of turkey, Swiss, eggs & roasted tomatoes. The Spanish came on a onion looking bagel with pepper jack cheese, sausage, egg, green and red peppers, and a side of salsa. The sandwiches at The Great American Bagel do not disappoint. They are ginormous & filling. I also grabbed a large coffee and orange juice. Everything was delish and I am so happy I stopped into this location. Other things that make me want to come back: - Lunch Sandwiches sound awesome - Plenty of bagel choices - Plenty of bagel spread options - && I would love to see the bagel making machine in action because when I came it was not turned on womp womp! I posted my gooey sandwich pictures for you to drool over ;)
(5)Lauren F.
Fresh bagels in a wide variety, an endless cream cheese assortment, fast service...I'm always happy when I leave GAB! Try the Asiago cheese bagel...yummm!
(4)Lauren B.
Love the food but giving 2 stars as the darker skinned guy behind the counter when I am there (11-1pm) is always a jerk. He doesn't seem to care about anything and has made rude and snide remarks and body language. Not the kind of person you want as the face of your company when dealing with this community. This guy always acts like it is a huge inconvience for him to get your order. One day I came in to get a bagel bone for my dog and was checking in on Belly before my phone died. He says "we only let people buying things check in" I told him I come here all the time and I am buying something l. I wanted to check in before my phone died because he was in the back messing around and not up front working as he should've been so the wait was getting ridiculous. I want to love this place but please get some more pleasant workers or tell the ones there to sharpen up and pretend like they like their jobs. This place pisses me off everytime I go in because of rudeness and laziness. Today will be my last time. Again, guy rolled his eyes when I told him I was deciding what to get (there was no line) and was not anywhere near being described as nice. Tired of the terrible service.
(2)Zack P.
One of my most favorite take out places in Chicago! Just don't be timid when ordering, you need to be assertive as there doesn't appear to be an official line to order.
(5)Hollina U.
I ordered catering from here on Wednesday for work. I was getting pissed because the order was supposed to be there from 8-8:30, but didn't arrive until 8:48, and our meeting was supposed to start at 8:30 and I was getting anxious. Anyway, the meeting didn't start until 9:00 or so, so I didn't get grilled on where the food for, which made me less angry. The delivery guy said there was traffic and one of the guys called in sick, so I guess I can't really be mad with them. I was so ready to write a bad review... But then I bit into one of the bagels.... and then lost all my irritation. These bagels are soooo good! I like them WAY better than Einstein's, WAY more than Corner Bakery bagels, more than Panera bagels, and... more than NYC Bagel Deli bagels. You could easily tell it was made fresh that morning. It was so soft on the inside and when toasted the bagel was HEAVEN. I really like the asiago cheese--- plus my coworkers kept on commenting how something smelled really good and were really surprised when I said it was just a bagel toasting-- they're like is it really just a bagel toasting?? The jalapeno cheese is good too. I might have to try their sandwiches or super bagels next time... man now I really want a bagel.
(4)daniel c.
The staff is friendly and helpful and there are many cream cheese flavors to choose from. The bagels, however, are terrible. I'm not sure one could even call them bagels, as they seem to be just bread. After two tries, one bad sandwich and one bad half dozen, I won't be going back.
(2)Michael S.
Very friendly staff. Delicious bagels. I will definitely come here again! The French roast bagel they sell is phenomenal. If you live French toast, you really have to come here and try it.
(5)Roseann M.
It's not all about bagels at the Great American Bagel. Yes, they have a big selection. I've had the whole wheat, cinnamon raisin, asiago cheese, tomazzo, cheese, and onion. They're all good, in their own way. How could they not be? They're fresh, chewy, and filling. Slap on any of a wide variety of cream cheeses, add coffee or juice, and you've got a meal. I'm usually here for a sandwich in the afternoon. I work nearby, and on a long day, I dash over to Great American Bagel for a vegetarian sandwich. Yes, I am addicted to this sandwich. A choice of cheese, lettuce, tomato, green pepper, carrot, and baby, that's a whole meal. Add a cup of coffee, and I'm good to go till the late evening. Recently I had the grilled cheese Panini, and that was a mistake. It was so hot, the cheese actually ran like liquid. I didn't get much cheese texture, and it was more like toasted bread. Fail. I only try the vegetarian sandwiches, so I can't rate those sandwiches that contain slices of dead animals. Yuck. There is a parking lot in front, which usually isn't terribly crazy. The other businesses in this little strip mall don't get as much traffic as the GAB. GAB also offers free Wi-Fi, and I've taken advantage of that lately. It's been a great help. Two small complaints, though. You can get a "frequent flyer" type card for the sandwiches. I used that a couple times for the vegetarian sandwich, until the occasion when a manager was there and said, oh no, you can't get that deal with the vegetarian sandwich. What gives? That sandwich costs less than the sandwiches with dead stuff on them. Still I keep going. However, last weekend, a co-worker said, oh no, that's wrong. She uses the frequent flyer card all the time for the vegetarian sandwich. She thinks it just depends on who's working. Again -- what gives? I'm there so much, the staff recognizes me. How about some consistency, GAB? And some fairness? They close at 3:00pm on Sunday. Could you please be open another half hour? Or an hour? I have to scramble to get there before close, and sometimes I don't make it. Yes, I keep going, even though I don't get the Frequent Flyer card and others do. Gggrrrrrr. . . . I like the sandwich that much. Writing this is making me hungry. I'll probably be at GAB again this weekend.
(4)Steph U.
This place was just alright. I got a breakfast bagel and honestly, I could have made it at home myself. I got it on an everything bagel and it was super salty, which was disappointing. They charge extra for meat too, which seemed kind of unnecessary. I don't think i'll be back.
(2)Leanne A.
American is the key word here. These bagels are more like small loaves of bread stuffed with everything you can fit in there. Breakfast sandwiches, one of my favorite food categories, are microwaved here. I really prefer griddle-made brekkie sandwiches. However, the bagels are definitely guilty pleasures. Sometimes my coworker brings them in and we split them in to quarters (they're honestly huge) and we eat them all day. The jalapeno one is stuffed full of jalapenos, and there's a pizza-y one that's messy and tomatoey, and the sweet ones are like cupcakes in bagel form. They must each have about 600 calories. It's a chewy treat, but when it comes to bagels I like thinner.
(3)Lauren B.
Love the food but giving 2 stars as the darker skinned guy behind the counter when I am there (11-1pm) is always a jerk. He doesn't seem to care about anything and has made rude and snide remarks and body language. Not the kind of person you want as the face of your company when dealing with this community. This guy always acts like it is a huge inconvience for him to get your order. One day I came in to get a bagel bone for my dog and was checking in on Belly before my phone died. He says "we only let people buying things check in" I told him I come here all the time and I am buying something l. I wanted to check in before my phone died because he was in the back messing around and not up front working as he should've been so the wait was getting ridiculous. I want to love this place but please get some more pleasant workers or tell the ones there to sharpen up and pretend like they like their jobs. This place pisses me off everytime I go in because of rudeness and laziness. Today will be my last time. Again, guy rolled his eyes when I told him I was deciding what to get (there was no line) and was not anywhere near being described as nice. Tired of the terrible service.
(2)Zack P.
One of my most favorite take out places in Chicago! Just don't be timid when ordering, you need to be assertive as there doesn't appear to be an official line to order.
(5)Amy V.
I love the bagels here! They are always so soft and delicious. My favorite is the jalapeño cheddar bagel with cucumber cream cheese. It reminds me of eating a jalapeño popper for breakfast. I also love this place because they donate bagels to good causes at the end of shift for non-profits. Makes everything more delicious!
(5)Katie G.
I went on a crowded Sunday, and after I picked out my bagels I asked to have them sliced and the guy behind the counter had so much attitude! It was my first time there, but the guy lectured me about how I should have told them before I picked out my bagels that I wanted them sliced. Weird! The freshness of their bagels completely makes up for the rudeness of the staff. I've never tasted a bagel so fresh and delicious! Get the french toast bagel you won't be disappointed!! Sadly when I got home I noticed they forgot one bagel, maybe it was because I had a free belly bite for a half dozen? Go next door to the fish market and they have fresh lox which are amazing!
(4)Brian S.
Evrerything here is okay. The product, the staff and the atmosphere. I was happy and enjoyed my bagel. Bo5hing special but sometimes simple is better. Grab a toasted spinach bahel with veggie cream cheese and a tomato! The pepperoni bagel is a tasty lunch alternative and if you like it a bit spicy order a jalapeño version.
(4)jen a.
Ordered takeout from them for the first time. Ordered bagels and cream cheese. They forgot the cream cheese. Seems like a tough thing to screw up. Not helpful when I called. Won't order again.
(1)Anne M.
Need to get your bagel carb-load on? Head to The GAB. There you will find an assortment of fresh bagel goodness and a full menu of yummy (breakfast and lunch/dinner) sandwich options. The asiago bagel : SO GOOD.
(5)Annette I.
My bagel and coffee cost me $140 after my car was booted in their parking lot! When I went in to ask what the deal was the guy behind the counter said what do I care about your $2 bagel/coffee when I just got $140.....total scam and nothing I could do until their guy unbooted my car....they said they saw me leave their parking lot and that gives them the right to charge $140 for parking. Hmmmm.
(1)Lauren F.
Fresh bagels in a wide variety, an endless cream cheese assortment, fast service...I'm always happy when I leave GAB! Try the Asiago cheese bagel...yummm!
(4)cynthia c.
We tried whole wheat bagels recently on a Belly deal and thought we'd be back-- solid bagels and easy parking. However, I'm writing this review because we came back sooner than we expected. We were going to Theater Wit across the street, and I started to feel unwell (I am diabetic)). We popped in to try to get something suitable to eat just as they were closing, and the staff could not have been more accommodating about getting me what I needed (a component of a sandwich). We sincerely appreciate it, and will be back for bagels! Thanks so much for being so nice and helpful.
(5)Emily D.
great!
(5)D P.
Freshly made bagels You can watch the being made unlike CBA or Einstein (whose bagels are frozen). 1/3 the price of the competition. Parking. Great service. Rewards program. I never understand why it's not more crowded. Maybe I am there too early or their location is tucked back off the street. I go there several times a week and am never disappointed. Great coffee with free refills too!
(5)Hollina U.
I ordered catering from here on Wednesday for work. I was getting pissed because the order was supposed to be there from 8-8:30, but didn't arrive until 8:48, and our meeting was supposed to start at 8:30 and I was getting anxious. Anyway, the meeting didn't start until 9:00 or so, so I didn't get grilled on where the food for, which made me less angry. The delivery guy said there was traffic and one of the guys called in sick, so I guess I can't really be mad with them. I was so ready to write a bad review... But then I bit into one of the bagels.... and then lost all my irritation. These bagels are soooo good! I like them WAY better than Einstein's, WAY more than Corner Bakery bagels, more than Panera bagels, and... more than NYC Bagel Deli bagels. You could easily tell it was made fresh that morning. It was so soft on the inside and when toasted the bagel was HEAVEN. I really like the asiago cheese--- plus my coworkers kept on commenting how something smelled really good and were really surprised when I said it was just a bagel toasting-- they're like is it really just a bagel toasting?? The jalapeno cheese is good too. I might have to try their sandwiches or super bagels next time... man now I really want a bagel.
(4)daniel c.
The staff is friendly and helpful and there are many cream cheese flavors to choose from. The bagels, however, are terrible. I'm not sure one could even call them bagels, as they seem to be just bread. After two tries, one bad sandwich and one bad half dozen, I won't be going back.
(2)Michael S.
Very friendly staff. Delicious bagels. I will definitely come here again! The French roast bagel they sell is phenomenal. If you live French toast, you really have to come here and try it.
(5)James K.
I got a egg and cheese sandwich and was shocked to see the egg cooked in a microwave in a plastic cup of all things. Within a five minutes walk theres several other places you can get a breakfast sandwich made the proper way.
(2)Jessica V.
So many choices how can I just chooo choo choose one!? I have never been here but I was looking for a breakfast sandwich and decided to come here because they have a parking lot & they sounded good. What an odd combination I know. Anyways, the place was clean and organized. There was a guy behind the counter who was extremely helpful and picked out some sandwich choices for me! I got the Spanish Omelet Bagel & the Asiago Sandwich. The asiago came on an asiago bagel ... dur w/ BIG slices of turkey, Swiss, eggs & roasted tomatoes. The Spanish came on a onion looking bagel with pepper jack cheese, sausage, egg, green and red peppers, and a side of salsa. The sandwiches at The Great American Bagel do not disappoint. They are ginormous & filling. I also grabbed a large coffee and orange juice. Everything was delish and I am so happy I stopped into this location. Other things that make me want to come back: - Lunch Sandwiches sound awesome - Plenty of bagel choices - Plenty of bagel spread options - && I would love to see the bagel making machine in action because when I came it was not turned on womp womp! I posted my gooey sandwich pictures for you to drool over ;)
(5)Roseann M.
It's not all about bagels at the Great American Bagel. Yes, they have a big selection. I've had the whole wheat, cinnamon raisin, asiago cheese, tomazzo, cheese, and onion. They're all good, in their own way. How could they not be? They're fresh, chewy, and filling. Slap on any of a wide variety of cream cheeses, add coffee or juice, and you've got a meal. I'm usually here for a sandwich in the afternoon. I work nearby, and on a long day, I dash over to Great American Bagel for a vegetarian sandwich. Yes, I am addicted to this sandwich. A choice of cheese, lettuce, tomato, green pepper, carrot, and baby, that's a whole meal. Add a cup of coffee, and I'm good to go till the late evening. Recently I had the grilled cheese Panini, and that was a mistake. It was so hot, the cheese actually ran like liquid. I didn't get much cheese texture, and it was more like toasted bread. Fail. I only try the vegetarian sandwiches, so I can't rate those sandwiches that contain slices of dead animals. Yuck. There is a parking lot in front, which usually isn't terribly crazy. The other businesses in this little strip mall don't get as much traffic as the GAB. GAB also offers free Wi-Fi, and I've taken advantage of that lately. It's been a great help. Two small complaints, though. You can get a "frequent flyer" type card for the sandwiches. I used that a couple times for the vegetarian sandwich, until the occasion when a manager was there and said, oh no, you can't get that deal with the vegetarian sandwich. What gives? That sandwich costs less than the sandwiches with dead stuff on them. Still I keep going. However, last weekend, a co-worker said, oh no, that's wrong. She uses the frequent flyer card all the time for the vegetarian sandwich. She thinks it just depends on who's working. Again -- what gives? I'm there so much, the staff recognizes me. How about some consistency, GAB? And some fairness? They close at 3:00pm on Sunday. Could you please be open another half hour? Or an hour? I have to scramble to get there before close, and sometimes I don't make it. Yes, I keep going, even though I don't get the Frequent Flyer card and others do. Gggrrrrrr. . . . I like the sandwich that much. Writing this is making me hungry. I'll probably be at GAB again this weekend.
(4)Steph U.
This place was just alright. I got a breakfast bagel and honestly, I could have made it at home myself. I got it on an everything bagel and it was super salty, which was disappointing. They charge extra for meat too, which seemed kind of unnecessary. I don't think i'll be back.
(2)Susan F.
Their bagels are packed with flavor, and they're big too, unlike Einstein. They pack on the cream cheese and they have a ton of flavors. I like the jalapeño cheddar. (See my pic) You can also purchase tubs of it. MMM tubs o' cream. They have a lot of sandwiches for a mid afternoon lunch but I haven't tried them out yet. Their coffee is fine, they have flavors like regular, hazelnut, french vanilla, and flavored creamers too which is a plus! No soy milk, I don't think. I really dig how they don't skimp on the goods here, and they're super friendly. I'm a fan! They have Belly, so I might start using that to get some deals since they are across the street from my new place.
(5)Wendy G.
Nice friendly customer service. Much appreciated in the morning! Smells great and bagels are fresh and delicious.
(5)Brian S.
Evrerything here is okay. The product, the staff and the atmosphere. I was happy and enjoyed my bagel. Bo5hing special but sometimes simple is better. Grab a toasted spinach bahel with veggie cream cheese and a tomato! The pepperoni bagel is a tasty lunch alternative and if you like it a bit spicy order a jalapeño version.
(4)Leanne A.
American is the key word here. These bagels are more like small loaves of bread stuffed with everything you can fit in there. Breakfast sandwiches, one of my favorite food categories, are microwaved here. I really prefer griddle-made brekkie sandwiches. However, the bagels are definitely guilty pleasures. Sometimes my coworker brings them in and we split them in to quarters (they're honestly huge) and we eat them all day. The jalapeno one is stuffed full of jalapenos, and there's a pizza-y one that's messy and tomatoey, and the sweet ones are like cupcakes in bagel form. They must each have about 600 calories. It's a chewy treat, but when it comes to bagels I like thinner.
(3)Amy V.
I love the bagels here! They are always so soft and delicious. My favorite is the jalapeño cheddar bagel with cucumber cream cheese. It reminds me of eating a jalapeño popper for breakfast. I also love this place because they donate bagels to good causes at the end of shift for non-profits. Makes everything more delicious!
(5)jen a.
Ordered takeout from them for the first time. Ordered bagels and cream cheese. They forgot the cream cheese. Seems like a tough thing to screw up. Not helpful when I called. Won't order again.
(1)Anne M.
Need to get your bagel carb-load on? Head to The GAB. There you will find an assortment of fresh bagel goodness and a full menu of yummy (breakfast and lunch/dinner) sandwich options. The asiago bagel : SO GOOD.
(5)Katie G.
I went on a crowded Sunday, and after I picked out my bagels I asked to have them sliced and the guy behind the counter had so much attitude! It was my first time there, but the guy lectured me about how I should have told them before I picked out my bagels that I wanted them sliced. Weird! The freshness of their bagels completely makes up for the rudeness of the staff. I've never tasted a bagel so fresh and delicious! Get the french toast bagel you won't be disappointed!! Sadly when I got home I noticed they forgot one bagel, maybe it was because I had a free belly bite for a half dozen? Go next door to the fish market and they have fresh lox which are amazing!
(4)Jessica G.
For the longest time I have been boycotting this place on principle, because of the "Joey's Brickhouse Vs. GAB Parking Scandal Fiasco". (If you don't know the story, the folk at Bagel were being very nasty and having Joey's customer's who parked in their lot towed - there is a whole backstory!) However, today I needed bagels, and since Yelp mentioned they had new ownership, I stopped in. The gentleman at the counter was VERY nice and explained that they (the new ownership) is on very good terms with Joey and there is no longer a giant hoopla going on, although the landlord got so fedup with the whole thing that they still can't allow Joey's customers to park there. Anywho, the bagels were GREAT and a great deal - $13 for a dozen bagels with all of the fixin's - cream cheeses, plates, knives, napkins, etc all in a to-go box for folk on the run! I'll most definitely be back, especially now that I know the insane old owners are gone.
(5)Roxanna T.
I pray to the God of bagels that this place never closes. Coming here has been a weekly ritual for my boyfriend and I since I moved to the area. They are always busy, which I'm happy to see. I get the turkey club on cheddar and herb and he gets bacon egg and American cheese on jalapeño cheddar almost every time. Then we split half of each. Always heavenly. Their super bagels are super yummy and seasonals always hit the spot. I don't know what I'm going to do when i move to the west side in a couple of months. If there was a GAB closer to work, it'd be a GAB trifecta day, every day.
(5)Jason R.
Really crappy coffee! Horrible atmosphere, like a Wendy's built in 1989- very plastic and awkward, and bad wallpaper. Great house-made bagels.
(2)Jenna S.
Regardless of how good their bagels are...the service here lacks something to be desired. Coming in...the counter staff were sitting at a table with a group of what I can only describe as a middle aged singles meet up. I felt like we were disrupting their meeting, and was also treated as if I was unwelcome. When I asked for a recommendation, she pointed at one bagel covered in cheese and bacon. Oh, ok........ That was the extent of their helpful service.
(3)Kristy B.
The bagels are always fresh and tasty, but the bad thing is they don't always have all the different types, because they sell out. The cream cheeses are great, try Salsa, Sun-dried Tomato or Veggie.
(4)Tony B.
Oh, shit. This doesn't look good. Check out the photos from April 9, 2010.
(4)Colleen C.
Oh the days of bagel consumption, how I miss thee. :( 1. Parking Lot! Yay. 2. Doggie bagels shaped like bones! (even though my dog only wanted the cream cheese and left a half gnawed, soggy doggy bagel on the floor). 3. All cream cheese is reduced fat. 'Cause seriously, it doesn't taste any different...and it's so much better for us folks! ;) 4. Good, wide selection of scrumptious bagels, bagel sandwiches and anything you can imagine bagle-wise. 5. Friendly workers, usually. 6. Fountain diet coke, hits the spot at 10am on Sunday...mmmmm. Good place, quick, efficient, no frills, good food. $5 min for cc.
(4)Chris R.
We just moved here and GAB is about a 1 minute walk away so I had to try them. I like their bagel's alot and it is nice to buy them from a small business owner versus a chain. Bagel's are excellent and the staff is friendly as well. I prefer my bagels left whole but enjoying turning them into a breakfast sandwich (egg, ham, etc..) in my own kitchen. The Wednesday special is a great deal as well, a dozen Bagels after tax for $6.65.
(4)Sixto M.
I do not consider myself a bagel expert, but this place has really turned me on to bagels! After reading some previous reviews about the dirtiness of this place, I'm thankful I only first started coming here a couple of weeks ago. The place is very cute, clean, and great! The first time I went in, I admitted to one of their staff that I didn't know anything about them, and he was very friendly and explained everything to me. Most of their bagels are $0.99 with cream cheese bringing the total to $2.42 for a bagel. They have bagel sandwhiches and other options, but I'm a graduate student, so I need to save money where I can. I LOVED the french toast bagel and the apple cinammon bagel. I also enjoyed the salsa cream cheese, and the apple cream cheese. Be sure to stop by on a Wednesday for a great deal: 13 bagels for 5.99! There's also free wireless internet, and sometimes they have tables on their sidewalk. So if you're in the mood for a toasted bagel with homemade cream cheese for under 3 dollars, check this place out! I'm sure I'll be making plenty of visit there...especially on Wednesdays!
(4)Jay C.
Shortcuts are going to put this location out of Business. A.) If you microwave bread/bagels it gets soggy and gross. Use the Convection Oven that are working and takes only 45 seconds longer B.) Slow service, even when using the microwave at off hours. C.) CBA down the street is way better.
(1)Dianne D.
I'm not a fan of Great American Bagel for two reasons.. 1) They call them bagels?!?! I call them rubbery pieces of dough with a hole in them. They are terrible! 2) The place is always dirty. The back counter where they prepare the sandwich's looks like they are cleaned once every 5 hrs.. The floors have crap all over them.. the trash is overflowing half the time..the place smells. I would not recommend this place to anyone... And like a previous reviewer of this establishment, I live a block away and i still drive to Sheffield/North for NYC Bagel- now that's a real bagel..
(1)Chas S.
Great American makes good bagels, always fresh, and on Wed you can get a baker's dozen for about $6 bucks. I bring these to the office and what a hit, great variety to make everyone happy. Seen a few different managements over the years, the current crop is friendly and nice. Their chicken salad is pretty good, esp on an onion bagel, makes a great lunch.
(4)Keith A.
Was in the mood for a bagel today and I find myself wandering around west lakeview, so it was time for Great American Bagel. There was a ton to choose from, but some of the bagels seemed like too much of a good thing. No big deal really, so I ordered up a sun dried tomato and cheese bagel and got some garlic and herb cream cheese with it. The bagel was pretty good and they were able to hook it all up real fast. I also got it toasted, so the bagel ended up turning into a pizza with cream cheese in the center, definitely a combination I won't start complaining about. I was out of there fast and the prices were pretty good for the more gourmet bagels and they have regular bulk bagels for $1. I definitely want to make my way back and try out a bunch of their sandwiches as well
(3)John R.
This place is right down the street from me, so to be fair, it gets some points just for that. The bagels are good, but the breakfast sandwiches are bland. Overall, a pretty average bagel place.
(4)Nicole H.
I ordered alot of food, and it was "eh" quality. First of the, cream of chicken rice soup. It was good. Ive had much much better tho. The cesar salad, was bad. The dressing was terrible, did not taste like cesar and the lettuce of the salad was five huge leaves that had not been cut at all!! The Chicken Pesto Sandwich was again... "eh". The chicken was good, the bread was good but all it really had on it was red peppers. Would have been much better with other toppings. On the other hand, ive had bagels from here that were great. Hit or Miss? Maybe But im stickin to plain bagels next time!
(3)K S.
BEST bagel place! The bagels are super fresh. The cream cheeses are delicious. The soup, especially the chicken noodle, tastes homemade. The service is GREAT! GAB has been my favorite breakfast / lunch place for the past 5 years.
(5)Lindsay S.
I really like GAB... the people there are super helpful, I think they have a good variety of bagels, and they actually make them throughout the day, and they have good coffee.... and I like it even more because I really dislike the Einstein Bagels on Southport and everything thats great about GAB is whats wrong with Einstein.
(5)cynthia c.
We tried whole wheat bagels recently on a Belly deal and thought we'd be back-- solid bagels and easy parking. However, I'm writing this review because we came back sooner than we expected. We were going to Theater Wit across the street, and I started to feel unwell (I am diabetic)). We popped in to try to get something suitable to eat just as they were closing, and the staff could not have been more accommodating about getting me what I needed (a component of a sandwich). We sincerely appreciate it, and will be back for bagels! Thanks so much for being so nice and helpful.
(5)Emily D.
great!
(5)D P.
Freshly made bagels You can watch the being made unlike CBA or Einstein (whose bagels are frozen). 1/3 the price of the competition. Parking. Great service. Rewards program. I never understand why it's not more crowded. Maybe I am there too early or their location is tucked back off the street. I go there several times a week and am never disappointed. Great coffee with free refills too!
(5)Brian D.
We were looking for a quick bite to eat at 3pm on a Saturday and figured we'd try this place out. When I got close enough to see inside, I wasn't sure if they were open because they were stacking the chairs upside-down on the tables (usually a sign that the place is closed)... nope, they didn't close until 5pm and the guy waved me inside. I ordered a turkey sandwich bagel which was about as average as you could imagine... nothing special at all. The place smelled bad and there was a lot of obvious water damage on the ceiling panels that made the place look like a dump. I will not return, the city has much better bagel shops than this place.
(1)Steven L.
I get bagels from these guys about once a week. Their bagels are far better than Chicago's mediocre standard - Einsteins. Wide selection of good soft bagels. The staff is also really great.
(5)Robin R.
Their bagels are seriously amaze! Likely to develop a breakfast addiction, not to mention the staff is SO NICE!!!! My fav.
(5)Jenn K.
I work near Great American Bagel, so I'll stop in sometimes for some grub. Bagels are great - my favorite is the cheese herb bagel (or whatever) with garlic herb spread. It's the perfect morning garlicky kick-in-the-mouth. I'm also that annoying customer who asks for iced coffee in the dead of winter, and they always will accommodate me. The sandwiches are great, too. My favorite part of coming in is the staff. They're so friendly and talkative and always put a smile on my face!
(4)Tim G.
I used to love this place. But a change in ownership about a year ago, and a few things have gone downhill. I regularly visited the shop with my kids on Saturdays, but we have chosen to drive to a competing bagel shop. The bagels are good. No doubt. But the store is a mess. Tables are rarely clean when we come in. And what's worse are the bathrooms. While assisting my 4 year old to the restroom about a month ago, I was shocked by how dirty it was. I gave it a pass. The following week, it was the same story. This time it was worse. We had come in earlier than usual, and there were few patrons. The staff was huddled in the back room. Meanwhile every table was visibly dirty, and our return trip to the restroom was horrific. Sorry, I won't eat in a dirty restaurant. Two years of patronage lost on two consecutive weeks of uncleanliness. PROS: Very tasty, large, fresh bagels. CONS: Dirty. Tables, restrooms..... Service is indifferent.
(1)Galina M.
This place was just taken under NEW MANAGEMENT (I think about 2 weeks ago), so please give it a break! Last time I stopped in the environment had completed changed from what it used to be. The new owner is very friendly and nice and is very eager to build this business basically from the ground up. He plans to refurnish and repaint the whole store, which is pretty sweet; purchase new (bagel making?) equipment and CLEAN the place up REALLY well (we all know how bad it needs to be cleaned) The bagels are wonderful! They're always fresh and puffy and they make their own cream cheese ! It's pretty cool! I know the place needs a lot of improvement since the last owners really ran the place to the ground. It's really sad. But I really think that under this new management it's going to be great! I'm a fan of the Great Amercian Bagel bagels in general since I used to frequent the one in Elk Grove before I moved to the city. But now that I go to this one regularly, I will not give up! So anyway, I say give it another few weeks...the owner told me that their Grand Opening is April 1st so I'm really excited to see the unveiling of a new (cleaner, improved) Great American Bagel! Yum yum!
(5)Ariana G.
I like the variety of bagels here way more than other places. The hours are only until 6PM so it's not for after work that mush as it is lunch and early morning. Good sandwiches and coffee. The service was nice. The place looked clean and comfy.
(4)Keith A.
Was in the mood for a bagel today and I find myself wandering around west lakeview, so it was time for Great American Bagel. There was a ton to choose from, but some of the bagels seemed like too much of a good thing. No big deal really, so I ordered up a sun dried tomato and cheese bagel and got some garlic and herb cream cheese with it. The bagel was pretty good and they were able to hook it all up real fast. I also got it toasted, so the bagel ended up turning into a pizza with cream cheese in the center, definitely a combination I won't start complaining about. I was out of there fast and the prices were pretty good for the more gourmet bagels and they have regular bulk bagels for $1. I definitely want to make my way back and try out a bunch of their sandwiches as well
(3)John R.
This place is right down the street from me, so to be fair, it gets some points just for that. The bagels are good, but the breakfast sandwiches are bland. Overall, a pretty average bagel place.
(4)Nicole H.
I ordered alot of food, and it was "eh" quality. First of the, cream of chicken rice soup. It was good. Ive had much much better tho. The cesar salad, was bad. The dressing was terrible, did not taste like cesar and the lettuce of the salad was five huge leaves that had not been cut at all!! The Chicken Pesto Sandwich was again... "eh". The chicken was good, the bread was good but all it really had on it was red peppers. Would have been much better with other toppings. On the other hand, ive had bagels from here that were great. Hit or Miss? Maybe But im stickin to plain bagels next time!
(3)K S.
BEST bagel place! The bagels are super fresh. The cream cheeses are delicious. The soup, especially the chicken noodle, tastes homemade. The service is GREAT! GAB has been my favorite breakfast / lunch place for the past 5 years.
(5)Lindsay S.
I really like GAB... the people there are super helpful, I think they have a good variety of bagels, and they actually make them throughout the day, and they have good coffee.... and I like it even more because I really dislike the Einstein Bagels on Southport and everything thats great about GAB is whats wrong with Einstein.
(5)Tim G.
I used to love this place. But a change in ownership about a year ago, and a few things have gone downhill. I regularly visited the shop with my kids on Saturdays, but we have chosen to drive to a competing bagel shop. The bagels are good. No doubt. But the store is a mess. Tables are rarely clean when we come in. And what's worse are the bathrooms. While assisting my 4 year old to the restroom about a month ago, I was shocked by how dirty it was. I gave it a pass. The following week, it was the same story. This time it was worse. We had come in earlier than usual, and there were few patrons. The staff was huddled in the back room. Meanwhile every table was visibly dirty, and our return trip to the restroom was horrific. Sorry, I won't eat in a dirty restaurant. Two years of patronage lost on two consecutive weeks of uncleanliness. PROS: Very tasty, large, fresh bagels. CONS: Dirty. Tables, restrooms..... Service is indifferent.
(1)Jenna S.
Regardless of how good their bagels are...the service here lacks something to be desired. Coming in...the counter staff were sitting at a table with a group of what I can only describe as a middle aged singles meet up. I felt like we were disrupting their meeting, and was also treated as if I was unwelcome. When I asked for a recommendation, she pointed at one bagel covered in cheese and bacon. Oh, ok........ That was the extent of their helpful service.
(3)Kristy B.
The bagels are always fresh and tasty, but the bad thing is they don't always have all the different types, because they sell out. The cream cheeses are great, try Salsa, Sun-dried Tomato or Veggie.
(4)Colleen C.
Oh the days of bagel consumption, how I miss thee. :( 1. Parking Lot! Yay. 2. Doggie bagels shaped like bones! (even though my dog only wanted the cream cheese and left a half gnawed, soggy doggy bagel on the floor). 3. All cream cheese is reduced fat. 'Cause seriously, it doesn't taste any different...and it's so much better for us folks! ;) 4. Good, wide selection of scrumptious bagels, bagel sandwiches and anything you can imagine bagle-wise. 5. Friendly workers, usually. 6. Fountain diet coke, hits the spot at 10am on Sunday...mmmmm. Good place, quick, efficient, no frills, good food. $5 min for cc.
(4)Galina M.
This place was just taken under NEW MANAGEMENT (I think about 2 weeks ago), so please give it a break! Last time I stopped in the environment had completed changed from what it used to be. The new owner is very friendly and nice and is very eager to build this business basically from the ground up. He plans to refurnish and repaint the whole store, which is pretty sweet; purchase new (bagel making?) equipment and CLEAN the place up REALLY well (we all know how bad it needs to be cleaned) The bagels are wonderful! They're always fresh and puffy and they make their own cream cheese ! It's pretty cool! I know the place needs a lot of improvement since the last owners really ran the place to the ground. It's really sad. But I really think that under this new management it's going to be great! I'm a fan of the Great Amercian Bagel bagels in general since I used to frequent the one in Elk Grove before I moved to the city. But now that I go to this one regularly, I will not give up! So anyway, I say give it another few weeks...the owner told me that their Grand Opening is April 1st so I'm really excited to see the unveiling of a new (cleaner, improved) Great American Bagel! Yum yum!
(5)Ariana G.
I like the variety of bagels here way more than other places. The hours are only until 6PM so it's not for after work that mush as it is lunch and early morning. Good sandwiches and coffee. The service was nice. The place looked clean and comfy.
(4)Jessica G.
For the longest time I have been boycotting this place on principle, because of the "Joey's Brickhouse Vs. GAB Parking Scandal Fiasco". (If you don't know the story, the folk at Bagel were being very nasty and having Joey's customer's who parked in their lot towed - there is a whole backstory!) However, today I needed bagels, and since Yelp mentioned they had new ownership, I stopped in. The gentleman at the counter was VERY nice and explained that they (the new ownership) is on very good terms with Joey and there is no longer a giant hoopla going on, although the landlord got so fedup with the whole thing that they still can't allow Joey's customers to park there. Anywho, the bagels were GREAT and a great deal - $13 for a dozen bagels with all of the fixin's - cream cheeses, plates, knives, napkins, etc all in a to-go box for folk on the run! I'll most definitely be back, especially now that I know the insane old owners are gone.
(5)Roxanna T.
I pray to the God of bagels that this place never closes. Coming here has been a weekly ritual for my boyfriend and I since I moved to the area. They are always busy, which I'm happy to see. I get the turkey club on cheddar and herb and he gets bacon egg and American cheese on jalapeño cheddar almost every time. Then we split half of each. Always heavenly. Their super bagels are super yummy and seasonals always hit the spot. I don't know what I'm going to do when i move to the west side in a couple of months. If there was a GAB closer to work, it'd be a GAB trifecta day, every day.
(5)Jason R.
Really crappy coffee! Horrible atmosphere, like a Wendy's built in 1989- very plastic and awkward, and bad wallpaper. Great house-made bagels.
(2)Tony B.
Oh, shit. This doesn't look good. Check out the photos from April 9, 2010.
(4)Annie S.
**UPDATE** The Great American Bagel has changed management and it is SO much better now! The place has really cleaned up and it is TOTALLY different than how it was before. I know there have been bad reviews but seriously, give it another chance. I love this store because every bagel is made fresh every single morning. It's not day old crap that you can find at other bagel stores. They have an amazing selection of bagels and you can find almost anything that you would want - even french toast bagels... those are my favorite!! Also, they give MASSIVE portions of cream cheese with the bagel and if you don't like that (because I don't) then tell them to put the cc on the side. They are very generous. They also make awesome sandwiches with tons of fresh meat and veggies. I love their turkey sandwiches on whole wheat bagel-- SO good! The workers here area friendly and make everything fast. Also, the $5 minimum purchase for credit cards does NOT exist anymore! I'm always embarrassed when I used my card for $1 purchases but hey, I hardly ever have cash on me. I really love this place and you should come here to get your bagels and/or sandwiches!
(5)Kristin V.
Love GAB...go there almost every weekend for breakfast bagels. Service has always been great too. Was saddened to discover it was shut down. Why? And when will you reopen?
(5)Kate B.
I have had a few very disappointing experiences at this place. First off, i think that they are quite pricey for what you get. The coffee is just so-so. And when I placed an order for catering, they were ill prepared and forget necessary items for simple things like a to-go box of coffee, they didn't even give me cups, sugar, cream, etc. When I drove back for the cups, they were not concerned about the mistake. Ugh. I will elsewhere from now on.
(1)Morgan G.
This bagel place is fantastic! There is always parking in the convenient lot located right out front, the employees are always extremely nice, and they create wonderful bagels, sandwiches, anything! They're also very fast, and you'll get much more for your money than if you go to Einsteins. Go to this place!
(5)Katie G.
I went on a crowded Sunday, and after I picked out my bagels I asked to have them sliced and the guy behind the counter had so much attitude! It was my first time there, but the guy lectured me about how I should have told them before I picked out my bagels that I wanted them sliced. Weird! The freshness of their bagels completely makes up for the rudeness of the staff. I've never tasted a bagel so fresh and delicious! Get the french toast bagel you won't be disappointed!! Sadly when I got home I noticed they forgot one bagel, maybe it was because I had a free belly bite for a half dozen? Go next door to the fish market and they have fresh lox which are amazing!
(4)Brian S.
Evrerything here is okay. The product, the staff and the atmosphere. I was happy and enjoyed my bagel. Bo5hing special but sometimes simple is better. Grab a toasted spinach bahel with veggie cream cheese and a tomato! The pepperoni bagel is a tasty lunch alternative and if you like it a bit spicy order a jalapeño version.
(4)Jenn K.
I work near Great American Bagel, so I'll stop in sometimes for some grub. Bagels are great - my favorite is the cheese herb bagel (or whatever) with garlic herb spread. It's the perfect morning garlicky kick-in-the-mouth. I'm also that annoying customer who asks for iced coffee in the dead of winter, and they always will accommodate me. The sandwiches are great, too. My favorite part of coming in is the staff. They're so friendly and talkative and always put a smile on my face!
(4)Chas S.
Great American makes good bagels, always fresh, and on Wed you can get a baker's dozen for about $6 bucks. I bring these to the office and what a hit, great variety to make everyone happy. Seen a few different managements over the years, the current crop is friendly and nice. Their chicken salad is pretty good, esp on an onion bagel, makes a great lunch.
(4)Keith A.
Was in the mood for a bagel today and I find myself wandering around west lakeview, so it was time for Great American Bagel. There was a ton to choose from, but some of the bagels seemed like too much of a good thing. No big deal really, so I ordered up a sun dried tomato and cheese bagel and got some garlic and herb cream cheese with it. The bagel was pretty good and they were able to hook it all up real fast. I also got it toasted, so the bagel ended up turning into a pizza with cream cheese in the center, definitely a combination I won't start complaining about. I was out of there fast and the prices were pretty good for the more gourmet bagels and they have regular bulk bagels for $1. I definitely want to make my way back and try out a bunch of their sandwiches as well
(3)John R.
This place is right down the street from me, so to be fair, it gets some points just for that. The bagels are good, but the breakfast sandwiches are bland. Overall, a pretty average bagel place.
(4)Nicole H.
I ordered alot of food, and it was "eh" quality. First of the, cream of chicken rice soup. It was good. Ive had much much better tho. The cesar salad, was bad. The dressing was terrible, did not taste like cesar and the lettuce of the salad was five huge leaves that had not been cut at all!! The Chicken Pesto Sandwich was again... "eh". The chicken was good, the bread was good but all it really had on it was red peppers. Would have been much better with other toppings. On the other hand, ive had bagels from here that were great. Hit or Miss? Maybe But im stickin to plain bagels next time!
(3)K S.
BEST bagel place! The bagels are super fresh. The cream cheeses are delicious. The soup, especially the chicken noodle, tastes homemade. The service is GREAT! GAB has been my favorite breakfast / lunch place for the past 5 years.
(5)Lindsay S.
I really like GAB... the people there are super helpful, I think they have a good variety of bagels, and they actually make them throughout the day, and they have good coffee.... and I like it even more because I really dislike the Einstein Bagels on Southport and everything thats great about GAB is whats wrong with Einstein.
(5)Zack P.
One of my most favorite take out places in Chicago! Just don't be timid when ordering, you need to be assertive as there doesn't appear to be an official line to order.
(5)Hollina U.
I ordered catering from here on Wednesday for work. I was getting pissed because the order was supposed to be there from 8-8:30, but didn't arrive until 8:48, and our meeting was supposed to start at 8:30 and I was getting anxious. Anyway, the meeting didn't start until 9:00 or so, so I didn't get grilled on where the food for, which made me less angry. The delivery guy said there was traffic and one of the guys called in sick, so I guess I can't really be mad with them. I was so ready to write a bad review... But then I bit into one of the bagels.... and then lost all my irritation. These bagels are soooo good! I like them WAY better than Einstein's, WAY more than Corner Bakery bagels, more than Panera bagels, and... more than NYC Bagel Deli bagels. You could easily tell it was made fresh that morning. It was so soft on the inside and when toasted the bagel was HEAVEN. I really like the asiago cheese--- plus my coworkers kept on commenting how something smelled really good and were really surprised when I said it was just a bagel toasting-- they're like is it really just a bagel toasting?? The jalapeno cheese is good too. I might have to try their sandwiches or super bagels next time... man now I really want a bagel.
(4)Roseann M.
It's not all about bagels at the Great American Bagel. Yes, they have a big selection. I've had the whole wheat, cinnamon raisin, asiago cheese, tomazzo, cheese, and onion. They're all good, in their own way. How could they not be? They're fresh, chewy, and filling. Slap on any of a wide variety of cream cheeses, add coffee or juice, and you've got a meal. I'm usually here for a sandwich in the afternoon. I work nearby, and on a long day, I dash over to Great American Bagel for a vegetarian sandwich. Yes, I am addicted to this sandwich. A choice of cheese, lettuce, tomato, green pepper, carrot, and baby, that's a whole meal. Add a cup of coffee, and I'm good to go till the late evening. Recently I had the grilled cheese Panini, and that was a mistake. It was so hot, the cheese actually ran like liquid. I didn't get much cheese texture, and it was more like toasted bread. Fail. I only try the vegetarian sandwiches, so I can't rate those sandwiches that contain slices of dead animals. Yuck. There is a parking lot in front, which usually isn't terribly crazy. The other businesses in this little strip mall don't get as much traffic as the GAB. GAB also offers free Wi-Fi, and I've taken advantage of that lately. It's been a great help. Two small complaints, though. You can get a "frequent flyer" type card for the sandwiches. I used that a couple times for the vegetarian sandwich, until the occasion when a manager was there and said, oh no, you can't get that deal with the vegetarian sandwich. What gives? That sandwich costs less than the sandwiches with dead stuff on them. Still I keep going. However, last weekend, a co-worker said, oh no, that's wrong. She uses the frequent flyer card all the time for the vegetarian sandwich. She thinks it just depends on who's working. Again -- what gives? I'm there so much, the staff recognizes me. How about some consistency, GAB? And some fairness? They close at 3:00pm on Sunday. Could you please be open another half hour? Or an hour? I have to scramble to get there before close, and sometimes I don't make it. Yes, I keep going, even though I don't get the Frequent Flyer card and others do. Gggrrrrrr. . . . I like the sandwich that much. Writing this is making me hungry. I'll probably be at GAB again this weekend.
(4)Susan F.
Their bagels are packed with flavor, and they're big too, unlike Einstein. They pack on the cream cheese and they have a ton of flavors. I like the jalapeño cheddar. (See my pic) You can also purchase tubs of it. MMM tubs o' cream. They have a lot of sandwiches for a mid afternoon lunch but I haven't tried them out yet. Their coffee is fine, they have flavors like regular, hazelnut, french vanilla, and flavored creamers too which is a plus! No soy milk, I don't think. I really dig how they don't skimp on the goods here, and they're super friendly. I'm a fan! They have Belly, so I might start using that to get some deals since they are across the street from my new place.
(5)Wendy G.
Nice friendly customer service. Much appreciated in the morning! Smells great and bagels are fresh and delicious.
(5)daniel c.
The staff is friendly and helpful and there are many cream cheese flavors to choose from. The bagels, however, are terrible. I'm not sure one could even call them bagels, as they seem to be just bread. After two tries, one bad sandwich and one bad half dozen, I won't be going back.
(2)Michael S.
Very friendly staff. Delicious bagels. I will definitely come here again! The French roast bagel they sell is phenomenal. If you live French toast, you really have to come here and try it.
(5)jen a.
Ordered takeout from them for the first time. Ordered bagels and cream cheese. They forgot the cream cheese. Seems like a tough thing to screw up. Not helpful when I called. Won't order again.
(1)Anne M.
Need to get your bagel carb-load on? Head to The GAB. There you will find an assortment of fresh bagel goodness and a full menu of yummy (breakfast and lunch/dinner) sandwich options. The asiago bagel : SO GOOD.
(5)Annette I.
My bagel and coffee cost me $140 after my car was booted in their parking lot! When I went in to ask what the deal was the guy behind the counter said what do I care about your $2 bagel/coffee when I just got $140.....total scam and nothing I could do until their guy unbooted my car....they said they saw me leave their parking lot and that gives them the right to charge $140 for parking. Hmmmm.
(1)James K.
I got a egg and cheese sandwich and was shocked to see the egg cooked in a microwave in a plastic cup of all things. Within a five minutes walk theres several other places you can get a breakfast sandwich made the proper way.
(2)Steph U.
This place was just alright. I got a breakfast bagel and honestly, I could have made it at home myself. I got it on an everything bagel and it was super salty, which was disappointing. They charge extra for meat too, which seemed kind of unnecessary. I don't think i'll be back.
(2)Leanne A.
American is the key word here. These bagels are more like small loaves of bread stuffed with everything you can fit in there. Breakfast sandwiches, one of my favorite food categories, are microwaved here. I really prefer griddle-made brekkie sandwiches. However, the bagels are definitely guilty pleasures. Sometimes my coworker brings them in and we split them in to quarters (they're honestly huge) and we eat them all day. The jalapeno one is stuffed full of jalapenos, and there's a pizza-y one that's messy and tomatoey, and the sweet ones are like cupcakes in bagel form. They must each have about 600 calories. It's a chewy treat, but when it comes to bagels I like thinner.
(3)Amy V.
I love the bagels here! They are always so soft and delicious. My favorite is the jalapeño cheddar bagel with cucumber cream cheese. It reminds me of eating a jalapeño popper for breakfast. I also love this place because they donate bagels to good causes at the end of shift for non-profits. Makes everything more delicious!
(5)Lauren B.
Love the food but giving 2 stars as the darker skinned guy behind the counter when I am there (11-1pm) is always a jerk. He doesn't seem to care about anything and has made rude and snide remarks and body language. Not the kind of person you want as the face of your company when dealing with this community. This guy always acts like it is a huge inconvience for him to get your order. One day I came in to get a bagel bone for my dog and was checking in on Belly before my phone died. He says "we only let people buying things check in" I told him I come here all the time and I am buying something l. I wanted to check in before my phone died because he was in the back messing around and not up front working as he should've been so the wait was getting ridiculous. I want to love this place but please get some more pleasant workers or tell the ones there to sharpen up and pretend like they like their jobs. This place pisses me off everytime I go in because of rudeness and laziness. Today will be my last time. Again, guy rolled his eyes when I told him I was deciding what to get (there was no line) and was not anywhere near being described as nice. Tired of the terrible service.
(2)Steven L.
I get bagels from these guys about once a week. Their bagels are far better than Chicago's mediocre standard - Einsteins. Wide selection of good soft bagels. The staff is also really great.
(5)Robin R.
Their bagels are seriously amaze! Likely to develop a breakfast addiction, not to mention the staff is SO NICE!!!! My fav.
(5)Jessica V.
So many choices how can I just chooo choo choose one!? I have never been here but I was looking for a breakfast sandwich and decided to come here because they have a parking lot & they sounded good. What an odd combination I know. Anyways, the place was clean and organized. There was a guy behind the counter who was extremely helpful and picked out some sandwich choices for me! I got the Spanish Omelet Bagel & the Asiago Sandwich. The asiago came on an asiago bagel ... dur w/ BIG slices of turkey, Swiss, eggs & roasted tomatoes. The Spanish came on a onion looking bagel with pepper jack cheese, sausage, egg, green and red peppers, and a side of salsa. The sandwiches at The Great American Bagel do not disappoint. They are ginormous & filling. I also grabbed a large coffee and orange juice. Everything was delish and I am so happy I stopped into this location. Other things that make me want to come back: - Lunch Sandwiches sound awesome - Plenty of bagel choices - Plenty of bagel spread options - && I would love to see the bagel making machine in action because when I came it was not turned on womp womp! I posted my gooey sandwich pictures for you to drool over ;)
(5)Lauren F.
Fresh bagels in a wide variety, an endless cream cheese assortment, fast service...I'm always happy when I leave GAB! Try the Asiago cheese bagel...yummm!
(4)cynthia c.
We tried whole wheat bagels recently on a Belly deal and thought we'd be back-- solid bagels and easy parking. However, I'm writing this review because we came back sooner than we expected. We were going to Theater Wit across the street, and I started to feel unwell (I am diabetic)). We popped in to try to get something suitable to eat just as they were closing, and the staff could not have been more accommodating about getting me what I needed (a component of a sandwich). We sincerely appreciate it, and will be back for bagels! Thanks so much for being so nice and helpful.
(5)Emily D.
great!
(5)D P.
Freshly made bagels You can watch the being made unlike CBA or Einstein (whose bagels are frozen). 1/3 the price of the competition. Parking. Great service. Rewards program. I never understand why it's not more crowded. Maybe I am there too early or their location is tucked back off the street. I go there several times a week and am never disappointed. Great coffee with free refills too!
(5)Brian D.
We were looking for a quick bite to eat at 3pm on a Saturday and figured we'd try this place out. When I got close enough to see inside, I wasn't sure if they were open because they were stacking the chairs upside-down on the tables (usually a sign that the place is closed)... nope, they didn't close until 5pm and the guy waved me inside. I ordered a turkey sandwich bagel which was about as average as you could imagine... nothing special at all. The place smelled bad and there was a lot of obvious water damage on the ceiling panels that made the place look like a dump. I will not return, the city has much better bagel shops than this place.
(1)Tim G.
I used to love this place. But a change in ownership about a year ago, and a few things have gone downhill. I regularly visited the shop with my kids on Saturdays, but we have chosen to drive to a competing bagel shop. The bagels are good. No doubt. But the store is a mess. Tables are rarely clean when we come in. And what's worse are the bathrooms. While assisting my 4 year old to the restroom about a month ago, I was shocked by how dirty it was. I gave it a pass. The following week, it was the same story. This time it was worse. We had come in earlier than usual, and there were few patrons. The staff was huddled in the back room. Meanwhile every table was visibly dirty, and our return trip to the restroom was horrific. Sorry, I won't eat in a dirty restaurant. Two years of patronage lost on two consecutive weeks of uncleanliness. PROS: Very tasty, large, fresh bagels. CONS: Dirty. Tables, restrooms..... Service is indifferent.
(1)Jenna S.
Regardless of how good their bagels are...the service here lacks something to be desired. Coming in...the counter staff were sitting at a table with a group of what I can only describe as a middle aged singles meet up. I felt like we were disrupting their meeting, and was also treated as if I was unwelcome. When I asked for a recommendation, she pointed at one bagel covered in cheese and bacon. Oh, ok........ That was the extent of their helpful service.
(3)Galina M.
This place was just taken under NEW MANAGEMENT (I think about 2 weeks ago), so please give it a break! Last time I stopped in the environment had completed changed from what it used to be. The new owner is very friendly and nice and is very eager to build this business basically from the ground up. He plans to refurnish and repaint the whole store, which is pretty sweet; purchase new (bagel making?) equipment and CLEAN the place up REALLY well (we all know how bad it needs to be cleaned) The bagels are wonderful! They're always fresh and puffy and they make their own cream cheese ! It's pretty cool! I know the place needs a lot of improvement since the last owners really ran the place to the ground. It's really sad. But I really think that under this new management it's going to be great! I'm a fan of the Great Amercian Bagel bagels in general since I used to frequent the one in Elk Grove before I moved to the city. But now that I go to this one regularly, I will not give up! So anyway, I say give it another few weeks...the owner told me that their Grand Opening is April 1st so I'm really excited to see the unveiling of a new (cleaner, improved) Great American Bagel! Yum yum!
(5)Ariana G.
I like the variety of bagels here way more than other places. The hours are only until 6PM so it's not for after work that mush as it is lunch and early morning. Good sandwiches and coffee. The service was nice. The place looked clean and comfy.
(4)Jessica G.
For the longest time I have been boycotting this place on principle, because of the "Joey's Brickhouse Vs. GAB Parking Scandal Fiasco". (If you don't know the story, the folk at Bagel were being very nasty and having Joey's customer's who parked in their lot towed - there is a whole backstory!) However, today I needed bagels, and since Yelp mentioned they had new ownership, I stopped in. The gentleman at the counter was VERY nice and explained that they (the new ownership) is on very good terms with Joey and there is no longer a giant hoopla going on, although the landlord got so fedup with the whole thing that they still can't allow Joey's customers to park there. Anywho, the bagels were GREAT and a great deal - $13 for a dozen bagels with all of the fixin's - cream cheeses, plates, knives, napkins, etc all in a to-go box for folk on the run! I'll most definitely be back, especially now that I know the insane old owners are gone.
(5)Roxanna T.
I pray to the God of bagels that this place never closes. Coming here has been a weekly ritual for my boyfriend and I since I moved to the area. They are always busy, which I'm happy to see. I get the turkey club on cheddar and herb and he gets bacon egg and American cheese on jalapeño cheddar almost every time. Then we split half of each. Always heavenly. Their super bagels are super yummy and seasonals always hit the spot. I don't know what I'm going to do when i move to the west side in a couple of months. If there was a GAB closer to work, it'd be a GAB trifecta day, every day.
(5)Jason R.
Really crappy coffee! Horrible atmosphere, like a Wendy's built in 1989- very plastic and awkward, and bad wallpaper. Great house-made bagels.
(2)Kristy B.
The bagels are always fresh and tasty, but the bad thing is they don't always have all the different types, because they sell out. The cream cheeses are great, try Salsa, Sun-dried Tomato or Veggie.
(4)Tony B.
Oh, shit. This doesn't look good. Check out the photos from April 9, 2010.
(4)Colleen C.
Oh the days of bagel consumption, how I miss thee. :( 1. Parking Lot! Yay. 2. Doggie bagels shaped like bones! (even though my dog only wanted the cream cheese and left a half gnawed, soggy doggy bagel on the floor). 3. All cream cheese is reduced fat. 'Cause seriously, it doesn't taste any different...and it's so much better for us folks! ;) 4. Good, wide selection of scrumptious bagels, bagel sandwiches and anything you can imagine bagle-wise. 5. Friendly workers, usually. 6. Fountain diet coke, hits the spot at 10am on Sunday...mmmmm. Good place, quick, efficient, no frills, good food. $5 min for cc.
(4)Danny M.
Correction - the economy has hit GAB. They now charge for extra cream cheese. Boo!
(3)Liz P.
Why are there not more reviews of this awesome place? The bagels are huge and super fresh. The sandwiches are simple but good and filling. The employees are super friendly. What more could you want in a bagel place?! Don't step foot into a chain bagel place where everything is mediocre. A GABC, you'll get perfection!
(5)Chris R.
We just moved here and GAB is about a 1 minute walk away so I had to try them. I like their bagel's alot and it is nice to buy them from a small business owner versus a chain. Bagel's are excellent and the staff is friendly as well. I prefer my bagels left whole but enjoying turning them into a breakfast sandwich (egg, ham, etc..) in my own kitchen. The Wednesday special is a great deal as well, a dozen Bagels after tax for $6.65.
(4)Sixto M.
I do not consider myself a bagel expert, but this place has really turned me on to bagels! After reading some previous reviews about the dirtiness of this place, I'm thankful I only first started coming here a couple of weeks ago. The place is very cute, clean, and great! The first time I went in, I admitted to one of their staff that I didn't know anything about them, and he was very friendly and explained everything to me. Most of their bagels are $0.99 with cream cheese bringing the total to $2.42 for a bagel. They have bagel sandwhiches and other options, but I'm a graduate student, so I need to save money where I can. I LOVED the french toast bagel and the apple cinammon bagel. I also enjoyed the salsa cream cheese, and the apple cream cheese. Be sure to stop by on a Wednesday for a great deal: 13 bagels for 5.99! There's also free wireless internet, and sometimes they have tables on their sidewalk. So if you're in the mood for a toasted bagel with homemade cream cheese for under 3 dollars, check this place out! I'm sure I'll be making plenty of visit there...especially on Wednesdays!
(4)Jay C.
Shortcuts are going to put this location out of Business. A.) If you microwave bread/bagels it gets soggy and gross. Use the Convection Oven that are working and takes only 45 seconds longer B.) Slow service, even when using the microwave at off hours. C.) CBA down the street is way better.
(1)Dianne D.
I'm not a fan of Great American Bagel for two reasons.. 1) They call them bagels?!?! I call them rubbery pieces of dough with a hole in them. They are terrible! 2) The place is always dirty. The back counter where they prepare the sandwich's looks like they are cleaned once every 5 hrs.. The floors have crap all over them.. the trash is overflowing half the time..the place smells. I would not recommend this place to anyone... And like a previous reviewer of this establishment, I live a block away and i still drive to Sheffield/North for NYC Bagel- now that's a real bagel..
(1)Annie S.
**UPDATE** The Great American Bagel has changed management and it is SO much better now! The place has really cleaned up and it is TOTALLY different than how it was before. I know there have been bad reviews but seriously, give it another chance. I love this store because every bagel is made fresh every single morning. It's not day old crap that you can find at other bagel stores. They have an amazing selection of bagels and you can find almost anything that you would want - even french toast bagels... those are my favorite!! Also, they give MASSIVE portions of cream cheese with the bagel and if you don't like that (because I don't) then tell them to put the cc on the side. They are very generous. They also make awesome sandwiches with tons of fresh meat and veggies. I love their turkey sandwiches on whole wheat bagel-- SO good! The workers here area friendly and make everything fast. Also, the $5 minimum purchase for credit cards does NOT exist anymore! I'm always embarrassed when I used my card for $1 purchases but hey, I hardly ever have cash on me. I really love this place and you should come here to get your bagels and/or sandwiches!
(5)Kristin V.
Love GAB...go there almost every weekend for breakfast bagels. Service has always been great too. Was saddened to discover it was shut down. Why? And when will you reopen?
(5)Kate B.
I have had a few very disappointing experiences at this place. First off, i think that they are quite pricey for what you get. The coffee is just so-so. And when I placed an order for catering, they were ill prepared and forget necessary items for simple things like a to-go box of coffee, they didn't even give me cups, sugar, cream, etc. When I drove back for the cups, they were not concerned about the mistake. Ugh. I will elsewhere from now on.
(1)Morgan G.
This bagel place is fantastic! There is always parking in the convenient lot located right out front, the employees are always extremely nice, and they create wonderful bagels, sandwiches, anything! They're also very fast, and you'll get much more for your money than if you go to Einsteins. Go to this place!
(5)D S.
The NEW American Bagel is great... I have lived around the block from this place for 3 years and stopped going because of the old owner and staff. My main reason was every time I went in there, I would order the same thing and depending who rang me up I would get charged different prices. Anyway, when I saw it was under new management I figured why not give it another try, and I was glad I did. The new owner and staff are very polite, the place is spotless, and the food is great. It is amazing how much proper management can affect a business. My favorite is the everything bagel toasted with butter and melted cheese. I would recommend this place to everyone.
(5)Jamie C.
This place is disgusting! I'm a huge fan of Great American Bagel. When I lived in the burbs, I went there every morning. My addiction was so bad, the workers saw me in the parking lot and had my order waiting for me. I was so excited when I moved to the city and saw a Great American Bagel. Unfortunately, I was very disappointed with this location. It's dirty. You walk in and are overpowered by this funky smell. When I got my bagel, it tasted like cleaning fluid. Even after my first horrible experience, I still decided to give it another chance. I can't say things were better.
(1)martini g.
Ok, so I was very scared when I read past reviews, especially considering I had just placed a big breakfast order for delivery!! I wanted to say thank you to an office that is on Webster/Southport, so I started calling bagel shops around the area. Einstein bagels was the closest but they were so unhelpful over the phone and she wanted $10 for delivery (look at it on the map, it's practically across the street). Chicago bagel authority and NYC bagel only do large orders. I don't like Dunkin Donuts yucky cream cheese. I was about to give up and gave Great American Bagel a call. Joe was FABULOUS. He put together a package deal and said he could have it delivered in 20 minutes, and the delivery charge was only $3.00!! The whole transaction took about 3 minutes and I wish I had called him first, but on second thought, it's probably great that I called him last so I could see how great his service was. Hoping all the reviews about how the place has changed since new mgmt took over are right and the bagels taste as good as the service was. Update -- talked to the recipients of the delivery and they said it was great!! Also, I realized I forgot to get my receipt in all the chaos of getting the order done, so I called this morning. Joe was not there, and the phone was answered by a very nice lady named Elisa, who showed the same great customer service I got yesterday! I'm definitely going to visit there in person!
(4)Nicholas W.
Homemade bagels done right. Mmmmmmmmm
(5)Michelle B.
They have re-opened! :-) Can't wait to go diving after that Tomazzo Bagel again! :-D
(5)Steve J.
A few things worth mentioning: - The everything bagel has just the right amount of salt on it. The salt is a crucial element of the everything that a lot of establishments leave out. - The veggie cream cheese may look bad, but it's really rather tasty. - The Tomato Cream Dream is a fantastic sandwich, even if it's just a bagel with cream cheese and a few veggies. - I think the Tomazzo bagel is disgusting. Prove me wrong, Yelp.
(4)Meredith H.
i can't believe i've waited this long to review GAB!!! my bf lives very close to GAB, so we find ourselves there at least once a weekend. joe, the owner, is a very friendly, generous person and is SO patient with the teenagers that work for him. kudos to him for hiring kids and teaching them with such kindness. i would want to freak out on them for not listening/being slow/etc but he is always calm and encouraging to them. every bagel in here is great. our favorites are the bagel sandwiches - turkey w/ veggie cream cheese, cukes, lettuce, tomato on poppyseed is THE BEST. it is delicious and i tell myself if it's nutritious too ha! it's a little pricey to get a bagel sandwich and a medium fountain drink, but it's worth the service and convenience. i've found the fresh fruit salads to be very tasty year round as well. all in all, a great place for a breakfast/lunch/brunch bagel and drink!
(5)Kathy L.
i love this place. seriously, how can you not like this place? the bagels aren't that expensive, but they're the perfect consistency...light and fluffy. i don't like dense bagels because they make you feel super full and gross for the rest of the day. however, these are awesome and they fill you up without getting you down. the coffee is good. the service is good. the bagels are GREAT. i guess they got the name right...the GREAT american bagel. try it out, especially if you live around the area, its definitely worth a try.
(4)Kathleen C.
Not sure why, but I love this place. My boyfriend says it is the worst food ever but I have never had any complaints other than the diet coke in the fountain soda needing to be fixed. My favorite order: toasted seasame with veggie cream cheese. Yum!
(4)ER S.
These are some of the worst bagels I've ever had. I live a block away and we drive to NYC Bagel! We used to go out of laziness alone. The texture of the bagels is all wrong (too bready, not chewy or crisp enough). And the coffee often tastes bad... like they forgot to clean out the coffee maker. And several times the milk for coffee has been sour. Gross.
(1)Christine J.
I'm a bagel purist and don't toast my bagels. This is definitely a place that has tasty no-need-to-toast bagels. So soft and chewy and a great variety of flavors. My favorite is the cheddar jalapeno. I love the to-go boxes and that they provide small plates, napkins, and knives.
(4)Jessica M.
Update: **CLOSED** by the Board of Health. I am really surprised how much business this place gets. It's always dirty, the employees are barely tolerant of customers and the last time I ate something from there my chocolate chip bagel tasted like a mixture of onions and the smell inside Great American Bagel. Gross.
(1)P S.
If cleanliness is any sort of indicator in terms of how a restaurant is run, then avoid this place. It's a holy mess in there and the employees appear to wish they were anywhere else - and treat your food the same way. I was actually a little nervous eating my toasted bagel with cream chese, hoping I didn't come across a hair or a bug.
(1)Big Z.
Went here for Breakfast the other day and had a jalapeno bagel w/ egg and cheese. I thought the meal was good and reasonably priced but nothing unbelievable. Overall enjoyed my experience and will be back again.
(4)Kitty G.
I used to like this place, but will never return after my last visit. There was a hair in my eggs! I told the waitress and she looked and said "I don't see one". Totally not the point! I don't need to know whether you see it or not - I DO! She took it away and then proceeded to have the cook make me more. When I got wind of this I told her that I did not want a new plate. She said "well you should have told me". That was the straw. Too much attitude. I should have been asked if there was anything else I'd like to have BEFORE a new plate was being prepared for me. It's called customer service.
(1)Joe U.
Since the city of Chicago severely lacks neighborhood jewish delis that serve bagels, this is the next best alternative. Lox bagel w/everything with cucumber cream chese is a great treat, if not somewhat pricey; it kills Einstein's any day. Yes the decor stinks and the employees are a little spacey, but the bagels are high quality and very tasty.
(4)Rocky B.
Love the variety of bagels they have at Great American Bagel. The pizza bagel is so good oo and their jalapeno cheese bagel...delish! They also have a variety of not so run of the mill cream cheeses and their flavored coffees are super yummy. Wish I still worked in the area so I could come here more often but I guess it's better for my figure that I don't.
(3)Doug S.
I need to go back again to make up my mind, but my first experience with this place was sub-par. I had been by it thousands of times and had eaten at one 5 years ago. I had some Tomazzo (pizza bagel) melt with provolone, roasted red peppers, onions, and spinach. It had absolutely no taste. I am not kidding. Tasted like I was eating a hot tire. I thought that it would be toasted or something, but I came right out of the microwave. The rold gold pretzels were good, but I can't give GAB any credit for that, can I?
(2)jenna p.
This is my absolute favorite place to get my breakfast. Sometimes I don't eat my breakfast until around 3 or 5:00 in the afternoon and they have really terrible hours. They only seem to be open at 10 in the morning and they don't have hours posted outside so it's always a gamble when I decide to make the whole 2 block excursion to see if they're open. They have sooo many delicious flavors to choose from! My favorites: everything bagel with regular cream cheese, sesame seed bagel with strawberry cream cheese and the everything bagel as a ham and cheese sandwhich. Delicious! They also have doggie bagels in the shape of bones which I always buy for the puppy. Although he doesn't seem to like them alot, I still think it's fun to pick something up for the dog while I'm at a resturaunt. I just hope I wasn't lucky enough to get a chocolate milk the morning after Jewlia K turned the refrigerators off.
(4)