Owen’s Bagel & Deli

Gotta get your bagel double steamed. Trust me. If the pimento cheese grits are still a special they are a must.

Well I finally got to try Owen’s yesterday and I have to say it was pretty good. I’m usually in this area whenever I go to the dentist or get my hair done and failed to realize how close it was to both of those places for me! Owen’s is tucked away in the same strip as the Polished nail salon — right across the street from Atherton. All this time and I never paid attention!
I got to Owen’s around 9:45 on a Saturday morning and was expecting to be met with a long line but thankfully it was not the case. I placed my order for a standard bacon & egg (no cheese please!) on an everything, a plain bagel (not toasted, only sliced), and coffee. For those three items, my total came to $ 9.36 which I found slightly ridiculous but whatevs. For the price, I didn’t like the fact that there’s only two coffee choices — decaf or regular. No flavored coffees to choose from but there’s a slew of flavored creamers and half and half cups and sugars.
Once you place your order, you move over to the side to wait until your number is called out. Even though there was a good amount of people working behind the counter and not too busy, myself and others still had to wait a bit for our orders to be called. As I waited, I saw that they started to get busier and the line to place an order was getting longer. Once my number was called, I was very hungry and eager to jump right into my sandwich. I could feel the heat from the sandwich through the bag. And that sucker was HOT! like fresh out of the steamer hot. The bagel was nice and chewy but the everything bagel flavor was very underwhelming.
I’m looking forward to going back and trying one of their signature sandwich creations just so I can really get a taste of an authentic Owen’s bagel sandwich experience.

Try number two — I got a message from Ashley, the owner, after my first review asking me to please give them another shot. I came in last week, weekday morning and they were dead. It was probably about 7:30am? When I walked in, the lady behind the desk was on her phone, but she greeted me. It took me a while to figure out what I wanted, but she was patient and kept checking in on me to see if I was ready. I eventually made a build your own — I told you in the last review that I’m a little bit of a bagel and egg snob. I asked for a *toasted* not steamed bagel, with bacon, egg whites, cheese and avocado. She didn’t say much until she gave me my bagel — then she told me that it was going to be a good sandwich and called me honey. A glimmer of friendliness! Yay! The sandwich was good, she was right. Unfortunately, with my bagel, bottle of water and coffee the total was over $ 10. But it was good food. Avocado seemed fresh, egg whites were good. I’ll probably be back for a bagel, but I’ll have to figure out what I like on the menu. Maybe eventually I’ll get into the steamed thing? Unilocalers, maybe we could all go and get some bagels. :)

Absolutely LOVE Owens bagels!!! Being a northern girl in the south I have to have a go-​to bagel place and this little gem in South End is my place ! Love the laid back ambience and the funny/​quirky names of their bagel sandwiches. You can order the sandwiches «as-​is» or build your own. I also love all the amazing flavored cream cheeses; they always have their creative constants like bacon ranch and jalapeño but they also will sometimes throw in another wacky seasonal to see how it’s liked. My stand-​by recipe is the Mama Cs lox with jalapeño on everything I definitely recommend it if you want something filling, with a good balance of breakfast and lunch. My boyfriends go-​to is the Grubby Bubby or the pimento BLT — both are AWESOME and I always have to steal a bite. Or two. Great place, great bagels — efficient service whether busy or slow, check this spot out if you haven’t !!!

I was finally able to try Owen’s for the first time today, and the visit was a mix of good and bad.
The good: the quality of the food was solid. I ordered Mary’s gubby bubby, and the bagel was excellent. It was perfectly steamed and still somewhat soft despite being a denser type of bread. The other ingredients were fresh too, but the bagel really shined.
The bad: it took almost 15 minutes to get my bagel. It wasn’t unusually busy and the workers seemed to be going pretty quickly but it was a bit slower than I expected. The taste of the bagel was good but nothing really stood out as outstanding, either. The eggs seemed microwaved or re-​warmed and other than the bagel, nothing impressed me. My biggest complaint: the size/​price. The bagel sandwich I got was tiny — much smaller than bagels from other bakeries or even what you would get from the supermarket. It was fairly tasty, but for $ 6+ and a 15 minute wait, I would expect a much larger bagel.
Overall, the bagel impressed me, so I might be willing to come back, but everything else left me pretty disappointed.

On mornings when I’m struggling from the night before or when I need to fuel up for a big day ahead, I’m all about Owen’s.
Some people (you know who you are) go for the really inventive sandwiches with crazy names like Nice Piece of Ash. I, however, get a whole wheat bagel with sausage, egg and pepper jack cheese. Simple but just perfect.
Also, get the cheese grits. Just do it.
Make sure you listen for your exact order when it’s busy. There’s nothing worse than getting home and realizing some dude swiped your bagel.

We had to check out all the hype a couple of days ago. I wish I would have known you can call your order in for pick up, the line was gnarly. Luckily, Owen’s is pretty festive with plenty of things to look and read. I ordered the Grubby Bubby on an Everything Bagel and added jalapeño CC (per Unilocaler’s suggestion) while the boyfriend got the Mayberry Captain Midnight. I paid about $ 13 altogether. It took a little to come out since it was crowded, but I appreciate the fact that they call out the orders exactly how they are placed to avoid mix-​ups. The Grubby Bubby came out huge compared to the MCM, the bialy bagel is pretty slim. The chicken salad on the MCM had good flavor but the chicken was overcooked and dry. The Grubby Bubby came out amazing as expected. The added jalapeño cream cheese is so worth it.
I will be back to try out more bagel sandwiches but I’ll be placing my order via phone for easy pick up. Cheers!

I used Owen’s just this week to bring bagels to my co-​workers for a morning meeting. My planning was not exactly perfect as I called at 8:01am and ordered 40 bagels for an 8:30am pickup. Again– not my finest hour.
To give you my backstory– I stop by Owen’s any chance I can (time permitting) when I come uptown. Nothing beats a bagel («Jake Deli Home» personal favorite) and a hot cup of coffee (Snickerdoodle when they have it). My experience has always been 5 star. More often than not Pam is behind the counter and is friendly as can be. But this morning I was ordering for 35 of my friends… and I gave them 29 minutes notice. (#queue the scary music… dum… dum…DUMMMMMMM!!!)
The lady who took my order (can’t remember her name) never once gave me the cliché’ answer of «We need at least an hour’s notice for an order of this size.» Instead she said «No problem! We’ll have them ready at 8:30.» BOOM!!!
I arrived at 8:34 (traffic ya know) to find my bagels/​spreads/​flatware/​napkins all boxed up and ready to go! Did I already say BOOM? Well try this one: #nailedit!
I was in my office and had everything set up before 9:00. The bagels were a big hit. mAdPrOpS to Owen’s!
If you’ve never been you need to give them a try. The menu is classic and not something you’d find at a Panera or an Einstein’s. A non-​commercial really, really, REALLY good place to eat!

I don’t think I’ve ever actually written a love letter, so I guess it’s time to change that.
Dear Owen’s, I love you. I don’t care how long the line is, you are always worth the wait. You make me happy when skies are gray and are the perfect remedy for my worst hangover. I would totally be in a committed Facebook relationship with you. Translation: that’s a huge deal. When you had to temporarily close because a car ran through the wall, I felt like a family member had died.
I discovered Owen’s about ten years or so ago when they first opened. I selfishly wanted to keep it a secret. It’s tucked on the end of the little shopping center on South Blvd next to Polished. Leather and Lace is on the other side of it. Don’t stare directly at it during daylight hours.
So what do you need to know?
*There’s a line on the weekends. It moves quickly. Be patient.
*Home of the steamed bagel! Ton of options (including veggie) on the menu. You can even build your own. If you can’t find something you like here, then maybe you should talk to yourself in the mirror. The problem may be you.
*There’s graffiti all over the walls
*Don’t see a spot in front? There’s a parking lot behind it
I don’t have a go-​to order here because I like too many things here. My new current-​crush and go-​to is the Nice Piece of Ash. Great name. It’s like a Kool Jules or South End Special on steroids. Who’s Ash? She’s the owner and a local Johnson & Wales Alum. That’s right. Locally owned.
Owen’s also does catering and you can call in your pick-​up order ahead of time. They also have giant pickles. I ask for it cut in four pieces and then I don’t share them with anyone. Hours alert: they close at 2pm on Mondays and 3pm all the other days.

Impressed! I’m from NY and it has been so hard trying to find a decent bagel/​breakfast sandwich place down here. Whelp, I found one!
First, the atmosphere is awesome. Calling all hipsters! I felt like I was in a Seattle or a San Francisco coffee shop. They had old magazine covers hung up, things were hand written and drawn. It was very comfy and inviting which makes your experience ten times better!
Second, REAL EGGS!!! like they crack them themselves. First place I’ve found down south that does this. I got the Mary’s Grubby Bubby (smoked cheddar, muenster, eggs, tomato, avocado on a bialy)…YUM! This had every flavor you want in a breakfast sandwich, sweet and smoky! Usually I like a breakfast meat on my sandwiches but this sandwich doesn’t even need it. The smoky cheddar makes you feel like there is bacon on it and the avocado adds just the right amount of sweet. My boyfriend got a sausage, egg, and cheese which was just as delicious-​felt like we were back in NY!
Third, the service was awesome! The girl at the register was super friendly and seemed genuinely interested in making sure we were happy. She answered our questions and talked with us about being from NY. There was a big open kitchen allowing you to see the cooking happen which is always a plus! The only suggestion I have is instead of calling out people’s orders, ask for names and call those out so it’s easier for customers to listen for their own name. But other than that, Owens has 5 stars in my book!

After all the years I’ve lived in Charlotte, I had never been to Owen’s. I mean, how different could THESE bagels be? Bagel sandwiches, done before –or so I thought. I wasn’t aware of the whole steamed bagel concept.
On my maiden voyage I ordered the chicken salad special and my lunch date had the Tonya Harding. His was much better than mine but I have to say, the bagels were just soooo good. I have definitely been missing out. Will be trying the egg sandwich and other options in the near future. I am sort of obsessing about trying more and more steamed bagel options and sort of wish I kept myself in the dark.
If you haven’t gone to Owen’s — go!

So glad Owen’s is back up and running after being closed for some time (kitchen fire? — Now I’m just spreading gossip). What is NOT gossip are how good their steamed bagel sandwiches are here.
Located in an unassuming end of a shopping center right off of South Blvd, you can easily miss this place if you are zooming down the road. Once you find parking (usually in the back) you can go in, get your bearings. They share space in the Pavilion in South End, so once you navigate to their side of the Pavillion, grab a menu (that’s rather large and in charge) and calmly wait in line. They have a bunch of stuff to look at while you are in line. Their menu offerings — I call it artwork, but I am thinking the artwork is contributed by the tireless and hardworking staff at Owens.
The Hangover Helper has worked miracles for me, but really everything on their menu is amazing. They have something for everyone too — breakfast person, non-​meat eating person, bacon person, it’s a smörgåsbord of deliciousness when you come here.
Definitely a great GEM in the South End Community… Owens is changing the world «one bagel at a time» like their motto suggests.

4.5 stars! This was one of my favorite places to eat. Owen’s Bagels & Deli is known for their «Steamed» bagels.
My manager and I stopped in for breakfast. I ordered the «Mary’s Grubby Bubby» — which consist of egg, cheese, avocado, and tomato on a Bialy. DELICIOUS!

It’s baaaaaccckkkk *In the style of Carol Anne*
A car smashing through your wall is not a thing to take lightly, but you would never know it happened. Kudos to the construction team.
Owens is just wonderful. These are steamed bagels, so no, NY and NJ, they’re not your typical type of bagels. I don’t think they’re trying to be. They have a big menu, I truly haven’t had anything I dislike. They always provide fresh ingredients and really quick service. My only dislike is that they don’t have a second location!
They’re awesome about substitutions with their sandwiches, so don’t be afraid to ask if you don’t like something, or you want another flavor bagel.
I’ll admit, one of my favorite things to do here is play «where’s the quote» with other people I’m with.
Can you find: «DEEZ NUTS! Ha… GOT EM!»? Good luck, Unilocalers.

This place is the absolute best place to stop in Charlotte for a quick breakfast or lunch bagel. The staff is always super friendly, always a clean atmosphere and great vibe. The menu is huge and has so much great stuff to choose from, so I recommend picking the «Lottery Bagel» option where the staff picks their favorite to make for you. Never disappointed when leaving here. Not to mention the owner/​manager is the BOMB!
If you’re visiting the city or haven’t tried this place yet, DO IT!

Cute and hipster bagel joint next to downtown Charlotte. We got the Mary’s Grubby Hubby with poppyseed bagel and Jalapeño cream cheese and Mama’s C Lox with jalapeño bagel. Both were delicious. The Mary’s grubby hubby came with a soft bagel, and the mama’s C lox’s bagel was crunchy. get your free fountain drink when you check– in on Unilocal.You could also exchange it for coffee. They had ice coffee for the same price and free refills !
There were also memorabilia and interesting drawings all over the wall, seemed like a fun spot to hangout.

Hey. You. Owen’s is terrible. Don’t go there.
Not buying it, huh? Well… I guess we couldn’t keep it a secret forever. Owen’s is hands down the best specialty bagel sandwich shop in Charlotte. Listen, that’s a big statement from me. My family has been in the bagel business for over 50 years. We owned one of the first bagel shops in New York and LA before Brueggar’s and Einstein’s came in and demolished everyone. You want a good bagel in Charlotte? Owen’s or Poppy’s. That’s it.
All you need to know is if you can dream it, Owen’s can do it.
Fan Favorites:
* Grubby Bubby
* Booty Bagel on Blueberry
Personal Favorite:
* Bagel, Egg and Chive Cream Cheese (add salt and pepper) on Everything.
Other Important Notes:
Dogs are welcome, but not preferred inside the actual bagel shop. You can write on the walls. If you’re going with two people, best to each get your own sandwhich and then share a Booty Bagel for dessert (Yes, I most certainly believe in breakfast dessert).
My only wish is that they had better coffee. But for how good the bagels are, I’ll drink it.
Cheers to the fat kids!

I’ve heard great things about this place. When my wife and I finally decided to head over and try it, I was surprised. The location is in prime south end, the building itself is very weird. Some of the menu items sounded awesome … some a little weirdly delicious, despite the pairings.
We were just plain-jane’s and got sausage, egg + cheese bagels. It’s kind of hard to mess that up, so it was good. Nothing earth shattering. I will say, I would give a solid 5 stars to the asiago cheese bagel I had. That thing was outofthisworld. We did have about a bit of a wait for them to make it, so I wouldn’t stop in here if you’re in a rush to get in+out. It’s no McDonald’s breakfast. Definitely worth the try, especially if you’re feeling randy for same variety.

This place is fantastic. I’m from Massachusetts and they don’t quite have bagels figured out down here yet but this place does. It’s very hipster-​ish but s cool little place, food and coffee is great. Highly recommend this place if you’re looking for breakfast in south end.