The Great American Bagel

One of the best places in hood to get freshly made bagels in all varieties of flavors and that come very close to the chewy density of a real NYC bagel! And the service Prices and variety of hand made sandwiches and salads makes this an excellent place to hang out, read, or browse the Internet on a lazy afternoon. Not to be confused with the Great American Bagel, also on Belmont, but just W of the Redline station.

I work around the corner and after eating here a few times on my lunch break, I’ve decided it’s better to just walk up to Big and Littles or CBA. It’s okay if I need a quick breakfast, but some of the workers are a little too friendly. They are cool about giving discounts since I work in the neighboring building but even that isn’t enough to make me deal with the obnoxious passes the employees make just for a decent sandwich. Save yourself the trip and just eat closer to the train platform.

The staff was courteous and extremely nice. I got the grilled cheese panini and it was pretty good and hot. Their prices are very fair as well. I want to go back just to try their unique cream cheeses.

Went here this morning for a bagel and a coffee. I had a vegetarian sandwich on an everything bagel — the sandwich was good, the veggies were fresh and the bagel had a lot of flavor. There was no wait as I was there on a Monday around 10am. Service was friendly. I got a medium French vanilla coffee, I found that this flavor had a very synthetic taste to it and really didn’t like it, I’ll go for the regular roast next time. This restaurant is definitely a place for «grab and go», no ambiance or welcoming seating area.

Came in today around 9:20 am for a quick breakfast. Made it all the way to the cashier after waiting in line and no one bothered to take my order. So I had to go back and wait till someone was available to take my order. One of the associates then gave part of my order to a different customer and I had to wait again for the order to be prepared. Seems to me like a lack or organization in this place. Not sure if I will come again

I’m actually confused now this place has good reviews. The bagels were disgusting– actually. I guess if you don’t know a bad bagel from a good one than you’d think these bagels are fine, but let this be a warning for all foodies out there: the bagels are thick, extremely bready, and slathered in cream cheese almost to make up for the dryness of the bagel. I even got it toasted to make it more crispy and that didn’t even help. Maybe I’m so picky because I’m from north shore area where our bagels are cream of the crop but come on, I’d rather eat a piece of bread with cream cheese and save 5 bucks.
If you’re looking for a good bagel in the area, I’d do yourself a favor and head over to «The Bagelers Coffeehouse» just a few miles away where they have thin, delicious bagels, fresh cream cheese, and delicious coffees! It’s also a really cute and hip place unlike GAB that plays loud, old 2000s music in a dirty, cafeteria like space. Will never be back.

Great selection of bagels, Good coffee. Went in on a Saturday morning, it was busy but not a long wait. Friendly and helpful staff. Parking lot a BIG PLUS! I .was even able to pick up «bagel bones» for my dogs.

It’s been about a month since I was at great American bagel but I’m still giving it 1 star for my experience. Not for the bagels (although I can get a bagel as good just about anywhere) but for what happened after. After I bought my dozen bagels, I put them in my car in their parking lot and walked right next door to fuhlstroms fish market where I had a to go order to pick up. I was there for literally 45 seconds (as I know they are militant about their parking lot if you do not shop there) and my to go order was ready and waiting for me). When I came back to my car (again it was about 45 seconds)…there was the parking lot security taking a boot out of his car and blocking my car too. He was very surprised to see me come back so quickly which is why he was never able to put the boot on my car but proceeded to tell me I’m lucky and I have been warned to never leave even if it is for as short of a period of time as I left for. At which point I told him, I have a receipt from great American bagel and it has been about a minute. He said he did not care. Called the great american bagel after and nothing came from it. So think I can get bagels from just about anywhere else and not worry about being booted or scammed by someone who makes a living trying to boot people’s cars. Ridiculous

This place is WAY disorganized and it cost them by business. Went in to buy a dozen bagels on a busy Saturday morning. I get behind a guy in line at the Order Here counter and wait a few minutes. No one is taking orders. 6 guys behind the counter, lots of people standing around looking irritated, but no one is taking orders. I then see a guy who walked in AFTER me go to the cashier counter and get served by the cashier. I then figure that the cashier is the one taking orders, so I walk over to the cashier counter and place my order, at which point the cashier asks me if I’ve ordered yet. I say no, then the cashier goes back to the order counter and takes the order of the guy who was waiting. I go to get back behind the poor guy who has been waiting for several minutes already, only to see 4 people have now gotten behind him in line. This place needs to have one person taking orders and another person working the cash register, not one guy walking back and forth between the two, choosing to take orders from random customers at whichever counter suits him best in that moment while making everyone else wait unfairly long. 6 people behind the counter on a busy Saturday morning should be enough to take orders, process payments, and serve bagels. Totally disorganized, totally undeserving of a good review.

I stopped by today to pick up the free Belly bite offer and you were closed. Now I have to go back again tomorrow! I’m not very happy!

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!

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!

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.

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.

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 jalapeño 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.

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.

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.

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 jalapeño cheese is good too.
I might have to try their sandwiches or super bagels next time… man now I really want a bagel.

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.

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.