Bagels Forever

Hot damn. This place is good. I’m from New York and was raised on bagels. Many years my bagel consumption easily exceeds 300 bagels/​year. These are *excellent* bagels. And the prices are very reasonable ($ 6 for a bakers dozen, hello). I typically go for an everything or poppy, but I just had a toasted cornmeal and jalapeño bagel that was frankly out-​of-​this-​world. Bagels Forever indeed. You’ve just won another loyal customer.

People working were very nice and there was a large selection, but this is not a bagel. It’s a small puck of bread. Don’t see any reason to come back here when the grocery store bagels are no worse to me.

Bagels Forever is a gem. New York style bagels in the midwest, made fresh daily. That would be enough. But they also have a deli counter with hot and cold sandwiches at what I assume is the best deal to fill up on a non-​greasy lunch (or a moderately greasy breakfast) in the country.
First, let’s establish that all the sandwiches are on bagels. These are normal size bagels. Not the tiny ones they use for so called bagel sandwiches at fast food joints, and not the giant mutant ones you get at upscale chains that charge $ 5 for coffee.
You can get breakfast sandwiches all day. Egg, cheese, and choice of meat on choice of bagel will set you back less than $ 2.50 and be a completely filling breakfast. I typically get egg, cheddar, sausage, AND bacon on cranberry, add grape jelly, which still totals less than $ 3.
Lunch options are similar, cold cuts, cheese, and veggies on a bagel run less than $ 4. My usual is the blazin’ chicken on a jalapeño bagel, add swiss, lettuce, tomato, sprouts, onions, cream cheese, bacon. The cream cheese and bacon add extra charges but my total is still under $ 5. You can add a side of Jacobson’s potato salad or cole slaw for $ 0.50
I tried their Chicago style hot dog for the first time the other day, for around $ 2.50, and it had variations on all of the appropriate Chicago style toppings.
If you’re really poor you can get a pizza bagel for around $ 1, it is a bagel topped with cheese, marinara, and pepperoni.
Interesting fact: a bagel is $ 0.45. Cream cheese is $ 0.29. A bagel with cream cheese applied is over $ 1.
Here is a link to my food Vlog (YouTube video) about Bagel’s Forever:

Bagels Forever, I will forever be amazed by your prices. One bagel smeared with cream cheese will set you back a measly $ 2.
I had the opportunity to walk through the factory portion of this headquarters on University and saw conveyor belts of bagels on bagels baking up.
I love that their bagels have evaded the American tendency to jack up portion sizes to twice what they should be. Yep, these bagels are unlike other bakery bagels you will find because they are normal size. None of that bagel-​with-​enough-​carbs-​to-​fuel-​your-​whole-​day craziness.
Perfectly portioned, certainly affordable, and freshly baked right in store, they have a knack for making lifelong patrons. If you like bagels, give Bagels Forever a whirl.

This is definitely my favorite bagel place I. Madison! I’ve tried the different flavors so my fav, is the multigrain bagel. Had a bfast sandwich this morning and it kept me full till noon.
Service is smooth and they have the order for, s for you to fill out so it e pedi tea the process.

I read a news report recently about a fire and wept inside a little. Fortunately, it did not shut the place down and I can continue to enjoy the myriad flavors when I visit. $ 13.95 for two dozen bagels and two tubs of cream cheese makes the bagel box a perennial winner.

$ 3 for bagel and lox! What century are we in?! Though Bagels Forever lacks in seating, they make up for it in quality and price. Even a bottle of water will only set you back $.85.
Move over, Einstein, this neighborhood gem will fill me with bagels FOREVER.

Solid bagel joint! The bagel and lox were great and my only complaint would be that the egg on the bacon, egg and cheese was a bit strange tasting. Other than that, it was a wonderful place to grab bagels.

Love that I can drop in here and pick up a lunch for mere $ 4,.25 $ 3.50 bagel sandwich and $ 0.75 Jacobson Potato Salad.
The employees are extremely nice here and helpful.
With your sandwich you can choose premium toppings such as sprouts, freshly sliced cucumbers, peppers, onions, and tomato for no charge. The only extra is the guacamole.
I’d definitely recommend this place to pick up sammies for the road our a picnic, or whatever excuse for a cheap lunch!

Yes the bagels are wonderful and it’s great pricing. But the customer service is the worst thing in the world.
Every time I have been there, they have the worlds grumpiest old man working, he must be a manager but he is rude the entire time you are there. Starting with the greeting– or lack there of. Then you go on to order, if you ask a question– either don’t expect a response or expect not to hear him bc he doesn’t speak loud enough in the least. Then he will go out of his way to charge more than he should.
I ordered from him a bagel box+another dozen bagels. He said instead we should do 3 dozen bagels and buy cream cheese– so we did that, it ended up costing much more than anticipated. Also he knew it was for a school teacher and refused a discount or any help. He’s the worst to everyone.

Another NYer here (Brooklyn, not the hipster part). They’re adequate. They’re cheap. They’re crowded and kind of clueless. Better than a kick in the head. Don’t think you’re missing anything if you buy them frozen from the supermarket, except the really oblivious customers and the unexperienced staff, nice enough, but just not up to it. Maybe I will go during the off hours if I am passing by. More than once I have walked in, saw the disaster going on, and walked out. I have no patience for such things. But really really cheap, really cheap. And not disgusting. So it works for that.

THIS PLACE IS AWESOME! I got the lox sandwich on an Everything bagel and was instantly hooked. Sandwiched between the Everything bagel were a nice slice of brined salmon, healthy slab of cream cheese, and a bit of onions, tomatoes, and cucumbers. It was perfection, made me crave for it every single day afterward. I finally gave in to craving and got it again two weeks later. Still perfect!
Of course, the bagels and cream cheese themselves are great. Bagels are well made — tasty, fresh, and has just the right amount of chewiness. My favorite is the XL Chocolate Chip and Everything bagels. I really like the tomato basil too but it might be an acquired taste for some.
I should add that everything is dirt cheap here — regular bagels are 45 cents/​pc and around $ 5.40 for a baker’s dozen. Carb overloading without breaking your bank account!
Forever Bagel has forever changed my view of bagels and minimum standard for bagel sandwiches. Keep doing what you’re doing!

This place is great! Totally affordable and tasty. We’ve popped in here for lunch on several occasions and have received friendly service and a satisfying lunch for two, all for under $ 10. Where does this happen?! I know, maybe 1960. Oh, and here!
The only minus is that you have to go eat your lunch somewhere else because you can’t stay here. Nope. No tables, no chairs, so you better move it on out. That’s fine, I can deal with that. I will happily take my bagel sandwich (chock full of veggies and cheese) elsewhere.

After dropping Gotham (because the owner was a total d – k), I made my way back to Bagels Forever. Now I’m a regular. I usually pick up a dozen at time, slice and freeze them. They aren’t the biggest or the chewiest bagels but they’re pretty good. I usually pick them up in the morning so I ALWAYs grab a breakfast sandwich. Beats the hell out any of the chain muffin-​type b’fast sammies. I walk out for less than $ 10. Their lunch sandwiches are pretty damn (inexpensive) good too.
Friendly quick, no bull. I am a fan!

Blah, blah, I’m from NY and I chose my apartment based on its proximity to Bagels Forever. Whatever NY-​style bagels are, these are not, but they are still excellent and affordable bagels. I will say that they’re a bit small, hence the 45¢, but the everything (and I believe plain) are normal sized and cost more, accordingly. The everything has some kind of herb on it that sets it apart from comparable everythings, and they tend to be somewhat well done (crispier). Really, it’s all about the cranbarry oat (play on «Barry», the owner) and plain. Cranbarry is particularly sweet, with cranberries.
BF is definitely the best bagel place in the area. They’re packed on weekends, so remember to take a number if you’re stopping by. (They’re opening up a new parking lot soon, so that should help a bit.) There are little pads to write out your orders to make things easier. Their sandwiches are also good for both the quality and the price. BF also sells cold cuts (an employee in plainclothes told me they’re comparable or better than supermarket deli prices when she returned for some) and have a refrigerated unit with their orange juices and milks and soda cans and spreads.
They’re also something of a local brand – their bagels are in every local supermarket and they have their own cream cheese in the fridge. It’s a little cheesier than I’ve previously tasted. Perhaps that’s fresh, but in that case, I’ll take artificial.

I have been many places, had many bagels, and I am typically disappointed in the experience, so what a pleasure to visit Forever Bagel.
I always want to get the toasted bagel with cream cheese and eat it as a little breakfast sandwich, but 10 times out of 10 you get an over toasted bagel, or a really tough bagel, or runny cream cheese and bam… it suck!
But now I am 2 for 2 at Forever Bagel. Great tasting bagels that are not too tough and very flavorful. Cream cheese that is solid and does not simply drip out. I have had the Honey Oat and Cinnamon Maple bagels thus far and neither disappointed. Pumpkin cream cheese (we, as a society have overdone the pumpkin thing, but I still like it!) was delicious as well.
And the price… I almost fell over it was so low! Coffee is good as well.
The location knocks it down a star… very difficult to get heading back in the correct direction after a visit, but such is life for good, inexpensive bagels! So skip Panera and hit Forever Bagel if you have the choice!

A Madison original. Bagels are fresh, sandwiches are cheap, and service is pretty quick. These aren’t your traditional NY style bagels so don’t get your hopes up but a pumpernickel sandwich with cream cheese and salami is hard to argue.

These are really good bagels made at the bakery here in Madison. I love the factory store flavors, which are much more exciting than what you can get at the grocery store, and you get to mix and match at their shop. Try the jalapeño cornbread for something unique. I love the maple and the pumpernickel, too!
Their sandwiches are really good, made with quality meats and fresh veggies. It’s a good and healthy lunch stop.
I also like that these are appropriately-​sized bagels, meaning you haven’t eaten an entire loaf of bread when you’ve enjoyed one.

I live and work near this bagel production facility and food counter. There is no breakfast that is more convenient or budget friendly to me than Bagels Forever. The breakfast sandwich plus an extra bagel for lunch (or a friend) will run you less then a bagel and cream cheese at Einstein’s Bagels up the road. And the Bagels are always fresh and yummy. There are so many flavors to choose from… I know I haven’t tried them all yet. Or to be the big shot of the work place, get the Bagel Box. It is two dozen bagels and two cream cheese for cheap.
Parking can be a bear on busy mornings (and Sundays, for sure) but if you are walking by it is really easy to pop in and pop out. Staff is friendly and fast. The wait on a busy morning is still quicker then Starbucks. They are one of the best things about living on the near west side of campus.
Sure, the store front is not fancy but it’s not an eat-​in place. It is a clean and organized deli with a lot of history. To change the store front for change sake is not really needed. The flowers and scrubs around the outside are always so nice on my walks past.

I don’t eat bagels very often, yet every now and then I want nothing other than Bagels Forever.
Sure, you can buy the bagels frozen from a local grocery store, but the best part about this place is the made-​to-​order bagel sandwiches. They are fresh and cheap, and come wrapped with a pickle. Try the veggie sandwich on an everything bagel. There are a variety of deli meat options too.
The pizza bagel with mini pepperoni comes with the cheese melted on top — so don’t expect to eat it like a sandwich. This annoyed me for some reason, but clearly it wasn’t enough to keep me from coming back for it again… and again… it’s been my go-​to order for the past several months. Try it on the sun-​dried tomato and basil bagel.
Also, Bagels Forever has the best boxed coffee in town. Be an office hero and get some for your coworkers. Or, a small coffee for yourself is just $ 0.85.

Très bons bagels avec un choix de tout hallucinant (le type de pain, de garniture, de crème, de pickles, etc). Un peu éloigné de tout, pas de place pour manger assis, mais pour la qualité et la fraîcheur, c’est vraiment très bien.