Bagel On Damen

I was always finding myself speculating to my friends about when this place would finally suffer the consequences of their terrible business model and close up shop. It has finally happened.
Bagel on Damen, you had the perfect location and an opportunity to really make bank. When I first moved to the neighborhood, I envisioned myself darting in there on many a morning for a quick bagel and coffee before getting on the brown line. I tried this several times, but somehow have never actually succeeded!
I think I came in here three times. At least once I didn’t have cash and didn’t want to pay the ATM fee (seriously, unless you’re a true destination restaurant and everyone knows you only take cash, jump on the credit train. A late commuter isn’t going to take the time to withdrawl cash to get a friggin bagel. They’re going to wait until they’re downtown, and then get one at starbucks or dunkin donuts). The other two times I waited so incredibly long to have my order taken by the grouchy employees (even though the place was completely empty) that I just gave up and left.
And, after, the third time, never came back.
Which is a shame. This could have been something great!

I’ve only ever grub hubbed from here, but every time I order I am pleased.
The Alexander the Great sandwich is an explosion of yummy in your mouth (apples, gouda, turkey, bacon, avocado and a sweet red sauce on an onion bagel). I can’t speak for the toasted bagels being cold because I always get my sandwiches on untoasted bagels.
I got this truffle cream cheese once that was out of this world and their soups are even really good!
Takes about 40 minutes for it to get delivered, but, to me, it’s worth it. I mean I guess I could walk down the street to like 3 other bagel places around me, but when I’m in the mood for Alexander the great — nothing will compare.

Another reviewer pointed out that this place closed this week… however, I stopped by this morning and there was not even a sign in the window. This happened to me this fall (I guess they randomly closed for a day and didn’t post it) so I thought that might be the case again. That being said, good riddance.
The bagels were good and the flavors of spread interesting… this is the only reason I’d stop here.
Again, already said but the prices were a bit much.
The customer service was non-​existent and as many others have pointed out, it was like annoying someone to do their job. One time, it took ten minutes to cut a bagel in half, put it in a bag with some cream cheese in a to-​go container (which was prepackaged in the fridge). Needless to say, good luck finding future jobs people…

Horrible! Guess we should have read the reviews before stopping for a quick bite. Service was terrible; the girl sat on the counter after we placed our order. As another reviewer stated: it seemed like we were annoying them by ordering food. They were also out of a bunch of key vegetarian ingredients. No smiles, no happy new year. On top of poor service, the bagels were not very good with hardly any of the special cream cheese spread.
One star is being generous. Never again!!!

I was so excited when the Bagel on Damen opened near the Damen Brown Line stop. The first few times I went the bagels were awesome and the people working were great.
I just went with my boyfriend today and could not be more disappointed. The were two people working (a young guy and girl) and it really seemed like we were bothering them. We ordered a seahog, breakfast II, and 2 coffees to go. They gave us the coffee cups and we literally had to ask them to make coffee because it was all out. Two people working and zero customers — they can’t even make sure there is coffee made? We had to wait for the coffee to brew after they, obviously annoyed, were so kind as to make us some.
The seahog looked fine, but my breakfast 2 was horrible. The bagel is weird and sort of moist, there is a half a piece of bacon (maybe) and the tiniest sliver of avocado. I can’t believe I spent 7 dollars on this sandwich.
I will not be back.

I guess when you’re the only bagel shop for miles you don’t feel like you have to try very hard… IF AT ALL. The owner seems to believe that people are desperate enough for mediocre bagels that they will endure the completely inept service this place delivers.
For starters, the employees could at least PRETEND not to be horribly hungover and/​or stoned. Their attitudes/​appearances resemble those of teenagers being forced out of bed at 2 p.m. Once an order is placed, they shuffle around, bleary-​eyed, making it very clear that they will make your bagel whenever they feel like it. Last time I was there, it took a full 10 minutes for a particularly bed-​headed young man to complete the herculean task of putting cream cheese in a to-​go container. Oh, and on that particular day, a Sunday morning at 10 a.m. («primetime» for a bagel place, no?), they had run out of napkins. Yep, that’s right, a «restaurant» with no napkins.
It is abundantly clear that someone is not, quite literally, minding the store. IMHO, a business run this carelessly doesn’t deserve your hard-​earned cash.

Oh boy, where do I start.
1. my bagel was soft and crumbly. This despite the fact that I asked for it to be toasted — and sent it back to have it toasted some more. How does that happen? Seriously, Lender’s bagels taste better than that.
2. my husband’s coffee was watery and tasteless. To their credit, they made a fresh pot when we pointed this out.
3. they don’t take debit/​credit cards. Now, this wouldn’t be the end of the world, except they have an ATM machine inside the store! That is really tacky. Not only they don’t allow customers the convenience of usng debit/​credit cards, but they want to make a profit off an ATM that charges hefty fees. Hell no.

I wandered in to Bagel on Damen on Tuesday morning around 10am really wanting a cup of coffee and thinking a bagel sounded good.
My cup of coffee was actually pretty weak and didn’t have great flavor to it. It was so disappointing on a cold morning.
My bagel was smaller than a Thomas bagel– actually, it could have been a Thomas bagel– it was just ok, though I appreciated that the girl working didn’t glop huge amounts of cream cheese on the bagel, so the cream cheese to bagel ratio was good.
The walls were a little dirty and could have used some sprucing up. A fresh coat of paint would probably go a long way.
I paid over $ 5 (cash only) for a bagel with cream cheese and a small coffee. What is this? Starbucks? I’m all about supporting the independent business person, but I don’t think I’ll come back here.

I live in the neighborhood and try to be supportive of all the small stores and restaurants. Unfortunately, all of my experiences with Bagel On Damen have been disappointing.
Yesterday was enough to push me to write a review. The three employees were sub-​par. You know when you walk in and they all stare at you like you’ve interrupted their conversation and are an inconvenience? One of them did not have anything covering/​on her head which I’m fairly certain is a health code violation.
The thing that upset me the most however was the hard-​core rap music that was blasting. One of the girls was dancing and singing along, although she paused and didn’t sing along when the n-​word came through. I understand that there are myriads of musical tastes out there. My issue isn’t with rap music, it’s with profane and rude lyrics blasting loudly in a shop. I’m glad no families walked in and I had the sense that the girls working wouldn’t have done anything if kids had been present.
This behavior is tacky and offensive. This neighborhood is working very hard to grow and expand and based off the reviews Bagel on Damen has been receiving, it seems apparent it is not adding to the neighborhood, but detracting.

The service at this place has gone down hill since opening. Do the employees even want to be there?
The hipster girls behind the counter can’t be bothered to remember what type of cream cheese you want — I was literally asked three times and there was only one other order in front of me.
The only employee that seems to know what’s up or remotely care about her job is the girl that actually schmears the cream cheese. And she’s been there since opening.
Two stars since the product is great and has stayed the same — olive cream cheese/​egg bagels ftw.
I’ll go back begrudgingly but I will now only be as polite to the counter staff as they are to me.
The attitude might work in Wicker Park but to make it Ravenswood, you actually have to be polite towards your customers if you want them to come back again and again.

So… reviewing a restaurant fairly is difficult when the employees do not honor the hours of operation. (They aren’t even posted, which just seems like a weird oversight.)
At 7:15 this morning, I arrived at your business hoping for a bagel with cheddar horseradish cream cheese. The open sign was not on, the door was locked, the employee inside saw me approach the door, but didn’t make any attempt to acknowledge me. Not impressed, BOD.

CONS
–toaster was broken
–out of lox
–out of hard boiled eggs
–forgot one of my drink orders
–put our sandwiches on plain bagels when we asked for mishmosh (everything bagel)
–sandwiches were meh, and small for the price
–out of harboiled eggs, so we switched to deviled eggs, which were inedible. The egg was like rubber and the filling was tasteless moosh.
–pepperoni pizza bagel had no taste which i didnt think was possible
PRO
–free coffee for the trouble of being out of so many items

Seriously, I don’t get what this place is all about. I won’t review the bagels as they are from NY Bagel & Baily and always good. I will review the cream cheese selection after I b*tch about their coffee.
Who, besides hipsters, is in love with Stumptown coffee? Bagel on Damen charges $ 2.50 for a cup of coffee that comes from a industrial plastic vat that YOU have to pour yourself after you hand offer some cash? WTF? Is it some IRONIC statement of how coffee is mass produced? Gas stations pull the same thing, but its definitely not ironic and definitely not a hipster scene.
I support Baristas and would gladly pay $ 2.50-$ 3.00 for a good brewed coffee that is actually made for me. I don’t need ironic statement to enjoy my drinks.
Their cream cheeses ARE unique and in many cases delicious. And the prices for the 2 oz isn’t too bad (the unique flavors are $ 1.49) so I will say they got the unique cream cheese down.
The décor is something else. The place before it was a quasi grocery store /​deli place and it too had a funky décor. It must be the space, too high ceiling combined with a narrow space creates something akin to a old neighborhood market with dusty provisions and pricey markups.

First off, I, like many of you, am someone who has a job, which means we have to be there on time, ready to work. Bagel on Damen opens at 7 am. To be fair, I walked in at like 7:02, and one of the girls was starting, yes starting to make the coffee… and the other girl was, well, I’m not sure what she was doing, but their conversation must have been really important.
While I didn’t mean to be rude and interrupt their conversation, the one girl looked at me and said, «Do you want a sandwich or something?» I said, «no, I’d just like a bagel with cream cheese.» Well, this lovely lady said, «well, it’s going to be a few minutes, is that okay?» And, so I replied, «no, I have a job that I have to be on time for, that’s why I got here at 7, which is when your sign says you open.» This, apparently stunned the girl, someone having to be on time for work, and she made some snarky comment under her breath. Obviously, she doesn’t really care about being on time for work, prepared, things along those lines.
So, this is what I don’t understand. First off, if you open at 7 am, that means that you are ready to go, coffee ready, bagels and cream cheese ready, and have some sense of customer service. Secondly, you are right next to the El! How careless do you have to be to not be open and ready to go for everyone walking by? Finally, does the owner have any idea what is going on at this place? I hope he takes the time to read the reviews and make some positive changes.
I was there a few weeks ago, and was overcharged for our dozen bagels and cream cheese, I told the girl, and she just told me, «I’m new here, here is a dollar, that should even it out.» Did I mention that the cost of that was $ 30?
Honestly, this place had potential. Again, I hope that the owner reads these reviews, makes some staff changes and considers lowering the prices until the customer service gets better and they make a better name for themselves in the neighborhood.
And, remember, they may «open» at 7 am, but they aren’t really «open», it’s just two girls talking, making coffee and their sweet time getting things ready.

Unimpressed. Girl at the counter seemed more concerned with brushing the hair out of her face than actually doing her job. «Hair Bender» coffee was weak and $ 2.50 for a small — Starbucks Pike Place is stronger.
Waited over 10 min for the Breakfast 1 sandwich — 4 other customers came in and had their non-​breakfast sandwiches made while I waited. I figured maybe they are really making the egg and bacon — I can handle that. Both the coffee carafes were empty. Then after I’m the only one waiting, I ask about my sandwich — which she rang me up for — and get a blank stare.
Whatever — I wanted my money back and got the hell out of there. Went over to Nhu Lan bakery and got an awesome bahn mi sandwich (Bagel on Damen spoiled my appetite for breakfast) for half the price.
I’d love to support a local business, but not when they suck. Don’t bother with them. If you want a quick breakfast bite go to Dunkin or something — at least they are friendly and provide a solid, quality product.

I ordered an onion bagel with chimichurri butter, untoasted, as I was in rush (impending non-​verbal diarrhea threat). Despite the lack of any line, Cut Copy’s Autobahn Music Box came and went before I received my $ 2.70-something order.
I made it home in time to avoid any undergarment disasters, took care of biz-​nass, and tore into the bagel. Toasted. While I could see bits of green, this butter didn’t taste any different than the non-​chimichurri butter you may be accustomed to. I don’t recommend it.
The place seems clean though, has a nice coffee service area, and a bunch of menu options, so despite today’s experience I’d probably go back.

Bagel on Damen is like a little piece of New York for me in Chicago. Why, may you ask?
1. They know what REAL bagels are.
2. They brew various blends of Stumptown Coffee (Brooklyn, we go hard.).
3. The playlist is every Williamsburg indie kid’s dream come true — Gold Panda, The Knife, Elliott Smith to name a few.
4. There’s free wi-​fi to be productive and get work done.
5. Nick, the manager, is a super-​nice guy and loves it when I bring friends to drink coffee and nosh on carbs.
Bagel on Damen is a cash-​only establishment, but there is an ATM inside. To avoid the atrocious transaction fees, come prepared with cash.

Walking in from the train and out of the cold early before work, this place was piping warm inside with the pungent aroma of bacon cooking. It made me feel at home on a Sunday having breakfast with my parents.
I ordered a bing cherry energy drink from the cooler with only ten grams of sugar just what I was looking for and I hope those stay in stock for a while. They toasted me a blueberry bagel as I checked out what I would come back for later that week. Cute place with little tables for two and right off the train on the east side of the street.

Yeah… I’m not going back to this place.
Me and a few o’ the office peeps headed here to pick up lunch (about a 20 minute walk round trip). We got back to the office just over an hour later — it took over 40 minutes to make 5 sandwiches?!?
Ok, you say, maybe it was an off day, there were only two people behind the counter, but this doesn’t explain the HAIR on a deviled egg, or MOLD on bagel chips!!! Two incidents? Nope. There was also a wrong bagel on one sandwich order (even tho’ it was plainly written on the order sheet), and there was a mix up with soup, but compared to mold and hair, these are annoyances that I might have forgiven.
The worst part is discovering all this after getting back to the office, when you’re stuck wondering if it’s even worth the hassle to walk all the way back for a refund and what’s good in the vending machines.
I think I’ve said enough. Seriously, where’s quality control?!

The Lox-O-Meter’s radar detected this relatively new location, so I brought the Lox-​O-​Meter with me today to see how it would read:
The Lox-​O-​Meter pointed to OP (Overpriced) and AYSM (Are you shitting me?)
I ordered the «Seahog»: lox and BACON, with basil, green onions, and guacamole, on a sesame seed bagel. Price: $ 8.95
«I’ll have a Seahog without the hog, please.»
I got a deadpan stare back. Silence.
«Really, no bacon, okay?. And heavy on the sea, so I can I substitute a salt & garlic bagel instead of sesame?»
More deadpan with a «Oh, ok» to the salty bagel request.
The lox was soft and delicious.
The rest a mishmash. Nothing to write home to either Grandma about.
I’m not sure I get the point of this place. It’s stark and cold and very average.