Bruegger’s Bagels

I have fallen in love with Bruegger’s. It’s not often that I’m in this area during the day, but when I am (usually for a meeting at City Hall), I get really excited about the prospect of stopping for a bagel on my way out. It totally makes my day (also, I love bagels).
Staff have always been very polite to me (they’re not often very energetic; but I see that as very unimportant as long as they’re polite and helpful, which they always are [to me]. I mean, this is food service — you can’t expect them to be super thrilled about serving you bagels and coffee) and have always made every accommodation I’ve ever asked for, no complaints. Can I switch that bagel for an asiago one? No problem! Can I get vegetable cream cheese instead of regular? Absolutely! Can you please toast it for me? You got it!
I think what makes really makes this place for me is their food. They’ve got a decently sized menu with a nice variety of options depending on what you like. You can also customize to your heart’s desire. Everything I’ve tried is delicious. My personal favorite is the Herby Turkey– om nom nom nom. I wish I could replicate it at home, but I can’t find that sun-​dried tomato spread anywhere.
This location is also great for people watching. Water Street seems to be the hub of the business world in Milwaukee; and at any given time during the day, you’ll see tons of city workers, corporate executives, and businessmen/​women rushing back and forth in front of the store, probably on their way to coffee (I assume). It’ll make you feel like you’re actually in a big city!

Pretty nice lunch spot. My office is just a block away so it’s easy to swing by for a quick lunch.
The lunch menu is nice, a good variety of options that are a little different than your standard sandwiches. For me, the Roast turkey is where it’s at — cheddar, apple slices, pickled red onions and cranberry mayo on ciabatta. Super good. Bagels are always a great snack or perfect for breakfast with tons of options including many types of cream cheeses.
Staff is a little disorganized and slow but they are very friendly and accommodating.

Well, I was as impressed with this place as I was with the Brewers one game win streak last week. I scooted down to pick up a few breakfast sandwiches and coffee for myself and a coworker. Let me tell you, I had better turnover at my local DMV than this place. A lackluster attitude and lack of concern was immediately noticed. I asked for a toasted bagel and was told «we don’t do that here»…I looked in amazement but needed to order quickly so I shook off the bewilderment and proceeded to order.
I rushed back to my hotel and delivered the goods, only to discover my hot latte was ice cold and the non toasted bagel sandwiches were mediocre at best. Cold coffee? It’s not like my hotel was in Madison. 2 blocks.
Not a good experience. I think my coworker feels I dislike him now as I did not impress with the delivery.

Talk about slow. Three people behind the counter, ten minutes to toast a bagel just isn’t the way to start the morning. Someone should also teach the staff not to accept money with gloves and then tend to another patron, that’s just gross.

When I got to the glass wall, separating myself from the Brueggers crew, I waited to be greeted… And waited… And waited. At last I hear who seemed to be a manager direct an employee to help the «guest. They get 1 star because they used the word guest and I’m assuming the food is good… Never got that far. Anyway, the emloyee, without greeting me, asks what I would like. I get my order and walk to the register. Without acknowledging me at all the employee at the register walked away and started messing about with some products in packaging and struck up a conversation with a «guest» whom she recognized. I waited a few minutes before deciding that I will not patronize an establishment who does not bother with customer service. I left my bagel, orange juice, and hot drink I never ordered at the register. How hard is it? I mean really…

Good food. Had a breakfast bagel and no complaints about it. Staff was very kind and very talkative even for an early morning. Good place. Would definitely go again.

The music in the dining area was too loud, so I went to the bathroom; could I make a call? The music in the bathrooms is obnoxiously, uncomfortably loud, though. Turn down the volume!
Service was okay, however.

The service was a little sluggish, but they comped our drinks. Overall, great bagels and friendly service.

First time here, and I ordered the western breakfast sandwich on a bagel. It was so good! The only reason it’s not 5 is because my girlfriend ordered a spinach egg and cheddar on honey wheat, and said it was ok. Frankly I think she might of just ordered the wrong bagel which didn’t pair right. Anyway great place though.

Super friendly staff at 530 am. Warm bagels. Lifesaver on my early dog walk or bike ride home from night shift.

I miss the location that used to be in Toronto, so any time I find one, it is a treat.
We weren’t starving when we went here, so we each had a bagel with cream cheese and a chocolate milk.
Mine was a cinnamon bagel, and I got strawberry cream cheese, my girlfriend had a plain bagel with honey walnut cream cheese.
I think she chose better, I so love the honey walnut cream cheese.
Nice place thouhgh, lots of seating, and friendly staff.

Folks that work here are nice :)
4^th of July bagels that are red/​white & blue, who would have thunk it?
Great breakfast sandwiches & really good coconut coffee, within walking distance from our hotel, so ended up going here 3 times during our long weekend.
Price is right. Could have been a little cleaner, like wash the windows, wipe down the doors with everyone’s oooey gooey sticky fingers on them, but hey I wash mine and behind the counter they wear gloves, so I hoped for the best!

Bagels. Seemed small. Good amount of salmon on there.
The bagels seemed a bit small to me. The first time I visited, it did have a good amount of cream cheese (only smeared on one side?) and plenty of smoked salmon on there. I liked that they had capers and she sure wasn’t stingy with them. The second visit brought me a blueberry bagel and I did remember to ask her to smear it on both halves of the bagel.
Excellent coffee. Not burned, quite fresh tasting at 7:30 AM. And woah, plenty hot! Thankfully, the sleeves work well.
Plenty of tables with power outlets (in the morning, at least. I don’t know about lunch time.) and the wifi worked well.
I’ve been a couple of times, I’ll definitely be back.

I work next door to Brueggers, and I’m a member of the «Bottomless Mug Club» (for $ 150ish bucks you get all the coffee, tea, soda you can drink for the year).
The deli food is so-​so (it’s a chain, what do you expect?) and a bit pricey for my taste so I usually stick to breakfast items only.
The service is always really nice, even if a few of the employees are not the sharpest tools in the shed.
I like the bagels, I see that a few of the reviews say that they have inconsistent bagels and that has never happened to me. The breakfast sandwiches are a step up from McDonald’s but definitely not as tasty as what I make at home. They are exactly what I need if I went out the night before and need some food before I work.
The soups are from bags, so if you want homemade go to Waterfront Deli next door.
Overall, I’m a fan. It serves exactly what I need at 7:30am every morning.

I work in the vicinity of Brueggers and so I wish I could like them more, but sadly, they just plain stink.
I like to get the 6.99 trio consisting of a deli sandwich, soup, and a soda, but these days the service (or lack there of) will force me to walk a little further or pay a little more just to avoid this place.
For example, just yesterday I went in to get the combo and had 5.70 left on a Brueggers gift card. The total came to 7.30 and so the difference would have been a buck and some change. Simple, right? However, the cashier (when prompted by the register) hit that I did not want to pay the difference, before asking me if I wanted to pay the difference. Why wouldn’t I pay the difference? What, was I going to demand I get the meal for 5.70 as that was left on my card? 10 minutes and a manager later, the matter was finally resolved.
Along with the shotty service, the quality of the food is incositent. One day you’ll get a decent sized bagel, the next day it’ll be significanlty smaller. Also, the lettuce I got on my sandwich yesterday was brown around the edge. They have very few toppings for the sandwiches, so it shouldn’t be that hard to make sure what they have is quality.
If you are going in for a bagel and coffee you should be fine, but anything more and they tend to fall apart. I suggest the Waterfront Deli just a few steps further.

Why? Why does everything take so long here? Is it that they are understaffed? Is it that the employees seem to be having a «slow-​off»? Is it just THAT HARD to work here?
Breuggers is literally next door to my building — but I walk past it 364 days a year to go to the Waterfront Deli or Jimmy Johns. Once in a great while I think «hmmm…maybe it’s better there now and I’m sick and I really want some soup». And then I go, there is ONE person ahead of me and it still takes 10+ minutes to obtain an order if chicken soup to go. Adding insult to injury, there are two employees sitting at a table, jaw jacking and watching customers not get waited on.
Here’s the bottom line — the food here is «meh» at best, the bagels are better at Einstein and the staff moves at a glacial place. Every now and then, I see them outside handing out coupons + trying to drum up business and I want to yell «Jesus Christ, how about getting people in and out quickly?!? You serve coffee, have the staff drink some!»
Take my advice — if you’re tempted to stop in, just keep walking. There far better just steps away.

Popped in heA re for a quick bite. The location is great and the restaurant looks very nice but compared to the Bruegger’s Bagels in Fairbanks, Alaska the food was strictly marginal. The bagels weren’t the freshest or tastiest and the salad was a lot smaller. Considering I just stopped in for a quick bite, it was A-​OK!

Went in once at around 7am before work. The wait was incredibly long and the selection wasn’t quite what I expected. They didn’t have chocolate chip bagels which is what I was craving. Unfortunately, they are the only bagel place within walking distance of my office so I had to settle for a blueberry bagel. It wasn’t bad, but I’ll stop at Einstein Bagels for my chocolate chip w/​peanut butter bagel instead.

I come here pretty darn often.
Having ONE bagel that I love, sucks when they are all out of them after the morning rush. (try the Cinnamon and Sugar bagel!)
Its always clean in there, there is plenty of seating, and tons of breakfast options. Not to mention, they have Lox cream cheese!
The parking really does suck. So if you’re in a rush, or running late, skip the bagel that morning.

Maybe 3 is being to harsh but maybe not. I come here usually a few times a month. The problem with this place is there is nowhere to park. If you familiar with Water st, you know it’s a challenge, so imagine trying to do it around 8:50am.
Therefore, if you want to stop at Bruegger’s you almost always have to park illegally. This wouldn’t be so bad if they had quick service, but that’s not the case. They usually are so slow and don’t seem to care about getting the customers in and out. I don’t mean like rushing them out but being understanding that we have a limited time to get in and out. I’m sure they know people risk a potential ticket just to come into their establishment. The workers sometimes will just talk with customers (not a bad thing for business) but they won’t always be getting something accomplished while doing so. This in turn holds up the guy in line behind them.
Overall, it’s a nice place to go have breakfast. They have an assortment of Bagels, sandwiches you can make, drinks and other snacks. It is very clean on the inside and usually warm. I will rate Bruegger’s a 3 ½ and worth stopping in just don’t be in a hurry.