Hot Bagels Abroad

(4) (973) 313-1800
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“Would recommend calling in your order to skip the long lines [especially on the weekends]”

“The veggies have a lot of flavor unlike many veggie cream cheeses I've had.”

“The first thing that came up was Sonny's Bagels but they lacked many things such as hot foods (eggs, bacon etc), seating, cream cheese variety, and bathrooms.”

Hot Bagels Abroad

Take-out: Yes
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Bike Parking: Yes

Price range.

$ Price range Inexpensive

4 reviews

  1. Oh, college.
    Lose your Seton Hall buddy last night at that rager and you're wondering what happened to him? Chances are you'll find him and every other hung over seton hall student at this place on Saturday or Sunday. Lines are out the door and for good reason. They're great bagels. You know what's also great? Home fries. I'll wait on that stupidly long line for one of those environment destroying styrofoam cups filled with those deliciously fried potatoes.

    If you're just getting bagels, head to the front of the line.

  2. There are a lot of places to get bagels in this area but when it comes to a little bit more than just that bagel and coffee you may want to try here. The selection is pretty good here – all the bagel types you want and various spreads of cream cheese and more. They they're pretty well stocked too so there's no running out of your favorite bagel like I've had happen at Sonny's a nearby.

    My favorite thing to get here are the breakfast bagel sanwiches. They have everything you want, pack it on and serve it hot. I've never been too disappointed with it except for a time or two my bagel seemed stale. The selection of drinks here is also pretty sizable. Beyond coffee you have various juices, Snapple and more.. Which I like. The problem I would say does lie with the service here, it could be faster and certainly a little more friendlier, I can't recall anyone of the workers here cracking even a tiny smile which is always nice. I've never seen any rudness, but I'm always prepared with how a lot of these workers facial expressions look. With that said you come back for the large layout of not just options food and drink-wise but there is a fair amount of seating here too but it's the little things that that keep this place from being more than it could.

  3. In South Orange, picking your bagel spot is like choosing the lesser of two evils.  On one hand, you've got Sonny's.  It's a dump and feels like a relic from the days of yore.  They haven't had an upgrade since bell bottoms were cool.  There are generally only two people working there, and "fast" isn't part of their modus operandi.  The bagels, however, are top notch.

    On the other hand, you've got HBA, or Hot Bagels Abroad if you're not into the whole brevity thing.  It's a franchise, so they are clearly running a bigger operation, and it shows.  The store is bigger, more modern and they offer a lot more.  It's really like a full service bagel deli and grill.  The bagels are solid; not the best you're going to get, but far from the worst.  They have a nice varied selection, always seem to have inventory available, offer a plethora of different cream cheese, and crank out mean looking breakfast sandwiches.  These are all good things and attributes you'd expect in a solid bagel spot.  

    The rub at HBA is the wait time.  You will wait and wait until you want to claw your eyeballs out.  WTF??  I have shown up as early as 8am on a weekend morning and the line is all the way to the door.  Keep in mind, this is a pretty big store, so we're talking maybe 20 people deep.  It's kind of ridiculous.  It would be nice if the staff were just cranking away, knowing that if they bust balls for a few hours from 7-11 or so, things will eventually quiet down and they can chillax.  But no.  They chillax at peak hours, too, and there are several of them (6 maybe?).  There is no urgency, no expediting of orders, no efficiency or multi-tasking.  It's just painfully sloooowwwwwwww.

    So, you decide.  I'd like to say that it's a win/win situation when going out for bagels in South Orange, but I'd be lying.

  4. Totally agree about the wait at this place. The first I came it wasn't so bad but on my second visit I just said eff it and walked out. Ain't no way I'm waiting 15-20 minutes just to order some eggs on a bagel.

    So on my second visit I got nothing. On my first visit I got 2 eggs and bacon on a toasted bagel. I forgot to tell them to toast it but they made sure to ask. Thank you! It was a solid sandwich and the bacon was actually pretty good and not that gross I've been sitting here for a while and reheated a million times crap.

    So I am a fan of their sandwich and I am also a fan of their coffee. For the coffee, they add the cream and sugar for you! How retro.

    The service though…not rude but they moved with zero urgency. There was a guy next to me who was close to losing it. Thankfully, he held it together.

    It's a big place with tables if you choose to eat it in. I'm not sure about the theme they were going for. There was a fish tank, a cuckoo clock, and some other stuff on the wall. It was all very odd.

    I'll return on an off day but never on the weekend.

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