Kossar's Bagels & Bialys Reviews

My wife knowing I love bialys made it a point to stop in Kossars while on the Eastside with a business associate. She stopped there after Russ and Daughters around 2 - 2:30. She bought 1 dz bialys and received 1 extra. The traditional bakers dz. I couldn't wait to combine her Russ and Daughter purchases with the bialys. My mouth was watering. When I reached inside the bag to slice and toast two bialys I realized that they were hard as a rock. I was barely able to slice them. After toasting and buttering one to taste without the "smear" I was so disappointed. they had no taste resemblance to a bialy whatsoever,except the center. they tasted like tasteless stale white bread. Not that airy light dough that I was expecting with the oniony and garlicy taste. We ended up throwing them out., and using the supermarket bialys which were better. Never again to Kossars. I wonder if the recipe was changed with new owners or the folks responsible for the baking were making shortcuts. I don't know. Just curious if anyone else has had a similar experience.

I'd never heard of a bialy until now. They are deliciously similar to a bagel but better. Try the onion flavour with herby cream cheese. You won't regret it.

Friendly service and staff is great. Still best bills in east coast. Expanded menu and all is good. Serving all types of bagel sandwiches that looked great

They seemed to have changed their bagel recipe. Now, the bagels are gigantic with fluffy centers. They have lost the density and tacky crust that made their old bagels terrific.

This is a very popular NYC Upper East side bagel shop. I ordered one toasted scooped bagel sandwich with white fish, it was delicious. Seems that a lot of kids from local schools flock to this place for a quick and delicious treat.

How sad. Kossar’s has gone upscale and expanded to restaurant service, while downsizing their bialys, altering their recipe for the worst and doubling their price. Compare their “new” bialys to an old one from my freezer.

Ordered a breakfast sandwich for my son, a bialy with lox spread for my wife and an everything with everything cream cheese for my self. My name was called and my son took the bag while I paid. The cashier said something about the everything with everything so when I got to the table and it wasn't in the bag I assumed they were still making it. Ten mins later I go back to the cashier and get ignored for another 2 customers and finally have to butt in to ask about my bagel. She looks at my ticket and says wasn't it in the bag? After she believes it wasn't she asks a guy to make it for me. The food is really good once we got it all...so go here...but check your order!

Hey who wants to wait in line at Russ and Daughters’ Cafe for an hour? Not me! I love R and D, but Kossar’s is an excellent substitute. Their classic lox sandwich is delicious. The bagels are a bit lighter and crispier than they used to be and I think it’s a vast improvement. Everything is great here, I just wish there were a some tables to sit at, rather than just a few stools and a counter. But take a bialy, cream cheese and lox to a park. You’ll be done and on your way before you ever even would have been seated at other more famous establishments.

Bunch of miserable mopes behind the counter. Bunch of miserable mopes behind the counter. Bunch of miserable. Bunch of miserable mopes behind the counter....

I love the bagels and bialys from this place. You can taste the difference in quality from the store brands. I usually visit to get a pack of four bagels and bialys to eat latter for breakfast. They are divine when toasted with butter or cream cheese. This place sometimes have a line, but it is worth the wait.

This place has been here for as long as I can remember. It gas been a neighborhood landmark for years It's a bit pricey, but the selection has gotten better. Get yourself a baker's dozen for the best deal. They will all be eaten in no time at all.

Disappointed. We went here after visiting The Pickle Guys ( definitely worth a visit ), as part of out mission to visit some of the places we saw on Food Network. The man at the counter was so miserable ! It was hot, but he was really overly dramatic about it. He offered no help in making a decision and was so rude when I ordered incorrectly. And the bialys was nothing to write home about. However the man making the bialys ( who had reason to complain about being hot but didn't ) , was so nice to my kids. Answered questions and had a smile on his face. Maybe they switch places !!

Was told by friends to try them out instead of the hotel breakfast and boy was it worth it. Great staff and locals who put up with us dithering while we tried to decide what we had to taste. However I will never be able to eat one of those UK manufactured bagels without thinking regretfully of the wonderful salmon schmear I had.....

Rude cashier. Made me wait more than 25 minutes for one bagle. They ignored my order cause it was small. Then made it after they serviced all. I cancelled my order. The bagel was then reay and she kept it. Learn to be nice to repeat paying customers or don't do that job.

We were in New York for the first time and we had this place in our bucket list. It's the first time we try this kind of bagels and OmG! We are hooked! We live in Sweden but we will go there every time we visit New York! That classic one is the best option

Fresh bread at affordable prices and fast service. There were not a lot of people when I stopped by and they were sold out of a lot of their bagels, so come early. Another plus, it is located next to the Doughnut Plant.

Walked in and was told I came at the right time by a cheerful man pointing at a bin of hot bialys. I asked for three, went to the counter to pay. The rude lady at the register pushed my hand away and asked for a smaller denomination. This happened twice until I handed her three singles. They were also out of cream cheese. Nevertheless, I endured the rudeness, because I thought the reward would be worth it. Boy, was I wrong. Only one of the three bialy had the onion topping in the middle and that one only had a tiny dab. I got chumped!

The Kossar family first brought their baked Jewish breads to NY back in 1936 and their tradition has continued through present day. Everyone knows that New York bagels are the best (because of the water) and Kossar's is no exception. Their bialys (baked dough with roasted onion filling) are even better. They also sell challah bread, babka, rugelach and other Jewish baked goods, and schmears (which are toppings like flavored cream cheese, butter, lox, etc) If you want to try authentic NY bagels and bialys, Kossar's is the place to go. They renovated the store this past year and they are open 7 days/week at 6am each day. Prices are cheap. You can get bagels for $1 and large bialys for $2. A must try. You will be addicted very quickly.

An iconic bagel and bialy shop in business since 1936 which tells you a lot. Super clean. Good selection. Premium ingredients. I got the classic with lox, creme cheese, capers, tomato, onions and added horseradish. Also got a bialy. Not cheap but Kossars is about quality

Great bialys! I am a bialy addict, and whenever I am in NYC, I walk eight blocks here from my hotel every day or two to get some bialys! WONDERFUL!

We enjoyed a great bialy with butter. So tasty, and the garlic - wow. Service was very friendly. Terrific value too.

went with wife and daughter . the bakery gives great aroma s . the bialys were great . we took out a lot . great place !

Bialys and bagels (plus a lot more) in Onion, Garlic, Seasame plus Speciality flavours. IMHO 2nd best NYC bagels (after Russ & daughters)

We stopped in for breakfast and were not disappointed! The bagel sandwich with asiago jalapeño cream cheese was delicious as was the chocolate babka and blueberry muffin! My husband got a cappuccino and said it was excellent. We were in/out quickly and watching the 10 people maneuver around behind the counter to serve the customers was fascinating! A great way to start your day if you need coffee and carbs!

I ordered the two egg bagel with american cheese and it was perfect. They also offer very good coffee and fast and convenient service.

Hello, if you came thinking you were going to sit and have a bagel and a schmear, or a bialy lightly toasted, think again. This is a bagel and bialy shop, they sell bagels and bialys. They are absolutely delicious, but this is not a restaurant. It is unfair to rate it as a restaurant. Don't be cowed by some of the reviews, if you are down here, and want bialys or bagels stop in, it is a great place!!

Unbeliavable!! The smell when you first walk in mesmerizes you.Couldent decide from the onion or garlic so we got both.The best of the best.On the way out grabbed a pletzel to nosh on the way back to the hotel.A real deal Mike

It has been many years since I last visited (used to live in NYC and dated a girl on the LES). It has gone upscale and expanded its offerings since last visit. Bialys are impossible to find outside of the City and they are so good. And the bialys were as good as I remembered, lovely. The plain bagels had great taste but the texture was a bit soft. Picked up a chocolate babka also, very good.

Probably not as well known as some of the other NY bagel places but every bit as delicious. Their bialies are amazing but try to wait it out until they are hot out of the oven. They have two types--fresh and delicious or stale and not good. I recommend the former!

Very old school bagel & bialy place. It's really set up for taking your stuff home - they don't put cream cheese on for you, I don't even think they sell coffee, etc. They have a cooler with spreads that you can buy and take with you. The Challah bagels I got were excellent. I'd never heard of a challah bagel, but I think it just must be another name for egg bagels, since that's exactly what it tasted like. A wonderfully delicious egg bagel. Yummmm.

We made the hike from our Midtown hotel to visit this place. We wanted to experience a New York Bagel and Bialy at it's finest and were told by locals this was the place. The lady working the register and taking our order was very friendly. We really liked the atmosphere too! The bagel and bialys were AMAZING! Unlike in other reviews we found the bagel size was enough to fill us up and was full of flavor! To NYC visitors the experience of going to Kossar's made it well worth it. What we liked most were all the locals who were coming in to get their Kossar's fix. We would gladly return on our next visit.

When we had decided to visit New York, one place I definitely wanted to visit was an authentic Jewish bagel shop. Now I am not certain that this place was actually owned by Jewish people but the taste was a definite slam dunk. I ordered one...left, ate it, and went right back in for another. You have to try this place for a great bagel.

Years ago one of our New York friends introduced us to bialys - often referred to as cousins to the bagel but with quite a different flavor and texture. Unlike a bagel, which is boiled and then baked with a hole in the middle, the bialy is only baked and has an indentation in the middle that is filled with small onion slices, garlic or poppy seeds. They have a slightly longer shelf life than a bagel, and are delicious with cream cheese, salmon, herring or any other topping you want to add. If you want to try one, Kossar's is the place to go - probably the source for any bialys you might find at the delis around NYC. They also have bagels - if you want them - and they sell spreads, but mostly they sell bialys. This is not a restaurant, but more a grocery. They have a shelf against the window you can eat on with a few stools, but it's mostly in and out service. The counter guy is gruff; the open bakery ovens, the shelves, the wonderful smells of flour and baking are all part of the experience (the counter guy would hate that I said that!). Whenever I go to NY, I buy a dozen; I love watching the faces of fellow commuters on the Amtrak train try and figure out where that great smell is coming from!

Stopped in while on the lower east side for a fresh bialys and was not disappointed! Fresh, soft and still warm! Quick and friendly service.

Went here since our Airbnb was around the corner. Service was fast and the food was fresh and delicious. We had everything bagels with salmon cream cheese and veggie cream cheese. They weren't shy about loading on the cream cheese and I needed to take a bit off to eat it. The service was typical NYC bagel shop service. You've got to know what you want when they get to you....no hemming and hawing..... For folks not used to this, it might feel a bit pressured and stressful. My advice would be to stand back out of line to peruse the menu and then be ready to go when you get in line!

Really good bagel sandwich and took a dozen bialys to go. Really really good and the kind of thing that's hard to find outside NY!

Very good, but only if you are in the neighborhood anyway! It isn't that central to the main parts of the Lower East Side.

Since the food tour was booked, we decided to do our own. Went with the traditional, Had a Baily with cream cheese.

We were in NYC for a day and decided to hit-up Kossar's for a bag of bialys for the trip home. We used to shop there fairly frequently when we lived in the NY area and the bakery was under different ownership and a lot less "fancy." It is clearly not the same product. We are skilled amateur bread bakers and I can say that something has changed and not for the better. Would I go back? Yes, but only because there are few bialy bakeries left in the NY area.

I was really hungry for a bagel, having not had one in a while. Since I moved to NYC, I have not had the opportunity to get one. I researched, and found this place, since it is down the street from my stepdaughter. Absolutely delicious! Ordered the everything bagel with veggie schmear. Perfect! Substance to the bagel, yet light and chewy on the inside, crispy on the outside. The schmear was a generous portion, and was made with real veggies, not like the store bought stuff. The place was clean, the staff was friendly and quick. The price is right as well, $1 for a bagel, extra for the schmear, but under $3. They also sell their bagel prepackaged, as well as their schmear. They also sell babka, but the chocolate was sold out and all that was left was cinnamon. On my next stop I will try a bialy. I am now a loyal customer.

The place offer a wide choice of bagel and bialy. They make there own bagel on site. Difficult to be understood by one of the waitress, who could easily be qualified of being rude with customers

I love bagels and bialys, but the latter are not always easy to find so we ordered some from Kossar's.. They have several kinds for shipment; our favorites are the ones with sun-dried tomatoes or onions. There is not much of the filling so don't expect a great deal, but what's there is tasty. Just warm them up, and add whatever you like. They may not be quite as versatle as bagels, but they are great as a change.

Great bagels, especially with eggs and cheese, good coffee, but not many places to sit, reasonably priced

For the bialys, particularly the onion ones, this place is great. There are better options for bagels though.

Kossar's bialies are great--there is no two ways about that. We were lucky to snag ours straight out of the oven and my son--who is an extremely fussy eater--promptly declared the piping hot onion bialy "the best thing ever." I'd have given the establishment 5 stars, but by 10am they were out of almost everything. Also, the cashier was nice enough to us, but was rather curt with some of the other patrons. So, the billies are 5-star, and the experience was 4-star. Still worth the walk across the street from the Pickle Guys.

Kossars makes the greatest bagels in the city. Their lox and cream cheese bagel is delicious. It’s kinda expensive thou, after all, they are bagels. I paid 33 dollars for 2 bagels.

After a disappointing visit to Katz deli, was recommended by a customer at Katz to give kossar’s a try and so I did . Let me tell you, staff was super friendly courteous and kind. They cared about what I wanted not like Katz that care about volume and the bottom line$ . Bagels are excellent and spreads too. From now on when visiting NYC this will be the place for me to buy bagels and anything else they offer. Thank you for your kindness and good manners. Wish you much success. You have my business.

Kossar’s has been on the Lower East Side since 1936, one of a handful of food places like Katz’s and Russ and Daughters that survives from the old Lower East Side. Always known for its bialys, Kossar’s has followed Russ and Daughters in expanding from a store to a restaurant. There are a few tables inside and more tables outside, with umbrellas to shield diners from the sun on hot days. I met a friend for breakfast last week and we sat outside. I had a bagel, cream cheese, and lox. My friend had a bialy and lox sandwich. The original owner sold the store, and now the wonderful bialys I remember buying warm from the oven are not very good. But the everything bagel I had was excellent with very good fresh cream cheese, which is available with different additions. I went on a weekday morning so it wasn’t as busy as usual. Kossar’s now serves egg dishes and an assortment of salads and coffee drinks. I brought home a chocolate babka which was excellent (they have cinnamon too). I miss the old bialys but stick with the bagels and you’ll have an excellent breakfast or lunch. It opens early— 6 am every day— so great for early risers.

Traditionally made bagels, which are huge and can feet two. You pay one Dollar each, 50 Cent if you want cream cheese and that´s it. 1,50 for a delicious breakfast.

I got the Lox bagel. It was somewhat salty (good), had a good amount of cream cheese. It all came together nicely. I'd definitely go there again for another Lox bagel for breakfast.

What a great treat! Kind of like pizza, kind of like a roll, the bialy is fantastic. We tried the garlic, very good. Prices are incredibly cheap!

Good Bialys and great spreads!

even better, it's next to Doughnut Plant!

I had the cream cheese and smoke salmon bagel on the everything bagel, I think it was called? I thoroughly enjoyed it and it was extremely filling and refreshing for a breakfast meal.

We stopped here for a quick breakfast before heading to a museum, and even the plain bagels are delicious!! The only criticism is that there's next to no seating, and if we hadn't arrived when we did, we wouldn't have been able to sit and eat. However if you know this going in and plan ahead (which we did not), you'll be fine. Also, be aware: you order at one part of the counter and pay at another, which is not made clear to you, so there was a bit of confusion there.

I decided to visit my old stopping grounds "Lower East Side" and went to Kossar's Bialys which had a major renovation. I loved the old look back in the day of the 1960's and 1970's. I was craving bialys, they only had 5 sesame left so I bought them all. My family and I enjoyed the bailys toasted with butter.

I've been eating bialys from Kossar's since I was a little kid and they're still a treat for me. If you've got a buck, it's a nice, soft snack that makes me nostalgic for old Grand St (since a lot of Manhattan is changing and gentrifying). I've never found the staff to be rude to me.

Perfect bagels every time; friendly staff; we go out of our way to get bagels from here. No reason to go anywhere else (plus the pickle guy is just next door and economy candy is a few blocks away).

Loved the Bialy! Wanted real deli while we were in New York. A guide recommended Kossar's and they were right! The Bialy was wonderful. My husband had the whitefish salad on a bialy and loved it. I had tuna salad it was great. Would definitely go back!

The best Bialys by far and worth rushing to immediately from the airport. Definitely buy more than you think you should because you will need to share.

Visited here twice on our trip to Manhattan. Fresh bagels with great ingredients. Limited seating inside, the coffee is also quite ok. Definitely worth a visit if you like bagels.

Everything cream cheese, horse radish cream cheese (mislabeled) and double onion cream cheese. 2 sesame seed bagels, a plain bagel and a piping hot bialy.

Big disappointment. Nice website but when you arrive you are completely underwhelmed. Nothing hot unless you want to wait 10 to 30 minutes. Sorry, no onion bagels, have some in 30 minutes. I had to go to work. The few varieties of bagels they did have were not warm and had been out for so long it wasn’t worth going to this place. Had a toasted bialy with butter prepared and they burnt the edges of the bialy, I could do it at home better. The guy serving me seemed like it was his first day. Kept asking other guy questions. The website makes you think it will be a real experience. It was not. Decent bialy. But burnt. Bagels—not so much. Get your act together and live up to the website and history you brag about.

They bagels are fresh, aromatic and warm, the choices for toppings are substantial and the staff are so nice. The place gets busy so you will have to take a number but it's worth the wait!

Kossar’s Bagels certainly satisfies our craving after a long walk. We tried the Bagel with smoked salmon and overflowing cream cheese. Yummm yummm

Kossar's is downstairs from my apartment and there have plenty of time I have lunch or dinner to take home. BEST Choc Babka around. Staff is super friendly. My go to place. Great salmon and bagels of many varieties.

The old shop had lots of charm and was always a throw back in time. New shop in same place is new, very clean and. An expanded men u. I preferred the old place for the ambiance, the new facility is more like a deli or big pastry shop. Bialys have same flavor as wbefore. Just seems more expensive than in Poritz years

Kossar's was recommended by a vlogger on YouTube, so we made our way here our first morning in NYC. Easy to get to on the subway--just a short walk from the Delancy stop. I had a pumpernickel everything bagel with dill cream cheese and my husband had a bagel sandwich with egg. They were HUGE! We also ordered iced coffees. Everything was delicious! We felt like a couple of locals--this is a busy place! There are only 4-5 seats inside, and a bench outside, so this is better if you are on the go. Strictly counter service, but they are friendly and take care of you quickly. You should definitely take the time to visit when in NYC!

If you need to ask, don't go! This place is as old as old New York, but the Bialys, bagels etc., are just the best, hands down. I can't express how good this place is, and it's all for take out. We bought a ton and brought it home. It's right next door to The Pickle Guys, which is another NY must.

We stopped here as part of a food tour last week. My companions tried the bagels with lox and I tried a classic bialy. I wish we'd come to this place sooner. The food was delicious and so, so good. The staff were extremely polite and welcoming. I'm still dreaming about my bialy!! The challah looked good too. If I wasn't flying home so soon after the tour I would have picked some up. The shop front has had a refurb so it looks brand new with its red and white signage. Easy to find! Do go and check it out.

I have tried a few different bagels and toppings here and they never disappoint! The bagels are dense and soft and the cream cheeses and salads are really great! The bialys are a must try also. So soft and the onion center is really good. You also have to try it just for the history of the place. There are a few seats in the shop so you can eat there and they have great old pictures on the walls that were interesting to see.

We did the Free Tours by Foot and bought a sesame bagel with cream cheese. I generally get veggie cream cheese but only saw plain cream cheese. I was asked if I wanted it toasted. I thought that was frowned upon in New York. If it’s a fresh bagel it doesn’t need to be toasted I was told. So, no it was not toasted. Still it was a good bagel and filling. Service was very good. No complaints. Do note that it’s a small place so there not much room for customers. We ended up taking our bagel to go.

We were staying up the road from Kossar's so decided to stop by for a quick breakfast on our way to do some sightseeing. We didn't try the bialys but the bagels were very tasty. We had the 'everything' bagels toasted and shmeared it with some garlic/thyme cream cheese. Definitely worth a try. we found it a little expensive for what it is but still good.

Kossar's recently renovated this classic bialy and bagel bakery, a remnant of a time when the Lower East Side was the home of many stores dedicated to careful preparation of specific foods. Its bagels are fine but there are good bagels available other places as well. It's the bialys that make me return here whenever I'm in the neighborhood. Whether you have one for a breakfast, snack, or lunch (and now Kossar's offers several types of bialys [but choose the original onion] and of spreads to put on your bialy) or you buy a dozen, you'll love the soft, puffy, deliciousness. Another tip: have it toasted to bring out all the bialy's aromatic comfort.

I've been to Kossar's twice. The first time I wasn't that impressed with the bialys. Maybe they're an acquired taste. I was there yesterday with my daughter and this time we got bagels. They were excellent. My daughter got an everything bagel and she loved it. I got plain with some delectable cream cheese. The bagels were wonderfully fresh, chewy - everything a bagel should be. And at just $1 per bagel it was a very inexpensive, filling and satisfying breakfast. The ambiance leaves a lot to be desired - the place is pretty faded and dumpy. It doesn't need to be flashy but it could use a renovation. And the woman at the register was efficient but unfriendly, answering questions in mono-syllables. But for a quick and excellent breakfast on the Lower East Side it can't be beat.

Had breakfast bagels but the menu was great and would have liked to try others. The everything bagel was super tasty. We ate outside.

Visited based on other reviews and this shop's ranking on best bagel lists but found the bagels a bit lackluster. Service was friendly. Be aware that's there's virtually no seating so don't plan on being able to eat in.

Came here for a good breakfast sandwich and it did not disappoint. They were fast and efficient and really packed in the eggs and bacon into the sandwich. I would recommend this spot for a bagel lover and someone who wants a solid breakfast on the go.

This was the first stop on our New York City Sunday and we could not have made a better choice.Bagels or Bialys we got one of each and split them.Both were very good,coming from Jersey we have lots of bagel places but hardly any bialys so this was a treat.We enjoyed watching the men making them right in front of us as we ate while they worked..A good place to stop if you are in lower Manhattan.

I ordered from Kossars on Goldbelly because I had always loved their bialys. But the bialys I received the first week of December 2024 are not authentic Kossars or any traditional bialys I grew up with and I’m 79. The ones I received were thick (1.5”) and doughy. Instead of the onions being baked in the middle indentation, a still moist lump of chopped onion was added to the baked bialy. That familiar bialy taste was completely missing. What a shame. The old Kossars knew how. The new one doesn’t. Pity.

This 80 year old bakery makes the best bagels and bialys in all of NYC. The old world recipe for there malt bagels are bar none the best. The Bialys here may be the the last true Bialys in the world. Still made in a dedicated Kutchen Kitchen. This Bialystoker kitchen makes hot bialys from it's dedicated bialy kitchen from midnight to 6pm everyday. If you have only one day in NYC this place makes the list of places to go to. It's like stepping into the 1930's LES to enjoy a Hot bialy and bagel.

We're fortunate to have a friend who was brought up in the Lower East Side who took us on a tour of his old neighbourhood and Kossar's Bialys once one of the places we visited. We'd never heard of Bialys before so got a couple of them and they were very tasty. The bakery is very basic but that just added to the old fashioned charm. Worth a visit if you're in the neighbourhood.

Prior to our visit we'd not heard the work "bialy" and obviously had no clue what it was/is. Well now we know and Kossar's is prominent in bringing it to NYC. Now we know bagels but certainly are not experts and if blindfolded I'm not sure we could tell the difference though I know many others would be able to. Okay, we split a Classic on an onion bialy. Nice size, plenty of packed goodness and the bialy itself was soft, slightly chewy, in essence it was good. If I was in a shop with a choice of a bagel or a bialy I would probably go with the bialy only because it doesn't appear to be as common of a find. Really appreciate how Kossar's has carried on the tradition so more people can experience it.

We planned our own 'foodie tour' and that had to include the legendary Kossar's Bialys. We arrived admittedly, late in the day, around 2pm. The small Asian serving lady must be the rudest person working in customer service. We asked for a garlic bialys and she snapped Sold Out! We asked for onion bialys with cream cheese! No fillings! Sold out! came the shocking reply. We bought a single onion bialy and shared it, just to get a transaction over with and to say we've tried them. Ninety cents! she barked? Without a filling/topping, it resembled spongy cardboard in texture. We're resigned to the fact that we showed up late but the server's rudeness still, was unforgivable.

It used to be that the best bialys in NYC could be had at Kossars in the old Lower East Side section of NYC. I've been coming here since a little child every time my Dad came back to area to visit (he was raised here). Living in Brooklyn, this meant at least twice a month you were in the Lower East Side> These where the days of the pickle barrels and the best bialys money could buy, Kossar's. I spent two years in my early twenties working in the Financial District in lower Manhattan, and found myself in the Lower East Side/Chinatown area at least three nights a week after work enjoying the atmosphere. Unfortunately, times and products do change. The new Kossar bialys were too dense like a bagel (man hole cover like - same size) and even though reportedly just baked, hard and not chewy enough. Could not barely taste the onion or garlic even though i bought both types. Very disappointing ....

We were just walking around and went here for a bite and man what a treat. Bagels are great with lots of choices of spreads. Definitely worth your while.

Thanks to the food network, we tracked down a bakery who made Bialys, which is a chewy yeasty roll similar to a bagel. We ended up going to Kossar's recommended to us by the concierge at our hotel - supposedly there is an art to making these not many people still bake them, but this bakery has been doing it for over 80 years. We got to the bakery around 10am, a few people there, some picking up 3 dozen at a time. My husband ate a plain one with nothing on it (only $1) and I ordered an onion one with some cream cheese which was lightly toasted ($2). So delicious, to me it reminded me of a really good quality pizza dough a bit. So glad we visited, only wish it was closer to our hotel, as I would have had it for breakfast everyday!

I rarely eat bagels for breakfast, but while in NYC on vacation, I went for it! Kossar's was just around the corner from our hotel, so made multiple trips for my morning coffee (super cheap and piping hot) with a bagel and a shmear (what do they do to cream cheese in NYC, it's like nothing I can get anywhere else???). Great everything bagels, prompt service. I was pretty hyped to try a bialy, but disappointed, pretty bland and dry, I probably should've toasted and buttered the heck out of it. Bagels are the standouts here. Brought home a dozen for the kids as well as a bag of rugelach, also yummy.

Good bialys!

We went to Kossar's a couple of times- they do a variety of kosher food- breads, bagels, sandwiches etc. You can also get bread and buns to toast yourself, if you wish. The shop is open from early while late and has a small seating area if you want to sit in. There's a huge choice of food and it seemed very popular when we went, mostly with locals getting brunch. The prices were reasonable and the quality of the food excellent- they make their own dough too. The staff were courteous and you can pay by cash or card, which is useful. Unpretentious and worth a visit if you're passing.

We asked where to get them, and we were told Kossar's! What a great place. Smells like heaven when you go in. The bagels and bialys (the reason we went) are fresh as fresh can be! Old style oven, and wooden cooling racks. The place has charm. The women at the front counter are fun and love to tell you the history of Kossar's. Dante, the baker-so willing to give a demo! Then, you put a fresh bialy in your mouth and are transported. Definitely a destination. The best. People literally eat them out of the bag as they stand there-you really cannot wait until you leave-they are that good. Really enjoyed this place...

As a New Yorker, I have had lost of bialy's some good- others not. I can't believe the reviews here as this was a NOT for me! After seeing this on the the Next Food Network Star, I was excited to try Kossars Bialys since I have walked by it many times and did not even realize it was there. ( I was on my way to Donut Plant which is a definite YES!) I got there at 7 am expecting a fresh warm bialy but instead I got this over salted cold bread. The crunchy texture of the top of a bialy was missing - it was just a chewy mess with a tiny amount of onions in the center. They do not put cream cheese on it - you need to buy a tub and put it on yourself. Glad I did not buy the cream cheese - I wound up throwing out half of the bialy ( and I never throw away food!!.) I would not return or recommend this place!

When you aren't in the mood to stand in line for Russ & Daughters head directly to Kossar's! You don't even need to stop by any other place just go to Kossar's. I wish I lived in NY so I could try everything on the menu. My friend and I both had the Kossar Classic, mine on a sesame bagel and hers on a bialy. Absolutely delicious combination of flavors and textures. Historically I am not a fan of lox but not a problem here! Friendly and efficient staff. I also had a yummy black & white cookie. I loved this place! We were on the lower east side but there are also locations on the UES/UWS and Hudson Yards.

So it's name is Kossar's Bialys but I must agree with the other reviews, the bialys lacked flavor. The bagels on the other hand were the best bagels that I ever tasted, big, crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside. We tried several other bagel shops, while on our trip, and this was the bagel that I insisted on taking home to MPLS.

We stopped here as part of our food tour. Since it was a Sunday...it is recommended you get here early...because when we arrived, they were sold out of bialys and had very few bagels left. They were in the process of making more, but we didn't have that kind of time. We did order one of the last few remaining bagels, which was very good. Even better was their pastrami lox, which was DELICIOUS! I highly recommend to give it a try. It had great smokey flavors and not salty at all. If in the area, I would recommend to stop in, but GET THERE EARLY! PS - If this review was useful, please click the HELPFUL button on your cell phone or the THANK YOU button on your computer. I'd appreciate it :-D

Happened upon this bagel shop and decided to give it a go. Did not disappoint. Very good everything bagel loaded with spicy jalapeño cream cheese.

No two ways about it – those are REALLY GOOD bialys. (Bagels too.) It’s mostly a take-out type place (just a few stools and counter at the window for seating otherwise) but so yummy. I tried the veggie spread on my soft and flavorful onion bialy, my girls had hummus on their bagels – all of which delivered. Staff were friendly and effective and the facility was clean (except for the overflowing garbage can near the front door about which I had to advise them). If you’re near the eastern Lower East Side, this place is definitely worth a stop. Next time, I might have to take some home to Atlanta.

Alas, all good things come to an end. The bagels are excellent, no question. But, surprisingly, the bialys are extraordinary NO MORE. Once fresh, light, airy and of reasonable size are now seemingly day old, dense and small. Like a different place altogether. Too bad. By the way, asked for onion and seemed to get a few garlic in the mix.... adding insult to injury.

Ok, full-disclosure here: I am not from NYC and I never had a bialy before. So take this review for what it's worth. First stop on our self-guided food tour of the Lower East Side was Kossar's. Not a whole lot of atmosphere inside, but not why we were there. The place smelled amazing, the hot, fresh bialys were great, even if we did put the cream cheese on ourselves. And the lady behind the counter was very nice. Maybe I can find bialys in Chicago?

The bialys were decent, nothing great nothing terrible either, a decent snack. But the lady working there was so rude, the way she looked and spoke to us it was like she was angry at us for buying things. It was truly bizarre.

Wow! We got one onion and one garlic bialy to take with us after getting doughnuts next door. They only cost 90 cents each and they were delicious. Our only regret was not getting more. The cashier was very helpful and suggested what we should get. She said the business had been around since 1936.

Waited in line for a bit, but this allowed us to finalize our orders - there is a decent selection of bagels/bialys and toppings to choose from - the whitefish was very delicious. The service was efficient and friendly. The bagels were great, and the cinnamon babkas were outstanding - I would drive back to NYC just to get some!

Being from Montreal, my friend and I definitely needed to chomp on a New York bagel and finally settle for ourselves which city's are better. Loved our visit to Kossars. There was a big selection, but I went with the multigrain with the onion cream cheese. Delicious! I have since been doing my best to copy that onion cream cheese back home and slather it onto our Montreal bagels. Note: They also sell black and white cookies! New York bagel or Montreal bagel? You be your own judge!

We visited here for breakfast bagels and they are just phenomenal. Plenty to choose from but went for the New Yorker. Was delicious! This place is well worth a visit and I would happily return if/when in NY again .

Yummy! I wanted it all! I was there visiting recently and had the onion bialy and later wished I had more!,

I had the bialy with lox cream cheese- it melted in my mouth and was just absolutely delicious... every last morsel.

In my 65 years, I had never had a "real" NYC bialy. We went after brunch at Katz's and got a dozen onion for the ride back to DC. They were unbelievable.

Tasty bagels (although the salt bagel is a bit much for my taste). There are nice flavour combos for spreads (jalapeno and capers) with a couple of options for vegans. Know what you want before getting in line - they work quickly!

We enjoyed stopping in here For breakfast. We had a friendly guy helping us out. Several different bagels to choose from and spreads. They also had muffins that looked delicious. Wish I would have had room to try one! Would certainly stop by again.

Had their bialys, a delicious roll, very soft, with soft onions on top. Wish I bought more than one.

There aren't a lot of bialy bakeries left in the city, but Kossars is consistently good. Every bialy I've had there was fresh, tender and had just the right amount of onion. I hope they stay forever!

Kossar's bialy's (Polish bread) and bagels has been at this location since around 1936. The bialy's are delicious, there only used to be one kind of bialy when i was a little boy now there are many flavors. Same with the bagels. Great deals cheapest in Manhattan at $1.00 per and fresh from the ovens as they bake them behind the window in the back. Now you can even get a sandwich made there. From bagels and lox to all other types of sandwiches. They have lox's and spreads to go as well as some kosher style meats and salads. Highly recommended as i go weekly stock up and freeze them. Easy to unfreeze and toast or warm in oven. I unfreeze quickly if i just want one in the morning or anytime by taking a ziploc baggy and placing the bialy or bagel in it and in a microwave on high for 40 seconds then it comes out defrosted soft and ready to slice and toast. I toast mine in my toaster oven for around 3 minutes just lightly browned, ready for some creamed cheese spread, lox, onion and a slice of tomato! Breakfast of the gods~

We went to this authentic New York CIty bagel shop and the bagels really are great! We had the egg and cheese bagel, bacon egg and cheese bagel, tasted bagels with lox cream cheese, and many other tasty wonders!!! Loved it all!

Bages are all the rage but nothing beats a good Bialy. We had a lox speady bialy. My wife had an egg and cheese bialy. Both came with a healthy sized portion. Her's was real cheesy. Mine was loaded with lox spread. Prices were very reasonable.

The food is fantastic in tastes and freshness. Made directly in front of you. The interior is very basic but also makes it trendy. Price cannot be beaten for this quality.

FORGET THE BAGEL EAT BIALYS

The bagels at Kossar's are are TINY...they are like mini bagels at every other bagel store in NYC. Besides, the bagels don't taste good; in fact I'd say they're tasteless.. Brooklyn Bagel & Coffee Company and Ess-A-Bagel are much better choices. Their bagels are double the size and the taste is so much more authentic. From the perspective of a native New Yorker who was born and brought up here, if I would've known Kossar's was this bad, I would have neither wasted my time nor my money buying this. I literally went there because I bought a great deal on Groupon, but after I tasted them and tasted how inedible they were, After I tried them I literally threw out almost two dozens of Kossar's bagels in the garbage. I just saw they had so many reviews and didn't bother reading the first few. I do NOT recommend them!

This is a very minimal shop; they don't do anything fancy. They don't make sandwiches or put on butter or cream cheese. However, if you are looking for a great onion bialys with a fantastic crust and chewy interior, this is a great option. Mine was freshly baked (still warm!) and delicious. I also enjoyed watching the baker make the next batch of bagels.

Too often these days you walk into a place, order a bagel and they put cream cheese or butter on it like there is a world-wide shortage. At Kossar’s not only are their bagels and bialys fresh and delicious, but they have a great choice of spreads from chive cheese to horseradish flavored cheese and Lox spreads. Great place to visit. Joel and Rosalie...Boston, MA

Softly baked bagels with interesting filling choices. Staff a bit rude and rushing you. First time in NYC so we needed some more time to look at the menu.

Go in prepared. Best bagels ever but no allowance for tourists no explanation not patience you have to be quick, its a little intimidating we ended up just asking for a toasted everything bagel with cream cheese and salmon but would have loved to have tried some of the more interesting cream cheese flavours like garlic, strawberry or horseradish. Next time.

The server was friendly and helpful. Greeted me well and gave me salmon samples to try before choosing. The price was incorrect on the menu for 'the czar' and there were no pumpernickel bagels but he explained it well. It tastes pretty good but a bit too salty for my liking. The place is clean and tidy which was great. Everything was expensive though. Not a fan of a $9 bagel. That was disappointing. Will still come back though. Check out the doughnut place just two doors down too ;).

We went on a walking tour and we stopped here. Great value and very tasty. Friendly staff, we had cream cheese and salmon. Yum!

This place is really cool. It was totally renovated but still have this old touch with beautifully framed black and white pictures of the store, the neighborhood and the family that started this business. The bagels are to die for and there is a wide selection of fresh filling. If you love a proper espresso based coffee, you can get a nice cappuccino or latte. This address is a must if you want a true NY bagel experience.

Nice bakery with fantastic bagels, bialys and cream cheese. Went for the normal cream cheese but they have a whole wide variety. Can’t go wrong when eaten fresh.

Freshly baked every sort you could imagine with every topping one could wish for this made my day as it was on my bucket list when visiting new york to gave a bagel breakfast

We came for try their unique garlic bialys--only have had onion in the past. Really good. We ended up getting a dozen to take home on the bus. They freeze well.

Stopped by for breakfast while in the area for Tenement museum visit. Great salt and cinnamon raisin bagels ( with strawberry cream cheese!) and everything bialys. Only a few tables for eating in

We found this place on a food tour. It was absolutely amazing. We tried the everything bagel, a plain bialys and a cinnamon raisin bagel. Not only were the bagels great, but so was the cream cheese. Pro-Tip: try the strawberry cream cheese. It takes just like strawberry ice cream!

Kossar's was a delicious final meal on to our trip to NYC on 1/6/19 (yeah, I'm a little behind in my review!). Thanks Team Kossar and an especially warm thank you to Trish for her gracious hospitality! As an out-of-towner (I'm from Nebraska, what do I know about Bialys and Bagels?), I thought the food was delicious, piled high with meats and cheeses. I can't say enough good things about their flavorful coffees, generous portions, and clean everything. We liked watching the bakers do their thing. We enjoyed Sunday morn' bagels and coffee with Team Kossar so much we purchased two sandwiches for the flight home! Obviously the purists and locals have their own valid and educated opinions. I can only say that having eaten at Kossar's made our trip to New York City utterly complete. Thank you Team Kossar for rising at O dark 30 to bake for us and have these amazing creations waiting! You all rock! Sincerely, Patrick Shaughnessy

If you are in the Lower East Side, definitely make a stop on Grand Street to taste some of the best bialys and bagels in town. My favorites are the onion bialy and the everything bagel. The shmears are good and they also sell other baked products. The place is nice and clean and the servers are friendly and helpful. The prices are very reasonable too.

I got a bagel with cream cheese which was a true NY bagel experience but my friend ordered a chocolate-babka-French-toast which was absolutely incredible! Can’t wait to go back there and order that all for myself. Loved it!

With new owners, Kossar's has undergone a facelift. It's brighter, sleeker and more modern looking. Some people may have wistfully missed the original look but not to worry. Kossar's may have changed the appearance of the famous bialy store but they didn't change the recipe. If you're looking for an authentic bialy, this is the place to go. There is still the same choices and they have a range of different kinds of bagels too, all made the old fashioned way-boiling. Kossar's has added lots of cream cheeses, fish salads like tuna or white fish and you can even get an expresso.

Want to walk in to a Jewish Bakery and have it be right, feel right, taste like smoke fish heaven? Twice smoked salmon, the various cream cheese spreads, all come together at a great price there at Kossar's. I've stopped back here several times for bagel and lox sandwiches to bring back as gifts to friends. Well worth the cab fare to the lower East Side.

this place has been in business at least 60 years...they now even sell to Supermarkets,,,,stopped by and got 1/2 dozen to go....they were just absolutely terrible.....weren't good enough to use for fish bait.....and they were out of Onion Discs,,,,i suppose that was a blessing.........

Went late on a Sunday afternoon and selection was limited of course, so earlier in the day. Good, fast service and bagels are great. One dollar per bagel.

While Kossar's bagels are excellent, what I come for are real bialys. (I haven't found them anywhere else.) Kossar's fixed up the store and expanded the menu so that it's now possible to get some sandwiches. There are other offerings here, but its the bialys and bagels that have brought me back here over the years. It's a great stop on any Lower East Side food excursion.

I've been coming to kossars since I was a child and even when during one ownership the bagels were kind of bad, just the smell alone made it always good. It's very good now with the newish owners. However they expanded the menu to making sandwiches and this can cause you to be stuck for fifteen minutes just to by a bagel or two. This is due in part to very poor organization behind the counter. There is not one cashier each worker works on one customer at a time and since it is my neighborhood store and not a foodie destination this can be particularly vexing! Other then that the bagels are superb!

We came here on a recommendation that this place is an institution in the Lower East Side. I ordered a traditional onion bialy, toasted with lox cream cheese on it. It was so good - so light and much, much tastier than a bagel. They have the 'Italian' over-complicated, pain in the backside, ordering system in place here - which I wasn't aware of until I was told by the lady at the til (other reviewers have mentioned her "friendliness" NOT). Don't let that put you off - if you expect an extremely offhand Asian lady at the til, you know what you are getting. Just ignore it and enjoy the food. So, you order from the server behind the counter first, then go to the til and tell the lady what you ordered and pay for it and then they'll hand it to you. Make sure you order it toasted - it tastes great. Whilst the Bialys are listed at 99c, that is the basic model. We ordered two specialty Bialys, with cream cheese and our bill/check came to $9. There is not much space in the shop to eat in - you need to take them outside and eat them on the street. We ate ours around the corner just across the road from the famous Pickle Guys shop. We combined this with a visit to the Lower East Side Tenement Museum, which is only a short walk away from there.

Bagel baking has gone downhill since the Kossar’s renovation. They claim to boil and then bake, the old way. This should result in properly dense, chewy bagels. But what they are now turning out is more like what the dreaded steam oven produces -- something like white bread or Lender's bagels. What a disappointment. We used to buy a couple of dozen to take to friends when we traveled, because they were so special, but now there's no reason to bring them the same airy faux bagels they can get in New England or the Midwest. As for the bialys, I’m suspicious of them too: The clerk offered me a roll he said was great, “just like a Kaiser roll” made from bialy dough. Well, it’s telling that his high praise was for a Kaiser roll, and very odd that the bialy dough would turn out something like one – and yes, it was light and fluffy too.

If you are looking for an authentic and delicious NYC bagel, Kossar's is a good option. Fresh everyday and lots of flavors!

Very welcoming and smiling staff despite the language barrier, ( we are French .) We enjoyed it! Thanks for the time.