Once Upon A Bagel

I went here on mother's day 2025, for the first time. The place was a mad house in the best of ways! They had SO many pre-orders I knew I was at a great spot! I purchased a variety of bagels, 18, as well as lox, veg, & walnut raisin smears. All were fantastic! The smears all had perfectly sized pieces of their respective items. The price was also acceptable. I also noticed they smoke a lot of their own fish. I will be back many more times to keep trying new items!

I recently discovered *Once Upon A Bagel*, and it turned out to be so much more than I expected. While working on a project, a friend brought over some food that looked incredible, and when I found out it was from this spot, I had to check it out. What I thought was just a simple bagel shop turned out to be a hidden gem, offering an array of classic foods you don’t find much anymore. The bakery was outstanding, the deli impressive, and the hot food section full of delicious options. I decided to try the matzoh ball soup, and I have to say, it was the best I’ve ever had. Having tried legendary spots like Wolfie's in Miami and Rascals, I can confidently say this soup topped them all. If you’re craving great breakfast, lunch, or some nostalgic classics, I highly recommend stopping by *Once Upon A Bagel*. The place is extremely clean, well-staffed, and serves high-quality food. I can’t wait to go back!

I really enjoy the salmon salad sandwich!! It's soo delicious and the potato pancake is perfect!! The place is always packed so doing a carry out order is convenient

Great bagels and sandwiches and chicken noodle soup with vegetables. We also ordered a dozen bagels to take to relatives and they were not in the bag when we unpacked it. However, we called and they quickly delivered them so we still give them high marks. Just check your order before you leave, if it's complicated.

Really disappointed in myself for paying $15 for a turkey sandwich in this economy. The sandwich was so basic. No mayo, no mustard. The lettuce wasn’t even shredded it was just large pieces that had been cut. I asked for salt,pepper, oil, and vinegar and they gave me containers of oil and vinegar and salt and pepper packets. How can you say it’s like a New York Deli if you don’t have oil & vinegar available/ready to just put on the sandwich. Very underwhelming.

Dougy approved! Enjoyed the staff very organized great food! Chili and a variety of bagels... THERE IS NO OTHER PLACE COMPARABLE AROUND! BEST IN THE USA!!!

I had the best bagel from Once Upon a Bagel! My teammate at IVme Highland Park recommended it, and I’m so glad she did. It reminds me of the classic bagel delis in NYC—quality, fresh, and so tasty. I’ll definitely be back soon and often!

So much more than bagels…..though their bagels are excellent! Great place for soup or a sandwich or a salad or almost anything 😉

Food was amazing ! The best lox bagel I have had outside of NYC. Highly recommended. I will need to come by to try the other items but matzo ball soup seemed to be consistent around the place. The kids enjoyed and burgers and the chicken tenders.

I love this place! They have more than one location I'm not sure yet which location I like the best! They are all very busy places with so many choices to choose from . They have a large room with many tables to eat in . They will bring you your order and silverware and napkins. The food tastes amazing. There are many deli choices and take home choices. I had an egg bagel and vegetable cream cheese with good potato salad !

Best bagels in North shore! Super friendly and fast service for a quality. Such a great neighborhood spot to grab and go and to dine in .

My first time grabbing a bagel here and I'm pleasantly pleased. I do wish I got the bagel toasted if that's an option. The service is quick. The store was very packed! But we were serviced pretty quick. There's a lot of seating inside and outside as well. I liked their bagel but I do wish the chive cream cheese had more chive flavor.

It might be the nostalgia for me, but this is the perfect deli/breakfast restaurant and I haven't found anything in my new home state that compares! The bagels here are the perfect texture and flavor, they're not too chewy like NY bagels. I always have to have one when I'm in HP. Everything from their counter is fresh and delicious - plus they had KforP options during passover. I came here for breakfast with some friends while I was in town, and even though it was a Sunday morning we were able to find a seat and order/be served quickly. I went for the classic Lox plate and it was delicious with my bagel. I even took a bagel sandwich to go for my boyfriend at home and he loved it.

What a charming place! It's a bustling, no nonsense place that sells every bagel and bagel related food imaginable at a very reasonable price. I got an asiago bagel with cucumber and chive cream cheese and it was very tasty. Their breakfast sandwhich was also really good. I would definitely come here again!

OUAB prepared a delicious tray of assorted bagels, donuts, cookies and other baked goods. We also have assorted cream cheese spreads, lox, tomatoes, and onions for our brunch. Can't wait to dig in!

My go to deli on the North Shore. It's an old school deli with great sandwiches and bagels. The other thing I love is the consistency, it's always as good as I expect. Recommended.

Corned beef sandwich...saggy bread comes w rye not warmed up wrapped in paper w little crumbled up corned beef for 11$ w a tiny bad pickle ....no thanks ...maybe I ll try their baggles..but they look sad and smaller and flat.... Very disappointing place ...inside basic cafeteria...no thanks

This place was a fantastic find just before a full day of exploring Chicago on our vacation. Prices were very reasonable given the portion size and the food was all good.

Great place to stop in Highland Park! On the way to Mundelein I was hungry but didn't want something terribly large and wanted it to go, so Yelp helped me out here. It's located in what may be downtown Highland Park (I haven't spent a lot of time here) and there's street parking outside as well as a parking lot behind the place. There's lots of outdoor seating for when it's not rainy, but there's also seating inside toward the back. When you enter it's like a deli, and you can order at the counter. There are some refrigerators with soups and whatnot as well. I placed my order online and it was ready when I got there. It was SO GOOD. It was also humungous and well priced. I ordered the All American Breakfast Sandwich on an asiago bagel and added chive cream cheese to it. It really hit the spot; had I been on the way home at the right time the next day, I would have stopped again. I don't know if I would add the cream cheese next time, because it was good without and with the cream cheese it had the potential to be a bit messy.

This is the 3rd platter I have tried from this place. The first two times were great but this time not good. The turkey tasted like pressed turkey and there was salami (we didn't order that) and the rolls and rye bread were all completely stale. I would never return.

This place is pretty neat! Plenty of public parking all around, no charge. Busy joint, and a little cramped, even at opening time on a Saturday. Bagels are great. Pretzel bagel can be salted or unsalted. Obviously enough, the salted option is very salty! Tasty nonetheless. Pumpernickel is delicious! I preferred the chive and onion cream cheese spread over the lox spread. The French roast coffee was very good! You also are given an option for styrofoam cup or glass mug with endless refills. Much preferred to the house blend. Poached eggs cooked to perfection. Neat joint and vast menu. I'd definitely return.

Curly fries!! Unique to this location. Also tried the beef reuben on challah toast. Comes with a small dill pickle. Fantastic!

Recent ordered once upon a bagel for lunch at my job for a birthday celebration. I got the player to go. Everything was packaged perfectly. The service was quick and I was able to order ahead of time. The bagels were fresh and the tuna was tasty. Definitely would recommend going there for a bagel.

Quality food. Feels like you are in NYC! In addition to the best bagels, Breakfast sandwiches are also delicious!

I'm a bagel snob and this place is legit. Boxes are in the lobby. Stuff is stacked everywhere. There's 15 people behind the counter and half of them aren't doing anything. There's wrapped meats in the deli case, 8 coffee machines and murals that have been on the walls for 30 years. Food speaks for itself. Go here

The best diner around, their sandwiches are second to none. The Rueben and Tuna Melt are a couple of my go-to's. Their Soups, Chili, and potato salad are also some of my favorites. The service is super friendly and attentive.

I've been eating here since 1994. Bought a roast beef sandwich to go. When I got home I was shocked on the amount of sliced roast beef.... It was never this little RB. Used to be a full portion. Don't be like the rest of food retail a shrink the sliced meat. Add a dollar to cover the cost.

I live in New York and I get bagels pretty often here. I'm always craving a good bagel when I'm back home in Chicago with family, but had been pretty letdown by most places. Once upon a bagel is probably the only spot I've been to in the Chicago area that truly rivals the bagels of the East Coast. I always get a bacon egg and cheese on an everything bagel.

Amazing food, and really quick service!! I was overwhelmed by all of the options they had to choose from but settled on an Asiago bagel with cream cheese, hash browns and a blueberry muffin. My friend had her regular Lox sandwich (salmon) and I tried it too- sooo yummy all around! Must try for sure!

I was waiting in line for pick up that I paid for online. It takes forever to get pick up because people cut in front of you. One guy who works there asked for my name and couldn't find. I had to wait for another worker to get my order. My order was in front of their faces waiting to be picked up. I hate waiting in long lines and if my order is in front of a workers face then that is what bothers me. Don't come here on a Saturday waiting for your order and paying for it before hand because you will be last. I hate giving bad reviews. I love the soup and the bagels.

I love this place, my dad used to pick us up omelettes every weekend. The bagels are amazing!

Convenient location tho parking can be an issue. Good selection though limited on picking up sandwich fixings or breakfast items. Good bagels and bialys. Small inside Nice staff.

Best Chicago bagel I've had. This is not your NY bagel. It's completely different but super flavorful and the best for breakfast sandwiches. I wish I still lived in Chicago so I could have these more often. Oh and service is great! Super nice and personable. Egg bagels all day!

I love OUaB. But I had to post this disappointment. We ordered a couple of our favorite Club Sandwich (with turkey bacon). What shocked me was (as we settled in to dine), each club segment had ONE SLICE of turkey. IT WAS ONCE PACKED! This changed the taste and the enjoyment of the meals as there was much less to consume. Restaurants are cutting back, but given OUaB prices and reputation, I didn't expect club sandwich robbery from them. I should have taken photos but we were hungry and were still so after the bread, lettuce and cheese club. Max & Benny's next time! Shame on You "Once Upon A Bagel." ONE SLICE?

One of the greatest places in downtown Highland Park (or the North Shore in general)! A friend of mine who lived in New York for awhile said it's the closest you can get to a NYC bagel (and that made her super happy). The food is always amazing - I love the lox platter and the corned beef sandwiches. Service is fast. It might be confusing at first for a newbie on where to order, because there is a deli counter but also a counter for ordering food. It has a classic deli vibe. My husband always has to go home with a package of smiley face cookies.

Always delicious hot food, and to go items. Great variety of bagels, cream cheese, soups, and other treats. Friendly and professional service at the counter, and eat in areas. Really excellent matzoh ball soup, and sandwiches. I strongly recommend this bagel shop and restaurant, for a great breakfast or lunch.

Place is so good that every time I'm in the area I have to stop by. I go with the ham egg bagel for breakfast. Customer service is nice and quick. The employees seem happy so you know that means that the management is good. Nice cozy place to have your coffee, eat breakfast and have a conversation.

Everything about Once Upon a Bagel is fantastic! From the bagels to the potato pancakes to the matzo ball soup aka Jewish penicillin - you will never have a bad experience here. Efficient, friendly, no-nonsense service. It gets extremely busy in the afternoon so be prepared to order when you step up to that register. Don't panic - you shouldn't have trouble getting a table if you want to dine-in. Corned beef on rye is the way to go. The corned beef is lean and flavorful. The soup comes with a bagel of your choice. Do not pass on the latkes with applesauce. They are rich in flavor and just hit the spot! If you are taking to-go, grab a number and pay after you get your goodies. The ambiance is just like a New York City delicatessen with its classic hustle, bustle, and shuffle.

This place is hell on earth. The staff is wildly ineffective and plain rude. I'd rather eat my own tongue than one of their bagels. Avoid.

THE BEST!!! if you're looking for amazing matzo ball soup, bagels pastrami and more this is YOUR PLACE!! I've never had a bad experience here in the past 20 years that I have been ordering. Food is always seasoned perfectly. My order has never been incorrect and staff are always friendly and helpful. The pastrami is the best I've ever had and their potato salad is delicious!! Highly recommend!!

A treasure spot uptown in highland park Skinny bagels r available Cream cheese selections r good Deli is clean quick and offers a good variety A must destination

Once upon has everything you could possibly want wrapped up under one roof. The bagels are amazing, not to mention the omelette, the soup, the sandwiches, the list goes on and on. The service is fast and efficient and inside you feel like you're dining at an old style deli. I have been going here since I was a kid and it is comforting, homey, and all around a great deli. I'd highly recommend stopping by!

Even during the pandemic this place is bustling and busy. Please continue to support your local business! Got myself an onion bagel with salmon cream cheese and my sister got the sesame bagel with the jalapeño cream cheese. Both delicious! Quick, friendly service...ample parking in front for curbside pick up or to go inside and order. Best part- free coffee!

I love this place. I regret only going twice when I was in the area regularly. Once pre-COVID, I ate inside and during the pandemic did a carry out order. I'm obsessed with their bagel sandwiches. Give this one a try: Everything bagel with Chive and cucumber cream cheese Sliced cucumbers Sliced tomato Ham Scrambled eggs Provolone Best bagel sandwich, and honestly, best breakfast sandwich ever. Some other things to note: they're always busy and they have a fairly decent sized menu and a deli. They also have bagel specials and wings specials.

OUAB catered an immediate family member's wake this weekend. Both the food and service were outstanding. The trays of fresh fruit, deli meat & cheese, bagels & cream cheese, delicious sweets & cookies, tuna fish, and more were phenomenal. Thank you for providing such comfort during a time of mourning for our family!

The meat lovers omelette was amazing. Prices are reasonable. The only complaint I have is that I couldn't eat one of every bagel - can't wait to go back!

Old school deli with authentic bagels. You can't go wrong here. I ordered the hot pastrami on rye which was excellent .

My favorite bagels! They also make a mean matzo ball soup. I've enjoyed their patio dining during the summer months and have also been pleased with take-out orders. Lots of variety in terms of the different types of bagels, too!

Yummy bagels and fast, kind, service. I can get in and out quick with a simple bagel and cream cheese when I'm craving one.

I've only had a few things here: the pastrami sandwich (which is very stripped down, just meat and bread) - they also have a New York style that is quite expensive at 15.95 but I've never had it so I'm not going to complain about the price until I've had it - the egg salad sandwich (which was super low frills but just right) and the matzo ball soup (delicious), but I like their large menu and the vibe of the place. The shop is packed full of lots of challah and bagels, and their refrigerators are stocked with premade soups and other dishes. There are always people at the tables and ordering, so they do a good business.

Great (kosher?) deli and Bagel shop. Bagels are always fresh and made onsite. Other bakery items as well. The prepared fresh foods are tasty. And most importantly the staff is very friendly.

Ohhhh my lawwwwwdddddd this is some good food. Getcho self a bagel cuz they got my tastebuds tinglin

This is what I get for not going to Upper Crust Bagel - they were closed! I called back to complain and the woman hung up on me and rhe manager was no better. No one even apologized.

You don't know what you're missing til it's gone. We've been in Arizona for 3 years now and the deli's here just do not compare - especially for all the big items up and down the menu. Oh what I would do for a California tuna. They can't do lox spread "right" here for some reason. Maybe it's New York style - very meh. I can go on and on. Once Upon, please please please open here in Scottsdale, Arizona! You will kill the competition.

I've been coming here my whole life. Customer service is top-notch. Many of the employees have been here as long as I can remember. Prices are not cheap but they are well worth it. What's more, typically at 4:30 p.m. they have half price Bagels. Buy a dozen and the last few quite a while. From chicken soup and matzo balls to omelets, deli trays, pastrami sandwiches, and more, this is an absolute great place to eat and you'll go home satisfied. Pastries are good. Coffee is just average. Everything baked is fresh and delish.

I had ordered chocolate chip pancakes and they were the worst pancakes ever. Kids couldn't even eat them, they were disgusting. Chocolate chip were just thrown between three flat , hard pancakes.

I come here every time I am in highland park. Their menu is massive and I have only made a small dent in it. Prices are great and service is fast Lox platter - super fresh and a lot of good toppings. Bagel is chewy and cream cheese in rich Tuna melt - super flavorful and you can add cheese to it. I usually end up taking half home Curly fries - super crispy. Hard not to eat the entire plate