The Bagel Restaurant and Deli
Restaurant · Lakeview East ·
Ashkenazi comfort food, bagels, sandwiches, and holiday meals
Ashkenazi comfort food, bagels, sandwiches, and holiday meals
"I'm not gonna do, what you all think I'm gonna do, and flip out because Chicago lacks a true quality and traditional Jewish deli. But let's have a little history lesson and talk about something important here. Jews and delis go together like lamb and tuna fish, so they go together perfectly. Chicago has a deep rooted history with its Jewish population, which has maintained its size over the years both in the city and surrounding suburbs. The problem is, somewhere along the way the art of the Jewish deli was discarded like Rod Blagojevich's political career. Luckily, in this notoriously corrupt city of politics, dead today doesn't mean dead tomorrow, and we keep our hopes up for that traditional deli experience here in the Windy City. But The Bagel isn't going to help resurrect our deli dreams anytime soon. Everything about The Bagel feels right. It's family run, has an ideal Lakeview location, an extensive traditional menu, and Broadway and movie promos on the walls. The restaurant has even been around in some incarnation for sixty years, so the authenticity is there. But for as much as we wanted The Bagel to be a solid option for our favorite deli breakfasts and sandwiches, the food just doesn't deliver. If you live in the neighborhood, it's a decent place to lean on for that local atmosphere, friendly staff, and feeling like you belong - but that's about it. We'll admit we've only been twice, and because of the size of the menu there are a lot of things we haven't tried. Perhaps some quality dishes are hiding in the depths of those menu pages. We just aren't in a hurry to find out. Food Rundown Bagel We cede the throne to New York when it comes to bagels, but this one was meh even for Chicago standards. Too bread-like. Matzah Ball Soup Broth was bland and lacking in flavor. It was at least somewhat salvaged by a good matzah ball, but not enough to overcome its deficiencies. Corned Beef Sandwich Good meat and pretty good corned beef sandwich. Fair prices for a solid portion size, and probably the item we enjoyed most. Deli Denver Omelette Omelette with salami, tomato, green pepper, and onion. Undercooked eggs and unnecessarily drenched in butter. Salami and vegetables were fine, but they overlooked the easy parts and it was poorly executed." - Sam Faye
"This adored Lakeview deli staple features a dine-in Jewish holiday meal ($42) that includes chopped liver, gefilte fish, matzo ball soup, carrot and prune tzimmes, green beans, and a choice of chicken, brisket, whitefish, and sweet-and-sour meatballs. Dishes including potato kugel, caramel matzo, and potato pancakes are also available for takeout." - Sam Nelson
"Ashkenazi comfort food destination the Bagel has a menu stacked with heartwarming dishes, including its eponymous doughy delights. Elevate the experience with a smoked whitefish platter or go all out with a sable and lox combo. Order online through the restaurant’s website." - Naomi Waxman, Eater Staff
"An overlooked Chicago dog variant is the Francheezie, a hot dog stuffed with cheese and wrapped in bacon. It’s mostly served at diners rather than hot dog stands, and it’s deep-fried. So clear it with your cardiologist before sampling, though your doctor will just ask you to avoid all hot dogs. It’s OK, you don’t have to eat the fries. The Bagel, a popular Jewish deli in Lakeview, doesn’t mess with tradition and still serves the item, which was probably most popular in the ‘60s." - Ashok Selvam
"The Chicken in the Pot at the Bagel in Lakeview is exactly what it sounds like: a chicken (well, half a chicken) in a pot of broth, with a matzo ball and kreplach and noodles, and also carrots and potatoes because vegetables are necessary for good health. Even better, it yields plenty of leftovers, perhaps enough to sustain a person for two or three days. It’s the next best thing to having an actual Jewish mother on call." - Naomi Waxman, Ashok Selvam, Eater Staff
