Review: Are NYC's Apollo Bagels Really Worth The Hype?

Apollo Bagels is the viral bagel sensation that doesn't seem to be letting up anytime soon. While its business has caused tension within the community (particularly in the West Village), that hasn't stopped bagel lovers from flocking to either "village" location (East or West).

So, you can imagine that I was shocked when I passed by the shop in the West Village in the early afternoon and saw that there wasn't a line. It was a particularly chilly day in New York City, so I first stopped in for a cup of hot coffee to warm my hands but I couldn't pass up trying the bagels that had been raved about by the masses. I wanted to try each variety of bagel (plain, sesame, and everything) as well as the more popular spread options to see if these bagels are really worth the hype. Read on for my review and if I believe they're worth your while (and wait like Courage Bagels in Los Angeles) or if you're better off making them at home.

Apollo Bagels started as a pandemic-era pop-up at Leo, a sourdough pizza place in Williamsburg. After a very successful strain of pop-up events, they crossed the bridge into Manhattan to the soup window of the New York City institution, Fanelli Cafe. By this point, Apollo Bagels had become immensely popular with bagel lovers of all kinds. New Yorkers and tourists, food critics, and social media stars, no matter the background, everyone who tried these bagels agreed that they were well worth the (sometimes hours-long) wait. So, it's no surprise that the "wandering bagel shop" finally decided to put some roots down and opened its first brick-and-mortar store in New York's East Village (242 East 10th Street) in March 2024.

Not long after, a second location in the West Village followed in August that same year as well. That location, 73 Greenwich Avenue, sparked tensions with local business owners who were not pleased by the lines filling the street and blocking their businesses. Despite even eviction threats, Apollo Bagels keeps serving up its relatively simple menu: three varieties of bagels (plain, everything, and sesame), an array of spreads, and a couple of drinks to wash everything down. Two fish spreads, lox and whitefish, are offered, as well as the classic schmear choices of cream cheese with the option to add tomato (no information on if they add seltzer water to the cream cheese and butter (with or without jam).

The first menu item that caught my eye was the tomato and cream cheese combination. I had heard from several reviewers online that they preferred Apollo's sesame bagels to its everything bagels, so while everything bagels have been pretty much my default choice for as long as I can remember, I first opted to try the more well-liked variety. Reviewers did not let me down, as I definitely preferred the sesame bagel over everything, but not as much as the plain (more information on that below).

My first bite of the toasty, crispy crust had an amazingly satisfying, audible crunch. The tomato, seasoned with a generous dose of black pepper, perfectly cut through the heaviness of the cream cheese. As I continued to enjoy my open-faced breakfast, the chewiness of the interior of the bagel started coming through. I fully believe that cream cheese is the correct choice of schmear for a bagel (besting butter by a large margin), but often, with the heft of the bagel and the earthiness of whole milk cheese, it can feel all too overwhelming. The tomato takes care of this issue while adding a ton of extra flavor. These bagels are slightly smaller than standard New York City area bagels, coming closer to the Montreal-style bagels that I, knowing full well the upset it would cause, have dubbed superior to classic New York bagels.

Apollo Bagels meets somewhere in the middle. While being crispier on the outside than the bagels I tried at Montreal's St-Viateur Bagels and Fairmount Bagels, they are also less doughy than most NYC-based shops while still retaining their signature chewiness. Tomato with cream cheese on any bagel variety will only set you back $7, almost half of what either fish spread costs (both $15), so it's a budget as well as a vegetarian-friendly option.

No one is more shocked than me that Apollo Bagels' plain bagel was my favorite of all three. Perhaps it's because plain is the best vessel for the more complex toppings of smoked salmon, cream cheese, capers, red onions, and fresh dill, but that's not the sole reason. The plain bagel was a tad bit larger than the others (sesame and everything), making it just a bit more airy and chewy, but not overwhelmingly so. It still had the crunch of the sesame bagel with just a little bit more of a satisfying, toothsome feel.

The salmon was so tender and buttery and sans the fishy, unsavory grey parts. It just melted into its bed of cream cheese, and the capers, dill, and red onion were used sparingly and with calculated restraint.

This option, the most popular on the menu, costs $15, and while the tomato and cream cheese is a very close second, this is what I would recommend you order plain, just as I did. And that really says something for someone who loves everything about bagels.

Let's start off the good: I liked the everything bagel. It was thinner and crispier than the other two, but you can't really go wrong with ordering any of the bagel varieties. They are all delicious.

I also liked the cucumbers. They served the same purpose as the tomatoes in adding moisture, nice texture, flavor, and an extra visual appeal to the open-faced "sandwich" (I'm undecided if it counts as a sandwich). The fresh dill was also a great flavor brightener.

However, I could not see or taste the pickled peppers or mustard. The whitefish salad spread was so pungent that it overtook even the flavor bomb, which is an everything bagel. It was fishy (in a bad way) tasting, and I couldn't stomach more than a few bites (I wouldn't taken less had I not been reviewing it) before it went straight into the trash. I normally enjoy whitefish, having had a similar spread and bagel combination in the Catskills some years ago, but even if it's something you're drawn to, I still say skip it and try another combination. This option is the same price as the smoked salmon ($15), so you're much better off choosing that one instead.

My preferred beverage for my usual bagel shop order of an everything bagel with cream cheese (and preferably sun-dried tomato cream cheese) is orange juice. This is a longtime, almost sacred tradition for me, so when I saw orange juice, and freshly squeezed at that on Apollo's menu, I had to jump at it. The juice, which is prepared right at the counter by one of the employees and a giant juicer, costs $6.50 and is worth every penny.

That sweet and sour, lightly viscous liquid that can only come from freshly squeezed citrus fruit is sunshine in a cup and brightens up the dreary, rainy afternoon in New York. I found this option paired best with the tomato cream cheese bagel and ever so slightly took over the refreshing elements of the salmon bagel, so if you're choosing the latter (and you should), I'd save this juice for the end of your meal.

The ginger lemonade is great. It's delicious and refreshing, combining just enough ginger flavor without taking over the drink completely. It's also really sweet, as lemonades tend to be, but not offensively so. It didn't overtake any of the bites of the bagels I had between sips, either.

Had Apollo Bagels not offered such wonderful, freshly squeezed orange juice, I would have been perfectly happy to just have this as an option. But, since I know the orange juice exists and how it tastes, I think it's worth the extra $1.50 splurge (the ginger lemonade is priced at $5).

One caveat would be hotter summer days when orange juice just feels too heavy to drink. Another would be if you have a stomach ailment or want to add a little spicy kick to your meal via ginger. Or if there is a shortage of oranges that day. The most compelling reason, of course, is if you simply enjoy lemonade over orange juice.

Let me save your tastebuds and implore you never to order a hot coffee from Apollo Bagels. Though a cup is priced reasonably at $3.50, that is where the pleasantries end. I poured a cup from the coffee urn on the counter, added a splash of oat milk, and went on my merry way.

However, when I opened the lid in order to get a picture for the review, I was horrified to see a sea of chunks and unsightly swirls floating on the top. Fortunately, I was just at the park across the street, so I was able to go back in and explain the situation (which apparently keeps happening, according to the employees). They offered me another cup, and I was only able to get the cup about 3/4 of the way full before the urn was emptied. Defeated, I added a splash of regular milk this time and only sampled it for review purposes.

Don't waste your time, money, or tastebuds on the hot coffee here. Instead, since there isn't any seating at the shop (barring one window alcove that two patrons were using as an impromptu eating spot, legs crossed and laughter flowing), take your bagels and schmear of choice down the road in any direction and buy coffee at another local shop instead.

Growing up in New Jersey, I had the luxury of having amazing bagel shops even within my own tiny town. So, you can trust me when I say Apollo Bagels are, indeed, worth the hype.

Since I enjoyed most of the items I tried, the next time there isn't a line, I fully plan on returning. My preference for salt almost always trumps sugar, but I'm curious how the butter and jam combo stacks up against the splashier options. Of course, I will skip the coffee next time unless I'm open to trying the iced variety.

So, I'm not sure if it's worth your time to wait in line for hours, especially now that winter is fast approaching, so I recommend going if you avoid peak times like before work or during lunchtime on a weekday or late mornings on weekends. If you are in either neighborhood (the East Village or West Village) and it's not prime time, I definitely recommend giving them a try.