We needed to get a New York bagel and so we came to Ess-a-Bagel. We were chatted up by the old man behind the counter when we ordered. He made fun of my scallions cream cheese and poppy seed bagel. I guess he was disappointed that I didn't get the lox spread, which my husband ordered. No matter what he said, my bagel was great! I tried the lox spread and it made my stomach turn! My husband enjoyed it though.

The prices were just right for bagels and they load tons of cream cheese for your money. There is not a lot of seating, but we were able to get a seat by the window which provided great views of the hustle and bustle of 3rd Avenue.

Ess-a-Bagel serves up as good a bagel as I've ever had. This is the place to go to start your day if you're in a nearby Midtown hotel such as The W on Lexington Ave. and you're in search of the quintessential New York bagel.

The decor is nothing to write home about. Many of the tables are miniscule little things with uncomfortable metal chairs. I guess there's something of a New York attitute here as well. I'm sure I'm not the only one whose been the object of contempt from the sometimes surly staff. The first time I ordered a bagel here, I asked for one toasted with cream cheese. "What kind of cream cheese?" was the retort from the guy working the counter. I don't recall Seinfeld ever doing a "Bagel Nazi" episode, but, well, you get the picture. I learned my lesson. Turns out they have a whole selection of cream cheeses; lox and smoked salmon, too. This sounds like a fairly scathing review so far, but don't get me wrong: the bagels are huge, tasty, and loaded with whatever spread you order them with. Bagel varieties run the usual gamut: pumpernickel, poppy seed, cinammon raisin, plain, salt, and so on.

I haven't been to every bagel joint in the Big Apple, but I think I'd be hard pressed to find a better bagel than an Ess-a-Bagel.

Our 1-10 ratings:
Food - 9; Service - 7; Atmosphere: 5