The Original Brooklyn Water Bagel Co. (Delray Beach)
***** The Original Brooklyn Water Bagel Co., 14451 South Military Trail, Delray Beach, Florida 33484 (561) 455-7491.
Yesterday morning a new “fast-food” bagel joint opened in Delray Beach…its name, The Original Brooklyn Water Bagel Co. If you check its website www.brooklynwaterbagels.com you will find menu/prices. The “opening” garnered quite a bit of local interest, with both the Sun Sentinel and Palm Beach Post doing “cover stories” on the opening. Just so you know, the Delray Beach location is a “prototype” store for a planned franchise-chain, which is owned/operated by Steven Fassberg and Larry Feldman. You guys should also know, that I personally know both Feldman and Fassberg…Fassberg is an extremely knowledgeable restaurant man having owned a number of delis in New York and South Florida…Feldman is a “major player” in the enormously successful Subway chain. I’ll leave you guys to “Google” both Fassberg and Feldman if you want more info on them.
The Original’s “hook” is that it claims to have a patented technology that can convert “local water” into the same consistency as that of Brooklyn’s public water supply. I really don’t have the time or inclination to get into it, but many believe that “it’s the water” that makes New York City’s bagels so great. Over the years, I’ve heard more “Brooklyn water” stories than their are stories in the Haftorah (for the non Jews out there, ask your Jewish friends for a translation). Anyway, your guess is as good as mine, as to The Original Brooklyn Water Co.’s water claims.
Now…let’s talk about the important stuff, decor-service-food.
Like I said before, this is basically a “fast food” operation…order at the counter and your food is delivered to the table. The decor, is Wendy’s-Burger King-McDonald…one whole side of the 3,000 sq.ft space has a see-through window, where you can watch the “water-treatment” plant and bagel baking operation. To be personally honest with you, I found the watching-through-glass “deal” to be on the gimmicky side.
Now let’s talk food….the menu is jammed with all kinds of bagels, bialys, soups, salads, sandwiches, cream cheeses, butters, smoked fish…trust me on this, the selection is outrageous, you absolutely-positively will not be disappointed. After 4pm the joint also offers $9.95 “dinner specials” which include- entree, potato, vegetable, beverage and dessert…the entrees are–fresh turkey, roast beef, roast chicken, chicken cordon bleu, chicken francese, corned beef with cabbage.
Yesterday…I “taste tested”…everything bagel, sesame bagel, pumpernickel bagel—scallion cream cheese, tuna salad, chicken salad, ham & cheese omelet, . Now for the results…the bagels were very good–were they the best that I have had down here in South Florida? No!..but they were very good. The tuna salad and chicken salad were delicious…the chicken salad was exceptionally good with big chunks of chicken–the omelet which came with a bagel and french fries was done just right.
As for prices and service… let me ballpark this for you, omelets run $5.45-$6.45, bagels with cream cheese or butter go for $1.69-$2.99, sandwiches $4.95-$6.95…the most expensive item on the menu is a nova-whitefish-baked salmon salad at $10.95. As for service, keep in mind that you order at the counter and food is delivered to your table…so there is “no tipping”…for a brand new joint, everything ran smoothly when I was there.
I really liked The Original Brooklyn Water Bagel Co…it has a great menu, reasonable prices, very good food. Like I said before, the “water treatment” angle seems a bit hokey to me. I will also tell you, that Fassberg-Feldman couldn’t have picked a worse location for the first store. It is located in a miniscule-non-descript shopping center on Military Trail…if you weren’t looking for the joint, you probably wouldn’t even notice it.
Based on Day-One,The Original Brooklyn Water Bagel Co. has a shot to run circles around other “self-service counter” bagel joints like Einstein Bros. and Offerdahls Cafe. The joint is open 7-days a week for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
I have been baking bagels for over 30 years here and in Brooklyn-Queens. I know bagels. This water story is an old wife’s tail. If you don’t think so, try the bagels at Sage in Ft. Laud.and Way Beyond Bagels, Bagel City South, Bagels & all in the Boca-Delray area. They don’t have “brooklyn water” and their bagels matchup against the best in NYC.
Like you I tried Original Brooklyn’s bagels and they are ok. Nothing to get nuts over. They do boil and then bake so at least they make them the right way.
I wish these guys good luck with their new store.
hey jeff, amazing that 2 major newspapers did articles yesterday with pictures and everything afterall its just a bagel store. somebody’s got some juice don’t you think? my wife and i stopped over there yesterday and the one thing its got going for it location wise is that Boy’s Mkt is right across the road. i love a good chicken salad on a bagel and my wife loves tuna on a bagel. on toasted everythings both salads were top notch. the water system under glass is a decor thing. these guys want to build a franchise so they need something to hang their hats on. we liked the food and we will be back.
Attended the Grand Opening. Got 6 bagels, 6 waters and bag of coffee as a promotion. I think the first 100 people got this. The bagels were mixed and I thought that they were pretty decent. I liked the way the store looked and thought that its menu was good. prices are pretty fair. This morning went back with a couple of buddies for breakfast. Very nice. I like the concept.
I also tried that other new place Gramercy Bagels. It is a full service restaurant and I thought that it was also good.
As for which of the two has better bagels, I’m going to pick Original.
Really enjoy your site.
going for dinner tomorrow; can’t wait.
i’ve heard a lot about it and haven’t had a good bagel in a long time.
The publicity got me there. Bagels are decent enough. Still laughing at the water treatment setup. I guess they need something different to sell franchises.
They are not open for dinner yet. I went there tonight and they offered me a free bagel even though they were closed. This was an excellent bagel. My wife always wondered about the water in NY better for bagels and pizza. The water here stinks. It has to affect the dough. Of course many places like einsteins give us a fluffy wagon wheel and call it a bagel.
This is one of the best I had in South Fla. I know a pizza place who opened in vegas. The owner told me that he spend 20K for a water filtration system because the water there is even worse than here. It seems to have a heavy chlorine taste. I wish these guys luck and I will drive up there.
Brooklyn’s is great. Bagels are the best in South Florida. You have to try their Bialys. Nobody else makes them as good as Brooklyn’s. Nice menu, food is delicious. My family will be back often and so will our friends. They serve a real good coffee as well.
Decisions Decisions Decisions, two new bagel stores open in my area Brooklyn and Gramercy and I can only go to one at a time. Tried both last week and they are both excellent.
Went today. I could not get a “toasted” bagel because their toaster was broken. Do you believe that? They did NOT go out and buy another or bring one from home. I just had coffee and expressed my disgust. I will not return to a place that can’t toast a bagel, sorry.
Phil’s story cracked me up. If that not having a toaster story is true, holy mackrel there Andy. They got special water treatment machines wink wink wink but no toaster. Hilarious.
have been there twice – food good – bagels good – prices o.k. – however, bagels to go are $.95 each – that is a bit much – Gramecy charges $.80 each and after 2:00 p.m.,adds another 6 free
I’ll go there when serving bagels at home
Your suggestion got me there. Very good bagels and real good tuna and chicken salad. Nice looking place.Good find.
Check out recent review at:
http://www.seriouseats.com/2009/08/brooklyn-water-bagels-in-delray-beach-fl-florida.html
I had the bagels yesterday, and they were excellent. Definitely the best bagels in South Florida. I will be going back daily. Thank god for The Original Brooklyn Bagel Water Co.
Bagels are decent, but the food and the service was terrible. Who wants to eat food in a plastic basket. Publix has better egg salad. Reminds me of a fast food place.Don’t think they will be there long. Interesting gimmick with the water filtration.
Bagels are excellent.
Rest of food fair.
Don’t care for the fast food steup.
that water system is as phony as a $3 bill.
but the bagels were good.
jeff, somehow they are making great bagels. like you don’t buy the water story, but the bagels are top shelf.
Tried the bagels.
No question about it, they are really good.
My wife and I were sorely disappointed in The Original Brooklyn Water Bagel Company. The glass wall showing you the bagel-making works reinforced the impression we got of the bagels being made in the ilk of Krispy Kreme donuts – light, fluffy, insubstantial, and tasteless. The outside are chewy, yes, but their insides collapse on thirst bite so that all you are left with are your fillings squishing out onto your plate while you are left gnawing through that chewy exterior. Yum, yum. Not for us. Sorry – we’ll stick with the real thing at Bagel Twins.
they already opened a franchise office next to the restaurant. bagels ares excellent rest of food fair. location terrible, prices fair.
i thought that way beyond bagels in boca had the nest but the bklyn bagels are better
anyone who believes that water treatment system story is a dope. the bagels are okay, but that’s about it.
Food B
Service B
Prices B
bagels are excellent the rest of their stuff stinks. the cream cheese tastes just like the cream cheese you get in Publix. Nothing special here.
best bagels and appetizing is Way Beyond Bagels in Boca Raton.
Got a mixed dozen from Original, all were delicious. Crusty on the outside and soft and cheewey on the inside, just like they are suppose to be. Didn’t think too much about the spreads, but the bagel are really great.
After shopping at Boys Market which is right across Military Trail from Original stopped at Original. Got a bakers dozen all different kinds. Really good bagels. Crusty outside really soft delicious inside. For what it’s worth was there at 11am and there were only 2 people eating at booths and there was one other person buying a dozen bagels. I didn’t try the cream cheese or anything out. I was also told that they are not going to offer dinner as originally planned but will stick with breakfast and lunch business.
The bagels are passable. Large, but not quite crispy enough on the outside. These are not the best in Florida. In the area you have some better bagels. Gramercy, Flakowitz, Bagel City, Way beyond Bagel just to name a few.
get real these bagels are just ok if even that
they are nuts if they think they can franchise this concept. bagels are good that’s about it.
larry feldman did great with subway franchise but didnt create the concept. he did create franchise hair color express which was an absolute disaster and wiped a load of folks out. he wont make it with this concept.
As an attorney specializing in franchises I had to check this one out after reading about it here and in the newspapers. Food isn’t half bad. As for the water treatment deal, imho it appears kind of suspect. Don’t see this getting legs for a chain.
Finally got over to Original. The bagels were very good. Simple everything w/cream cheese and coffee hit the spot. Took home a mixed dozen and thought that the asiago was outrageously good.
Some of the best bagels I have had in a very long time.
you must have been in jail
Didn’t think very much of the fast food setup.
However bagels were excellent.
The bagels are right up there with the best around and that includes, Sage, Bagel City, Way Beyond Bagels.
bagels are large.
bought a baker’s dozen today.
the bagels are too soft on outside, suppose to be crispy.
nothing special here.
Was in Original today around 11:15 am. Packed at counter and in booths. Ordered dozen mixed to go. Absolutely perfectly done. One of the best asiago bagels i have ever tasted. Heard from help that 9 franchises have been sold in Fl. and next store to open will be in Boca.
The next location will be in Jupiter. They will be opening 2 in Boca and one in South Beach after that. I picked up some bagels once and they were good except for the pumpernickel, which is my favorite, and theirs had no taste. I can’t think of a reason that I should drive further than Way Beyond Bagels to go back again.
Looking at it as a fast food concept and not a bagel joint I can see that it has a stronger appeal than the burger places and the total garbage they serve at Subway.
Brooklyn Water?
HOHOHOHO!!!
The stuff they use comes right out of the old hose.
jeff, read yesterday in sun sentinel that a few lawsuits are now going about the water system. supposedly the owner’s father in law sold a system to a pizza guy and now original wants the pizza guy to stop using it.
my bet is that the system is baloney anyway, but the bagel guy who is trying to sell franchises is putting up a big act.
I’ve read your reviews before and thought you where on the money but if these clowns where in the restaurant business for more than 2 days I’ll read your Haftorah in temple which I haven’t been for 45 years. What smucks the location the design the menu Larry King ? why not King tut? try talking to the morons in there franchise office I feel sorry for anyone who buys one because when their done they could apply to the victims compensation board for help. Happy and healthy new year. PS if your there friend tell them suicide is always an option
good bagels. rest of the food is nothing special/
YOU are correct sorry. GOOD bagels, the other food is just passable.
Right on!!! Good bagels, other stuff could be better.
Love the asiego.
I’d bet the water system is bs.
Bagels are decent enough but nothing special.
The Sun Sentinel did a story this morning and said that the owner told them their Beverly Hills store sold 800,000 dozen bagels its first day.
What do you think?
Skipper:
Just had a chance to read your post.
Let me do some quick math, 12 x 800,000=
9,600,000.
That’s what I think!!
Thanks for reading…
Bagels are some of the best around.
Like the fast food concept.
I see that they are going to open one in ft laud airport.
you guys seriously dont believe the water bs story do you?
just got back from nyc and trust me this joint’s bagels are no match for ess a bagel or h &h in nyc. the water story is bs.
good bagels. nowhere near real nyc stuff. agree with you water story is bs
Top notch bagels. Rest of the food is standard stuff.
they make a real good bagel.
excellent bagels
Really good bagels.