Chicago Bagel Authority

I first found Chicago Bagel Authority on Instagram and they've been on my list to try for a long time. I'm so excited to have finally gotten there! The store front has clear signage and is easy to see. There is paid street parking that isn't too difficult. When you first walk in, the menus are large on the wall to the left and you order at the register for a counter service style situation. There is plenty of seating. My experience with staff was neutral and they did the basics of a service job. The vibe is a little like a dive bar with all the lights on, which was cool. The menu is huge and there's something for everyone to love! I ordered The Goat Killer because it sounded so good! Once you order, you find seats and they call your name with your tray when it's ready. It took less than 10 minutes for our sandwiches to come out. We sat at a bar style seat in the window, which was great chicago city people watching. The sandwiches come out wrapped in foil and steaming hot! The bagels are soft and warm, and even though stacked high with sandwich ingredients, they're easy to eat. I love the steamed sandwich more than I expected! CBA was definitely worth experiencing and their huge menu will keep me coming back to try new things. Thank you, CBA!

This place has plenty of options, it was hard to choose just one. I ended up going with Eternal Sunshine ($12), a lox bagel. I didn't pay much attention to the sign details outside so I was unaware that this place served steamed bagels. The bagel was very soft and chewy, much more like sandwich bread than your typical boiled/toasted bagel. As for the contents, it was nicely stuffed and the lox cream cheese was satisfactory. My friend and I went around 4 so the service was fast and there was plenty of seating available. The worker was also very kind and answered our questions. Overall, it was good to try but I would go elsewhere for a more classic bagel texture.

Hadn't been here in years and forgot how good it was. I lived in the neighborhood for years when The Avalon, Tuts, Berlin, and Punkin' Donuts were around. All my old spots. The Bagel Authority kept the old school feel to the hood with its decor and offerings. Plenty of choices for a breakfast, lunch, or dinner bagel sammy. They're fresh and not skimpy on the cream cheese or toppings as it should be. There is a wait because the staff does it right in the preparation. They're not just slapping them together like too many places do. Here they do it right. It's a solid stop for anytime in of day. Because anytime day is the right time for a bagel.

I've finally made the decision to come out: I'm ANTI-CBA! I can't understand why you would steam a bagel versus toast it. I find that a bagel's natural chewy yet crunchy texture is lost when steamed. CBA has dope sandwich fillings and could truly be SO good if their schtick wasn't steamed... please just get a toaster lmao.The breakfast sandwiches I've tried have just been ok. The Western was fine flavor-wise... the Five-o was overly salty & the bacon texture was weird. The only thing I can think to recommend is the tuna salad- it's p yum!!I've come back again and again because one thing about me: I always want a bagel. And I'll probably come back again, knowing they're sub-par, but maybe I'll go for a non-bagel sandwich next time.

Really cool ambiance. Its like somebody went thrifting/to a couple of garage sales and decorated the place and it works. Service was good, nothing crazy out of the ordinary but good service. The food was great! I got the Lean Jean and it did not disappoint. It was really flavorful and didn't make me feel like i was overly full, just content.

Steamed bagels? Who would have thought that this is exactly what a bagel sandwich needs.They're just so juicy and filled with moisture. Especially as bagels are usually more dense, this works perfectly to be steamed.Amazing pick me up for the morning!

Okay.... we ate here A LOT! We were in town for a week from Cincinnati. We stayed at City Suites Hotel, which is pretty much right next door.After a few breakfasts at local restaurants, we made a habit of starting our day at Chicago Bagel Authority. I'm not sure, but I'd say we ate here probably five days in a row. We would study the menu before we arrived so we could order like a boss! Staff was always super helpful and quick to turnaround our order. That said, we did try to time it after what we assumed was a morning rush. We loved the guy standing there with the 'wait time' sign around his neck. So much fun.. and informative, too! The place has a great vibe. We loved the art, both photos and paintings on the wall. We always ate in the restaurant and were there long enough for a coffee refill... we are SO smart! LOLI'll be posting pics of the amazing bagels, but I may be hard pressed to remember the name if each. I will say I had a plain(ish) option and well... it was plain. On the other extreme, I ordered rather fancy options that were messy as hell. Overall, we were 95% never disappointed!Regarding the pics I'll be posting, I apologize. I am not a fan of pictures that don't detail what's in the pic, but I'm not sure I'll remember exactly what bagel is in each of the pictures.

We went to CBA! The vibe was really cute and the menu was huge. Somehow the soup was my favorite part of this place lol. The bagels were very soft all the way thru so it didn't feel like the authentic bagel but still really good bagel place. It's right under the red line so very convenient

Steamed bagels aren't exactly an idea I can get behind. The moist, rubbery, chewy texture wasn't satisfying at all. I did like the the variety of the menu and the ingredients were good. They have vegan options!

Wow! The lox sneer is some of the best I've ever had! Can tell it's homemade. Also very fun that the bagels were green for St.Patrick's Day. Bagels are SO fresh! The chicken chili was also wonderful and perfect spice. I would suggest ordering ahead as this place gets crowded.