damnlines.comdamnlines.comA 1976 institution whose 3rd Ave flagship draws a line out the door for oversized hand-rolled bagels and thick schmear sandwiches.
The 831 3rd Ave flagship is the one people mean when they talk about the Ess-a-Bagel line. The Infatuation's Midtown review describes "lines that stretch out the front door," then adds that "the lines move fast." Reviewers describe weekend mornings where the Sunday line is "always out the door," with 30-minute-plus waits reported.
There are two lines, not one. In a Yelp thread the shop's owner spelled it out: an express line for bagels only, which skips the servers and any sandwich prep, and a separate regular or advance-order line if you want a sandwich built to order. Another Yelp commenter said ordering ahead "could save you 10-15 minutes or more"; the owner noted online-order pickup runs about 30 minutes depending on foot traffic.
Timing is everything, and it turns fast. On Yelp, regulars recommend getting in line by 6:30 to 7:30am. One recounted arriving at 7:30 to only a few people ahead, then watching the line grow "almost out the door" before finishing a bagel. Mid-afternoon and evening are described as the quieter windows. damnlines does not have a camera at Ess-a-Bagel, so we can't show a live count here.
No camera here yet — but these lines are on camera right now:
The Halal Guys · 11 min walkclosedCaffè Panna · 33 min walkclosedBánh Anh Em · 39 min walkclosedReviews and regulars describe weekend-morning waits of 30 minutes or more, with the line stretching out the front door. The Infatuation's Midtown review notes the line moves fast despite its length. damnlines does not have a camera at Ess-a-Bagel, so we can't show a live count.
Yelp regulars recommend getting in line by 6:30 to 7:30am. One warned that at 7:30 there were only a few people ahead, but the line was "almost out the door" within the hour. Mid-afternoon and evening are described as quieter.
Yes. In a Yelp thread the shop's owner said there's an express line for bagels only, with no sandwich prep, and a separate regular or advance-order line for sandwiches made by the servers.
One Yelp commenter said advance or pickup orders "could save you 10-15 minutes or more" and use a separate pickup line. The owner said online-order pickup runs about 30 minutes depending on foot traffic.
Reviewers describe the Sunday line as "always out the door." Weekend mornings draw the longest reported waits, so regulars aim for early or order ahead.