Bruegger's Bagels - Arlington

I ruined a pair of pants shortly after I took the first bite into the oil slathered soft crunch and pillowy body of the incredible bagel shell. Then my taste buds made acquaintance with the myriad of beautiful ingredients tucked in and slumbering between the perfect guardians of bread. I will return in force until I have tried each of their signature sandwiches.

My toasted bagel was beautifully blistered and crunchy on the outside while still warm and chewy in the middle. Lots of tasty cream cheese and every part of the outer surface was loaded with topping. Loved it.

Bruegger’s is my go to when I crave coffee and a breakfast bagel and don’t feel too adventurous (sausage egg cheese on jalapeño cheddar . Service is fast and friendly, coffee is good, restrooms are clean. Only complaints are with pricing (almost $10 for coffee bagel feels high and I’m not a fan of their newer specialty sandwiches. But those are chain level issues this franchise is fantastic!

This breakfast place gave me one of the worst experiences I've ever had. We ordered through the app and it said our order would be ready in 10-15 minutes, but it took nearly an hour. Additionally, my girlfriend's blueberry bagel with strawberry cream cheese was extremely burnt on one side. Save yourself the trouble and go to Dunkin' Donuts or Starbucks instead.

When I come to DC to visit family, Bruggers is always on my list of places to go, because good bagels are hard to find on the west coast. Today's visit was a huge disappointment. My favorite rosemary bagels were flat and almost soggy. The Pumpernickle bagel wasn't flat, but still lacked the signature bagel texture. If I wanted Bagel shaped Objects, I could just go to the grocery store and pay a lot less.