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My girlfriend (who's a Mt. Bagel-lifer) swears she had some pretty bad bagels from Bagel Oasis the one time she went there before she met me, but she's thought all the ones I've brought home are great, and apparently even look way better than the ones she had. She's a bigger Everything fan than I am though, so maybe it's just an issue with those from time to time?

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Nov 6Liked by Sean Keeley

I love bagel oasis, it’s consistent, the scallion cream cheese is on point and the atmosphere is perfect πŸ€·πŸ»β€β™€οΈ

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Very strong scallion cream cheese indeed.

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As far as I can tell - Bagel Oasis is the only Seattle spot with delicious bialys. Most other places don’t offer bialys or if they do, they are cakey and disappointing. I order Bagel Oasis bialys several dozen at a time and happily drive across town for them.

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I would say that BO is the only place I'm aware of in Seattle that makes authentic bialys. I haven't tried Zylberschtein's but they don't look like the authentic version far as I can tell.

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Nov 5Liked by Sean Keeley

Wild. This sounds like a totally different Bagel Oasis that you went to. The last 3 times I've been there, nary a hint of crispness was to be found anywhere. Each and every bagel was as soft as can be, in a very generic way. Seed hand was more like seed finger for me. This place has really slipped or is just wildly inconsistent. I haven't had an experience like this in years there.

You didn't tell him you were coming did you?? Cuz I'd love to eat what you got

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We'll just have to do the get-together there and all order from the same basket!

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Nov 5Liked by Sean Keeley

I don’t disagree with your assessment but the last round of everythings I picked up had about half the seeds as yours (and just a pinch of salt). It won’t stop me from going back but still…

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I would defintely like to see a little more seasoning on those everythings, and I think the trends bear out a lot of other people would too.

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Nov 5Liked by Sean Keeley

Yeah, I have been a fan of Bagel Oasis for literal decades, but their seed application has been super inconsistent for years, tending towards the too-light. I recall it being better in the 90s, but that could just be the fog of nostalgia.

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Nov 5Liked by Sean Keeley

I hope it doesn't become a bad thing for both businesses that Hey Bagel and Bagel Oasis will be so close to each other (with a Blazing Bagels in between them for the less savvy.) They're both excellent, if a bit different. Bagel Oasis is perennially overlooked and unsexy , but when they're fresh, they're simply classicly scrumptious. Hey Bagel takes it to a different level. I hope they both can thrive. Your reviews are spot on, as always.

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You know, I've found that no matter how many bagel places we get, they all seem to do just fine. And actually, Hey Bagel is going to be surrounded by Einstein and Blazing, and Toasted is right down the road as well. But somehow, I think they'll be okay. The demand still hasn't been met!

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Funny, but I happened to be by Bagel Oasis today and stopped in for 2 salt, 2 everything bagels. Just ate one of each with dinner. Really great flavor and texture. They’re not Hey Bagel good, but they’re good. I think you’re right on the mark here.

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We were bagel-eating ships passing in the night...

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Nov 5Liked by Sean Keeley

Speaking as a Seattle Goy (and on behalf of my wife, same), _some_ of us know wtf a good bagel is, and will probably stick with Bagel Oasis for pumpernickel but mostly switch to Hey Bagel for the rest when it opens. I have seen too many people on Reddit say that they love Blazing Bagels to give any credence to complaints of disappointing bagels at Bagel Oasis. They might be disappointed that they didn't get an Instragram-worthy experience, or by the lack of blueberry chocolate chip "bagels", but they are philistines who wouldn't know a good bagel if one hit them in the face, and can (should) be ignored.

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The Blazing Bagels Contingent is loud and mighty. πŸ˜‚

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