Sam Khandelwal

TLDR: The hype is worth the long lines. Best 'Montreal style' bagel in LA? In 90+ degrees heat on a Sunday, in a somewhat rough neighborhood, lies Courage bagels. Or a hole in the wall where you order, and sit outside on the sidewalk (they have some outdoor chairs and tables). There were misters connected to buckets of water to cool the outdoor. The line on a Sunday at 1.30 pm was short (5 mins wait), and the counter person was helpful in me making a choice. With 50 kinds of bagel combinations, you feel the pressure to make a selection. Luckily they allow for 'half' sandwiches that reduce your risk of a dud. I asked for the best and was recommended everything bagel that was slightly burnt (yes that is an option) with smoked salmon, onion, capers, dill and cream cheese. I decided to not go plant based and go with the flow. Half a bagel 'sandwich' was around $13/$14 with tip. It took 5 minutes and someone walks out, shouts out your name, and you claim your to-go container (that's the default). The bagel is fresh, warm and smells great. Unlike many bagels that are dense, this one is light, almost like some of the insides are scooped out. The outside is crispy, with the 'everything' seasoning slightly burnt, giving it a caramel'ish taste. The smoked fish is unusually fresh and complements the light spread of cream cheese. With the onion, capers, dill, pickle, you have a perfect combination of a crisp bagel and the gooeyness of the cream cheese. What's clear is they have not skimped on the quality of the ingredients. This bagel was fresh and light. If I can complain, perhaps a bit too light, as half is unlikely to satisfy your appetite. Luckily I was on a food tour, with plenty of food to follow, but you may want to order 2 halves, esp. the one I did not try but they are famous for the one with sardines. Many other guests had ordered drinks (coffee, hot chocolate) and most folks had ordered sandwiches, as opposed to just bagels with cream cheese. For the vegetarians, they have cashew cream cheese and veggie sandwich, along with veggie toppings to make your own creation. This is a scene. You pay a price, in time (long lines) and in $$, but like an experience, you get what you pay for. Since Sunday, I have only craved their bagel 4 times, so looks like I'll be back. Tip: Document coffee in Koreatown is 2 miles away and a great pit stop to get excellent coffee. Tip: Easy street parking, free on Sundays, metered on weekdays.

+1

dennys ilic

Wow. You really have to pick your time to come here because you’ll be waiting in a line for a while if you don’t choose wisely! With that aside, the weight is worth it! My first time here and I will be back just ridiculously delicious. Take on the humble bagel! Great coffee, and great service The only reason I give it a 4 atm is because the only option is to eat outside and I’m not a super fan of that How much prefer air-conditioned indoors and this is an option Still HIGHLY recommend this, and I will be back regularly!

Oren Salomon

Many would question whether this is a bagel, but none would say it’s not delicious. Incredible service by Scotty really made it a memorable experience. I saw some questionable things on the street nearby, but there goes the neighborhood as they say.

+1

dawn cheng

I get the hype now. Courage Bagels is a standout bagel shop on the corner of Virgil and Monroe on the edge of East Hollywood that has been lauded by both food critics and food influencers alike. So I finally got the chance to try: 1. Loose bagels - the poppy and sesame seed ones are my absolute favorite. 2. Jamon beurre - this was probably a one-off limited edition flavor, which were given in exchange for a toy donation during their holiday toy drive. This particular bagel rendered me speechless. From the airy, perfectly chewy sesame bagel it was on, to the French butter, and the impeccable jamon - devouring this bagel was a whole experience and a half. 3. Hand-sliced salmon bagel - perfect proportions of everything; no notes. 4. Roe bagel - while the roe was spectacularly fresh and delicious, I'll be brutally honest here. The burnt everything bagel is not my favorite vessel for this delicious topping. A poppy seed bagel would be my personal preference, and bring the best out of this topping. Parking was fairly easy on a Saturday morning - we found street parking on a perpendicular block. Service is fast and courteous. Will absolutely be back for my bagel fix! Ig: @dawntc

Roopa Bala Singh

not a bagel review only bc their kettle was down the morning i went. but i must share, they made me the best vanilla latte i've maybe ever had. and i make a mean latte at home, as an espresso aficionado and former barista. theirs was hearty, hot & well flecked with real vanilla. afterwards i walked at the silver lake reservoir, which is nearby. i recommend both.

very cute bagel shop! their bagel is toward a thinner and crunchier texture unlike the doughy chewy kind. personally i like it very much! they have tables by the walkway, not the most comfortable but do it for me. it’s a viral bagel shop but i also see a lot of local visiting as well. i’ll say this is a must visit if you are looking to try so LA bagels.

Levent Erhamza

As NJ/NY I guy have accepted “nothing like east coast bread. Our water different”. No longer. The hype is real. Spent a week in LA eating various “best places” and this was by far the best thing I put in mouth. Besides the food the vibe is crave worthy. Yes there is a line. But with heavy staffing moves quickly. Don’t miss it.

We came on a Saturday around noon and the line really wasn’t bad at all. I was expecting way worse. You order at the window, super easy. There’s no indoor seating, just some tables off to the side. I can already tell it probably gets pretty warm out there in the summer. I ordered the Hottie, it comes with butter, and I added honey on a sesame bagel. When I tell you it was so good… fresh out of the oven, warm, soft, perfect. If I had even a little more room left, I’d be back in line for another one. But I’m officially full. My friend got a fully loaded bagel, I believe it’s called Run it to the Garden, she loved it but she wanted a little more olive oil. Any time I’m close, I want to be sure I stop by.

Courage Bagels is one of those places that quietly ruins other bagels for you, and I mean that as the highest compliment. I usually order the salmon bagel, and it is consistently excellent. The bagel itself has real character. Dense but not heavy, chewy in the right way, with that subtle sweetness and crackle you get from a Montreal style bagel that has been boiled in honeyed water and baked in a wood fired oven. You can taste the process. This is not a bagel that comes out of a machine and disappears two minutes later. The recipes are thoughtful and confident. Nothing feels fussy or over engineered. The salmon is high quality, the balance of cream cheese, capers, onion, and herbs is dialed in, and every bite feels intentional. It eats like someone obsessed over it and then stopped at exactly the right moment. The coffee is also excellent, which matters more than people admit. It stands on its own and pairs well with the richness of the bagels rather than trying to compete. Service has always been friendly and efficient, even when they are clearly slammed. I went early this time and for the first time there was not a massive line, which felt almost surreal. That said, this is the exception, not the rule. The line moves quickly, but if you go on a weekend, plan on waiting. One caveat, and it is worth saying out loud. This place is pricey. My salmon bagel rang in at $23. That is not nothing. You are paying for quality ingredients, craft, and a very specific point of view. For me, it is still worth it, but it is not an everyday stop unless your bagel budget is generous. Courage Bagels delivers a focused, distinctive experience that feels both grounded and special. Five stars, even with the sticker shock.

+6

This is one of the best bagels I've ever had; very fresh and tasty!! Crispy and chewy!! I had the mini Everything bagel with cream cheese ($3.50) and mexican hot cocoa with cinnamon & spices (they have 2 sizes; 4oz for $4 and 8oz for $8) w/whipped cream topping!! Line moved quick today!! I was very lucky to find street parking today nearby!! Highly recommended!! 5 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟stars for delicious bagel and good service!!

Emma Yuko CALIFORNIA WAX STUDIO

My first visit to Courage Bagels and I finally understand the hype! Came on a busy Sunday afternoon, waited about 20 minutes in line and another 20 minutes for the food, but it was absolutely worth it. I had the hand-sliced salmon bagel and it was so delicious—fresh, flavorful, and perfectly balanced. Yes, it’s a bit pricy, but the quality makes it worthwhile. The shop itself is small, more of a corner spot, but you can tell it’s truly everyone’s favorite in the neighborhood. The staff are friendly and welcoming, which made the experience even better. Definitely coming back!

George Toth Jr.

A surprise visit to get some breakfast. Although I am normally a bacon eggs toast coffee kind of guy, I did enjoy the sampling of bagels that were offered. I really like that they offer half slices of bagels.. we tried 4 different offerings... tomato on onion bagels, garden on everything bagel, white fish on burnt everything bagel, and salmon on sea salt bagel. All very good. I brought my concoction of spices as usual to shzooz up the samples...the young folks working were all courteous and attentive to all. Get there early as the line can stretch a bit...hot local spot for sure. Enjoy!

Bagel was super yum and filling, loved the toasted bread and how it was served open with all the fillings on top. A little bit overpriced for what it is, and waiting is quite long. Did not enjoy the coffee as they added sweetened almond milk which tastes artificial. Cute people and nice staff.

Sasha M

A super famous bagel spot! I’d heard for a long time that people wait in line for hours, so I hadn’t been able to try it until now. I even tried going early in the morning a few times, but it always happened to be on a Wednesday — the day they’re closed — so I kept missing out. I finally got to try it this time, and now I understand why it’s worth the wait. I went right when they opened, so there was no line, and I relaxed in my car for a bit before going in. Still, the food took longer than expected, and I ended up running late for work — but honestly, it was totally worth it. I definitely want to come back and try other bagels. Such a feel-good place

+1

M4l2K T4N

Delicious and innovative bagels (little pricey). Great freshness and efficiency in getting your order out to you despite a perpetual queue. Try the ikura bagel - interesting

+6

Dalia S

Came here on a Monday around noon hoping to grab a quick bite before a road trip but it was anything but. The time it took to order and receive the food was about 45 mins. Needless to say the bagels came out both beautiful and delicious. Even the plain bagel with cream cheese was a delight. Would love to have it again and again but probably won’t be back for a while with a wait like that.

I had higher expectations considering all the hype around this place. Luckily I didn’t have to wait in line too long. I enjoyed the wide variety of bagel toppings and flavors, and decided to go with a salmon and PB&J bagel. Both tasted fine and fresh, but where I was really let down was with the bagel dough itself. It’s on the thinner side (which some may enjoy) and not very warm. I hesitate even calling it a bagel. Overall I didn’t find this very flavorful or filling. Not very satisfying. I can’t imagine myself returning especially if the line is very long. I prefer Layla’s Bagels instead.

The menu is small with limited options, but each option is truly delicious. Even though we visited on a weekday, it was very crowded and there was a line. We waited around 30–35 minutes to place our order, and the food took about the same amount of time to be prepared. The taste is definitely excellent, but the long waiting time slightly lowers the overall experience.

As a bagel enthusiast, I was excited to try this trendy spot. I had the salmon bagel on everything bread and it was quite delicious. Things to note however- the seating is not that plentiful, there is a line you have to stand in (even after 9 AM on a weekday, there is no parking (I had to park 1-2 blocks away in a neighborhood), and there didn’t seem to be a bathroom (it seems that only employees go inside). Quite pricey, but would recommend if you want to show a tourist around LA and get him an LA breakfast. One note- personally I like being able customize my bagels by adding egg/avocado but Courage Bagels doesn’t carry either. I also found their bread selection to be limited.

Patrick Han

Leaving an honest review 👍 Got the white fish salad whole bagel~ Food: 7.4/10.0! Really good 👍. I see why people say it’s the best bagel shop in LA. Ingredients are super-duper fresh and the bagel toasted very well. I think all of the flavor, spice, saltiness was v well balanced. Will come back Atmosphere: vibey~~~ Service: they literally have fan that spray water for customers waiting in line. 20.0/10.0. Seriously they know what they do are doing 👏👏👏 But! Jeez $25 for an open face bagel is crazy. Will still come back but not too often (more like can’t with that crazy price point)🥲 You’ll notice that there are like 15 ppl working in the small shop so i see that the operating cost is super high but still $25 :’). One more thing would be that the cup they use for drink are too small Overall: Will come back but not as often as I want to 😿 $25 for a bagel in this economy? P.s. looking for a sugar mommy to take to courage bagel more often 🤝

+1

Eric

This is the definition of hype! An average bagel people wait an hour for. It’s a joke. I got a cream cheese bagel before my friends got their $26 specialty bagel and there bagels came out 15 minutes before mine. You want to eat with you friends especially after already waiting an hour plus for a bagel and ordering before them. There was barely any cream cheese on bagel!! There were several bites with no cream cheese at all! What a joke. Go to Maury’s bagels down the street. Much better. My favorite bagel in LA is Pops Bagels right now. Avoid this overpriced LA trap all cost!! Also the worse matcha we’ve ever had.

Waited about 15 min on a Friday morning. Luckily one of the employees was walking around reminding people to look at the menu before getting to the front of the line to make the line move quickly. Paid $9 plus tip for an everything bagel with cream cheese. For a place specializes in bagels, you would think that they would get it right, correct? But no, my bagel was burnt and hard as rock. I couldn’t even eat it.