Review: Ozo Bagel ★★★★★
Hands down the best bagel place in Tokyo. Mostly likely the most authentic place to get a real New York bagel in all of Japan. Believe me, I’ve looked around and have found disappointment. I would even go as far as to say the bagels at Ozo rival most places in New York and New Jersey. That is not something I say lightly.
Owner and baker, Reiko Taguchi, knows her craft, and knows it well. The bagels blew me away the first time I visited and tried them. I went back and I asked where she learned how to make her bonafide bagels. When I learned she over over a decade in the NYC area learning the trade at Ess-a-Bagel it came as no surprise. I highly recommend visiting Ess-a-Bagel if you’re in NYC.
There are a number of varieties to choose from, ranging from salty/savory to sweet. Ozo has ready-made sandwiches as well as made to order. They also produce a few uniquely flavored cream cheeses. You honestly can’t go wrong with those.
Location Issues
The location does leave a lot to be desired, and not because it’s located in a tricky spot to reach. The shop is way too small to facilitate the large number of customers that are there every day they are opened. The logistics of how they operate are just not practical. Production appears to be quite labored because there doesn’t seem to be a lot space in the back for making bagels. Demand far outstrips the supply. There is very little space to wait inside, to the point of it being difficult to pass by another customer. This slows things down further, as after paying you squeeze by whomever is in the shop.
Since there is no space inside, there is usually a long line snaking around the entrance. When the weather is less than optimal, this can be a real deterrent. You might think it would cut down how many customers are waiting, but in my experience that doesn’t appear to be true.
As a result or all these factors, the waiting time can be unnecessarily lengthy. Like, over an hour long usually. That’s a long damn time to wait for a bagel, even if it’s the best bagel in the city.
Opening Issues
Lastly, the hours and days they operate tend to be a little sporadic. In the past, they have been closed for long stretches at a time. Generally, they closed half the week and only operate a few hours each day. A good 50% of the time I’ve dropped by they have been closed for whatever reason. Because of this, it highly advisable to check their Twitter to make sure they are opened before making the trip.
Beyond The Issues
Even though it’s cumbersome to wait on line, I still find the bagels worth it. The staff are all very friendly. They usually give out some free bagel samples with their artisanal cream cheese, which is a nice bonus. Most of the staff also seems to understand some level of English, and the menu has a good amount of English. Fair warning, the ingredients of the sandwiches are only in Japanese. You will find ordering in English only. At the very least, Reiko speaks excellent English.
Orders are take-out only!
This should also go without saying; bagels are best on the day they are made, so don’t delay in indulging.
While you’re here, why not check out some of other REVIEWS or TRAVEL WRITE UPS from around the world.
Contact & General Information
Price: Cheap to Mid-Range
Hours: Wed-Sat, 11am-3:30pm
Twitter: Ozo Account
Website: Ozo Bagel (Official Website)
We recommend checking their Twitter for up to date information on hours and/or unscheduled closures (which are kind of common).
Location: Google
