Once Upon A Bagel
1888 1st St, Highland Park
(847) 433-1411
Customers' Favorites
Chicken Soup with Choice Office Noodles Matreo Ball or Kroplach
Matzoh Ball Soup of the Day
Corned Beef Sandwich
Skirt Steak Sandwich
Bagel Veggie Skins
Nova Lox Plate
Smiley Cookies
Egg Bagel
Salami
Turkey
Bagels, Etc
Bagel or Bialy With Cream Cheese
Your choice of a bagel or bialy with cream cheese. Please let us know which bagel or bialy flavor you prefer in the special instructions. Once upon a bakery.
Bagels
Once upon bakery.
Assorted Bagels
Once upon bakery.
Bialy
Once upon a bakery.
Plain Mini Bagels
Once upon bakery.
Challah Rolls
Once upon a bakery.
Udi's Gluten Free Bagels
Each. Gluten free plain bagels. Once upon bakery.
Wheat Mini Bagels
Once upon bakery.
Half Dozen Onion Rolls
Once upon bakery.
Kaiser Rolls
Once upon bakery.
Rye Bread Sliced
Once upon bakery.
Leonard's Bakery Goods
Chocolate Donuts
The best around.
Smiley Cookies (2 pk)
The best around.
Chocolate Coffee Cake
No description is needed. The best. The best around.
Black & White Cookies (2 pk)
The best around.
Apricot Rugelach (1/2 lb)
The best around.
Almond Coffee Cake
No description is needed. The best. The best around.
Cinnamon Kiddush Cake
Sliced cinnamon kiddush cake. The best around.
Chocolate Rugelach (1/2 lb)
The best around.
Marble Mandel Bread (1 lb)
The best around.
Raspberry Rugelach (1/2 lb)
The best around.
Chocolate Covered Mandel Bread (1 lb)
The best around.
Chocolate Kiddush Cake
Sliced chocolate kiddush cake. The best around.
Cream Cheeses
Plain Cream Cheese
Chive Cream Cheese
Lox Cream Cheese
Strawberry Cream Cheese
Cucumber Chive Cream Cheese
Vegetable Cream Cheese
Jalapeno Cream Cheese
Walnut Raisin
Fresh Salads
Original Tuna Salad
Our famous original recipe for tuna salad
Egg White Salad
One of our staples and the best around
Israeli Salad
A delicious blend of tomatoes, cucumbers, garbanzo beans, and parsley in our homemade olive lemon dressing.
Egg Salad
Fresh egg salad
Cucumber Salad
Delicious cucumber salad
Potato Salad
Gramma's Tuna Salad
Made with sweet relish
Poultry Salad
Our famous original recipe for poultry salad
Creamy Coleslaw
Creamy coleslaw
Pasta Salad
Pasta and veggie salad
California Tuna Salad
Made with green and red peppers, chives, and egg whites.
Whitefish Salad
Delicious fresh whitefish salad
President's Poultry Salad
Made with cranberries and almonds
Salmon Salad
Delicious homemade salmon salad
Lucky's Tuna Salad
Made with cranberries
Grandpa's Salmon Salad
Made with sweet relish
Cheeses
Muenster Cheese
Sliced Muenster cheese
Swiss Cheese
Sliced Swiss cheese
Cheddar Cheese
Sliced cheddar cheese
Mozzarella Cheese
Sliced mozzarella cheese
Provolone Cheese
Sliced provolone cheese
Pepper Jack Cheese
Sliced pepper jack cheese
American Cheese
Sliced American cheese
Home Made Soups & Chili
Chicken Matzo Ball Soup
Chicken matzo ball soup. Please let us know your choice of roll or crackers in the special instructions. Once upon homemade soups.
Chicken Kreplach Soup
Chicken kreplach soup. Please let us know your choice of roll or crackers in the special instructions. Once upon homemade soups.
Chicken Noodle Soup
Chicken soup with noodles. Please let us know your choice of roll or crackers in the special instructions. Once upon homemade soups.
Chicken Rice Soup
Chicken rice soup. Please let us know your choice of roll or crackers in the special instructions. Once upon homemade soups.
Chicken Vegetable Soup
Broth only or with chicken and veggies. Please let us know your choice of roll or crackers in the special instructions. Once upon homemade soups. Once upon homemade soups.
Chicken Mish Mosh Soup (Super Bowl) (Qt)
Quart of chicken and vegetable soup with noodles, rice, kreplach, and matzo ball. Please let us know your choice of roll or crackers in the special instructions. Once upon homemade soups.
Additional Matzo Ball
Per matzo ball.
Chicken Combo Soup
Once upon homemade soups.
Additional Side of Noodles
Side of noodles.
Mighty Fine Chili
Delicious homemade chili. Please let us know your preference of roll or crackers in the special instructions. Once upon homemade soups.
Additional Kreplach
Per kreplach.
Additional Side of Rice
Side of rice.
Tortilla Soup
Jaime's homemade tortilla soup. Once upon homemade soups.
Extras From the Deli
Potato Pancake
Once upon special recipe. The stuff you just need.
Ouab Bagel Dog
An all beef hot dog wrapped in a delicious. Once upon a bagel. The stuff you just need.
Fresh Tomatoes
Fresh tomatoes, whole or sliced. The stuff you just need.
Fresh Cucumbers
Fresh cucumber, whole or sliced. The stuff you just need.
Apple Cinnamon Kugel (1 pc)
The stuff you just need.
Plain Kugel (1 pc)
The stuff you just need.
Raisin Kugel (1 pc)
The stuff you just need.
Homemade Cheese Blintzes
Three delicious homemade cheese blintzes with strawberry sauce. The stuff you just need.
Fresh Onions
Fresh onions, whole or sliced. The stuff you just need.
Veggie Potato Pancake
Once upon special recipe. The stuff you just need.
Pan of Apple Cinnamon Kugel
Pan of apple cinnamon kugel sliced into 16 pieces is all the stuff you need.
Pan Plain Kugel
Pan plain kugel, sliced into 16 pieces. The stuff you just need.
Pan Raisin Kugel
Pan raisin kugel, sliced into 16 pieces. The stuff you just need.
Black Olives (1/2 lb)
Container of black olives. The stuff you just need.
Our Breakfast
All American Breakfast Sandwich
Toasted bagel with eggs any style, your choice of meat, and your choice of cheese. Please let us know your bagel flavor in the special instructions.
Nova Lox Plate
Hand sliced nova lox with your choice of cream cheese and bagel. Comes with tomatoes, onions, olives, and capers. Please let us know which bagel flavor you prefer in the special instructions.
French Toast
French toast made with our delicious challah bread. With butter and syrup.
Pancakes
Pancakes with butter and syrup.
Once Upon a Breakfast
Eggs any style, served with your choice of breakfast meat and your choice of pancake, bagel, bialy, or toast. Also comes with hashbrowns. Please let us know your flavor of bagel, bialy, or toast in the special instructions.
Two Eggs Breakfast
Two eggs any style with a bagel, bialy, or toast. Please let us know which flavor bagel, bialy, or toast you prefer in the special instructions.
Breakfast Rollup
Eggs with tomatoes, green peppers, onions, mushrooms, hash browns, and salsa in a white or wheat tortilla.
Fried Matzo
Fried matzo made to order.
Huevos Con Chorizo
Scrambled eggs with spicy mexican sausage. With a bagel of your choice. Please let us know your bagel flavor in the special instructions.
Cheese Blintzes
Homemade blintzes with strawberry sauce and sour cream.
Grilled Steak and Eggs
Two eggs any style with grilled skirt steak, hash browns, and a bagel, bialy, or toast. Please let us know which bagel, bialy, or toast you prefer in the special instructions.
Made to Order Oatmeal
With brown sugar and raisins on the side.
Huevos a La Acapulco
Two eggs any style with chorizo, green peppers, onions, and hash browns. With a bagel of your choice. Please let us know your choice of bagel flavor in the special instructions.
Multi Grain Pancakes
Fiber rich pancakes with butter and syrup.
Omelettes
Country Omelette
Bacon, hash browns, and American cheese. Please let us know your bagel, bialy, or toast flavor in the special instructions.
Greek Omelette
Sauteed spinach and feta cheese. Please let us know your bagel, bialy, or toast flavor in the special instructions.
Garden Omelette
Mushrooms, green peppers, tomatoes, and onions. Please let us know your bagel, bialy, or toast flavor in the special instructions.
Plain Omelette
Please let us know your bagel, bialy, or toast flavor in the special instructions.
Once Upon Style Omelette
A flat egg-white omelette with your choice of three ingredients and covered in mozzarella cheese and salsa. Please let us know your bagel, bialy, or toast choice in the special instructions.
Single Meat Omelette
Your choice of meat. Please let us know your bagel, bialy, or toast flavor in the special instructions.
Single Veggie Omelette
Your choice of vegetable. Please let us know your bagel, bialy, or toast flavor in the special instructions.
Spanish Omelette
Chorizo sausage, pepper jack cheese, onions, cilantro, and salsa. Please let us know your bagel, bialy, or toast flavor in the special instructions.
Nova Delight Omelette
Omelette with nova lox, fresh scallions, and plain cream cheese mixed in the center. Delicious! Please let us know your bagel, bialy, or toast flavor in the special instructions.
Lox & Onion Omelette
Classic omelette with Novolog and fresh scallions. Please let us know your bagel, bialy, or toast flavor in the special instructions.
Meat Lovers Omelette
Grilled corned beef, pastrami, and salami. Please let us know your bagel, bialy, or toast flavor in the special instructions.
Breakfast Side Orders
Corned Beef Hash
Corned beef, onion, green pepper, and hash browns
Nova Hash
Nova, onions and hash browns.
Hash Browns
Bacon (Pork or Turkey)
Sausage (Pork or Turkey)
Cream Cheese Side
Plain, chive, veggie, or lox cream cheese.
Bagel or Baily With Butter or Margarine
A toasted bagel or bialy. Please let us know your bagel or bialy flavor in the special instructions. With butter or margarine.
Grilled Salami
Veggie Hash
Grilled mushroom, tomato, green pepper, onion, and hashbrowns.
Grilled Ham
Grilled and delicious
From the Grill
Chicken Fingers With Fries
Chicken fingers with regular or Cajun fries. With a side of barbecue sauce, ranch, or honey mustard dressing.
Grilled Cheese
Grilled cheese on white, wheat, rye, or challah toast.
Skirt Steak Sandwich
Grilled skirt steak sandwich on a bialy loaf with melted mozzarella cheese. Please let us know in the special instructions if you would like lettuce, tomatoes, and grilled onions added to your sandwich.
Hot Dog
Regular hotdog with your choice of condiments.
Char Burger
Char burger on a challah bun with lettuce, tomatoes, and onions. Served with a pickle.
Turkey Burger
Turkey burger on a challah bun with lettuce, tomatoes, and onions. Served with a pickle.
Jumbo Dog
Jumbo hot dog with your choice of condiments.
The Beyond Burger (100%25 Vegan)
On a challah bun with lettuce, tomatoes, and onions.
Garden Burger
Veggie burger on a challah bun with lettuce, tomatoes, and onions. Served with a pickle.
Bagel Veggie Skins
Open faced wheat bagel filled with grilled veggies and covered with melted cheese. Comes with salsa.
Reuben Burger
Amazing. A char burger covered in grilled corned beef, sauerkraut, 1000 Island dressing, and Swiss cheese. On a challah bun with a pickle on the side.
Grilled Boats
Corned Beef Reuben Grilled Boat
Choice of lean or regular corned beef with sauerkraut, swiss cheese, thousand island dressing, and a pickle on the side.
Beef Pastrami Grilled Boat
Beef pastrami with your choice of cheese on our homemade sub roll and a pickle on the side.
Salami Grilled Boat
Grilled salami with your choice of cheese on our homemade sub roll with a pickle on the side.
Turkey Reuben Grilled Boat
Grilled turkey, swiss cheese, and thousand island dressing on our homemade sub roll, with a pickle on the side.
Beef Pastrami Reuben Grilled Boat
Grilled beef pastrami, sauerkraut, swiss cheese, thousand island dressing, and a pickle on the side.
Turkey Grilled Boat
Grilled turkey, choice of cheese are served on our homemade sub roll with a pickle on the side.
Tuna Salad Grilled Boat
Grilled tuna with tomato and your choice of cheese on our homemade sub roll with a pickle on the side.
Philly Cheese Steak Grilled Boat
Grilled philly meat, grilled green peppers, mushrooms, and onion, plus mozzarella cheese, are served on our homemade sub roll with a pickle on the side.
Corned Beef Grilled Boat
Grilled lean or regular corned beef with your choice of cheese on our homemade sub roll with a pickle on the side.
Ham Grilled Boat
Grilled ham and your choice of cheese are served on our homemade sub roll with a pickle on the side.
Turkey Pastrami Grilled Boat
Choice of cheese served on our homemade sub roll with a pickle on the side.
Bbq Beef Grilled Boat
Grilled bbq beef, your choice of cheese served on our homemade sub roll with a pickle on the side.
Italian Beef Grilled Boat
Our homemade Italian beef with melted mozzarella cheese on our homemade sub roll, with a pickle and giardiniera on the side.
Chicken Sandwiches
Grilled Chicken Sandwich
Choice of original, cajun, buffalo, bar-b-que, or teriyaki. Served on a challah roll with lettuce, tomato, and a pickle.
Chicken Club Sandwich
Grilled chicken, melted mozzarella, crispy bacon, lettuce, and tomato on a fresh bialy loaf.
Just Sandwiches
Turkey Club Sandwich
Turkey or grilled chicken with lettuce, tomato, bacon, and mayo on white or wheat toast with a pickle on the side
Corned Beef Sandwich
Hot lean or regular cut corned beef on rye. With a pickle.
Beef Pastrami Sandwich
Hot beef pastrami on rye bread. With a pickle.
Turkey Sandwich
Turkey on choice of bread, lettuce, tomato, and a pickle on the side.
Bacon, Lettuce & Tomato Sandwich
Served on your choice of toasted bread with lettuce, tomatoes, and mayo. With a pickle on the side.
Turkey Pastrami Sandwich
Served on choice of bread with lettuce, tomato, and a pickle on the side.
Roast Brisket Sandwich
Hot brisket with au jus, lettuce, and tomato on a bagel, bialy, roll, or bread. Comes with a pickle.
Vegetarian Sandwich
Lettuce, tomato, onion, carrot, cucumber, and spinach with honey mustard dressing and a pickle on the side.
Soft Salami Sandwich
On your choice of bread with a pickle on the side.
Roast Beef Sandwich
Roast beef with lettuce, tomatoes, and mayo on your choice of bread. With a pickle.
Hard Salami Sandwich
On your choice of bread with a pickle on the side.
Baked Ham Sandwich
On your choice of bread with lettuce, tomato, and a pickle on the side.
Chopped Liver Sandwich
Bologna Sandwich
On choice of bread with a pickle on the side.
New York Style Specialty Sandwiches
New York Style Hot Pastrami Sandwich
Served with coleslaw or potato salad and a pickle. On your choice of bread, New York style. That bigger sandwich.
New York Style Reuben Sandwich
Corned beef or pastrami with swiss cheese, sauerkraut, and Russian dressing on rye bread. Served with coleslaw or potato salad and a pickle. On your choice of bread, New York style. That bigger sandwich.
New York Style Hot Corned Beef Sandwich
Served with coleslaw or potato salad and a pickle. On your choice of bread, New York style. That bigger sandwich.
Salad Sandwiches
Tuna Salad Sandwich
Original, gramma's, Lucky, or California With lettuce and tomato on a bagel, bialy, roll or bread. Comes with a pickle.
Egg Salad Sandwich
On your choice of bread with lettuce and tomatoes. Comes with a pickle.
Poultry Salad Sandwich
With lettuce and tomato on a bagel, bialy, roll, or bread. Comes with a pickle.
Egg White Egg Salad Sandwich
With lettuce and tomato on a bagel, bialy, roll, or bread. Comes with a pickle.
Whitefish Salad Sandwich
With lettuce and tomato on a bagel, bialy, roll, or bread. Comes with a pickle.
President's Poultry Salad Sandwich
With lettuce and tomato on a bagel, bialy, roll, or bread. Comes with a pickle.
Salmon Salad Sandwich
With lettuce and tomato on a bagel, bialy, roll, or bread. Comes with a pickle.
Grandpa's Salmon Salad Sandwich
With lettuce and tomato on a bagel, bialy, roll, or bread. Comes with a pickle.
Salad Selections
Chinese Tossed Salad
Lettuce, tomatoes, spinach, carrots, broccoli, water chestnuts, mandarin oranges, and Chinese noodles. Comes with toasted sesame dressing on the side.
Tuna Salad Plate
A garden salad with a scoop of your choice of tuna. Choice of dressing.
Shana's Salad
Romaine, spinach, chicken, bacon, broccoli, red pepper, onions, celery, and avocado. With choice of dressing.
Tossed Caesar Salad With Grilled Chicken
Grilled chicken, lettuce, spinach, Parmesan cheese, croutons, and Caesar dressing.
Veggie Supreme Salad
Lettuce, tomatoes, celery, cucumbers, and green peppers. Choice of dressing.
Chinese Tossed Salad With Grilled Chicken
Grilled chicken, lettuce, tomatoes, spinach, carrots, broccoli, water chestnuts, mandarin oranges and chinese noodles. Comes with toasted sesame dressing on the side.
Chef's Salad
A garden salad with turkey, Swiss, and American cheese. Choice of dressing.
Garden Salad
Lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, green peppers, carrots, and a hard boiled egg. Choice of dressing.
Tossed Caesar Salad
Lettuce, spinach, Parmesan cheese, croutons, and Caesar dressing.
Chicken Supreme Salad
Grilled chicken, lettuce, tomatoes, celery, cucumbers, and green peppers. Choice of dressing.
Tortilla Roll Ups
Veggie Tortilla Rollup
Lettuce, tomato, spinach, broccoli, muenster cheese, and honey dijon dressing or Caesar style. Original or Caesar.
Tuna Salad Tortilla Rollup
Tuna, lettuce, tomato, muenster cheese, and honey dijon dressing or Caesar style. Original or Caesar.
Turkey Tortilla Rollup
Turkey, lettuce, tomato, muenster cheese, and honey dijon dressing or Caesar style. Original or Caesar.
Grilled Chicken Tortilla Rollup
Grilled chicken, lettuce, tomato, muenster cheese, and honey dijon dressing or Caesar style. Original or Caesar.
Roast Beef Tortilla Roll Ups
Grilled Steak Tortilla Rollup
Grilled steak, lettuce, tomato, muenster cheese, and honey dijon dressing or Caesar style. Original or Caesar.
Poultry Salad Tortilla Rollup
Poultry salad, lettuce, tomato, muenster cheese, and honey dijon dressing or Caesar style. Original or Caesar.
Stir Frys
Grilled Chicken Stir Fry
Grilled chicken breast with sauteed onions, carrots, and green and red peppers on a bed of rice with teriyaki sauce and Chinese noodles.
Grilled Steak Stir Fry
Skirt steak with sauteed onions, carrots, and green and red peppers on a bed of rice with teriyaki sauce and Chinese noodles.
Grilled Veggie Stir Fry
Sauteed onions, carrots, green, and red peppers on a bed of rice with teriyaki sauce and Chinese noodles.
Paninis
Club Panini
Turkey, bacon, tomato, and provolone cheese.
Chicken Panini
Grilled chicken, avocado, and melted provolone cheese.
Fresh Veggie Panini
Mushrooms, tomatoes, onions, bell peppers, and provolone.
Panini Burger
Beef burger, mozzarella cheese, lettuce, tomato, and onion.
Classic Panini
American, Swiss, and Provolone cheeses with lettuce and tomato.
Francheese Panini
Bacon, hot dog, American cheese, lettuce, and tomato
Just for Kids
Kids French Toast
Includes choice of bacon or sausage.
Kid's Silver Dollar Pancakes
Kids Roasted Turkey Sandwich
Turkey on a white, wheat, rye, or plain bagel. With fries, chips, or fruit.
Kids Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Grilled American cheese on white, wheat, rye, or challah toast with fries, chips, or fruit.
Kids Chicken Fingers
Kids Corned Beef Sandwich
Lean corned beef or white, wheat, rye, or a plain bagel. With fries, chips, or fruit.
Kids Hot Dog
Steamed hot dog on a challah bun
Kids Tuna Sandwich
Tuna on white, wheat, rye, or a plain bagel. With fries, chips, or fruit.
Pizza
Cheese Pizza
Veggie Pizza
On the Side
Curly Fries
Regular or cajun.
Potato Pancake
Once upon special recipe.
Creamy Coleslaw Side
Potato Salad Side
Sweet Potato Chips
Made to order.
Piece of Kugel
Plain, apple cinnamon, or raisin.
Pasta Salad Side
Cucumber Salad Side
Veggie Potato Pancake
Once upon special recipe.
Photos
+64 photos
+63 photos
Add a photo
Order Online
Recent Reviews
I had the best bagel from Once Upon a Bagel! My teammate at IVme Highland Park recommended it, and I’m so glad she did. It reminds me of the classic bagel delis in NYC—quality, fresh, and so tasty. I’ll definitely be back soon and often!
September 2025
I had them cater my son wedding brunch in Chicago! It was amazingly presentation, food was excellent and the extra help made the event! Working with Joel the manager made it so easy! My go to event party place!
June 2025
It’s a “High Ten” here. Ladies at front are amazing! They work well providing friendly atmosphere always willing to please with kindness. Everything! is fresh and yummy. I come weekly and love it here. Deserves more! than 5 stars. Sincerest thanks to entire staff and management.
May 2025
You May Also Like
Lou Malnati's Pizzeria - 1890 1st St
![]()
Pizza, Italian, Vegan, Vegetarian
Madame Zuzu’s - 1876 1st St
![]()
Cafe, Tea Rooms, Vegan
Michael’s Grill & Salad Bar - 1879 2nd St
![]()
American, Hot Dogs, Burgers