Mt. Bagel, a much loved Seattle bagel shop, is back

The much beloved bagel purveyor Mt. Bagel has returned to Seattle after a prolonged absence — and, about two weeks after the opening of its new brick-and-mortar shop, a long line is still forming each morning.

Yes, but: You probably won't find me braving that queue for a third time — at least, not any time soon.

Details: I didn't get to experience the bagel bliss that Mt. Bagel inspired among Seattleites before it closed last May and moved to Oregon.

• Still, I anticipated I would have to update my Seattle bagel rankings accordingly after tasting these legendary bagels.

The verdict: These bagels are too soft, I found on both of my recent visits. This was true of more than eight bagels I sampled.

• I prefer a bagel with a little outer crunch — some crackling texture to help differentiate the outside from the inside. These lacked that.

Be smart: Despite my criticisms, Mt. Bagel's wares have been selling out.

• If you go in person, expect a wait — I showed up about two minutes before they opened at 9am last Thursday, and about 20 people were already ahead of me in line. Bagels were acquired about 30 minutes later. (On my first visit, the bagels sold out by 10am.)

• You can also order bagels for delivery, which is how Mt. Bagel mainly operated back in the day, before it had a retail storefront. Online ordering opens at noon on Fridays, with the bagels selling out within minutes.

Address: 801 26th Ave. E. Doors open for retail sales at 9am. Online ordering at mtbagel.com.