8 years later after having tried Boudin's for the first time, everything still tastes the same as it did to this day. FOOD QUALITY: Boudin's clam chowder in bread bowl is their signature that provides a pretty solid bowl of coup. While the soup here doesn't offer the freshest clam, you still get a good taste of that seafood sweetness accompanied by buttery creaminess balanced off a good amount of seasoning. If gotten with a bread bowl, you'll also get nice sweet and sour notes added into the mix of flavors. Unlike most clam chowders that I've had, this bowl is not too thick nor is it too thin; it's just about two notches thicker than a standard soup but thin enough for the bread to absorb it well. My choice of sandwich is usually the Chicken Pesto, which consists of a simple chicken, tomato, spinach, and a spread of pesto aioli. While the overall flavor gives you a nice, fresh blend of dominant sweetness and slight savory with a hint of acidity, the hard exterior of the bread makes for a challenging bite since it's not a crispy hardness but a chewy hardness. Not the greatest sandwich, but pretty good-decent. ENVIRONMENT: There's a lot of seating and I've never really had a problem finding a seat here. Overall, it's pretty comfy here for a stop-and-go visit or for catching up with friends. Overall, this is where I'd go to get my fill of clam chowder. I've been to the SF location and I personally like it better here. read more

Terrible experience... Trying to find a table is extremely difficult, plating is horrible, and customer service is extremely appalling. I get it that the venue is intended to be a fast paced but a little friendly customer service will help make the dining experience a little more pleasant. On top of that, I don't need someone coming by every 5 minutes to see if we were done and if they can clean the plates. While dining experience was not pleasant and I was literally losing my appetite evert time the staff came by to ask if we were done, when we obviously had food on our plates. If you like to chew your food and enjoy your meal, this place is definitely not the place to go! read more

Boudin SF - Horrible plating...boudin needs to invest in bigger plates - Bakeries Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Ordered the apple and goat cheese salad. Very ample amount of all ingredients. Also shared a clam chowder soup, I would have liked for the temperature to be hotter for the soup. Other than that I devoured my salad and enjoyed it a lot! I have had the chicken Caesar salad as well in the past, which too was delicious! I would recommended this place! If you're looking for a quick delicious meal then this is the place! A little on the pricey side but I would say it's worth it. read more

Boudin SF - Green apple and goat cheese salad! - Bakeries Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Worst Boudin I've ever been too. The employees move around behind the counter and in the back very slowest and you can tell they have no pep in their step. Took about 20 minutes for us to get our order. Grant it, they had 9 employees and only 4 customers at the time. Half of them were in the back taking and laughing about something. I would recommend going to the Boudin across the street at South Coast plaza. I feel that the service is much better. To be honest, every Boudin I've been to has had great service besides this one at Metro Point read more

I ordered soup in their sourdough bread bow that was old and cold and soup was cold as well. When I asked the waiter to warm it up my bread, while he was cleaning the other table with the gloves without changing his gloves and he grabbed my bread to warm it up which was gross!!! my daughter pizza that was old and super hard as well. the cookie was stale as well. nothing was good when I asked replacement at least for the cookie, I was told that no replacement for anything by the cashier. that was awful food, service, and experience. Total wasting time and money!!!! read more

Great local lunch spot for sandwiches, salads, soups and desserts. I got the 1/2 sandwich and salad on my most recent visit- turkey avocado and caesar salad + a lemon bar and my total was $11. Salad portion was large and delicious. Sandwich tasted healthy and filling.... The bread made the sandwich. The lemon bar was also really good. Would recommend this spot for anyone doing shopping/errands at metro pointe and needs a break to eat. read more

Boudin SF - Cesar salad + turkey avocado yum! - Bakeries Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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No flavor in the food. Ordered BLT, Grilled Cheese, tomato soup, clam chowder, 2 salads, a pizza, and 2 desserts. All food was bland and disappointing. read more

Pretty impressed that they clearly label their vegetarian options! Service was prompt and relatively fast considering how busy they are. We got the veggie breakfast burrito which I had little to no expectations for but it ended up being deliciousness it's filled with egg, broccoli, potatoes, cheese and spinach? We also got the tomato soup in a bread bowl! I love soup and sourdough so this was def the best of both! Staff are wearing masks and they are implementing one entrance one exit idea. read more

I love this restaurant but this time the clam chowder bowl was watery . Very dissatisfied I had to leave it

Pesto Roast Beef sandwich. It's very good, satisfying after shopping. The sourdough bread is on the hard side, but otherwise the bread is very good. It has that slight tanginess. If you want to go easy on your teeth, you may want to try a croissant sandwich. The last time I was here, I witnessed a group of teenage boys goring their sourdough bread bowls. I myself had tried that once and not again but the boys' enthusiasm may lead me to try one again. Staff is nice. I enjoyed the potato chips the last two times I was there and the iced tea. This is a nice place to go after shopping in Metro Point. read more

Had lunch here and all I can say is their clam chowder is bomb!! I love the chunkiness of the clams and potatoes. It really gives that extra oomph to your soup! I got the combo so i ordered the chowder and the Chicken pesto sandwich. I did not really like it because the bread was super super hard!! It was a french roll so i guess it's suppose to be hard. My sister ordered the Chicken Salad sandwich and it was amazing. I was jealous because I had to eat my crap of a sandwich. I would probably come back for that sandwich. It is very moist and all the combinations went really well. NOTE:there are nuts in this sandwich for those of you who are allergic! read more

Boudin SF - combo of clam chowder and chicken pesto sandwich - Bakeries Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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Not sure why there's so much hatin' for this location as it's neighbors with two of my favorite discount shops, Nordstrom Rack and Loehmanns. The customer service was spot-on as we were checked on multiple times. No complaints about clam chowder bowls either. I mean it's clam chowder in an edible bowl, what person wouldn't be happy? Eat outside, perhaps the other reviewers were Vitamin D deficient :P read more

We came in for a mid afternoon snack after shopping SC Plaza and waiting for my bro to shop next door at the Rack. We were greeted by the manager before we even set foot inside. A little wait, but we found a table shortly after we ordered. Someone even came to clean our table. The clerk took my order precisely and The food came out promptly. I ordered the 1/2 turkey avocado on croissant with cup of Clam chowder to share with my 4 yr old. The Hubs got the chowder in a bread bowl. Note: We live in the bay area and it's hard not to compare the quality to SF. The sandwich was just as fresh and tasty. The chowder, well, it had sand (in my hubs) & didn't taste "freshly" made. Almost tasted straight out of the canned as the soup was grainy, like overcooked potatoes sitting. Nonetheless, that would be a place we'd eat again if we're in the area as it's next to N Rack, my brother's fav. read more

We dropped in for a quick bite to eat for lunch. First of all I suggest that you grab a table because they're hard to come by at lunch time. I wanted to try something different so I got the grilled cheese with brie apples and fig jam. It was absolutely delicious and it came with a nice little side salad. My son had the Italian sandwich. Just a word of warning for those of you who do not care for a lot of mayonnaise. They were a little heavy-handed on the Mayo so be sure to ask for easy mayonnaise. He also mentioned that they used a spicy mustard that seemed like it had horseradish in it which he wasn't too fond of. So next time we'll know to ask them to take it easy on the Mayo and mustard. One last thing, we bought one of their sourdough loaves and had wanted them to slice it for us but we were told that because it had jalapeno in it they couldn't use their machine to slice the bread. They were afraid that the jalapeno would contaminate the blades. Not sure why they couldn't just wipe the blades down after they sliced the bread. Whatever! read more

the manager, kurtis. was very helpful, he constantly checked on us and made sure we were taken care of. while deciding what to order, he gave us suggestions and overall he had a great attitude and smile. thank you boudin ! and KURTIS ! read more

Boudin SF - kurtis ! - Bakeries Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Food is good. The bread is obviously so yummy. I ordered the Pick a Pair with the California Veggie Sandwich and Broccoli Cheddar soup. Both looked so good I didn't even take a picture I just dug in. The sandwich was nice and fresh. The soup was hot and good too. It was a nice treat for a fair price (10.89). The soda machine was really flat so that was disappointing. Bathrooms were clean but missing seat covers. Staff is nice but not too welcoming. Overall a pretty average experience. I'd come back if I was in the area and couldn't find anywhere else to eat. read more

BOMBdotCOM. i love this place especially for there beef chilly! mmm...perfectly seasoning beef, flavorful beans, smoky & piping hot. JUST what i needed on this slightly chilly day. Also, my mom got the butternut squash soup and it was really good as well! A little too creamy for my taste, but if you like those kinda soups then you'll definitely like this soup! I also got the chicken pesto sandwich (i ordered the half soup - half sandwich deal) which was alright, nothing really to rave about, but the CHILI is a must try! GO NOW! just kidding. it's definitely worth a visit though. read more

Boudin SF - chicken pesto sandwich & a bowl of beef chili! - Bakeries Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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6/22/12 Great soft opening! Was invited for a free lunch on them to check out their new re-opening...I booked it and invited 4 other friends to join me for lunch..at the front door they gave us all different cards which gave us what items to choose from...I got a salad and a dessert..this was no problem for me since I love their waldorf and lemon bars! WOOHOO at the front they also offered us a free drink and a loaf of bread for free! I had a $20 meal on the house and the service was great! Granted this was just a trial run for them, but if they keep it up after they open I'm sure I'll be a regular! read more

I always hear how great their clam chowder is. I mean.. It's good... But I DON'T THINK IT'S GREAT. I ordered the CLAM CHOWDER BOWL w/ HALF AN AVOCADO TURKEY SANDWICH. The sandwich was good. The clam chowder was average. The bowl was meh. I probably wouldn't go out of my way to get Boudin's Clam Chowder. read more

Boudin SF - Clam chowder bowl with sandwich - Bakeries Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

This place has great food. I come here for the salads... But it's an igloo here!year after year visit after visit I hate coming here because it's so cold. but my stomach wants the food...freezing freezing like literally frigid cold! read more

They just got a nice updated facelift but the food remains the same...good comfort food eats. They are also awaiting to get their boose license. More importantly this place is known for their good creamy clam chowder in a signature sourdough bread bowl with real clams & potatoes...It's my our favorite thing to get here. I sometimes change things up a little by getting the equally good rustic tomato soup. Their salads (esp. waldorf or mediterranean) & sandwiches (turkey, ham, or calif veggie, had nearly all of them since I used to work at the mall across the street) are also good eats too. Haven't had anything here we disliked. The service is good & friendly. Sometimes they treat the little ones to a fun animal shaped sour dough bread. The only thing that disappointingly changed about this place was their mac n cheese that was also pretty good according to my little MNC connoisseur...they went on the cheap side & stopped making their gourmet version & now sadly enough they serve the Kraft brand from the packet which we find definitely not worth the same price as the original gourmet one. read more

Boudin SF - The sweet server gave my daughter an adorable turtle sour dough bread on the house! :) - Bakeries Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

I definitely needed some fuel after a couple hours of shopping. We popped in here for a quick bite before we headed to nordstrom rack and ordered a chicken salad sandwich with a side of mixed greens to share. The sandwich was delicious! The bread was soft and fresh while the chicken was creamy and oh so tasty. I really want another chicken salad now that I am thinking about it... read more

Boudin SF - Chicken salad - Bakeries Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

After shopping till we dropped, we worked up a mean appetite. Bread and carbs was just what the doctor ordered. We ordered the popular clam chowder and we love that it's not extra for the sourdough bread bowl. The sourdough bread bowl and clam chowder was super satisfying. Slightly on the salty side but I'll give them a break since it was still very tasty! loved the piping hot temperature of the soup when it was brought to our table. We also ordered the blue note baguette burger and a side salad. The bread was stiff and hard from being toasted and also tough to bite into, yet the burger had a great flavor. I loved the blue cheese, the balsamic, and the grilled red onions. A very tasty combination. The side salad was just a simple spring mix with balsamic dressing. Overall, for a chain, I liked the place. I love how they are unique and they stick to one concept, yummy sourdough! read more

Boudin SF - Delicious piping hot clam chowder in a sourdough bread bowl. - Bakeries Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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Home is where the heart is...and for me it's back in San Francisco! Boudin has always been one of my favorite places to eat, and boy was I excited to see one in Southern California! The food tastes like how its always tasted, which is delicious! My usual is the clam chowder in a bread bowl, and it did not disappoint. Service was great, we ordered at the front with a friendly cashier. And the guy who brought our food to us offered to bring us anything else we needed, even though all of the stuff was out for self service. (I.e extra sauces) The only reason my review is missing a star is because there's something that's missing when I'm not having my Boudin in the city by the bay. (I know, I know, I'm being picky - sorry!) read more

Boudin SF - Soup salad combo with the cob salad and clam chowder - Bakeries Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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This review is solely for the new salmon blta, as the rest of the menu can be found on my other review of the Boudin in South Coast Plaza. Well here it is! The Salmon BLTA is really good! The fish is fresh and goes wonderfully with the pesto mayo and avocado spread! And of course their sourdough is amazing as usual. read more

Boudin SF - New Salmon BLTA. Yumm - Bakeries Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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I'm not one to complain what so ever, but this was unacceptable. I ordered two of the new citrus salads, two cookies, and a butternut squash soup. The soup and cookies were standard. The salads were a different story, I ended up paying 11 something plus tax, for a salad that was half way with no protein. And to be completely honest, I didn't even enjoy it. They also forgot the little bread rolls that come with the salad. That was my entire lunch, a half portion of salad. I was left hungry and very dissatisfied. If that was the full portion, I wouldn't pay for it again. It is not worth $11 plus tax. read more

Boudin SF - Salad bowl filled half way - Bakeries Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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Every time I'm down in the Santa Ana area I always have to come here for lunch excellent place food is fresh and also new sign up being a member you can get a free loaf of French bread every month also they have one of these inside Disney California so if you ever went through there and sampled the bread that is this place they have kids meals adult meals soups salads everything little small inside so they do have outdoor seating and this place does get very busy but give them a try you'll like it read more

Ordered a patty melt because I had one from the Huntington Beach location and it was fabulous. This location definitely over cooked the patty. Worse patty melt I ever had. read more

What a terrible experience... I ordered from the Kiosk and when my food was delivered the young girl asked if I needed anything and I asked for a water. She proceeded to walk to the soda fountain and get a water cup and bring it back to me (without water) and said it's self-serve. Dropping it off as I sit alone with my food and things already in the booth. Rude. But then the couple next to me was packing up their child and couldn't find the Apple sauce or the cookie they ordered. They didn't bother going to talk to anyone because the staff was so unfriendly. But then as I'm finishing my meal, the staff at the counter refused to serve a customer and treated them differently then the rest of the customers waiting for help. I would not recommend this location and the manager might want to reconsider some of the staff. read more

Met a friend for a quick lunch. Love the fresh menu. Chicken salad sandwich was light. Not all mayo. Real chicken. Real good. Great place for a lunch, and they have funny bread shapes. read more

Boudin SF - Bakeries Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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Here for breakfast before watching a movie with my kid. Place is clean, staff is friendly and the food is yummy. We will definitely be back! read more

Boudin SF - Kids meal, cheese pizza (so good), orange juice, and chocolate chip... all for less than $5! - Bakeries Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Are here after a quick run to Nordstrom rack. Love the bread and sammies. Yum sadly when a restaurant flashes the beer and wine sign on the marquis it would be amazing if they actually had the wine!! We came 45 minutes before closing and they were fresh out of all Options. So sad read more

Boudin SF - Seated and waiting ... Sooo hungry. I wish I ordered this salad being advertised. Looks so yum! - Bakeries Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

I ordered food togo yesterday so this is strictly about the food, we ordered the asian chicken salad, tuna sandwich, tomato soup & chicken pesto sandwich($30+). My mother, grandmother & myself got borderline food poisoning and the only thing that we all ate was the salad so i'd steer clear of that.. read more

Ordered this afternoon with postmates. Very disappointed in the bread, as this place is supposed to be about bread. The Italian sandwich was flavored well but the bread was so impossible to eat that I had to take sandwich apart and left my jaw hurting. Sourdough is never entirely soft, I get it. But even when I scraped out the inside of bread it felt and tasted incredibly old and stale. Not happy that I spent $12 plus delivery and tax on old bread. read more

Nice Job! I had not visited since the remodel. I was greeted by the Manager Regina, my order was taken very politely, my food came quick, hot food hot, cold food cold. I was checked on 3x by the dining attendants. They interacted not just " hows everything". Regina checked in on me toward the end of our meal and I had to tell her how impressed I was @ the overall cleanliness and neatness of the whole front area. The bread display was full and attractive, pastries were presented very well, the drink area neat and clean and the condiments were squarely aligned. All this and the 160yr plus Sourdough Bread recipe! I'll be back. :) read more

Clam chowder is super bland here. Not creamy at all. Chili is nothing special. Really bland. Corner Bakery chili is waaaay better. Even Wendy's has this place beat. Caesar salad is on par with Denny's. Nothing special. Dont waste your time here. read more

After a while came back to this spot after shopping. Last thing i wanted was a fly in my salad even though i love the bread bowl clam chowder, i'm not coming back for anything, at least till Trump is the president. Yes i blame you Mr T read more

Boudin SF - See my review. Poor thing - Bakeries Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Been visiting Boudin since 2007, ordered two chicken panzanella salad to-go. Boudin forgot the chicken. I called back several times; first spoke to an African American male, he hung up on me. Than, another male individual claimed to be the manager, placed me on hold FOREVER. Definitely will NOT ever return to Boudin! HORRIBLE NIGHTMARE!!! read more

Boudin SF - Ordered TWO chicken panzanella salad. NO chicken with the salad. Called back & asked the manager to remedy their error, hung up on me! - Bakeries Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

get your 10% discount with AAA! affordable yummy place to have lunch. soup and sandwich $9.99. Chicken pesto sandwich with clam chowder was just the right size portion to fill you up without breaking your wallet! read more

We've been here a few times. Usually the food is good. Today we waited 17 min for our food ok they said they are busy with to go orders. After waiting one sandwich the grilled cheese is burnt but server claims this is normal for this sandwich. The breakfast croissant is tasteless. It is flat and soggy I'm pretty sure it was microwaved. The egg has an odd taste I would guess its liquid egg from a carton. This is definitely not a sandwich I will order again. For most of my reviews I will eat at a location a few times to get a feel for what is acceptable for the establishment. I have to say that the reaction to questioning the sandwich is not acceptable. Another associate apologized and brought out a fresh grilled cheese. I did not complain about the breakfast sandwich only because it's obvious how they prepare them. Fake eggs and a microwave. The cheese on the menu shows a slice of cheese on a fluffy croissant with egg and ham. What I received was a soggy croissant liquefied cheese ham and rubbery tasteless egg.... will try the location in Huntington Beach. read more