We have been loyal California Pizza Kitchen customers for many years, especially at several Broward County locations where CPK was one of our favorite places to dine multiple times a week. Since moving to Florida's West Coast, we've visited this location a few times, hoping to enjoy the same experience we've always loved. Unfortunately, it has never quite lived up to what we remember. This visit was intended to be a simple dessert stop to enjoy two of our longtime favorites: the Red Velvet Cake and the Butter Cake. We were disappointed to learn that the Red Velvet Cake is no longer offered, as it was always a huge hit for our family, especially when paired with ice cream. We decided to order the Butter Cake instead, but unfortunately it didn't seem to be the same dessert we've enjoyed for years. The flavor was noticeably different, and even the ice cream appeared to have changed. Whether it's a different recipe, ingredients, or supplier, the overall quality just wasn't what we remembered. What was equally concerning was looking around the restaurant and noticing very few guests during our visit. Of those who were there, we overheard several expressing concerns about their meals and experience. This is especially disappointing because CPK has always held a special place for us, and we know how great this brand can be when it's operating at its best. The location itself is excellent, and we truly hope management takes a close look at the customer experience. It may even be worthwhile to send mystery shoppers in to evaluate the restaurant firsthand. We genuinely want to see this location succeed and recapture the quality, consistency, and experience that made us longtime CPK fans. read more

Pleasantly surprised with California pizza kitchen. Enjoyed a pizza and a salad. It was on their lunch special. It was a good amount of food for a very reasonable price. Had great service. Definitely will go back soon. They have some good deals for happy hour. A 7" pizza and a beer for nine dollars. read more

I had to drag my husband to the mall. He was a good sport and suggested we get mid afternoon lunch. The nearby CPK was nearly empty so the service was quick. The restaurant is actually spacious with indoor and outdoor seating. We enjoyed both pizzas, the Marguerite and Habaneros Carnitas! Expensive to be frank for smaller pizzas (6 slices per). But we accomplished our shopping mission so the late lunch was a nice perk. read more

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Our pizzas were great! We had the Cacio e pepe, BBQ burnt ends, and the Habanero Carnitas (SUPER spicy salsa was automatically served on the side). Three pizzas for the five of us and we still took a couple of slices back to our hotel for a late night snack for the kids. Not super busy on a Friday afternoon, and service was decidedly lackluster. We had to keep reminding our waitress that our drinks needed to be refilled. I don't think it was entirely inattentive service, but she did appear to be the only server in the whole restaurant. Our complimentary bread and olive oil came out with the pizzas, not before (we didn't ask for it, the waitress just brought it, but I think it would've been better served before the pizza). Overall, it was an ok lunch. read more

I had a promo of $10 off of $40 and so we went for dinner. We had the dumpling appetizer that was served quickly and was delicious! My hubby had the pepperoni pizza and it never disappoints. I had the lettuce wraps and not only do you get a large portion they are really tasty. Our waitress was nice and attentive. It was a great meal and nice experience it was a little quieter since we went at 5pm but was starting to fill up when we left. The restaurant has always been clean. read more

California Pizza Kitchen - Dumplings - Pizza Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

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Had the Warm Bread-Complimentry and the Delish Margarita Pizza and BBQ Chicken Salad from the lunch specials!! Hanna our server was Amazing!!! The ambiance was very comfortable from the time you walk in!! read more

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I got takeout and just wanted to give a shout out to the person that was taking care of the take out orders! Feel like he's always positive and had great customer service! read more

Sorely disappointed in the UTC location in Sarasota. The food and service was beyond lousy. From the dirty utensils to the flavorless, mildly warm food. Several customers who waited to be attended to simply got up & left. CPK was once one of my favorite chain restaurants. I've been patronizing CPK for over 30 years since I lived out West. The folks at CPK corporate need to visit this location -- it's a liability to your brand! read more

California Pizza Kitchen - Pizza Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

I ordered dinner here from a food delivery app. This was my third time ordering the Chicken Piccata since enjoying it as left-overs from a friend. It is so delicious! A generous portion of moist, full of flavor chicken, lots of fresh lemon and capers and the pasta was perfect. The bread is to die for! I also tried the delicious butter cake, although it's a bit expensive, as desserts are in most restaurants, it was just what I needed. Hopefully, one day, I will visit the physical restaurant and try a pizza! Until then, I highly recommend my favorite, Chicken Piccata! read more

Our waiter was very good. The location and ambience good. We did not like the pizza or the appetizer we ordered.

My mom ordered a salad from here today. She said it tasted like it had been sitting out for a long time. Also, it looked like it was previously eaten by somebody else. There was a metal spoon already in the salad bowl when it got brought to the table. Despite all that, my mom tried to eat it to not let it go to waste. She got nauseous after two bites. I don't know if the waitress (Launa) was new or just trying to pull a sick joke. It's really sad to hear this considering my family has been coming here for years. read more

California Pizza Kitchen - Salad - Pizza Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

I could not figure out why this restaurant was 30% filled on a Saturday night until i ate here. You need a small loan to eat here. My boyfriend and I ordered a pizza a half a salad and a pasta dish with one drink and the bill was $100. The fact that they charge you an up charge of $1.50 for a thin crust pizza is absurd. The drink they served had so much ice in it that I literally had 6 sips. My boyfriend asked for light ice in his drink, and they served him half a drink. The bartender was annoyed that he was there to begin with so the service was horrible as well. I would not recommend this place nor would I ever return. read more

This trip was perfect. Only concern was my gift certificate didn't work, so hopefully customer service will help me out. Service was great. The bread was fresh and had nice chew and oil n herbs very flavorful. The pasta on both our dishes was fresh. The Kung Pao Spaghetti had a little kick. The short rib was tender and perfectly spiced. read more

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Great food, great prices and deals. Lunch specials, take home pizzas. Love it Fresh ingredients. Service is slow sometimes but its a good deal and we always enjoy our meals. Pretty good cocktails too read more

Tried a new dish today at CPK looking for a healthier lighter option I went with the shrimp scampi that has some fettuccine noodles and some zucchini noodles. It was food, but I definitely had to add a good amount of salt, pepper and park cheese to give it some flavor. It's definitely a bland dish but still enjoyed it. read more

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Beautiful location on University with great service and food. The new citrus salted vodka... so good!Cauliflower pizza crust is delicious AND it's regular size here! Hard to find gluten free pizzas that are actually filling but not here. Lettuce wraps were amazing too, a very nice sized app. Overall a very nice location with great views and walking distance to a ton of shopping. read more

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We went to CPK for lunch and were pleasantly surprised! We ordered a Choose 2 with a salad and flatbread, and a salad and sandwich. We also ordered a kids pasta with Alfredo sauce. Everything was fresh and delicious, and the kids meal was a good sized portion. The price was reasonable and our server was very nice. We would definitely return or order take out. read more

Fantastic food and great service! Nick was an AMAZING waiter, every question we asked he answered with kindness and knowledge!

The food and service was outstanding. Our waiter Nick was very attentive and friendly and knew what to recommend. We will definitely be coming back! read more

The service was quick and the food was so good. We started off with amazing margaritas along with the Avocado Egg rolls which were sooooooo good! We both got pizza and it was perfectly cooked and so yummy. I would definitely recommend eating here as it was a nice quiet intimate place with yummy food and drinks. A little pricey but worth the money. They have specials during the week that definitely seem worth it. read more

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It's been several years once I ate at a CPK so I was excited about my visit. That didn't last long. Burnt pizza, bartender was not behind bar 95% of the time. Waited TWENTY minutes after I ate for her to return so I could request a check. Too many good options in the area to have this type of experience. I'll spend my $$ elsewhere read more

I've been here many times since I moved to the area almost a year ago now. Today was probably one of my least favorite experiences. I haven't been in a couple of months so I'm unsure if this is a new policy. However, my waitress took a while to bring over bread, and when she did she only brought two slices (there were only two of us) and the oil barely had any seasoning. I had asked for more and she never brought it. It was a Wednesday at 4:30 pm so it wasn't super busy... the food was delicious but the service was a little slow in comparison to the other times I've been. read more

This restaurant is larger than some of the others we have been in. It is spacious and has a long bar that looks to the outside. We requested a booth and the four of us, sat comfortably. We ordered three pizzas and my favorite was the California Club pizza. Their kids menu is plentiful and has a great variety to choose from. read more

We used to go to CPK quite often, but as vegetarians, there have been fewer items over time to eat. We like the atmosphere, although the servers vary. My partner recently developed a tomato allergy, and so with that, and their recent removal of the Mexican pizza made it so there isn't anything she can eat at their restaurant anymore! We found this out when we went this last time upon arrival. Our waiter was very kind when we let her know we had to leave and comped us our sodas. Very kind gesture on her part! We're hoping they bring back the pizza as there aren't a ton of veg/vegan items, so we can return! read more

I feel this restaurant has a great menu, and fast service. On top of that the restaurant is uniquely designed, and the food is fresh.

You may have noticed this is the first chain restaurant review in my list....going local is my MO. However, we were so frustrated and disappointed with the f&b desert here, that CPK was our oasis . Have to say it was all was well executed! Staff was experienced, Covid practices in place, love their split pea and barley soup, yummy! Hubby loves the classic bbq chicken pizza and I always opt for the margarita pie. Even the key lime pie was well done with a tasty graham cracker crust and a tart filling. Have to give credit when credit is earned! read more

California Pizza Kitchen - Dining with our pups on the patio tonight! - Pizza Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

California Pizza Kitchen is always a favorite. Great tried and true menu items like the Thai Chicken Crunch Salad, Avocado Egg Rolls also their unique pizzas are to live for. They have seasonal items like the Summer Sangria wow it was definitely refreshing and the fruit in it was just right. Did I mention the vodka shot in the sangria? Yeah it was GREAT! It's a place where you can enjoy a table outside under the fans, inside booths are comfortable and tables are spaced so that you're not on top of each other's. Also good option for solo dinners as well as groups and families. What can I say I just really enjoy CPK. read more

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This was a large CPK, and just like all the other CPKs you go to. There are tons of seating options, quality food, and the wait-staff was very friendly. It didn't have anything unique or special, but it was good! read more

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Normally I have a great experience at any other CPK except with the Sarasota location. But this time I had a good experience with my food and the customer service. The pizza we ordered wasn't that great but everything else was very good. I hope they keep it that wey so I can keep going. read more

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Ashlee our server was wonderful. She made sure to bring out our food just right in time. The food was amazing and fresh. Definitely recommend the California Club Pizza! read more

California Pizza Kitchen - margarita pizza - Pizza Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

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I enjoy their pizza very much. But a must try is their tomato basil soup! Their pastas are also tasty. Another favorite is their chopped chicken barbecue salad, you can even order the pizza version. I gave it 4 only because they keep the a/c very low. So bring a sweater! read more

Really good Hawaian pizza and tortilla soup. My wife, who is a very small eater, was able to order a child-sized pizza - nice flexibility. $5 Happy Hour draft was a good deal, too. Only negative is the absence of a small side salad. Service from Johnathan was outstanding. We will be back to try one of the pasta entrees. read more

I love CPK! They are one of my favorite chain restaurants! However, I was a bit disappointed at this location. There was four of us, two of which were little ones and we came at a less busy time. We were sat a hightop in the bar area. This didn't make much sense to me because we had a toddler with us and i just don't think the high top in a bar area is a good idea to sit people with toddlers. Once we sat, it seemed our server was the bartender and has about 10 tables going at once. She came over and greeted us and took our drink order. We got our drinks about 15 minutes later. We didn't see her again for what felt like a long time and we were starving. When she finally came back, we ordered our food and also ordered an appetizer. Our appetizer ended up coming out after our meals. I was so disappointed to have this experience at CPK. I am a big fan of them and go to them quite frequently in Tampa. At one point, I got up and went over to the kitchen because we had no silverware or napkins and I saw our meals in the window get ready to come out, but no appetizer. When I did ask about the appetizer, the server was very nonchalant about it and just said, I took it off your bill, but it will be coming out after your food. As she brought us our food, she did explain they were short staffed and needed help. I get that! I really do! However, you saw we had two kids and we also ordered an appetizer. The appetizer was ordered for a reason - we wanted it first. Overall, I was disappointed with the service and even the food quality at this location. This is such a nice area that having service like this is not a good look. read more

This location has gone down tremendously. Management present but no clue what's going on. All three gentlemen there on a Sunday, and not one of them had any sense of urgency, appreciate customer, and understand service standards at all. Food was slacking, toppings were not missing from pizzas and salad. Please was empty at 3pm on a Sunday, when the area and neighboring restaurants on two hour wait. read more

California Pizza Kitchen is soooo underrated and quite frankly, easy to miss. This place knocked it of the park for us! I've driven by this restaurant I don't know how many times and never paid any attention to it. Somehow it gets lost in the strip and it's very unassuming. We wanted a **happy hour** place where we weren't going to be crowded and the noise wasn't going to be off-the-chain. We walked in about 5:30, very few people were there and the atmosphere almost seemed too simplistic. We actually almost left. The Manager acknowledged us and went to take us back to a small booth when we noticed the very clean, sleek bar with no one sitting at it. We chose to sit there and what a treat it was... we hit the jackpot on the most amazing happy hour!!! We received superb service from Crystal, the bar tender. She knew her menu well and knew how to make a great cocktail (hard to find these days). She pointed out all her recommendations and most, we choose. I'll break those down below. Everything we ordered was incredibly tasty and VERY fresh! Honestly, the best quality of food I've come across in a restaurant since the pandemic hit... that includes everything from Berns SH to Pinchers. HUGE wine pours of (3) Nobilo Sauvignon Blanc for $5, incredible, nice size (2) Agave Lime Margs for $6... we ate like Kings complete w/ Dessert for $85.00(see receipt). The place is so underrated, and quite frankly we are mad we hadn't been here sooner. Run, don't walk!!! Spinach Dip $6 -best I've had with tons of good flavor. 9/10 Corn Guac w/ Chips $4 -Fresh, but average. 6/10 Crispy Artichoke Salad $7.69-Amazingly fresh w/ incredible flavor! 9/10 Malibu Focaccia $9.29- a must if you like goat cheese & fresh herbs 10/10 California Cobb $16.99- a HUGE portion and could barely finish. They do offer half portions. A WHOLE avocado w/ Nueske's bacon and tons of chicken breast. SO fresh and the best! 10/10 Homemade Butter Cake w/ Haagen Dazs $10.99-Not a fan of dessert, but this changed me. 10/10 read more

California Pizza Kitchen - BEST quality! California Cobb W/ a WHOLE avocado! - Pizza Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

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Had a wonderful lunch here the other day. You can't go wrong with their pizzas, I love the cauliflower crust as well! We love their spinach dip but decided to try their Street Corn and loved that! Sooo good, flavor was great and the bread it came with tasted amazing as well. Got ceasar salads and he got a sandwich while I got a Hawaiian pizza. Can never go wrong with anything here! read more

California Pizza Kitchen - Mexican Street Corn - Pizza Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

Let me start off by saying this....I have eaten at multiple locations of California pizza and have not found any issues outside the occasional bad drink and or food issue. Most of the time it's pretty solid. This location is simply horrible! We waited about 15min to be seated which is fine because they were very busy. However, once we were seated, our booth was wet including the seats from when they cleaned the booth. Never bothered to dry anything. Still, we didn't let it bother us and looked forward to a good meal and services. Who was I kidding. We were greeted by perhaps the worst server I have ever had by the name of Casey. Casey showed very early on that she really didn't have what it took to work as a server as she was neither friendly nor efficient in properly taking our order. She didn't bother to even ask my guest what they wanted to drink as she walked off and was never to be found again for at least 10min. Upon bringing our drinks, Casey threw the straws on the table instead of politely handing it to us. I asked for bread and she didn't even take to time out to ensure the bread came with the dipping sauce. At this point, I was done with her. I asked the manager on duty Johnathan for a new server and for whatever reason we never got the new server. To add insult to injury, Casey decided to visit all of her other tables and audibly thank them all for their patience which was only done to perhaps stop the next table from exposing her poor server skills since the table behind us was also quite annoyed. The manager Johnathan was not polite at all and seemed to have had a vested interest in protecting his poor customer service giving server. That's cool. General manager never even bothered to come out to our table so that I can voice my concerns. At that point, we were done with this place. Johnathan ended up letting us go without paying anything on the ticket. This simply was the poorest customer service I have ever experienced and we will never come back nor will we ever recommend this particular location. read more

This pizza pasta restaurant is a chain with several Florida locations. The decor is contemporary. The service and food is very good. The menu is large, consisting of starters, small plates. sandwiches, salads, pizza, pasta and entrees of fish, chicken and steak. My go to salad is the Italian chopped. My two favorite pizzas are their Margarita and the roasted artichoke and spinach. They make their pizza two ways, thin crust and hand tossed. You can mix and match flavors and crusts. For their lunch specials you can get a 7 inch pizza or half a sandwich, plus a soup or salad. There is an extensive cocktail menu consisting of margaritas, sangrias, and some unique drinks. The non alcoholic beverages include flavored ice teas, lemonades, and coolers. Parking is no problem because the restaurant is an outparcel of the University Town Center Mall. read more

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While Going to the Mall at University Town Center, Sarasota I stopped for lunch. I discovered a California Pizza Kitchen right outside the mall. There was plenty of parking available. As I walked in I noticed it looked like a relatively new restaurant. The dining room was huge and very modern. I found the restaurant to be clean and service to be good. We were seated right away and our waitress came over within few minutes. She took out drink order and returned with drinks and some basil oil and 3 pieces of sliced (sourdough??) Bread. The bread was toasted and to me felt more stale. My husband and I shared a large Italian Chopped Salad and a Margherita Pizza. (The Pizza was 6 slices) It was 3 large slices and 3 small slices, it was not cut evenly. There was more than enough food for us to share. If I wasn't going shopping afterwards I would've taken some leftovers home. Everything tasted good and the server was good. There is also a bar at this location if you feel like a cocktail and they have some outside seating as well. read more

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We went here at the request of a friend for his birthday-Not someplace we would normally go...BUT We were seated immediately, the place was pretty empty, and then Adam came over introduced himself and asked for drink orders. We ended up getting the buffalo cauliflower appetizer and it was much tastier than I expected. We followed it up by ordering bbq chicken, Thai chicken, Carne asada and what Adam called the salad pizza. Everything came out quickly and tasted fresh. The real star of the show was our server...he was charismatic, attentive and super helpful with ordering choices and throughout the meal! Adam is worth 5 stars The food was 3.5 read more