Big fan of CAVA but this location is not like the others. I walk in, no line. The staffer was having a conversation with other team members, she says hi but proceeds to continue the conversation as if I wasn't there. She then asks about my order but doesn't mention the pita so I asked her for one. She "warms" it for all of 5 seconds and then proceeds. She just didn't feel like being there and it showed. Quality of food wasn't as expected, chicken was overcooked and serving portions were much less than what I'm used to. I won't be back to this location but the others are great. Maybe just a management issue here? read more

This review is for the BREA-Imperial Hwy location. Employees are kinda rude behind counter. Portions are...skimpy. This seems to be a reoccurring theme at other locations like RANCHO CUCAMONGA, which my wife and I have visited a few times. Owners need secret shoppers to give them real first-person feedback. Work on employee morale for the attitude issues. Since menu/website photos don't seem to match the final product, a review of training or simply an examination of portion sizes is due. Yeah food is more expensive these days. It's tough to grow a business with multiple locations, but how much longer can a business tolerate the poor reviews in an economy like this? It's time to roll up your sleeves and go back to the beginning with employee customer service training, and increase portions, revenues will follow for a good and fair product. Prices are sufficiently high enough to warrant a full bowl. read more

Highly recommend this location! We love CAVA and the workers here are so nice and the food is always so fresh. The vibe is really chill and kinda empty (compared to other CAVAs i've been too). Krista, the worker helping us, was SUPER nice and friendly! She was very patient as we were ordering. She also recommend us some of the sauces and which toppings to get, which were delicious!! We will be back fore sure! Thanks Krista!!! read more

Arrived at 8:15pm and majority of their toppings were out! Not sure how this makes any sense when they close at 10pm? Not to mention how dirty and messy it looks! The 2 girls working up front were very nice and helpful but seemed a bit overwhelmed given the shortage of things! They were out of cup lids and had to take one off of another cup with a lid sitting on the counter to give to a Door dash order! How are you suppose to conduct business when there's shortage of things? It should be noted that the servings are always skimpy! read more

CAVA - Topping choices - Mediterranean Near Me - Brea, California

Love this place so muchhh. The food is amazing especially that sweet potato(LTO), it's my favorite and the team members are so friendly and welcoming. Would definitely be coming back! read more

The 1 star is regarding the food & service but not for the actual employees 1 - the meat & the rice is cold. 2 -why would they leave only one employee right smack in the middle of lunch time. I went in right now (12 pm on a Tuesday) it was packed , line outside the door and only one poor girl working. read more

Came in late and the man Brit still got my back, he hooked it up fat and the food was amazing. If you guys see Brit, you know you are getting great service. Luckily there was no wait and the staff helped me through the menu v fast. read more

3.5-4 stars 2 Grains Bowl (Chicken) @ $12.05 each Grains: Saffron Basmati Rice & Romaine Dips & Spreads: Tzatziki, Traditional Hummus, Crazy Feta® Bowl 1 Mains: Grilled Chicken, Falafel Bowl 2 Mains: Grilled Chicken Toppings: Fire Roasted Corn, Tomato + Onion, Tomato + Cucumber, Cabbage Slaw, Persian Cucumber Dressing: Garlic Dressing Sides: Free Side Pita Cava took over the former Blaze Pizza location, in the same plaza as World Market, on the corner of Imperial Hwy and S. Brea Blvd. My coworker/friend loves Cava and they were not kidding about the long wait times. For a Saturday afternoon, we waited for over 30 minutes in line, just to order... As a first timer, it would have been helpful if we knew what the Dips, Mains, Toppings, and Dressings were before we got to the "exact" position of the display because the workers ask before you get there... So if you're at the Grains area, they already ask what kind of Dips & Spreads you want next but the display sticker is not visible because the person ahead of you is blocking the next sticker, and so forth. I did enjoy the Saffron Basmati Rice, but there were some areas where it was "clumpy." My Grilled Chicken Bowl did taste delicious, but due to their busy-ness, they were running out of certain items so we got the leftovers of the Persian Cucumber, like bottom of the container pieces. Because of the busy-ness, as well, there is quick turnover of the items, so you know you are mostly getting freshly prepared items, but that also means that they run low on items as they are trying to prepare them. The falafel was not good - there were whole chickpeas inside, which was interesting, but the grilled chicken was good and the flavors in the bowl were delicious. Because of the Mediterranean-inspired food, the food was a perfect combination with the 100+ weather outside. Seating on the inside is almost exactly the same as the former Blaze Pizza location, but smaller since they took away a few tables and chairs. The lines did not die down the entire time we were there. One can order online, but I think there's a bit of an "upcharge" as the prices did not look like the same in the restaurant, but you save time. There were plenty of parking spots, for now, until the former Corner Bakery establishment is open as a Shake Shack. read more

Absolutely Disgusting Experience - Beware! Wish I got pictures but we were shocked If I could give 0 stars, I would. I just had the most disgusting experience at this Cava location. It's supposed to be a Mediterranean-style "Chipotle," but based on how filthy everything was, I honestly feel like my mom and I are at risk of getting food poisoning. First of all, the counters were covered in old food scraps. This wasn't during a rush either -- there were only two small parties eating inside, and there was no line when we ordered. There was no excuse for the mess. The staff looked incredibly unhygienic: their shirts were stained with what looked like days-old food, and the spoon handles they were using to serve were caked in old residue. The level of cross-contamination was shocking. The girl who handed us our food was touching everything -- food containers, counters, -- all with the same dirty gloves. Our lids were even smeared with avocado because she was not being aware or frankly didn't care about the cleanliness. The trash was piled up to the top, and if the front of the restaurant looked this bad, I can only imagine how unsanitary the kitchen must be. I used to work in food service, and this was genuinely one of the worst-maintained restaurants I've ever seen -- especially concerning given they handle a lot of fresh ingredients like Greek yogurt, hummus, and veggies that can easily carry bacteria if not handled correctly. I honestly wouldn't be surprised if people have gotten food poisoning from this place before. Absolutely disgusting and completely unacceptable. Avoid this location at all costs. read more

CAUTION: hidden fees included... Last night we ordered two build your own bowls which showed on the menu to be $12.05. As we were offered toppings and selected what we wanted in our bowl we learned that everything we were offered was not included. When we went to pay we were shocked to learn that the half and half meat was not included and the falafel was also included but no one let us know that. In fact, they even said it was included. By the time we went to pay it was too late to argue and the line was too long to say anything. $40 for two bowls is a crazy amount to pay especially if you thought it was going to be half that price. They need to improve this issue. read more

CAVA - Order - Mediterranean Near Me - Brea, California

staff was so friendly and kind! definitely a great location here. fast and efficient service !!

The food was amazing! My sister and I came this morning and it was surprisingly not too busy, I got a steak bowl while my sister got a honey harissa, they were both BYO. The flavors were fresh and the food was hot, with the steak being juicy and honey harissa sweet yet spicy (warning for anyone who is new). Juices were refreshing and surprisingly different, I personally really enjoyed the blueberry lavender. The twins who helped me were very sweet and efficient, wasting no time to help me out. They mentioned that usually it is slower in the morning before picking up. Very ambient with good lighting and clean tables to sit at, the pricing is a bit expensive but worth it considering the ingredients they used. Worth trying and I definitely plan on coming back when I'm in town. read more

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Employee was very rude. Very slow and prepared food with an attitude. She tossed the bowl in front of me and left the counter. She didn't wait for me to pay. I was left to pay. No bag or anything. No wonder they have bad reviews. read more

This place is always on it with how delicious their food is. There was a line past the door but I was in and out in under 10 minutes and everyone was soooo friendly! I loved the look on the inside and how clean it was! Keep up the great work Cava! read more

Matthew was kind to give us a sample of the new strawberry beverage coming out soon!! It was delicious and we can't wait to come back and try it! We love that brea finally has a cava!! read more

What a weird experience. Miscommunication with the server on if I wanted an extra base ($1.75), which I did not. They ended up charging me and I saw the charge on my receipt. Went back to explain what happened and the server told me she'd have to remake my entire bowl. What? She threw away the original bowl and gave me less chicken/topping on the new bowl. What a waste of food and my time. Couldn't even give me a copy of the reversed transaction. Can managment please explain the reasonings behind this whole interaction? read more

Great staff & food!! All employees are kind and helpful! The portions are consistent as well!

So fresh and delicious. The meat was so tender and juicy. The vinaigrette sauce compliments everything nicely. read more

CAVA - Steak + Harissa - Mediterranean Near Me - Brea, California

When this fine restaurant first opened up I was very excited to see that deliciousness was at my very own convenience. I had a bit of a disappointing first impression, recieving my mobile order that was missing meat and pita crisps. I was heartbroken to say the least. After this experience, I went on a Cava cleanse and was scared to come again. In my next visit about a month ago, my delectable bowl was able to satisfy my hunger. The service was great and I enjoyed munching on every last bit of the bowl under the warm gleaming sun with my fellow companion. The place itself was clean and I was especially impressed with an employee, Dean, which I read on the name tag. His customer service and grind in the kitchen was superb. Kudos to him and the rest of the crew. I will be visiting again and will not be disappointed. read more

Cava is better than Chipotle the food is middle East food fresh and healthy the service is great Chipotle needs help Cava should buy them

Place is messy and disorganized. Bins that hold utensils were dirty. Same for food counter behind the ordering glass. Like others have complained, rice was brunt and hard. Looks like they haven't learned how to make Basmati rice yet lol Completely disappointing experience. GR Pita is a better option. read more

yikes. look how small portions have gotten here too. I coulda swore that the food used to at least come up to the inner line ‍ read more

CAVA - the bowl is like half empty! - Mediterranean Near Me - Brea, California

Portions are super to tiny for the price and some stuff will straight up be missing from your bowl. Customer service subpar. Don't bother.

Online ordered a rice + arugula bowl and it barely had any of it. The bowl was not even filled up half way. This location is terrible and give baby portions. Whoever made the bowl should be fired. read more

DISAPPOINTED!! Unfriendly staff. I was one of two customers in the store it's not that hard to acknowledge me. And the serving sizes are ridiculously small. It's the last time I will be coming to this location. read more

I entered this restaurant and immediately felt like I was about to receive top notch treatment. I have never been served with such gratitude and kind manners and respect from the workers. I was able to enjoy small conversations with multiple workers making me feel comfortable to come back. My food portion was beyond what I could possibly ask for. I enjoyed my food believing it was the top quality I could possibly receive. I truly enjoyed my environment and surrounding when I was eating. I happily sat down and was able to have a great experience eating and enjoying my environment. Sam helped me and he is awesome! Never seen a worker with such great energy and passion for his job. read more

CAVA - Cava - Mediterranean Near Me - Brea, California

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I normally do not go to this location but this time since I was in the area I decided to purchase for take out. My main place to go is the Anaheim Hills location and I never had any problems EVER. I always order build your own and start off with half arugula and half spinach with saffron rice. The hispanic looking female employee at brea location said I could only choose one green and if she does half and half I will be charged extra. WHAT???? I never heard of this rule so I asked her is this a new rule and she said no, it's always been the case. She already put half arugula and half spinach so I said, then just put arugula. She tries to take some spinach off from my bowl and put it back in the spinach bin which is ridiculous, I mean it's in already in my bowl. Also she didn't even ask if I wanted the free quarter size pita bread and she was moving on to the next customer so I asked for one and she was annoyed that I asked. I mean all you have to do is put the same portion but just put less arugula and less spinach and wouldn't that even out??? What does it mean "build your own bowl" if she's restricting me to choose only ONE greens, does this even make sense? If this is the rule then please DISPLAY accurately in the menu and say ONE GREEN only, if choosing more than one green, you will be charged extra just like the employee said. If the employee is wrong to say such thing, please TRAIN the employees. Take out was on Sunday, May 25th at 6:30 PM. I am sticking with Anaheim Hills location and will never go back to Brea location. read more

Worst experience, won't order from this restaurant again. We ordered five items and it felt only half was served almost no meat. Also ordered extra pita and chips that didn't arrived. read more

This is my neighborhood Cava and they are usually ok with portions. I don't know why it was so bad today. They skimped on everything for everyone. I don't know if it's because the employee is feeling a certain type of way today or if the employer of this location is trying to make up for rent this month. I am very disappointed. read more

Been coming to cava for a while now. Britt and Caleb provided me with great customer service. The food was really good too!

Terrible customer service! Literally stood in line for five minutes, not greeted while workers just looked at me and continued doing whatever they were doing. I finally had to ask if I needed to order online to get help ridiculous. This was at 7:30 PM on a Thursday night. read more

Super fresh, tasty food. Helpful service. Walk you through the process. Reasonably priced. Some seating.

Absolutely incredible staff! The best customer service I've ever experienced at a cava store and I'm a BIG FAN of CAVA! Thank you so much Steven Sanchez for your hospitality and making my friend and I feel at home at this store. If this is your first time YOU MUST TRY THIS SPOT! Its right in front of the UFC gym and cava is a MUCH healthier option than chipotle read more

The food is great like always , Frida and Hailey where really nice and helpful. Shoutout to them wish I could've left a tip but they did not accept tips ! Overall great read more

Was excited to try this new spot but was a disappointing experience. I ordered a build your own salad bowl, and husb had a pita sandwich with lamb. We ordered on the app for pickup. Husband's pita was enormous and stuffed full with meat and fillings. He enjoyed it and was full after eating. Whereas the first thing I thought when I saw my salad was: where is the rest of it?! The small bowl was only half filled, barely any meat (maybe 4 small cubes), with hardly any salad leaves. Other toppings were barely there (think 1tsp of brocolli crumbs). I did not enjoy the 2 falafel balls at all, they tasted very strange and nothing like falafel I've eaten before (there were whole chickpeas inside and slightly rubbery texture). To make matters worse, I had terrible stomach pains a few hours later (and that was the only thing I had eaten that day). We did reach out to customer service via the app and they refunded my salad. I hope they figure out their portion consistency but not sure I would return based on this experience. read more

CAVA - Tiny salad, where is the rest of it? 1/10 - Mediterranean Near Me - Brea, California

We have always enjoyed coming here every week but that changed today. Ordered my usual make your own bowl with rice and arugula as base. I can't believe how skimpy the portions were. I had to ask for another scoop of rice as the 1 scoop is like 2 tsp full. I was told there's extra charge!!! Really?? I have never had to ask for an extra scoop as the portion in the past has been acceptable. Moving along the next items and seems it's a bit skimpy compared to the past. Since we complained, were were given barely 2 scoops of chicken. If you have been here, you would know that their scoopers are quite small. So with all toppings etc , the bowl looks 70% full. In the past, ithe food would be touching the cover of the bowl. Needless to say, it disappointing. We over heard someone complaining about having to pay extra on his order as he never had to in the past. Service here has always been slow which is very puzzling as it's not that busy for the most time that we were there. We like Cava, so we put up with this but now, with them skimping this much on the portions, it's a huge turn off. Based on a lot of reviews lately, most people are complaining about portions so add mine to that list. read more

Very poor customer service, and workers were unnecessarily rude. Also after paying $30 for each bowl it was expected that I would at least get what I was paying for, but instead the workers acted as if giving me enough sauce would come out of their paycheck and told me it was just policy. This lack of customer service and politeness is a constant problem at this location with the exception of one nice and friendly employee, a young girl with black glasses who is obviously the only person with joy in her life that works at this location... I will consider either not going back to this location or not going to cava at all! read more

Food here is good and pretty healthy. Especially for the price. But the service is suuuuuppppeeerrrrr slow. If you can preorder with the app, that might help but I had to wait even after ordering via the app before I even got here. But I guess it's not "fast" food so that maybe is a good sign? read more

Visited this location recently....received excellent service and the line moved fast and food was excellent.

The lady Krista was very kind and helped make my bowl. All the employees were very cordial. Britton rang up my order. He was the nicest one of them all, always walking around with a big smile on his face. Will be coming back. read more