REVIEW BASED OFF MANAGER PARADISE!!!! The staff was very friendly and food was good as always but Paradise was EXTREMELY RUDE, made no eye contact AND was disrespectful to multiple employees when they were just doing their job. If you see Paradise working walk out unless you want to be talked to like a 5 year old read more

When Chipotle started catching heat for shrinking their portions, my wife and I switched over to CAVA. At, it felt like a great move. The food here is delicious, especially the harissa chicken, and our first few visits left a really strong impression. The bowls were packed to the lid, flavorful, and satisfying. Unfortunately, over time the portions have noticeably dwindled. These days, it often takes one or two extra paid add-ons just to get the same amount of food we used to get by default. It's disappointing to see the value decline like this, especially when the price hasn't followed suit. Another recurring frustration is with mobile orders. More than half the time, the sauce is missing.... and the sauce is half of what makes CAVA so good. I've learned to double-check my bag before leaving, but that really shouldn't be necessary. On one occasion, they said they had run out of the sauce I ordered, which is understandable but they still sent out the bowl without including any sauce at all. A simple substitute would've gone a long way. I really want to keep enjoying CAVA, but consistency and attention to detail have slipped. The food itself is still great, but the experience just isn't what it used to be, at least at this location. read more

CAVA - Bag secured. - Mediterranean Near Me - San Diego, California

Cava is soso good. I love the harissa and the eggplant dip. Their fiery corn is amazing. The pita chips are really good too. read more

CAVA - Mediterranean Near Me - San Diego, California

Service is usually excellent at Cava, however on our last experience on 6/23 Kianna was extremely rude. She gave me the wrong protein, chicken, instead of Harissa chicken. Instead of trying to correct the mistake, she told me she could give half and half. I said no, that was not what I ordered. She proceeded to provide a replacement but told me that it was my fault for not asking for the correct item. She was rude and made us very uncomfortable. The restaurant was loud and I can understand if a server did not hear my order, but to tell me I ordered the plain chicken when I ordered Harissa is not appropriate. Please improve the customer service. read more

I've been to several CAVA locations... and this one was just not it :/ I ordered a grilled chicken grains and greens bowl- and it tasted as if it had been sitting for a while. The food was lukewarm at best, and the rice was soggy. I also noticed that the pita chips were crazy salty- seasoned excessively. I'm disappointed in my food, especially after paying nearly $20. If you're in the area and want quality mediterranean, I recommend Greek Corner Café (across the street!) or North Park Produce (poway). I won't be back. read more

One of the better CAVA locations in SD! Service is very fast and friendly, I never have to wait too long in line. And they give you large scoops of meat and overall great portions! I never feel like I get shorted here. I love their mediterranean flavors, I've never been disappointed with a bowl. I'm a true CAVA girlie, I actualy stopped going to Chipotle because CAVA is miles better in every way! I love to do a build your own greens and grains bowl with: - saffron basmati rice - super greens - grilled chicken - dips: crazy feta, harissa, any of the hummus, or tzatziki - toppings: cabbage slaw, extra pickled onions, cucumber, pita crisps - dressings: garlic and skhug on the side! - don't forget the free pita read more

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CAVA is one of my favorite places to go for a quick and healthy meal. You can basically call it the Mediterranean version of chipotle. Ordering styles are exactly the same. What I love about CAVA is there are so many different ingredients to choose from and it's so fresh. Their falafel is soooo delicious. I tend to get my bowl pretty standard (without the add-ons). With a side of pit bread it comes out to less than $13. I honestly prefer it over Chipotle any day. read more

CAVA - Mediterranean Near Me - San Diego, California

Super disappointing in many ways. Went to Cava around 5:30pm when there was one other family dining. This location was a disaster. Trash all over floor, trash full, tables dirty, and out of a large amount of items. Out of Tzatziki, multiple greens, chicken, pita crisps, pita, and multiple dressings. It was crazy- there's a sprouts next door- at least fill the greens & produce. They were scraping tins to get a half scoop (and were going to serve it as a serving), and most other sides. They scooped more cucumber & tomato water out than the actual food into my bowl. My jaw was on the ground to see that this was acceptable. They had to go back to the 'to go' line to add one item at a time and they were out of a ton. The response, "yea- it was a tough day." ‍ Honestly, we should have walked out. The most disappointing part was there was about 10-12employees (looked like shift change) and since it was super slow- not one employee was trying to get ready for the dinner crowd. They were standing around and could have at least cleaned up the restaurant or refilled what they could from the back. Super disappointing to get half a bowl with bad customer service. Boo Cava! read more

Rice is always undercooked here!! My roommates and I want to like Cava so bad. We order from here often despite SUPER crunchy, undercooked rice that we get every single time (plus they give the smallest scoop of it). Surely that's not how it's supposed to be. We don't like crunchy rice read more

This location is always pretty crowded, so upon walking by one Monday night and seeing it pretty empty I took the opportunity to step in. It was empty save for like a couple or two. Cava is rub kinda chipotle style but for healthy bowls. I decided to go for the falafel bowl. I didn't know much about all the options to opted to have to made the way it is on the menu. The bowl was pretty meh. It could be my fault because I liked could have customized it to be more to my taste. The falafel itself was pretty sad, I'd complain about the small amount they give you, but in my case it didn't matter. It was just pretty tasteless and needed whatever they have that could give it more of a punch of flavor. It was however healthy lol The service was ok. The guy who made my bowl looked like he wished he was anywhere else doing something else and I can't blame him, sucks to be on your feet working. Anyway, he was friendly but I don't care very much given I'm not going through the line to get my smile fix for the day. The restaurant itself was surprisingly filthy. All the tables were dirty and the trash was overflowing. The soda machine wasn't working, although I didn't care much about that either because I didn't fancy a soda. I wanted water! They did provide water and free cups! Fancy! So in all it was just a meh experience. I know lots of folks who absolutely LOVE this restaurant (especially the La Jolla location), so maybe I just had an especially off experience? I will probably end up coming back to give it another chance. I just can't accept it being so meh given the many fans they have... read more

We showed up 930-940 pm on Friday evening and this is how the store looked when we went to order. We were told there were out of several things. The bowl I got didn't have the normal amount of the ingredients and it was quite obvious it was the bottom of the containers. I was shocked to see the store was closed down an hour before close on a Friday night. When I looked at the floor, 75% of the chairs were up, including the row against the glass where people walk and drive by. The only tables with chairs down were the ones that were seated. We had ordered Togo, but had we wanted to dine in there would not have been anywhere to sit. If the store is out of everything and just needs to plastic wrap a couple of items at 930 pm on a Friday night of a week where kids are on ski break in the area, then perhaps the actual listed closing time should be 930pm, not 1030 pm as the door, Google and website list. I rarely go here, but this was the final straw. Shut down a full hour before close on a Friday night is a bit ridiculous. Perhaps on a super slow night of the week and still have food available to serve, but not when there is still a steady amount of people coming and feeling awkward about it... Doubt I'll be back. I don't think it matters though as they don't seem to want any business after 930pm. Who knows how long the rice had been out. It looked pretty crunchy, so possibly an hour. Quite a disappointment. read more

CAVA - 930 pm on a Friday. - Mediterranean Near Me - San Diego, California

Amazing experience. I love Cava. For the last 3 years I've been craving this place at least once a week. This location is super clean and faster than the rest in the area. Carolina, the manager is very attentive and friendly. The food just hits the spot! read more

CAVA - Order bar - Mediterranean Near Me - San Diego, California

LOL, after reading the first 10 reviews nothing has changed! Tables are sticky and dirty with a few team members behind the counter wandering around, but could have been cleaning the tables. Lentils were undercooked and crunchy, forget about getting a drink to go! See photo read more

CAVA - Poor management - Mediterranean Near Me - San Diego, California

Love the flavors of this place! Located in Caramel Mountain in a pretty large shopping area, this location is my first experience with Cava. This business operates very similar to how Chipotle does their ordering which is where you tell the employee what you would like on either your bowl/pita bread and you design it from there. There's some pretty great options to choose from with the meats, vegetables, sauces, etc.; so it's easy enough to create something that tastes great. Service is always attentive and they're able to get through the lines quickly without any issue. Big shoutout to Michael, Joey, and Tony for making it such a great experience every time we come in! read more

CAVA - Bowl - Mediterranean Near Me - San Diego, California

My first time being at Cava and had a lot of questions. When I walked in, I noticed how clean the restaurant was. Kianna and Paradise were working very hard, but once I stepped in, both greeted me and asked how they could help. They were very much helpful, honest, and friendly. My bowl was super delicious and I can't wait to come back! read more

Visiting from the Bay Area, this was the first meal I had in San Diego for the week. I'm shocked to be trying CAVA for the first time. The place was pretty crowded on a Friday around noon, and our party of 3 had to fit facing out the window as those were the only seats available. I got half chicken half sweet potato (seasonal special) with tzatziki, hot harissa, and eggplant, and mostly everything else other than olives. It was so satisfying, non-bloating, and tasteful. I don't think I can ever go back to a Costco salad. Please come to the Bay Area in NorCal! read more

CAVA - Mediterranean Near Me - San Diego, California

Great service, selection, food quality and cleanliness. Will definitely come back in the future.

Love this place, everytime I come here a worker named Essence PACKS my bowl! You really do get your moneys worth!

I went to CAVA for the first time after picking up movie theater tickets. I got lunch and was very impressed with the service and the quality of the food. I had the build your own bowl. The variety was plentiful and the bowl was delicious and healthy. I wanted to leave a generous tip for the obviously hard working employees but they don't accept tips! There was no to jar or place on a receipt to add it. They certainly deserved a tip but it was a little refreshing to know that they worked hard for their salary only. I will be back and I highly recommend this place. read more

We picked up our online order here on 3/26 around 4pm to find both of our bowls were missing multiple ingredients. No dressings on either bowl, no harissa, no cucumbers, no tomato + onion, no feta cheese, no fiery broccoli and the most measly amount of corn, pickled onions & chicken I've ever seen at a Cava. We got less than half of the toppings we ordered and the portions in each bowl were absurdly small. None of this was out of stock online either, so they just don't care to prepare online orders correctly. It's pretty clear when the kids prepping online orders hide behind a wall while dropping off the bags to avoid interacting with customers. We've tried to call twice to ask for some form of refund or reward redemption added to our account and no one answers. This is also the second time our orders have been messed up at this Cava, and we obviously shouldn't have given it another chance after last time. I highly recommend going to a different location as this one is laughable. Hopefully management starts taking all of these very deserved one star reviews seriously. read more

We stopped by for lunch while shopping in the area. Overall a positive experience! Cava is the Mediterranean version of Chipotle. You go down the line picking your food items and can mix and match. You can get a wrap, bowl, or salad. There are a lot of protein, sides, dressings, and topping choices. I found the bowl to be very filling for a reasonable price ($12-14). The food was fresh and tasty. The restaurant is very casual with both indoor and outdoor seating. The parking lot is large but fills up quickly during busy hours. My one suggestion is to have multiple workers on the line. I was there around 11am and one girl was doing all the food and the cash register. There were only 2 people ahead of me but I ended up waiting 10 minutes to be served. During the lunch and dinner rush, I could see this line easily backing up. Definitely willing to stop by again for the food portion and price! read more

CAVA - Make your own bowl with garlic sauce and a side of pita bread - Mediterranean Near Me - San Diego, California

All my notes say is "So fresh and so clean clean". And I think that's right! This is a subway/Chipotle-style setup. You get a bowl or wrap and you pick all your stuff. If you're indecisive and aren't sure what you want, go ahead and get out of the line and watch this: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/2qTJ3e7sh14 There are also some pre-programmed menu items if you don't know what food you like to eat. The gist of the menu is Mediterranean-style bowls and warps of proteins and fresh veggies with house-made sauces. If I lived in the area, I would eat here for lunch almost every day. read more

This is the saddest portion of food ever.... Every time I go here the portions get smaller and smaller... read more

CAVA - Mediterranean Near Me - San Diego, California

Wow! I went to CAVA because it just looks healthy and yummy all at the same time. Guess what....it is!!! Went here with a friend, lots of parking so no need to worry. I was a little nervous as I wasn't sure what to expect when I got in line. Tried to get my friend to go first so I could watch, but they were having none of that. As I neared the front, it started to become apparent that this place was similar to a poke bowl restaurant but Mediterranean. Base ordered, scoops ordered, toppings placed, protein chosen, and then sauces (on the side for me) were last. Don't forget to ask for the crunchy topping as it's not up front. I also added the pita chips...trust me just get them. They are not too soft but just right and the seasoning on them...amazing! My bowl didn't need the added sauce. It tasted amazing alone. I used the sauce to dip my pita in. I love this place so much that I ordered it again this week! That should definitely tell you that it's yummy and healthy. read more

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I was on a diet and I order one of their high calorie (880+ calories) and most expensive bowl ($17), Harissa Avocado Chicken. I'm just curious about the taste of their most expensive item in their menu. And I was happy I ordered it. I ate half for lunch at the restaurant and the other half for dinner at home. It's so difficult to describe the taste. The photo (see attached) looks like a mess but it's a feast of very complementary flavors coming from the honey chicken, the hummus, the pickled onion, the avocado, the roasted corn, the greens and chicken cucumber, the crazy feta dip, and their special Harissa vinaigrette. The only thing I replaced, which they allowed was the basmati rice. I got the black lentils. I would go back to this place and try their lemon herb tahini and tahini Caesar. read more

CAVA - Harissa Avocado Chicken Bowl - Mediterranean Near Me - San Diego, California

We've been here 3 times in the last 3 weeks, so I think we're hooked! Love the build your own bowl option where you can choose whatever ingredients you want in your bowl. My go to BYOB usually consists of: Super greens, basmati rice, hummus, tzatziki, eggplant dip, potatos, lamb, falafel, tomato + cucumber, feta, olives, lettuce, yogurt dill, garlic dressing, date vinaigrette, and pita chips. I don't get them all at the same time, but I usually gravitate towards those ingredients. Lots of vegan options as well. read more

CAVA - Mediterranean Near Me - San Diego, California

This was delish!!!!! We discover eats which I don't usually love to do... when it's a slightly more pricey lunch. Outside of the price, it's great!! I had the honey chicken bowl. I enjoyed everything in it. I did the half arugula and half rice. SOOOO GOOOOD!! The "hot vinaigrette" was my absolute favorite!!! I also liked the hummus. I was not huge on the feta tahini though. My bowl was $21. Pretty pricey but for a once in a while lunch it was very good! read more

CAVA - Chicken bowl half arugula half rice - Mediterranean Near Me - San Diego, California

The food at CAVA feels more like a Mediterranean version of Chipotle. There are so many ingredients mixed together that you lose the actual flavors, and the quality doesn't match the price. It's also not a true representation of Mediterranean food. I wouldn't recommend it if you're looking for something authentic. read more

Unfortunately the bad reviews about this location are true. Employees are inconsistent with the current employee being incredibly stingy on portions. Paid 16 bucks for a tiny tiny bowl with 5 pieces of chicken a small scoop of rice and lettuce. Most inconsistent location with slow service. read more

The food is always yummy!! Would always come here after a work out and the food is always fresh!

My wife and I went to the Cava in Carmel Mountain to pick up some dinner, first time at CAVA in general. It was really busy but most of the staff was easy to work with and friendly. We got to the final portion of the ordering process with sauces and paying. The Cashier Liz, told us they were out of sauces and we cant have any more with a snarky and extremely rude demeanor and attitude. We noticed she was extremely rude to the couple ordering in front of us as well. She then proceeded to tell us in an abrupt, rude and unfriendly voice, "get ready to pay for your food", my wife already had her debit card out to pay, she then asked my wife directly in a direct rude and demeaning way " did you hear what I said" get ready to pay. To which my wife and I asked her why is she acting like this. Her response was " Its not like im giving you this food for free" assuming we couldn't pay for this ourselves. Completely demeaning us and trying to rush us out of there. My wife then asked her what her problem was and if she was ok or in a bad mood. She said I want you to pay so the line can move. We immediately asked for an on-duty manager, of which she gave us the employee's name Liz, but nothing else was done as a result of this encounter. My wife and I were visibly upset, and I returned and told employee Liz that is no way to talk to someone. I need this matter addressed as she was visibly rude, unfriendly to many guests on such a busy dinner rush night. Liz started speaking to us in Spanish telling us to pay again in Spanish, assuming we were of Hispanic descent and couldn't understand her. I found this extremely racist, offensive and discriminatory. For our first CAVA Experience it was something that left a sour taste in our mouth and made us regret choosing this establishment for a dining experience. We left visibly shaken and my wife in tears. This was completely unacceptable from someone working in a customer-service environment. read more

Came in today with my kids for lunch and had such a wonderful experience with Brian! What an awesome worker Cava has, burst of great energy and friendliness! Also, the gentleman at the register with the glasses was great as well, didn't catch his name. The cinnamon chips with honey is delicious and I loved the jasmine iced tea as always. Thank you! read more

This place quality has gone down a lot. Today we order and our rice was undercooked and the meat as well. They are always running out of ingredients too. We used to love cava because of how clean and delicious the food was but lately it has gone down. read more

CAVA - Cava - Mediterranean Near Me - San Diego, California

So I will start with the positive. The food is great and as many have stated, it's a chipotle style build your own bowl type of place. The food is generally good, healthy and a good value. That's where all the good ends, though. Every single time you go in the staff is rude, the restaurant tables are dirty, and the employees could care less about being friendly or being helpful. It's not going keep me from going, but if I had my choice I would go to a different CAVA, as I hope this is not the experience at the other locations. read more

Best cava that I ever tried the service and the quality are in another level the food here is worth a shot I don't agree with the bad reviews read more

Best new find for me! Great shawarma, generous portions, reasonably priced, and my friends enjoyed their various vegetarian and chicken-based bowls, which they chose to design with the many fresh Mediterranean ingredients they serve. The manager, Brian, came over to check on each table and ask how they enjoyed the food, which made the experience feel much classier than a fast food place, even though the delicious food arrived fast and was created by an assembly line style server team in front of us, like Tender Greens or restaurants like that. I will definitely go back. I had planned to take half of the food home when I saw the huge shawarma wrap, bit it was too good--I ate it all! Will definitely go back! read more

I already feel robbed of my time energy and money enough I wont make a long review and get straight to the point. Serving size was half the bowl when I got a lot of stuff on my bowl. Don't go here if you're actually hungry. Can't stress that enough. read more

The food was so refreshing and delicious! Perfect for any weather and such amazing customer service! I came at lunch time so I wasn't sure how it would be but Auri and all of the managers were so kind and helped me sign up for rewards for free food! I definitely will be making this a regular stop! read more

I've been to this location three times and, most likely, never again. They are always understaffed and underprepared for the demand. I was in line with 20 other people that had us out the door. At one point they had to close the doors and tell people to come back in 40 minutes because of the demand and to catch up on online orders (signed pictured). And any online order placed were so backed up that people who had ordered and told their food was ready by the app had to wait additional time because their order was, in fact, not ready. Luckily, I was one of the few people who made the cut off in line. Unfortunately, when I was able to order, they were out of regular bowls, so they had to use ones only for online orders, they didn't have 2 of the meats I asked for in the moment, and once I tried to go eat, the whole facility was out of forks. They only had spoons and knives. How do you eat a salad with a spoon and a knife?! When you are able to eat in the facility, the tables are always dirty or sticky. Again, probably because of the short staffing. This place gets 2 stars for the food because Cava itself has a solid menu (when you can get the items you want) but loses 3 for everything listed above. Go find another Cava. read more

CAVA - Mediterranean Near Me - San Diego, California

I eat here about 3-4 times a week because it's a quick, healthier option, and I genuinely love Cava. Unfortunately, they're almost always out of pita crisps whenever I order. At this point, you'd think they would have it figured out. Management/staff really needs to pay closer attention to inventory and restocking, especially for such a popular item. The rice here is also undercooked sometimes. read more