Full transparency, this is the second cava I've ever ordered from. I usually order cava through doordash at work in LA County but I was visiting my brother and this location was close by. We had ordered online and picked up in store. I got my usual and idk why but my bowl felt more wet? Also they didn't give me the sauce I had ordered on the side; it also wasn't in my bowl either so idk. It also wasn't as full as I normally get it either from my usual location. Otherwise it was fine. It still tasted good but just overall quality felt not as fresh for some reason. read more

I love Cava and have been to both the Encinitas and San Marcos locations many times. I have been to the Carmel Mountain location twice now and will not be going back. Both times they are out of not one, not two, but at least 5-7 different toppings I ask for on my bowl. The first time, I asked for grilled chicken and she said it would be a minute and walked to the back. I proceeded to stand there for nearly 10 minutes, with the rest of the items in my bowl getting cold sitting on the counter. Other staff didn't seem to care and had the other customers in line just walk around me, and ignored me when I tried to catch their attention to ask what was going on. The second time I went here, there was a hand written sign at the front of the line listing close to 10 things they were out of. This was at about 6pm on a Tuesday. I asked for half chicken, half vegetables in the two bowls I was ordering. For the first one, he scraped a few little shards of veggies that were left and called it a day. For the second one, he said they were out of vegetables and I needed to pick something else. Then, as I was picking the toppings for the bowl, the next lady starts asking me what dressing I want. I told her I cannot do two things at once, please give me a minute! Overall, horrible staff and horrible execution. read more

Came earlier on a Friday night. 5:30 PM. Still quiet, but by 6pm, the line was out the door! I can see why. Servers were friendly, answering all our ingredients questions. The food is really delicious and fresh. No cover ups or heavy flavors. The counters were a bit messy and the containers were running low on toppings. However, I am happy to have come here and look forward to enjoying more meals in the future. read more

CAVA - Steak, greens, lots of great toppings, yogurt dill dressing. - Mediterranean Near Me - San Diego, California

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Great service today. My salad bowl was full and super yummy. I love the drinks, They're the best. And the pita chips are my favorite !! read more

Tried CAVA Rancho Bernardo after reading a good foodie write-up on CAVA. This location did CAVA as a brand little justice. The bowl and pita we ordered were tasty, however this location really needs to get some basics right. It was not busy yet more than half the tables were dirty with traces of food and overall just grubby. There were also discarded napkins scattered on the floors and the trash cans were over full. They had run out of pickled onion which were part of both meal items. We substituted. I also wanted a side order Harissa Pita chips and a Strawberry Citrus drink (that was displayed on the 'promotional' board), neither was available. The rest rooms were also 'yuch' Altogether a most disappointing pre-movie dinner. We will not be trying CAVA again read more

I've always loved CAVA and have visited many locations, so I was excited to finally check this one out. Given how busy it was, I expected a bit of chaos, but I was still looking forward to a great experience. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case. From the moment my daughter and I went to order, the staff was rude and inconsiderate. I clearly stated my order, yet they kept dramatically rolling their eyes and even dumping out the bowl and starting over as if they weren't listening. I was ordering for myself and my young child, and instead of being helpful, they seemed visibly annoyed--rolling their eyes and acting completely put out. As a business owner myself, I understand the importance of customer service, and this location fell short in every way. The bathrooms were filthy, and the overall attitude of the staff was unacceptable. After I paid, the cashier simply said, "Okay, bye," with no acknowledgment, and to top it off, they wouldn't even hand me my food--I had to reach over the counter to grab it myself. I was floored by the lack of professionalism, cleanliness, and basic customer service. I truly hope management takes immediate steps to improve, because this experience was beyond disappointing. read more

Food is always fresh, healthy, and tasty. The portions are well-sized. It's a family favorite!

It was an OK bowl, a little small compared to other similar places but when I got home, so disappointed to find the dressing missing.

Ordered online and says pick up at 7:45 get there at 7:43 and guy says sorry we haven't started making your order but it will be next. I just have to help the line out real quick then I'll make it. He helps the line for 5 minutes at cashier and then starts making it. Ordered recieved at 8p woulda been faster if I ordered in the line. No point of pre ordering it. Then they ran out chicken and he asked what else I want I said steak. He looked at me laughed and said we don't have that lol. I ask what they have and he's like spicy chicken. This place is a joke read more

LOVE THIS PLACE! So delicious. Definitely a treat to come during the week. Foods amazing and everyone's so nice! Paradise helped me tonight and she's the absolute sweetest!! Totally come check out this location!! read more

I was so excited to come back and get my Spicy Greens fix and the falafels were hard as rocks!! My hubby had the same issue. You literally could not even poke the falafel with your fork to eat it. No bueno. It was about 4PM on a Friday night so maybe they made a huge batch way too early in the day and served them up in the evening? I don't know, but it was completely inedible and we ended up just eating the remainder of the salad ingredients. Service was lackluster this time around too which was a disappointment plus they forgot our pitas which we had to go back in line to ask for. The guy kept forgetting what I wanted to order after I repeated it 3 times. Sigh. Not sure if it was just an off day but we both were bummed about our meals and the experience this time around...it was our healthy go to spot but not so much that day. We may check out the other location in La Jolla to see if it's better there. 3 stars. read more

The service here is hard to watch. I waited in line for 15 minutes and the line was not moving. Workers were standing around not phased that the line was practically out the door. Workers were only there for the paycheck, not to serve customers. I hope management corrects this. read more

Cariana was extremely pleasant and attentive to me and my friends' ordering needs, enhancing the over all culinary experience. We will be returning for quality food and service! read more

I LOVE CAVA! Food is so good and flavorful you forget it is actually healthy. Order ahead for easy and fast pick up as location can get busy. 10/10 read more

Ordered online for an 8:45pm pick and still had to wait over 20 mins in person meanwhile those who waited in line got their food faster. Had to ask several times to check on my order while being completely ignored. Finally got my food at 9:05pm. I ordered a drink which they were completely out of, there were no utensils, no straws, trash was over flowing. Missing items in my order as well. Severely disappointed by this location on numerous occasions and this is the last time I will ever come here. read more

girl with a big smile prepped my bowl with greens and rice, super friendly! but when the guy with tattoos puts my toppings and dressings he did it with an attitude... I was about to say my 3rd dressing (2 second lag) when he drops the bottle and moves on to the next customer... dont put staff in the front if they're not going to be patient or friendly! I understand it's busy but seriously it took me a 2 second pause. other than that my cava tasted great! girl at register was super friendly as well :) read more

CAVA - Mediterranean Near Me - San Diego, California

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So disappointed after having such a wonderful bowl the 1st time I went here. This time I decided to get the grilled steak instead of the chicken and it was chewy and disgusting. The saffron rice was also clumpy which made the whole meal even worse. Pls check the quality of the food before you serve it!! read more

do not bother ordering online. my bowl was less than half full and was missing 1/3 of my requested ingredients.

Food was so delicious. I've been back multiple times since. Went for a team get together and everyone really enjoyed their portions.

The food is good but Riley is an awesome employee. I was having a bad day and he was able to help boost my mood. Very personable young guy!

My daughter and I were trying to decide on something different dinner one night and ended up finally trying Cava. We're sort of bummed it took us this long to try it out. We placed our order online and even though it was super busy our order was ready fairly quickly. Best thing is you get to pick from several options, all fresh and what we had was quite tasty. We each went with a build your own bowl and I think that is the best option. I got chicken which was good but not sure there was much in my bowl. There was plenty of grains, rice, and greens though. Did not interact with the staff much since we just picked up from the rack but what we saw while waiting they seemed nice. Will be trying again for aurey! read more

Excellent service and vibes overall. I've visited multiple Cava branches but the branch here in Carmel Mountain is the most welcoming one ive been too. Paradise greeted me with a smile and a warm welcome and was very attentive to the bowl I wanted. Thank you so much, Ms. Paradise ~ read more

We have been frequenting Cava for a considerable amount of time, and overall, our experience has been quite positive. While we have no grievances regarding the staff, we did encounter an issue with the food today. Do they cook their brown rice or do they put it in a pot, heat it up a bit, then serve it? The brown rice was really hard and I had to eat carefully because I don't want to go to the dentist for a chipped tooth! We'll still go back but will stay away from brown rice! read more

The service junior provided during my last visit was impeccable! The food was tasty and full of flavor, he gave great recommendations for which sauce I should add to my bowl that would complement the flavors! I will definitely be back and I can't wait to see what he recommends next! read more

I am a fan of CAVA's pick up order service via the app. Usually there's always a line when I come by to grab something. I am grateful for the pick up option on the app. My to go to order is the greens and grains bowl, where there are half splendid greens, half saffon white rice, chicken, hummus, fire roasted corn, fiery broccoli, pickled onion, and a side of lemon herb tahini. CAVA's motto of generosity is our cornerstone, is something I can definitely feel when I eat a CAVA bowl. It just tastes fresh and makes me feel good when I'm eating it. I am a frequent return customer and am more than happy to recommend to anyone that wants something light and healthy. Parking is plentiful as it shares a plaza with others. I'm not able to answer the customer service aspect as I've always done pick up through the app. read more

Food: 4 Service: 3 Ambiance: 3.5 I've ordered to go here a few times and really enjoyed how you can "build your bowl." It's fresh and delicious! I also like how they let you know how many calories your meal is. The first time I came, the order was perfect and customer service was great. I ordered this past weekend during late lunch and it was crazy packed. I thought my 130p pickup order would be a little bit late but it wasn't bad! I got it at 135p however unfortunately they got my order a bit wrong (missed the pita and some toppings) and the lady who was placing the to go orders just had a very sour look on her face. She looked rather unhappy she had to grab my drink. I also think the bowls were not consistent in terms of how much they give you (for example, the dips/spreads were nonexistent this time but the first time, I could actually taste them). Either way, I really do like the food! A few simple improvements in terms of food serving consistency and maybe a bit more friendly employees would definitely make the experience more enjoyable. Either way, I will continue to go back if I'm ever craving a bowl! It's a solid 3+ stars but it could definitely be at a 4! read more

CAVA - Mediterranean Near Me - San Diego, California

As first time customers, the food did not disappoint. The staff was extremely helpful with recommendations. My father in law stopped an employee, Marcus, to inquire about a protein that he put into his bowl, in which he answered his question and even offered him a sample. To our surprise, he made a small mini sample of his favorite combo for the table to try. I would absolutely recommend trying this , as there are endless combinations for you to try. We will absolutely be back. read more

Excellent Mediterranean food. Loved the clean ambiance and array of food selections. I picked one of the "Chef curated" items on the menu (Chicken + Right Rice ). It was delicious ! Will be there again to try the other dishes too ! read more

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Very hit or miss at this location. During my most recent visit I received rude service and they also forgot the free pita. The bowl this time was also slightly disappointing. Didn't taste very fresh and the sauce ratios were off. Overall I'm not gonna come back anytime soon. Get better servers read more

Line only had one worker who used his gloves to do the food like take chips out of a bag and the pita breads and then does the register with his food gloves still on. Waited in the line for 10 min and there were only three people ahead of us. Food was good though. read more

First timer here at CAVA. This reminds me of an elevated healthy version of chipotle. However, I like this version better. They have more greens and you can create your own bowl too but with chicken, tofu, grains, greens and vegetables with different sauces, salsa etc. it was really good and filling. I also like their healthy juice drinks like lemonade, pineapple mint and lavender tea. Customer service at the counter was great. The young girl was helpful answering our questions about the selections. The only thing is just wished that they would have the pineapple drink available but they ran out of it. Place had a very casual vibe to it. Will definitely return. read more

CAVA - Make your own bowl with fresh ingredients. - Mediterranean Near Me - San Diego, California

I built my own salad bowl and it was delicious. It was a generous portion for a great price -$13! This place is like Chipotle but for pitas and salads. Their menu offers specific pitas and salads or you can build your own. For the "build a salad" you can choose your choice of leafy greens such as arugula and romaine, then you choose 3 types of sauces you can add to your salad like hummus and eggplant , then there's proteins like grilled chicken , there's also unlimited toppings you can add to the salad like chopped cucumbers and bits of broccoli and then the dressing of your choice. It also comes with a small portion of pita bread. But you can upgrade for a fried type of pita which was delicious . (I tried my friend's.) The menu has calories next to each item if you're watching what you eat. I loved the salad I built! I felt full and healthier after this meal! read more

CAVA - My 3 sauces - tzatziki, feta, and eggplant - Mediterranean Near Me - San Diego, California

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Food was amazing and service was even better! Riley was awesome and helped us out a ton. Will be coming back!

If you order to go, your order will most likely be wrong. EVERY.TIME. Even if they're not busy. Beware. The Del Mar location never disappoints. read more

Read other reviews and when I saw others came here daily, I had to try it. It is a very popular place and the line was out of the door. Great choices of greens, proteins, vegetables, dressings, etc. so much to choose from or make your own. It's a healthy place thsts reasonable. Think of a Mediterranean Chipotle. Seating is simple but clean. Juices are fresh and awesome. Will be back!!!! read more

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

Staff is awesome. Catelyn was awesome. Got a delicious bowl and made an Arnold Palmer. 10/10 read more

CAVA - Mediterranean Near Me - San Diego, California

Went on a Friday night and it was moderately busy. Staff seemed weary and somewhat confused, so the line moved slowly. A decent number of ingredients were unavailable or low which was surprising since they didn't have that many to begin with. I built a bowl and, while the chicken was pretty good the overall rest of the ingredients were just ok. A friend ordered one of the chefs choice pita wraps and it was a disaster. They put so much sauce it soaked through and spilled on the table before he even opened it. The house drinks were watered down and not very good, and pretty much all the drinks from the fountain were out of order, warm and/or flat. The overall value proposition wasn't very good compared to Kebab Shop, Luna Grill, etc. Atmosphere was the same as simsim was (the previous restaurant at this location). Lots of seating and not too loud. Convenient location in the shipping center. I don't see myself coming back. read more

Hi, I'm a regular customer and usually love visiting CAVA, but I wanted to share some feedback about a very disappointing experience I had today at the Carmel Mountain Ranch location. Unfortunately, the location was severely understocked. The only available grains were lentils and brown rice. There were no cucumbers, no roasted vegetables, no dressings, no drinks, etc and even the kid's meal was missing basic items like carrots and pita chips. I had ordered two bowls and a kid's meal, and due to the lack of ingredients, both bowls felt incomplete and not worth the price I paid. What made the experience even more frustrating was that after being told there were no dressings available, I saw staff bring out two dressings shortly after I had already finished my order--without any being offered to me. I understand that occasional shortages can happen, but the lack of communication, availability, and overall service today was extremely disappointing, especially as a loyal customer. I hope this feedback helps improve the experience for others in the future. Thank you for your time read more

CAVA on Carmel Mountain Rd is easily one of the best spots in San Diego. The food is always fresh, flavorful, and made just right every time I come in. The staff is friendly, the service is quick, and the whole vibe of the place makes it easy to keep coming back. At the end of the day, people are always going to have opinions but not every opinion needs to be entertained. You can't please everyone, and not everyone should feel entitled to drag a place down just because it wasn't exactly what they wanted in the moment. For me, every visit here has been five stars without question. read more

Came in yesterday for dinner the cashier stephanie was very nice all the staff is friendly everytime I come even when theyre busy everyone is so helpful read more