I had an extremely upsetting experience at the CAVA restaurant in Santa Monica on Sunday, December 8, 2024, around 6:50 PM. As a disabled individual with a service dog, I was shocked by the discriminatory treatment from a staff member named Tamira. When my son and I entered the restaurant intending to dine, Tamira rudely told us we could not stay because of my service dog. Despite my son explaining multiple times that I am disabled and the dog is a service animal, she insisted we leave and even threatened to call the police. This behavior is not only disrespectful but also a blatant violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which protects my right to be accompanied by a service dog in public establishments. The entire experience was humiliating and completely unacceptable. Businesses like CAVA have a legal and moral obligation to treat all customers with respect and to comply with federal law. This incident reflects a lack of training and awareness about the rights of disabled individuals. I urge CAVA to address this matter seriously by retraining their staff on ADA compliance and ensuring such discriminatory behavior never happens again. I will also be filing a formal complaint with the appropriate authorities. I cannot recommend this location to anyone until they take meaningful action to rectify this situation. read more

Tamara, an exceptional employee, showcased remarkable customer service and a consistently positive attitude. Despite the bustling environment, she maintained a welcoming and respectful demeanor with every customer, even those who recently entered the store. One of Tamara's most impressive qualities was her ability to handle multiple customers simultaneously with remarkable efficiency. She effectively managed the line, ensuring that each customer received exceptional service. Upon entering the restaurant, I was immediately struck by its cleanliness and the consistent presentation of food throughout the serving area. The serving area was clean, free of food debris, and saturated in color. Tamara's exceptional customer service extended beyond her interactions with customers. She treated us fairly and respectfully, maintaining a consistent positive attitude even amidst the high volume of orders. The food quality was truly exceptional. The dishes were visually appealing and highly enticing. The chicken and steak were perfectly seasoned and juicy, while the corn, hummus, and red side dish, composed of African peppers, complemented the main dish perfectly. The cost of our meal was reasonable, ranging from $12 to $13. The generous portion sizes provided excellent value for money. read more

I work by the promenade and I am constantly eating at tender greens and decided to try something new. My coworker told me about Cava a few days ago and I went in Thursday morning to give it a try. I was amazed with how fast and efficient the service was. They offer a lot of healthy options and have a great selection to choose from. Something that caught my eye was their right rice. One of the employees explained to me that this is a veggie rice that is made from lentils and chickpeas. I immediately wanted that in my bowl. I found that the veggie rice is great to pair with the honey harissa chicken. I can't forget to mention about their sweet potatoes !!! They were so seasoned and well cooked. The atmosphere within the store was great and welcoming. For a restaurant that has been here awhile, I was pretty bummed to have just heard about them. Cava will be my new spot and I look forward to becoming a regular customer. Great job today !! Didn't have a chance to look at everyone's name tags. Sidenote, is it possible to have on a heater ? Haha read more

A bunch of us work across the street and we have gone to Cava a few times since they opened. Usually the staff is super friendly and organized. The items are fresh and the lids are on the pots, keeping them warm. The food area is usually spotless and the friendliness of everyone is great! I have never waited longer than two minutes for fresh, hot food. The three stars are from yesterday lunch hour. I don't know what was going on with management but everything was messed up. I waited in line for 15 minutes while everyone was running around trying to figure out what they should do. There was food spilling out all over the counter tops. There were not any lids on anything and everyone in line was shocked. I know every time before yesterday Jamel and his team have everything running smoothly. My food was cold, I waited forever, and everything was a mess. I will maybe only be coming back dinner hours when everything is peaceful and the food is hot! The staff is amazing but management yesterday lunch was awful. read more

I would like to say thank you to the staff that were working during the morning shift. You guys all had great energy and smiles and I would like to thank you on the great work you put on today. Special thanks to the tall young lady who I think was the manager on duty, didn't quite catch her name but she is AMAZING! Today their system crashed down and she kept everything calm and running smoothly. Not only was she fixing the issue with a operator but she was multitasking by making bowls and assisting customers with their needs. I have never seen someone so dedicated to make sure everything is perfectly fine for not only the customers but for the store as well. Props to the manager today, you handled everything greatly. read more

I had the best experience at Cava today! Tamera made me an incredible bowl -- you could truly feel the love and care she put into it. She even added a smile that instantly brightened my day. The food was absolutely delicious, fresh, and packed with flavor. I can't recommend this place enough -- great service, amazing food, and an atmosphere that makes you want to come back again and again. Thank you, Tamera and the Cava team, for making my day extra special! read more

Me and my husband come in all the time to Cava because we love the Greek Salad bowl. The service is good very busy at times but the staff moves quick and efficiently. Since we have been coming in we have gotten to know the manager Toni and one of the line workers named Nadia as well she serves us a lot. I've recommended my coworkers to eat at cava as well and they loved it. read more

This is my second time visiting the Santa Monica Cava, and unfortunately, it reminded me why I stopped coming here. The customer service is consistently poor, staff are unpleasant and unwelcoming. On top of that, they were low on food options and extremely stingy with portions. Overall, it was an unsatisfactory experience. I won't be returning to this location. read more

So my first time here was great,the environment was great and especially the staff. I had the brazed lam it's was super juicy and great the lady helping me was a tall women with long hair individual I believe hee name was Tony when I asked. When I come back I hope to bring all my coworkers along and hope to be served by ms tony! I give this place a 5 stars read more

After my visit at Cava I really enojoyed it. I had the Lemon Chicken bowl and it was Fireeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee, I highly recommend this location. The employees were friendly and the Manager's service there was excellen. I hope this review sees everyone well and I hope those who read this will visit the location and have the same great experience I had. read more

This Cava is so fast paced and the employees always seem to stay calm and keep the line moving at a consistent pace which I love. I'm a returning customer and I've gotten to know some of the employees over my few months i've been eating here such as Roger, Nadia and Janelle. You guys keep up the good work!!! read more

I had such a great experience at CAVA! The employees were super nice and genuinely friendly, which made the whole visit feel really welcoming. On top of that, everything was fresh and tasty. Definitely one of the better spots I've been to lately! read more

Interesting! Fresh! And in a city loaded with similarly endeavored eateries, CAVA is a "don't miss this place" type of place. The photos speak for themselves, as do the ratings. Kudos, besos and we will be back again soon! read more

Great service again yesterday from the team at Cava Santa Monica. I wish I had extra cash to tip these employees because they work absolutely hard. Thank you to the best team and for always making my family and I feel welcomed. read more

The place was fantastic. The customer service at this location is always very friendly and the food is always incredibly delicious! I'm looking forward to coming back often to figure out the "perfect bowl" to make. read more

Cava is my go to place when I want to get a quick and good lunch. The food has great flavors and the dipping hummus are so good. My favorite is the Beef and Lamb Meatballs. Definitely worth a try. read more

i love this place so much!! the food is so good and they are so welcoming. it was my second time eating and jaden has helped me each time, he is so nice and helpful. I will definitely be back! read more

The food service and quality is definitely the best here, have y'all tried there strawberry lemonade!? Definitely recommended to all my foodies and friends looking to try Mediterranean! A++ read more

The place was fantastic. Wide variety of meats, veggies and drinks. The manager even took time off his break to walk my wife and I through the menu. We will be coming back! read more