I work close-by, so this is my go-to spot. But it's more than just convenience...it's the service that keeps me coming back. I know all the staff by name and they know me. It totally changes the run of the mill lunch experience. read more

Every time I have cava, I am sleepy in the afternoon. So much food! I like their pita, all the fresh hummus, and meat! A good place to go for lunch for surrounding employers. read more

Kind and gracious staff, and the food is great! I always get the greens & grains bowl with spinach, brown rice, grilled beef meatballs, hummus, tzatziki, feta, and quinoa - it never disappoints. They also have a great drink selection like spiced chai green tea and Maine Root sodas. I leave feeling full and happy! read more

The food here is awful. I wouldn't feed this garbage to my dog much less eat it again. My girlfriend and I ate about half of it and couldn't take anymore before throwing it away. read more

This place literally deserves 10 stars. They have the nicest most considerate customer service I have ever encountered in my life. Definitely coming back, love you cava guys :) read more

Pathetic experience. The rice was uncooked, couldn't even eat. My teeth started paining. Had to throw away the entire bowl. Very bad

CAVA is a filling meal for around $10. I wish there were more fast casual restaurants similar to this place.

For my first time eating at Cava, I can say the food is pretty good. It taste fresh and I like the concept. However, the staff was very rude and dismissed my questions. I doubt I was their first new customer with questions. read more

The super greens salad is Wonderfull. I take it with spicy harisa and creasy feta and tzatziki . Chicken is my favorite topping but pulled braised lamb is also a good option. It's a very nice place for a casual lunch or even early dinner especially if you are eating on your own. read more

Very convenient location for good Greek food on the go! The rice, falafel and spreads are excellent. read more

Remember 5 years ago when Cava was a hidden restaurant in Rockville? Fast forward five years and they are a legitimate empire with products at Whole Foods throughout DC, Maryland, and Virginia, three restaurants, and four "fast food" chains. The Cava Mezze Grill in Tenleytown represents the most recent entry into their growing fast food market, and like other Cava products, it will not disappoint you. While I'm not really a fan of how limited customized menus have become the norm in DC (see Shophouse, Amsterdam Falafel, Sweetgreen, Rice Bar, Merzi, vFalafel, Krazi Kebab, H & Pizza, etc.), Cava Mezze Grill does the best job with Chipotle's concept. The bases do not deviate heavily from the core concept. The dips and spreads can be placed away from the center of the dish allowing you to either mix them with your base of choice or eat them separately (at least if you order the salad, you are kind of stuck if you order the pita). The protein base that I tried (braised beef) was legitimately delicious and worked well with the harissa "dressing". The ability to add as many toppings from a selection of approximately one dozen allows one to experiment over and over again inside the same basic paradigm. This concept works and personally, I think it can be replicated nationwide. Cava Mezze Grill may go the way of Five Guys and this isn't bad news. I think what really separates Cava Mezze Grill is the understanding that it would be more expensive for me to make this meal on my own than to purchase it from their store. It is one of the few meals I can purchase where I really am not even considering the convenience factor within the economic equation that determines my purchasing decisions. It's not that I would pay significantly more for this delicious bowl of meat and salad. I would not. But at least I know I'm not being hosed as badly as I am at other establishments. Cava Mezze is a twenty minute walk from my office. It is worth working an extra hour each day to come here. When I'm making statements like that, there is only one possible rating. read more

Chipotle vibe..but better taste and healthier! I ordered the salad with chicken..It was delicious and I will be back!! Make sure you order their in house juice...They give you 3 choices... read more

This place is so good it makes me want go to sleep and dream about this place and then go in real life.

YUM!! I love this place although the lines can get pretty long during the peak hours. I always get the bowl with a pita on the side for an additional dollar. The food is fresh, filling, and healthy. What more can you ask for in a meal that costs under $10? Whenever I get to the last section of the food line, I always get everything on it. The options are plentiful and a little of everything tastes good. read more

I always hop over from the law school for a quick meal. The flavor is amazing. The portions are huge and can feed you for a full day.

The food is great but the two stars are really because the service could be better. I went during a busy time so that could explain everyone's frustration. But as a first-timer, it would have been nice to not be rushed through ordering my meal & barely getting my questions answered about the type of meats, dressings, toppings, etc. Not everyone that comes in is a regular, therefore some patience and kindness would have been nice. read more

Hands down my go to spot! My roommates and I go about once a week and we cannot get enough. The food and service are excellent. Sometimes there can be a long line, but definitely worth the wait. Order a Salad & Grains bowl with chicken. You have to get the Crazy Feta! Would recommend this to anyone! read more

Everything is so fresh here and they keep the facility clean. I'm a huge fan of Cava and would choose it over Chipotle anyday. When I'm really hungry, I like to get a salad and add a little bit of rice. The eggplant+red pepper spread and pickled onions are delicious! The chicken here is pretty good too...I haven't tried any of the other meats but I heard they are all decent as well! read more

Great mediterranean alternative to Chipotle. High quality ingredients. A lot of variety with the toppings and at $7-8, it's a steal. Excellent warm, inviting space. read more

Has a Chipotle feel with Mediterranean style food. Fresh, tasty, quick, good. Service could be better. There's a very quick, rushed feel almost to the point where they seemingly get aggravated when you're not rattling off your ingredients. But the food is great read more

Great falafel sandwiches with flavorful toppings. Not nearly as many toppings as I would be able to choose from at Amsterdam Falafel, but enough to make the meal tasty. The staff is usually quick and I'm able to run there between classes. read more

Food is excellent, never had a bad dish. When they get busy, they get sloppy with your order especially if you order online. Twice i have had my order mixed up or missing items. If you're going to charge $14 for a salad, slow down and get the order right! read more

Everyone in Tenleytown is really excited to be hosting the new Cava restaurant. I brought my family there last night. We used to go to the restaurant in Bethesda but this one is so much easier. Parking in Bethesda can be a nightmare. The food tastes fresh and healthy. I had the rice bowl with chicken, lots of hummus and lost of sides. This place does it right. See you there. read more

This place is brilliant. One of my favorite places to eat in DC. I use to walk by and didn't stop in until a coworker raved about it. Finally a Mediterranean place to get a quick bite. This place is much better than Chipotle.. The ingredients are more healthier and fresh than Chipotle. I tend to add all the veggie and cheese/spread condiments. I go crazy for the crazy feta. My only complaint is that Cava isn't in NYC. . read more

This place reminds me of chipotle but wayyyyyy better! Amazing fresh, fast food for ~$9. Friendly staff.

It's a middle eastern version of Chipotle. Everything was very fresh, staff was super friendly. The specialty lemonades were delicious! I definitely will go back! read more

This is a great place to grab a quick fresh meal. The salad was delicious with the roasted red pepper hummus, eggplant, falafel, and a tiny splash of dressing! I normally just drink water, but I couldn't resist trying the strawberry mint juice and it was delicious! I diluted it with about 1/4 cup of water because I'm not a fan of sugar-sweetened beverages. If you're tired of eating at Chipotle, but you need a quick and healthy fast-food option, this is your place! Enjoy :-) read more

Great, fresh tasting food at a good price (for DC)! Came here over the weekend for a late lunch with a friend. Ordered a half rice/half salad bowl, and it came with a small pita. I ordered braised beef as my protein - it was so delicious! This was my first time at Cava, and nothing was labeled so I was a bit confused, but the woman making my food was patient and explained what everything was to me. The fiery feta topping was phenomenal; I would pass on the red hummus next time - it has a very strong, overpowering taste that I wasn't fond off. To top this all off, unlimited toppings! I ate the entire bowl and was full but not uncomfortably engorged. I love Cava as a fast casual option, and will definitely be back. read more

The super green salad with chicken, two. Scoops of roasted red pepper humus and a scoop of Harissa with all the toppings except fried noodles finished off with the Greek olive oil dressing. Now that's what I call a healthy salad. Shredded Brussels sprouts and kale. I have also added the falafel as a second protein when I'm super hungry. They should put one of these next to every Chipotle. read more

Cava Mezze Grill operates on the mass customization, open-kitchen, assembly-line business model of successful mega-franchise predecessors Chipotle and Subway. In fact I just heard an AU bro refer to this place as the "Mediterranean Chipotle" to some first-timer friends. Even the wood-brown, cabin-like earthy decor is reminiscent of the wide-open air organic feel of Chipotle's interior design; though the long shared high tables convey a community-atmosphere much like a bar area, which gives a very friendly feel to the place. Despite the obvious foundational success Cava builds on, the business stands as a food-service success story all on its own: the Cava Mezze Grill is a franchise offshoot of Cava Mezze restaurant, which sells its hummus products packaged to retailers like Whole Foods. But Mezze Grills have built their success on their own: mass customization allows the customer to choose and own their own relatively-pricecd meal from a vast array of combinations of pita, salad, tomatoes, cucumber, lamb meats, falalfel, hummus mixes, Mediterranean spices, and more. The food quality is great for semi-fast fast food, and the menus lay big claims for locally sourced farm meats and produce as well as growth hormone-less animals. I appreciate businesses that care about people, prosperity, and the environment as well as profit. And it makes me feel good to eat food from socially conscious business-- don't you feel it? World-correcting business practices aside, f you asked me to make some recommendations, I would point at the pita stuffed in my mouth and mumble what sounds like "spicy lamb sliders" for which I pay extra but it's worth it. In fact, if you are a spice lover of any sort, I thoroughly recommend Cava's harissa spread or sauce on top of any menu option. The vegetable hummus options are delicious and the salad menu choice is a comparably Mediterranean version of a Chipotle salad, in regards to carb-less options. A small food complaint I would give is that the pita chips aren't all that spectacular (there is no direct comparison to the deliciousness that is Chipotle's snack, chips and guac). I have noticed some gaps in the service that lead to increased wait-time--as is apt in all open kitchen assembly lines--especially during meal rush hours. Bottlenecks occur at Cava when it is understaffed at the point of mealtime, but subside relatively soon afterwards. The employees at this Cava are generally very nice, but seem to be as new to the place as the customers are. The company is currently only in a couple different operations in DC... as an entrepreneur I wonder: can Cava Mezze rework its business model towards such powerful and profitable nationwide-franchise acceptance like competitor Chipotle? I consider myself a brand fan of Cava and thoroughly hope to see Cava Mezze Grills in my hometown suburb already overrun with food franchises in Texas one day. Until then. read more

Delicious food and amazing service! I love, love Cava. I think the food is fresh and delicious, but more importantly the staff is amazing. I went on an evening after an incredibly long day. It was very close to closing and all the food was still fresh and the staff friendly. When it came time to pay, I realized I had lost my credit card. Not only was I tired and hungry, but now I was stressed. The manager and cashier were both incredibly understanding and said the meal was on them. they told me not to worry about anything but finding my card. I am so incredibly impressed by them. I have never waited in line more than 5 minutes, even on the busiest of days, and this experienced really reinforced how impressed I am with them. read more

In addition to posting my experience with Cava here I reached out to the business directly about my qualms with their service in an email. Within two hours I heard back from a customer service representative who gave me a genuine apology, and a meal credit. She promised to follow up with the individual restaurant I got my salad from to ensure the problem doesn't happen to another customer, and I believe her. Thank you, Cava, for following up on my poor experience with encouragement to give you a second chance! I am very pleased. read more

A Co-worker here in DC loves this place. I think it's just so-so. The vibe is for healthy Fast food, and based on what you get, the prices are pretty high. Seems popular with many others so please go give it a try for yourself. read more

The fast casual concept has exploded in the DC area. Cave Mezze Grill covers the Greek version. They have huge bowls and decent-sized pita pockets. I've only gotten a pita pocket, but have been envious when I've seen the bowls, since they are huge. the spicy harissa and hummus selections are pretty tasty. For an on-the-go lunch, this place succeeds with a little more local flare than Chipotle. read more

My meal was absolutely fine but my friend got violently ill after eating here last night. Hopefully it was not food poisoning but she suspects it was. Putting this in here to advise the management to be extra careful. read more

Phenomenal addition to Tenleytown - we now have it all w/ Mexican, sushi, Thai, Indian, decent pizza, and a sports bar all within a few blocks. Cava is a great concept - local owners, using local, fresh and healthy ingredients. Where else can you find two great lamb options - spicy lamb sliders and braised lamb, both excellent - and veggie falafel that excel? Stay away from corporate chains like Chipotle and Roti and do yourself a favor by going to Cava Grill. read more

Pretty good "cool" place to grab lunch. Salads and rice bowls filled with organic and locally sourced protein sources. I had the organic arugula salad with grilled chicken and three hummus portions with pita chips. The drinks are awesome, not your usual ones, fresh teas and juices. You can dine al fresco too. Basically a more trendy Chipotle. read more

Excellent food and excellent customer service. This was the second time my daughter and I went to this restaurant and we loved it both times. There was an error with our bowl and the staff quickly made us another bowl without hesitation. Healthy food at a great price! Definitely going back again. read more

Pretty good for a fast food restaurant. There are many options with which you can play. Cava Mezze makes me think of a Mediterranean version of a Chipotle. I enjoyed the braised lamb rice bowl with harissa, crazy feta, and tzatziki. It was definately very flavorful and heavy for a lunch. Cava also offers cool drink options like Mexican soda and Mint Tea, which is a nice surprise. The workers are fast and efficient and it takes no time to get your food. It is a little pricier than a Chipotle burrito but well worth the trip to try it for lunch. I would definitely try Cava for another lunch trip when I'm back in the D.C. area. read more

I was here for valentine day dinner. I didn't expect much really- wow.. their dishes tasted very healthy, and YUMMY... their wine selection was awesome and price was ridiculously reasonable. It's a cute date place!! read more