THE BIG: I Lava you Cava. Sleek Greek cuisine that is fast. Snuggled in between a Citi Bank and Betsy Fisher right off the southern part of Dupont Circle. THE BLACK AND WHITE: I've never heard of Cava until my coach raved about one coming to Dupont circle. On it's soft opening, they gave out free bowls and drinks from 11 am - 2pm. The line was wrapped around to the Surfside! I decided to brave the line, which was an hour estimated wait. #WorthIt Luckily the hour rolled by fast due to my new friend I met in line talking about the history of the world... and the freebies the Cava staff were handing out. The freebies were drink samples and falafel bites. yummm. Once inside, the space is quite big and the decor was modern with what seems like ample seating (although seating is usually full everytime I go). Very easy ordering system. I create my own bowl, which consist of a base (I get brown basmati rice), 3 dips (roasted red pepper hummus, eggplant, and harissa), a protein (half chicken, half roasted veggies), and unlimited toppings (I just go crazy on these), and dressing (sriracha greek yogurt). The final product weighs around 1-2 lbs. I have no regrets. +Pro Tip - If you don't have your wallet/purse on you. You can download the Cava app and pay via your phone! There's discounts that you can get everytime you use the app to purchase your food. I use the LevelUp app which is essentially the same thing. THE FINAL BAMBOO: ~$9 for a Create your bowl masterpiece w/o a drink. Very good deal for the amount of food you get. A++ Cava, I lava U. read more

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I love Cava--it's my favorite relatively healthy fast casual restaurant in the area. Also, this used to be my favorite Cava location in the DC area--pre-Covid, I would come at least once a week. That's why I was so disappointed yesterday to find that my food (especially the pita, the falafel, and the meatballs) was so DRY! I really can't emphasize enough how dry and unappetizing these were. Also, what is going on with the harissa sauce/dip? It was chunky, dry, and didn't taste normal (though I have to say I noticed this in another nearby location as well--not sure if they changed the recipe overall, but I would not consider this an improvement). Lastly, the brussels sprouts were not cut properly--the stems were not fully cut off, so they were difficult to eat. Overall, I'm not sure what happened at this location recently, but these changes are not for the best. read more

Do NOT go there, even if you go DO NOT order meatballs!!! I am extremely dissapointed with my experience at Cava in Dupont Circle. I understand that it gets extremely busy during lunch break, which is why I placed my online to pick up at a certain time and they FORGOT to prepare my meal, which I ended up waiting for the same time that I would wait without ordering online. Also the meatballs were RAW as can be seen from the photo that i uploaded to Yelp, that was taken from today's order!! This is extremely unhealthy and unprofessional! read more

CAVA - Raw meatballs from Cava at Dupont!!!! - Mediterranean Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Casual; fresh food; great for a Friday during Lent. My kids loved it, husband not as into it. I loved it too. Healthy options and affordable. Very casual but clean and nice. read more

CAVA - Greens and grains, pits and iced tea - Mediterranean Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Quick and easy with so many choices! I had a lentil avocado bowl that huge and packed with goodies. The portions are big and there is a large selection of add ones. They have a large selection of unusual fountain drinks that were good. read more

I love CAVA! They need one where I live! I could eat this everyday! Love the concept! The flavor! Endless options.

As I was seeing a friend off to her home in California yesterday, we went to Cava at Union Station for dinner. While things have changed drastically at the Station, the staff at Cava have remained friendly and courteous, responsive and helpful -- and the food is consistently good. It's a bit sad to see the station being so bare (especially the lobby), but Cava and its staff and some of the other restaurants make up for it read more

CAVA is amazing! They offer so many options, with something available for anyone with dietary restrictions. Everything was fresh and delicious, and you don't feel guilty after eating it. Their website is super easy to navigate and build your meal exactly as you'd like it... we ordered online, picked up at the restaurant, and took it for a picnic by the water. read more

CAVA - The perfect meal for a picnic - Mediterranean Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Always great food. And all of the employees are very nice and accommodating regardless of location

This was my first time eating at a CAVA - I actually didn't know they were a chain until today - and it did not disappoint. There was a huge variety of vegetables and meats, and everything was delicious. It felt fresh and nutritious, and even for DC, it was very reasonably priced. The decor is simple but beautiful, and I could see this becoming a regular lunch spot for me if I worked nearby. The service was wonderful! read more

Dam, I been around... went to Cava last night in DC across from a Whole Foods. Don't ask me where it is. The bowl I had with the Lemon Chicken with meatballs was f ing delish! The hummus and other scoops were amazing. I used tried their pita chips which were nice and warm with the right amount of salt. To the DC cop guarding Whoke Foods ( he's the dude that told me to go there). Thanks a bunch! Wish we have a Cava in Las Vegas! read more

I agree with Juliana! This is the Chipotle for Mediterranean food! I heard they had a Cava in the LA area so I will make sure to hunt it down for a bowl! Our friend introduced us to Cava! It is the same concept as Chipotle but with Mediterranean ingridents. My hubby is a vegan so he fell in love quickly with Cava. My favorite was the organic sodas that they carry at Wholefood! read more

The food is delicious, healthy, fresh, and filling, as long as you get the greens and grains bowl (instead of one or the other). They have several greens options (super greens, which include broccoli, kale, spinach, cauliflower, etc.; arugula; spinach; mesclun; or romaine). They skimp on the toppings (offering only a tiny amount that is inadequate for the amount of protein and base). I usually get hummus, yogurt, harissa, which I think complement the bowl well. They eagerly charge more if you ask for a little more of anything! The ordering process is a lot like Chipotle--start with a base, select protein, select toppings, then finishes, then pay. It can and has gotten hectic during lunch (12-2pm), so try to go outside those hours, or risk waiting 10-15 min in line! Honestly, it's worth the wait. Download their app to get $3 off your first meal (or ask a friend to refer you so your friend gets a credit too) and earn a free meal once you spend $100. read more

CAVA - Walked in the 100 degrees and brutal humidity to get a yummy Cava chicken bowl! - Mediterranean Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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They ran out of lots of ingredients by 6 PM on a weekday. The roasted vegetables were all charred and black. Very disappointing experience here read more

This is my second time visiting CAVA and it was great! I normally wouldn't go to this location but it was conveniently near the yoga studio I had just left. It was pretty busy upon arrival, but the line moved fast. I was content with my meal and the warm pita bread on the side. I believe you can download an app for them also to make checking out easier. read more

CAVA - Greens & grains with chicken - Mediterranean Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Food is actually excellent. Service is like having robots making your meal. Like where did they hire these disrespectful, listless employees. read more

Food: Never had Mediterranean fast food done so good! All ingredients are fresh and full of flavor. I'm never going back to Chipotle again! Heard they do $30 free flow mimosas with brunch at Cava Mezze - so excited to check it out. Ambiance: Fairly loud - don't try to study here. Plenty of seating, cups for water, typical clean eats fast food chain look. Come here if: You want a less heavy version of Chipotle burrito bowls. Great for veggie people!!!!! Forget it if: You're sick of these trendy Chipotle knock offs (don't be). read more

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Gluten Free: Yes, but make sure to verify on items, because some items have flour that you wouldn't assume Casein Free: Yes, specific items are naturally this way Oh CAVA how I've missed you. This DC based chain is what can be described as the Mediterranean upscale version of Chipotle. What makes CAVA great: + Fast and friendly service + It's expense account and budget friendly + The ingredient are fresh and locally sourced + The drinks offer some non-typical flavors, turmeric lemonade any one (though they are seasonal) + A bowl is the way to go for a long lasting filling meal + Use their app to order ahead and earn rewards. Can we say free food? + Has a relatively large seating area; however, it can get crowded and loud during peak meal times. Tip: * Don't forget the small step on the way out of the door read more

Service is great and clean. The staff is also very friendly. Moving on to the food, it's fantastic!! You can make your own falafel and rice bowl. The line is always out the door but it's soo worth it! read more

CAVA - Grain bowl with chicken and lentils, on top you see the mint, pita chips, and onions - Mediterranean Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Mmmm, I love Cava. I first tried Cava when my SO was working up on Wisconsin Ave and I was a little surprised by the process since I didn't even know what it was about. It's pretty much the healthier version of Chipotle. You get to pick whether you want greens, grains, or both, your protein (or veggies or both), toppings, and sauce. When I found out a location was opening up where we worked/lived I was ecstatic. I was actually one of the fools that stood outside for over an hour an opening day (learned my lesson - never doing that again). Anyway, I find Cava to be a perfect go-to spot for a healthy lunch that is still hearty. I went when I was pregnant and I will say if you are having any food aversions, just stay away until after because I almost ruined it for myself. I had it yesterday for the first time in almost 10 months and I was loving it. I got the lentil and supergreen mix, with chicken and veggie (1/2 and 1/2), cabbage, radishes, and quinoa tabbouleh. It's pretty scrumptious and sometimes it even lasts me two lunches. Pro-tip: go before 12 if you don't want to wait in line. read more

CAVA - Super greens, lentils, red pepper hummus, harissa, chicken, veggies, radishes, cabbage, cauliflower quinoa tabouleh, and spicy leek sauce. - Mediterranean Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

This location is newer and it is fairly clean. During lunch-hours it is incredibly busy and you can barely get a seat inside the restaurant. However, for the food it is worth getting it to go even. The supergreen mix for the salad option is great, not only is it nutritious, it is also quite tasty. The red pepper hummus always hits the spot along with the cabbage topping. They have several dressing options but with the spreads and toppings, you really don't need a "dressing" since it is already heavily seasoned. read more

CAVA - Chicken salad bowl with half rice - Mediterranean Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Healthy, quick service, loads of food, and not too expensive. Cava is a great spot for a quick lunch when you are looking for some quick Mediterranean. It is a fast casual build your own Mediterranean bowl spot. I would recommend reading over the menu before jumping in line because the ingredients were not listed well and during lunch time this spot gets crowded with a lot of people on a mission to order their meals and leave. You will get a lot of dirty looks for slowing the line down in DC at lunch time! The green & grain bowl I got was delicious and my favorite part was all the toppings I got to add for free! Plus a mini pita! For the protein I would recommend splitting between 2 different things because the portion is huge - the chicken and roasted veggies go perfect together. read more

I walked 15 minutes for CAVA because I received an email about my $3 off reward. I passed up many salad places to get here and was happy that I got in and out very quickly! The line was long but it was moving very fast. You could tell that this location was ready for the lunch hour rush and they had every part of the process efficient and organized. Also while in line I noticed that they do not leave anything a mess, you can tell the employees must have a clean as you go policy. I ordered a salad with rice, kale mix, half chicken half falafal. I got most of the toppings and a spicy red and light green sauce. It was super tasty and I had so much I couldn't eat it all in one sitting. read more

Got the salad with falafel, eggplant and tzatziki dips, and some veggie toppings. Positives... Free side of pita; Ordered online, so I could skip the huge lunch rush; $3 off since it was my first time ordering; Good portion size. Now, for the negatives... The falafel was not a falafel. It was floury and just had huge chickpeas in it. Didn't taste authentic at all; There was barely a tablespoon of each of the dips. Didn't seem appropriate for the size of the bowl; Pita was cold. Love the idea of a Mediterranean chipotle, but if you're looking for good falafel, look elsewhere. read more

CAVA - Mediterranean Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I am CAVA obsessed! This chain is like the Chipotle of Mediterranean food. Point and create your bowl of goodness! Pick your base, spread, protein, toppings and dressing. And then pay. Very simple. My bowl had falafel, roasted vegs, eggplant & red pepper, hummus, spicy harissa loaded with lots of vegs topped with lemon herb tahini on a bed of romaine lettuce and basmati rice. Healthy and super delish Today was Awesome. Download the app Level Up and you save $3 off your first order. read more

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Cava is one of my favorite healthy options however the Downtown Connecticut Ave location was a little stingy on the super greens and so I couldn't rate any higher than 3 stars. There was so little lettuce mix in my salad that it felt like I was eating a jar of Mediterranean salsa. Love the flavors, but please do better with the salad part of your salads. read more

Simply so good. Mediterranean food is my jam - humus, pita, falafel... ugh its my love language. This place did not disappoint! I built a bowl with grains and greens, topped with humus and tahini, roasted veggies, feta, falafel, greek vinaigrette + spicy siracha dressing, and a mini pita on the side. So. good. Fresh and filling. Service is quick, the place is casual and a good place to stop if you wanna grab something to sustain and satisfy you before hitting the road to explore D.C. or heading back to work after a lunch break. Definitely recommend! read more

After a 1.5 hour wait, I was able to dig into a delicious bowl of grains/green mix + spicy meatballs + Harissa spread + toppings + Harissa dressing. Basically, everything with a spicy symbol, I added to my bowl. As I devoured my dish, I realized I had NO clue what kind of meat was in the meatball (It simply said 'spicy meatball') and since I rarely eat pork or beef, I decided to uncover that mystery post meal... which was revealed to be lamb. With ONE meatball left, I decided to say a prayer for the poor sheep and finish it off, because sorry to say, it was damn good. And while I may never eat lamb again, I don't regret it. To my pleasant surprise, we were given cups with our order as well (talk about a free COMPLETE lunch) and I'm glad I was able to taste test their immense hand-made juice collection. Even though I witnessed Strawberry Mint being made, I decided to go with the BOMB a** Carrot Ginger Lemonade because the Jamaican in me couldn't refuse tasty carrot juice. I even found a ginger skin in my cup, all I needed was rum and a beach. Was it worth the wait? YES. Because I know the wait won't ever be 1.5 hours, unless there's another FREE lunch, and even then, I'd jump right in line. #DJM read more

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Greek salad -so good! So fresh! Crispy cucumbers,tasty tomatoes at February,good fetaGreat service Thank you Definitely coming back read more

The food, location and interior decor come together so well. For those not in the know, I would describe Cava as the Mediterranean version of Chipotle. It feels healthier, leaner, and in my opinion, tastes much better. The service is above and beyond at this location. To my surprise, when I finished my meal, a restaurant associate asked if he could take my plate and offered to refill my water. I've now been a repeat customer mostly every weekday for lunch. read more

CAVA - Mediterranean Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Love cava and all the flavor variation. This location is busy 9/10 times and each ingredient is extremely fresh! Love their drink selection too! Fast and friendly service!! read more

I like cava as a gluten free option when on the run. I stopped by last night and had a rice bowl with veggies and enjoyed it. I do have the following concerns that may not apply to you if you are not gluten free. 1. The falafels at cava are not gluten free. That's just wrong. There is no reason to add flour to falafels 2. The tomato soup was not gluten free. Again this is not acceptable. I both cases they are adding wheat as a cheap filler/thickener which is not needed even for people with out a gluten problem. My last concern was the door. They do not have a double door and the door closes slowly. Therefore on nights like yesterday that are really cold, it was hard to eat with the wind blowing in and freezing my pants off. Okay, final last comment. They do not have beer and wine. So if you like Mediterranean food and are in a hurry, this is not a terrible option. If you are gluten free, you can still get by here, but ask since they seem to stick wheat in places it don't belong. read more

This is a great place!! It's an easy set up for selecting what you would like to eat. It's also nice having all the options displayed right in front of you to choose from. The sauces and topping are so delicious and don't walk away without an order of the buttery and crispy pita bread! They are fast and it's perfect for lunch or dinner. read more

You cannot go wrong with Cava. It's basically the Mediterranean version of Chipotle but with so many more options and at a very high quality. I cannot even describe just how perfect it is. I usually get spinach, brown rice, falafel, hummus, roasted red pepper hummus, harisa, and almost all the toppers. They give you SO MUCH food -- it's good for almost two meals. Everything is just so clean and light but simultaneously very filling. The people that work there are also very nice. They are working at a very fast pace but are somehow still super helpful. The first few times I came they took the time to tell me exactly what my options are as a vegan so I felt comfortable with what I was leaving with. I definitely will keep coming back and will love every second of it. read more

This review is based on the service, food quality, and overall experience. For reference I ordered: Greens & Grains with grilled veggies. Service: WOW. There was a line out the door during lunch time and i could not believe how quickly we moved. Honestly, it was my first time here. I had no idea what I was going to order or how it worked. My friend gave me a few suggestions so I decided to give it a go. The people there were patient with me and I didn't feel rushed. 5/5 . Food: OMG SO GOOD. I am not addicted to Cava. Shout out to my friend Rese who told me about this glorious place! I ordered the greens & grains, one scoop tzatziki, two scoops crazy feta, roasted seasonal veggies, tomato and onion, tomato and cucumbers, olives, crumbled feta, and a lemon wedge, my dressing was sriracha greek yogurt. I literally had no idea what I was doing or how much my total was going to be because I thought I was over doing it lol. Not the case. My total was the standard price for greens and grains. The food itself was very good! Next time I would probably order the grain bowl and add lettuce at the end since the greens and grains had more greens than grain. I loved the dressing, it was so perfect. I also would probably only do 2 scoops of dip rather than 3 because for my taste 3 scoops was too much. It was also very filling, I had half of my bowl and I was so full. 5/5 Experience: The line is super long and out the door during lunch so I don't recommend coming here during lunch hours unless you have the time to wait. This was my first time here and I was with my friend so I didn't mind the wait. I had a good experience at this Cava, everyone was very pleasant. 5/5 I would absolutely recommend Cava to anyone! I can't believe I didn't come here sooner! read more

CAVA - All veggies :) - Mediterranean Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Amazing concept and even better food! I absolutely love Cava Grill, some of the best vegetarian food I ever had. I love the concept of their bowls, and the many different types of garnishes you can add, like the sauces and hummus. I can eat here every day, and the portion sizes were huge. We shared 1 bowl amongst 2 people and we still could not finish it completely. The pita chips with the lemon lip was amazing! The falafel was so good and I already miss this place. They need to open up more locations in Toronto and in Chicago!!! I can't wait to come back. The customer service was super friendly and the place was very clean. Much better than Chipotle and Naf Naf Grill! read more

CAVA - Veggie bowl - Mediterranean Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I saw great reviews for Cava, so I decided to try it out, and I was not disappointed! The food was tasty and flavorful. I got a grain bowl with arugula and falafel. The falafel was average but it was the rest of the bowl was what made the meal amazing! They let you choose up to 3 dips/spreads (hummus, tzatziki, etc.) and a dressing. So many to choose from. I also recommend getting a fresh juice. It's the same price as a soda but it's so fresh and thirst-quenching. I got the raspberry-mint-lime juice and it tasted like a raspberry mojito (without the rum). read more

This place reminds me of a Greek version of chipotle (only better). You get to pick all the fresh ingredients for your bowl etc..and everything is fresh and delicious. The place is spacious and hip looking with a distressed concrete floor that looks like it had tile on it prior to Cava. They only have one diet beverage and it's called Maine Root - I went for one of their many flavored infused drinks which was nice. I wish they had cava in San Francisco. read more

Great fast casual food and feels healthy! Love the build your own greens and grains bowl. The lentils are delicious and the falafel is quite tasty. read more

I ordered a Greek salad, took about four bites and threw it out. Worst salad ever ordered there. Soggy, bad brown lettuce (and almost no lettuce), overdressed, yuck. I'm done with that place. read more