August 2019: since April, I've noticed a slight difference in the customer service at this location. It used to be that if something was missing (out of a cookie type or specific nut, etc) that it would be addressed and the customer granted the opportunity to replace the missing item with something else. In the past month, I've ordered salds that were missing walnuts or like tonight -no chicken- and not known until I picked up and carried my food home. That is unsat. When I order, I pick up my bag prepared to eat THAT order and if something is missing, I should be notified ahead of time. Not cool Panera on Vets. read more

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I've been to Panera almost every day in Houston after the storm. The employees are just trying to do the best the can with what they have available. read more

If you read my review for the Westbank Panera location, than you already know that I'm a Panera fan. I met a friend here for lunch and I was impressed- the employees were getting people quickly through the line on a busy Saturday and we were taken care of immediately. I ordered the half and half with a half of a roasted turkey and avocado sandwich and a cup of the broccoli cheddar soup (my favorite). They scanned my Panera card, I went into the dining room with my buzzer and after a minimal wait my food was ready The roasted turkey and avocado sandwich was great! I had never had it before and I was happy to see that the turkey was freshly sliced and the avocado was perfect and ripe. Of course, the broccoli and cheddar soup was perfect as always and came with bread on the side, in case you want to dip. As far as I can tell, this Panera doesn't have a drive thru like the Westbank location does, so if you are in a hurry you might want to call and order ahead for pick up. read more

Panera Bread - Roasted turkey and avocado sandwich and broccoli and cheese soup - Soup Near Me - Metairie, Louisiana

I can seriously eat here every day of my life if it was possible. I love their green tea. Please do yourself a favor and order it the next time you decide to stop in. Also remember to sign up for their panera card. You get free drinks and treats for just eating there. The food is always fresh though I'm not too crazy about the bakery items. Some of them are so dry that I have to gulp my tea just to swallow it down. Ok, it's not that bad but it's pretty darn dry. I do like their carrot cupcake though. 90% of the sandwich and salads I tried been delicious. My favorite is the fuji apple chicken salad. I took the 1 star off because of the parking. Like most has stated this place is ridiculous when it comes to the parking space. If I didn't like this place so much I wouldn't even bother trying to drive around looking for a parking space for 3-5minutes. I hope they somehow fix this problem in the future. read more

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I ordered their bagel package and received 9 bagels thrown in a plastic bag, even though they were all different. 4 were missing but I did get my 2 cream cheese containers that came with it. After all that waiting, I was in a rush so I didn't count how many I received and trusted them. 4 people in my house did not get a bagel so I had to find breakfast elsewhere since we were far from Panera. I like the food but will reconsider coming to this Panera in the future. read more

Although the one employee that works at this panera bread scolded me a little bit by making a childish remark because of my height, I look pass that because every other time I came to dine in, everyone else has been a gem. #At Panera Bread, you order at the counter and they'll give you a device that will vibrate when you're order is ready for pick up at the pick up station. Foods I've had: - Cheddar broccoli soup ; so rich& creamy! Dip their fresh made chewy/delish bread in the soup! - Spinach power salad; my all time FAVORITE salad..the flavors are crazy good! -Thai chicken salad; very tangy flavour over a bed of lettuce, almonds, chicken, and other things.. Can't remember. -Cesar chicken salad; my girlfriends favorite salad.. Not heavy and thick dressing just perfectly tossed. -Tortellini Alfredo pasta; my hubbub baby sister loves this pasta! Really good option for kids. - All Natural Bistro French Onion soup; for the onion lovers like myself, though it was a tad salty with just a pinch of sweet, but the bread helps. - Iced green tea; infused with papaya & passion fruit, it's so refreshing and sweet! -Also, keep an eye out for their specials, everything is usually all very filling and tasty! Oh! & sign up online at their website for a Panera Card that'll help you earn points for free smoothies/ goodies or huge discounts! AND it's FREE to sign up! read more

Panera Bread - Broccoli cheddar soup, the new fontina grilled cheese, and green tea. - Soup Near Me - Metairie, Louisiana

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Consistent with other Panera locations. Nothing to complain about! Lots of tables to practice physical distancing.

Not the best location of Panera. It wasn't as clean as I would have expected (dining room tables and floor were dirty) and they gave us dirty utensils. My soup and bread were good. Customer service was ok. However, I think I'll stick with my usual location. read more

Employee turnover is always an issue. Usually very friendly staff and for the most part very knowledgeable of their menu. Biggest issue is the constantly changing menus based on the season and there is less availability of food choices that would keep your lunch under 6. I think they are using the "clean food" as a gimmick in order to raise prices as opposed to food safety. read more

Panera Bread - Soup Near Me - Metairie, Louisiana

FINALLY one in this area! Of course this place just opened, so the first couple of weeks here will be hectic, crowded, and uber long lines. The place is pretty spacious with plenty of outdoor seating. This will be my go to place when I want a sandwich, soup, or something on the healthier side. I ordered the steak and white cheddar with a bowl of french onion soup. The portions form the sandwich was more than enough, they give you two large sandwiches. I liked how there were a lot of options for the soup and the soup menu changes daily. I also like how they serve coffee, different types of fruit smoothies, and frozen drinks. Definitely my ultimate food/ drink stop. read more

Panera Bread - Steak and white cheddar - Soup Near Me - Metairie, Louisiana

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Good food, clean, consistent throughout and love the outdoor seating! I had the pick two: Mediterranean veggie sandwich and chicken noodle soup. It was delicious! My daughter had the Cesar salad and she loved it. They have select parking for military guests. Which is cool! read more

Panera Bread - Mediterranean veggie sandwich and chicken noodle soup - Soup Near Me - Metairie, Louisiana

Absolutely terrible service. Do not waste your time coming to this establishment as they need a revamp and management, customer service, etiquette, common sense. They have multiple workers cleaning but not enough people working cooking, preparing, servicing clients. They open at 6:30 in the morning yet when I arrive at 8 AM they have nothing ready to make food, everyone is playing on their phones, and cracking jokes in the back of the store. read more

The biggest problem is it was very dirty . My food sat under the warmer for a while and our flat bread was cold . No tops or straws for our cups . The staff was friendly. 1star read more

I love me some Panera! So consistent. So fast. Reminds me of home... There's a few vegetarian options and I can't seem to get over the cinnamon crunch bomb, I mean bagel. Mmmm. The layout of this restaurant is really strange but let's be honest, you don't go to Panera for the ambiance. You go because you're lazy and want a good, quick, lunch. read more

I was soooooo looking forward to the flat bread pizza. I ordered today and am very disappointed. I was pretty "naked" and the cheese wasn't even applied from end to end. Had hardly no tomatoes and not much else. And for the price it is definitely not worth it! read more

Interesting findings and I got to say there are Panera Breads and there are Panera Breads. I am guessing this store is owned my. Franchisee. Fortunately food wise it was good with only Spinach and Antichoke Soufflé a little burnt on the top. Otherwise the food remains consistent. What dropped the ratings on this Panera it's service. Starting with the staff taking order who seems to have a bad day from the start in the morning. Did not give me a pager for my food and I had to ask the counter serving the food on my order. Also the table clearing was a little behind. All in all a lack in the efficiency I saw at the one in Slidell. Onwards and forward to the next adventure. Oh yes....one more thing. The menu items on the board is a little hard to read for especially the "guys" with less than perfect vision :). read more

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Pretty lax with the COVID requirements on both the customer and employee side. I recently had the joy of standing in line behind a customer with no mask and watching a handful of employees not say a thing. Eat at your own risk maybe they have ventilators for $0.99 too. read more

The pastries are very good, and the sour dough loaves are excellent . I've had the opportunity to visit them twice this month of august 2017 and was not disappointed. However, I was not enamored with the flatbread, and the chicken sandwiches. The cashiers are welcoming which adds to an enjoyable visit. "MO" read more

Their website encourages you to order online so you don't have to wait in line for your order. We order the Saturday afternnoon before Christmas Eve. When we went to pick up our order the following early afternoon not only did we have to wait in line for our order they didn't have enough of the bagels we ordered to make our order complete! Poor services. Good bagels though. read more

I've been to this location 2 times. I've had pleasant visits both times. The lady who was taking orders, was very patient with me as I was indecisive. Our food came out quick, and it's always nice when you're getting what you ordered. I ordered the steak and cheddar panini with the mac and cheese. I spent maybe 13-14 dollars. I really enjoyed myself. read more

Panera Bread - Steak and cheddar panini with mac and cheese. - Soup Near Me - Metairie, Louisiana

I've been a fan of Panera for many, many years - even before it came to the New Orleans area. I've visited this location a number of times but today was a curbside pick up. The food never disappoints - and I always customize whatever I order. More of this, less of that, add this - it's always right. The food was ready on time and brought right to my car. I just wish there was another location in the Elmwood area. I think it'd give La Madeleine a run for their money!! read more

So many things on the menu that look so good that just don't taste good but the broccoli soup and the baguette is always good. Don't ever get the Caesar salad, they put rosemary or something on the chicken and it ruins the whole whole taste of the salad and the dressing is not Caesar it's something weird. The Greek is underwhelming flavorless. The onion soup is good for not being in a French restaurant. The service is good, it's clean. The chai latte is awesome. The food is fast. Pastry is always good. I just love salad so much and wish they would develop their flavors better, if they had one good one on the menu I would give it 5 stars. I really would give this place a 3 but it's corporate's fault not theirs that the flavor of their salads suck and you can put together a great meal with some of their sandwiches and soups or breakfast or pastries, you don't need to do a salad. read more

Ok I will give the first male perspective review about this place: Yawn... boring... typical chain type fare. I've only eaten at this chain in the past when traveling and no other good options presented themselves but I stopped in the new Metairie location to give a fair evaluation. Panera Bread locations in general are really more of a coffee shop type environment that just also happen to "bake" bread. Their "baking" and "bread making" is done via "par baking," which is short for partial baking: a process in which about 80 percent of the bread-making process (largely until yeast activity stops) is completed at a factory and the remaining steps, including final baking occurs at the restaurant. You definitely don't get the same quality and experience as you would from an actual bakery. If you're in the mood for a quick and slightly more upscale fast food type experience then this place will do the trick. If you want a Starbucks like experience with pastries and all those type of snacks with the added benefit of unlimited caffeine this place just might make you happy. Personally I'm not a big fan of coffee shops or most chain restaurants. I'm also really not very fond of the sandwiches or breads at Panera as I love whole grain breads and Panera's whole grains just don't give me the oompha I love in a whole grain bread and seems far less whole grain than most whole grain breads I can get at a grocery store. I got the roast beef sandwich on whole grain and it just really failed to make me happy as I can make a far better sandwich from stuff I get at the grocery store. My honest opinion of their whole grain bread is that it just plain sucks ass and while some of their other breads are better you would think they could do a decent whole grain at least on par with a grocery store brand. I also tried their oatmeal cookie for the first time and it was one of the worst oatmeal cookies I've ever had. For this kind of sandwich and for about the same price you can get a far superior and better quality product at Martin's Wine Cellar. I can't make a better sandwich like Martin's makes from grocery store ingredients and while it might take a little longer at Martin's in my book it is definitely worth the wait for a MUCH better sandwich and better environment. The good thing about Panera's Metairie location is that there seemed to be a fair number of attractive ladies in the joint and, in fact, it seemed to be almost all women in this place so I guess that is the target demographic of this chain. So if you just want to watch women and drink caffeine this place is good for that. For good sandwiches go to Martin's or Stein's. For fresh baked breads and pastries go to one of our many actual bakeries in New Orleans that actually make and bake their items. If all I wanted was coffee or tea and a place to use the internet I would probably pick this place over a Starbucks but I never go to Starbucks either as I prefer drinking beer to caffeine. Overall the food here is pretty blah mediocre to me and the environment is very chain blah disgusting to me. The unlimited caffeine drinks are cool and the attractive female customers can improve the ambiance slightly with their magical distraction powers. Personally I doubt I would ever return as it just isn't a good value for what you get and I just don't find the sandwiches anywhere good enough to compete with Martin's, Stein's, or my own. I also would much rather see my money go to support local businesses that keep more money in our local economy instead of siphoning it off to out of state corporations. read more

Yes, yes, yes... FINALLY, yes! I don't know if it's the nostalgia factor, or just because they have damn good food, but I'm a Panera junkie and I've been going through withdrawal since moving to NOLA over 3 years ago. See, I went to college in Indiana, and Panera was my usual hangout. Close to campus, reasonably healthy food, lots of caffeine, free WiFi, and they didn't care if you spent hours there. This is the nostalgia part for me. Yes, it's a chain, but I spent 4 years with Panera being like a 2nd home. The food... yes, it's a chain, but it's great. So many different sandwich options (you can check the full ingredients list/nutrition info online). There are low-fat, veggie, vegan, and tons of options for just about every diet. Seeing as I was a vegetarian in college, this was a plus. The soups are awesome, and the soup menu changes daily. Some of the staples are offered throughout the week. They also have salads, and of course, an espresso/coffee bar and bakery. You need to try the Tomato Basil sourdough, as it's always been my favorite (try the Med Veg sandwich if you don't feel like buying a loaf). A good value is definitely the Pick 2 board, and they are apparently doing a promo where you can add a pastry for $0.99. This totally destroyed my diet, but I couldn't turn down a $0.99 chocolate croissant. Theirs are awesome. So, why am I not giving Panera Bread 5 stars? Because it's the grand opening week and they are still working out the kinks, as others have mentioned. It's a long wait in line, a long wait for food, and they don't always get it right (my order was perfect, but I watched about 4 people bring theirs back for missing/wrong ingredients). This will improve with time. read more

*Updated* They rearranged the drink station area a little. The coffees now located in another area, as well as the trash cans. This helped open up the area by the drink station and pick up counter. The attitude of the kitchen workers is still lacking. It's as though they want nothing to do with the customer and an invisible wall is up. Even though they are face to face with the customers picking up their food. This was about my fifth or sixth visit. I was not impressed any of these times. On my most recent visit, the cashier finished assisting the customer in front of me and walked away from the counter and went into the kitchen. I was looking up at the menu board, but not even acknowledged. I was left standing there and another worker who was working near the baked goods had to come over to take my order. The person who took my order was friendly. The food is not that great and tastes processed. $11 for a very small serving of tortellini alfredo, a cup of french onion soup and an iced tea. The tea had a slight "dirty tea machine" taste. I do like that they put the calorie content for each item on their menu board. The baked goods are heavy and nothing special in my opinion. I don't like the way many of the baked goods sit out in the open all day. No telling how many flies have landed on them or how much sneeze and cough residue has accumulated on them. The kitchen staff is normally unfriendly. The person tonight placed my takeout bag on the counter and didn't say a word. On another visit I went to hand my buzzer to the kitchen worker and they motioned for me to place it in the "buzzer return basket", which was sort of rude. The trash area smelled a little. There's always a bunch of people crowded around the drink station area; which is located right in front of the food pickup counter and the trash area. Oh, AND they put a small sitting area there as if there wasn't already enough chaos going on! This whole area is a congested mess. Terrible planning. If you go during peak times, be prepared for the stress of trying to find an open table. Then of course you'll feel rushed because other people are waiting on your table. Also, why would a restaurant want people lounging around and studying? Aren't coffee shops for that? This is a restaurant! Overall not a pleasant experience all the way around. I'm pretty sure this was my last visit. read more

I don't know what's wrong with this location. It can never seem to get it right. I probably could buy several meals by now with the money that I spent on salad toppings missing from my order. This last time, I rapid ordered, and it wasn't there. (No surprise.) Guy asked what I was waiting for, I let him know my name for the order. He said they were out of the pasta? This reminds me of when they ran out of bread. (I'm not joking, they ran out of bread.) read more

I have been a lover of Panera for a very long time. I am a sucker for a "combo," soup/salad or soup/sandwich. It is my ultimate comfort food. Things I like: They post every single nutrition fact: This makes it easy to make health-consious choices and makes its even easier to pass up that huge cookie that is 500 calories if you smell it. They even offer alternative choices to the side baguette. You can get a fresh apple, chips, or even a wheat roll. Pretty nice! The service has always been great: They never have been rude or looked like they hated their job. They are always cleaning tables or opening up more registers. Bread is always fresh: Don't even get me started on the Cinnamon Crunch bagel. If you are having a rough morning just go in there and get that. Day. Made. Things I do not like so much: What you get for the price: Panera is expensive for what you get. 12 dollars for s drink, half a sandwich with one piece of turkey, and sometimes a cup of soup half-way filled. I have had to tell them something for only filling it up half-way before. I wouldn't be so mad about it if it was cheaper, but I expect a little more when you pay that much! This location's setup: When I lived in Orlando, I frequented Panera a lot. When it came to NOLA, not so much, mostly because of the setup. It is not as cozy as other locations (big chairs, fireplace, etc.), but I will forgive them. Overall, Panera is a good place for a fresh lunch or even a dessert/coffee date. I wouldn't go here to study, but to chat with an old friend it is a worth-while spot in Metairie. read more

So so excited that Panera is FINALLY in the New Orleans area. Before this I had to pick up bagles outside of Mobile on my way home from the beach to stock my freezer. Asiago bagel...you are mine! That being said, it was super crowded when I went last friday at 11AM, so you just cant be in a rush if you want to eat there. But even though Panera is a chain, they have gourmet style cafe foods, fresh and not too greasy. read more

I'm so glad Panera is here. There is a serious lack of non-poboy sandwich places. The location is big and I love the outdoor seating. Although they really should move the soda machine. That area was a bit clustered as people got drinks, waited for food, and threw out trash. Given, that it just opened, it was busy but they had plenty of staff greeting you and taking your order. They did a great job of clarifying what they offer, where to order, and where to get your food. My Asiago Roast Beef was plentiful and tasty but the steak panini lacked and they ran out of potato soup so we had to wait awhile for more to be heated. Prices are the going rate for the area. Yes its a chain, if that bothers you, then dont go. It is fast, quality food, at decent prices. Oh and their pastry selection is awesome too because there arent many places to get bagels around here! read more

Boo! Hiss! It's a chain! Oh well. I don't care. I love Panera Bread. I would consider them to be a socially responsible chain. They hold benefits for charities, they donate their unsold bread at the end of the evening. They do a lot of good things for the community. I have yet to use their internet at this location, but I know this is going to be a place where I can squat and work for long periods of time at a low cost. No one cares that you bought 1 cup of coffee hours ago, and keep going back for free refills. They have developed recipes that show consistency throughout all Panera Bread locations. So when you go to one location, you know what you will get at the next place too. Even though I've only been to this location once, I know the quality that I'm getting. And the asiago cheese loaf that I just got was as good as I remember it. read more

It's nice to finally see the corporate business world take New Orleans seriously by adding a Panera to such a corporate and busy street. I know it's a chain... and I'm pretty pro-small business and local, etc etc... but Panera brings good news to Metairie. This whole little area including Bonefish Grill and now that Red Mango is here is awesome. So about Panera - consistently good. I am a huge fan of their potato soup in a bread bowl and their avocado turkey sandwich (tastes better on a croissant). Smoothies are quite tasty and the ambience is great. I'm not sure if it's going to be packed all the time or if there's just a rave because it's so new. But I have been having trouble lately finding a place to sit! I guess it's a good problem for them, but not so much for us. I'll be a frequent customer :) read more

Yay....excited that they actually opened a Panera in this area!! I've been to plenty of other Paneras in other states and have always enjoyed them. They have excellent bagels, bread, sandwiches, soups, salads and coffee. As this was the grand opening day for this location and it was a complete zoo, I chose to just get some cinnamon crunch bagels to go. There was a long line, but they kept it moving fairly well. The cashiers were still learning how to ring everything up too. The way this location is setup is a little confusing, but hopefully they will work out the kinks as they go along. The parking is horrific too. After bringing the bagels home we saw that they had given us hazelnut cream cheese instead of the honey walnut cream cheese that we asked for...ugh.. Oh well.. The bagels were still good. They still have a lot to work out there, but I will definitely be back. I think I will wait until the crowds die down a bit though. They are one of my favorite chain places that are usually consistent with good food. read more

Yes this is a chain. Yes I'm giving it five stars. Why? Because after hurricane Isaac this was one of the first places open. That is customer service. I would definitely sign up for the rewards program - you can get free coffees, cookies, coupons, etc. make sure you check your "my surprises" on Panera's website to see what you earned Always get the $.99 bakery treat because you can get a cookie that's usually $2.50 for $1. I usually get a half soup/half salad - or even two half salads. Sometimes I cannot decide if I want one salad or another and by getting two salads I can satisfy both needs. read more

Mehhhh. I really never understood the appeal of Panera Bread. I've been here twice, and I still think the food is nothing more than mediocre. Sure it's nice to see how many calories you're intaking, but I honestly don't think it's worth the money. Both times I came, I ordered the Pick 2. For me, the much raved about broccoli and cheese soup was ridiculously heavy. Surely no one can actually think that's healthy. I've also tried the Mediterranean sandwich, the Napa Almond Chicken Salad Sandwich, and the Strawberry Poppyseed and Chicken Salad. The last two were actually not bad at all, but I don't think it was worth the money. Truthfully, I'd rather get a sandwich from Subway any day before going to Panera Bread if I wanted to eat something healthy. Although, I do commend them for getting our orders out quickly when it was so busy, so kudos on that Panera Bread! read more

I'm happy it's here -- not only because it is a great place to chill, read and have a decent light meal, but also because it reminds me of home. I agree with the previous reviewer on the points of the portions being a bit small and a bit pricey. Line was long, but moved along. There were a couple glitches with the food, but I attribute that to a crazy busy opening day. I had the chicken, cheese, tomato and basil panini and the mac and cheese. The flavor of the panini was very good, but it was undercooked and there was no crunch to the outside or edges of the bread. The flavor and smoothness of the mac and cheese was awesome, even though it was just lukewarm. And, it is doubtful that I would again pay $5.50 for one cup of mac. Not as many sweet treats as I've seen in other Paneras, but there are many varieties of bread for purchase. The staff and management were very pleasant and friendly -- walking the floor, talking to and checking in with people as to their experiences. This is not a gourmet restaurant -- it is what it is and I'll go back again and again -- especially after the fervor dies down a bit. read more

I keep giving this place a chance. I am here on a Saturday at 10:30am. The cashier said no Breakfast and then said yes. She was right this breakfast burrito was horrible. They left the eggs totally off. It was a bacon maple syrup mini sized burrito for over 5 dollars. This place is a joke. They did make a replacement but still not worth it. read more

The morning staff is I un-energetic and don't really seem like they want to there They used to greet you when you walked in This morning I watched a customer stand in line for several minutes before he had to ask the cashier what does he to do to get help. read more

Why it's good: plenty of room to sit and STUDY! Though I usually stick with coffee shops, Panera offers more than just coffee, much more (since it's a bakery/cafe, so I can get my lunch fix without having to leave). The thing is though, if you want to study with a study buddy, it's hard to find bigger tables with outlets near them; the outlets are near smaller tables, except for the table for 6 people, but I don't want to be the asshole who takes up more room than necessary since Panera seems to be busy most of the time. I'm hoping that the Panera craze dies down soon though so I don't have to fight for tables. :T My favorite things to get are their bagels (my go-to is whole grain and honey walnut cream cheese) and their cream of chicken and wild rice soup (only served Tues, Thurs, and Sunday; check their website for what soup is served which days or grab a menu in store). I recommend getting it NOT in a bread bowl cause I feel like you get more soup that way, plus you still get a piece of bread on the side if you want. :P I guess my liking is biased since it reminds me of when I lived in Pennsylvania and Cali, but still, not bad (^^) read more

I had the French onion soup for dinner with their fresh baguette. My kids each had child plates, 1 mac & cheese and 1 grilled cheese. The mac & cheese is very, very rich with a white cheese sauce (not a traditional orange cheese). My oldest child liked it but I would not order for a younger child expecting a "traditional" mac & cheese. The food is ok but a bit pricey for what you are getting. read more

Parking and building lay out sucks but the food is awesome! I was hooked on Panera Bread when I evacuated to Kansas during Katrina. The months that I spent there, my co workers and I would eat here probably a good 3-5 times a week. Very fresh food. I ordered the new turkey avocado BLT and it was awesome. It was actually fresh sliced turkey, not sandwich meat. They dressed it with a huge helping of bacon, fresh romaine lettuce, fresh sliced avocado and tomato with olive oil mayo. I also had a cup of the cream of chicken and wild rice soup, very yummy! ( I did the pick 2) The parking sucked but I did find out they have parking in the back of the building also. The way the building is set up really sucks. It is hard to get through the table and lines of people waiting to order but well worth the wait. I can't wait to go back and try some of the other menu items! read more