CAVA

This was me and my family‘s first time trying this place out. It definitely exceeded my expectations ! The food was amazing and the team is very friendly . A special thank you to the management! Paradisea and xavier for the hospitality and the great food recommendations. I will definitely be coming back in the near future.

Food is exquisite. Customer service is top tier. Friendly people and great vibes. I love Jerry's attitude and smile.

Today was my 1st time having cava and ot was great.. The customer service that the cashier gave me was awesome I didn't get his name he's African American love your attitude thanks

I loveeeee this location super customer friendly employees I was attended by Paradise she also helped me when I first tried this place too and exceeded my expectations for my bowl she was super patient and answered all my questions. I came back just for that reason. The food is amazing and was super fresh, great service I was attended very fast, location was clean lots of juices to choose from and the place is super clean. Definitely will keep coming back keep doing what you’re doing!!

RAW CHICKEN SERVED HERE. Pickup wait time almost an hour past scheduled time. We watched around 6 lines of full people pass up ordering, yet a group of 10 of us were waiting and waiting for our online order. The girl at the front was rude when asking about our bowl, no one wants to wait over an hour for a cava bowl or we would have gone elsewhere. We then go home and started eating both our bowls and we realized we were served completely RAW chicken and noticed AFTER eating a few bites. We didn't notice due to our toppings but this chicken was completely raw, not even just pink. I was horrified when I saw what I had just eaten. Even a few bites made us severely sick with food poisoning. Just because you're short staffed and behind on orders, shouldn't mean you rush cooking time. This could land someone in hospital. The location is dirty and unsanitary, trash overflowed everywhere, and really needs to sort this out. The staff looked so stressed out which should have been a HUGE red flag that standards were not being upheld. The reviews show that this isn't a one time event, or random short staffing even, but rather a continuous and dangerous issue. Go to any cava BUT this one. This is so dangerous and unacceptable.

Love Cava! I work on the road and it’s always my first stop for a healthy meal. Carmel Mountain staff are great!

On a Friday evening, only 2 sauces available, drink dispensers empty trash overflowing to counters, also no forks. Outstanding issues leaves a negative experience for your customers. I hope management addresses issues or hire more passionate employees. Hit and miss with this location.

Healthy food and great options, but definitely can use a lesson or two in cleanliness and how to give good customer service. I like that they give options to customise the bowls, but their portions are smaller compared to other similar food-chains. It’s also absurd to charge for a literal spoonful of dip where other Mediterranean restaurants offer it for free or for a lesser cost or provide at least a decent sized portion. I have a very mixed feeling about coming back to this restaurant.

Auri is the goat, very caring and provided great customer service. Give her a raise. The food was limited as it was before close but she was very helpful

CAVA is like the Chipotle of salad. So many choices to choose from. I ordered a Harissa Chicken Power Bowl with the following crazy combo: Half HarHon Chicken Half White Sweet Potato Half Super Greens Half Arugula Fire Roasted Corn Pickled onions Tomato + Cucumber Kalamata Olives Salted-Brined Pickles Sumac Slaw Side Hot Harissa Vinaigrette Side Skhug Pita They are surprisingly tasty, with flavors that explode (sweet, sour, bitter, salty, spicy, and savory). The portion was generous. I didn't think that I would finish this big bowl of salad but I went through it so fast and was yearning for more. Since this was a to-go order, I couldn't wait for an in-store order where I could choose even more yummy sides.

Super disappointing in many ways. Went to Cava around 5:30pm when there was one other family dining. This location was a disaster. Trash all over floor, trash full, tables dirty, and out of a large amount of items. Out of Tzatziki, multiple greens, chicken, pita crisps, pita, and multiple dressings. It was crazy- there's a sprouts next door- at least fill the greens & produce. They were scraping tins to get a half scoop (and were going to serve it as a serving), and most other sides. They scooped more cucumber & tomato water out than the actual food into my bowl. My jaw was on the ground to see that this was acceptable. They had to go back to the 'to go' line to add one item at a time and they were out of a ton. The response, "yea- it was a tough day." ‍ Honestly, we should have walked out. The most disappointing part was there was about 10-12employees (looked like shift change) and since it was super slow- not one employee was trying to get ready for the dinner crowd. They were standing around and could have at least cleaned up the restaurant or refilled what they could from the back. Super disappointing to get half a bowl with bad customer service. Boo Cava!

I always order through the CAVA app and the food is always ready by the pick up time. My go to is the harissa chicken bowl and lately I'm now obsessed with the kid's pita wrap. The kid's pita wrap is actually the perfect portion and with tax it only came out to $8.03! This also includes a small drink.

Do not order ahead because you will be given a small portion. Please see image below. I've always been to this CAVA and when I'm in the line they serve me regular size portion however I ordered ahead and 1/4 of my plate is missing.

I already feel robbed of my time energy and money enough I wont make a long review and get straight to the point. Serving size was half the bowl when I got a lot of stuff on my bowl. Don't go here if you're actually hungry. Can't stress that enough.

I went to CAVA for the first time after picking up movie theater tickets. I got lunch and was very impressed with the service and the quality of the food. I had the build your own bowl. The variety was plentiful and the bowl was delicious and healthy. I wanted to leave a generous tip for the obviously hard working employees but they don't accept tips! There was no to jar or place on a receipt to add it. They certainly deserved a tip but it was a little refreshing to know that they worked hard for their salary only. I will be back and I highly recommend this place.

Stopped by for an after 1pm lunch. Most tables were full and maybe 1-2 people in line. First time here and we got three things -greek salad -steak pita - steak bowl - plus honey harissa chips They ran out of chicken and when I asked the girl how long she asked a cook and then told me it would be a long time. I think it would have been more appropriate and appreciated if I was given a time frame (15mins, etc). Got steak instead. Tables were dirty but no one was cleaning them so I asked for a towel to wipe it. A nice girl came out about 5 mins later to wipe and clean tables. I would come back here again but maybe just do take out or come earlier. Really loved the pita chips and my family enjoyed their meals

Mmmm I LOVE CAVA!!! DELICIOUS FOOD. I took my mom here for mother's day because she wanted a salad. The line was long, but it went pretty fast. A lot of sitting room. They need to be better at cleaning the tables when people leave. I had a strawberry mint drink, BOMB!!! Highly recommend if you never been!

I'm updating my review from 2 years ago. The food is still excellent but the service went from friendly to not nice at all. The lady serving us said we couldn't have a 2nd small piece of pita bread only 1 unless we wanted to buy the whole pita. We've been getting 2 since the beginning and of course we offer to pay. She was very dismissive. When taking our order she was abrupt. We watched her with the customer in line behind us and she was even more rude to her. We will most likely not visit this location anymore

Amazing portions for the price! Good flavors and variety of toppings when building a bowl. I will say I think it is on the saltier side, but still very tasty. The cookie was great as well.

Stopped by on a Friday afternoon, it wasn't busy about 5 people dining in. No one was in line but it took almost 5 mins of me standing there to get acknowledgment and served. I ordered the harissa honey chicken pita, it's my favorite. The chicken is so good. The serving size was generous, the pita was big, I didn't know how I was going to bite into it. But I was starving so I finished it. There were lots of empty dirty tables. They didn't have any forks available and didn't bother asking because I was hungry and just wanted to eat. This would be the 3rd location I've visited, service and cleanliness may differ depending on the location but that doesn't stop me from going because the food is always great!

When Chipotle started catching heat for shrinking their portions, my wife and I switched over to CAVA. At, it felt like a great move. The food here is delicious, especially the harissa chicken, and our first few visits left a really strong impression. The bowls were packed to the lid, flavorful, and satisfying. Unfortunately, over time the portions have noticeably dwindled. These days, it often takes one or two extra paid add-ons just to get the same amount of food we used to get by default. It's disappointing to see the value decline like this, especially when the price hasn't followed suit. Another recurring frustration is with mobile orders. More than half the time, the sauce is missing.... and the sauce is half of what makes CAVA so good. I've learned to double-check my bag before leaving, but that really shouldn't be necessary. On one occasion, they said they had run out of the sauce I ordered, which is understandable but they still sent out the bowl without including any sauce at all. A simple substitute would've gone a long way. I really want to keep enjoying CAVA, but consistency and attention to detail have slipped. The food itself is still great, but the experience just isn't what it used to be, at least at this location.

Worst customer service I've ever been to, no one says hello or acknowledges you. All the employees seem miserable... finally an employee asked what we wanted with her back turned to us! When she turned around it was like we offended her. Then god forbid I asked for "Extra Chicken" her response was "this isn't a buffet" wtf? Food is energy and this place has the worst energy.

Came here for lunch with a friend on a weekday. Lucky for us we beat the lunch rush. We sat down and suddenly there were over a dozen people in line but the line went fairly quickly. This is like a Mediterranean version of Chipotle. The have their signature prepared bowls and pitas that you can customize or you can build your own bowl/pita/plate. I ordered the lamb meatball pita. I added the spicy harissa sauce to mine. The pita was pretty tasty. My only complaint would be that there was too sauce so the pita was getting soggy. And messy to eat! I might have them go light on the sauce next time or give me it on the side instead. There is a nice selection of juices too such as Blackberry Lavender, Cucumber Mint, Pineapple Mint, black tea, lemonade, etc. Love the cucumber mint juice. So yummy with a little bit of sweetness! I think I had three cups of it. Lots of seating inside with a nice outdoor patio in front. Two clean public restrooms.

Cava is soso good. I love the harissa and the eggplant dip. Their fiery corn is amazing. The pita chips are really good too.

Cava in Carmel Mountain has quickly become one of my favorite spots! If you're looking for a fast, customizable, and flavorful meal, this place is so good. It's like a Mediterranean version of Chipotle where you stand in line and select what you want as you go. The harissa honey chicken is my go-to protein--it's perfectly tender with a slight kick of spice that's just right. I recommend going for a bowl, which seems to be the most popular choice here. I love loading mine up with all kinds of toppings. My favorite is the pita strips. They add the perfect crunch and flavor to the bowl, and honestly, I could eat an entire bowl of just those! Cava is a great option for a quick, satisfying meal that doesn't feel like fast food. The fresh ingredients, bold Mediterranean flavors, and customizable options make it a perfect option for a quick and healthy meal.

Food 5/5: I loved my bowl, you create your own and so I choose everything I like Service 5/5: the guy making my bowl was super kind, he explained everything that I had questions about and was super chill Ambiance 5/5: Tons of seating and space, the prices are a little expensive but worth it in my opinion

I've been to several CAVA locations... and this one was just not it :/ I ordered a grilled chicken grains and greens bowl- and it tasted as if it had been sitting for a while. The food was lukewarm at best, and the rice was soggy. I also noticed that the pita chips were crazy salty- seasoned excessively. I'm disappointed in my food, especially after paying nearly $20. If you're in the area and want quality mediterranean, I recommend Greek Corner Café (across the street!) or North Park Produce (poway). I won't be back.

I totally agree with some bad reviews here. This place is absolutely dirty and the staff is horrible. I asked the staff to clean the table to which he came and made a watery mess on the table that we ourselves had to clean. Bathroom was out of order too. Management should absolutely look into this location's staff. They pretty much have a dont care attitude.

The food is always yummy!! Would always come here after a work out and the food is always fresh!

The food at CAVA feels more like a Mediterranean version of Chipotle. There are so many ingredients mixed together that you lose the actual flavors, and the quality doesn't match the price. It's also not a true representation of Mediterranean food. I wouldn't recommend it if you're looking for something authentic.

The food was so refreshing and delicious! Perfect for any weather and such amazing customer service! I came at lunch time so I wasn't sure how it would be but Auri and all of the managers were so kind and helped me sign up for rewards for free food! I definitely will be making this a regular stop!

Amazing experience. I love Cava. For the last 3 years I've been craving this place at least once a week. This location is super clean and faster than the rest in the area. Carolina, the manager is very attentive and friendly. The food just hits the spot!

Came in today with my kids for lunch and had such a wonderful experience with Brian! What an awesome worker Cava has, burst of great energy and friendliness! Also, the gentleman at the register with the glasses was great as well, didn't catch his name. The cinnamon chips with honey is delicious and I loved the jasmine iced tea as always. Thank you!

Super friendly workers!! Awesome food and line went by pretty fast. i'll be coming back!!

LOL, after reading the first 10 reviews nothing has changed! Tables are sticky and dirty with a few team members behind the counter wandering around, but could have been cleaning the tables. Lentils were undercooked and crunchy, forget about getting a drink to go! See photo

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!!

This location is always pretty crowded, so upon walking by one Monday night and seeing it pretty empty I took the opportunity to step in. It was empty save for like a couple or two. Cava is rub kinda chipotle style but for healthy bowls. I decided to go for the falafel bowl. I didn't know much about all the options to opted to have to made the way it is on the menu. The bowl was pretty meh. It could be my fault because I liked could have customized it to be more to my taste. The falafel itself was pretty sad, I'd complain about the small amount they give you, but in my case it didn't matter. It was just pretty tasteless and needed whatever they have that could give it more of a punch of flavor. It was however healthy lol The service was ok. The guy who made my bowl looked like he wished he was anywhere else doing something else and I can't blame him, sucks to be on your feet working. Anyway, he was friendly but I don't care very much given I'm not going through the line to get my smile fix for the day. The restaurant itself was surprisingly filthy. All the tables were dirty and the trash was overflowing. The soda machine wasn't working, although I didn't care much about that either because I didn't fancy a soda. I wanted water! They did provide water and free cups! Fancy! So in all it was just a meh experience. I know lots of folks who absolutely LOVE this restaurant (especially the La Jolla location), so maybe I just had an especially off experience? I will probably end up coming back to give it another chance. I just can't accept it being so meh given the many fans they have...

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 !!

Great, healthy and delicious food! I was happy that they had great service, and friendly employees. I'll go back again!

One of the better CAVA locations in SD! Service is very fast and friendly, I never have to wait too long in line. And they give you large scoops of meat and overall great portions! I never feel like I get shorted here. I love their mediterranean flavors, I've never been disappointed with a bowl. I'm a true CAVA girlie, I actualy stopped going to Chipotle because CAVA is miles better in every way! I love to do a build your own greens and grains bowl with: - saffron basmati rice - super greens - grilled chicken - dips: crazy feta, harissa, any of the hummus, or tzatziki - toppings: cabbage slaw, extra pickled onions, cucumber, pita crisps - dressings: garlic and skhug on the side! - don't forget the free pita

CAVA is one of my favorite places to go for a quick and healthy meal. You can basically call it the Mediterranean version of chipotle. Ordering styles are exactly the same. What I love about CAVA is there are so many different ingredients to choose from and it's so fresh. Their falafel is soooo delicious. I tend to get my bowl pretty standard (without the add-ons). With a side of pit bread it comes out to less than $13. I honestly prefer it over Chipotle any day.

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

Best new find for me! Great shawarma, generous portions, reasonably priced, and my friends enjoyed their various vegetarian and chicken-based bowls, which they chose to design with the many fresh Mediterranean ingredients they serve. The manager, Brian, came over to check on each table and ask how they enjoyed the food, which made the experience feel much classier than a fast food place, even though the delicious food arrived fast and was created by an assembly line style server team in front of us, like Tender Greens or restaurants like that. I will definitely go back. I had planned to take half of the food home when I saw the huge shawarma wrap, bit it was too good--I ate it all! Will definitely go back!

Visiting from the Bay Area, this was the first meal I had in San Diego for the week. I'm shocked to be trying CAVA for the first time. The place was pretty crowded on a Friday around noon, and our party of 3 had to fit facing out the window as those were the only seats available. I got half chicken half sweet potato (seasonal special) with tzatziki, hot harissa, and eggplant, and mostly everything else other than olives. It was so satisfying, non-bloating, and tasteful. I don't think I can ever go back to a Costco salad. Please come to the Bay Area in NorCal!

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.

This place quality has gone down a lot. Today we order and our rice was undercooked and the meat as well. They are always running out of ingredients too. We used to love cava because of how clean and delicious the food was but lately it has gone down.

Great fast-casual spot for build-your-own Mediterranean bowls and pita wraps. You pick your base--greens, grains, or pita--then choose dips, proteins, and toppings. My go-to is the grilled chicken bowl with tzatziki and feta; flavors always feel fresh and balanced. Portions are solid and customizable, which is ideal when dining with friends who all want something different. The space is bright and welcoming, and even during the busy lunch rush, the line moves quickly. Staff are upbeat and helpful, offering good recommendations and keeping things efficient. Not perfect every time--on crowded days, they can feel understaffed, which leads to slower service or messy tables. But the food quality makes up for it, and it's a healthy, flavorful option that's hard to beat for quick Mediterranean. Solid choice for a satisfying, fresh lunch or casual dinner.

Went in at 1:00pm, during a busy lunch rush. Brian was amazing at keeping the line moving and had a great attitude while doing so. GO BRIAN! Carrying cava on his back.

So I will start with the positive. The food is great and as many have stated, it's a chipotle style build your own bowl type of place. The food is generally good, healthy and a good value. That's where all the good ends, though. Every single time you go in the staff is rude, the restaurant tables are dirty, and the employees could care less about being friendly or being helpful. It's not going keep me from going, but if I had my choice I would go to a different CAVA, as I hope this is not the experience at the other locations.

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.

We stopped by for lunch while shopping in the area. Overall a positive experience! Cava is the Mediterranean version of Chipotle. You go down the line picking your food items and can mix and match. You can get a wrap, bowl, or salad. There are a lot of protein, sides, dressings, and topping choices. I found the bowl to be very filling for a reasonable price ($12-14). The food was fresh and tasty. The restaurant is very casual with both indoor and outdoor seating. The parking lot is large but fills up quickly during busy hours. My one suggestion is to have multiple workers on the line. I was there around 11am and one girl was doing all the food and the cash register. There were only 2 people ahead of me but I ended up waiting 10 minutes to be served. During the lunch and dinner rush, I could see this line easily backing up. Definitely willing to stop by again for the food portion and price!

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.

The service was questionable in the beginning, but the server was clearly in training like come on this was not a well timed training for a busy day. She skimped me on the rice as well as my companion, like come on the rice is not that expensive just give me more! However the did recover with the portions that they gave me. I will be watching from afar for this places growth. From, Food reviewer Logan

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.

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.

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

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