Mendocino Farms

I’ve been a loyal Mendocino Farms customer for years, from downtown San Diego to now frequenting the Carlsbad location. The Farm Club has always been my go-to; it’s a sandwich I could count on for comfort, quality, and consistency. But last week, something happened that truly shook me. Midway through my usual sandwich, I noticed something moving. To my horror, a large bug crawled out from deep within the lettuce. I froze. I was halfway through, and suddenly shocked. I quietly let the staff know. They were polite, refunded me, and I left. I didn’t want to make a scene but the truth is, I couldn’t eat anything for 24 hours after that. It wasn’t just disgusting, it felt like a betrayal from a place I genuinely supported. I’m writing this not to cause trouble, but because something so unsettling shouldn’t go unspoken. For a brand that prides itself on farm-fresh ingredients and care, this incident was a serious breach of trust. I hope it was a one-off. But it left a lasting impact. I didnt take a photo because I was shivked but I am pretty sure that the bug was the one in the uploaded image.

Very good chicken parm sandwich, had a spicy kick to it! However it did take a little time for my food to get there, which was a shame

Great spot in Carlsbad for sandwiches. It was my 2nd time coming here and like the first time, it didn't disappoint. Sandwiches are amazing, salads are fresh and short friendly staff. It gets really busy during the lunch time, but guests are in/out pretty fast so never an issue finding a take try sit at. They have lots of sandwiches to choose from and also daily/weekly specials. Must try spot when you're in Carlsbad.

We ordered banh mi full sandwich and caprese sandwich with basil pesto macaroni so everything was great it just bread was extra toasted a bit I could taste the burn from it. Not sure k felt the quality has gone down for Mendocino to compare it in the past.

Went to Mendocino Farms when it was pretty busy, but everything was still good. Food was solid, and the staff was really nice. Diego helped me figure out the menu, which was cool since there were a lot of options. Only thing is the music was kinda loud, but that's probably just me.

Absolutely love the fresh salads, and the seasonal Thai Sweet Potato Soup was to die for. I’ve converted several friends to be Mendo Friendos - one of the best lunch spots around.

Great place to grab a healthy bit any time of the day. Food is fresh and clean. Place is beautifully decorated and staffed with very friendly and smiling humans. Menu is not huge but it has a good selection. Not so fried chicken sandwich is one the more popular ones. They also have seasonal options.

The food was great, but the service truly made the experience. Sarah was outstanding—professional, attentive, and genuinely welcoming. She made sure everything was just right. Employees like her are a rare find.

This is such a cool place! The food is healthy and delicious ! Many sandwiches . The service is take out counter and wait staff bringing food to table! Can order ahead also . I can't wait until it opens in Chicago I think it's amazingly good

Oh my word! Delish with zero disrespect to your health. You know how some foods e energize you and others make you feel blah. This place makes you feel like you are getting a treat yet you feel great after as well!!!! My work got them to cater... how have I not heard of this food?! My word I had to ask because yes please we want this for lunch while out n about. I had the Chimichurri Steak & Bacon on Toasted Sesame Roll Toasted $15.95 & Avocado & Quinoa Superfood Ensalada and Changed it to Chef's Recommended Dressing (On the Side) and chose Caesar Dressing (On the Side) $13.50 $31.73 total (work covered it, thank you work, confidence was incredible and your chose of menu was amazing as well) That was two meals for me. Expensive? Yes. But go get your McDonald's and you'll drop the same cash n regret it 2 bites in. So if you gotta eat out... go to this place! The crunchy quinoa on the salad.... Yes, give me this on all my salads please. You are getting such quality of each n every ingredient. You can literally taste the high quality.

Always love the food but today the execution was disappointing. Salads and to go orders stacked on the counters and next to nothing on the To Go pick up shelf. Everyone was hustling so something was wrong with the process. Fortunately Manager Diego noticed my disappointment, mentioned how busy it was, and made it up to me. I will now be back.

Had a delicious Chinese chicken (sub tofu) salad to go! These poor workers were absolutely slammed on a Friday after work, but they were still very sweet and had a good attitude. The salad was fresh and had quality toppings. Would definitely return to this location!

First, on Saturdays in late summer or early fall (soccer season) expect to see large numbers of teenagers and parents plus family. Decibel level about 8 counting young toddlers. Good news is the pretty outside deck. But, be prepared. Service today from Loana was exceptional. Smiles and let's get it done. Our order was slow and without blinking, she said what chips do you like. I said bbq and like that.... Comped. Lunch rolled out soon after with the same great attitude. Chinese chicken salad for Deb and a Farm something chicken delicious sandwich for me. Wrap up half, took my chips and said thank you. Huge parking lot with other options if needed. Nice experience even without cleats!

Very tasty sandwiches,soups & salads. Friendly staff. Fresh bread I had the Turkey avocado with salsa verde sandwich. YUM Very busy spot during lunch time. You will likely wait in a line. We all had something different & all were happy.

Excellent healthy fresh food. Went there for lunch with friends. Everything was very good. Especially good was the Lemon Chicken Farro Soup. I can't wait to go back and order it again.

I've been eyeing this place for awhile. The name just intrigued me. This Mendocino Farms is located in The Square at Bressi Ranch. There are plenty of parking spaces. The restaurant is large! I would call this elevated fast food. The decor is upscale with a modern farm look. They have grass on certain seats. They have a section for kids. They have a Foosball table outside. What a fun place. I came on a Thursday at 430p.m. They were not busy at all. The staff were laughing and playing around. It was fine. Sarah who rung me up was helpful and courteous. I was going to get the soup and sandwich combo but I asked her what was most popular. She recommended the avocado &quinoa superfood ensalada. Funny, I was going to get that at first but then after I was sold! The salad came in a plastic container. I was worried it was small and not enough, I was wrong. The salad was filling. I absolutely loved it. The salad had a smokey bacon flavor but there was no bacon in it. It was so good! I could've eaten more. The prices at Mendocino were reasonable especially since they make it to order. I will be back!

This place has great sandwiches and salads! Their salads are huge! Their customer service is great when they made an error on the order they immediately made it right.

Had to come here on a California trip! I used to work in the area, and this place was always a favorite. :) Definitely held up to the memories--yum! Had the new Sweet Peach & Goat Cheese Salad and Chicken Pesto Caprese Sandwich (to go), and both were delicious. It's a little pricy, but it's expected for the area. Their Pomegranate Mint Lemonade was so refreshing--a perfect summer treat. I will say, the lids were oddly ill-fitting for the drinks, and we almost spilled them several times because of it, so be careful!

Food was delicious! Our party had the chimichurri steak sandwich, the chicken caprese sandwich, the steak and bacon sandwich, the prosciutto peach and goat cheese sandwich, the turkey club sandwich and the Oaxaca potato salad. On the expensive side for sandwiches, however the ingredients were all super fresh and so yummy. The service was not the greatest...the people before us, their food sat on the counter for at least 8 minutes before someone came to serve it. At least 10 patrons walked by their food just sitting there, and the server also walked by at least 3 times and never picked it up to serve. We didn't want the same thing to happen to us, so we went up to get ours as soon as we saw it come off the assembly line. The girl who took our order was super sweet and kind. The guys making the food were hustling! The girl who served seemed like she didn't want to be there.

I love coming here--it's the only place I eat! Joanni is amazing and consistently delivers the best customer service. In a time when food quality elsewhere feels mediocre, I really appreciate the generous portion sizes and the great staff. Everyone here makes the experience worthwhile!

The food here is always amazing. Excellent service, the girl who took my order saw me looking at of the chips after we paid and told me it's on the house and to try it and enjoy it! they are my new fav chips now the ambience is always great as well, very clean and spacious

I love this chain and wish there was one closer to me. I enjoyed the Greek Salad, this weekend and it was so fresh and delicious. The patio was so chill and nice!

The salads are really good. They have decent sandwiches with unique flavors. The kids menus is affordable. This is a good place to order when you want to cater for a large group party somewhere. We have done that more than once.

Great grab and go place with friendly staff. I got turkey avo salsa verde sandwich and it was very fresh (despite them closing within the hour) and tasted well. They are located in a super cute area and if it is nice outside you can grab your sandwiches to the park nearby and enjoy a little picnic!

I haven't been here in a while, I forget that it's here. Today I received a national sandwich day buy one get one free sandwich code email and I knew what I was having for lunch. The order had to be placed online, so I used my mendo app, ordered and paid. Estimated time prior to my order was 23 minutes. After placing my order at 2:11 it said ready by 2:23. I'm about 20 minutes away, so I headed over. I parked in front no problem (it can be a big problem during certain hours), walked in and grabbed my already waiting order off the online order pick up shelf. Once I got home, I unwrapped everything and it was still warm. I have been craving thanksgiving food for some reason (a little early) so I got the November to remember sandwich (minus the cranberry chutney) and the Thai chili sandwich for a friend. Both of us really enjoyed our sandwiches. I'm a little bummed that the sophisticated chicken salad is no longer on the menu though. I imagine they would still make it if you asked, but today was a sandwich day.

This was my first time visiting Mendocino Farms, so I asked the cashier what was the best selling sandwich? She said the not so fried chicken sandwich. I ordered it, and it did not disappoint. Very tasty. My friend ordered a salad which looked really good too. Would definitely go back again.

This Mendocino Farms has the nicest outdoor seating of any of the other locations I have visited. There are many table or seating options spread out and some room for kids to play without disturbing other tables. The outdoor landscaping with succulents and mature dragon aloe trees is very nice. As a garden enthusiast, I can tell they're well taken care of. The indoor seating is also spread out and the faux turf seating is so fun. The wait to order and to recieve food at all Mendocino Farms seem long (since there's always only one person on the register) and here was the same but at least you can always get chips and drinks to munch/sip while you wait. There's a chalk wall to occupy little kiddos if you sit towards the back of the restaurant. All Mendocino Farms have good food but I noticed extra skill in the assembly of my Vegan Banh Mi sandwich. The fillings were generous and stuffed without falling apart. All the veggies and tofu were evenly distributed in the sandwich rather than added in clumps.

Literally everyone knows this place is fire. Tried the Impossible Taco Salad for the first time and it did NOT disappoint! So crunchy and full of flavor-- didn't even need to use the dressing. Just wish it had a TAD bit of spice. Got it To-go so it looks a little smushed but so much meat it it!! They did NOT skimp! The freggin one place that gives you good salad potions. Thank you!! Can get really busy at lunch time so be sure you put your order in early to miss the crowd.

Consistently good sandwiches and salads. Cute, family friendly ambience y meet up with friends and the outdoor area is nice if the weather cooperates. Service and staff is always friendly and attentive.

Great service at the cashier and friendly servers who delivered the food to our table. The Ambiance was inviting, the patio can be very windy and cold during the fall and winter months. My food was excellent today. Highly recommend the Chicken Farro Soup!

quality has gone way down. I used to go multiple times a week. got a salad the other day, multiple mistakes on my order and avocado had black on it - over ripe . disappointing for a $20+ salad. I've had similar experiences at other locations as well.

Mendocino Farms may be a chain but their food quality is very good. Staff (at the Carlsbad location) are very nice, helpful. My favorite is the chicken parm sandwich band I also like their Vietnamese pork belly sandwich. Very flavorful.

Ordered these and sat outside and listened to live music from neighbor business. Food was very good. I liked that Jacob waited on our area to ensure the tables were clean and taking care of a special situation we needed him to solve was a plus too!

First of all they removed the impossible taco salad from the menu. Second of all I ordered the new Baja salad but I specifically asked to sub in impossible chorizo instead of meat as I'm allergic to meat. Well when I got home I found my salad covered in chicken. Very disappointing. This happened February 2nd 2025 and I'm not sure I'll come back.

An easy location to access! Plenty of parking in the lot and almost never a long wait to order food. After ordering, find a table, and scan the QR code so the team knows where to deliver your food. Staff is friendly and welcoming! Many tables indoors and outside as well. We waited ~7 minutes for our food, super fast! I had the vegan banh mi as part of the 1/2 sandwich combo and had the spicy curried couscous as the deli side (medium). I devoured the vegan banh Mi. It's not fully traditional but it still had the right flavors and textures. Definitely what I was craving. I was also impressed with the couscous, especially since I do not typically enjoy couscous. The spiced curry made all the difference. So much flavor! Honestly could have gotten the small size for this side because this was more filling than expected. Can't go wrong with anything on their menu.

This was a grand opening so the place was busy, we went at lunchtime. l had the combo half sandwich and side. the Italian roast beef drew me in because of the Chicago style Giandinaire. It was served on a nice crusty sesame seeded roll. It was very tasty. I had the curried cous cous salad as my side. It was chilled and a bit firm, but once warned up outside it was very tasty with a little spice. My friend had the Peruvian Chimmicurri steak sandwich. She liked that but said it was a bit spicey. Would definitely try again I'd in the neighborhood.

Fresh, quality food with speedy service. I'd come back here in a heartbeat. Lots of options for everyone.

Wanted to add that we had their food for lunch and the service was much better. Less of a wait time and using their app to pick up an order is much faster than using Uber Eats pick up. You get points on the app as well. They are extremely busy at lunch time, so appreciate your hard working staff!

love their food- however.. 2nd tome ordering and ask for NO TOMATOES- how hard is that

Came here with the family today. Myles provided excellent service and went above and beyond to ensure we were well taken care of. If more places had employees like Myles, we would all be way better off. Thank you for making just a normal quick lunch be such a great experience. Give that man a raise!

If you sell a salad for $16 would it be hard to fill the container up with Romaine and Kale? I mean it probably costs the restaurant 20 cents but yet they chose to skip even after I mentioned that the portion was so tiny. The takeout container was half full. Really cheap and lame and why?

Everything was delicious and tasted fresh. Sandwich was flavorful with nice crispy bits that make the sandwich taste like a fried chicken sandwich. Couscous was delicious with mild spice. Don't skip on the cookie, it's soft and chewy! Got the not so fried chicken sandwich, spicy curried couscous, and oatmeal raisin cookie.

Very nice place not fancy but nice. Diego is the star of this place, fantastic customer service. Had the steak sandwich and if you like a little spice ad the salsa Verde as a side. Overall great spot to grab a quick good meal.

Absolutely love everything on the menu. Always a great place to grab and go too! Perfect for lunch.

Food was so good!!! If you're looking for healthful, fresh, tasty options then look no further! The restaurant was not super busy, but still clean and welcoming.

I called inquiring about some changes to the menu at around 4 PM today and spoke with a man on the phone who was so kind, knowledgeable and helpful! I order from this Mendo frequently and have always LOVED the food but the kindness and helpfulness I experienced today was truly top notch customer service. I wish I got his name but wanted to give him and this Mendo location a huge shoutout!

Their sandwiches are simply terrific here. The ingredients are extremely high quality. Gourmet food is what this is. The Chimichurri Steak & Bacon sandwich is fantastic. The steak is thinly-sliced, tender and delicious, the bacon adds a nice crunch, and it's gort onuons, roasted red peppers, romaine and, of course, chimichurri. We also tried the Oaxacan potato salad. I'm sure it has no relation to Oaxaca whatsoever but it's creamy and tangy. It's also seasonal so try it while it's still around. Excellent food here. Expensive but worth it.

I've been here multiple times and have had multiple amazing experience in all facets. From the second you get here, the very welcoming staff provides exceptional customer service until the time you leave. The ambiance is always clean and great whether you want to sit inside or in their outside dining area. The food is always on point! I always create my own salad and recently tried the cookie, which tasted amazing! I do not recall her name, but the woman manager who took our order was amazing and helpful our first time there. 10/10, love this place!

This review is long overdue! My husband and I love Mendocino Farms, the food is fantastic and service is always top notch. In December, my company had a holiday party where I booked food for X number of people but what showed up only fed about 3/4 of my team. In a panic to find more food to feed the remaining hungry employees, I rushed over to Mendocino to see if they could accommodate a large group order on short notice. I spoke with Vanessa who assured her that they could make it happen. They whipped up food for 15 people within minutes and did so with such grace and understanding. Thanks for saving the day! Somebody get Vanessa a raise.

Today's visit to Mendocino's farmers Bressi Ranch, turned out to be a great experience ! We ordered from the new menu, made a mistake, but the manager, Sarah, graciously replaced it with the right item. We' ll definitely be coming back again!

Zero stars got food poisoning eating a turkey sandwich also I have gone there several times in the evening and have extremely loud Mexican music with workers dancing with each other I am sure that they stop sanitizing and cleaning because they're too busy dancing

Mendos is my fav sandwhich spot and has been for over almost ten years I'd say. The food is the freshest quality of any sandwhich shop imo. I love the lemonade bar and the basil pesto side salad is delicious. My go to is always the farm club. Today did not disappoint. The staff was so amazing too as it was my kiddos bday and they gave her a choice of a free item to make her feel special. They always help you out and are so kind. The vibe here is special because it can be low key on your own or at one of the huge party sized tables. There are games and greens or relax by the fire pit on couches. We love it

I recently went to Mendocino farms for dinner and I got the chicken parm dip. It was so so good! I got it with a side of pesto and it was so yummy! The service was also amazing at this location!! Everyone was very kind and attentive and the manager Diego was super super helpful. I really enjoyed the music they played as well! Overall it was a great experience and I will definitely be back!!

First time here. Ordered a couple of things through their Android app for pickup around noon - which was a big mistake. Around lunchtime during the week, the parking lot at this location becomes impossibly full. So many corporate types walking around with their shiny leather shoes and knit sweaters. Luckily there was an open 15-min temporary pickup parking in front of Casero Taqueria so I snagged it and walked across to Mendocino. Holy hell Batman this place was packed. To the brim. People were spilling over. Upon entering I noticed a big sign pointing to the right for pickup orders (or DoorDash, etc). The pickup shelf had like 50 bags on it, but they organize it by your name so I easily found mine and walked out with it. What if I had picked up a few other bags too just for the hell of it? I mean, anyone could walk in and just pick up a bag...doesn't seem like a great system. Or maybe I was supposed to check in? Who knows...didn't get stopped. When we got home, we opened the goods: * Pink Lady Beets & Goat Cheese Salad * Peruvian Steak Sandwich My wife said the salad was one of the best she's ever had...like ever. I tasted it and damn, I might have to agree with her. The sandwich was kind of a mess. My mistake for ordering a hot sandwich knowing it would sit on counter for 15 minutes before I could pick it up, then drive 30 more minutes to get home. I had to re-heat it. It tasted good, but the aji amarillo sauce had basically drenched right through the bread. I ended up eating it with a fork. Overall, I would definitely come back and try some of the other less-messy sandwiches. Everything looks good here and they appear to change it up over the season which is really nice.

Came by for a quick lunch but got stuck in a very slow moving line. Maybe this place should consider fielding more than one cashier to speed things up? Besides knocking off one star for service, the food was overall good. It was an international assortment of sandwiches, salads, bowls and soups with their own take. We both got the pork belly Banh mi which was served like a panini on ciabatta bread. The pork belly had a good taste and complemented with pickled veggies and a sriracha mayo. Not original but satisfied the tummy. The spicy potato salad was creamy and chunky with a mild kick. Overall ambiance was nice with lots of indoor and outdoor seating. Close to our Carlsbad office it's a good option as long as I avoid the lunch rush hour or order ahead.

Yummy sandwiches! Easy no frills. Ordered take out from here recently and had a nice experience. Menu has enough variety but not overwhelming. Easy to read and choose. Got 2 different sandwiches and shared. The size could be bigger. I liked the flavor and creativity of the sandwiches. Clean place, staff is nice. Parking can be hard depending on time of day.

I ordered the chicken elote bowl here and got a side of the impossible patty. Wow, it was flavorful and delicious! Cassie took my order at the front and was helpful and very polite. I felt taken care of and she answered all of my questions. The actual dish had a lot of depth and a number of fresh ingredients including yogurt, chicken, red sauce, wild oats, and a lime wedge. The impossible patty had some green bits in it, not the garbage you get at White Castle, boring and fake meat. But a nice well-considered burger that's marinaded and handmade. Exceptional and very meat-tasting. The bathroom was also extremely clean and well-maintained. I can't wait to try the other things on the menu! If you FORCED me to complain a bit it would have to be about the chips (weird flavors - dill?) and the cookies, which looked dry and uninspiring. And the line was getting long as I was coming in, and they could've used the benefit of another cashier. But what an exciting restaurant. Great decor, great food. The kitchen is open concept so you can see everyone working and the ingredients are in full view!