CAVA

THE "CHIPOTLE" OF MEDITERRANEAN (4 stars)I needed to see what the hype is about because there always is a line. Order what you want and walk down the kitchen line selecting what you want to add in - like Chipotle. Seems to be putting Tender Greens out of business.- FOOD: good and fresh- PRICE: fair- SERVICE: good- AMBIANCE: nothing special :: ORDER :: BUILD YOUR BOWL - 1) BASE - went for both greens (romaine lettuce) and grain (rice) 2) DIP - you can choose three: traditional hummus, roasted eggplant (my fav of the tree), and Tzatziki 3) MAINS - Steak Mezze 4) TOPPINGS - fire roasted corn, Persian cucumbers, purple cabbage slaw, fiery broccoli 5) DRESSING - Lemon Herb Tahini. Okay, it tastes way better than it looks in the picture. An abundance of flavor and texture. It was really good that I didn't even need to add in the dressing - it would good without it. The steak was cooked nicely and cut into bite size pieces and that protein paired well with all the fresh greens and flavored veggies. I also had a slice of their pita and their pita was yums. Very fresh and soft. HIGHLY RECOMMEND STRAWBERRY CITRUS ($3.60) - self serve drinks. Do not pass up on their drink section! Their strawberry citrus was sweet with a little tart but refreshing! Very much a strawberry lemonade but their take on it. HIGHLY RECOMMEND:: SERVICE :: The service line moved fast and they aren't stingy filling the bowl. After that, everything else is self serve. Serve yourself a seat/table. Serve yourself your drink. And the tables... are indeed dirty and not wiped down so you can also expect yourself to serve your own cleaning. Until the next review...

This place is bomb. You can tell just by the freaking line that goes out the door. For that reason - I order directly from the app, do some wandering in the mall, and by the time my shopping is done - I got my food ready. Get the falafel - just amazing for a chain - with whole garbanzo beans inside. Their humus is also worth a shoutout - it makes the Spicy Greek salad pop. But you can't go wrong with any of their salads. Staff is fast, efficient, and friendly. Even though the line gets long - they take the time to explain all the choices to the 'less observant'.....

Tried Cava today in Mission Valley. line was long so I ordered food to go pick up. Didn't take long at all. However, the chicken I got in my order was so dry and burnt there was only one piece that was huge and meaty the rest were like end of the pan type pieces. The salad itself tasted good. The first time I had Cava my partner ordered it for me from the location in UTC and it was fresher and he drove it to me. This was supposed to be fresh and it wasn't really. Their cucumber lime drink also needs more limes or they should have some on the side to add in.Will return, but they need to pay attention to more of what they're putting in the salads to go.

First time coming and there was a line out but it gone down pretty quick. I love how this place is just the Mediterranean version of Chipotle. Custom make your bowls or order what's on the menu. I preferred to custom make mine. Since it was my first time too, they were kind enough to give me a small sample of the meat just to see how the flavor is. I do like how they have many choices of greens to add on as well. My bowl had a mix of greens and rice, two diff. Meat which cost extra since I did get the steak and lamb. I like how there are extra sauces to add on as well. I really liked that hot harissa one too! Should've got extra of that. And I liked the many choices of their fountain drinks and juices. I really see myself coming back because whatever else I put on the bowl was just amazing.

My boyfriend and I wanted to end our day at Sunset Cliffs. We thought it would be nice to grab some food while admiring the gorgeous views and have a a cute picnic! We decided on grabbing Cava! This was our first time trying out Cava and we fell absolutely in love! We customized our bowls and they tasted so fresh and flavorful. It was insanely delicious and I'm so sad we do not have a location back home! This was the perfect meal to end our day with. It wasn't too heavy on the stomach but was very filling! We will definitely get Cava again the next time we're in SD!

There's nothing actually "fast" about CAVA. The line is 30 min MINIMUM, for precooked food where they keep reducing the portions and upping the price. Ever since being bought out by private equity CAVA as a company is just alllll about the shareholders and stock price, which is a shame. While they are making bank they are forcing their sick employees to work. I don't want a lady coughing and sneezing all over my food! I swear I got sick after eating here. Severely understaffed, for a reason. They also always skip your free pita. It's frustrating because it's one of the only healthy places to get a big meal, I hope they clean up their act soon, until then PEACE!

I kept hearing about the CAVA hype through social media and friends and I am pleased to say that the hype for CAVA is worth a visit. I came to cava around 6:30 with some coworkers and the parking lot was very busy so just a tip you are planning on visiting during the week at that hour, try to park in the back of the lot as soon as you turn in. The line was out the door and there were many people outside enjoying their meal and only a bit of indoor seating left. The staff here is friendly and clearly working fast to keep the line moving quickly. The ambiance here is welcoming.After a short wait, maybe 10 minutes, it was our turn to order and I got a custom bowl. I got rice as my base, the harissa honey chicken for my protein, humus, and some veggies. I got their pita chips on the side and a lemonade. I was super excited to try my bowl and upon the first bite I was obsessed. The flavors in the bowl are there and after a good mix everything becomes even more flavorful and delicous. The pita chips were the star. I am not sure how they make them but they are so crispy and have a delicous flavor. Definitely get this over the regular pita. I am so happy with my visit and can't wait to return again. 10/10

I'm writing this update as a plea to CAVA: PLEASE open another location in San Diego!! The Mission Valley location is great but the lines are so long, and even ordering ahead on the app requires waiting after your arrival time. Plus I feel like the rushes affect the quality of the food. I think everyone would love another location! (please! i'm such a Cava girly and prefer it over Chipotle!!)Despite it being super busy, the employees were super nice! A group of us were waiting for app orders and they asked out names to make sure it was being made. I'm appreciative of them doing that.I think most of my previous review still applies, except a greens + grains bowl now starts at $12.05 and of course certain meats are extra. On my last visit, I got extra chicken and my bowl was about $17. bowl+topping recommendations- greens: super greens- grains: saffron basmati rice- protein: chicken (I like harissa honey chicken too but it's extra)- dips/spreads: tzatziki, red pepper hummus, crazy feta- toppings: pita crisps, tomato and cucumber, pickled red onion- sauces: my ultimate faves skhug (an underestimated spicy green sauce), and garlic (super strong and flavorful)!!! I get it on the side

Went to Cava with my bf and we both got pita wraps. They slopped on so much sauce, it was soggy and disgusting. On top of that, a couple bites in, I found a long blonde hair in my wrap. I got my money back and coupons that I will never use. Definitely will not be back.

5 stars super nice manager and great service with amazing food. Highly recommend! The team there is super nice and super helpful I would definitely be going more often