Surprised to see negative reviews here since I had a great experience! I ordered online and was a few minutes early to pick up my food. While I waited, two different employees checked in with me and let me know it was almost ready. Another gentleman (maybe the manager) offered me a free drink while waiting. Everyone behind the counter seemed friendly and was working quickly and it was very clean inside. We ordered a build your own bowl and pita, each had plenty of protein and all the toppings were fresh. I love how many options there are to choose from and that you can get more than one type of sauce/dressing - both vinaigrettes are so good and the feta sauce was my favorite! We will definitely be back soon. read more

CAVA - Build your own Grains Bowl - Salad Near Me - San Marcos, California

Cava is so good! Definitely filling! A little pricey for sure. But so worth it What I usually get Got the bowl : -basmati rice or brown rice -Chicken/steak -Hummus/crazy feta/tzatziki -Corn/tomato+onion/tomato+cucumber/Persian cucumber/ feta and pita crisps -garlic dressing/ tahini Caesar/ skhug read more

CAVA - So good - Salad Near Me - San Marcos, California

Pretty disappointed on my overall experience tonight my husband and I came with intentions to have a great night and a great meal, but our server who took our order, had the worst attitude and made us feel extremely uncomfortable and unwelcome into this establishment! This was our first and last time at this cava. The kid stated his name was robby and seemed as if he genuinely just did not care at all. Im one to always give someone the benefit of the doubt but after working a 16 hour shift and coming to get dinner I feel like i waisted my time and money for bad service, a messy line, and sad cava bowl read more

CAVA - Salad Near Me - San Marcos, California

Big fan of Urbane Cafe, however it was somewhat late and the were closed. Now it was either In-N-Out or Cava, and because I was trying to keep a late meal semi healthy, CAVA it was. It was my first time there and what could've been an overwhelming experience was made easy by Dom. Dom helped explain the process of ordering and broke down the menu great. Food was absolutely awesome. Will definitely be back. Thx Dom! read more

This CAVA in San Marcos is not that good the staff is rude. Not a great place like the one in San Diego. Food was par the staff seemed upset when I asked for avocado. All in all not a great experience!!! read more

Last night, I finally got to try Cava in San Marcos out. There is plenty of parking available. My friend and I arrived around 3pm and soon after it became really busy. I opted for a half salad and half grain bowl. I was super excited about being able to add as many toppings as I wanted however soon became disappointed that they were out of many toppings (pickles, cucumbers, and pickled onions). We were also not provided with the pita that comes with the bowl. The staff did appear to be a bit distracted however I understand, it's a new place, they are busy and hopefully soon they'll be able to catch their groove. Now for the food. It was very flavorful. The harissa is spicy but adds a nice flavor to the bowl. Will I try them again? Yes, in a few months. Once all the quirks of a new business have been figured out. Nice outdoor seating area shared with Chipotle. read more

I am never one to write a bad review and I love CAVA the company but this location is very messy the floors are not swept all the tables were dirty and my grandma asked Robby one of the workers to wipe off the table and he didn't say anything wiped it and went back to what counter with an attitude, then again my grandma said "oh it's dirty around" and he looked at her with a blank stare and said "ok?" and walked away and ignored her. I've worked jobs like this and customer service is important there was no " I'm sorry" or "let me get on that" I wouldn't have complained but just the sheer rudeness is what bothered me. #dontbemeantomygrandma :( read more

CAVA - Salad Near Me - San Marcos, California

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This place is new but is managed extremely poorly and has the slowest people working there. The food is not bad, but make sure you plan on waiting forever. And if you ask for napkins because they have none available, they may call you rude. read more

CAVA - Maybe they should take care of this at 5:30 PM? - Salad Near Me - San Marcos, California

Food was great but the service is mid. They are not very friendly just transactional.

Melissa and ashley took very good care of me !! i didn't know what to order but they helped and guided me through these tough times.

Oscar the line person was super helpful. He was really nice and attentive and made sure we felt welcome. I love when people show love for their job. Our food was also delicious and we got great portions. 10/10 read more

CAVA - Salad Near Me - San Marcos, California

Food : I am little dissatisfied with the quality of making the salads and the lettuce is so hard core so I didn't finish it . Make sure you prep the lettuce is fresh not old . I order half vegetable half chicken there was no chicken and avocado that I asked then paid for it for much more than I thought . Service : was decent need to be organized and prepared nicely and correctly in a self manner . I would like to pay for the worth and if it's not correct I won't being coming back . read more

CAVA - Salad - Salad Near Me - San Marcos, California

I had a great experience today around 4:30pm and wanted to provide a tip. Unfortunately I understand they don't accept cash tips so I'm leaving this review. The gentleman who helped me (I think his name was German? I wish I could recall), offered me to try a small sample of one of the meat options (vs filling my bowl with all of one protein) so I could choose my favorite for next time. Such a pleasant surprise as it's rare these days to find companies focused on the customer experience. Thank you! read more

CAVA - Salad Near Me - San Marcos, California

Food is delicious! Fresh and lots of options. Highly recommend. Variations are many and price is fantastic! I'll eat here again and again. For those of you not familiar with Cava, it is a Mediterranean version of Chipotle and offers great choices of healthy food. Every Cava I go to is busy. This is my top spot when I travel and I'm delighted we have one in the neighborhood. read more

Excellent food! Very fresh & healthy with a lot choices. Large selection of unique beverages too!

Everything was good! The service was great, and you can customize your order to how you want it! The restaurant was clean and the staff were nice! read more

Came for lunch and had low expectations since I had friends give so so reviews. I've never been and never heard of this chain until they arrived to San Marcos. Met a couple of friends that wanted to try and never had a Cava experience. They have a decent menu with several options including build your own. I opted for the chicken and rice bowl. Since my order was already "fixed" my bowl went quickly down the assembly line versus my friends who chose to build their own. I don't know if I was hungry but I devoured my bowl. I enjoyed it. Loved the pickled onions and flavors all mixed in. Nice portion that left me satisfied but not overly stuffed. My friends enjoyed their built bowls as well but mentioned it was a bit pricey for what it was. The place can get busy inside with a line extending along the wall but there is outside seating. Overall, I'd go back and bring the hubby and kids for a quick meal. read more

CAVA - Chicken and rice bowl - Salad Near Me - San Marcos, California

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Delicious, fresh, tons of choices for all. We loved our lunches. And to top it off, no tipping!!

Melissa and Micheal were super friendly and gave quick service and helpful insights on what to pick for someone who isn't too familiar with Mediterranean food. I ended up getting the braised lamb with Jasmine saffron rice with lots of flavorful sauces and toppings. The food here was great, super flavorful and big portions. It also was a really pretty place to sit and enjoy a nice evening at. They also gave me cinnamon pita chips on the house which was super sweet of them! read more

CAVA - Cinnamon pita chips and build your own bowl - Salad Near Me - San Marcos, California

I went in today at 2. There were 3 people in line and 2 people standing around in the back with one employee doing everything up front. They were out of almost everything and the guy working alone doing register was also doing the food without changing gloves or taking them off. The station in back looked like it hadn't been cleaned (realistically) since before 11:30 when they get busy. So that's hours of bacteria all over that station, also it looked like they were using the same cutting board for all types of meat, so your chicken has some lamb bacteria from hours ago in it. The man claiming to be Manager (but not offering his name) was there and said they were "understaffed" however there were 2 employees standing around not helping get the line moving. I had enough time waiting in line to think about it that I walked out. I couldn't bring myself to pay for food poisoning read more

CAVA - Gross abandoned work station with people standing around not cleaning or refilling toppings they were out of - Salad Near Me - San Marcos, California

Their bowl barely had food in it. To be paying $25, I'd at least expect some more rice or more vegetables to fill it. Good amount of steak, but lacking the extra fill. Was also expecting to get a whole pita rather than another quarter sized pita if you're charging almost $3 for it. I also ordered ahead and waited about 20 min in the car and when I walked in to check if it was ready, they didn't even start on it. Tasted like chipotle and I would've gotten WAY more for the same price. Will consider going back if changes are made. read more

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I've ordered takeout from Cava in San Marcos three times now, and every single time, my bowl has been missing items I specifically selected--and paid extra for. It's way too pricey to be missing everything items every single time and what's worse is there's no notification or heads-up when something's unavailable. They just hand you the food and let you walk away with an incomplete order. If certain items aren't in stock, the app shouldn't even let you choose them. Super frustrating and disappointing because the food is great read more

CAVA - Salad Near Me - San Marcos, California

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Came in today for dinner delicious as always! Micheal was great he was so friendly and welcoming even came to our table to check in on us which was a special touch. read more

I was not expecting to try out Cava tonight when I was looking for something to eat but boy I am so glad that I did! It was my first time and the staff had such an incredible energy! For coming in at 8:40 at night they were in such high spirits and going above and beyond. As a food service manager I tell you these are the people you want on your team! The food was very tasty too! I want to special shout out Ashley, Isabella and Alan for being so hospitable and making my first time at Cava amazing! read more

This place desperately needs NEW management!! My sister and I were so discussted from what we saw waiting in line we waled out as we got closer to order. The beginning if the food isle had plastic dirty containers stored with pita bread, visible for all customers. The salad station was dirty and a big mess. Walking out of the line, I saw the entire food isle looked worse than the salad area. The meat section had meat all over the counter and everything looked so dirty and unsanitary. There was food all over the counter from beginning to end and nobody cared to clean it. My sister and I walked out so fast, we have never sern anything so bad and disgusting. We went next door to Urban Cafe and that was clean and delicious!! read more

If it's your first time going to CAVA, don't. I told the employee serving me that it was my first time and asked for patience, but she wasn't patient at all. With so many toppings and flavors I had never tried before, I asked for a recommendation while building my own, and she wasn't helpful. I also had no information on the food being served, which I assume is Mediterranean. I was building a pita but didn't know what usually goes in one--obviously, I wouldn't add rice if that's unusual, but no one explained anything. This location is new to the area, yet it doesn't feel welcoming to people who have lived here. The staff making the bowls and pitas should be able to guide new customers better. Unfortunately, the customer service is nowhere near what you'd get at Chick-fil-A or In-N-Out. read more

Food was good but overpriced considering the place wasn't clean and customer service was minimal at best. Staff still expect tips but does nothing to create an enjoyable experience worth tipping or even returning. Just another shitty chain trying to pass themselves off as Middle Eastern. read more

I've been to this location 3 times now. Always the same issues. Thought it was bc they were new and figuring things out, but it has been almost 4 months now. Cmon guys. That's not an excuse anymore. Management seems non-existent. -The most disappointing thing about Cava in SM is they are constantly out of things at every single station. When it's not even close to closing time. Not acceptable. -Emps are not welcoming or friendly and lack any urgency. -Takes a long time to go through the line due to extreme disorganization on the staffs part. Doesn't seem like they have a system in place. -With the 10 employees working at once, you'd think at least one would be in the front cleaning tables. But no, always dirty tables. That said, the food in general is good (when they have the things that you go in to get.) But the other stuff makes me not want to go back for a while. I'm rooting for the to get their shit together bc this would be a great addition to the area. read more

Love their food! The bowls and wraps are made to order with so many toppings to choose from. Every time I come here, I get to vary the taste of my bowl. We visit almost weekly. read more

Love the food here but honestly the service is a mess. Last time we went the place was so smoky I had to sit outside and wait for my husband to order in line. It's a bunch of kids running the place that look completely clueless. They're just chatting and goofing off. Didn't have felafel ready when I ordered it. Had to wait for them to make it cuz the boy that worked there said he forgot about the felafel on the menu. Hire some older people to help get their act together. read more

Whoever is running this location needs to be fired. I love Cava but I always avoid this specific location. They are ALWAYS out of more than 3 toppings and also accept online orders without letting the customer know that half of the ingredients they ordered in their meal aren't included. Completely unacceptable. Staff is friendly. read more

Our lunch at Cava was terrific! George was so patient as he explained the menu and prepared our order. The manager Michael was very pleasant and gave us some delicious cinnamon pita bread as an surprise treat! I highly recommend this spot for a healthy and delicious meal! read more

Diego is very kind and helpful. Offers a very professional and friendly vibe, and was quick to provide service. He was helpful and answered my questions, and made sure I was satisfied with my order. Stoked! Thanks Diego. I'll be back for sure. read more

Food tastes great. Their system is broken. They are extremely slow , disorganized on the line and people standing around waiting as they don't have a process for ensuring orders can flow through building properly. Prepare to wait a lot longer than you should. read more

Workers are amazing and always hook it up. Shout out to that alan guy whos always providing good service, and especially the general manager who let me have a free meal when my apple pay was having technical errors. Food was great as always definitely a must try read more

I love Cava, I'm a newer customer but the service here is pretty bad and it's kinda crazy. Today is a prime example. I chose steak because they said it was ready, it just needed to be chopped. There were literally at least 10 employees behind the counter not doing anything/ helping anyone while I waited for meat to be chopped. I ended up asking if I needed to choose another protein even though I could see the steak sitting in the bin waiting to be cut. There were no other customers in line and my bowl sat at the end of the protein spot while I waited 6 full minutes while employees just chatted and walked around and did random non customer focused tasks. read more

I love cava so much! The staff is always so kind! My bowls are always made to perfection! But what truly always makes my visits stand out is the exceptional service provided by German. He is attentive, knowledgeable, and friendly, making sure our orders were just right and answering all our questions about the menu. His passion for the food and dedication to customer satisfaction shines through in every interaction. I will always look forward to getting my cava bowl! read more

CAVA - Cava Bowl - Salad Near Me - San Marcos, California

Gavin & Lindsey who worked last Friday night on 8/8 were so nice and delivered great service!! There was one more guy back there and we appreciate him too!! We got there at 10:20pm before they closed at 10:30 & they were so patient with our order! We're newish to Cava so they really walked us through our order and did so with so much grace. We did the half normal chicken and half honey hot chicken bowl with all the hummus and sauces and it was so good!! Still great quality even though it was towards closing time! We heart you guys Cava!! So happy with this new location! read more

A free wrap for being kind! I already loved this place, but after this experience I will be coming back weekly. A simple conversation led to the employee giving me my wrap for free. I can tell you my next corporate event will be catered by Cava. Thank you Ron! Kindness spreads kindness. Loyal customer for life read more

Happy New Year's Day! Crew was working very hard and all were very helpful. I just gave into the "first time here" and was treated with "happy you're here and I will help you." They helped our bowls and pita right along down the assembly line style topping bar, making suggestions and loading us up with savory tastings and making it amazing . I would definitely go back and try another meal. We took ours Togo as the patio was chilly outside but we did see several guests dining in with their meals read more