I couldn't wait to try Cava for the first time because I love me a build-your-own bowls type of spot. Their toppings and sauces selection is great. Standouts for me were the pickled onions, sumac slaw, and pickles. For dressings, I enjoyed the balsamic date vinaigrette and hot harissa vinaigrette. That said, service was really slow and the staff wasn't friendly at all. They moved around with zero urgency..Also, they don't automatically offer you the complimentary pita, so be sure to ask for it! The upcharge for steak or lamb is a bit steep too IMO. Overall, still a healthy and satisfying meal, just wish the service matched the food. Bring Cava to NorCal! read more

CAVA - Grilled chicken grains and greens bowl - Mediterranean Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

Food not ready when ordered from app. About 5 people also waiting for pickup orders and were there before me. All the workers moving slowwwwwwwww like molasses. Obvious management issue as nobody seems to know wtf to do. Don't come here if you're in a hurry :) read more

I flew out for Derby day to attend the 2026 Taste & Toast located at the Marriott in Palmetto, Florida. My friend and I were on a mad hunt for a fascinator to go with her dress. Although we had no luck(I already had mine) we did hit gold by noticing a restaurant called Cava. She asked if I've ever heard of it and told me she had read good things so we tried it out. Hallelujah!!! Everybody pause for a praise clap.... When I tell you that this is Chipotle meets Mediterranean(close your eyes and imagine)Now open your eyes and know that this is 10x better than what you thought!!! Yes please, yes, yes, and some more yes!!! The line started to get crazy long and it takes a minute to get to the front to order but be patient because good things come to those wait! The servers don't rush you, offer suggestions, and answer any questions. Perfect for any dietary, super fresh, and extremely tasty. What more could you ask for other than more because it's sooo good. The inside is super clean and this location opened this year. They have bowl recipes you can choose from or you can create your own. They also offer a variety of fresh juices. The serving size will surely fill you up and I think I actually enough to share. The only problem I had is that there isn't one near me! read more

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Discovered my new favorite bowl at CAVA! We needed to make a pit stop during our road trip for gas and a quick bite. We wanted something on the healthier side and this CAVA location is conveniently located next to a Wawa just off the interstate. We got gas first and I was shocked to find that Wawa did not have a changing table in the bathroom. Thank goodness CAVA has a clean family restroom with a changing table so I could change my son's diaper. My husband and I ordered some of their signature bowls for lunch. I got the Harissa Avocado and my husband got the Steak Harissa. Both of these bowls are a bit spicy and pack a punch, and we loved them! Mine in particular was just so fresh and I loved the jerk style chicken and crazy feta dip. It had just the right amount of spice. I also appreciate that their bowls are pretty big and I can get 2 meals out of it. This will definitely be a regular order for me. Bonus points that they also had a clean high chair readily available for our little guy! read more

Got the spicy chicken and avocado pita. The pita is soaked in juice making it very soggy. All of the toppings are put on taco bell style, just blobs of topping. Then to top it off they put a half of an avocado right in the middle. No slicing, just threw it on there. Whoever is made this doesn't give two shts read more

More like three and a half stars, due to inconsistency. I eat here almost once a week. Sometimes every other week, Needless to say I do eat here a lot. Sometimes my meal is outstanding, and other times it's meh. Sometimes portions are super skimpy. Sometimes portions are plentiful. There are times the rice is dry and hard. And other times it's fluffy. What keeps me coming back time and time again, is the kids meal. The perfect amount of food for lunch. Definitely give the kids meal a try. read more

Customer service from cashier Grace was horrific. She had absolutely no people skills, not accommodating and was rude. Thank goodness a very courteous worker Grayson, was able to intervene. Food quality was good. read more

CAVA - Mediterranean Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

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Had a great experience at Cava--Marietta helped us out and her customer service was amazing. She was super friendly, attentive, and made everything easy. The food was delicious and fresh. Definitely recommend! read more

CAVA - Build your own Greens + Grains Bowl - Mediterranean Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

Food was so delicious, it has an amazing combination of great flavors!!! The strawberry citrus drink is my favorite and the other drink options are very good as well. The service was excellent very friendly and attentive along with the cool and calm ambience that serves an awesome stupor for delicious food !! Will be coming back very soon. read more

CAVA - Kids Classic Pita Chips - Mediterranean Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

This was my first time trying Cava, and I was genuinely impressed! The flavors in every bite were incredible--so fresh, vibrant, and delicious. My boyfriend was just as impressed, and it's easy to see why this place has such a great reputation. We did take-out and the restaurant was so clean, which we really appreciated, staff were nice and helped us with our take-out. It's definitely worth the wait for a meal that tastes this good. I'm already looking forward to coming back and trying something new! read more

I love CAVA, but my review and stars are specifically for this location. I am currently in line awaiting pita chips after already waiting 30 mins to even get my order taken. I have been here for about 45 mins at this point, and the line is consistently bottlenecking due to workers not staying in place. I would understand if the issue was that the location is understaffed, but with 6/7 people there is an efficiency problem. There is a lack of understanding or training during peak hours where employees are not staying in place but instead consistently moving around to do other things. I do not think it's an employee issue, but a training issue as all things they are doing do seem important, but it's not more important than the person standing in front of you. I would challenge the management team here to have better training for their employees on how to operate during peak hours. read more

This is a great healthier option for quick service. You can customize your bowl (base, protein, veggies). It's Mediterranean cuisine. I ordered the steak harissa. It had a good kick to it. There are plenty of tables inside and a few outside. Again, a good option if you have just a 30 minute break. Will be back to try the Greek chicken. read more

I've been coming here for the past year and every time I go the staff are very friendly and the food is always fresh . They also give out amazing portions. This place is the reason I stopped going to chipotle, I highly recommend read more

Very good, quick and healthy. I opted for all veggies and it was very good and filling. read more

CAVA - Mediterranean Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

Jojo was an amazing person and is the miracle person we all need!! We are a frequent customer here and we ordered delivery and they forgot all of our toppings. Jojo ordered us our food again on her personal device despite her being written up for the same thing previously (which we believe is absolutely ridiculous she was just being a amazing manager) she still went out of her way to make things right. Jojo deserves a dang raise! We appreciate her going above and beyond. read more

CAVA - Mediterranean Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

Definitely would not recommend. Food not kept at proper temperature, wife got sick 1/2 afterwards. Hidden up charge on proteins, not listed on menus. Employees place fresh toppings on old! read more

JoJo the manager here was an absolute savior for our order she took what was going to be a 1 star review and turned it into a 5 star review! I ordered 2 bowls and got a lot of toppings however when they got delivered they only had rice, lentils, and falafel in them. I called the store and spoke with Jojo, who endlessly sought to fix the situation. She sent me a whole new order for free with everything I asked for in a note of where to get my refund from. She was an absolute savior and fix the problem that came from her employees very well. We really need more people like JoJo in this world. She's a great person and handled the situation like a true professional. Our order that came after that was spectacular and cooked to perfection. Thank you so much once again Jojo we really appreciate you!!! :) read more

CAVA - An incomplete order - Mediterranean Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

This was my first experience eating Cava. I was definitely impressed. The food was delicious. The service was fantastic and he provided a lot of recommendations being it was my first time. The location wasn't dirty but it could have been a bit more tidy. I definitely recommend trying! read more

CAVA - Mediterranean Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

I havent eaten my food yet and it might taste good. But the amount of time I have spent in the line is RIDICULOUS. More than 30 mimutes for a healthy Chipotle? Stressed attendants, 2 people behind the counter. This is insane. I am sad, because this seems like a great restaurant. read more

Marietta is a rockstar and absolutely runs this store like a champ! If she is not an owner I will be surprised with the way she carried herself and the restaurant!! Great first experience and highly recommend read more

We have given this place so MANY chances and the food quality has went downhill unfortunately. I have had a few stomach aches after leaving and so this was my last time eating here. The portions have decreased drastically and the place usually has dirty tables and chairs. The service varies depending on who's working and unfortunately one day they'll have military discount and the next they won't. Overall the food is inconsistent with undercooked rice and cold chewy pita and it's extremely OVERPRICED. I wouldn't recommend this place at all. read more

Ricardo was the best. He was so sweet and quick on his feet. Excellent customer service, he just gained 3 regular customers. Slay Ricardo

NEVER have to go orders ready within even a half hour of when they say they do. Constantly forget items. Embarrassing compared to any franchise I've been to. read more

Bad service at this location. Also, charged for extra rice, but didn't get any extra. The food was yummy tho. read more

I really love and enjoy Cava at University. It's the perfect combination of delicious food, an awesome teamwork that shows how efficient and kindness offered every time I come. Good vibes and atmosphere makes me feel happy, comfortable and welcome! I want to recognize in this case Jessica the manager, Ricardo and Bautista for being so amazing. Cava has a treasure with them! Today and always appreciate it! read more

I like the idea of Cava, but I admit that I haven't loved the execution. I have been to the CAVA in South Tampa, and today, I went to the Sarasota CAVA. I wanted a quick lunch that was diet-friendly. Mediterranean food done Chipotle style meets those criteria. Today, I tried the Chicken Rightrice bowl. The bowl included grilled chicken, hummus, cucumbers, feta, pickled onions, tomatoes, arugula, Rightrice (basically a higher protein/fiber starch) and Greek dressing. I thought it was pretty tasty but VERY salty (I had similar feelings about my experience at the Tampa CAVA, but on that visit, I built my own bowl. This time, I hoped that their pre-designed bowl wouldn't be as salty. Nope). Service is fast because it's pretty much Mediterranean Chipotle. I thought the ladies involved in preparing my food and ringing me up were very friendly. I wouldn't call this a destination lunch spot, but if you are in the area and want something fast that isn't fast food, it's not a horrible choice. Just be prepared to drink a lot of water afterwards. And maybe ask for the dressing on the side so you can regulate your salt intake. read more

I love Cava, but they didn't add a lot of things that I ordered on my bowl. The portion was also so tiny. I'm so upset, I paid $15 for this. read more

CAVA - Mediterranean Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

I tend not to leave bad reviews but this is necessary. The food is always excellent. The last three times I've been in, the customer service is nonexistent. There clearly is no leadership at this location. No one addresses you when you walk in, the staff stand there on their phones or talking with each other and although they are just standing there not working, they takes several minutes before they even walk over to start making the bowl. Today, multiple staff just walking around, talking, phone and vapes in hand. Seemed like more of a hangout and we disturbed them. Cleanliness was also a concern. One staff member coughed and did not cover their mouth, as well as, cross contamination with their gloves. I see the gloves issue every time I am there. This location really needs some professionalism and customer service improvement. I would go to different location if one was available. read more

Potential but not as good as similar places. The reason is the appearance of some of the protein choices on a weekday at 5:30 pm. In my opinion, the falafel balls looked dried up sitting at the bottom of the metal serving container. About 5 of them left. Very dry and not fresh looking. The shredded lamb sounded good but the lady said there was not even a full serving left and the "fresh batch" would not be ready at the time I was there. The "cubed chicken" looked unidentifiable. It looked like something dry and I honestly had no idea if it was cut up eggplant or what. When asked I was told chicken. To the right and left of the "proteins"appeared more full containers and perhaps fresher. Nothing had a cover on it. Not certain if that is important. My opinion is that you can go to similar places such as Hummus Bat 70 th street which is delicious or a bowl place near home goods and get similar style foods. This place needs to step it up!!! You've got completion here in SRQ. read more

FINALLY NEW MANAGMENT! Took a chance and decided to get Cava since it's been a hot minute, and I was surprised to find out they're under new management! Hooray! My order was taken quickly without any issues (chips were already too so I didn't have to wait, glad they finally realized they needed to make them ahead of time) and the people who helped me were so sweet. Apparently they didn't have a manager for a while which explains why organization and service was so poor. Stoked to be able to add Cava back to my rotation for takeout. YAY!!! read more

CAVA - Built my own bowl & got the pineapple mint tea too. Not pictured is the pita chips (highly recommend) and the complimentary pita. Yummm! - Mediterranean Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

As many other people have stated, the service here is terrible. Completely forgot one of my salads on a delivery order.

An Okish take on "Mediterranean Chipotle." Nothing amazing. Would go there again, but definitely not my first choice. They didn't have a lot of the options available, so that was disappointing. I suggest the build your own bowl so you can make the bowl to your liking. read more

CAVA - Build Your Own Bowl - Mediterranean Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

I hate to pile on, given all the other negative reviews, but...this Cava was beyond "meh". I got the sweet and spicy pita wrap. It was way overseasoned, really wet (falling apart wet). Ugh. I asked to have the wrap cut in half to make the sloppy mess easier to manage. The response was lukewarm at best. Cava in St. Pete gets 4.5 stars on average. This location gets an average 2.2 star rating. There's a reason for that and management should be paying attention. read more

Cava at University Parkway is terrible! To speed things up, I placed an online order for pick up. 20 minutes past time the pick up time, I was still waiting. In the meantime, customers were walking in, placing an order getting and having them done right away. An online customer who placed an order before me returned several times due to missing items and problems with her order. Another customer standing next to me, was supposed to get his order 15 minutes before mine was still waiting with me (35 min late on his order!). Had I walked in and placed an order I would have been in and out much quicker. They are very disorganized and provided terrible customer service. I will go to cava at other locations, but not this one. read more

This is my fourth time ordering from this establishment via DoorDash, and every single time, my order has been messed up--either missing items or completely incorrect. One time I ordered steak and received chicken, and they consistently mess up the sauces or toppings. This place isn't cheap either; I'm paying around $30 each time just to get a messed-up bowl. Because it's the only tasty, healthy option in my area, I keep giving it another chance, hoping for better--but the results never change. Whoever is running or working at this place seriously needs to learn how to read and properly fulfill orders. It's unacceptable to repeatedly get things wrong, and I shouldn't have to keep requesting refunds because someone isn't paying attention to the details. read more

SO AWESOME!! the lady that helped us was beyond helpful and so kind. and the food is AMAZING!! love love love this place

Cava always hits the spot. Normally I always hit up chipotle but forgot how good cava was. The line moved quick and the people were so kind. I sat down and they had made too many chips so they came on over and asked if I'd like to try some. Service was phenomenal 10/10 I'll be back ASAP! read more

Cava was incredible. I was so impressed by their service and the quality of their food. Filling and fresh. Their lamb meatballs and honey chicken blew me away. read more

CAVA - Lamb meatballs and harissa honey chicken - Mediterranean Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

I had wonderful service and a delicious meal with my little family. Lucia I believe her name was, treated me very well (; would def recommend! read more

The portion sizes are amazing here and the food is delicious. I always get the Mediterranean pita wrap. SO GOOD.