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CAVA

4.2 (290 reviews)
InexpensiveMediterranean, Salad
Closed • 10:30 am - 10:30 pm
Updated 3 months ago

Order CAVA Takeout or Delivery

CAVA Photos

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CAVA ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Casual
Moderate noise
Good for kids
Good for groups

Recommended Reviews - CAVA

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Reviews With Photos

The Splendid Greens Bowl!...w/ Chicken & Lamb Meatballs!...plus a ton of fresh veggies & Strawberry Mint Lemonade!!  Thumbs Up!!
DON C.

You can never go wrong with this place!...It's fast, healthy, quality ingredients and most of all...delicious!! Even during the pandemic, I travel quite a bit back and forth from my office in the Arlington VA area to an office in DC for work; and often times in need of  "healthy" fast food options while on a limited time window for lunch. CAVA has slowly become one of those places that fits the bill. It's fast food, on the healthy-casual tip. The meals are definitely filling and the portions are more than enough for two to almost share in my opinion.....but, trust, there's no complaints there by me or my inner-fat kid belly! The food at CAVA is very fresh made of high quality ingredients. The meats, sauces and dressings are seasoned and has really good flavor. I have been to several CAVA locations around the city and they all are good....and the consistency is there too! This DC location is no exception to this observation too.  I typically get the the Splendid Greens & Saffron Rice Bowl with a mix of lentils, hummus-harissa dips, couscous, plethora of veggies...all with the Spicy Lamb Meatballs!....It is nothing but the truth!!  A healthy gospel of goodness in a bowl. This and the braised lamb has truly become my favorite proteins of them all.  It is so tender, juicy and full of flavor! In all, CAVA is an excellent and tasty meal at a great value --considering its the healthy way to go.   The price point is very reasonable given the large portions. The service is fast, friendly and efficient. * Yelp Elite Insider TIP: I am such a fan....in that I use their app frequently to earn rewards, discounts and free meals!  Also, you get a free bowl ($9.00+) credit for your Birthday!! Amen to that!!!!

This was the bowl BEFORE I started to eat. Shrinkflation?

I love Cava and have been to several locations. I ordered from here via Doordash and was sorely disappointed to receive either a half order or just a skimpy portion. Thing is, they especially skimped on LETTUCE! Many DoorDash reviews for this location have a similar complaint, so they know it's an issue and haven't fixed it. Go to any other location.

John B.

It's been several years since I've been to a CAVA (in my defense, I was almost 10,000 miles away for most of that time). CAVA didn't used to be a fast casual brand; it used to be they had more traditional restaurants (a few of which still exist) and sold their products in specialty grocery stores (which you can definitely still find). However, it seems the fast casual model has really taken off for them, probably because they do it so well. They've got locations all over the area, and the country, but this one sitting right next to the Metro is eminently clean and convenient. A bowl offers such a bevy of options that are nutritionally varied and delicious. Plenty of vegetarian/vegan options are available, and they ask if you want a small pita with a bowl but otherwise you can easily be gluten free too. You can get grains or greens of several varieties, and their default option is to mix. Since my last visit, they've added black lentils as a more permanent "grain", which I accept despite the botanical inaccuracy because eating steamed lentils makes me feel better about eating all that hummus and cheese. It's all good though, and the customization options let me get what I want (crazy feta, hot peppers, couscous) and none of what I don't. They were slow on making falafel for some reason (while their other proteins were all plentifully sitting there), but I was not in a hurry and I was happy to get it freshly made. I do not remember their falafel being this delicious, but it had a soft interior with some whole chickpeas, just a bit of crispness on the outside, and a flavor that mixed perfectly with harissa. Not only that, but in exchange for the wait, they offered me (and the other falafel-interested customers in line) a free fountain drink. Thumbs up for customer service!

Grain + arugula bowl! ($10)
Kelly P.

My love for CAVA is as endless as the ocean and I'm so not ashamed of it. I used to go a lot during my summers in DC and would actually crave it when I was back in LA. I always do a grain bowl with greens, falafel, harissa and regular hummus, shredded lettuce, pita crisps, and feta. For a meal under $10, it's super filling and tasty and very quick! Ingredients always seem pretty fresh and you can normally be in and out in about 30 minutes! The fresh pita is also always really good - it's soft and warm and makes the bowls that much better! Would totally recommend if you're in the mood for fast casual mediterranean food! It hits the spot and maybe you'll be dreaming of your next cava meal like me!

avocado

I always love ordering CAVA for lunch. It is always on time and they always get my orders right. They have good costumer service as well when I go order in person. Overall 10/10 definitely recommend.

Falafel Bowl, Brown Rice , Fresh Veggies ,hummus & tahini Dressing
Elias A.

I came in to this store location on 23/08/21, I was amazed of how fast the service was & to add also, how great the service was in general, I Love Cava Table & I always order the Falafel Sandwich, but This was a Cava Grill , So I had Jade assist me in helping me choose a alternative to eat & as to my regular menu , she recommended me this flavorful bowl & I loved it just as much ! thank you to her, As a customer who also worked in the food industry all I can say is, this store is Definitely well run by its Gm , will be back for sure.

Gary G.

We wanted to try a nearby restaurant although they closed earlier than we thought so my wife mentioned Cava which she had been to with co-workers. I was unfamiliar with the place and what it was about but did the...oh crap it's one of those complicated places. Pick this or pick that, choose one of these, or you can pick one by name. A newbie stands there for about five minutes trying to figure out the menu and then just goes for it. It wasn't just me as my son in college did the same thing trying to figure out what to order. I couldn't tell you what I ordered if I had to repeat it other than it was meat, cheese, vegetables, and a sauce on a pita bread. They folded it over to be like a taco but it was a mess and fell open as soon as I set it down. I took a bite or two and it fell apart in my hand. It was good...and fresh...don't get me wrong but it was messy. It's not necessarily a hands only meal and it's not cheap either. They have six juices and assorted sodas but they're not your typical Coke or Pepsi products. I tried a Strawberry Citrus juice to start and it wasn't bad, although not very sweet. I also tried the Classic Lemonade which I found to be better tasting. There is seating but all tables were occupied so the three of us asked a guy if we could share a table as it had six chairs. My wife enjoys the place but I'd probably try something else if given other options.

$11 for this? Come on Cava. Do better.

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2 years ago

Bertha is amazing and the food is too notch... clean and healthy environment. I live coming here for lunch when I'm working over here

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5 years ago

Great Staff! Gerardo was so friendly and helpful while taking my order, it was fast and efficient, it was just great!

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CAVA Reviews in Other Languages

Gypsy Kitchen DC - Assortment of Small Plates & Cocktails

Gypsy Kitchen DC

(1k reviews)

$$

Gypsy kitchen This…read moreplace is quite good. I really love the charcuterie board and the cauliflower was amazing. This was the first time I've been impressed by charcuterie from a restaurant. The Spanish cheese (Mahón) along with the crackers and mustard sauce was superb. All the meats had their own characteristics and unique flavors but the jamón stood out to us the most. It even went well with the sauce that came for our cauliflower dish. It was fun piecing the components together to make unique tasty bites. I would come back just for the charcuterie alone. The drinks we got were Angelli's Ferrari along with the espresso martini-ish. My favorite was definitely the Ferrari one, but the espresso martini was super mild and had a slight coffee flavor. Good for people who like very light coffee. The Ferrari one was very bright and had lots of fruity notes to hide the alcohol. For entrées, we had the shakshouka, crispy, cauliflower, and brunch pork belly. Out of all these the cauliflower was definitely my favorite; super light with good earthy flavors and nuttiness and acidity from the lemon. The brunch pork belly was good too. The meat was perfectly cooked, but I found the beans to be a little bit overwhelming. I'm not a fan of baked beans personally so that might've been my fault for picking the dish, but I still did enjoy it and the pork that was well cooked made up for it; definitely for someone who likes beans. Shakshouka was very hearty with a lot of tomatoes and red vegetables in general. If you like lasagna or any sort of tomato spaghetti dish, you will like this one. I found this to be a bit much though. I was slightly tired of the flavor at the end. Just be aware it is a bit spicy. We had a pear tart for dessert. Honestly, it reminded me of an apple pie and it was good, but I think that some of the other desserts would've been a bit better. Had a lot of sweet cinnamon notes along some crispy flaky dough from the outside. It was an interesting take but it was still good. The atmosphere is great here; we had seating on the second floor, so it was different from the busy first floor. Very relaxed and there's a lot of natural light coming around which made everything feel very welcoming. Our server was also super friendly. I will definitely be back at this place

Brunch !! We had a…read moregreat time & enjoyed the ambiance of the restaurant very much! We went on a day they werent very busy, so that was a plus, but our service could have been better. They forgot one of our benedicts & when it came out, it looked smaller than the other one. My main issue is that they promote that they have vegan options, but they really do not. The crispy cauliflower is about the only thing that is vegan on the menu. While I do occasionally eat meat, most everything had dairy in it & I have an allergy. We ordered: Crispy cauliflower-- 8/10 Spanish Benedict-- 9/10 Steak & Eggs-- 6/10 Lamb Hummus-- 10/10 Mimosa-- yum! Espresso Martini-- 8/10 Passionfruit Gin-- 8/10

Agora DC - Cauliflower**

Agora DC

(1.8k reviews)

$$$

Dupont Circle

I've been here twice now and have had a great experience. I recommend getting a spot on the outside…read morepatio if the weather is nice. It is covered and you can watch all the Dupont atmosphere pass by on the street. I'm a big fan of Mediterranean food. And it didn't disappoint. They were also really good with kids as my partner and I have 5 year olds. They not only have kids menus but crayons and unique coloring activities that were perfect for our son and daughter. We ordered the dip sampler, the grilled chicken and manti, which are dumplings stuffed with meat and topped with cream. The kids loved the pita bread, as did their dads. The pita was so delicious and we kept dipping it in the complimentary olive oil with black olive tapenade. The dip sampler was good, but we didn't love all the options as part of that mix like the red pepper dip or the fishy roe. Finally, the wine selection is unique here. It consists of a lot of Greek and Turkish wines. We aren't as familiar with this regions o appreciated our server allowing us to taste the wine before committing. Overall, service was attentive and they did a great job checking in with our family. I'd definitely recommend this spot. It's a higher end place on the strip!

The vibe? Immaculate. Think warm lighting, gorgeous bar seating, and just enough "I'm chic but…read moreeffortless" energy. The kind of place where you accidentally stay way longer than planned. The food? Delicious across the board -- and definitely made for sharing (or pretending to share while guarding your favorites ). Every dish felt thoughtful and flavorful without trying too hard. The spread platter is a must. Shrimp was yummy-- wish more came with the dish. Lamb was succulent. Chicken kabob was grilled to perfection. Manti was yummy. I loved the baklava. And can we talk about the hibiscus spritz?? Beautifully balanced, refreshing, and dangerously easy to keep ordering. She's pretty and she delivers. 10/10 would return for the ambiance, the bites, and a little sip-sip moment

Ottoman Taverna - Adana Wrap (beef spiced and grilled) and substituted in vegetables.

Ottoman Taverna

(893 reviews)

$$

Ottoman Taverna ended up being a great choice for a Saturday night with a larger group. It was not…read moreoverly busy, which created a nice sense of calm and made it easy to settle in and enjoy the meal. We ordered a spread including the cold mezze sampler, cauliflower, moussaka, lamb shank, branzino, and the combination grill platter. The food across the board was strong with no real complaints. The cauliflower was the standout for me and easily my favorite dish of the night. The meat dishes were tender and full of flavor, and everything felt well prepared. If I were to go back, I would probably explore more of the hot mezze. The cold mezze sampler was good to have, but it did not feel particularly unique, so I could see skipping or rotating that out in favor of trying something different next time.

I've heard a lot of good things about Ottoman Taverna, so a friend and I decided to give it a try…read morefor dinner. Overall, it's a solid spot for Mediterranean food, but there are definitely some trade-offs. We both started with martinis, which we enjoyed, and opted for the "A Trip to Turkey" set menu, which felt like a good value and let us try a variety of dishes. We shared everything. To start, the tzatziki and hummus were both fresh and flavorful. The sigara böreği and falafel were also very tasty and well-prepared. For mains, we split the salmon, which was fine but nothing memorable, and the Adana kebap, which was the standout--really well-seasoned and delicious. Dessert was a bit of a letdown. The tahini tiramisu and baklava were just okay and didn't quite live up to the rest of the meal. The biggest downside was the overall experience. The space is huge and very brightly lit, which takes away from the ambiance--it doesn't feel particularly warm or inviting. Service was also inconsistent. We were moved three times throughout the meal, and everything took quite a while to come out. That said, our server was on her first shift and genuinely did a great job under the circumstances. One thing to note: there's an automatic 20% service charge added to the bill, and it's not a tip. All in all, Ottoman Taverna is a decent choice with some strong dishes, but given the options, I'd be more inclined to return to Rumi's Kitchen or Zaytinya.

ala - GOLDEN CAULIFLOWER

ala

(1.2k reviews)

$$$

Dupont Circle, Downtown

Brunch review ahead!!!!!…read more Ambiance- perfect for a cute date, time with friends, family members, or coworkers. The ambiance welcomes it all. Hospitality- The hostess was incredibly friendly and seated us upon arrival. Waiter- Eric was an AMAZING waiter. Bubbly personality, very polite and personable. His service was definitely a 10/10 Brunch- My friend and I decided to try their Easter Sunday brunch and my only regret was not visiting here sooner and not selecting an earlier time to dine, LOL! The entire experience was phenomenal! Bottomless mimosas- SO worth the extra $ Standout dishes: Adana meatballs Braised lamb Chicken Golden cauliflower Crispy Falafel Desserts: Baklava Brownie Kadayıf Sadly we did not get to experience all of the brunch menu items because brunch ends at 3pm and our reservations were at the heel of this time. Nonetheless, the standout dishes and desserts were enough for me to come back. I've enjoyed their happy hour, cafe area, and now their brunch. Can't wait to return.

Checked out ala for a weeknight dinner this past week. The restaurant was lively and had a lot of…read morepeople seated at the bar. We came to dinner not overly hungry, so we opted to do a bunch of cold and hot mezze plates - ended up ordering the baba ganoush, duck prosciutto (2 plates because we were so excited about it), salmon kibbeh nayah, tawook shish chicken kebab, and golden cauliflower. Overall, our picks were solid. The duck prosciutto had a nice crunch with the chip(?) underneath and very interesting, lovely salad base and vinaigrette. Can't go wrong with the golden cauliflower with its yummy sauce and pomegranate seeds. Salmon kibbeh was my least favorite but perhaps I'm just not used to the texture/taste of bulghur wheat.. the salmon itself was great tho! I've heard lots of good things about brunch so I would come back for that, and/or try the short ribs or branzino if I'm back in the area for dinner!

Namak - Branzino and Duck Confit in the distance

Namak

(83 reviews)

Adams Morgan

With its tasteful decor and candle-lit vibe, Namak is a date-worthy destination, or simply a cozy…read moregathering place for good friends. It's one of those places where it just feels good to be out for the evening. As to the food: the vegetable dishes are outstanding. I am not big on dips, usually, but I was won over by the mutabal, made with squash tahini, mushrooms, and shallots. It is served with a delicious sesame crusted bread, that could be addictive if you are not careful. The star of the evening was the crispy brussels, with black garlic caesar and hot honey. My word! This was like no other brussels I've ever tasted. Even the steamed spinach, tucked away on the menu in the "sides" section, was really tasty. The proteins, by contrast, were disappointing. The calamari was ok but nothing special. It came breaded rather than lightly battered - not my preference. The torsh shish - tenderloin shishkebab - was under-seasoned and a bit fatty. I was surprised it didn't have more of a grilled, smoky flavor. But the real disappointment was what was supposed to be the star of the show: the short rib tagine, with apricot, bulgur wheat, and labne. With that description, I was expecting the meat to arrive on a bed of the other delicious ingredients, but instead we got a brick-shaped piece of meat with a dab of something else. It was tender enough, and tasted ok, but really...just ok. For the price I was expecting something a little more special. The desert aficionados among us had praise for the chocolate pot, but the Persian Love Cake did not get a lot of love. For the drinks: for a Turkish/Greek restaurant I was surprised that wines from those countries were not available by the glass. Alas, there was no Greek wine to be had, and the Turkish wine could be had only if you were prepared to cough up $90 for a bottle. As I was the only wine drinker in the group, that was not going to happen. Next time I might go for a mocktail. The fermented carrot juice was funky and mystical and perhaps the best thing we had all night, beating out even those brussels sprouts.

Delicious! My wife…read moreand I shared the sample of dips, mini manti, and lahmacun. Thought we may need to order some more after but we filled up on that. Everything was great, but especially enjoyed the muhammara and the manti. Service was very attentive and polite. Also a nice interior and music at just the right volume to be enjoyable without being overpowering. Will certainly return!

Urfa Tomato Kabob

Urfa Tomato Kabob

(9 reviews)

Some days Urfa is a 3, some days a 4, some days a 5, very inconsistent…read more I really want this place to be 5 stars but they don't make it easy. I typical get the falafel platter with rice, veggies and salad and it's delicious! The falafel are quite good (yes deep fried-some days a little too much but so good). The meal itself with veggies, rice, salad and dressing is a really good meal. And I always get hummus on the side. Their hummus-as a middle easterner I find it weird they have hummus and a hummus dip on the menu. Keep it traditional with the hummus - one of them is super soupy like which is disappointing and when I order I can never remember which one I like. Hummus shouldn't be thin it's not tahini (although made with tahini) :) Also what I dislike is that I always ask for no bread or no sauce and they always give me 3-6 pieces of huge bread when I specify no bread and it just goes to waste EVERY time. I hate wasting food and I can't eat gluten so it's just frustrating-I wish they would read the notes when people order or listen better. I still order from here knowing that my meal will be either mediocre or great, it's a chance I take sometimes when I crave their falafel platter.

In these times I am doing everything I can to support small business, especially restaurants, so I…read morewas hesitant to even write this review, but decide to based on the food and the subsequent treatment of my request. I ordered a gyro and eggplant salad. I requested the pita for the gyro be separate so it didn't get soggy. That was not done. It's not the biggest deal but it would be nice if customer requests were honored. The bigger issue was the eggplant salad, which was rancid. I literally had to spit out what I had eaten and then throw out the container. When I asked for a refund (just of the eggplant salad) I was told that was not possible, which I do not understand since the food was spoiled and could have made me sick :( Very disappointing experience all around.

CAVA - mediterranean - Updated May 2026

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