With the economic times, taking pleasure in a gourmet meal is a luxury that is now reserved for special occasions. Friday at 5pm or a celebration of a problem free/full day is not a good enough reason. That being said, I'm working on shifting my focus on what I consider gourmet in terms of food dishes, cuisine and restaurants. First shift: Elevating the experience of a plain sandwich. Panera elevates the lunch/snack by offering a decent selection and better that average eat in experience and does it in a convenient way. Selection is wide - pastries, fresh baked bread, cookies, salads, sandwiches Better than average dine in experience - plenty of seating - patrons can relax and take time enjoying their meals while chatting , web surfing, etc. Convenient - Its a chain so you know what to expect and there are a couple of local destinations. Stella B.'s sandwich of choice: I like to order the Roast beef with chedder on asiago bread with a side salad and chips. I guess if I wanted to be more frugal, I'd go to Subways for their $5 dollar sub deal and save a couple more dollars. ....Then again....I have my limits. There's no way I'd ever consider Subway anything close to a gourmet-like sandwich... I just can't do it! read more

Usually when I need to pick someone up from SFO, I arm myself with my notebook PC because they have good, free wi-fi over here, and they have power outlets at every booth. This place is definitely designed for people like me. I usually get just a coffee and a pastry or cookie, which are both good, but nothing too exciting. The food in there smells good too, but no one ever requires a pick up from SFO when I am hungry, so haven't tried the food there yet. The location is great, being just one exit away from SFO, so once my friend lands and calls me up, I just pack it up, and head out to the airport, just in time to pick them up, or with minimal wait time. Only thing about the parking lot is to not park on the side facing In n' Out. I made that fatal mistake today. The In n' Out drive-thru line will block you from leaving, and most people are oblivious of the fact that a car is trying to back out, or maybe people in the great city of Milbrae are all a bunch of assholes that they purposely push forward because they want to keep you trapped for making such a stupid mistake. The outdoor seating area also looks nice, but much smaller than what I have seen at the Cupertino Panera Bread, but being that it was pretty hot today, didn't really see anyone out there. Yes, it was pretty damn hot up in Milbrae too! read more

I never stepped into a Panera Bread till I went to this one. I got their combo which comes with a side and half a sandwich. Their Italian Combo was alright and it was really cold. I should have got a panini. Their broccoli cheddar soup was really good though. They do have Wifi so it's a good place to grab some coffee and get something to eat especially if you need a place to study at. read more

Panera Bread - Combo: Italian & Broccoli Cheddar - Sandwiches Near Me - Millbrae, California

This is for the bread only. I have not tried the cafe yet. Anyway, on the way to Redwood City, traffic on 101 was hell as usual, so we make a quick exit to get some bread. We bought a lot, since I wanted to try several kinds. I bought two kinds of focaccia, and I was disappointed, as I have had much better at Galli's in South San Francisco. I also had the Sourdough Cheese demi, which was very good. Another type of cheese bread was not as good. So if you like cheesy bread, get the demi ... it looks like a small baguette. I also had some croissants, which were very flaky and light. They also have muffies, which are like muffin tops. Who doesn't prefer the tops of the muffin? They must have gotten the idea from that Seinfeld episode. Lots of other pastries are available. I really can't see what the hype is. I guess being born and raised in the SF Bay Area, I know what good sourdough is, and this just didn't do it for me. Acme is much better in my opinion. Now if I went to In-N-Out at the same time, it would be worth the stop. read more

I came here after my lunch from in n' Out Burger. The bakery is located right across from the popular burger place inside this Millbrae Center on Rollins Road (don't know the name of the complex). I had mixed feelings and reactions about going to Panera Bakery to get my treats or snacks. The coffee, pastries and other desserts are subpar and not too impressive. On this visit, with pretty much the counter was near-empty, I had the mini Upside-Down Pineapple Bundt cake. The $3.00 cake, which is a small slice of Bundt cake with a pineapple filling on top, was very moist and tasted Hawaiian with the drop of pineapple filling on the tip of the cake. I also had a hot brew of "Calm" tea from the Tazo tea company. The seating lounge area was very dark and very homely with the leather sofa. I paid my treat with Visa. This Panera Bakery also has outdoor-seating and perfect for a family. I wish I can try more of their fresh bread and pastries, beside being sold out every time I go to a Panera Bakery. read more

Everytime I visit this place I have a good meal at reasonable prices and good service. I'm always amazed at how quickly my order is prepared! To my knowledge every order is made from scratch which makes me scratch my head (pun intended). Tasty, fresh food at reasonable prices and good service! What more can one ask for? Anne the manager on duty was especially helpful with signing me up to their frequent diner program. I just cannot understand how someone can be this cheerful on an early Saturday morning! Thank you Anne! You're an asset to Panera and their customers. read more

A salesman came in the office yesterday with an effing big box or bagels from Panera Bread. Satan, I will call him 'Satan' because he did an evil thing, he brought some delicious carbs and two tubs of cream cheese to mush all over the pre-cut bagels. There were about half sweet ones, cranberry raisin, cinnamon, chocolate chip, and half savory ones, poppy seed, onion, salted, and others. Purely evil bad man, that one. I hope he visits again soon. read more

I LOVE Panera and with the past few haggard days Ive had I was definitely thrilled to see it as I was exiting the freeway to my hotel. It is such a random place for a Panera but the ones in San Diego are all twenty minutes or more away so I was all for it. My friend had never been or heard of it so I was way eager to take her. I ordered the usual: Frontega chicken sandwich with baked potato soup and a soda. Apparently I have such great ideas because she ordered the same. That damn sandwich is the equivalent of an edible Louis Vuitton. For real. I wolfed it like no ones business. This Panera is not getting five stars because the soup was kind of lame. It was way thin and tasted nothing like usual. Apparently it wasnt too bad because within a few minutes it, my sandwich, my bread and soda had disappeared. Im stupid excited to go back for breakfast tomorrow. read more

I admit they have pretty good paninis. But one thing that I've learned from this place is to not get fancy salads. Fancy does not always taste good. I tried one of their salads and they had raspberry dressing....wow it tasted pretty odd. I think I will just stick with Ceaser salad. They have a great deal where you pay only around $6 and you can choose two items on the menu. Which is any half of the sandwiches they have on the menu, soup, or salad. Trust me it will fill you up. The place looks like a Barnes and Noble to me. You will usually see people studying here with their laptops while enjoying their food. Actually it looks like a college campus cafeteria or something. Something like that. read more

This place truly sucks. I said it. I used to LOVE Panera Bread like it was my 24/7 regimented diet. Then it started to cut corners, shrink down portions and raise prices ridiculously. What happened to the days when it was still the St. Louis Bread Co.?? Those my friends, were the good ol' days. I ordered a You Pick 2 and thought I'd get out of my comfort zone and get a hot panini with my soup one fine day. I do appreciate the option of having an apple, chips or bread with my meal so you guys got me there. However, cooking mustard and cheese with turkey to the point where the cheese becomes a dark orange color and the mustard becomes a paste is unforgivable! Also, has anyone noticed the portions of soups are getting smaller and smaller? I'm not a greedy girl but after eating a Pick 2, I SHOULD BE FULL SHOULDN'T I?! My issue is just with the food and the price I'm paying to remain hungry. Free Wi-Fi is fantastic but I come to Panera to eat bread, have soup and have a hearty sandwich. So far, they've succeeded in with fulfilling only 1 of 3 of my loves. So Panera, I say to you: FAIL. FAIL FAIL. EPIC FAIL!!! Until you shape up, I'm scouring my local bakeries once again. read more

This is a great place to get free water, free wi-fi, free indoor or outdoor seating, and semi-healthy food. Yeah, come for the free stuff :) On nice days, they have a great seating area in the front with comfy sofas and shading. For colder days, they have really nice seating inside too. It's always clean and they even have outlets. Yes I am Chinese and I do just go to chill and drink water. The food is okay. The paninis are decent, but it's a little pricey for the amount they give. The salads are good, but a little too much dressing so ask for less. The mac n cheese is a little too cheesy but still legit. For the salads and sanwiches, you can either get a side of french bread or an apple. Still haven't tried their baked goods....looks like bakey goodness though. They have big enough tables to sprawl out your books and papers and great lighting. If you don't want healthy food, In n' out is next door =) read more

Love to stop by and grab a super flaky croissant snack for my kiddo. They have great croissants and they're so big!

If you're ever stranded at SFO, and without car or house keys, Panera is an easy place to go and camp at just one BART stop away. It's in the lot across from In-N-Out, so your buddy who will eventually pick you up can easily find you. Not that it happened to me, or anything... It's a bread/bakery/cafe chain, that has a surprisingly decent selection of breads, pastries, sandwiches, soups, salads, espresso and snacks, with free wifi and a contemporary and cozy cafe ambiance. I can see how this might be good for studying or a quick stop should you be road trippin' up/down 101 and you're looking for an inexpensive non-fast food option, but it's by no means an eating destination. read more

Taste is good. They cleaverly devise, however, the menu to cost more. Everything you must pay for separately. Bring your check book to this casual joint. read more

Thank goodness for generous restaurants and eateries! Panera graciously donated 4 totes (enough for 35 people!) of coffee and iced tea for Dentistry from the Heart - a day of free dentistry for the community, hosted by South San Francisco Dental Care. A special thanks to the general manager, Patti, who took my request and answered my questions. It was great to have quality beverages available to our volunteers. Panera prepared the totes right when the store opened and were ready for pick up by 7:15 am! Our volunteers, who started at 6 am, were much happier once they had their coffee fix... thank you, Panera, for making us happy and giving us something good to drink. read more

Let me paint a picture for you.... I'm sitting in an all-day marathon seminar since 7 am. The staff has nothing for us to drink but ice water (not even coffee). We are in a dank, freezing room that for some ungodly reason has the air conditioning blasting. The hotel hosting our seminar looks like an old seaside abandoned warehouse that literally has moss growing on the INSIDE. My thick sweater top is doing nothing to combat the cold. And it is a cold, raining, miserable day in San Mateo. So...on that note, we break for lunch and I decide to try Panera Bread because it is literally the only non-fast-food place I can find. I don't know if I have ever tasted anything as delicious as my meal on that particular day. I ordered the chicken noodle soup and half Frontega Chicken Panini sandwich. Both came out within 3-4 minutes and were steeping hot. I had been shivering nonstop for the past 4 hours in the seminar. With every bite or spoonful, I could actually the feel the warmth of this food spreading throughout my body. The only other thing I can compare it to is when I was 10 years old and living in northern Iowa, my mother would bring me hot cocoa down on the lake after playing hockey outside for 6 hours. I'll admit it was a little crowded that day and I don't doubt that others have experienced some issues with that, but on a cold, wet, windy day...you just can't go wrong with this place. read more

Perks - Free WIFI, LOTS of seating. I like how no one bothers you even if you don't buy anything here. Score! Did I mention that the house coffee is also pretty good? I'm not much for blends, but have been drinking the hazelnut blend for the past couple of hours and it's still going strong. CLEAN RESTROOMS!!! =D read more

I was in the area for work and decided to grab a sandwich here since I had been to other Panera locations with pleasant experiences. Not this time. This location definitely failed me. Ordered the bacon panini and small soda for $10. Now my expectation for this meal has risen to epic proportions because $10 for what I got was just robbery. They served my hand sized panini and baguette on a full size plate just to make the meal look bigger than it was! There was more empty space on the plate than actual food! They probably could fit 3 meals onto the plate they gave me. Anyways, I grab my food and notice a 6" brown hair on my panini! It's obviously not mine since my hair is black and barely 1/4" so definitely won't be coming back to this location. Bah read more

Your usual Panera Bread with its free wi-fi. The review is for the parking, which is a zoo in this lot at any time of day. Whichever city planner thought of placing a car wash next to a Panera Bread and an In- N-Out clearly failed at his/her job. That, and limo drivers should be outlawed from idling in valuable parking spots in front of Panera Bread! read more

This is very curious to me. I would never have gone here had I not been rushed and forced to choose between something lighter or healthier than in and out. Of course, it's only as unhealthy as you order. STILL: 1) solid bread. Not the best, but solid. Like I would buy a loaf for a dinner party. 2) solid soup 3) solid sandwiches. It is still a chain, but I think it suffices to say it is a chain who is doing things right... from posting corporate philosophy and mission statements to. It is an efficiently run, clean as all get out, and tasty multi-chain/franchise type of eatery. Well done... and now I know why you are expanding so rapidly in highly regarded by RIM Mag Readers: http://www.rimag.com/article/CA6596960.html? read more

Look, its just another Panera. The menu is the same, so my rating is based on other factors - most notably staff and parking. The staff is nice, but they've repeatedly gotten my (side) orders wrong. I thought they simply misheard me, so I started speaking more clearly and slowly. Didn't help. Parking at lunchtime is damn near impossible. If you have a strict 30mins for lunch, I would steer clear. Even when there are spaces available, the In-N-Out burger drive thru line backs up and blocks them. Nards to that. read more

Love to come there when I have chance morning they open 6am I always got from them latte and cheese sandwich they have menu is very good read more

Panera Bread - Panera - Sandwiches Near Me - Millbrae, California

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mmm....tuscan chicken sandwich....bread is moist and non-greasy...slight taste of cheese.....herby chunky chicken....thick slices of tomatoes, lettuce and onions....everything tastes very very fresh and light...i had the "via panera"...box of half sandwiches for 5+ people.....bowl of salad.....jones sodas and cookies.....all utensils included.... pastries...sandwiches..salads and soups......with free wi-fi....panera makes an ideal lunch spot for the workers.... read more

Talk about a downhill run. Immediately after their acquisition a month or so ago, service, quality and friendliness has disappeared. I used to have rapid pickup available for me on my way back to the office after a trip to the gym. Now waiting for my order takes as long as my workout. Big disappointment. read more

Situated on a newly developed piece of valuable real estate right off the 101 at the Millbrae exit and close to SFO, you have to choose here or suffer greasy In-and-Out, and some over-priced Euro-Hong Kong place (there are much better ones in SF), your best bet is a place with fresh ingredients, nice and clean service, and of course free WiFi!!! Although not as nice and spiffy as the Panera in SF, this Panera has everything you need, minus the congestion of ballpark chaos. Good job Panera, I'll be back next time my United flight gets delayed, so in other words, very very soon. read more

Came here to meet some friends early in the morning on a Monday. Traffic was decent, the bread was good, the people working were a bit odd - lots of blank faces...case of the Mondays?! read more

Usually come here a lot to get bagels and as I was looking at the display of delicious sweets, I see a fly just sitting on a Cinnabon type cookie. This display is open and nothing is really covering the food. This makes me question the open bagel baskets as well! read more

Panera Bread - The fly was on around the cinnamon donut for over the past 10 min.. - Sandwiches Near Me - Millbrae, California

Unbearable lunch. Ugh. The "hot" panini was prepared in unusually speedy time, but that's because it was pre-made and sitting for a while before we even ordered it. The cheese had started to dry and curl at the edges, and the middle of the bread was lukewarm and soggy. The bag of potato chips was tasteless--might as well been crunching on plaster. The corn chowder didnt taste like corn and had way too much unidentifiable crap in it. Lemonade wasnt bad. As for the space, the tables were dirty and the chairs were greasy and had bits of food stuck to them. Lots of tables with screaming babies. They have WiFi, and most of the tables were taken up by people not eating but drinking coffee and surfing the web. Isnt that what a coffee shop is for? Where am I suppose to eat my food? Oh wait a minute, I'm never coming back so who gives a fuck? read more

Nothing all that special about this Panera Bread. It's just like every other one that I've been to. I generally stop here before heading to SFO so i don't have to pay the ridiculous airport food prices. I normally order an Italian combo and each time I order it, it has always been good. The staff is always friendly, but consistent to what you can expect at a Panera Bread. It's a great place to wait for someone if you're picking someone up at SFO. They do offer free Wi-Fi! read more

If you're in the neighborhood, the food doesn't suck....., but DO NOT order for delivery!!! For the second time I had to call customer service/get a refund for a delivery order placed yet never delivered, and I'm just down the street!!! The service they use for delivery is a bunch of boo boo. read more

Just finished a long shift and wasn't up for cooking so I decided on Panera. Well as hungry as I am, disappointed in receiving a half full bowl for $10. read more

Panera Bread - Sandwiches Near Me - Millbrae, California

*This review is strictly on their online ordering. I've probably ordered online at least a dozen times ranging from small to large orders and the food is always available and waiting when it says it will be. Food is typical Panera, which is great. Again, great work on the online service, makes things super convenient. read more

Franchise, Oh Franchise... Sweet little Franchise... Why is it that you are so close, yet not quite there? Ordered a Salmon Mediterranian Salad...It was good, but the little tiny, orange mandarins and almonds slices reminded me way too much of the Oriental Chicken Salad offered at McDonalds... Need I say more? read more

Lady unwilling to assist me even i arrived first before the other customers. When she was assisting me, her tone and attitude was so bad. Like, she didnt care bad! Also, she apologized to the lady behind me. Like, what? Yes, i will not be coming back to this louzy customer service based location! Its just so appaling and horrendous! read more

I found myself here on a Friday evening with no plans for the night. It's a nice quiet (I don't know about the day, hell it could be busy in the morning) place with elevatorish music. It's cool that they got free wi-fi too, maybe for the next finals I can munch on good bread and study at the same time haha. It's nice and clean, so that's all checked. The service isn't so bad too, even if the cashier/barista effed up big time on our orders. Eventually we got that sorted out and our orders turned out super yum. The bread here is great, and even better with butter. Their soups were ok, but their sandwiches were pretty good. Next time I'm in the area I'm tempted to try their other baked goods. After a combo which included soup, a sandwich, and side for one person just at ten bucks you'll be satisfied, not too full and not hungry. read more

Dear Yelp Journal, Do you remember when I worked at that marketing company where a bunch of young 20 somethings would show up as a gang in suits early in the morning looking extremely out of place? I do. Do you remember how the grueling hours really left me disheartened? I do. Do you also remember how the only thing I really looked forward to after dashing across the golden gate bridge in the morning was having the crunch bagel toasted with cream cheese and a tall cup of hazelnut coffee? I do... I think of Paneras as neat little shops with a cozy, starbucks reminiscent, but more restaurant style atmosphere. They're clean and comfortable with cute little upholstered seats and mini tables. I'm always happy when I use the restroom and see how clean it is. I've had their sandwiches, soups, bagels, coffee, smoothies, cookies. I like almost everything, though their own brand of potato chips could use more flavor. Overall, quality is consistent throughout all paneras, which is great. The one thing that has changed though, journal, is that I don't remember finding a hardened glob of sugar in the hole of my bagel. I found two of these in my bagel yesterday... and I definitely don't remember those. It's a little disappointing, but I forgive them because they were there for me those mornings at the marketing firm. I remember. I do. read more

I've always heard good things about it and have seen pictures of the food and everything looked good. Finally got a chance to try it out yesterday and it did not disappoint. If you're looking for something more on the healthy side, this place is for you. It's located right off the freeway, so the location is convenient. There is a parking lot but it was full so we found some street parking which was right on the other side and not bad at all. I had a 1/2 Chicken Caesar salad and 1/2 a tuna sandwich for their pick 2 for 7.99 deal. It's 8.99 for their signature items which still isn't bad. It also comes with your choice of a piece of bread, chips or apple. The deal is pretty good and I got really full and was satisfied in the end. My bf had a salad and a cup of clam chowder and the soup was good, it was creamy and had pretty good pieces of clam inside. read more

Panera Bread - Grilled chicken Caesar salad and tuna sandwich - Sandwiches Near Me - Millbrae, California

I've always been prideful of this establishment, perhaps because Panera itself conjures up sweet memories of my glory days in college in Southern California. The combination of flavored bagels, scrumptious sandwiches and free wi-fi made it an awesome location for the seemingly endless screenwriting meetings we had. Which is why I was beyond thrilled to discover that there stood a Panera in the midst of busy, congested, Millbrae! Seeing the entrance to the bakery made me feel like I was going to another long and arduous writing session (which yes, I actually enjoyed)- except this time, I wasn't. I was only there to eat and reminisce. Panera has a tantalizing display of sugary pastries and breads. They have a great selection of sandwich/soup or salad combos that are sure to silence your growling stomach. I appreciate their portions too - they're not super-sized like most American establishments today. The best thing they have to offer in my opinion, is their Frozen Mango drink. If you're like me and are crazy about mangoes - this is a must! It's so delicious I've wanted to throw tapioca balls into it to make it my ultimate beverage, except I always finish it before I have the chance to buy some boba. If I had the funds to dine at Panera everyday - I would. I docked 1 star because Panera isn't the most economic food option. But I totally get it - you're paying for quality goodness every time you come here. The next time you see a Panera somewhere, pull over, park, and treat yourself! You won't regret it. read more

Food was good .. but the one star for service.. I left my drink (full ) n my table and went restroom when I came back I didn't find my drink when I asked them they said we are closed .. I said yes I knew it that's why I went restroom before leaving!! read more

Bakery: Artisan pastries are okay. Strawberry Citrus is a bit too tangy, I would rather have the custard like filling at Anderson's Bakery. Mini Bundt cakes here are so cute and the lemon poppy seed tastes good, similar to a muffin. Their signature bagels here are delish! I love the Cinnamon Crunch, especially after a little toast in the toaster oven with a spread of their homemade smooth textured cream cheese, it's divine! Love thier hazelnut and raspberry cream cheese, but not with the Cinnamon Crunch (it's a bit too sweet with these two, plain is perfect with the crunch). You can't forget about their baked egg souffles. They are so good, but so rich! Half of one does me good. The four cheese is a bit too cheesy for me. The spinach and artichoke supposedly has Tabasco/red peppers, but not spicy and tastes okay. The spinach and bacon is the best. P.S. You better come early when they open in order to snag one of the egg souffles while their hot, because they tend to run out quickly. Plus one star for having an In-N-Out next door. Bf can get his fast food fix and I can get my Panera fix at the same time! His and hers, how good can that get? Parking here can be hard with In-N-Out right next door, but manageable. read more