Got a toasted Fontega chicken sandwich because I was just craving a sandwich on a cold Sunday evening. The boardroom doesn't have actual food so ordered it and picked it up. Super easy and it really hit the spot. The whole order was ~$15 so it was about what you'd expect for this area in DC (long gone are the days when I was in St Louis Bread Co as a high schooler when these sandwiches were ~$5 ) I was able to customize the sandwich and add some more fillings and it was quite tasty! I got the baguette as the side and it was also quite delicious. It's just one of those carb heavy days today. I can't really comment on ambiance or service though! But I'd get another sandwich from this Panera read more

Wow who knew that Panera had a fast "to go" place right at the Dupont Circle metro station!!! I sure didn't but I am very glad that I found it. The place is clean, easy to navigate and the food, of course, has the same high standards that Panera has continued to deliver since it opened. The best part of the Dupont Circle Panera To Go??? The people who work there! They are fast, polite, hard working and everything else you want to find when you want a fast lunch. Whoever staffed this Panera To Go did a great job. And the workers today at Panera To Go deserve a hearty "thank you" as well as a generous tip for their dedication and hard work! read more

Did a to-go order a few days before "Paraprofessional's Week" so I could celebrate my team and the process online was effortless. Fast forward to pick up in store, and that was so so. The staff member (possibly manager) wasn't very welcoming and didn't ask if I check through the order with me or see if I needed anything extra. Since this is the closest location to work I would use the online order system again or even opt for delivery to avoid sub par service. read more

Panera Bread - To go - Sandwiches Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Came in to use my unlimited sip pass :) for some good ole' charged lemonade. This is a new panera bread location that took over a bakery. They advertise this location as to-go only, but they do have some small bar seating. The service was super fast and efficient though. And the location was INCREDIBLY clean! I plan to come most days working from home while I have my unlimited sip pass, and I know I won't be disappointed. read more

This used to be a Lawson's Bakery about 10 years ago when I first worked in Dupont. I held a grudge that Panera swooped in and took over. I'm now over it. This Panera really holds its own. It's clean, has multiple entrances, has additional seating in the lower level, and is overall quite cozy. Adrian (cashier) was super friendly, energetic, helpful, and eager. The service was fast and efficient. I ordered two macaroons---couldn't resist! They tasted fresh, delicious, and had a great consistency. I love coconut and I love chocolate and I love them smushed together! Don't forget to sign up for or use your MyPanera rewards! read more

Panera Bread - Sandwiches Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Ordered something good. Ordered half turkey and soup. Very good sandwich and squash soup. It was worth the price

This is by far the best Panera I have been to ever. Their service is PERFECT - they have table side service where you grab a buzzer and will bring the food to you. Maybe this is new concept, but I have never seen a Panera do this and they do it so well. This spot is also my favorite place to get work done in DC. As a mobile worker, I often look for a place that has ample seating and outlets (a must)! And Panera is a hot spot for this - it's reliable and you know what you're gonna get when you come here. The WiFi is amazing and it's never too loud in here! I always see students going group projects here and people having intense meetings during lunch time. As far as food goes, maybe is just because I love the basement seating so much but I absolutely love the quality of food at this particular Panera. The salads are always fresh, they give some of the best bread I've had at a Panera. The service is on point when they bring your food. Also, huge plus that they're open late (until 10pm) most days. Really awesome place to hunker down and get work done at your own pace. Also, it helps that you can order more food any time to that added brain power! read more

One of the few sure places to be open on July 4th. HOWEVER what I hoped to be a nice breakfast with some friends before the festivities turned out to be a dismal eating session, accompanied with the backdrop of depressing music on a Wednesday morning. It gave vibes that you were a 50 year old man going through a mid-life crisis, contemplating the meaning of life in the darkened, basement of a Panera, with music that matches your mood. Here you are, wallowing in your existentialism over a plate of the grossly overpriced soufflé, lamenting to yourself over the fact that you should have gotten that steak and egg breakfast sandwich instead, goddamnit. TL;DR, why is the music so sad, and the strange vibes from the downstairs dining area (there tends to be a lot of randos hidden in the corners too) hinder the eating experience. Take to go, if you do end u up getting food here. read more

Tried Panera for the first time finally and I was impressed. I heard good things about the Goddess chicken salad and I'll still try that but on this day, I was feeling like a sandwich so I went for the Roasted Turkey & Avocado BLT -- thoroughly enjoyed it! read more

Panera Bread - Sandwiches Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

This location ALWAYS has the most enthusiastic staff team! They are always energetic and kind especially in the morning before work and you are feeling gloomy, they always give you a smile. I have never had any issues with orders here as well. read more

I have to update my review once again, subtracting even more stars this time due to bug infestations. Today while I was waiting in line, I spotted a giant roach crawl along the front counter where customers place their orders with the cashiers. It headed straight towards a lady in front of me who was taking her turn, so I tapped the lady on the shoulder and pulled her back in case the roach was trying to crawl into her bag. This isn't a water bug, those monster bugs that invade our sidewalks in the summer, but your house-invading, kitchen-loving' roach. That should have made me turn around and walk right out, but I decided to suck it up and just get my food. As I finished my soup, a fruit fly would not leave me alone. When I got up to put on my jacket, I noticed I was surrounded by fruit flies hanging out on all the walls. Needless to say, I'm NEVER coming back again until after the health sanitation department says it's okay. read more

I need to stop coming here for lunch. I feel like every time I order a sandwich, they screw up my order, and I come before the lunch rush, so I don't get it. One time they were out of a key ingredient for one of their promoted sandwiches, and didn't offer to reduce the price or offer anything to balance out the difference - avocado is expensive, people. Today was the last straw - I ordered a half panini and got more like a quarter panini of THE WRONG SANDWICH (not the cashier's fault, on this occasion, as she read back the entirety of my order after I placed it). I feel like $9.39 for four bites of a sandwich and a cup of salad is a tad much, even for DC. There are other, better sandwich places in Dupont, and I should just walk the extra block to get to them. For catering this location's okay, though, and it's the only reason they're getting two stars. We've used them a few times and most of the time the delivery people are prompt and the orders are correct and complete on the first try. When there was some confusion with our last order I got a call from the catering manager to allow me the opportunity to express my concerns and to assure me that my order the following day would be handled by someone else, and that was appreciated. read more

Panera is great but for one exception: do not buy a bagel here. The things that they call bagels in Panera are round bread with a hole, but taste nothing at all like bagels (which are made by both boiling and baking, and I'm pretty sure Panera left out the boiling part). Otherwise, delicious breads of all kinds. Also the difference in attitude between the staff here and the nearby Cosi restaurant is striking: at Cosi you are lucky if you can get the staff to look at you, while at Panera people actually seem to enjoy working there, and they pass that good attitude to the customers. Kudus to management and the staff for that. read more

Always love Panera Bread. Good food and nice atmosphere. What makes this one stand out for me is they have a lovely, quiet downstairs with plugs so you can dine in peace and charge your cellphone, notebook, laptop, whatever. Very much enjoyed lunch with my brother here. read more

I love Panera. I love that they always have ample seating downstairs. I love that their salad dressing is not overpowering. I love that they have free wifi (although it's restricted to 30min during a short peak-hour interval that I can't recall at the moment). I love that they have good portions, and that you can get a baguette slice with your salad if you're craving a bit of carb but feeling too guilty to order a sandwich. My favorite summer salad was the chicken strawberry poppy seed salad. As I fondly recall, the first bite was *shockingly* good, with a surprising kick of wonderful flavors that pleasantly confused my taste buds. Who knew fruit+meat+veggies could taste this good?? Outside of the summer season, my go-to salad is the Thai chopped chicken salad--fairly low-cal, and the dressing is really good, although I usually ask for a little less as it gets a bit strong as you hit the bottom of your bowl. As someone mentioned previously, they have blocked most of their outlets, but if you know where to look, there are still some open downstairs. Check the small round table just outside of the restroom, and the benches on the farthest wall from the stairs. Sometimes I bring along a multi-socket extension cord to share the love. :) read more

Panera is many things, but first and foremost it's a chain restaurant. A delicious land where carbs are kind and soups, tasty desserts and awesome coffee are all members of its court. Came to this location over the weekend before we had made reservations for fancy-pants cocktails at a bar/lounge that was supposed to also be fancy-pants (giving Dirty Martini club a dirty look now) and we decided to get non-fancy pants dinner because of time constraints and overall cost efficiency purposes. The people at the register were super friendly and didn't mind that I took 10 minutes to decide between 3 possible pasta platters. I went with their Tortellini Alfredo which they describe as being "a rich Alfredo sauce over tortellini noodles filled with ricotta, swiss & romano". Considering that it was less than $10 for a generous pasta serving and only $.50 for an accompanying cafe sandwich and a bag of chips (or bread if you preferred that) - this was a steal and a no-brainer! My alfredo sauce was a bit on the dense side, but deliciously rich, cheesy and creamy/buttery without tasting overdone - I prefer dense over watery when it comes to most pasta sauces so cheers here. The tortellinis were all delicious and cheese filled without tasting gross - a feat not easily accomplished by a chain restaurant, kudos here as well. The cafe sandwich I decided upon was their Classic Grilled Cheese sandwich which they describe as being an "organic sliced American cheese grilled on our new All-Natural White Miche". It was ok. Small and not that flavorful - but it was also $.50 and I'm a pretty big believer of "you get what you pay for". I paid for pasta, it was fantastic - this sandwich was okaaaaaay, just nothing to write home about. The chips were "original flavored" and kettle-cooked so kind of thickly cut and very crunchy. Also tasty and they got me through the beginning of our bus ride back to NYC the next day - huzzah! I was a little annoyed because the woman at the register said they had table-service and would bring our orders to our table (me and two friends) but they were taking forever and I ended up having to pick up my order and another girl's while Ingrid S. had to get her own...but we also got free cups with which we were able to obtain free drinks - ok fine, I had like 2 free little cups of iced coffee - I can deal with picking up my own food, lol. 4 stars Panera, 4 stars. read more

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I love Panera's soups, the Southwest Chile Lime salad (although I think it is overpriced) and the Napa Almond Chicken Salad Sandwich. But this review is for the staff that works at this location. They are all so nice and friendly! I feel like they genuinely care that I enjoy my meal. read more

What a great location, right at the South Dupont Metro stop. They have all the Panera favorites. The also have the quick order kiosks available. read more

"Do you guys ever put paper towels in the restroom?" I ask, after having used the restroom at this location literally dozens of times, and having to run around the shop afterwards hip-checking customers huddled around the coffee bar in order to grab a few paper napkins to dry my hands. "No." "No?" He shrugs. "People flush them down the toilet." Hey Panera, news flash - there's a global pandemic going on, and all it takes is one mid-level salesman just back from New York, coming off the subway and sneezing in your store to get all of us sick. Your employees play a vital role in protecting the public's health. Maybe spring for a few extra plumber visits so customers can wash their hands while there's a deadly virus going around, eh? I'll be skipping my Panera runs until I can be reasonably assured that corporate apathy and saving a buck are less of a concern for your business than helping to prevent the spread of a lethal virus in one of the largest cities in the country, which also happens to be a major port of travel for the rest of the world. read more

Please keep in mind that this rating is primarily for the study setting that Panera provides. My friend and I were looking for a place to study in Dupont Circle. So far, we'd gone to the Starbucks, which also borders the circle but has less seating available for people to study. Panera is the complete opposite. Go down the stairs, and there's SO MUCH ROOM. We very easily found seats and outlets (found below at ankle level). It gets cold every now and then due to the ventilation system, but still manageable. Internet was fairly solid except for streaming. It took me the entire afternoon to stream one CWTV show, but then again, it discourages distractions, no? Since it was periodically cold, I did get a Chai latte. I don't like that they come in only one size (and a pricy one at that- $4+!!) but it was VERY different from the Chai lattes that I'm used to. There was a greater amount of spice and it just was spicy in a difference sense overall. It was different in a good way. Overall, definitely would come back for studying, and will try food then. read more

I've never been to a Panera Bread. Until NOW obviously. I haven't been to a lot of chains and feel I've missed out on life. It took me about 22 years to finally make it to a Taco Bell. I still have never been to Chillis. Anyway, moving on. I'm kind of both impressed and dismayed with Panera. I didn't know what to expect. I just know we were looking for cheap and substantial food. If you order a pasta meal you get on the side either half a sandwhich, soup, or salad. Which is MORE than I expected! I went with the Pesto Sacchettini. I had no idea what Sacchettini even was but the amount of oil in it was a little over-whelming. They're kind of a hybred of Tortellini and shells without the filling. Steph's Tortellini Alfredo was better even though the alfredo sauce was pretty dense. Overall, I wasn't impressed but their sourdough bread was amazing! I pocketed that to go and when I was tipsy later it was the best thing in the world to eat. The lay-out of this particular Panera is pretty huge. They have a downstairs level with long dining room tables, help-yourself areas for tea, coffee, water, juice, and soda. I really like that. I really didn't like that they ran out of their canteen iced coffee. But I've never seen a help-yourself to canteen iced-coffee before in my life so that was a huge plus. I hear they make really good mac/cheese. So I kind of regret not getting that. But I also didn't want to feel sick before going out for cocktails. I bet their soup is good too. My other friend got that. Not sure what kind but she really liked it. My half a sandwich was a grilled cheese and it was great with some of the pesto. I give this particular one 3 stars because the waitresses upstairs forgot our order and we never heard a buzz. Our food was sitting out on the counter when we went to go check on it. Also, I can't see myself making a habit of coming to a Panera in the city. Maybe to check out that macaroni some day. read more

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This panera gets really busy since it's right off Dupont Circle, but I think they do an efficient job at making the ordering process speedy. I tried to new soba broth bowls that were recently released. It was.. eh. It didn't taste bad, but didn't seem worth $9. This panera has a downstairs with more seating. The stairway is tucked in the back of the restaurant, which I didn't see for quite sometime, so it was like discovering a new world downstairs haha. read more

Like I said in my check-in. I am a long time Panera member and enjoy the food. This location is new for me and I'm in a booth trying to eat. Next to me is an employee, on their break, eating. The problem; yelling over me to talk to the cashiers about their personal life. Plus when she gets up and down to chat and such it's disruptive, but mostly rude to patrons. read more

Panera Bread - Sandwiches Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

it's not really a Panera Bread, it's just a DC Panera Bread; one that hasn't shut-down yet. You see Panera Bread is in every city in the United States but DC they arn't managed so DC is the only place that doesn't have any more Panera Bread locations anymore except this one which is down in a hole in the ground. Here you're at the all trendy Dupont Circle in DC but you have no windows look out at it. read more

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This ALWAYS happens!!! I ask for OVER EASY on ciabatta and I get "whatever is available"... the only reason why I even come here is because it's closer to my job, but I'll just start going to frickin Starbucks. so over it read more

Panera Bread - Sandwiches Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I went to this place in the morning. There is spacious place (basement) And I ate whole grain bagel with coffee. It was really good. I will try another breakfast menu later. It is good place to make an appointment with friends :) read more

Panera Bread - Sandwiches Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I am really disappointed when I first ordered a bagel it was free. When I go back to order another bagel I was already aware of me not being able to use this bagel free reward. The cashier said "Since you already used your free bagel I cannot use it again." As if I was trying to slick. I showed my wallet plenty of money when the bagel only cost $1.20. I not a bum and I know there are less fortunate people in this world. They probably do try to pull wool over people's eyes. I just can't believe it. I felt so discriminated Just because maybe I had a crate full of belonging. I am a human and I work for money. read more

I came for lunch. It was not really busy at all. I bought a full Frontega Chicken Panini. It was delicious. For me it would have been better if I ask to hold the onions. I have it to got and sat on the outdoor siting. It was a great day as it was like 80 degress out. I will definitely be back soon read more

Panera Bread - Outdoor siting for the Panera Bread. - Sandwiches Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Worst sandwhich I ever had!! Bacon grilled cheese tomato sandwhich. One small piece of cheese, did not come any where near the edges of the bread, bacon, roasted tomatoes, all "thrown" on wheat bread. No dressing, very skimpy for $7.99 Sandwhich was falling apart when I picked it up at the counter, I was eating in. Paneras quality has been steadily declining and it may be because the employees seem to be having such a good time, laughing, talking, not calling customers to the counter when the food is ready. I used to be able to depend on Panera for an excellent sandwhich, but this was way below par and the last one I had was the Lobster roll at a RIDICULOUS price for a very mediocre item. read more

The service was pretty good, the restaurant was clean, and my food came out in around 5 minutes. The reason I gave Panera 3 stars was because I really didn't enjoy my tomato and mozzarella flatbread. It was quite greasy and the ratio of arugula to the tomato/mozzarella was very high. I'd probably go back, but I would definitely not recommend the tomato and mozzarella flatbread. read more

Believe it or not, I come to Panera Bakery for the protein, and skip the baked goods altogether. A relatively quick, relatively Paleo-friendly lunch is their Cobb salad with avocado and chicken. Change romaine to field greens for extra flavor, add arugula for even healthier greens, and go for extra avocado. (There's simply no such thing as too much avocado.) I skip the tomatoes (not usually good anyway). Oh -- and bacon. Extra extra bacon. Yes, yes, I know they don't source their ingredients locally. I know the bacon is cured. And I totally skip their salad dressings because of the yucky ingredients. But when lunchtime is short, and every restaurant in Dupont Circle is packed, it's fresh, they (almost always) get my order right, and I can order online and pick it up with no line whatsoever. Oh -- and if you want a paleo-powerful breakfast -- get one of their Power Breakfast Sandwiches, but skip the bread. They'll serve it in a bowl, and you can feast on protein and flavor and skip the unnecessary carbs. Gotta order before 10:30am, though, since that's their cut-off time for breakfast items. (They really need to extend their breakfast hours.) This Panera is well-run, spotlessly clean (though I haven't checked the restroom), and management really works hard to get it right. WiFi is consistently up and working (hurray!). Don't forget there's more seating downstairs, if the upstairs area is crowded. read more

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LOCATION & SERVICE The location is convenient located right off the DuPont circle and few walks away from other restaurants area as well. The service is okay, not too poor but not exceptional. They take the order, and typically less friendly than other panera location FOOD The food itself is typical panera, cannot compare. It is delicious- the soups are fresh and hot, the breads are perfect temperature and crisp. The salads are fresh. However, their weaknesses are hot drink: the hot chocolate to go and hot chocolate for here were both not good. The syrup was all the way in the bottom and even when I stirred it multiple times it does not work. They also don't have baked chips for the side SEATING There are additional seating downstairs, don't get fooled when you see the seats being filled on the floor where you ordered. read more

Basically what the Dupont area needed. It looks deceptively small from the outside, but the second floor is downright SPACIOUS. Too many crowded coffee shops in the area make it a welcome respite for blogging. The food is good, the staff is very friendly and there's a lot of staffers there watching over your every need. The lines even move quickly - something you can't say for the Cosi nextdoor, which is so screwed that they're having to give out free food to people coming out of the Metro to fight the Panera borg. Only wishes: 1) They sold iced coffees and iced americanos, 2) They were open later (why does everyone besides Soho close at 9?). But overall, this is a welcome addition to DC. Fun fact: The reason they only got to DC now is because they had a 20-year non-compete clause with Au Bon Pain, which their parent company formerly owned. read more

I was extremely excited to get a Panera in the District. Especially so close to where I live and work. Imagine my disappointment when the level of service I expect from Panera (yes even brand new ones) was not even remotely reached. I ordered a very basic You Pick Two with a side of a baguette. They got the chicken noodle soup right, but my sandwich was horrible! I asked them to leave off the spicy mustard. They left everything off but the spicy mustard. This is sad because my receipt was correct and I didn't realize the mistake until I got home. Mistakes like that shouldn't be made when there is clearly an order screen within the customer's view. I also did not get the baguette I ordered, but I was ok with that. Also, while I was waiting for my delicious soup and terrible sandwich, I noticed a wonderful new (and perhaps noodles inspired) idea of bringing the customer their food. This would have been great had I not witnessed a worker put a receipt directly in a bowl of soup only to have another worker pull it out and still deliver the soup. I think that qualifies as some type of health code violation. It was nasty and I seriously have second thoughts about visiting this location again. read more

My partner and I both love Panera. He likes that it's healthy and delicious and I like that it's delicious and healthy. We both love that there's now an outpost in the District in an area we often find ourselves on the weekend. Normally I don't get too jazzed about the arrival of a chain restaurant, but more and more I realize I have to live by the exceptions to my rules sometimes. Panera is just different with their breads, pastries, sandwiches, etc. There's always some new combo to try if you don't want to commit to a single fave. And they make it easy to choose the healthy choices by posting the calories right on the menu. Not something I want to see at every restaurant, but it's welcome at the chains. I stopped in the new Dupont Panera for breakfast after an early visit to the doctor and not wanting to head right to the office. The morning rush was a bit of pandemonium upstairs but I placed my order for the power breakfast sandwich (egg, ham, cheese, on whole grain toast, 360 calories) and a latte, picked up my coffee ahead of a bunch of other people who must have been waiting for takeout orders, and went downstairs to wait for my sandwich to be brought to me. As has been noted, the downstairs space is huge with next to nobody there at breakfast time. I wonder if it's more crowded at lunch or dinner, but as has been noted it's a way bigger space with more comfortable seating than any Starbucks in the city and the Cosi next door. If I were the glued-to-my-laptop type this would be my destination as it's relaxed and spacious. Their electronic system for alerting the food runners to bring your food to your table is somewhat innovative and led the runner right to my table without having to wander around shouting my name or anything. Le Pain Quotidien is still my fave on the Circle, but Panera is certainly a welcome addition. read more

I've been to my fair share of Paneras and I've never had quite this great of an experience. All of the staff were genuinely happy to be there, were smiling, asked how you were doing, and provided great customer service. Our food was brought downstairs to us and taken away when we were finished. I'd definitely return to this location. read more

There were several pieces of bloody chicken in the alfredo I was looking forward to after work. I was starving so I picked it off and continued to eat the alfredo chickenless - felt sick afterwards. Gross. Check the pic. read more

Panera Bread - No filter, just blood. - Sandwiches Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Am I really writing a review about Panera Bread?! The sole purpose of writing this review is to share my recent discovery and now die-hard love for the Panera Member loyalty program. As someone who gets asked to join loyalty programs at just about every fast-casual dining restaurant in Dupont Circle, I have resisted joining Panera's program for many months based on the sheer principle that I didn't need another freakin' loyalty card. As an escape from work, I have recently re-discovered Panera's basement and the wonderful corners where I can either write or read my way through lunch. Not to be "that guy" that always steels free wifi, I will often get a small cup of soup or snack to munch on while I enjoy my well-deserved break. After realizing I had been to Panera four out of five days in the week, I finally caved and got the loyalty card... and man, was my world rocked! Who doesn't love getting a free cookie or smoothie every once in a while?! I haven't figured out the frequency at which they award free food yet but it seems to be at a rate in which I can get behind. On a store related note, I just want to say... Yes, this Panera location is in Dupont. Yes, it gets busy during lunch hours (which Dupont Circle fast-casual place isn't busy during lunch?!) Yes, you may have to wait a few minutes to order and get your food.. Life will be OK.... just saying. read more

This is just like any other Panera, don't have high or low expectations. My piece of advice for this location is USE THE ONLINE ORDER. This place gets soooooooo busy sometimes and it's so much easier to order online and just go pick it up. read more

I got a bagel here today - pretty simple goal, one would think - and yet, it was sorely messed-up. The poppy seed bagel I got was tasteless and had more of a bread loaf texture, than a true bagel. The veggie cream cheese I asked on it, was...not on it. They give you these individually packaged cream cheese packets. Yuck. Not fresh, and definitely not environmentally friendly. This Panera is staffed with an assembly line of about 12 and yet even this can't save quality. You hear the manager (or assembly line leader, whoever she was) yelling at all the rest "everyone must have a glove one!" and treating them so poorly, that it really turns me off to being a customer here. People don't seem like they are treated well at this chain that tries in vain to come off as a 'fresh, healthy, homey' food option. I am not buying it. I only had breakfast here because it is right outside of the subway and on my way to work, but I will not be going again. read more