CAVA

Reviews

• BD

  Brian D

  2 days ago
  1.0
  I placed an online order for the drive-thru and waited over an hour before heading to the restaurant. After arriving, I spent another 20 minutes sitting in the pickup line. There wasn’t even a lunch rush, so I don’t understand what the problem was or whether the restaurant was simply understaffed. Either way, better communication and shorter wait times are needed. This experience was extremely disappointing.
• LH

  Linda H.

  Aug 9, 2026
  3.0
  I was so excited to have a Mediterranean place open within a half hour drive from home and I finally got a chance to go to Cava tonight. My daughter ordered a Pomegranate Glazed Salmon Bowl that was on the website to order from the Crystal Lake location but was not on their menu in the store. The employees didn't know what went on this bowl so had to ask my daughter for the ingredients which she read from their website and then was charged as a make your own bowl. I ordered the Lamb Meatballs and Avocado Bowl and a large drink. Service: OK. No one was rude but no one had customer service skills to build a business. There was no greeting as we entered, no goodbye, come again when we left. Not even after I said bye and thank you. Food: Good, but nothing to write home about or to drive out of the way to get. They were out of one of the ingredients on my bowl so let me substitute. Cost: Over $45 for 2 bowls and 1 drink. And they don't give a pita with the bowl like other Mediterranean places do.
• BH

  Brandy H

  Aug 2, 2026
  5.0
  My first time trying CAVA and this style of food, and I was honestly surprised by how much I enjoyed it. Everything tasted incredibly fresh, the flavors were outstanding, and the bowl was much more filling than I expected as I could hardly finish 3/4 of the bowl. The grilled chicken was tender, the avocado and tzatziki were delicious, and the garlic dressing was amazing. I’ll definitely be back!
• ML

  Mia Lucas

  Jul 30, 2026
  1.0
  Food at other locations is excellent. At Crystal Lake the chicken has been fatty and bland and the rice is not cooked properly and overall it was flavorless. In addition they have a lot of flies in the store landing all over the food they are serving. Hope to see the quality match Vernon Hills and Chicago because when it is good it’s great. The owner of this location needs to get in there and fix the quality control issues. Have been there twice.
• VP

  V P

  Jul 22, 2026
  3.0
  This was my first time trying CAVA, and overall I’d come back because the food was fresh and tasted good. I like the build-your-own bowl/pita concept, and everything behind the glass looked fresh and appetizing. The service, however, could definitely use some improvement. When I walked in, there wasn’t anyone in line, but there were several young employees standing around chatting near the register. The cashier actually had to get another employee’s attention to come help me. The protein portions were surprisingly small. Part of my order was a kids’ meal, and the amount of chicken barely covered the section of the bowl. I had to ask for a little more, and I felt like I got an odd look for asking. At checkout, I was asked if I wanted drinks, and I had to remind the cashier that the kids’ meal included them. The whole interaction felt a little rushed, and the staff wasn’t especially welcoming. The food itself was definitely the highlight, so I’d probably give it another chance, especially since they just opened. With a bit more customer service training and consistency in portions, the experience would be much better.