I definitely like the options for their soups and their sandwiches. I always like half sandwich and half soup since it just fills me up. My favorite soups are chicken noodle soup and the broccoli cheddar soup... they are very delicious, just not sure if the broccoli cheddar soup is as healthy as the chicken noodle soup since it's butter and cheese for the broccoli cheddar. I cant really choose which sandwich is my favorite since I like them all and I choose something different each time I come here. And if you're looking for something healthy, they also have salads. I'm not that big fan of salad myself, but I have to say their salads are pretty amazing and tasty with a little bit of this and a little bit of that. Never get disappointed in coming here at all so I would definitely recommend my friends and other people to come here.
(5)
Vikram G.
I have been here a few times and tried several sandwiches . Fontega - this sandwich is probably my favorite , the balsamic makes this sandwich happen. The turkey bacon avocado - love it , bacon and avocado compliment each other like yin and yang I recently tried the asiago turkey , pretty good , it was kinda lacking on the greens though Alongside the sandwich I had a bowl of chicken noodle , can't go wrong , their version is tasty , not too much sodium like you find in canned soups ! I will definitely be back .
(4)
Jeff B.
The Panera cashier got a paper cut on her wittle finger and told me all about it. I was like, "Awww baby I'm sorry, can I kiss your boo-boo to make it better?" Sorry I forgot to take pictures of my food! I wanted to provide real-time, [I have no] life updates. I got the asiago cheese bagel (classic!) with cream cheese spread plus a chocolate croissant that I never had the chance to try because my girlfriend ate all of it. She thought it was slightly stale and could use a re-heating. Good thing Panera has a microwave inside! I'm writing this review 15,000 feet above sea level since I'm in an airplane. The Go-Go wifi really sucks. She ordered the U Pick 2, and she chose the broccoli cheese soup, baked Lays chips, and caesar salad with stale, nasty croutons. Thanks for being vegetarian baby. The soup was real creamy. The salad was MEH. I got her 2 bucks off of the U Pick 2 since I'm a Panera VIP Gold Rewards Member. She thought that I was gonna pay $5.44 for her discounted meal, but hell no! I paid for our meal at Lark Creek Blue, remember? That joint cost me like 55 bucks. I aint no Lil Wayne.
(3)
kim c.
I love panera!!!!!! I at this place way to much. I love the freshness of the food and the bread. The soups are always delicious and the staff are personable. I talk my co workers into going there often this is my addiction. Lol
(5)
Eric L.
I do not know what they put into the Mac and Cheese, but this is the go lunch destination for my two kids. They will often destroy the kids portion then tear into our chips and bread. Lunch is always fresh and the pastries always hit the spot in the morning. Top off the meal with with their chocolate chip cookies and you will not be disappointed. Service is hit or miss, but with chain restuarants that is expected.
(3)
Shikha S.
I love their pastry rings that are out around the holidays! A few favorites are their lemonade, turkey sandwich, fuji apple chicken sandwich and their tuna sandwich!
(4)
Angie R.
My mom, coworkers and I ended up at Panera to grab a quick bite to eat. A few sandwiches and hot beverages were ordered. Unfortunately, the experience and customer service left everyone second guessing their choice of restaurant. It took 3 trips to the register to finally get someone to refill the empty hot water dispenser for our tea. Management finally came to the rescue with a poor excuse for the unorganized, untrained staff we had previously encountered. I was left baffled and unamused with the whole experience. I think I will be looking for a new place to reconvene with my coworkers the next time we meet.
App Ordering: First off there was a long line which seems to be a common theme at this location. I found out you can order on app via mobile. So, I took a seat at table near the fireplace and got my order in before the guy who would have been in front of me in the line. The tables are numbered so when I ordered I just entered the table number on the order. Some how it took 20 minutes for my food to arrive and it wasn't complete, I had to go chase down my Berry Smoothie. I told the manager how long it had taken for my food and the the order was incomplete. She just said "is there anything else I can do for you" uh... By the time I took my first bite, the guy who was walked in, in front of me, was walking out to leave because he had finished. Oh, and my soup wasn't warm any more of course. The tables don't seem to be wiped down or bussed. Ultimately this place it just too busy and the workers are just too overwhelmed.
(2)
Jennifer S.
This review is for online ordering: Panera, what happened? Granted, I only ordered because Boudin was already closed, but still? We ordered two Caesar salads, one kale and one regular. We got two regular salads, both without cheese and croutons? What's the point of Caesar salad without the cheese and croutons? Also, I was really excited to try the kale Caesar, but I guess I'll have to cross my fingers my order is right the next time I order from Panera.... If I ever order from Panera again. Also, I ordered a soup and was not even given a spoon. I feel like the employee who put together my order just didn't really care at all. Two stars because the lemon orzo soup was really good.
(2)
Robert S.
It's great to have a place that sells healthy fast food, and there are few alternatives as convenient as Panera. But be VERY CAREFUL about placing online orders. I have been shortchanged so many times that it's become the norm: Order a tuna sandwich, get half a tuna sandwich. Order two full meals, only get one side. Last week I added the following comment to an order: "I'm seriously losing patience with getting shortchanged on my orders. Please just give me what I paid for." And that time they did get it right. But I ordered again last night, and when I got my food home I noticed they didn't include the bread. On the receipt, someone circled "French Baguette" and wrote "OUT" next to it. The irony is that the bottom of the receipt contains a preprinted blurb about how the order should be correct every time. But what are they gonna do, right? They're out of French bread. Just because I paid for it doesn't matter, because if they're out, well then, they're out. I mean I guess they could have called me, since I'm required to give my phone number when I place an order, but no, that sounds like a lot of trouble. Or I suppose they could have substituted a different kind of bread, or even a different side order. But nah, those chips are all the way over there on the other shelf. Screw it, just write "OUT" on the bag. Get us customers out of there and go home, take it easy, watch the game, to hell with it. There will be other customers tomorrow. They should change the blurb on the bottom of the receipt to say, "Hopefully we'll get your order right, but if we don't, oh well." At least it would be honest. CHECK YOUR ORDER BEFORE YOU LEAVE.
(2)
Lianne W.
The price you pay is for the warm food, quiet study area, and ambiance. Meals here are pretty small, costing $11-16 for something good. The Pick Two deal is still around. I suggest the Classic Grilled Cheese sandwich and the Tomato Soup. It won't fill you up but it is a delicious combo! You also get your choice of bread, chips, or apple with the Pick Two. For the Pick Two, it is NOT worth getting the panini! They are cut in half for all sandwiches and paninis, with each $4+. If you want a panini or sandwich, get the whole one for your moneys worth. The staff here is pretty nice and chill, matching the ambiance. It does get pretty packed during dinner time, but most people grab it to go. Now, they have online ordering and a new app for it! The wifi is a bit spotty, but it's always going to be a good place for some quiet relaxation or work to get done.
(4)
Chantelle D.
I haven't been to a Panera Bread in a few years. I forgot how pricey some of the items are, but this place is something you go to once in a while and not every day. I ordered the Chicken Tortellini Alfredo with a cup of black bean soup for the Pick Two menu. My husband ordered the Steak & Swiss Panini and an 8 oz bowl of Cheddar Broccoli soup. Both soups were really good! I've been craving black bean soup for a while, so I enjoyed it. Although, I do wish they would mash the black beans into an actual soup and not just give me black beans in a cup because it didn't really look like it'd be called a soup. The Chicken Tortellini Alfredo was good too, but the chicken tasted way too salty for me. The pasta itself was so delicious. As for my husband's sandwich, he liked it, but it was a bit greasy. He wasn't complaining about the soup though, he loved it. Overall, I wouldn't make this a regular place to come to, especially with the price for everything. Like I said, once in a while is good enough to come here.
(4)
James K.
Well we had the soba Bowls. We won't be doing that again. I was supposed to have chicken in it. It didn't. We ordered a Group bowl of broccoli soup. They forgot it. I have a reward card but I won't get a reward for six more visits even though I ordered food for three people today. I don't know why I keep coming back? OK: The barbecue flatbread sandwich was pretty good. The food is pretty good but they are always disorganized with their service. Their loyalty program is really a disloyalty program. But they do have hazelnut coffee that I like.
(2)
Kavya T.
They have a pretty good breakfast menu, and soup menu too, especially for vegetarians. I can't say the same about the sandwiches, because I think there's only one vegetarian option, that is the mediterranean sandwich...or at least that is the only good one IMO. The pesto sandwich for breakfast/brunch is pretty great! They also had some other appealing breakfast options, which I will surely check out during another breakfast session. Also a great place to study and have meetings! Wifi is great and there are plenty of outlet locations and lots of seating. They also have their rewards card, where you accumulate rewards as you buy things there and then you get a treat! I love that surprising dessert option once in a while. Must Try: Bread-bowl soups--broccoli cheddar, tomato basil were awesome!
(4)
Laura D.
I received a couple of Panera gift cards for Christmas from here so I decided to give this place a try, I ordered the soup and salad combo. My choices were the creamy tomato basil soup and the steak and blue cheese salad. What I really liked was the free wifi and the free refills of the hibiscus iced tea. The food arrived to my table pretty quickly like about 10 mins after I sat down. The tomato basil soup was rich and very good. The steak and blue cheese salad was very tasty. I wish the steak was a little warmed up as it seemed a little on the tough side although it was done medium rare having it cold just kind of accentuated the toughness...if that makes sense. Overall though I really like Panera and will definitely be coming back. It's a great alternative to fast food.
(4)
Neil K.
Since their new kiosk syst this place has gone downhill. They changed the way they make the pastries and it's very low quality. The portions seem smaller as well. They use to have good service but even that's suffered. Dishes are still wet or damp when they serve it yo you. And the whole kiosk system is broken where the service never seems to get your order fast. All in all , low quality if food than before.
(1)
Janet C.
This was my first time ordering a sandwich at Panera I ordered the turkey avocado BLT I ordered my sandwich to go and when I got back to work and begin to eat it I noticed there is no avocado on the turkey avocado BLT. The sandwiches was pretty small and the turkey was flavorless One very thin piece of bacon not much to the sandwich at all I will say however that the sliced sourdough bread was very good but I could have gotten a much better sandwich at Eriks deli or even Togos for that matter for less money
I have tried chicken panini, cappuccino. The sandwich was good. The coffee was awesome. I sit in a coffee shop for couple of hours reading a book. This place will be new place to pass my boredom. The staff were excellent in service. It's a clean place with very good ambience. This place has different varieties in their menu. They serve bakery food, sandwiches, tea, coffee, flavoured drinks. You will find it a good place for your breakfast or lunch or dinner.
(4)
Pooja M.
I love the low fat fruit smoothies, the soup and sandwich combos, and the pastries from Panera. This is a great place to study and get great food, and it is also a nice restaurant to hang out with friends and have professional meetings as well. I've had quite a few interview chats with alumni of prospective colleges at this Panera, and I've also grabbed many casual lunches with friends at this Panera. Its versatility as a study spot, casual lunch hangout, and professional meeting location make Panera a staple in any city, and I love my city's Panera for its great food and the great memories I've had there.
(4)
Kyra S.
This was the first Panera I have ever been too, and I am hooked!! the Broccoli Cheddar Soup is to die for!!!. If you are thinking this is just a bread place you are in for a suprise. I am watching what I eat and they have food for all types. If you are looking for a low calories good for you sandwich you must try the Roasted Turkey, Avocado BLT. Just leave off the bacon and mayo and make your bread whole grain. And you have a sandwich 170 calories. I love their website you can order and pay then drive over there and do rapid pickup in a shelf and your done.
(5)
Adam M.
The day I was forgotten. Normally I prefer to give positive reviews but sometimes I have to give a bad review. A woman ahead of us ordered the day before had her order wrong, the simple solution was to put half of the items in a second bag, apparently that is a 5 minute process to simply, dump some bread slices into a second bag. I have worked in retail so I tend to be sympathetic to staff and while Panera has great, quality food I know this isn't fine dining. But... OMG don't order a breakfast sandwich 2 minutes late, not only will they not tell you it is too late your order will disappear. Then after most of your order shows up and you inquire where your breakfast sandwich is they give you attitude "well what time did you order" my response is "it's on the receipt". So long story short it took over 40 minutes for me to get a replacement sandwich. The best part is the lazy ass customers, apparently one family was too bothered to stand in line so they had their 3 pastries (yes pastries) brought to their table while one person had a McCafe drink. This Panera normally has borderline military precision during the work week - heaven forbid you not know to order in under 10 seconds. I think part of the problem is Panera is trying to do too many things at once they have: 1.) Walk in ordering 2.) Kiosk ordering 3.) Online ordering 4.) Order at your table Hey why not add a drive through??? So between the miserable customer service (every employee seemed to struggle) and the hipster/princess attitude from the customers I think I can safely avoid this place in the future.
(2)
jane h.
Panera bread will never get my business. They have the worst online customer care as well. Contacted to let them know how frustrating it was to see the feta cheese was missing on the rapid pick up order and totally shocked by their response. This happened not once to deem as just a "mistake" but it was twice at this same particular shop. They did not even want to do a phone pickup when the shop was empty but lied they were busy! Just watch the reply here for the compliant I made "I'd love to invite you to visit us again. May I send you a Panera Bread eGift Card? Though I know that isn't the reason for your email, I would like the opportunity to make up for your disappointment. I'll look forward to hearing from you." No apologies at all. Pretending to throw money to buy you out. If you are sincere first apologize for the mistake, refund/issue GC and proceed further. Never tried Boudin which is right across and now I am motivated! Bye bye Panera!
(1)
Danielle C.
This is an okay Panera that is located close to the BART station. I think the food quality at Panera has gone down over the years. I used to love their soups but every time I get them now, they are just okay. They bring the food to you which is nice.
(3)
Heather P.
Good food. Awesome customer service. No waiting . Very clean Keep up the good work staff
(4)
Indijah A.
Worst expierance ever took my order to go since I was only on a lunch break told the cashier I wanted there chicken tortellini without smoked chicken & I wanted the grilled chicken instead with an apple on the side cut up. Waited on the Togo order bench for my order to be ready. When it finally was ready it wasn't to go. I repeated to the lady exactly what I wanted and she repeated it to the person making the order. FAIL. She had the nerve to say "oh, and she wants her apple cut. Ya I know good thing we aren't busy" what I wanted to say was well honey if you aren't busy it should've been made right in the first place but I stayed quite because I was in my work uniform. The lady behind the counter finally called my name I double verified with her what was suppose to be in the bag she said yes and i was on my way finally took it out to eat it after getting to work and I had not only not the chicken i asked and payed for i had about 50 cents worth of chiken in my bowl. These people working here don't even deserve minimum wage will never ever be back to this location! There customer service is garbage! Please train your associates!
(1)
D S.
I am a big Panera fan. In the last 7 years, I have lived in 4 different states and have gone to 2-3 different Panera locations in each state. I have to say that this particular Panera is the most poorly managed one. I have gone there 4-5 times and have been disappointed each time. 1. They ran out of "chips". So we said okay, we'll take the baguette. Our food came out with an apple. WTF? 2. They ran out of the type of bread our sandwich usually comes in. Our sandwich was served on some other type of bread. WTF 3. They ran out of hot water, so there was no way for me to drink my hot tea that I paid $1.75 for. 4. They were once randomly closed at 6 pm on a Monday evening because of some "Bread bash". WTF? 5. The place takes 2-3 times as long to take your order and deliver your food than every other Panera location I have been to. 6. The place is filthy with paper towels and straw wrappers on the floor. Everywhere. All the time. It's a shame. They are ruining "Panera" for me.
(2)
Catherine B.
This has always been a good place for catching up with friends, having a lunch with your grandma, or even doing homework by yourself. It has a quiet, charming atmosphere that really draws you in. The service is usually friendly or laid back, which adds to the quiet, casual atmosphere. Plus, free wifi! I always get the you pick two. It's a genius idea because I always want more than one thing. I really like the broccoli cheddar soup because it's good to dip your bread into if you get the choice of bread with your meal. The grilled cheese is good in my opinion but recently it's been lacking. It kind of went downhill over the years but there's a lot more things on the menu to choose from. Their bagels are good, the pastries are good, &the cream cheese for the bagels for some reason is really good.
(3)
Ebony B.
I like Panera in general. This location, in particular, has a pleasant staff... and patient considering I take forever looking at the menu. I go there during different times of the day, and it's typically not busy. However, if you're in a rush, even that one person in line can be annoying as heck, but hey, it's life. Lots to try on their menu, but my default is typically a BLT for sandwich, their super creamy mac and cheese, and the Greek salad. You can go as healthy as you want (an apple or natural potato chips as part of your meal), or not (white bread baguette). They stay open late in the event you need a nighttime munchie... which is truly my weakness. I love when my Panera card tells me I have a free pastry! You ain't got to tell me twice! They're going to feature online ordering in the near future, FYI.
(5)
Tony H.
The food's great. The location's great. The service is great too. Which is why I'm giving them five stars even though the consistency of their food isn't all that great. For example: 1. Left out the noodle in their noodle broth bowl. 2. Frozen chicken 3. Caesar salad reeked of blue cheese. They must've mixed up their blue cheese dressing with their Caesar salad dressing that day. 4. Forgot to put avocado in a sandwich. When I asked, they told me they were out. If they'd told me earlier, I would've ordered something else. 5. Gave me a sandwich instead of a salad. The "extra croutons" I'd ordered with it was placed in a little bowl beside the sandwich. There are more, but those are the ones I remember most. At this point, seeing what else can go wrong has become my favorite part of going to this location. It's turned into a kind of dinner and show or maybe more like bingo night where I get to cross off the "frozen chicken" box on the ol' bingo card. Don't get me wrong, I still go back. Hence the 5 stars. Because when they get it right, they're great. I just thought I'd share a few of the funny experiences I'd had there for a laugh.
(5)
Nik N.
For catering I give this place five stars! I have used them three times always on time and the order is always right. However, in store the service is not great. I had to explain the you pick two concept to my cashier twice during the process, once when she tried to sell me a whole salad and a whole sandwich when I prefaced each item with the word half. Again when she didn't give me the apple or chips option instead of bread. Also they don't use pagers here, the sandwich maker just yells order up for orders where people are seated. No customer or employee ever came to retrieve the order that was up in the entire time I waited. Panera quality is consistent so it's really service that sets locations apart. This one needs some work.
(3)
Harry C.
How the heck do you run out of bagels on a weekend at 10:00am? I understand the business aspect of it, but how about the customer aspect? So I went in around 10:00am, and they had only a few bagels. Sad.
(1)
Allie A.
I love Panera, I'm there at least once a week. I just wish that when they run out of stuff, they'd go out and make it again. Nothing like coming in for a late study session and seeing that they're all out of onion bagels.
This visit was last July 12th, 2015 - On my way to Panera to get some pastries at Panera, so I can get a short coffee break. But noticed that birds were landing on unattended tables outside and picking some food from there. I said,"yuck, this is very unsanitary."These tables need attention and cleaned up right away. Then when I went inside the cafe," I saw only a handful pastries displayed on their bakery case. On the other hand, the pastries were displayed using where they were baked at and they don't use clean display baking trays. I said,"Is this how Panera presents itself to customers?" Disorganized, dirty, unpresentable and lack of attention of the tiny details. Second, I overheard how 1 female employee didn't want to work and be there after the afternoon rush was over when she was talking to the head baker. You know what, keep your comments as discreet as possible - so customers won't hear what you are feeling. I thought I wasn't greeted and being welcomed when I first entered the door. No "Hi, Welcome or Good Afternoon!". Third, when I glanced at their bakery case - there were no signage on what they are selling and some pastries are only available like the cherry danishes, m&m and pumpkin muffins, pecan braids and a crumb cake. This is pretty sad because there were only a few choices by 3:53pm in a Sunday afternoon. Yet, they close at 9pm on Sunday. This branch needs some help from a store manager that needs to coach their management team, employees on serving better customer service, and a better environment for customers to enjoy and be welcomed. I feel that this store is failing for a long time - and they haven't addressed these issues every time I go there. This is the afternoon service on a Sunday. It was really horrible. I thought the morning service was the opposite- positive, welcoming and knew what they were doing and cared their customers. But the afternoon and night service was horrible overall. I thought that the food was a Fail also because their menu taste bland, and cannot cater special requests to customers by giving the right amount of meat or attending to customers who are waiting. The customer service should be handled by a designated employee or a manager to resolve these issues. They should acknowledge the customer to resolve these issues, and maybe offer a pastry or cookie while they are waiting. The management should handle these issues as quick as they can too to avoid long waiting times. After my last visit, I am not coming back to Panera because of these issues - it was a big FAIL in customer service, handling and resolving issues as quickly as possible, acknowledging as quickly as possible, food quality, and employees morale and proper training.
(1)
Ric D.
Here is why I dislike this location to the core: 1) always running out of stuff 1.5 hours before close time!!! Wow. 2) takes twice as long for the orders to be prepared even when there is no one waiting 3) twice it has happened that a chicken caesar salad was ordered but there was no chicken and a Napa almond chicken salad sandwich was prepared with one tablespoon of chicken salad :-| These guys really need to improve their service. Just because it's a busy store doesn't mean they can drastically reduce the quality of food and resort to extremely poor customer service!!
(1)
Natalie L.
Delicious food even if it is slightly pricey. 4 stars just because when I order online, the staff never tells me they're out of an item I ordered and offer me something else or a refund. I always have to go in and say they forgot it, but really... They're half-assing their job.
(4)
Jeri L.
Something has happened to this Panera Restaurant in the last year. The employees do not seem as well trained as in the past and they also seem to have been short staffed during both my previous visits. Earlier this week I stopped in to order a Fuji Apple Chicken Salad to go. First the lone employee staffing the registers had her hands full taking orders. However, customers were complaining that the Coffee dispensers were empty. Then a cook was arguing with the register person about whose responsibility it was to refill the Coffee. Short staffed? What has happened to team work? Then the cook staff forgot to include the salad dressing with my order, which I discovered more than an hour later at home. Frustrating. No salad dressing with my salad. I gave them another try yesterday with a to go order. I waited patiently while the two cooks bantered back and forth because one cook restocked too much ham and not enough turkey. As my order was almost complete, I moved to their counter and asked them to be sure to include the salad dressing since it was forgotten on my last order. The cook preparing my order then made a snide comment about customers standing there waiting for their orders. When I got home there was a salad dressing container included but it had very little salad dressing in it. Are they running out of salad dressing? Good grief. On both visits it was NOT peak time and my orders were simple and for only one person. My orders were not complicated. The overall food quality was still good, but the quality of the employees has gone downhill. What has happened to smiling, helpful neighborhood service? Why so lippy to both customers and fellow employees? Tacky. I will try going to the Paneras on Automall next time or maybe anywhere from Paneras. Their management is either absent or undertrained.
(2)
Judith C.
Ugh. My co-worker and I ducked in here when we wanted to get out of our workplace for a bit and escape the rain. We couldn't find the place we originally wanted to go, so we decided to just stop by here instead. I got a chai tea latte, because I wasn't feeling hungry and didn't want to spend a lot. It was not good AT ALL. The worst. You could definitely tell that it was made from syrup, but not even decent-quality syrup. My co-worker got their squash soup, and she described it as "sugar soup." No no no.
(1)
Tess L.
Almost all tables are occupied - with dirty dishes and trash. There is hardly any clean table to sit. Understaffed?
(2)
Daniel H.
Well, this Panera meets the expectation of Panera - higher than normal prices, higher than normal quality, smaller than normal portions. As for this location, I actually almost forgot this was my first Panera that I ever visited. I like this location because it's so convenient - right next to Fremont BART, and the atmosphere seems particularly casual and easy-going. I don't know if that's the staff or they lay-out or what. I enjoy sitting in almost every section of the cafe - which is a little weird for me, I'm a 1-spot kind of guy most of the time. Thanks for the good times, Panera. P.S. It would be great to see better discounts in your emails! :)
(3)
Nikita B.
I love panera.... i really do! however my experience today was horrible and my food was togo. I went to their website so i could do the rapid pick up. They did not offer the chicken Caesar salad SANDWICH online. So i decided okay ill call and order... I had to order mine and a bunch of my coworker's food as well. No one picked up. I dialed again... and still no one picked up. We were all craving panera so i wrote everyone's order down and went to go order straight at the location. I understand its lunch time they get busy... but now when i finally get there there is this elder lady at the register... i had to repeat every order to her at least twice hoping she wouldn't mess up. She did not smile at me once, she looked like she straight hated her job, she looked tired and honestly if you're not a people person you shouldn't be working in an environment such as this. I ordered two "pick two items" and three normal sandwhiches. I should have double checked what was in the bag before leaving because when i reached back to work one soup was missing... and my chicken Caesar salad SANDWICH .... was just a salad not a sandwich.... i was so upset because i was looking forward to my sandwich... not that the salad was bad or anything it was really good also but that's not what i had ordered. So i guess moral of the story is to double check you have what you ordered in your bag...
(2)
Manish J.
Usually I like Panera breads. they are always fresh. they have free Wi-Fi so if you want to catch up in between work then its a good place.
(4)
Li C.
Want my honest opinion, been here 2 times and both times it's been shit. First time uuuuurgh. Today, after waiting for the person at the register to finish her personal conversation and then other girl apologizing. .....we get served.....yay cause I was starving after my run. Chicken Caesar salad comes......Is there a shortage of chickens and croutons? Barely any chicken and zero croutons. $8.79 for a bowl of lettuce? My husbands came with the sauce in a plastic container thrown on top of the lettuce.....WTH? I asked apologetically for a refund, no apology in return, no option for an alternative.....disgruntled manager. I'm sorry, is it a privilege for me to be here and served by you? The Panera off 237 may have dead door service, but they do serve a decent meal. NEVER coming back to this shit hole. I'm so hungry and grumpy right now....I wish I had told that manager what a f*ck nut he is. Typed on tiny itty bitty keys just for you, by a very hungry grumpy person!
(1)
Eric J.
Has a real "homey" feel with the fireplace inside. It's much bigger inside than I expected. Plenty of tables, service was good. Free wifi worked well, easy to login. I had a breakfast sandwich and a latte. Both were very good. Nice place to relax, get a bite of something to eat and surf. I'll be back.
(3)
Mustafa E.
I found a fly in my salad. Took it back to the manager and he said it's the vendors fault since they buy it from the vendor. Well I didn't buy it from the vendor and they should have some sort of quality control. I was only offered a refund for the salad and had to tell them that I won't be eating the rest of my food.
(1)
Liberty Lady L.
The nicest word I can use about this Panera is "underwhelming." First, the place is dirty. Second, the food is mediocre at best; nearly tasteless, very small portions, MSG in the french onion soup, ridiculously tiny amount of meat in my sandwich, etc. Third, the staff seem to be as mediocre as the food. The only things this place has going for it are the free wi-fi and the well-lit casual atmosphere. There's even a major slip hazard from a water leak across the sidewalk right outside the front door. The water is rusty-looking and seems to have been there a while. All of this could be fixed pretty quickly if they got new management. Because this is a chain, however, I don't expect that to happen. We won't be back.
(2)
Chin-Leng C.
Came with family for dinner last night, but 3 out of 4 orders were pretty screwed up. My Chipotle Chicken Panini has almost no chicken in it. We noticed the same issue with the Frontega Chicken. It has like bits and pieces of loose meats that makes up probably half a pinky size. Our Avocado Turkey Sandwich has no avocado in it. We showed the server and he brought it back to the kitchen. We later had real chicken in our sandwich, but it seems like they're for something else and it was quite cold. Panini with cold chicken??? Also, they said they were out of avocado and compensated us with a cup of soup. I would say for server attitude, he's okay. But for the kitchen staffs and food consistency, it really needs help!
(2)
Jolly H.
The food is still really good. A lot of people must like the Cream of Chick and Wild Rice soup because they always seem to run out before I get here. And lately, they are always out of the baguettes for the side. Still the food is great.
(4)
Alejandra J.
Its OK. service is extremely slow, 15 mins to get a juice? Really....i do adore the panera orange juice .
(2)
Doan L.
This Panera bread is pretty fast in regards to service. However, the bathroom could use a little cleaning up more often. It could get full during rush hours so best to get here early or at odd hours. Plenty of parking :)
(4)
Darryl F.
I want to personally thank Alexis Fortenberry and her manager Alice for their prompt, kind, loving, warm and courteous attention and service they provided to me and my family when we visited the restaurant.They treated us with very very upmost prompt service that we've ever experienced!!!! Alexis is very very prompt and knowledgeable about her job!!!!
I haven't visited this place in a while so I dropped by for a quick bite. The food was ok and a bit pricey. Also, the cashier (Sal) was quite rude. Must have been having a bad day.
(3)
Lita V.
I only come here when they have the Steak and Blue cheese salad. The dressing has a zestiness to it, the steak is tender, and the onion crisps really compliments the tanginess of the blue cheese. You can try to balance out the heartiness of this salad with a side of apple because the bread selection is very tough (stale?). Other than that, I can't bring myself to spend that much for anything else offered at Panera (I justify spending that much for the salad because of the steak...). I just know I can get everything else offered there for better quality at a cheaper price somewhere else.
(3)
Kay C.
As with all Paneras, quite spendy for what you get. But the stuff is decent - good coffee, good pastries - like the souffles. Good service, we got our order to go and they bagged it all up for you and provided napkins, forks, etc in the bag so that's nice.
(3)
B L.
While the food is pleasant and reasonably priced, the service at THIS location is EXTREMELY slow. There needs to be a manager on-site or if there is a manager on-site, s/he needs retraining on providing quality customer service.
(2)
Thuyvi M.
Working in Fremont now I finally got to visit this location as I used to visit the Hayward location a lot. I defin like the new menu items and there is a lot of choices to choose from. The food is fresh and the employees are nice and friendly. The service is fast too however the last time during my visit I had my order to go and I never heard anyone call my name to pick up. So others who ordered after me got their food before mine. Overall I would come back for lunch but it can get busy and parking is hectic during lunch hour.
(4)
Pooh P.
We like the Panera concept, and there are many Panera stores that execute the concept well. Not this one. Today, we had the following experience of being systematically short-changed: (a) there was a big sign that said they were offering a free cookie for using the in-store Kiosk for online ordering. But the orders never came with cookies, without explanation. When we inquired, we were told they were out of cookies. After raising this as an issue, we discovered they indeed had cookies ("in the bakery", whatever that means). (b) we ordered a you-pick-two, which comes with a choice of sides. We chose the baguette side. when the order came, there was no baguette nor any substitute side. and no explanation either. Plus, the veggie-mediterranean sandwich was not at all like they way I've had it before, and was furthermore skimpy on materials. When raising this as an issue (specifically, we weren't being honestly served what we paid for), we were simply told they were sorry, the kitchen was out of baguettes, with no effort at offering a substitute. After we made a fuss, and with the server's help (she was most apologetic, and attributed the issues to something going on in the kitchen), we got some substitutes. Another patron who saw us complaining also approached us and said they had also just had a horrible (his words) experience with this Panera. My point is this: 1. Either the manager or the owner of this unit is engaging in systematic short-changing of customers. Otherwise, they'd have been up front about not having what we paid for and offering substitutes. Observe how they just quietly short-changed us. This is known as theft and fraud. 2. How could they have been out of things so early in the evening? It was only 8:30 pm., and the store closing time was 10 pm. 3. Clearly we weren't the only unhappy customers at this location.
(1)
april j.
Have been coming here for about 6 months now, and today I finally decided to write a review after watching the register person yelling at an older woman. She was clearly confused about her order, but his attitude towards her was just wrong. The customer service here has always been so so, but the last few months have really made me question if I'm going to return here. Mostly every employee I have interacted with looks like they hate me, as well as their job. Come on management-get some good people in here! The food is also inconsistent. I keep ordering the French onion soup, 90% of the time there's NO cheese on there, the other 10% is barely a sprinkle. Let's fix this Panera, there's plenty of other places to eat in this area.
(2)
James A.
My favorite location in the East Bay. Some of the team members are annoying but overall experience is good.
(5)
Sarah W.
Out of a bunch of things around lunch time. This location has its ups and downs. Its at a down right now
(1)
Katie N.
I LOVE PANERA BREAD! Just not this location Living down the street, it was exciting to find a Panera nearby. Went here today for breakfast with a friend and our cashier gave us terrible customer service- as if she doesnt wanna be there. My friend ordered the bacon soufle, after she rung us up it was already all sold to someone else. When we handed her our card she gave us attitude as if we made her work by getting my cup of coffee and our soufle, and my friends iced mocha was made wrong by none other than our cashier. This is a nice spacious Panera, but idf they knew their soufle sells so quick then they should make more for backups, not asked us if we wanted to wait for 25 minutes.
(2)
Rebecca H.
I used to like Panera a lot more. Now it just seems tired. The service is tired. The food is tired. I had some breakfast sandwich thing that was so bland, so uninteresting, I felt tired after eating it. It's not bad for high sodium, high calorie food masquerading as "healthy," but I'd rather eat an obviously unhealthy Egg McMuffin than a fakey healthy bland grody breakfast sandwich. It's not horrible, it's not great, it's just ok. And tired.
(3)
Jason S.
The food here is great. My problem lays with the ordering of lunch. One of my coworkers birthday was last week, so I called to place an order. I asked for two sandwich trays and some soup. I was told that catering orders need to be booked 24 hours in advanced and that they were booked for the day. Keep in mind that we are only ordering 10 sandwiches. After a long argument with someone who said they were the store manager, they finally agreed to sell me the food. If it wasn't that I didn't have time to go somewhere else I would have hung up. I have to question the business practice of turning away large orders. Isn't the point to sell as many sandwiches as possible. They should be grateful they don't work for me. P.S. To add insult to injury they charged me for the soup and never gave it to us.
(3)
Tammy T.
Service is sometimes really slow. Standing in line for 10 mins slow. Food is inconsistent. Sometimes forgets the cheese or dressing on my salad :( Tea and coffee is lukewarm. (I typically come around 5pm) Also, what is with the below freezing temperature?! It is effing cold. Shivering as I type.
(2)
Bert M.
I normally wouldn't bother writing a review for a chain restaurant, but this instance of Panera is really disappointing. I normally like Panera as a good, middle-of-the-road choice for a quick, light lunch, but this one strikes out continually for me. The soda machine is perennially out of diet/diet-caffeine-free Pepsi, which is the only soft drink my wife or I drink; the whole-grain baguettes that I love at other locations is _always_ burned here; and they basically have a supernatural ability for being out of whatever my wife wants to order (shrimp and soba noodle salad, I'm looking at you). I've crossed this off my list of places to go, which sucks because I like the chain in general and it would be nice to have one close by.
(1)
Suvarna P.
This is an OK place for the price you pay.the ambience was good, but the food quantity was very little. As this was my first time to panera bread, I also felt the person at the counter was rude when I asked few doubt's about the menu
(2)
Christina J.
I used to eat here all the time when I was still in school. Would come here to study, eat, study some more, drink tea/lattes study some more and then have a cookie hehe. It can get extremely crowded but if you get there early and are planning on camping out to study, as long as you keep ordering stuff it's all good. My favorite thing is the bacon and spinach souffle. Amazing! I love to have that and their iced acai or tropical tea. My only problem is with quality control. I've eaten their so much and mostly order salads, but it can really be hit or miss with the quality of the lettuce. I hate brown or rotting lettuce in my salad and that has happened on a number or occasions. It really can ruin a salad and makes me wonder about quality control for all the rest of their food. Their bread and pastries are pretty on point but if you've ever looked at their ingredient list, aren't "scratch made" like they make you think. Yes they are "fresh baked" but def not from scratch.
(3)
Dee F.
Not worthy of this One Star! I'm basing my review on the way this company treats their employees. It seems like this location lacks management skills! Not handling issues in a timely manner nor addressing the situation at all!!! All this to keep it hidden from upper management. UNACCEPTABLE!!! If you really want a good bagel try Local Businesses Like PJ's Bagel or Daily Bagel.
(1)
Chris C.
Was sent here by the wife to pick up some baked goods ordered online and although some of the items were not available due to poor planning the Manager Aaron stepped in and refunded part of the order and replaced them free of charge with other delicious baked goods. Thanks.
(4)
Kyla K.
UPDATE: Things have seemed to improve after my last post. The staff is friendlier and working more diligently to get the food out quicker and correctly. Someone was paying attention to all the negative reviews. Seems as though new management came in and cleaned up the slack! We will definitely be trying again.
(4)
Jenn M.
We really enjoy coming into Panera. This location however, always seems to be really crowded which is good for business, but bad when your food comes before you can sit down. Not enough seating especially during Lunch Hours.
(4)
Maria N.
I love Panera Bread but not this location. I was so excited to find a location by our office but this will be the last time me and my family will be spending money here. I had an early lunch here on thursday and it was not busy. I didn't catch the cashier's name but she is an older white lady with blonde hair. She was super rude to us. I wanted to order the Pick 2 meal and added a cookie for .99cents. Tell me why, she was giving me attitude because I, myself the customer, was adding on? I was so annoyed that Id forgotten to switch out my bread for a bag of chip, and of course she didnt offer either. I came for the food but she pist me off so much that i didnt even gave order right. We think she was rude to us because we're Asian. We would never pull the race card, esp in Fremont where it is so diverse. I couldn't help but noticed how much nicer she was assisting this male white client. Speaking of a lasting impression.
(1)
Jay T.
Like any other Panera bread. Nice ambience. Great hospitality and friendly people around. Loved every time I visited there. Would recommend to anyone who loves Panera.
(4)
Danielle E.
I placed a pick up order for the wrong store and the managers at the Mowry location took care of me and had my order done in less than 5 mins!! Talk about GREAT customer service! I wish I would have brought money so I could tip both gentleman... Next time! I wish i remembered their names to shout them out here, but will remember their faces! Thank you gentleman for your excellent service! You secured a loyal customer! : ) Oh man and the sandwich today was the best I've had there!! WOW!! Color me impressed!!
(5)
Julie L.
I would not recommend this Panera location to anyone. Over the years I've noticed the service going down and yesterday they were at their peak. I ordered a turkey avocado and bacon on sourdough and requested that they made sure my pickle was put on the side (cold sandwiches always come with pickles but they usually forget so I put in a reminder). My boyfriend ordered a turkey stuffing flatbread with a broccoli cheddar soup. I received my sandwich with no avocado and no pickle. I went up to the counter to learn that this location was out of these items and I lost my appetite. Robert, the young man who informed me of this "did the girl not tell you we were out of avocados?" made me feel like it was my fault that I didn't know they were out of items that they advertise on their menu. I put my foot down and asked for a refund because this was absolutely ridiculous. I would not have ordered this sandwich if every employee was properly informed. I was offered no compensation and this Robert character acted as if he was some type of supervisor? I say he be demoted immediately because of the way he presented himself. No name tag, and only apologizing once without trying to understand how unhappy he made me. When my boyfriend received his order, the spoon that was given to him by our uncaring server named Mariana, was still caked in left-over food. I went up to the food counter and requested a new one from her. She looked at me as if she didn't understand my issue with their dirty silverware. Again she handed me a dirty spoon and when she handed it to me she touched the mouth area of the spoon. We ended up requesting one of the plastic spoons that were given to those who have take out orders and again, Mariana told us to go get our own spoon. I was annoyed because she didn't seem to be capable of doing anything else except standing around and waiting to hand out food orders, why not fix the mistake you made with your customer in a friendly manner?It was her service in particular that prompted my review. She was so uncaring and rude to me and only started treating other customers with respect when I put my foot down and said something. Something we didn't bother mentioning to the staff was that my boyfriend found an eyelash in his flatbread. I think it's safe to conclude that this location does not honor the California Food Handlers license and should be immediately checked up by a health inspector so they can be put in their place. You don't serve people dirty silverware and contaminate with your own hands at the same time, and you certainly do not leave hair in your patrons flatbreads!
(2)
D S.
This place is horrible. Over 30 minute wait to get our order then to have it come out wrong!! This has happened the last two visits here.
(1)
Jason L.
I just don't get it... over priced sandwiches, breads, soups, and drinks. And its all stuff that you could easily make at home. Safeway sells the same exact thing for half the costs, but you just don't get the atmosphere. Nothing that I've had here really "stands" out or makes me want to keep coming back for more. I know some people love this place, for me... its just meh
(3)
Dave L.
Nice place, but the food is not what is worth. I have tasted better pasta and sandwiches at other locations for the same price.
Terrible service; ordered through the app, picked it up, but found out some of the stuff I ordered was missing. So we went back, was told they were sold out, and after specifically asking, we were told that some guy would give us a refund right away. It took him 20min. Had to remind him 3times.
(1)
Stephanie S.
Since Panera is so close to Washington Hospital, my nursing school classmates and I have been frequenting Panera to study after clinicals. This is a great place to study, it's warm and cozy and has free Wifi. There are a lot of people there studying or doing work, so it doesn't get super noisy. They do fill up for dinner, but again, it's nothing super distracting. The food smells amazing! Definitely get the Iced Green Tea (that's my favorite). Their pastries are all pretty decent, and if you get their Panera rewards card, you get a lot of $1 off pastries coupons. I would highly recommend this Panera for your studying needs!
(4)
Drea H.
Fiance and I came here for a quick lunch on a weekday during lunch hour. Wow, the parking is pretty horrendous. The inside of the store wasn't much better either. It was super busy and a bit claustrophobic. Service was quick, food was tasty & filling, prices are comparative to other cafe-like restaurants, but the atmosphere was a bit much for us. It was also hard to find seating, and we weren't able to take a long look at their menu as it was so busy & we were rushed into ordering.
(3)
Craig F.
Good sandwiches, fresh pastries and bread, but maybe a little pricey to make this a regular visit. I guess it had been awhile since my last visit, because I was expecting to pay anywhere from $7-8 for my Turkey Artichoke panini (with a choice of an apple, chips or even more bread!), but got the sticker shock when the cashier told it was $9.80 ($8.99 + 0.81)! I guess Panera has enough business from the Doctors and Nurses from the nearby hospital that can afford to come here everyday if they wanted to, but for myself, I will only come here maybe a couple times a year if I happen to be craving one of their delicious sandwiches. Free restaurant wide Wi-Fi (probably not the fastest around, but it's free!) Friendly service with a smile and a carb lovers dream.
(4)
Sai Ram G.
This was the first time I visited to Panera upon my friend's suggestion and the food was really awesome especially Macroni Cheese bowl and this is the first bakery I have ever liked in USA.
(4)
Andrea L.
No issues with service. Bathrooms are clean enough. I ADORE their new egg white, cheese and avocado sandwich on Sprouted Whole Grain Bagel. However, 4 out of 5 times they're OUT of this bagel when I arrive. Ahhh! (their breakfast also ends too early). They're also out of whole grain or other healthier type bagels usually. As a vegetarian and someone trying to eat healthier, I am routinely disappointed. I can get regular boring sliced bread at home! And I can get sweet pasty items at any grocery or convenience store - so having an excess (it seems usually) of these doesn't help me. Panera management: please INCREASE number of Sprouted Whole Grain Bagels, and also regular whole wheat bagels each day!! Thanks.....I'll cross my fingers you read this. :) I love your location and service - but if I continue not being able to get the breakfast sandwich (or just the Sprouted Whole Grain Bagel with butter after breakfast) I am looking forward to, I will start finding another restaurant unfortunately.
(3)
Neva L.
Horrible service just okay food. Today I called to place a catering order and the employee stated that all of the catering employees were busy and that I would get a call back. I waited, waited, waited some more and no call back. So I went online and ordered there. My husband went in at the designated pick up time and guess what? Our order wasn't ready nor had they begun to assemble it. He waited 30 minutes for the order to be ready. What's the point in ordering ahead when you'll have to wait anyways? I'm over it. No more panera for me!
(1)
Alie C.
I'm a huge fan of Panera. Unfortunately, this location was a huge disappointment. We went in the middle of the afternoon on a Saturday and they were out of everything. No ciabatta bread for my sandwich and they ran out of steak halfway through our order. It took nearly 20 minutes to receive our food and it wasn't even correct when we got it. We had to reorder a couple of items and ask twice for what we were missing. It was clear the cooks were new and couldn't handle the busy lunch rush as well. My sandwich, which I order every time at all the locations I go to, didn't taste anything like it was supposed to. The place was a disaster with dirty dishes all over the tables and spilling over by the trash can. They need better management at this location or else they are going to lose a ton of business.
(2)
Michelle C.
Do not go to this Panera. If I could give negative stars, I would. I am sitting here drinking my latte right now when all I want to do is scream and yell at them how they ruined their chances for ever earning my business again. And we, an upper-middle class family of four, eat at Panera 4-5 times per week. I was treated rudely by Lena, who took my order and who argued with me about whether I ordered an item or not when she forgot to put it on the receipt. She told me I have a problem. I am dead serious. I just read an article on Business Insider yesterday that said Panera has been losing business and is trying to "up its game" by improving customer experience, appreciation, and reducing wait times. This Panera location fails in all pursuits. In addition to being insulted twice by Lena, the manager, Terrell, came over to help with the transaction since Lena wasn't sure how to charge something we regularly order at every Panera we visit...which is in multiple cities across the country. Terrell was impatient, irritated, and told me that "Panera doesn't sell food items that way!" Well, I USUALLY go to the Auto Mall location (for obvious reasons) and they have never once complained or corrected me for ordering two slices of ham as an extra food item. Never have they had a problem about how to charge me for it. All I can say is wtf. I'm done bringing my money here. I hope others will see this review and choose the Auto Mall location over the Mowry location because of it.
(1)
Nadeem A.
I've now been to this Panera location a few times, and everything is good, from their baked goods to their soups to their sandwiches. Out of the soups, I like the chicken noodle and the clam chowder. My go-to sandwich is the steak & cheddar panini. If I'm feeling particularly indulgent, I'll get their awesome mac & cheese! On the rare times I want a little treat, I'll either get the brownie or the cinnamon bun. But avoid the pecan bun and tomato basil bread, they are horrible! Their food taste great, and it's not super filling. Win-win!
The place was nice and clean even in the bathrooms. The staff was friendly and I got my meal quickly.
(5)
Eri H.
I love Panera Bread. Their pastries are not overly sweet and they always taste fresh. I also enjoy their cafe menu as we come here quite often. I have tried everything from their sandwiches, soups and their new added pasta. Although I have to say their pasta is my least favorite so far. I also like that they bring your food to the table now! Very convenient. But what's most outstanding is their great customer service! Always friendly and very accommodating. Just to give you two examples. When hubby came here with his friend they got his order mixed up but fixed it right away. The manager told him that he can chose any pastries and that it would be on the house. Hubby declined and left because he was not in the mood for pastry. But the manager ran after him and gave him a bag with pastries. Wow! Another great example. We came here once for dinner but somehow it seemed to take longer than usual. Hubby went to the food area to see if our food is ready but it seemed to miss some items. We just decided to wait instead of to talk or complain. But at that moment the store manager came and told us that she has been noticing that our food hasn't been served yet. She checked on the status and came back to us. She then apologized for the delay and that she is making sure that the food is prepared AND she refunded us our whole dinner! I was just happy with her apology and if she would have offered some free pastry or drink I would have completely content but refunding our whole dinner, I was stunned! This is something I have never experienced ANYWHERE!!!!! And I have been to places where they really screwed up our orders or made us wait forever without any apologies. I also love their company philosophy as they donate all their left over food and make everything fresh for the next day! YES!!!!!!!! I will always give them my business and also take my friends here to enjoy some good food and drinks!
(5)
Rebecca N.
I don't usually write reviews for chain stores, but I had such a nice experience last night at this one I thought I would. This review is to specifically praise one employee named Connie. She was so nice, so patient and such a treat to interact with. This girl really knows about delivering first class customer service and doing it genuinely. We took awhile deciding what to get (and were somewhat indecisive) yet we never felt rushed or felt like we were holding anyone up. The food was great (BBQ chicken salad and autumn squash soup for me) and I left the ordering counter feeling happy. That sounds really weird...perhaps because I was happy to eat...but seriously, Connie needs to be recognized for her outstanding service skills. Girl is awesome! Thanks for a great experience :)
(5)
Wilt D.
I love panera bread! Doesn't matter what location I go to they all do such a great job. It's good to see a chain that is so consistent with their product. I usually order Mediterranean egg white sandwich & chai tea latte. That's how I start my morning.
(5)
Miffy L.
ok im a panera fan, but do not come to this place during rush hours. i ordered a panini and a soup to go, waited for half an hour ?!??!?!!?!
(3)
Audra M.
This is an ok Panera. It tends to be a little dirty, they don't clean the seats or tables often. I know they are busy but its pretty bad sometimes. Other than that its okay, except for the birds outside, just beware if you decided to eat outside.
(3)
Sunny G.
This review is to highlight some low quality service examples during my recent visits. 1. In store, "You pick two" still shows that you can have half order of pasta and half sandwich. I have been denied with explanation that it confused people a lot with pricing and all. So we just take order of small pasta and half sandwich which is of same price. I have trusted his explanation and purchased it. Later when I got receipt, I found may be that guy don't know the math well. It cost almost 4-5$ more. 2. I have checked the website just before the review and it also shows "You pick two" offers choice of pasta and sandwich. 3. Another complains is "Kids Jelly or Cheese Sandwich" are made with so little jelly or cheese in it that you almost feel like paying money for bread only. Mind you that bread cost more here. 4. I have seen similar generosity sometimes while getting "Tomato and Mozzarella Cheese" Panini as well. What that Panini has and if you go miser on cheese then you eating bread with tomato. Why not Subway then? 5. Why they have to keep silverware inside? Most of times I have to wait and extra spoon or knife. 6. Yeah they goof-up orders like delivering chips versus apple on the side, forgetting pickle and so on. Fremont area does have only two Panera locations and if you are at this location, please pay attention while ordering the food.
(2)
Song D.
I really love panera... But these past few times the messed up my order twice! First, when I went for breakfast I asked for avocado, got charged for it. But didn't get avocado... Second, I asked for sliced apples as a side but didn't get my apple. I was going to go back and complain but it was already too late and I didn't want to waste my time and energy to go back there just because I didn't get my apple or avocado... then again I should have checked before I left.
(4)
Lydia T.
I can honestly say I may not ever come back to panera after today. I ordered a power salad and was not offered a side with my meal. My boyfriend ordered a flatbread but the guy said they were all out. Don't you make bread here? Wtf? Whatever he gets corn chowder and Caesar salad. The baguette with his soup is a brick. Over all just bummed. We paid 35 dollars for garbage. Panera I'm over you. Not to mention the crappy cashier who made me repeat everything 5 times. Bleh
(1)
Rebekah M.
The food here is ALWAYS great, and they ALWAYS bring it in a timely manner. The guy cashier that took my order was friendly, but when I asked the waitress for more caesar salad dressing for my salad, she gave me a little cup with barely any dressing in it. I then went up to the counter and asked them for more dressing and they were VERY impolite and proceeded to hand me two more cups with BARELY any dressing in them. Where has the good service gone these days?? Straight out the DOOR
(3)
Jasmin T.
Usually, you would expect Panera to be clean, always have bread because it is called Panera BREAD, make their customers food with love but the Panera on Mowry is the complete opposite. I recommend you go the extra mile and go to the Panera at Pacific Commons.
(2)
Elisa A.
This review is basically for the service....I hope the managers check yelp every once in awhile so they can inservice their staff. I called in a order for 2 sandwiches, the girl over the phone said it was pretty easy and in 15 to 20 it would be ready...sounds good So I get there and when I am paying the young girl goes right over to the kitchen and comes back and says they are just wrapping it up, so it will be a minute more, easy right... well there I am waiting and waiting and waiting, 20 minutes later and many orders going out, I once again stop someone and ask about my order, she goes to the kitchen and says I don't know who told you the order was ready but no its not done at all...really, you mean to tell me I called the order in, came when you told me to come and then waited 20 more minutes so that you can tell me that they havent even made it, ......i was so upset, but I just waited for my order and left. Don't get me wrong i love Panera but today's service was just awful and very upsetting because they easily put out 15 to go orders just in the time i waited and yet they could'nt get my order out...unbelievable... the worst part is, I am sure a manager walked by me more than 1, but did not bother to ask me 1 thing, even after he walked by and saw the waiting area full and then empty and then full and me still there...Please PANERA PLEASE REMIND YOUR STAFF OF TIMELINESS AND CUSTOMER SERVICE!
(1)
James L.
I have not been to panera bread in a long time and don't think I will visit this place again. We walk in and we go to the register to place our order. The manager did not say hi or smile and looked down right mean..his name started with a "M". It was not a good customer experience from the get go...maybe he is having a bad day...if you are, then stay in the back and don't help customers. So, I get my coffee and they didn't have any sugar on the counter, so I asked the manager they are out of sugar. He said, "I didn't get that, can you say that again?" What about saying, "I am sorry, but can you repeat that" might be alittle more kinder. Ugh...should have asked someone else. I got the power breakfast sandwich which is $4 and some change and it was so small and not worth the price. I would have gotten a breakfast sandwich at Starbucks that tasted better for only $3.00. It was a big disappointment for customer experience and the food you can get better and cheaper elsewhere.
(1)
Lo L.
I went in to kill some time and I was starving. It was my 1st time ever going. I was assisted and informed by Ashley whom was very nice and accommodating. The food was pretty good, I was no longer starving, mission accomplished!!! It was very clean and the staff were very attentive. I will definitely be going back!
(4)
Elaine N.
This place is convenient and always has souffles when I'm craving them! I don't usually eat here because the tables are usually dirty. Anyways, yay for bacon souffles! The yogurt is also good. Me like!
(4)
Dominic A.
yum!!! Smoked turkey sandwich ! I can eat it all day :)
(5)
April C.
Ok, so my review is based on a 1star for quality of food and 4stars for customer service. About the food, the sandwich and salad were tiny for $13. Also, I got the Turkey and Avocado BLT which I've had similar to many times elsewhere, and this one from Panera was by far the worse. I had not eaten all day either, so usually when I'm starving anything tastes good to me. Even through my starvation this sandwich was extremely dissatisfying. Now on customer service, this was completely the opposite of the sandwich, it was beyond and above. The gentleman, Mike, took my to go order over the phone. Later on when I was inspecting my food at work I realized that Panera had forgotten to give me dressing for the salad and also the chips that come with my sandwich. I called them to tell them this and it was Mike again who answered the phone. When I told him about my missing part of my meal, he personally drove to my work and brought the dressing and chips to me. I was so shocked. I don't believe Panera delivers and his value of customer experience is obviously very important to him. I really appreciate how he went out of his way for another employee's mistake. Mike gets a great rating, but the food, not so much.
(3)
Espie A.
I love Panera Bread!! Service, food and community involvement. My favorite deal is the fresh OJ. the half sandwich with soup or salad is prepared with care, you can see. Clean, crisp bread, fresh salad fresh bread. And, they take it to your table. I like the points and reward system too. I can also post in their community board for my FREE workshops that can help the community. I love that they donate bread, pastry and coffee to local non-profit events such as Fun Runs. As a local Realtor that gets involve with the local community, I am there to promote Panera Bread.
(5)
Chera T.
I find the service at this Panera to be a bit slow. The don't listen carefully when you order to what you order for your choice of sides. They constantly give me bread which I then eat (and I shouldn't) lol. Otherwise, its a Panera Bread and I'll probably go back just knowing I might need to give it an extra ten minutes.
(3)
Kyle M.
The food is good there. But I have to say the this is one of the most disgusting eating areas I have been to. The tables have old dishes standing for a long time. The floor has crumbs all over. I don't think they vacuum except at closing. When they pick up the dishes from a table it doesn't look like they wipe it down. Eewwew
(2)
Shari B.
My experience was mostly positive. I got my sandwich to go and I also ordered a carrot cake muffin to go. The guy taking my order seemed like the manager and he was very matter of fact, nice but not overly friendly. The guy that handed me my order was super friendly and he actually cracked me up. My chicken salad sandwich was good, I wish I had thought to order it on different bread. It came on a plain white roll which was good, but I prefer something more dense. Now, my carrot cake muffin was beyond YUM, the cream cheese frosting was the best ever. I wish it had more of the cream cheese frosting inside instead of whatever the stuff in there. Didn't stop me from wolfing the whole thing down. Super YUMMM
(4)
Timothy D.
This place is walking distance from my work. Took me about a year to finally discover this place. I usually go to other Panera chains for their delicious breads and mac n cheese. One of the creamiest ever! For about $8, you can get a signature sandwich that also comes with a bag of house chips. Very delicious and full of quality. For a complete meal, you are looking at paying over $10. Kind of expensive for a lunch. Especially a lunch where I can probably make at home. I love this place to lounge out and do some work on my laptop as this place has free wi-fi. I prefer this type of setting compared to Starbucks as you can hide away in a corner and not be distracted by others walking around.
(4)
Carina R.
I have never been to Panera. But I won a gift card to Panera, so I decided to try it one night for dinner when I didn't feel like cooking. This one was pretty busy. The line was long and there was a lot of people sitting down and dining. I had looked at the menu before I got there, and noticed that they had a lot of good salads, sandwiches, and soups. So, I got the chicken noodle soup, the classic salad, and a plain bagel with blueberry cream cheese. I got it all to go. They toasted the bagel first, and then gave me the salad and soup after waiting a few minutes. Everything was pretty good. I did notice that the restaurant/sit down part of the Panera just seemed a little dirty looking. They seemed to be behind clearing the tables and vacuuming. It wasn't a big deal since I left, but I don't think I would have been able to enjoy my meal surrounded by dirty tables and looking at all of the crumbs on the floor. Obviously a bakery is going to have lots of bread crumbs, so a nice sweep or vacuum every now and then wouldn't hurt.
(3)
Hobby-less R.
I like the food and the customer service is great! I've never had bad experiences here. But the prices r high. And another thing that annoys me is the customers who r so freaking quiet. Those old ladies and men who hang out here for their oldies club always give my kids rude faces. My kids weren't even misbehaving. They r just talkative and they weren't loud either. But those old farts get easily annoyed by every little sound that we make. And those studious students too! Constantly giving us looks! If u want complete silence then go study at the library or the park where u completely isolate yourself from everyone! My friend got yelled at by a customer when she brought her newborn baby here. She was waiting in line and a woman sitting down at a table yelled at her for her baby was crying and said that the baby was disturbing her. A cashier behind the counter came right out and told the woman to knock it off! Kudos to the cashier!!! I don't know who she was but if I did I would write a letter to her manager to award her with employee of the year!!! So I'd say this place got great food and customer services, but ti's not kids friendly. Honestly I stopped going to Panera with my kids because of the customers, not the employees!
(4)
Lancaster K.
This is our usual breakfast spot on Sunday mornings before church. Food: I usually get the Asiago bagel with cream cheese, the breakfast sandwich with bacon and hot coffee on a mug. Overall: This place has great food selection and fast service. It;s hard to not be a regular.
(3)
Ryan N.
This review might be a little short because I ordered to go so I didn't exactly have the full experience that some of the others had! So first I will say that I have a bias for sandwiches and baked goods already so I was hesitant to come here. But I needed to kill time and I was hungry so I stopped by here since my place wasn't nearby. I decided to grab something to go because I didn't know how much time I would need. Ordered some chicken and bacon sandwich because it sounded delicious. They asked me if it was okay that it comes with chips and of course I did not say no. The order took about 10 minutes to get done which was a reasonable time to wait since that's generally what it takes for grilled sandwiches. But I guess I gave off the impression of being particularly impatient so the cook said my name (they took my name for the order, nothing creepy), just to let me know that they were finishing up the sandwich and they didn't forget about me. I thought that was a nice touch of service, especially for someone that just grabbed a sandwich to go. So while the sandwich didn't match up to my place of preference, it wasn't bad and the service was better than most food places. I'm not going to go back here unless it's very specific circumstances where I just happen to be there and craving only a sandwich. It's not because it's bad, but because I prefer elsewhere. Service was fine, food was fine. The service was very good, but the reason I didn't give the 4th star is because it was average food, and, when it comes down to it, I came to get some good food.
(3)
Minerva L.
LOVE it..need I say more? The ONLY thing that sucks is that there's a freaking line, even when you phone order, sometimes you have to stand in line!! GRR.. I always order on the phone, and sometimes they mess up by putting the peanut dressing ON the salad even though I said on the side for a to-go order, no biggie. I still like this place because you can earn rewards (which I haven't' had any for some odd ball reason - since I go there every Friday). The place got free wifi and the food is fresh. I def recommend you eating THERE because the portions are a lot bigger. Apples are always good, I only ran into 1 time when the apple sucked balls and was not sweet, but other than that, and out of the million times I've been here, it's been great. I love how each season they change up the salad, I WISH they got better and healthier dessert alternatives though..
(5)
corina h.
This rating is for the disappointing catering service I experienced from this location. Their ordering online website is un-user friendly, especially for large orders. It took all morning to try to place the order. The PDF menu does not match the catering options, and it was difficult for others to look a the catered lunch options. An error kept occurring when trying to process the order. No one answered the phone to confirm the order was received - apparently their phones were all down. We sent someone there in person to place our order, and store confirmed that they received our online order. I warned our group that the order might be wrong when it arrived the next day, and there were several mistakes with the sides and types of bread - it almost seemed like they just gave us what they had left over. The other disappointment was the quality of the food. The sandwiches were soggy and the dry part of the bread did not fresh. I don't know how early in the day they were made (or night before), but they were not freshly made. It was overall disappointing, especially for the cost. Next time I will try the new Boudin across the street.
(1)
Tom P.
Bagels, sandwiches, salads, great service, yummy food. Don't forget the pastries they are just as yummy.
(4)
Kim R.
The meal gets pricey when you start adding things to your meal like a drink and cookie. I like the option of customizing the pick-2 meals. So far my favorites are: chipotle chicken panini, chicken caesar, breakfast sandwiches and their baked goodies!.. Spacious, but gets busy packed. I like how they have outdoor seating. If you come to Panera often, it's good to get a panera card to collect rewards and get discounts or freebies!
(4)
Abhishek C.
Very big and spacious; the service too is quite good. Love the iced green tea and the WiFi is really great !
(4)
Glenda J.
I've been to the other location and their pastries are consistent. I'm a big fan of their bear claw. Something about their filling...not too sweet and so flavorful. Crust is just right too. Ordered a peach nectar smoothie. Nice natural flavor and not too sweet. Maybe I am tired of places which go overboard with sugar so their balance suits me just fine. Kim the manager here is just the nicest and most helpful person. Very willing to help and has great listening skills. I find this refreshing compared to the slightly snooty attitude at the San Ramon location. Even though there were long lines today, service was prompt and there was no shortage of tables. Will be back because they have such great variety. BTW, they have "muffies". These are the tops of muffins. If you are like me and just eats the tops, this is your dream come true :-)
(4)
Candy C.
I love Panera Bread. It's simple, easy access, no brainer kind of place, nothing pretentious. I almost always get the same thing every time I am here. I love their rewards program because I am always scoring a free pasty, bagel, or something of the like. I love coming here and sitting in front of the fireplace. It's my favorite place in the restaurant. I had them cater a luncheon once and it was quite a hit with the guests. You will find me here once a week at least... and maybe I'll find you there too!
(4)
Kelly G.
First time at this location was horrible. They run out of things, even in off times. Love Panera so we gave it a few more tries. They are continuly out of bread bowls and soups. They don't post once they are are of soups so you could be standing in line waiting, believing they have what you want , because there are no signs to tell you different only to find out they are are out . The workers like they don't care. They don't bother to try to make more. For example we went ther 5 pm, an early dinner time yet they were out of two of soups and all of their bread bowls, and had no desire to make more. If you are fortunate enough and they do have what youn want,don't expect it to be right. The workers walk around delivering trays and have no clue how the pager system works to find the table. Once they find the right table to serve the food it is usually wrong. if you order soup don't expect it to be remotely warm. One time I had to send mine back not once, not twice but three times in order for it to be warm enough to eat. This Panera is very very poorly managed and they really don't care. I love Panera and will take my business elsewhere!!!
(1)
Aaron B.
Pretty good sandwiches...I love panninis so i tried the turkey one...it was good. It had this tomato o basil and olive oil dressing which gave it a nice flavor. Since I bought a sandwhich, they gave me a choice of ANY pastry for .99 cents. Not a bad deal.
(4)
Fenny K.
Reviewing on their new power breakfast. It looks very appetizing when I saw the picture on the menu board. Was very excited about it. When I got my breakfast, it was in a tiny bowl, totally different from what I imagine. However, for 175 cal....I think I expected too much. The price is on the higher side. For $5.09 you get 2 egg whites ( I think it is more like 4-5 oz egg whites), 7 leaves of spinach, 2oz processed turkey breast and pimento or red bell pepper.
(3)
Andrew B.
Disappointing. Asked for a salad substituted with spinach and was denied because spinach is "special" for specific dishes. You have spinach but I can't order it unless I get some disgusting Asian noodle dish:/ Come on panera. Don't train your staff to be stingy on a $11 salad.
(1)
Rebecca D.
I used to LOOOOVE Panera! Twice in a row now the food is subpar at best. It's like they try to put the fewest ingredients in their greek salad and tomato sandwich. Waste of money if you ask me. Luckily Marcy, a manager on duty, was very helpful and offered to comp next time I was in. We'll see how that goes. :(
(1)
Vishal M.
Busy place. Full of students hogging ll the great comfortable seating. The back corner gives you more privacy and quiet time. Place is just "OKAY"
I LOVE PANERAS!! Esp, their strawberry poppyseed with chicken salad! My absolute favorite! I can literally eat this salad every day!! The only problem with this Panera is that it gets SUPER busy during lunch. You literally have to drive in circles a few times before you can find a parking spot. There is usually a line once you get in, but the wait isn't that long. I would also check my receipt to make sure they get your order right because there's been a few times where they would give me the wrong salad (when I am in a rush and had to order to go), or when I would ask for NO bacon on my sandwich and they would put bacon in my sandwich anyways. If there was another Panera's close by that wasn't so busy, I would go to it... but sadly, I'm stuck at this one.
(3)
Srinath S.
A great sandwich place! Good variety of sandwich, salad and soups are in the menu. Mediterranean sandwich is very good. Tomato cream soup is one of the best soups that Panera Bread offers. Noise level is somewhat high. Food quality as well as Customer service is very good. I love the overall environment. This is a bit pricey but, I think for the overall experience you get, the price seems to be somewhat justified. This place is kid friendly. You can even run small meetings! I have seen this meetings of size 6-10 people taking place here :)
(5)
Yvonne K.
A great place to get down and study. Panera usually has a lot of open seating that's great for studying, getting work done, or just relaxing with a nice book. Order yourself a nice bowl of hot soup (I recommend broccoli cheddar, tomato, or chicken and wild rice!), enjoy the free wi-fi, and watch your productivity gears turn.
(4)
Michelle A.
I always have a problem when I come to this location vs the automall location. Today they were closed at 11:30 a.m. For unknown reasons! Makes me wonder what kind of health issue is going on as there was no explanation, just a vague sorry for inconvenience. This location is ALWAYS out of what I want. The Christy store is never. Me thinks it's a management issue.
(2)
Rishi S.
Really long lines at lunch, but it moves quickly. If they don't display your favorite pastry, just ask them if they have it as some are not displayed. I like that they have a microwave to heat the pastries. I ordered the roast beef sandwich. It was ok but lacked depth in flavor. I had to ask for extra horse radish sauce.
(4)
Andrea T.
I work in the same shopping center and when I have a lunch I find myself here. I'm deeply, deeply, deeply in love with their French Onion Soup. Don't ask me why, mine comes out better when I cook it at home, but I just love their soup. BUT WITHOUT CROUTONS! I hate their croutons in their soup! Ugh, it's just stale, gross, nasty, chalky bread ruining the delicious broth and onions. Three stars: I came here when I had to open so I had a lunch around 10 am. I ordered their pick 2 for $6.99. Got their F.O.S (of course) and their smoked turkey breast sandwich. (Just beginning this review I'm now starving for this! Ahem. Moving on.) Once the order is in place, I'm sitting on the bench in front of the pick up counter to be told...the F.O.S isn't done cooking yet! Ugh! I was so bummed out! Reason numbero uno: Derr...won't get my beloved F.O.S! Reason 2: I'm not able to get my soup! No, but really, I was kind of urked because the girl at the register didn't even think to check probably knowing how the long the soup would cook for. I really hope this happens at all Panera's though! Make is possible to get the 2 for $6.99 and be able to get the soup and GET A FULL SANDWICH! The prices are so out of whack I die each and every time I get rung up nearly 8 bucks for a small cup of soup and HALF a sandwich! Another thing that bothers me is maybe twice or three times so far the cashiers some how make my order so overly complicating! My sandwich is simple: No cheese, no mustard, no onions. Which means: I want mayo, tomatoes and lettuce. But for some of these ladies that is getting a super duper extra complicating order. I don't know if they're just not listening but I find myself repeating the order more than twice! And one last thing: DO NOT STAND in front of the registers if there's a long a** line and JUST STAND THERE! Make yourself useful be it hopping on register OR EVEN go to the kitchen and stand mindlessly back there where customers don't see you! Please and thank you!
(3)
Lorna M.
The low star goes to their poor service for Lena! Omfg you serious? Literally are you serious? Argue with customer and for the mistake she had? What type of service was that I am wondering!
(2)
Vittorio L.
Apparently this is the place to go if you're not only hungry, but need to meet a client for coffee and/or lunch. This place can get crowded, and with people sitting with their iPads and Laptops doing work, it can get kinda cut-throat to find a seat. That aside, this place makes some good sandwiches and soups, and their baked good are consistently moist and yummy. Order ahead if you dont want to wait. Plus, they offer wi-fi, food, and ambiance. What else do you want for a study group?
(3)
Keith S.
Great place for a quick bite for breakfast to go or lunch staying in. Always smells wonderful (but baking carbs usually do!) and the food is definitely a step up from the usual grab and go places. This one is in an open air mall near a hospital and other businesses so its pretty busy but the staff keeps it moving and although crowded at lunch you can often find a table inside or out on a nice day. Staff is super friendly and are masters of the add-on sell ("can I get you a pastry with your meal for only $1?" or "do you have your Panera Card?").
(4)
Debra T.
A nice place to have lunch or catch up on your reading. Nothing special, chain place. They have a safe variety of sandwiches and soups you can choose from.
(3)
Eugenia Y.
I really don't understand the obsession with this place. Take your ass over to Safeway for a REAL sandwich. The food is ridiculous for the price. 2 slices of meat? No thank you! $4 for a small bowl of mac and cheese? No. I'm sorry. The quality is just not there for the price. Sure, it's clean and has a supposed bakery. But let me tell you, that croissant ain't a CROISSANT! it's just normal bread made like all the other loaves of flour they sell. I don't know who their mass producing pastry chef is but they need a new one. Other than the food, the staff is generally pretty nice and service is quick.
(1)
Dawn L.
I pretty much come here for the Creamy Chicken & Rice soup & sandwich combo or the Egg & Bacon on ciabatta breakfast sandwich so my review is limited to those things, they're awesome! I always find the service fast, friendly and with the fireplace and different seating areas, very comfortable to sit back with my Nook and read a book while eating whatever I got. They're pretty close to my house so I do this at least once a month on a Satuday before I go get groceries for the week. They have free wi-fi as well which is nice too.
(5)
Alyssa R.
Friendly staff, fast service and great food. I come on my lunch hour and its a busier time but there's not a lot of wait.
(5)
Jenny T.
Me and my gf were headed off to the spa for a massage and wanted a quick snack to tie us over for the time being. We didn't want our tummies to growl loudly anytime during our session. We shared an everything bagel, toasted with original cream cheese. And a glass of free water. It was warm, good and cheap.
(5)
Haley S.
Horible service automatically make me give a bad reviews. The food is good, it's too bad the staff is not. This place is quiet with free wifi which is both great, but the girl who took our order was just plain rude. I noticed several others mention this as well so I guess it's not just me. This is a little pricey so unless the service gets better I doubt we'll ever spend money here again.
(2)
Donald T.
Very Mediocre.... Quality has gone down recently.....
(2)
Lynn C.
Came at lunch, had the chicken caesar sandwich with cream of chicken wild rice. It was good, nothing fantastic ($10). I was a bit disappointed that the chai tea latte was pre-made and came from a dispenser. The best part about this place is the free wi-fi, which really makes this place so much better.
(3)
Bryan M.
Panera is always a good go to for sandwiches and salads. Always really busy during lunch so lines are long, especially at the mowry panera. But pretty good sandwiches and salads. I really like there Mediterranean veggie sando.
(4)
LM S.
I'm writing this review not because they are perfect, or that they got it right, but because when they weren't at their best, we let them know, and the manager responded with concern and understanding, and then he made it right. There are times when everyone (even Panera) has a bad day... employees that call in sick and leaves the staff short handed. This happened on Wednesday night. Long wait lines and messy tables resulted. Frustrated customers were many. However, I knew this wasn't the norm, and I guessed the manager wanted to know when things weren't right, so he could make them better. I was right. When I called, Mark was sympathetic and patiently listened. He offered a meal on him and it was a nice surprise. He said he would talk to his staff. When I returned, things were back to where I know it should be - clean and courteous. Great job Mark and great job Panera! Thank you for listening to your customers. We appreciate it!
(5)
Ann W.
Panera Bread always fresh, fast, friendly and positively power ups my body. From sandwiches,salads, & soups to a bakery that is scrumptous. I just wish they stayed open past 9pm
(4)
Frankie H.
I really like this place. Use to be my go to shop for breakfast And lunch. Had to cut back on my visits because it can get a little pricey. For the most part every one that works there is pleasant. Portions can be small at times. Free wifi and also many comfortable seats all through out the cafe.
(3)
Stephanie G.
This Panera Bread is great. Friendly people who work here. Came here during a business meeting and was pleased they offer free wi-fi. They got my client's order wrong, but they were quick and efficient in correcting it. I'll come back to this location. A+++
(4)
Samantha C.
The quality of their food has definitely deteriorated! I used to love coming here, but now I think it pretty much sucks, especially after last night's experience. I came here with my boyfriend last night. I ordered the Greek Salad and he got the Cobb Salad. I was quite satisfied with my salad at first, but as I ate it, I found that the ingredients were not all that fresh. The tomatoes were soggy and mushy, the onion were brittle, the romaine lettuce was brown, and not all my olives were pitted!!!!! It was the worse thing ever when I bit into that olive, it hurt my molar sooooooooooo badly! After that, I was just disgusted with the salad and threw it away. Additionally, my boyfriend said his Cobb salad was not all that great either. A few other times I came here, I thought the food was prepared sloppily and baredly edible. Panera is just not what it used to be!
(1)
Libby T.
I love the chicken salad here, and being a fast paced restaurant it is always clean!!! Manager is very nice and greets his customers. Nice touch!!
(5)
Anushree A.
I love this place, good for breakfast and lunch. Love there sweet treats. Will keep coming.
(4)
Amy C.
Chipotle Chicken Sandwich (- the bacon cause I don't like bacon) Black Cherry Smoothie :) Cute & comfy atmosphere. Friendly service.
(4)
Dora C.
It's just like any other Panera Bread, except this one is EXTREMELY crowded during lunch time!
(3)
Mansi A.
It feels like your own little living room, which is why I love this location of Panera Bread. I've been going here pretty much since it opened, and have never had any complaints or gripes. The best of the best: - Mediterranean veggie sandwich - Turkey and artichoke panini - Frontega chicken panini - Chipotle chicken sandwich (minus the bacon) - Asian chicken salad Panera Bread is a fabulous place for lunch! This location does get super packed between 12-1:30pm on weekdays, so keep that in mind. They recently started a My Panera rewards program (which is free), so be sure to pick up a card if you are a frequent customer. I know they've got me for life now! P.S. FREE WI-FI is amazing. I work here all the time, because of it.
(5)
Jose Alejandro Fortes C.
Upon opening the entry door at Panera Bread, I take in a good deep breath of air heavily scented with bread, bread, and more bread. I love Panera Bread for their bread (can't anyone tell yet?), especially their asiago rolls. With just butter or even without it, these rolls (when warmed a bit) are stand-alone tummy-fillers. Panera's asiago roast beef sandwich, in tandem with cream of chicken and wild rice soup, is bliss. I order these half-and-half with their refreshing iced green tea. And, when I'm still hungry for more, I get one of their cookies (dark chocolate!) for after-meal. Ah, Panera Bread fills me and my soul up!
(5)
Christina U.
This panera bread location is a 10 minuet walk away from where I live. I love this location. Being a college student, I have to be in an area where it is comfortable, calm, has wi-fi & food. I can litterally be here for 4-5 hours a day to work on homework or study for exams. The ambience of this place is great. The food is also very good. i love how they have the calorie count on the menu. The sierra Turkey sandwich is my favorite. I absolutely love their late's and hot choclate as you can make them fat free/sugar free and itll still taste amazing! I love it more than starbucks for sure! Their asiago bagel with creme cheese is also another breakfast fav on sundays before church. Great customer service as well!
(5)
Kat C.
It has now been well over a month and still nothing from the District Manager. Oh my gosh - do you thinks that maybe the girl crushing on the boy was the manager! lol Booo -Panera on Mowry Ave.
(1)
Lisa T.
Once a month, I go to Naz 8 to review a film, and I always take my laptop here afterward. Tough gig, I know. :-) Panera is very dependable and the food is good. I guess it's a good thing that Sweet Tomatoes doesn't offer wi-fi; otherwise I'd eat too much and wouldn't have a lap left to put my laptop on!
(4)
Mary J.
In the Fremont area this past Sunday 10/4/09 & initially just had plans for some fro-yo w/ my sis Estella & cousins, but being I hadn't visit a Panera Bread location in a while, I felt like stopping in yelp.com/biz_photos/RR1s… LOCATION: Shopping Center on Mowry St & Paseo Padre Pkwy, closest to CVS Pharmacy (previously Longs Drugs) & yes *ahem* next door to Yogurtouille. Plenty of parking in shared lot. BITES: My sis initially had plans only on the Asiago Loaf Bread & I was schemin' on some Cinnamon Crunch Bagels. Well, these Cinnamon Crunch Bogels yelp.com/biz_photos/RR1s… caught my attention being up front & pre-packaged *tee-hee*. We got the 12pk for $1.99 each container yelp.com/biz_photos/RR1s… BAGEL OR BOGEL: I had them w/ my morning coffee @ work...just nuked 3-4 to put some heat to them. Ate them w/o any cream cheese, which is actually ok 'cuz the Cinnamon Cruch is pretty sweet & good solo. Not so sure the Bogels win over the Bagels tho. Nukin' isn't exactly the same great taste as a toasted bagel, but Bogels are less messy w/ 1-bite. To Bagel or To Bogel? Eh, I'll see what I feel like in my next Panera Bread visit, but the end result will definitely be Cinnamon Crunch flavor *tee-hee*
(3)
Vaishali S.
I've never been a huge fan of Panera, but tagged along w/my friend before a shopping trip. I got a chicken panini and was not impressed. The bread was decent, with a crisp parmesan flavor to it. The chicken tasted like ham and the texture was dry and plain. I was a little turned off. My friend's spinach salad was very soggy from too much dressing. The desserts looked good, I'd probably go back for something sweet, but never a meal besides breakfast again.
(2)
Brian C.
Pretty good place to eat sandwiches and salads. Pros: This place is a bigger than I expected. Sandwiches and salads tasted good and are a good size. Watch out for the blue cheese in your salad! Very clean and nice interior design. Cons: Sandwiches cost $8 but come with a pickle and chips. They need to turn down the air conditioning. It was freezing inside.
(5)
Maggie L.
I find the prices here are slightly higher than what I would like them to be, but hey, if you are lucky, sometimes there is an employee going to all the tables handing out free fresh baked chocolate chip cookies! =D The cafe is always nice and warm inside. It is a chill place to hang out, chat with friends, read the newspaper, get some work done. And the paninis are pretty good!
(3)
cindy c.
Friendly service. But this location can be packed when u wanna dine in. Free wifi, which is always a plus for studying and work. I love their Fiji apple salad. And my new fave is their chicken stew. Which comes with three little biscuit that is encased with cheese. Yummy! If you want the best of both worlds you can get the "you pick two" of soup, salad, and half a sandwich. Prices depend on whether or not it's a panera "signature" item or not. Oh, and if you buy a sandwich, or salad plus a drink, you can buy a pastry for $0.99 more!
(5)
Supreet B.
I worked here for a year and a half so my opinions might be a little biased but i'll try and be fair :) Panera is great. The soups, bread bowls, baguettes (OH MY), sandwiches, salads, pastry treats and hot drinks are really good. My personal favorites are the bacon turkey bravo (on a toasted croissant) and the chipotle chicken. The only downer is that now I have to pay full price like everyone else and I have to say, it can get a bit pricey. It is well worth it though. The quality of the food is great. The creamy tomato soup is delicious and so is the black bean soup (I always add veggies to it). I always get them in the sour dough bread bowls which are amazing! I remember at one point I mixed the creamy tomato and black bean soup and had it in a bread bowl, that was really good too! The hot drinks are really good. Besides the regular hot drinks (regular latte, hot chocolate, mocha) I've tried raspberry-caramel mocha with whipped cream, caramel mocha with whipped cream, peppermint-raspberry mocha, there are endless combinations! Personally, I could never get any studying done there but maybe it was because all my coworkers were working all the time but a lot of students come to study there. A lot of people in general come there and use the free wi-fi. It's pretty convenient. For the pastries- the chocolate chip muffie, the duet cookie, cheese pastry, muffins and the brownie/blondies are great! The cinnamon rolls always need MORE frosting, there's never enough! All in all, this place has great food, good service and free-wifi. It's a bit pricey but I think that the quality of food is worth it.
(5)
Melissa T.
It's ok for a chain bakery. There are a lot of choices and the variety is good. The salads are not good. Really soggy and overdressed. Their pastries are a little better than Starbucks but that's not saying much. Would go here if there was no other local bakery around.
(3)
Sandy C.
I like the ambiance and free internet connection, but the food is inconsistent and not worth the price. Their sandwiches are just OK -- nothing impressive and often looks sloppily put together. The last time I went, I was very disappointed because they put only 1 very small slice of beef in my last steak panini. I was basically just eating bread. I have ordered this before, and while it was not overflowing with meat the first time, it was more substantial. Other sandwiches (i.e. chicken) are rather thin as well. So while it's a good place to meet up with friends or just have some quiet time to yourself in a corner booth, the food is barely mediocre in my opinion.
(3)
Ida L.
My friends and I love to hang out here to catch up once a month or so. Food is freshly prepared, you can basically stay there as long as they are open. Fireplace will usually be on during the winter which is a bonus, it made the place feel so much more warmer & cozier. Bathroom is pretty clean.
(5)
Martine M.
We stop here often on weekends. Very friendly service and a good place to get some coffee and breakfast or lunch. Their pastries are excellent. This is a casual meeting place where you can stay for a long time visiting or even working on your computer.
(4)
Linda N.
So I paid like $11.00 something including drink for a very small sandwich that was tasteless. Their sides for sandwiches is chips. Apples they call it fruit. I agree it is fruit but only apples. How about having a fruit salad instead. Or bread WTF more bread I'm eating bread on my very small sandwich. They should serve potato salad too. This place is a rip off. There was a tiny spider on my table at the time. I believe when people are done with dishes. They should take it to the back. Not having a place to put away used dishes can attract bugs near by the tables. I should have went to Rubio's instead at least that meal would have been bigger then this cheap place.
(1)
Aaron S.
The French Baguette is $2.89 which is overpriced for something that ways only 14 ounces and isn't organic.
(1)
Jennifer W.
I tried looking for a nice cafe to do some reading today, but I ended up in good old trusty Panera. So right now, I'm using their free wireless internet. On the table is an iced chai latte and a cobblestone. Total: $5.88 (and the receipt did not require my signature nor did it have that line that asks for tip because I don't like being put in the position of having to feel like I need to tip even though there is no waiter service. Damn those places!) There is a little fireplace and lots of seating. There are two partitions so that there are three sections. There are lots of tables for 1 or 2 people, 2-4 people, 1 large table, and some armchairs here and there that are also equipped with a tiny desk. If only lecture halls had these chairs. As for noise level, it is nice and quiet, except for the screaming kid at the next table and the guy playing loud music behind me. Oh wait, someone just told him to turn it down. THANK YOU!
(3)
Amit K.
I end up going there at least once in a week. Salads along with soup are great. Some of the seasonal varieties are worth considering as they can be surprisingly good. Just have to keep off the pasties as they are very tempting. Lunch time can have long lines, though they open counters quickly to make the lines dissapear.
(4)
John L.
Don't get me wrong by the stars I'm handing out for this place. I love Panera Bread. However, today I went in and opted for something I haven't had in 5 years. The breadbowl soup. Made a terrible mistake... French onion soup w/ breadbowl = O_o Strangest thing I've tasted this year. The soup doesn't seem too fresh by the temperature it was served at (not that soup should be fresh but, c'mon, lukewarm soup?) and the cheese was still kind of solid. The main complaint... Too salty. Mix that with a sourdough breadbowl... Disaster. Anyways just a rant that's getting a bit too long about some soup.
(3)
LT T.
Given this Panera Bread location two chances, both times I had bad experiences.. The best time is to come early around 7 or 8am. Avoid coming around lunch time, they get really packed and flustered causing customers to wait a while until they are helped. Don't get me wrong I love Panera Bread, but these experiences gives me second thoughts on coming back to this certain location.
(2)
Dan W.
Been here many times. Same ole panera flavors. Not bad at all. Service is slow. Very slow for panera.
(3)
Erin N.
Panera's: A clean, semi-quiet place (not during lunch however) to study when I'm at home on the weekends or taking summer classes. DO sign up for the Panera rewards card if your a frequent customer and want some free pastries, drinks and what-nots. I'm a regular here. But I'm always hesitant to try out something new. I don't want to make trying out new food a priority and yelp since I'll get distracted from studying. Don't get the chicken noodle soup. Progresso from a can tastes better and is not so watered down. However, try some of these: -Chai Lattes-a subtle spicy yet more sweet and frothy latte drink. YUM! -Toasted cheese Danish Pastry and Hazelnut coffee - The pastry is lightly sprinkled with cinnamon which greatly accentuates the coffee. -Toasted Asiago Cheese Bagel w/ Raspberry Cream cheese. It's an awesome combination and make sure to wash it down with a lemonade. Another great thing is the free unlimited time of wi-fi usage. Great studying place for finals week. There are more seats during the afternoons than during lunch. Its highly discouraged to be studying here during lunch because they want the seats given to incoming customers. Not to mention it gets really busy and loud. Overall, this is the best place to study since the borders nearby where I lived closed down. I would go to Peet's Coffee and tea but they only allow one-hour of wi-fi usage, with purchase of course! BOO!
(3)
Oolong T.
Panera!! Even though they are part of a chain, I still love coming here. I always get their 1/2 sandwich + 1/2 soup combo. If you can come here early enough, you can get stuff from their breakfast menu! BAKED. EGG. SOUFFLES. BREAKFAST. Be sure you get there early in the morning because once they run out, it's over. I also loved going to panera down in SD when I was a college student. I would go there to eat and study with friends because they also had wi-fi. I have noticed that they've been consistently upping their prices... that's one downside :/ . Also, I think the quality of their food has gone down a tad bit. I'm not sure how healthy their food is anymore, but I think since their business has gone up so much in the past 7-8 years that they've had to adjust to the crowds. But I'm still a big fan! It does get super busy during the lunch peak hours, so be prepared for a line. My favorite soups: Cream of Chicken & Wild Rice, Clam Chowder! :)
(4)
Christine W.
Super packed. And they were super slow. Annoying slow service as I wanted for my order to go. Thankfully their food was good and consistent as I've had at other Panera's, but service sucked.
(2)
J.J. M.
I really like their cream of tomato soup. The broccoli cheddar and veggie pesto is not bad either. I usually get the You Pick Two deal and upgrade to a bowl of soup for an extra $1. Minus one star for take out. When I got back to the office, one sandwich was missing for a co-worker. although they were nice and gave us a whole sandwich instead of the original 1/2 sandwich, we had to drive all the way back to pick it up. I always double check the bag before i leave now. Also, why is their phone number not on their take-out menu???
(4)
Devika A.
I love this place! I tried their Napa Almond Chicken Salad signature sandwich, chicken tortilla soup and clam chowder soup.This place never disappoints me. Bagels are also fresh made daily. Tried it with raspberry cream cheese which they don't have any more. Wish they would bring it back instead of blue berry cream cheese.
(4)
Angel G.
i'm such a big fan of Panera...The Asiago Roastbeef was very tasty! i washed it down with the green tea drink! It was very good! I'm definately coming back! I love the atmosphere~
The food is very consistent but if you ask them to slightly tweak your order (add or change anything), they get it seriously wrong. The staff changes constantly. The staff is very young, teenagers so they can be a little out there. Most are sweet but slow. I enjoy all their food because they have a good variety of sandwiches, soups and salads. However, the souffle is the best. They run out quick and I could never understand why they just can't make more. Overall, I consider it an ok place to grab a bite if you are hungry.
(3)
Dean Z.
I love panera bread! The scenery is very calm. A lot of people come here to relax, read, study and get work done. They have free wifi, many tables and lots of space. But don't be fooled by this! This place gets packed!! The food is BOMB! Whats there to complain about?
(4)
wolf c.
We've been enjoying visits to Panera lately since the place is optimized around a relaxed experience for a little food and drink. It has way different feel than other coffee shops and the selection of pastries and baked goods is outstanding. Wifi available and nice open seating makes it easy to hang out and slow down. Staff is normally very friendly.
(4)
Anthony V.
Great place to grab a something quick to eat. Usually get breakfast sandwich whenever I'm working in Fremont. Lots of parking and the staff here are nice and friendly. It also close to the freeway and its an easy in and out.
(4)
Cyrus S.
Some say it may be a little pricey for a meal, you could be right. However, the staff at Panera Bread are all friendly and helpful. My girlfriend and I used to stop by Panera Bread for lunch when we are in between classes. I even stop at this location to pick up food for her when she is at work. If you are looking for a place to relax, surf the web, or do some work, this is a place to go. They offer free WiFi for customers. If you go hungry again all you have to do is go back in line.
(4)
Mitty C.
I have been a fan of Panera Bread since high school, and during college I always missed not having a Panera nearby to study at with a bowl of broccoli cheddar soup (which is AMAZING by the way..try it!). These days when I am in my hometown, I love frequenting Panera Bread--especially the Mowry Ave establishment in Fremont. They have always been accommodating and a friendly place to get work done at or have a bowl of soup with a friend. There is free WIFI, of course, and plenty of seating. This place does get especially crowded during lunch, since Washington Hospital and a number of businesses are right next door. If you have a large group or want to take food to-go, I highly recommend calling and ordering ahead of time since that will save you (and the staff) a lot of trouble especially during busy hours! If you are looking for a place to study or get some work done, or just to enjoy a delicious sandwich or soup, then definitely stop by Panera Bread. I know it's part of a chain, but it's worth the visit if you've never been to a Panera!
(4)
Gabriela S.
I love this location. Food is great whether it's breakfast or lunch, although I mostly come to breakfast. Early in the morning around 8ish isn't too busy but around 9 or 10 the lines tend to get long but it's worth it. I love the souffles and bagels. Always freshly baked and ready to eat. I personally love the 4 cheese souffle, and I always get the Asiago bagel with plain cream cheese (or I'll settle for the free butter if I'm broke). The toffee nut cookie will make you fat but it is DELICIOUS. Definitely recommend the toffee nut cookie. For lunch, I've had sandwiches and they're pretty good. They always come with either a bag of chips or an apple. My favorite for lunch though is the clam chowder they only serve on Fridays. SO yummy!! I recommend the sourdough bread bowl! The drinks are good too. The green tea tends to have a hint of melon mixed in and the mango smoothie is nice and soft with whipped cream and always remember to ask for the raspberry sauce in the cup! The customer service I'll say is probably he best part. They're very fast and friendly! I've been coming here for years now and consistent;y there is always someone nice and energetic to help you! I definitely give this place 5 solid stars. Great food as well as service.
(5)
Anita C.
Ate at a Panera's once but it didn't do much for me. But this time was different. Had this catered for work. The person on the phone was helpful and they came on time. Had a variety of sandwiches. I had the roast beef on Asiago and it was sooo good, especially the Asiago! You just let me know for how many people and they bring everything. Drinks, cookied, chips, plates, utensils. The bestest!! And salad, too. Everyone seemed to enjoy the food. Definitely will go there for lunch sometime!
(5)
Diana B.
I love Panera! Some important conversations have been had here... They have the best: Low-fat vegetarian Soup Black Bean soup Turkey artichoke Panini Fuji Apple Salad Greek Salad Cobblestone Pretty much everything they have is yummy! Can't go wrong ;)
(4)
Maila S.
I love Panera so much. This location is all bad. LITERALLY, a slice of mozzarella the size of a quarter on each half of my mozzarella, basil and tomato sandwich. BOOOOO!!!
(1)
Nicole T.
I just love Panera! I do prefer that the San Jose locations seem to have a better nutrition/menu, but anyways...the food is great and even acceptable for a trainer and former competitor like me! Once i saw the nutrition info and found I could easily incorporate it into a healthy lifestyle, I just keep coming back! ;) My favorite is the choose 2 and i usually get soup & salad. And of course, I choose the bread as the side option.,
(5)
MJ R.
My BF and I are standing by the coffee bar with our pagers in hand. We had just ordered our meals and the barista was finishing our drinks. All of a sudden, a man who was bussing tables but looks like a manager walked by us and snapped "you have pagers. You need to sit down!" Ummm...huh? We both looked at him and said we were waiting for drinks and would be sitting momentarily. He muttered a half apology and walked away. I work in customer service, so I'm lenient when someone is flustered or having an off day. But this was just plain rude. I'm never returning to this panera again
(1)
Rajan M.
Came here for an informal business meeting. The good: Free internet, nice ambiance, very clean, nice workers, delicious iced green tea (90 calories only!). The bad: Cup of iced green tea = 2.49$.....really? Feels a bit steep...at least give free refills or something. Very pleased overall though!
Spacious sandwich spot meets cafe. I haven't had any of their meals, so this review is for their "cafe" abilities. CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE $2 Big flat cookie about 5.5 inches in diameter. It's soft and bendable. The chocolate chips are small chips and sprinkled throughout the cookie. The dough is not too sweet, but overall the cookie is mediocre. I prefer more chocolate and strong vanilla highlight in the dough. AMBIENCE: Big restaurant with a couple one seat couches by a fire place. It's pretty quiet and good for writing. There's free wifi. SERVICE: Fine. VISIT DETAILS: Chilling at a cafe
(3)
Diana R.
I always like to come here for soup and a sandwich. Never really loved this location but it is was closer. BOTH my husband & mine were served luke warm soup. To top it off, I was asked to microwave it myself. I think I'll stick to the location off Auto Mall from now on.
(2)
Ami S.
I've been a fan of Panera Bread ever since I've tried it a few years ago. Their food is fresh and delicious. I love getting the Mediterranean Veggie. Sometimes I get it with the Greek Salad, Tomato Soup, or Garden Vegetable with Pesto. I love their coffee drinks too, especially the big mugs they come in. They recently launched a Panera Rewards card (it's free) which is great. You get so many free things with it! So far, I've gotten a free pastry and a free espresso/smoothie. The staff here is very friendly; the restaurant itself is very spacious and cozy. My only issue is that parking here, during lunch especially, is a pain.
(5)
Stefanie J.
I go here for the comforting atmosphere more than anything. Free Wifi, cozy chairs, soothing colors in the interior, and nobody will try to kick you out if you camp out there the whole day. It's like a more upscale Starbucks. I do love their warm chai latte; it's served with a lot of foam on top in a mug when you dine in. Awesome stuff. A hint of spice and a lot of sweetness. I know my Indian friend would cringe at me even daring to call it tea, but I like it. :) The baristas can be inconsistent in making it, though; once when I ordered it, it was terribly bland. I've tried most of their sandwiches, and I think the only one I really like is the chicken chipotle. Everything else is either dry, bland, or served on bread that's a little too tough for my liking. Oh and when they ask you "Chips, apple, or bread?", the safest thing to choose would be the chips. The apples are kind of a hit or miss; they used to serve awfully sour, unripe ones, but recently they've been giving me sweet ones. I think one was even a Fuji apple. But do not EVER, I mean EVER, opt for the bread. It's always rock-hard. But more importantly, how inane is it to get bread as a side to a sandwich??? Seriously, Panera? Seriously? As for the pastries: Blueberry muffin - awesome Cranberry muffin - nice, a little too tart for me though Apple crumble muffin - pretty good Brownie - awesome, but they came out with a version that had some horrible icing on it; steer clear of that one. Blondie - too sweet. Chocolate chip cookie - meh. I've also tried their soups and smoothies several times, and they're all right...just nothing too memorable.
(3)
Andrea M.
OMG this was awesome!!! We came here for breakfast before grocery shopping at Raley's, and I ordered the everything bagel and a vanilla latte. I have to say, it was even better than Peet's or Starbuck's lattes. In comparison, Panera blew them all away! Hubby got a spinach quiche, and let me tell you, I never like quiche, but this was delicious! Down side was, they were slightly over-browned for my liking, but they were busy, so I'll give them a grain of salt for that. We both thought it was a small, hole-in-the-wall, but it went on forever! Nice seating, friendly staff, and best of all, GREAT FOOD!!! We will definitely be coming back!!!
(5)
Robin K.
My newest discovery is Panera. way better than subway, togo's, or quizno's. The other day, I needed me some veggies, and ended up getting a quick fix salad at Mickey D's for over 5 bucks. I should have gone to Panera instead.
(4)
Smriti S.
I love their tomato panini! It is really, really good! :-) P.S. Their mac n cheese is amazing as well!
(5)
Farrah F.
The most amazing (and recent) thing I've had here = Strawberry Poppyseed Salad. It's a bit expensive, and if you don't like sweet, you probably shouldn't get it. BUT THIS WAS AMAZING. *-* It's seasonal, so I better get it while it's still around. From what I recall, their sandwiches were really good as well.
(4)
leena k.
Man, Panera's great. It's spacious, clean, there's free WiFi, decent and affordable soups/salads/sammiches, and moreover, great COOKIES! And BREAD! It's not a place I'd especially come to for a meal, but it's great to hang out and get some work done.
(5)
Elise A.
This is the regular meeting place for a knitting group I belong to and while I appreciate that they accommodate us, week after week... I'm not that thrilled with this particular Panera Bread, which seems a little run down and not-always-too-clean or well maintained. The bathrooms always seem to need help and the place just generally doesn't seem well cared for. The staff always gives me the impression of being overworked and tired, though they make an effort. There's one waiter in particular who is always very helpful when we're there... I just wish this one measured up to the Panera Bread I used to go to in Bloomington, In - which seemed just ... well... nicer... a LOT nicer, to the point of being a completely different experience. I think this Panera is always very busy - so it's probably difficult to keep it looking tidy. I just wish the place had the (I know this is going to sound strange for a Panera) but elegance of the same place in Bloomington, In - where they made a real effort to be welcoming, inviting and kept the place spotless, despite the huge number of students they got in there daily. I think this place can also benefit greatly from better lighting. I think the one in Bloomington had better lighting, just by virtue of where it was located and capturing a lot of natural light... But since this Panera doesn't have as many windows - I think additional lighting can really brighten the place up. Coffee drinks are good, though not stellar. Food is good, though not fantastic. Service is decent, though not the best. Cleanliness - more like a C - , not so bad that I would leave and not bad enough that I would feel uncomfortable eating here, but the place always seems to be in need of a good vacuuming and too many tables seem to be dirty for too long, as well as the bathrooms being a bit of a wreck. They need to get some folks to spend some dedicated time, cleaning the place up. An extra star goes to their being kind to the knitting group and to the waiter who always helps us out.... But beyond that, I wish they would do more to make going here a better experience.
(3)
Fu L.
My family LOVE this place! Friendly employee with great customer service. Our favorite is their panini with chicken noodle soup. We always order extra bread to go with our soup.
(4)
Steve M.
FREE WIFI! The sandwiches are good. I usually get a turkey and swiss. The pastries are delicious. The cream cheese danish thing (I think they call it cheese bread) is really good. Make sure to try some of their green tea. Kind of a small cup, but worth a try.
(4)
Amy O.
This place is cozy, and I like the fireplace seating area. I tried a combo meal that came with a cup of soup and salad. I ordered French Onion Soup and Chinese Chicken Salad for $8.95. Small portions! Both good, but sizes were a joke. My co-worker/friend ordered the soup in a breadbowl. Even funnier joke. I think there was maybe 3/4s cup of soup in that bread bowl. He said it was tastey, but he was hungry an hour later. Slightly pricey for what you get, and I haven't had a sandwich at Panera that I have yet to like. Stick with the soup and salads, but take advantage of the comfy environment otherwise you'll feel jipped on the food.
(4)
Nora R.
I think I have only eaten "in-store" here once, *BUT* I have picked up at least several thousand bagels (and various breads) here over a period of time. I have varied between picking up these amazing bread products at the Fremont and Hayward locations, but the majority of my pickups have been here (Fremont) due to proximity to my business. I personally think that the variety of bagels and breads have been a decisive factor in helping retain employees at work. :) "Bagel Day" has always been Thursdays for us. I don't know if the reader is a bagel fan, but I like to think of myself as a HIGHLY experienced bagel aficionado. I've had bagels from every popular "fresh" vendor in the immediate East Bay Area. The true test of the bagel is how it tastes UNtoasted and without extra embellishments (butter, cream cheese, spreads, lox, etc.). Too doughy? Not good. Too 'tough'? Not good. Too 'fluffy'? Then it ain't a bagel. :) Panera's have had that "just right" feeling with their bagels for years. Switching to them for our weekly supply significantly altered our "Bagel Days". Other gems there are their insanely well-done breads. If you're a Ciabatta fan, theirs is subtle, and the crust is correctly crisped (lightly and just on the surface), and you can absolutely taste the olive oil. I know of only one, independently-owned patisserie in the immediate area that can compete, but they don't make Ciabattas everyday. Now I know I'm going to be shot if any colleagues read this review because I'm going to reveal a slight secret. On Bagel Day, I pick up another Panera favorite of mine: the Bear Claw. I can eat a Bear Claw from just about any place, but Panera's aren't OVERLY sweet like other pastry shops make them. Like some food addict, I eat half with some coffee on the way back, and then save the other half for later. It's a secret. Shhhhhhhh.
(4)
Matt G.
Matt and niece smell fresh pastries and bread from this bakery inside the Paseo Padre Parkway Lot. This bakery from the inside reminds me of the Grain d'or bakery on Market St. in San Francisco. Every morning, when Matt and company are being asked by the workers at a coffee shop/bakery, the first item that comes from his big mouth is "coffee". In addition to the $1.75 morning fuel, there are a ton of colorful and fresh pastries coming out of the kitchen. As bakers brought some fresh pastries out to serve and ready to be put in somebody's belly, we saw the Cobblestone Muffin being put out and they have gotten Matt's name on it. The $2.75 muffin had mixtures of cinnamon, raisin and chunks of apples with a crusty sugar top. As more pastries being brought out, what caught the eyes of niece are the Pumpkin-muffies. The $.99 muffies are top of the muffin that looks like a shape of a cookie. (a'la Elaine Benes). More assorted muffies came out .i.e. blueberry, chocolate chip and lemon. We bought a half-dozen to take to the kids. We enjoyed our breakfast and lounge in the dining area and listening to jazz tunes. This bakery also make fresh Pannini sandwiches, which will be next on our list.
(4)
Bill F.
After reading Ivy R's review of Panera Bread, I decided to go to the Panera Bread in Fremont. This location is in a strip mall near the BART station - this made it convenient. We could go after getting out of the BART system. We bought some bread and some muffins. Both were delicious and had great texture. Service was friendly and courteous. The bakery/cafe looked appealing. Product was displayed well. Overall, a great place to purchase some delicious bakery products.
(5)
DJ E.
I've been at this location twice and had ordered mostly a meal with some sorta salad (chicken ceasar or fuji apple chicken). The salad looked tired and not fresh. I've been to other Panera location outside California and I;ve had always great salad for lunch. Perhaps, when we when it was dinner time, maybe the vegetables have been sitting around a while. Also, at one time they ran out of baguettes. What?! Is this Panera Bread? It's like KFC running out of chickens to sell that day!?
(2)
Hanul L.
I've been to this panera bread a couple of times but one experience sticks out & so I shall write about it. The first time I went to panera, I ordered the chicken pomodoro; it was delicious & the next time I went, i ordered it again but i was running late & so got it togo. I was extremely unhappy when I opened up my bag & found a ham&cheese sandwich & not my chicken pomodoro. $7 for a ham and cheese sandwich? :( Everything on the menu is pretty pricy. I would probably avoid going back & wouldn't recommend others going either. Free wifi though!
(1)
Melissa T.
I love Panera, but this is a horrible location. The service just sucks. Almost every to-go order I've ever placed has been missing multiple items.... they don't carry a lot of things EVERY other Panera carries... and the staff is pretty slack and unknowledgeable in general. That might fly without comment at Taco Bell, but when you're spending $15 for a fast food lunch these things become pretty irritating.
(2)
Sunny C.
Great Service once again. Good food and clean facility and service with a smile.
(4)
Meg T.
This used to be a St Louis based bread company, so when my bf at the time and I went in he was so excited, being as he's from St Louis. They have wonderful onion soup. Its sooo yummy and even has bread inside it. Their sanwhiches are so good, very filling, but not heavy. It's one of my favourite places to go when I go up to the Fremont area. It's also very close to BART so thats another mark in it's favor.
(5)
Joyce S.
I go to Panera so often, when I show up the counter they automatically ring up a Cafe Latte before I say anything! Although it is a chain, there are many regulars such as the Red Hat Society who meet on Tuesdays, the retirees who talk about ways to save the world by the window, the knitting group, and of course the endless laptop users who hog a table to themselves and use internet. For these reasons, this Panera has a homey feel for me. The drinks are ok, but mainly its about the bread and sandwiches. I've tried about everything on the menu and always get consistent quality. Mainly, the wi-fi, amount of seating, warm environment makes it a great place to catch up with friends, eat dinner, have business meetings, play world of warcraft (saw this incident a few times.. ), or write reviews about Panera from your laptop.
(4)
Jen N.
Love the coffee and bagels here. Hazelnut spread is awesome! Staff nice and fast.
(3)
Elaine Y.
had the new ham and cheese (that starts w/ a g) breakfast sandwich for 5.00. it was small but tasty. good chai latte as well. the service was ok. would go back and try other stuff.
(3)
Katy W.
I like Panera Bread, especially compared to many chain establishments. I enjoy their menu selections as well as the cheery decor and their wifi policy (free and they seem nice about how long you stay). However, this location in Fremont was not as nice as others I have been to. It's weird since they are all very much similar, but this one seemed to be broken up a little differently as far as seating. I also wasn't thrilled with the server who sort of dropped our food off and ran without giving us a chance to see if we got our order (which we didn't). It wasn't very busy so I found that a little annoying. Still, I will probably be back because I like the company.
(3)
A R.
I have been to this location approximately three times and each time I have been there, I have had great service. The employees are all very friendly and helpful as well.
(5)
Shannon L.
Panera has definitely gone downhill since the first time I had it in '02? It use to be such a hit with fresh sandwiches and tasty soups. Now everything tastes pre-made (which I think it is) in mass amounts and commercialized. The pastries are nothing special... a little overly sweet and just too much (if you know what I mean). I like things on the lighter side so maybe that biases me. They recently came out with some thin crust, rectangle shape pizzas and beware! If you're ordering take-out, phone in the order instead of going there because pizzas have a wait of at least 20 minutes. The BBQ Chicken was pretty tasty.
(2)
AdnerB M.
Came here with about 9 for after a company function. Oh and after we saw Pete's was closed for inventory. The fire place drew us in. It was a Friday night though about 2 hours before closing and we were the only ones there! Wow it's usually packed when I go. About half of us purchased coffee drinks and they were made promptly. Very tasty. The employees were polite and welcoming. Nice and clean right down to the bathrooms!
(5)
Anjelica C.
This Panera played a very big part in my high school ditching days. Ditching, in the sense that when I was excused from school for a dentist appointment on Maury, I liked to stay out of school a little longer than my appointment lasted ;) To do this, I would kill time at Panera! A friend introduced me to the souffles and they're the first thing I order IF there are any left by the time I get there. They seem to run out fast. So I secondly opt for the half sandwich and soup: usually broccoli and cheddar, but if I'm feeling daring, I'll get a french onion. They discontinued my FAVORITEEE sandwich, and I don't even remember what it was called but it had some bomb gorganzola sauce and I wish they'd bring that sandwich back :(. So now I just get the Frontega Chicken, or whatev it's called. Still good.,. And it's a chill place to hang out at.
(4)
Albert H.
Writing this review from Panera. It only took me like an hour to get to this page...cool wifi. Foods cool. Workers are cool. Cool study spot. Cool chipotle chicken sandwich with cool broccoli chedder soup with cool bread and cool butter. This place is cool. Prices cool.
(4)
Patrice P.
From time to time when I'm craving a soup, sandwich, or salad.. or any of the two or all (hahahaha), i like heading over to Panera Bread. Their sandwiches are to die for!! A bit pricey considering the portion size, but it's worth it!! I have yet to try some of their pastries, but for me it's all about the lunch! Hahaaa. My favorite is the sandwich with turkey, bacon, and gouda cheese. It's not overpowering, yet it's a great balance of flavor. Great customer service as they were able to prepare my order within a few minutes :)
(4)
Sarah S.
I am so addicted to their Meditarrean sandwich ... being a vegan ... i love it ! their newly rewards card helps you save many bucks ... like you get a free pastry on just signing up with them. it's a great place to eat out or study or staff dinner/ lunch. it's affordable too !!!!
(4)
Kimmie M.
I'm a fan of Panera bread. Anything with bread in the title is good for me. This particular location seems to always be pretty busy, but it's large enough that I can get a table. Recently grabbed a frozen lemonade because it was hot as balls out and yummy so refreshing and good, but damn i had the WORST brain freeze of my life. So be careful thirsty yelpers. Their sandwiches, soups, salads, and pastries are all delicious. And their Mac n cheese. Can never decide what exactly to get! AND FREE WIFI! Woohoo
(4)
Clarissa R.
(I've reduced my rating due to the price increases and the wifi time limit at lunchtime--pretty absurd; I've never seen this location so busy as to justify a time limit. The chain should make this policy on a location-by-location basis. However, both of these policies are chain-wide. This Panera remains a pretty darned good Panera.) As far as chains go, Panera is one of my favorites. There's a variety of seating, nobody bugs you if you hang out for a while, the food is relatively healthy, and there's free wifi. And, unlike a lot of wifi-enabled places, there are actually enough power outlets! That gets a whole star by itself. I also like the new morning-only breakfast sandwiches, and the dinner-only pizza-ish things. I enjoy the salads with a mix of sweet and savory ingredients, and the French onion soup in a bread bowl. Panera is a good choice if you need to satisfy a group who can't agree on food, because there's really something for everyone. Like all Panera locations, though, prices have been creeping up to the point where a You Pick Two with a couple of add-ons such as a drink and a cookie can rival dinner at Pasta Pomodoro. Since Panera is primarily a soup-and-sandwich place, I think their prices have started to become unreasonable. The good points of this particular Panera are the employees, who are very nice, fast, and understanding; the convenient location; and the amount of seating. The bad points are that it's often very crowded (due to the location near much of Fremont's city services and medical facilities) and somewhat noisy. If you want peace and quiet, try the Pacific Commons location. Anyway, I've found that I sometimes get more done there than I do at home, so if you see someone writing on Yelp from an oversized MacBook Pro, it's probably me ...
(3)
Brande B.
I love this Panera! It's pretty big inside with free Wi-Fi if you needed to come here with a group or to study. I like that it's large cause you don't usually have to wait for a table. The staff is friendly and does a good job about cleaning up after those who don't when their done. They make your food fast and bring it to your table. I haven't had anything here I don't like. If I'm not in the mood to cook, but don't want to eat fast food this is one of my top choices.
(4)
Miko T.
This place is quick and easy, or can be a place to enjoy a longer meal if you choose. You wait in line, order your food at the counter, and then sit down if you somewhere if you want to dine in. They give you a number, and then when your food is ready they bring it to you. If you order to go, you wait over by a food counter (not where you purchased food), and just wait for your order to be ready. There's a decent amount of seating here, but it can be difficult if you come during really busy hours, or just get unlucky when there's a huge rush of people eating, or just sitting around hanging out. There is additional seating outside though, which is good if it's a nice day. I love the food. I love the turkey artichoke sandwich! It's my favorite, and I get it almost every time. It's warm, juicy, and just oh so tasty! Oh, and your meal comes with a side, so you have a choice of an apple, baguette, or bag of baked potato chips. The broccoli cheddar soup is also delicious, and very cheesy. Sometimes I like to dip my potato chips in it. The salads are good too; I've had the Asian salad (I forgot the exact name of it) which is quite good, and the cesar salad isn't bad, though not the best I've ever had. The pastries are excellent, any of them. I highly recommend the cherry or strawberry pastry though! And the shortbread cookies! They are really buttery, and like a little rectangle of heaven! The prices here a decent and fair, especially for the meal items. The pastries might be a little high (I'm not as familiar with the norms of pastry pricing), but it's not exorbitant. Still worth getting. They also have a breakfast menu, although I've never tried anything on it. I plan on it, though! The service here is good, and I've never had a problem that ruined my meal in any way. Definitely worth coming too for a bite if you're a little short on time and don't want to have to spend time with waiter service, waiting for food for a long time, the bill to come, etc. Also, no tip expected here, which is also nice if you're on a tight budget. Basically, I like this place a lot. As long as the turkey artichoke sandwich is there, I'll be coming back.
(4)
Dave K.
The free Wi Fi is very cool for working on the road. The sandwiches are usually very good but the cookies are La Bomba! I have not gone with one of their loaves of bread although they always look delicious and I'm a HUGE fan of freshly baked bread. They can accommodate a group of about 10 or so inside but taking out would be the way to go. They are very fast at putting together a to-go order for 10+ lunches. Auf.
(4)
Anne N.
Great service and food. Just wished that Panera Bread overall would come up with new stuff to put on their menu. I just started coming to this place whenever I can so I'll be able to try everything on the menu. The French Onion soup was little salty. The bread needs to be baked for less time because the crust is really hard to bite through. Overall though, my family is a fan of the Turkey Artichoke Panini :). I will become a fan when I get enough time to adore this place
(3)
Ali L.
Over the past few years that this Panera Bread has been open I've always had a good experience. The staff has always been helpful and kind and never seemed to care much when I would meander for hours using their free WiFi. This last time I went, my friend and I were inside until 9:30 using their Internet and when the girl asked if she could take our plates we said of course, what time do you close? She simply said 9PM without an attitude and completed the rest of her cleaning duties. My friend and I promptly left, but the rest of the staff didn't seem to be bothered at all by the people still left in the restaurant using the WiFi even after the restaurant had been closed for business.
(4)
Nikki V.
I really like this place for lunch - they are busy, but the service is great for the amount of people that shuffle through during lunch. I usually get the like the Med Veggie Sandwich, and its great...but somtimes the feta cheese and green pesto spread can sometimes be a little too salty. Their soup of the day is also warm and yummie - especially on those chilli windy days...plus who doesn't love the smell of bread!
(4)
Jim D.
I like the sandwiches but this place always has a Long line and always seems dirty. Last time I went My "hot" sandwich was cold.I wanted to like this place but I think that everything here is just mediocre and over priced.
(2)
Madhuri K.
the best brownie ever. I also had their creamy tomato soup and 1/2 a turkey sandwich. The soup was really good. I only give it 3 stars bc its really pricey for a casual place like this. Not so over the top good that I'd want to pay that much for a cup of soup and sandwich.
(3)
Camille B.
Great place for studying. However, sometimes it can get loud when groups have meetings -- no idea why they always feel like they have to talk so loud. Cinnamon Crunch bagels are dangerous. Thank goodness for the Thai Chopped Salad, which is very tasty, yet reasonably healthy.
(4)
Tanya S.
Nice place. Free wifi, Good food.. great coffee. What more can u ask for? Its such a big place to sit and chat and hang out for a little while even after we are done with our food.
(5)
Shirley M.
Like my profile says..."Don't Make me get hyphy up in here"!!! Well folks...it happened today...Panera Bread on Mowry Ave brought out the Hyphy in me!!! Don't get me wrong, the food here is good...it's a chain and they'd have to really screw things up to get the food wrong, so what they're left with to set themselves apart is service...and they BLEW that!!! I came in with a friend after our walk around Lake Elizabeth and ordered a breakfast sandwich with a small cup of fruit...it took a few minutes for them to determine they were out of fruit but would go in the back and get some...which took another 5 minutes to determine they'd have to cut some up...but they assured me they'd bring it right out to our table...10 minutes passed and NO fruit... So, I went back to the front and they advised me they were still cutting up the fruit... You know how the story ends folks...10 more minutes passed and STILL NO Fruit! (needless to say I was done with my breakfast sandwich) I went and talked to the manager who then attempted to explain their process of cutting up fruit! PLEEZE!!!! Save me the explanation! After all, it's Saturday morning...do ya think ya might be ready for the weekend crowd with some fruit already cut-up? I will go back to Panera...just not this one on Mowry! And I'm sure they could care less if I return, because they sure could care less when I complained... BTW, the GOOD Panera is on Auto-Mall Parkway...and their food and service is definitely worth the drive down 880...
(1)
Amanda M.
Their sandwiches are awesome, I always get the turkey bacon one. And they also have great bagels. The service is pretty good, there was one time however I went to sit down and all the tables were dirty. That was pretty annoying, especially since one of them had spilled soda all over the place. Other than that experience, this place is great for breakfast or lunch.
(4)
Rick H.
Yummy food. Great Internet connection. I love the atmosphere.
(5)
Veronica B.
The coffee and espresso drinks are not the best, but I do love the food. I like that they also have rewards program so you get free beverages or pastries once in awhile. Their service is excellent. Everyone who works there seems helpful and kind. They have plenty of seating. Even during the lunch rush, I am always able to find a place to sit and park my laptop to eat and do some work.
(4)
Neil R.
Funny, the guy below me has the same name as me. And the girl below him is my teller. Nice! Only on yelp! Onward... I love Panera's menu... just about anything I order, whether its a sandwich, or a cookie or a smoothie.. etc. It never disappoints. This is like a trendy deli/cafe place with wi-fi and modern lighting/decor. I like it. That's what I noticed the very FIRST time I walked in. I used have the best dates here. Nice and quiet and comfortable and CLASSY! :-) The only thing I kinda didn't like was their prices. Kinda pricey if you ask me! As far as their staff and overall customer service goes. No complaints. Enjoy peeps!
(4)
Foo D.
Their sandwiches are expensive and pathetic! Got a ham and cheese, traded Swiss for Gouda. They had the audacity to charge me 60 cents more for the one small slice of cheese which barely fit 1/3 of the sandwich. 2 thin slices of processed, flavorless ham, wilted lettuce and two grayish tomato slices. $8!! If I could give -8 stars, 1 for each buck I wasted, I would! A day later and I'm still pissed.
(1)
Esther A.
Love Panera Bread. I'm a big fan of bread. Especially sourdough. This is the first location I've ever tried and I was happy they've opened another location in Fremont in the Pacific Common shopping area off Automall. Quiet cafe atmosphere with free wi-fi. I liked sitting at the fireplace on those cold rainy afternoons. Small complaint: They recently discontinued the Fandango salad!
(5)
Derrick V.
Place is nice. Asiago cheese bread is one of my favorite snacks. Too bad it's not done well here. If you know of a bakery in Fremont that has better asiago cheese bread, lemme know! Hard to beat Arizmendi & Cheeseboard!
(3)
Juliana T.
This is my favorite Panera. Close to home, always clean, layed back environment, yummy food, free refills, long hours. They have free wifi and feel very comfortable spending time there doing some work while grabbing a snack. Never feel pressured to leave.
(5)
Sarah G.
I can make fresh-baked bread at home. Given that, why should I spend $6.99 for a sandwich with shredded chicken, a slice of cheese, a slop of mustard, and a piece of bacon? Even at bay area prices this is a bit excessive. And soup ... soup is cheap. Bread and soup are so cheap that they serve those things to homeless people in soup kitchens. The food is decent. The environment would be nice if everyone at the local hospital didn't decide to eat lunch there. But the prices? Insane. If you want to save some bread, don't eat at Panera Bakery.
(2)
Anne O.
Their grilled American sandwiches (a.k.a. panini's) are alright. Hubby prefers a larger sandwich than what they serve here. He's not so fond of their offerings...too foofy for him. Me, I am a bread person. I have enjoyed a few bagels here...as well as the baked egg souffle's...gotta get there early, they usually run out around 10 or so. The loaf I usually bring home is the Asiago loaf...a cheese bread, how can you go wrong? Cookies, well, I bake'em pretty good...but when it's hot here in Fremont and I don't want to heat up the house more with a 350 degree oven, I come to Panera. Mmm...mmm...good cookies.
(3)
Paul H.
Don't know why this place doesn't have a better review - I'd give them 4.5 stars. Panera food is always good - sandwiches, salads, soups are consistently tasty and fresh. This panera looks like all the others - it's nice inside, free wireless internet, lets us sit outside with our dog. You can always find parking in this lot. My only complaint would be they can be really slow sometimes.
(5)
Jon T.
I like this panera more than the pacific common one, the staff here seems to be more friendly and seem to be more efficient when taking orders, also their baked goods seem to be more abundant. A good place to just sit and chat with your friends
(4)
Khanh C.
I ordered a hot tomato/mozarela panini to go when I opened it it was not toasted and the bread is not a foccacia. What a disappointment. Panera of Tampa bay, FL is doing much better. Sorry I will not return to try anything else. Paul
(1)
Tess W.
food is okay, but the portions are small. Also, there was hair in the salad AND the sandwich! told the waitress who did not even tell the manager after we told her to!
(2)
Rob C.
I've taken away a couple stars from the franchise because I still remember the old days of the original St. Louis Bread Co. and have noticed how much things have declined at Panera relative to the past 7 years. People still seem to like this place in general, but I remember when the sandwiches were bigger. Now even the chips bags are smaller. Meager choices for soups. Salads a lot more variable depending on who is making them. Well, it did take a long time to get to this area, so I can see why it's still fairly well-received.
(2)
Doris L.
I started going to Panera when I was on a consulting project in Denver before there were even Paneras in the bay area. So I was uber excited when I saw that a Panera was coming to Fremont and so close to my house! Panera food is wonderful. I've tried a lot of their sandwiches, had most of their salads, a lot of their soups, Crispani, bagels, iced green tea, the cookies, oh yes, I love it all. The "you pick two" for $6.95 is perfect for me b/c I'm so indecisive. I usually get a sandwich and salad. My husband is a fan of the brocolli cheddar soup, but is not a huge fan of the french onion. We both love the Crispani for a quick dinner. As for ambiance, the free wi-fi is great and draws a lot of people to study or meet. I've seen study groups, book clubs, and other clubs meet here. I myself, have some wedding client meetings here and study groups too. It's just really convenient, spacious, and have a lot of big size tables to spread out.
(5)
Suyog S.
Expensive, average quality breads. The soup bowls were chewy, tough for jaws.
(3)
Angela N.
I could never, for the life of me, work out why my ex-boyfriend liked this place so much. It so completely offends me. To start with, what they don't serve is real panini. Real panini is thinner, finer and less greasy. This is an all-American grilled sandwich, stuffed to overflowing and crisped just enough to outdo the melted butter's sogginess. And to ornament this euphemized meal they put it in a fast-food setting that's supposed to pass for some kind of mod Krispy Kreme of bakeries. Oh you make me sick. Their smoothies are good though.
(1)
Steve N.
This place is fantastic. I had been waiting years for something like this to come to Fremont. Then suddenly, there were two of em :) The bread is delicious. The bagels are great. The Baked Potato Soup and the Broccolli Cheese soup is really good, along with the french bread on the side. It's also a good place for eating healthy - you can get the "you pick two" with a half asian chicken salad, and a bowl of soup, or a half sandwich. Usually a 600 calorie dinner...and it's tasty and fresh. A nice change from Sweet Tomatoes across the parking lot, which is always overcrowded and not so fresh. You can also get the Crispani after 4 PM, which is a thin crust pizza. I usually get the tomato and basil, and it's basically the healthiest pizza you can get in a restaurant, but it's tasty! The service is the biggest problem. The first few months it was spectacular, but the problem they have is the high turnover rate. There is always someone new working, and by the time they learn the menu, they quit. Also, it can get quite busy at lunchtime. I've been told this location is the busiest of all of their locations in the country. So the staff can get frustrated with so much going on. I'd also recommend the orange scone. Try to get it earlier in the day while it's still very fresh. It's delicious. The only things I can't recommend are the Panini Sandwiches. These just don't quite cut it for me. They remind me a bit of a hot pocket.
(5)
Candice S.
You absolutely cannot go WRONG with Panera. ESPECIALLY if you're in own of those, "i don't know what i feel like eating" moods. Cause I guarantee there is SOMETHING here you will want. I have to admit sometimes I really get sick of the same old soup/salad/sandwich BUT they started making these personal pizza things called Crispanis. Oooh baby, they are seriously delicious! Try the Margherita, I loved it.
(5)
Mike C.
I haven't tried their breads and they may be the best but we had lunch there a little while back and ordered three sandwiches which took too long to order, too long to make and tasted bland bland bland. It really wasn't even worth finishing it was that poor. To top it off it feels like you're eating in Starbucks. Others may disagree and again I haven't tried their breads but I thought this was a pretty lame place for lunch.
(1)
Joe K.
I love this place!! The food is consistently great. I love the fresh bread and pastries they have. My favorite sandwich is the bacon turkey bravo on tomato basil bread. MMMMMM!!! Their lemonade is also one of the best, Kinda sour but that is the way I like it!! Free WiFi in the restaurant. The place is spacious and clean. I know this is a chain but I have to give it five stars!!
(5)
Susan B.
Love their creamy tomato soup and their coffee. But the wi-fi squatters who camp out for hours while nursing a cup of coffee annoy me. Save some space for us who legitimately want to eat lunch!
(3)
Jessica W.
I worked at the one in Florida so i am pretty sure i'm the expert on every single one of their offerings... and their food is so good!!! i want one in the city, next to coldstone. mmm. but the fremont location is nice with a large space, comfy booths, and chairs by a fireplace. Friendly staff I've noticed. my favorites include: smokehouse turkey sandwich on toasted three cheese bread with a sun dried tomato sauce, cheese, turkey and bacon; broccolli soup; chocolate duet cookie with macademia nuts; frozen mocha (has distinct flavor no other place has); greek salad; asian sesame chicken salad(just as good without the chicken). I recommend ordering the U Pick 2 for like $7 and pick 2 from a half sandwich, soup, or half salad so you can try a few things. Good selection for kids with all healthy options. I like a company that cares about health. They make all of the pastries and breads fresh in-house every morning. Go pick up a loaf of 3-Cheese.
(5)
Elisa T.
i LOVE LOVE LOVE their asian chicken salad! the dressing is so light and refreshing with the salad. Normally i'll get a side of the salad and either soup (chicken noodle soup) or a sandwich... i highly recomment their turkey & artichoke sandwich. This location is normally nice and quiet, great place to study in the corners and the service is nice and friendly.
(4)
Jodi B.
My review is strictly for the sandwiches -never bought the bread. I miss this place, I moved from Fremont to Livermore and there is nothing even close. The turkey artichoke sandwich was to die for and I may be moving back to Fremont unless I can find one in the tri-valley area. I tried to make panini's at home but it's just not the same! * I don't know what "real" panini is but I like theirs! Panera Bread- I will visit you every time I'm in Fremont and may even make a special trip once in awhile, just to partake in your yumminess!
(4)
Chad C.
I would have given them a negative five if such option exists. Customer service is so horrible at this location that no matter how good the food can be it is just an unpleasant experience to eat here. I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for the free wi-fi. I stood in front of the counter for five minutes while I watched almost six employees who were all supposed to be helping customers at the counter vanish into the back rooms. They all looked at me and kept walking. Only one had the decency to say the typical fake "we will be with you shortly sir". Even one of the other employees who was preparing the food for some of the orders and was not responsible to be taking customer orders was rolling her eyes and watching in dissmay what was going on. When finally one of the employees came back, I told him i only want to know where the water was and went and got a cup of water. I put my wallet back in my pocket and went to the soda machine where water was. I decided not to order or give them my business. I hope the manager of this location reads this review and pays more attention to the lousy employees they have!
(1)
Sandy Q.
The sandwiches and salads are very fresh. I usually order the "Pick Two". I get half a sandwich (Sierra Turkey Sandwich) and half a salad (Fuji Apple Chicken Salad). The bill normally comes to a little over $8. I don't come here often because it seems a little expensive for such small portions. However, the food is very good and healthy.
(4)
Christina Y.
I like Panera for a quick lunch since I work & go to school around the area. So far, I've enjoyed the Chicken Artichoke Panini, a couple of their soups, and their Greek salad. I really enjoyed the Chicken Tomesto, but it's not on their menu anymore. :( Their You Pick Two isn't too bad especially if you just want a small lunch with a sandwhich, soup or salad. I'm not one for pastries either, but I really liked their Strawberries & Cream pastry.. You can't imagine how much I spent on those pastries (especially at 1.99 each!). Some of their stuff is inexpensive though.. their focaccias (which I'm not very partial to unless it's warmed) and their coffee cake ($5.99). Oh! Try their souflees in the morning.. they're yum, but quite small. Still good though. Fun Fact: They have bread and pastry samples throughout the day. :) Edit: Minus one star 'cos they updated their You Pick Two to work with their more "Premium" sandwiches. *insert mad face*
(3)
Toshinobu K.
Decent decor, lots of people, nice table and setting. These are all the positives of the place, and the environment sure feels comfortable. Why the one star rating? Well, I seriously cannot justify paying $11 for a soup and sandwich lunch. Granted, the sandwich and the soup is decent, but I can even make it at home! I mean, unless there are gold bars along with the meal, I just can't imagine paying that much money for a plain sandwich. Ok, they have fresh bread, fine, they have Wireless, but com'on, a sandwich is a sandwich is a sandwich, not Foie Gras. If I am just judging on the taste of the food, its not bad, but the price is what gets to me. I hate to give a bad rating for a decent restaurant such as this, but seriously, this is just a high-end sandwich shop.
(1)
Ernie H.
So yes, Panera is a chain-bakery, but as I've been born and raised here in the Bay Area, this is my first experience with a Panera. It's a bakery and a cafe - I'm actually here in the store right now, taking advantage of their free Wi-Fi. Their panini sandwiches aren't too bad, albeit a little expensive. (I paid around $8.50 for a soup/salad combo and a drink.) As far as "atmosphere," it's pretty full for a Saturday afternoon, although there is only one other person with me sitting at a single table using their laptop; everyone else seems to be a mixture of suburban families having lunch. Overall, not too bad. 3 stars if they didn't offer the free wireless access, but 4 stars because they do.
(4)
Annabel C.
I can sum up my review of Panera in 6 words: Free WiFi, free WiFi, free WiFi. I'm one of those borderline ADD people who can't study at home because I'll suddenly realize that I have to clean the bathroom or do the laundry or watch TV or whatever. Panera has been my godsend. I have sat here for hours (yes, I'm here right now) and have never felt unwelcome. The food and coffee are decent, the ambience and decor are warm and inviting, so what more could you ask for? Free WiFi, maybe? They already got you beat.
(4)
Sue Ann D.
I used to love, love this place! Then, like everything else in the bay area, word gets around and then it just goes *south*........the service is not that great anymore and the people who take your orders/etc just looked either pissed off or annoyed with their jobs or life in general. The food is still pretty decent, but I think the quality has gone down, but it's still okay for the days of "I don't feel like cooking".
(2)
Joseph A.
Like Starbucks for bread plus free Wi-Fi. Good Challah, rich tasty souffles, friendly and courteous staff.
(5)
Lucy L.
im a regular here and the pacific commons branch!! recommended for lunch! They have wifi so you can chill, or do hw there. :) They used to have pizza after 4pm, i wish they still have that. I really like their hot panini, salad, sandwiches, and combos.
(5)
Ann T.
Came here for the free wi-fi, which was great. Got a hot chocolate and mint crinkle cookie....mmmm! Very nice way to unwind after work. Will definitely be coming back again!
(4)
Ryan T.
For a nearby joint where I can get some work done due to free WiFi, and have a pretty good salad, not bad, especially for it being a chain. Pretty freezing inside, per last evening's visit. But it's a real honest-to-goodness bakery they're running, with multiple ovens blazing, so the hyperactive a/c part's understood. Better than average, but not overly special.
(3)
Cynthia C.
Went to Panera for the first time while visiting Virginia, and Fremont's is no different, clean, spacious, and consistent flavorful and fresh food. Free WI-FI for all the computer geeks out there.
(4)
melissa m.
Their asian chicken sesame salad is DELICIOUS. I love it! I get the half asian chicken sesame salad and that's enough to fill me up! You also get a piece of bread with it... ALTHOUGH, i just went there today and they are now charging extra for bread. Booo. Place is really nice though. I used to study there. It can get pretty loud during lunch hours, but I'm good at drowning people out so it was fine for me. You also get free wi-fi. BUTTT they have limited it to half an hour during lunch hours... which sucks!! I went to Paneras to study until the library opened because I needed the internet. While working on something, the internet just shut off. So beware!
(4)
Jennifer M.
Panera Bread always offers great customer service and they have great food. I can always trust that I cam getting high quality, fresh ingredients when I go to Panera. Thanks for making a healthy food alternative!
(4)
Kirsten M.
I'm a Panera addict. Everything is good and flavorful, especially in comparison to other similar places. The combos rock and the staff in this location is awesome.
(4)
Rayn B.
We went here twice (yes, we gave them a second chance. They don't get a third.) Both times they were "out" of everything that looked appealing to us. The workers were either rude or didn't seem to care about anything at all, least of all customers. If you're in the mood for Panera Bread, take my advice and drive to the one outside Southland Mall in Hayward, it's a much better experience and the food is fabulous.
(1)
Richard S.
I'm not usually the biggest fan of Panera Bread, but it's usually good in a pinch. The Starbucks of the soup and sandwich. This one was an exception...in the good way It's a great spot for food and/or leisure They have a coffee bar/lounge too (but Peet's is in the same parking lot ;-) Free WiFi Great space and layout My (sierra? something) turkey sandwich was excellent The staff was competent and friendly So they get 4 stars for exceeding expectations And lucky for me it's close to home
(4)
Hyman W.
I agreed with Angela N. This place do not offer REAL panini. It is a grilled american sandwich. When I placed the order at the counter, the people (a guy and a girl) did not even put any smile on their faces. They were kind of rude or did not really care about customer services. I ordered the Asago Roasted Beef Sandwich today and it was so bland. The tomato soup was too salty. The reason for two stars : free wi-fi and the decor is ok. Will probably not go back.
(2)
Channon W.
My first time eating at Panera and i LOVED IT! Their sandwiches are sooo good. You walk in there and you're just consumed with the fresh bread smells. Their sandwiches are sooo fresh and tasty. Yah..the price is a little steep, but I think it's worth it just cuz everything is made fresh ($6.00 for sandwich and chips). My only compliaint is ther expressos aren't that great. they put wayyyyy too much syrup in their drinks.
(4)
Daniel W.
Came here on a Friday night with my girlfriend. We both ordered the 2-item special. The food was delivered quickly and tasted good.
(4)
Spring S.
Good service, but my what a crowd it builds during lunch! You can tell this is a very popular place. Go when you aren't in a time crunch, or get there as fast as you can with a plan of what you'd like to order so you can get back to what you were doing. There is a wide variety of baked goods, and a good variety of all types of salads. Mostly with meat. I'm likely to eat salad for lunch, but there isn't enough variety for meatless salads. From one of the reviewers, you cannot put an order in for a custom made sandwich as they all come from a central distribution point. That is highly disappointing. Still I can get around the menu. I love the ice tea. It is by far the best tea I've had that was suited for ice at a restaurant . It isn't wimpy! You can put ice in it, and it doesn't dilute that badly, and retains its flavor. Yum! I also indulged in one of their mango smoothies. Oh, that was heaven in a cup! I plan on visiting some of their other locations in the future, as their breads and pastries look sinfully good!
(4)
PRETTY D.
On a cold rainy night there is nothing comforting as a hot soup! They have good choices and even couple of them for veggies like me...I also love their Mediterranean sandwich and o, the Crispani is to die for...they don't have crispanis in all the panera bread so you might want to call and check before you go...
(5)
Ed M.
I usually go to the Panera Bread on Christy St., but on a whim I decided to give this one a chance. As you can imagine, it's not very different, other than the layout of the place. I think I like the Mowry layout a bit better. The space is long and narrow versus the very square setting on Christy St. They have sort of a cafe area in the front and dining area in the back. Good WiFi and plenty of power outlets. It seems like this one gets just as crowded during the lunch rush, so no real advantage there. I'll probably stick with the Christy location simply because it has better freeway access, but the Mowry location is nice too. I had the Chicken Tomesto sandwich ( dishadish.com/dish/66831… ) which is pretty good.
(4)
Ryan B.
just wanted to let you know that at panera we do not ship sandwiches to the Cafes. I believe what you are talking about is our Paninis. We make them daily at each cafe. They are made in the morning, and they need to steam for 30 mins, and so that is why you cant change the ingredients. Each time a batch is made they need to steam.
(5)
Khloe B.
This looks like a restaurant but it's more like fast food! I never have to wait or salivate for long here. I always order the portabello and mozzarella panini. Very crispy and generous with their filling. Their green tea is more sweet and seemed processed, so unless you're expecting artificial green tea that will give you cavities, don't order it. Their cookies are absolutely to die for! I love their chocolate on chocolate cookie (forgot the name) but it is like crack to my tastebuds!
(4)
Jojo G.
Free WiFi. Thats the first thing I love about this place considering its a bakery. Service has always been great. The bread is pretty good. Not the best I've had but its not bad. Sometimes I hang out here to finish some work without distraction of TV, etc. Try the Crispanis. It's like pizza but better. If only they had better coffee....
(4)
Valerie F.
Yummy bread especially for a chain. Not as good as Semifreddi's in Berkeley but better than anything else around here.
(4)
Victor B.
the bread is delicious. absolutely delicious. if i didnt try anything else, they'd get a 5 star rating. but then i got the bagel. and the fritatta and the green tea frap thing. and i paid like $9 for it all. and i was ridiculously hungry, hungover still, and wholly unsatisfied after it all.
(3)
Jane Y.
their salads, sandwiches, soups, have all been wonderfully fresh and delicious. they have a big selection of breads and pastries which i intend to dig into the next time i go! i wish i had one near my work...beats le boulanger any day! **UPDATE: panera has become one our fav places to grab a bite! i love their classic and greek salads and as simple as it sounds, their turkey sammich is sooo good - it's the combo of their fresh ingredients and wonderful bread! not to mention their selection of pastry goodies also has me coming back!
(4)
Carolyn P.
I really like panera bread. Their bagels are incredible and their sandwiches and salads are great as well. I have yet to sample their pastries but that's probably for the best. :)
(4)
Carmen M.
Nice atmosphere but pricey sandwiches. Sandwiches were ranging for at least $7.00 for a little slab of pesto and small pieces of chicken in it. Expensive pastries but I am a sucker for the apple pastry for $1.99.
(2)
Rob M.
This is a chain of bakery-restaurants from the Midwest that are starting to spill over the Sierras into CA. You can get a wide selection of sandwiches here as well as breads of all types, pastries, cookies, etc. This store is clean yet it is brand new so it's hard to say too much about that. I liked it, but part of me dreads there being a Panera Bread popping up on every corner of every city here. There are still great local bakeries who use local products and offer healthy choices. This place is not bad and if you go there and order you likely will enjoy what you eat (and that's important), it's just a philosophical stand.
(3)
Lea B.
I finally got to try this place after hearing my boyfriend talk about it (he works nearby), and it was really good. The menu selection has a nice variety, and everything is fairly reasonably priced. I got a half Mediterranean Veggie, which consisted of "Zesty Peppadew(tm) piquant peppers, feta cheese, cucumbers, lettuce, tomatoes, onions and cilantro hummus on our Tomato Basil bread" with a Tomato and Fresh Mozzarella Salad. The sandwich bread and cilantro hummus were especially good. We also got "muffies" (it was so funny to hear my boyfriend order a "muffie," heh heh). Muffies are like muffin tops but look like over puffed cookies. At 99 cents, not bad. The pumpkin muffie was better than the chocolate chip, which was a little stale (we were there in the evening). The only reason for deducting a star was the stale choco-chip muffie and it took a while for us to get the food. I wouldn't normally have cared, but we were in a bit of a hurry, so we had to eat super fast. I wish they would put a Panera in the Tri-Valley.
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : No Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : No Waiter Service : No Caters : Yes
Queena T.
I definitely like the options for their soups and their sandwiches. I always like half sandwich and half soup since it just fills me up. My favorite soups are chicken noodle soup and the broccoli cheddar soup... they are very delicious, just not sure if the broccoli cheddar soup is as healthy as the chicken noodle soup since it's butter and cheese for the broccoli cheddar. I cant really choose which sandwich is my favorite since I like them all and I choose something different each time I come here. And if you're looking for something healthy, they also have salads. I'm not that big fan of salad myself, but I have to say their salads are pretty amazing and tasty with a little bit of this and a little bit of that. Never get disappointed in coming here at all so I would definitely recommend my friends and other people to come here.
(5)Vikram G.
I have been here a few times and tried several sandwiches . Fontega - this sandwich is probably my favorite , the balsamic makes this sandwich happen. The turkey bacon avocado - love it , bacon and avocado compliment each other like yin and yang I recently tried the asiago turkey , pretty good , it was kinda lacking on the greens though Alongside the sandwich I had a bowl of chicken noodle , can't go wrong , their version is tasty , not too much sodium like you find in canned soups ! I will definitely be back .
(4)Jeff B.
The Panera cashier got a paper cut on her wittle finger and told me all about it. I was like, "Awww baby I'm sorry, can I kiss your boo-boo to make it better?" Sorry I forgot to take pictures of my food! I wanted to provide real-time, [I have no] life updates. I got the asiago cheese bagel (classic!) with cream cheese spread plus a chocolate croissant that I never had the chance to try because my girlfriend ate all of it. She thought it was slightly stale and could use a re-heating. Good thing Panera has a microwave inside! I'm writing this review 15,000 feet above sea level since I'm in an airplane. The Go-Go wifi really sucks. She ordered the U Pick 2, and she chose the broccoli cheese soup, baked Lays chips, and caesar salad with stale, nasty croutons. Thanks for being vegetarian baby. The soup was real creamy. The salad was MEH. I got her 2 bucks off of the U Pick 2 since I'm a Panera VIP Gold Rewards Member. She thought that I was gonna pay $5.44 for her discounted meal, but hell no! I paid for our meal at Lark Creek Blue, remember? That joint cost me like 55 bucks. I aint no Lil Wayne.
(3)kim c.
I love panera!!!!!! I at this place way to much. I love the freshness of the food and the bread. The soups are always delicious and the staff are personable. I talk my co workers into going there often this is my addiction. Lol
(5)Eric L.
I do not know what they put into the Mac and Cheese, but this is the go lunch destination for my two kids. They will often destroy the kids portion then tear into our chips and bread. Lunch is always fresh and the pastries always hit the spot in the morning. Top off the meal with with their chocolate chip cookies and you will not be disappointed. Service is hit or miss, but with chain restuarants that is expected.
(3)Shikha S.
I love their pastry rings that are out around the holidays! A few favorites are their lemonade, turkey sandwich, fuji apple chicken sandwich and their tuna sandwich!
(4)Angie R.
My mom, coworkers and I ended up at Panera to grab a quick bite to eat. A few sandwiches and hot beverages were ordered. Unfortunately, the experience and customer service left everyone second guessing their choice of restaurant. It took 3 trips to the register to finally get someone to refill the empty hot water dispenser for our tea. Management finally came to the rescue with a poor excuse for the unorganized, untrained staff we had previously encountered. I was left baffled and unamused with the whole experience. I think I will be looking for a new place to reconvene with my coworkers the next time we meet.
(1)Rehana K.
I've had panera a few times, especially while pregnant. After my doc appts I'll come here for a bite to eat. Majority of the stuff I've had have been delicious, there were very few items that was alright. So far I've had: Spinach & Artichoke egg soufflé - soo good id give it a 5/5 Steak & White Cheddar Panini - delicious and tasty, wish they wouldn't skimp on the steak, sometimes I bite into more bread than meat + cheese. I'd give this a 3.5/5 Mac and cheese - really good! Fan of the traditional cheddar but this one is fantastic. 5/5 for sure. Avocado, egg white & spinach power sandwich - this was better than I expected, flavorful and lean, perfect breakfast! 5/5 Steak and egg on everything bagel - was ok, nothing to scream about. It smelled a little weird so id say 2/5 Steel cut oats (blueberry & granola) - it was simply ok. It was on the watery side when I got it to go -- 3/5 Chicken Cobb with avocado - it's as basic as a salad as you can get. I asked for no bacon and I came home with bacon in it. 1/5 Choco chip muffie - amazingly delicious -- 5/5 Double fudge brownie - I'm a baked goods snob and panera is the only place I'll order baked goods, especially this brownie. Otherwise I bake my own. 5/5 Bagels - I got a dozen and brought them home, they're really good, fresh and husband approves! What's awesome is Tuesdays they have a deal for bakers dozen. 5/5 for these! Other than that service has always been excellent here! The people are so nice. I keep coming back here for the food and service!
(4)Monique W.
App Ordering: First off there was a long line which seems to be a common theme at this location. I found out you can order on app via mobile. So, I took a seat at table near the fireplace and got my order in before the guy who would have been in front of me in the line. The tables are numbered so when I ordered I just entered the table number on the order. Some how it took 20 minutes for my food to arrive and it wasn't complete, I had to go chase down my Berry Smoothie. I told the manager how long it had taken for my food and the the order was incomplete. She just said "is there anything else I can do for you" uh... By the time I took my first bite, the guy who was walked in, in front of me, was walking out to leave because he had finished. Oh, and my soup wasn't warm any more of course. The tables don't seem to be wiped down or bussed. Ultimately this place it just too busy and the workers are just too overwhelmed.
(2)Jennifer S.
This review is for online ordering: Panera, what happened? Granted, I only ordered because Boudin was already closed, but still? We ordered two Caesar salads, one kale and one regular. We got two regular salads, both without cheese and croutons? What's the point of Caesar salad without the cheese and croutons? Also, I was really excited to try the kale Caesar, but I guess I'll have to cross my fingers my order is right the next time I order from Panera.... If I ever order from Panera again. Also, I ordered a soup and was not even given a spoon. I feel like the employee who put together my order just didn't really care at all. Two stars because the lemon orzo soup was really good.
(2)Robert S.
It's great to have a place that sells healthy fast food, and there are few alternatives as convenient as Panera. But be VERY CAREFUL about placing online orders. I have been shortchanged so many times that it's become the norm: Order a tuna sandwich, get half a tuna sandwich. Order two full meals, only get one side. Last week I added the following comment to an order: "I'm seriously losing patience with getting shortchanged on my orders. Please just give me what I paid for." And that time they did get it right. But I ordered again last night, and when I got my food home I noticed they didn't include the bread. On the receipt, someone circled "French Baguette" and wrote "OUT" next to it. The irony is that the bottom of the receipt contains a preprinted blurb about how the order should be correct every time. But what are they gonna do, right? They're out of French bread. Just because I paid for it doesn't matter, because if they're out, well then, they're out. I mean I guess they could have called me, since I'm required to give my phone number when I place an order, but no, that sounds like a lot of trouble. Or I suppose they could have substituted a different kind of bread, or even a different side order. But nah, those chips are all the way over there on the other shelf. Screw it, just write "OUT" on the bag. Get us customers out of there and go home, take it easy, watch the game, to hell with it. There will be other customers tomorrow. They should change the blurb on the bottom of the receipt to say, "Hopefully we'll get your order right, but if we don't, oh well." At least it would be honest. CHECK YOUR ORDER BEFORE YOU LEAVE.
(2)Lianne W.
The price you pay is for the warm food, quiet study area, and ambiance. Meals here are pretty small, costing $11-16 for something good. The Pick Two deal is still around. I suggest the Classic Grilled Cheese sandwich and the Tomato Soup. It won't fill you up but it is a delicious combo! You also get your choice of bread, chips, or apple with the Pick Two. For the Pick Two, it is NOT worth getting the panini! They are cut in half for all sandwiches and paninis, with each $4+. If you want a panini or sandwich, get the whole one for your moneys worth. The staff here is pretty nice and chill, matching the ambiance. It does get pretty packed during dinner time, but most people grab it to go. Now, they have online ordering and a new app for it! The wifi is a bit spotty, but it's always going to be a good place for some quiet relaxation or work to get done.
(4)Chantelle D.
I haven't been to a Panera Bread in a few years. I forgot how pricey some of the items are, but this place is something you go to once in a while and not every day. I ordered the Chicken Tortellini Alfredo with a cup of black bean soup for the Pick Two menu. My husband ordered the Steak & Swiss Panini and an 8 oz bowl of Cheddar Broccoli soup. Both soups were really good! I've been craving black bean soup for a while, so I enjoyed it. Although, I do wish they would mash the black beans into an actual soup and not just give me black beans in a cup because it didn't really look like it'd be called a soup. The Chicken Tortellini Alfredo was good too, but the chicken tasted way too salty for me. The pasta itself was so delicious. As for my husband's sandwich, he liked it, but it was a bit greasy. He wasn't complaining about the soup though, he loved it. Overall, I wouldn't make this a regular place to come to, especially with the price for everything. Like I said, once in a while is good enough to come here.
(4)James K.
Well we had the soba Bowls. We won't be doing that again. I was supposed to have chicken in it. It didn't. We ordered a Group bowl of broccoli soup. They forgot it. I have a reward card but I won't get a reward for six more visits even though I ordered food for three people today. I don't know why I keep coming back? OK: The barbecue flatbread sandwich was pretty good. The food is pretty good but they are always disorganized with their service. Their loyalty program is really a disloyalty program. But they do have hazelnut coffee that I like.
(2)Kavya T.
They have a pretty good breakfast menu, and soup menu too, especially for vegetarians. I can't say the same about the sandwiches, because I think there's only one vegetarian option, that is the mediterranean sandwich...or at least that is the only good one IMO. The pesto sandwich for breakfast/brunch is pretty great! They also had some other appealing breakfast options, which I will surely check out during another breakfast session. Also a great place to study and have meetings! Wifi is great and there are plenty of outlet locations and lots of seating. They also have their rewards card, where you accumulate rewards as you buy things there and then you get a treat! I love that surprising dessert option once in a while. Must Try: Bread-bowl soups--broccoli cheddar, tomato basil were awesome!
(4)Laura D.
I received a couple of Panera gift cards for Christmas from here so I decided to give this place a try, I ordered the soup and salad combo. My choices were the creamy tomato basil soup and the steak and blue cheese salad. What I really liked was the free wifi and the free refills of the hibiscus iced tea. The food arrived to my table pretty quickly like about 10 mins after I sat down. The tomato basil soup was rich and very good. The steak and blue cheese salad was very tasty. I wish the steak was a little warmed up as it seemed a little on the tough side although it was done medium rare having it cold just kind of accentuated the toughness...if that makes sense. Overall though I really like Panera and will definitely be coming back. It's a great alternative to fast food.
(4)Neil K.
Since their new kiosk syst this place has gone downhill. They changed the way they make the pastries and it's very low quality. The portions seem smaller as well. They use to have good service but even that's suffered. Dishes are still wet or damp when they serve it yo you. And the whole kiosk system is broken where the service never seems to get your order fast. All in all , low quality if food than before.
(1)Janet C.
This was my first time ordering a sandwich at Panera I ordered the turkey avocado BLT I ordered my sandwich to go and when I got back to work and begin to eat it I noticed there is no avocado on the turkey avocado BLT. The sandwiches was pretty small and the turkey was flavorless One very thin piece of bacon not much to the sandwich at all I will say however that the sliced sourdough bread was very good but I could have gotten a much better sandwich at Eriks deli or even Togos for that matter for less money
(1)Natalie P.
Not my favorite location out of all the Paneras I've been to. This location always has a line and it's not because it's busy, it's because of the service. The people at the ordering stations always seem so confused and unfriendly. Of course the line is going to be long if everyone has to repeat their orders over and over. I've also never gone here and not have to bus my own table first because it's such a mess. Regardless, Panera has great food so I put up with the service. 1. Fuji Apple salad - my favorite salad! It just hits the spot when I want something sweet, savory, and fresh. It usually comes with chicken but I can do without 2. Tomato soup - really one of the best places for tomato bisque. I wouldn't change a thing. They also top this soup off with Asiago croutons. Yum!! 3. Broccoli cheddar - I'm seriously torn when I get here and I have to decide between this and the tomato soup. What can I saw about this soup other than it's cheesy, creamy, and pretty light considering its broccoli and cheese. 4. French onion - slightly too salty for my taste 5. Thai salad - surprisingly good! It has a lot of frills and what not because it comes with two sets of dressing and edamame. Pretty fancy! 6. All breakfast soufflés - yeah ok, they're so high in calories or whatever but it's so worth it! I've tried all three flavors but my favorite is the four cheese, and second favorite is the spinach and artichoke. 7. Asiago cheese bagel with reduced fat chive and onion cream cheese is also a good breakfast option. That's the combo I go with and I'm never disappointed Another kudos to Panera for having healthier options now for those who want to get the protein for the day! Their power menu is super supportive of everyone who is "clean eating". Yay!
(3)Arjun S.
I have tried chicken panini, cappuccino. The sandwich was good. The coffee was awesome. I sit in a coffee shop for couple of hours reading a book. This place will be new place to pass my boredom. The staff were excellent in service. It's a clean place with very good ambience. This place has different varieties in their menu. They serve bakery food, sandwiches, tea, coffee, flavoured drinks. You will find it a good place for your breakfast or lunch or dinner.
(4)Pooja M.
I love the low fat fruit smoothies, the soup and sandwich combos, and the pastries from Panera. This is a great place to study and get great food, and it is also a nice restaurant to hang out with friends and have professional meetings as well. I've had quite a few interview chats with alumni of prospective colleges at this Panera, and I've also grabbed many casual lunches with friends at this Panera. Its versatility as a study spot, casual lunch hangout, and professional meeting location make Panera a staple in any city, and I love my city's Panera for its great food and the great memories I've had there.
(4)Kyra S.
This was the first Panera I have ever been too, and I am hooked!! the Broccoli Cheddar Soup is to die for!!!. If you are thinking this is just a bread place you are in for a suprise. I am watching what I eat and they have food for all types. If you are looking for a low calories good for you sandwich you must try the Roasted Turkey, Avocado BLT. Just leave off the bacon and mayo and make your bread whole grain. And you have a sandwich 170 calories. I love their website you can order and pay then drive over there and do rapid pickup in a shelf and your done.
(5)Adam M.
The day I was forgotten. Normally I prefer to give positive reviews but sometimes I have to give a bad review. A woman ahead of us ordered the day before had her order wrong, the simple solution was to put half of the items in a second bag, apparently that is a 5 minute process to simply, dump some bread slices into a second bag. I have worked in retail so I tend to be sympathetic to staff and while Panera has great, quality food I know this isn't fine dining. But... OMG don't order a breakfast sandwich 2 minutes late, not only will they not tell you it is too late your order will disappear. Then after most of your order shows up and you inquire where your breakfast sandwich is they give you attitude "well what time did you order" my response is "it's on the receipt". So long story short it took over 40 minutes for me to get a replacement sandwich. The best part is the lazy ass customers, apparently one family was too bothered to stand in line so they had their 3 pastries (yes pastries) brought to their table while one person had a McCafe drink. This Panera normally has borderline military precision during the work week - heaven forbid you not know to order in under 10 seconds. I think part of the problem is Panera is trying to do too many things at once they have: 1.) Walk in ordering 2.) Kiosk ordering 3.) Online ordering 4.) Order at your table Hey why not add a drive through??? So between the miserable customer service (every employee seemed to struggle) and the hipster/princess attitude from the customers I think I can safely avoid this place in the future.
(2)jane h.
Panera bread will never get my business. They have the worst online customer care as well. Contacted to let them know how frustrating it was to see the feta cheese was missing on the rapid pick up order and totally shocked by their response. This happened not once to deem as just a "mistake" but it was twice at this same particular shop. They did not even want to do a phone pickup when the shop was empty but lied they were busy! Just watch the reply here for the compliant I made "I'd love to invite you to visit us again. May I send you a Panera Bread eGift Card? Though I know that isn't the reason for your email, I would like the opportunity to make up for your disappointment. I'll look forward to hearing from you." No apologies at all. Pretending to throw money to buy you out. If you are sincere first apologize for the mistake, refund/issue GC and proceed further. Never tried Boudin which is right across and now I am motivated! Bye bye Panera!
(1)Danielle C.
This is an okay Panera that is located close to the BART station. I think the food quality at Panera has gone down over the years. I used to love their soups but every time I get them now, they are just okay. They bring the food to you which is nice.
(3)Heather P.
Good food. Awesome customer service. No waiting . Very clean Keep up the good work staff
(4)Indijah A.
Worst expierance ever took my order to go since I was only on a lunch break told the cashier I wanted there chicken tortellini without smoked chicken & I wanted the grilled chicken instead with an apple on the side cut up. Waited on the Togo order bench for my order to be ready. When it finally was ready it wasn't to go. I repeated to the lady exactly what I wanted and she repeated it to the person making the order. FAIL. She had the nerve to say "oh, and she wants her apple cut. Ya I know good thing we aren't busy" what I wanted to say was well honey if you aren't busy it should've been made right in the first place but I stayed quite because I was in my work uniform. The lady behind the counter finally called my name I double verified with her what was suppose to be in the bag she said yes and i was on my way finally took it out to eat it after getting to work and I had not only not the chicken i asked and payed for i had about 50 cents worth of chiken in my bowl. These people working here don't even deserve minimum wage will never ever be back to this location! There customer service is garbage! Please train your associates!
(1)D S.
I am a big Panera fan. In the last 7 years, I have lived in 4 different states and have gone to 2-3 different Panera locations in each state. I have to say that this particular Panera is the most poorly managed one. I have gone there 4-5 times and have been disappointed each time. 1. They ran out of "chips". So we said okay, we'll take the baguette. Our food came out with an apple. WTF? 2. They ran out of the type of bread our sandwich usually comes in. Our sandwich was served on some other type of bread. WTF 3. They ran out of hot water, so there was no way for me to drink my hot tea that I paid $1.75 for. 4. They were once randomly closed at 6 pm on a Monday evening because of some "Bread bash". WTF? 5. The place takes 2-3 times as long to take your order and deliver your food than every other Panera location I have been to. 6. The place is filthy with paper towels and straw wrappers on the floor. Everywhere. All the time. It's a shame. They are ruining "Panera" for me.
(2)Catherine B.
This has always been a good place for catching up with friends, having a lunch with your grandma, or even doing homework by yourself. It has a quiet, charming atmosphere that really draws you in. The service is usually friendly or laid back, which adds to the quiet, casual atmosphere. Plus, free wifi! I always get the you pick two. It's a genius idea because I always want more than one thing. I really like the broccoli cheddar soup because it's good to dip your bread into if you get the choice of bread with your meal. The grilled cheese is good in my opinion but recently it's been lacking. It kind of went downhill over the years but there's a lot more things on the menu to choose from. Their bagels are good, the pastries are good, &the cream cheese for the bagels for some reason is really good.
(3)Ebony B.
I like Panera in general. This location, in particular, has a pleasant staff... and patient considering I take forever looking at the menu. I go there during different times of the day, and it's typically not busy. However, if you're in a rush, even that one person in line can be annoying as heck, but hey, it's life. Lots to try on their menu, but my default is typically a BLT for sandwich, their super creamy mac and cheese, and the Greek salad. You can go as healthy as you want (an apple or natural potato chips as part of your meal), or not (white bread baguette). They stay open late in the event you need a nighttime munchie... which is truly my weakness. I love when my Panera card tells me I have a free pastry! You ain't got to tell me twice! They're going to feature online ordering in the near future, FYI.
(5)Tony H.
The food's great. The location's great. The service is great too. Which is why I'm giving them five stars even though the consistency of their food isn't all that great. For example: 1. Left out the noodle in their noodle broth bowl. 2. Frozen chicken 3. Caesar salad reeked of blue cheese. They must've mixed up their blue cheese dressing with their Caesar salad dressing that day. 4. Forgot to put avocado in a sandwich. When I asked, they told me they were out. If they'd told me earlier, I would've ordered something else. 5. Gave me a sandwich instead of a salad. The "extra croutons" I'd ordered with it was placed in a little bowl beside the sandwich. There are more, but those are the ones I remember most. At this point, seeing what else can go wrong has become my favorite part of going to this location. It's turned into a kind of dinner and show or maybe more like bingo night where I get to cross off the "frozen chicken" box on the ol' bingo card. Don't get me wrong, I still go back. Hence the 5 stars. Because when they get it right, they're great. I just thought I'd share a few of the funny experiences I'd had there for a laugh.
(5)Nik N.
For catering I give this place five stars! I have used them three times always on time and the order is always right. However, in store the service is not great. I had to explain the you pick two concept to my cashier twice during the process, once when she tried to sell me a whole salad and a whole sandwich when I prefaced each item with the word half. Again when she didn't give me the apple or chips option instead of bread. Also they don't use pagers here, the sandwich maker just yells order up for orders where people are seated. No customer or employee ever came to retrieve the order that was up in the entire time I waited. Panera quality is consistent so it's really service that sets locations apart. This one needs some work.
(3)Harry C.
How the heck do you run out of bagels on a weekend at 10:00am? I understand the business aspect of it, but how about the customer aspect? So I went in around 10:00am, and they had only a few bagels. Sad.
(1)Allie A.
I love Panera, I'm there at least once a week. I just wish that when they run out of stuff, they'd go out and make it again. Nothing like coming in for a late study session and seeing that they're all out of onion bagels.
(5)Marsha H.
It's Monday at 7:30 am and the soufflés are out!!! Great that I'll go to work STARVE!
(1)Jade M.
This visit was last July 12th, 2015 - On my way to Panera to get some pastries at Panera, so I can get a short coffee break. But noticed that birds were landing on unattended tables outside and picking some food from there. I said,"yuck, this is very unsanitary."These tables need attention and cleaned up right away. Then when I went inside the cafe," I saw only a handful pastries displayed on their bakery case. On the other hand, the pastries were displayed using where they were baked at and they don't use clean display baking trays. I said,"Is this how Panera presents itself to customers?" Disorganized, dirty, unpresentable and lack of attention of the tiny details. Second, I overheard how 1 female employee didn't want to work and be there after the afternoon rush was over when she was talking to the head baker. You know what, keep your comments as discreet as possible - so customers won't hear what you are feeling. I thought I wasn't greeted and being welcomed when I first entered the door. No "Hi, Welcome or Good Afternoon!". Third, when I glanced at their bakery case - there were no signage on what they are selling and some pastries are only available like the cherry danishes, m&m and pumpkin muffins, pecan braids and a crumb cake. This is pretty sad because there were only a few choices by 3:53pm in a Sunday afternoon. Yet, they close at 9pm on Sunday. This branch needs some help from a store manager that needs to coach their management team, employees on serving better customer service, and a better environment for customers to enjoy and be welcomed. I feel that this store is failing for a long time - and they haven't addressed these issues every time I go there. This is the afternoon service on a Sunday. It was really horrible. I thought the morning service was the opposite- positive, welcoming and knew what they were doing and cared their customers. But the afternoon and night service was horrible overall. I thought that the food was a Fail also because their menu taste bland, and cannot cater special requests to customers by giving the right amount of meat or attending to customers who are waiting. The customer service should be handled by a designated employee or a manager to resolve these issues. They should acknowledge the customer to resolve these issues, and maybe offer a pastry or cookie while they are waiting. The management should handle these issues as quick as they can too to avoid long waiting times. After my last visit, I am not coming back to Panera because of these issues - it was a big FAIL in customer service, handling and resolving issues as quickly as possible, acknowledging as quickly as possible, food quality, and employees morale and proper training.
(1)Ric D.
Here is why I dislike this location to the core: 1) always running out of stuff 1.5 hours before close time!!! Wow. 2) takes twice as long for the orders to be prepared even when there is no one waiting 3) twice it has happened that a chicken caesar salad was ordered but there was no chicken and a Napa almond chicken salad sandwich was prepared with one tablespoon of chicken salad :-| These guys really need to improve their service. Just because it's a busy store doesn't mean they can drastically reduce the quality of food and resort to extremely poor customer service!!
(1)Natalie L.
Delicious food even if it is slightly pricey. 4 stars just because when I order online, the staff never tells me they're out of an item I ordered and offer me something else or a refund. I always have to go in and say they forgot it, but really... They're half-assing their job.
(4)Jeri L.
Something has happened to this Panera Restaurant in the last year. The employees do not seem as well trained as in the past and they also seem to have been short staffed during both my previous visits. Earlier this week I stopped in to order a Fuji Apple Chicken Salad to go. First the lone employee staffing the registers had her hands full taking orders. However, customers were complaining that the Coffee dispensers were empty. Then a cook was arguing with the register person about whose responsibility it was to refill the Coffee. Short staffed? What has happened to team work? Then the cook staff forgot to include the salad dressing with my order, which I discovered more than an hour later at home. Frustrating. No salad dressing with my salad. I gave them another try yesterday with a to go order. I waited patiently while the two cooks bantered back and forth because one cook restocked too much ham and not enough turkey. As my order was almost complete, I moved to their counter and asked them to be sure to include the salad dressing since it was forgotten on my last order. The cook preparing my order then made a snide comment about customers standing there waiting for their orders. When I got home there was a salad dressing container included but it had very little salad dressing in it. Are they running out of salad dressing? Good grief. On both visits it was NOT peak time and my orders were simple and for only one person. My orders were not complicated. The overall food quality was still good, but the quality of the employees has gone downhill. What has happened to smiling, helpful neighborhood service? Why so lippy to both customers and fellow employees? Tacky. I will try going to the Paneras on Automall next time or maybe anywhere from Paneras. Their management is either absent or undertrained.
(2)Judith C.
Ugh. My co-worker and I ducked in here when we wanted to get out of our workplace for a bit and escape the rain. We couldn't find the place we originally wanted to go, so we decided to just stop by here instead. I got a chai tea latte, because I wasn't feeling hungry and didn't want to spend a lot. It was not good AT ALL. The worst. You could definitely tell that it was made from syrup, but not even decent-quality syrup. My co-worker got their squash soup, and she described it as "sugar soup." No no no.
(1)Tess L.
Almost all tables are occupied - with dirty dishes and trash. There is hardly any clean table to sit. Understaffed?
(2)Daniel H.
Well, this Panera meets the expectation of Panera - higher than normal prices, higher than normal quality, smaller than normal portions. As for this location, I actually almost forgot this was my first Panera that I ever visited. I like this location because it's so convenient - right next to Fremont BART, and the atmosphere seems particularly casual and easy-going. I don't know if that's the staff or they lay-out or what. I enjoy sitting in almost every section of the cafe - which is a little weird for me, I'm a 1-spot kind of guy most of the time. Thanks for the good times, Panera. P.S. It would be great to see better discounts in your emails! :)
(3)Nikita B.
I love panera.... i really do! however my experience today was horrible and my food was togo. I went to their website so i could do the rapid pick up. They did not offer the chicken Caesar salad SANDWICH online. So i decided okay ill call and order... I had to order mine and a bunch of my coworker's food as well. No one picked up. I dialed again... and still no one picked up. We were all craving panera so i wrote everyone's order down and went to go order straight at the location. I understand its lunch time they get busy... but now when i finally get there there is this elder lady at the register... i had to repeat every order to her at least twice hoping she wouldn't mess up. She did not smile at me once, she looked like she straight hated her job, she looked tired and honestly if you're not a people person you shouldn't be working in an environment such as this. I ordered two "pick two items" and three normal sandwhiches. I should have double checked what was in the bag before leaving because when i reached back to work one soup was missing... and my chicken Caesar salad SANDWICH .... was just a salad not a sandwich.... i was so upset because i was looking forward to my sandwich... not that the salad was bad or anything it was really good also but that's not what i had ordered. So i guess moral of the story is to double check you have what you ordered in your bag...
(2)Manish J.
Usually I like Panera breads. they are always fresh. they have free Wi-Fi so if you want to catch up in between work then its a good place.
(4)Li C.
Want my honest opinion, been here 2 times and both times it's been shit. First time uuuuurgh. Today, after waiting for the person at the register to finish her personal conversation and then other girl apologizing. .....we get served.....yay cause I was starving after my run. Chicken Caesar salad comes......Is there a shortage of chickens and croutons? Barely any chicken and zero croutons. $8.79 for a bowl of lettuce? My husbands came with the sauce in a plastic container thrown on top of the lettuce.....WTH? I asked apologetically for a refund, no apology in return, no option for an alternative.....disgruntled manager. I'm sorry, is it a privilege for me to be here and served by you? The Panera off 237 may have dead door service, but they do serve a decent meal. NEVER coming back to this shit hole. I'm so hungry and grumpy right now....I wish I had told that manager what a f*ck nut he is. Typed on tiny itty bitty keys just for you, by a very hungry grumpy person!
(1)Eric J.
Has a real "homey" feel with the fireplace inside. It's much bigger inside than I expected. Plenty of tables, service was good. Free wifi worked well, easy to login. I had a breakfast sandwich and a latte. Both were very good. Nice place to relax, get a bite of something to eat and surf. I'll be back.
(3)Mustafa E.
I found a fly in my salad. Took it back to the manager and he said it's the vendors fault since they buy it from the vendor. Well I didn't buy it from the vendor and they should have some sort of quality control. I was only offered a refund for the salad and had to tell them that I won't be eating the rest of my food.
(1)Liberty Lady L.
The nicest word I can use about this Panera is "underwhelming." First, the place is dirty. Second, the food is mediocre at best; nearly tasteless, very small portions, MSG in the french onion soup, ridiculously tiny amount of meat in my sandwich, etc. Third, the staff seem to be as mediocre as the food. The only things this place has going for it are the free wi-fi and the well-lit casual atmosphere. There's even a major slip hazard from a water leak across the sidewalk right outside the front door. The water is rusty-looking and seems to have been there a while. All of this could be fixed pretty quickly if they got new management. Because this is a chain, however, I don't expect that to happen. We won't be back.
(2)Chin-Leng C.
Came with family for dinner last night, but 3 out of 4 orders were pretty screwed up. My Chipotle Chicken Panini has almost no chicken in it. We noticed the same issue with the Frontega Chicken. It has like bits and pieces of loose meats that makes up probably half a pinky size. Our Avocado Turkey Sandwich has no avocado in it. We showed the server and he brought it back to the kitchen. We later had real chicken in our sandwich, but it seems like they're for something else and it was quite cold. Panini with cold chicken??? Also, they said they were out of avocado and compensated us with a cup of soup. I would say for server attitude, he's okay. But for the kitchen staffs and food consistency, it really needs help!
(2)Jolly H.
The food is still really good. A lot of people must like the Cream of Chick and Wild Rice soup because they always seem to run out before I get here. And lately, they are always out of the baguettes for the side. Still the food is great.
(4)Alejandra J.
Its OK. service is extremely slow, 15 mins to get a juice? Really....i do adore the panera orange juice .
(2)Doan L.
This Panera bread is pretty fast in regards to service. However, the bathroom could use a little cleaning up more often. It could get full during rush hours so best to get here early or at odd hours. Plenty of parking :)
(4)Darryl F.
I want to personally thank Alexis Fortenberry and her manager Alice for their prompt, kind, loving, warm and courteous attention and service they provided to me and my family when we visited the restaurant.They treated us with very very upmost prompt service that we've ever experienced!!!! Alexis is very very prompt and knowledgeable about her job!!!!
(5)Bebe P.
I usually goes to this panera, but I have to say every time I stop by just for to go orders, service gets worse. First of, I was just planning to stop by for soufflé, chocolate brownie and orange juice...which everything pretty much already baked. There are at least 5 computer registers but only one person working at the cashier. Everybody else? Too busy in the back kitchen. Then the cashier ask if i want a reward card which of course that's what they suppose to do and I literally told her that I forgot mine in the car and I didn't register it yet so it's okay, I don't want one. And she suddenly fired back like "oh I can't really give you reward if you haven't register online." ...can't you understand the sentence though? I'm not ask for the reward what so ever. I don't care about rewards at panera. I was in a rush and she got me in line waiting for 10 mins when I'm the only one in line, not even a line, more like right in front of the register. So then I was like that's fine. 20 mins later I'm at my work in San Jose start to dig into the chocolate brownie. And this is what happen, mold in the back of the brownie. Could a brownie rotten within 20 minutes? I think not. No more this branch of panera for me. Maybe elsewhere. Just not here. A star because the souffle was okay, and I have to give rating.
(1)M M.
I haven't visited this place in a while so I dropped by for a quick bite. The food was ok and a bit pricey. Also, the cashier (Sal) was quite rude. Must have been having a bad day.
(3)Lita V.
I only come here when they have the Steak and Blue cheese salad. The dressing has a zestiness to it, the steak is tender, and the onion crisps really compliments the tanginess of the blue cheese. You can try to balance out the heartiness of this salad with a side of apple because the bread selection is very tough (stale?). Other than that, I can't bring myself to spend that much for anything else offered at Panera (I justify spending that much for the salad because of the steak...). I just know I can get everything else offered there for better quality at a cheaper price somewhere else.
(3)Kay C.
As with all Paneras, quite spendy for what you get. But the stuff is decent - good coffee, good pastries - like the souffles. Good service, we got our order to go and they bagged it all up for you and provided napkins, forks, etc in the bag so that's nice.
(3)B L.
While the food is pleasant and reasonably priced, the service at THIS location is EXTREMELY slow. There needs to be a manager on-site or if there is a manager on-site, s/he needs retraining on providing quality customer service.
(2)Thuyvi M.
Working in Fremont now I finally got to visit this location as I used to visit the Hayward location a lot. I defin like the new menu items and there is a lot of choices to choose from. The food is fresh and the employees are nice and friendly. The service is fast too however the last time during my visit I had my order to go and I never heard anyone call my name to pick up. So others who ordered after me got their food before mine. Overall I would come back for lunch but it can get busy and parking is hectic during lunch hour.
(4)Pooh P.
We like the Panera concept, and there are many Panera stores that execute the concept well. Not this one. Today, we had the following experience of being systematically short-changed: (a) there was a big sign that said they were offering a free cookie for using the in-store Kiosk for online ordering. But the orders never came with cookies, without explanation. When we inquired, we were told they were out of cookies. After raising this as an issue, we discovered they indeed had cookies ("in the bakery", whatever that means). (b) we ordered a you-pick-two, which comes with a choice of sides. We chose the baguette side. when the order came, there was no baguette nor any substitute side. and no explanation either. Plus, the veggie-mediterranean sandwich was not at all like they way I've had it before, and was furthermore skimpy on materials. When raising this as an issue (specifically, we weren't being honestly served what we paid for), we were simply told they were sorry, the kitchen was out of baguettes, with no effort at offering a substitute. After we made a fuss, and with the server's help (she was most apologetic, and attributed the issues to something going on in the kitchen), we got some substitutes. Another patron who saw us complaining also approached us and said they had also just had a horrible (his words) experience with this Panera. My point is this: 1. Either the manager or the owner of this unit is engaging in systematic short-changing of customers. Otherwise, they'd have been up front about not having what we paid for and offering substitutes. Observe how they just quietly short-changed us. This is known as theft and fraud. 2. How could they have been out of things so early in the evening? It was only 8:30 pm., and the store closing time was 10 pm. 3. Clearly we weren't the only unhappy customers at this location.
(1)april j.
Have been coming here for about 6 months now, and today I finally decided to write a review after watching the register person yelling at an older woman. She was clearly confused about her order, but his attitude towards her was just wrong. The customer service here has always been so so, but the last few months have really made me question if I'm going to return here. Mostly every employee I have interacted with looks like they hate me, as well as their job. Come on management-get some good people in here! The food is also inconsistent. I keep ordering the French onion soup, 90% of the time there's NO cheese on there, the other 10% is barely a sprinkle. Let's fix this Panera, there's plenty of other places to eat in this area.
(2)James A.
My favorite location in the East Bay. Some of the team members are annoying but overall experience is good.
(5)Sarah W.
Out of a bunch of things around lunch time. This location has its ups and downs. Its at a down right now
(1)Katie N.
I LOVE PANERA BREAD! Just not this location Living down the street, it was exciting to find a Panera nearby. Went here today for breakfast with a friend and our cashier gave us terrible customer service- as if she doesnt wanna be there. My friend ordered the bacon soufle, after she rung us up it was already all sold to someone else. When we handed her our card she gave us attitude as if we made her work by getting my cup of coffee and our soufle, and my friends iced mocha was made wrong by none other than our cashier. This is a nice spacious Panera, but idf they knew their soufle sells so quick then they should make more for backups, not asked us if we wanted to wait for 25 minutes.
(2)Rebecca H.
I used to like Panera a lot more. Now it just seems tired. The service is tired. The food is tired. I had some breakfast sandwich thing that was so bland, so uninteresting, I felt tired after eating it. It's not bad for high sodium, high calorie food masquerading as "healthy," but I'd rather eat an obviously unhealthy Egg McMuffin than a fakey healthy bland grody breakfast sandwich. It's not horrible, it's not great, it's just ok. And tired.
(3)Jason S.
The food here is great. My problem lays with the ordering of lunch. One of my coworkers birthday was last week, so I called to place an order. I asked for two sandwich trays and some soup. I was told that catering orders need to be booked 24 hours in advanced and that they were booked for the day. Keep in mind that we are only ordering 10 sandwiches. After a long argument with someone who said they were the store manager, they finally agreed to sell me the food. If it wasn't that I didn't have time to go somewhere else I would have hung up. I have to question the business practice of turning away large orders. Isn't the point to sell as many sandwiches as possible. They should be grateful they don't work for me. P.S. To add insult to injury they charged me for the soup and never gave it to us.
(3)Tammy T.
Service is sometimes really slow. Standing in line for 10 mins slow. Food is inconsistent. Sometimes forgets the cheese or dressing on my salad :( Tea and coffee is lukewarm. (I typically come around 5pm) Also, what is with the below freezing temperature?! It is effing cold. Shivering as I type.
(2)Bert M.
I normally wouldn't bother writing a review for a chain restaurant, but this instance of Panera is really disappointing. I normally like Panera as a good, middle-of-the-road choice for a quick, light lunch, but this one strikes out continually for me. The soda machine is perennially out of diet/diet-caffeine-free Pepsi, which is the only soft drink my wife or I drink; the whole-grain baguettes that I love at other locations is _always_ burned here; and they basically have a supernatural ability for being out of whatever my wife wants to order (shrimp and soba noodle salad, I'm looking at you). I've crossed this off my list of places to go, which sucks because I like the chain in general and it would be nice to have one close by.
(1)Suvarna P.
This is an OK place for the price you pay.the ambience was good, but the food quantity was very little. As this was my first time to panera bread, I also felt the person at the counter was rude when I asked few doubt's about the menu
(2)Christina J.
I used to eat here all the time when I was still in school. Would come here to study, eat, study some more, drink tea/lattes study some more and then have a cookie hehe. It can get extremely crowded but if you get there early and are planning on camping out to study, as long as you keep ordering stuff it's all good. My favorite thing is the bacon and spinach souffle. Amazing! I love to have that and their iced acai or tropical tea. My only problem is with quality control. I've eaten their so much and mostly order salads, but it can really be hit or miss with the quality of the lettuce. I hate brown or rotting lettuce in my salad and that has happened on a number or occasions. It really can ruin a salad and makes me wonder about quality control for all the rest of their food. Their bread and pastries are pretty on point but if you've ever looked at their ingredient list, aren't "scratch made" like they make you think. Yes they are "fresh baked" but def not from scratch.
(3)Dee F.
Not worthy of this One Star! I'm basing my review on the way this company treats their employees. It seems like this location lacks management skills! Not handling issues in a timely manner nor addressing the situation at all!!! All this to keep it hidden from upper management. UNACCEPTABLE!!! If you really want a good bagel try Local Businesses Like PJ's Bagel or Daily Bagel.
(1)Chris C.
Was sent here by the wife to pick up some baked goods ordered online and although some of the items were not available due to poor planning the Manager Aaron stepped in and refunded part of the order and replaced them free of charge with other delicious baked goods. Thanks.
(4)Kyla K.
UPDATE: Things have seemed to improve after my last post. The staff is friendlier and working more diligently to get the food out quicker and correctly. Someone was paying attention to all the negative reviews. Seems as though new management came in and cleaned up the slack! We will definitely be trying again.
(4)Jenn M.
We really enjoy coming into Panera. This location however, always seems to be really crowded which is good for business, but bad when your food comes before you can sit down. Not enough seating especially during Lunch Hours.
(4)Maria N.
I love Panera Bread but not this location. I was so excited to find a location by our office but this will be the last time me and my family will be spending money here. I had an early lunch here on thursday and it was not busy. I didn't catch the cashier's name but she is an older white lady with blonde hair. She was super rude to us. I wanted to order the Pick 2 meal and added a cookie for .99cents. Tell me why, she was giving me attitude because I, myself the customer, was adding on? I was so annoyed that Id forgotten to switch out my bread for a bag of chip, and of course she didnt offer either. I came for the food but she pist me off so much that i didnt even gave order right. We think she was rude to us because we're Asian. We would never pull the race card, esp in Fremont where it is so diverse. I couldn't help but noticed how much nicer she was assisting this male white client. Speaking of a lasting impression.
(1)Jay T.
Like any other Panera bread. Nice ambience. Great hospitality and friendly people around. Loved every time I visited there. Would recommend to anyone who loves Panera.
(4)Danielle E.
I placed a pick up order for the wrong store and the managers at the Mowry location took care of me and had my order done in less than 5 mins!! Talk about GREAT customer service! I wish I would have brought money so I could tip both gentleman... Next time! I wish i remembered their names to shout them out here, but will remember their faces! Thank you gentleman for your excellent service! You secured a loyal customer! : ) Oh man and the sandwich today was the best I've had there!! WOW!! Color me impressed!!
(5)Julie L.
I would not recommend this Panera location to anyone. Over the years I've noticed the service going down and yesterday they were at their peak. I ordered a turkey avocado and bacon on sourdough and requested that they made sure my pickle was put on the side (cold sandwiches always come with pickles but they usually forget so I put in a reminder). My boyfriend ordered a turkey stuffing flatbread with a broccoli cheddar soup. I received my sandwich with no avocado and no pickle. I went up to the counter to learn that this location was out of these items and I lost my appetite. Robert, the young man who informed me of this "did the girl not tell you we were out of avocados?" made me feel like it was my fault that I didn't know they were out of items that they advertise on their menu. I put my foot down and asked for a refund because this was absolutely ridiculous. I would not have ordered this sandwich if every employee was properly informed. I was offered no compensation and this Robert character acted as if he was some type of supervisor? I say he be demoted immediately because of the way he presented himself. No name tag, and only apologizing once without trying to understand how unhappy he made me. When my boyfriend received his order, the spoon that was given to him by our uncaring server named Mariana, was still caked in left-over food. I went up to the food counter and requested a new one from her. She looked at me as if she didn't understand my issue with their dirty silverware. Again she handed me a dirty spoon and when she handed it to me she touched the mouth area of the spoon. We ended up requesting one of the plastic spoons that were given to those who have take out orders and again, Mariana told us to go get our own spoon. I was annoyed because she didn't seem to be capable of doing anything else except standing around and waiting to hand out food orders, why not fix the mistake you made with your customer in a friendly manner?It was her service in particular that prompted my review. She was so uncaring and rude to me and only started treating other customers with respect when I put my foot down and said something. Something we didn't bother mentioning to the staff was that my boyfriend found an eyelash in his flatbread. I think it's safe to conclude that this location does not honor the California Food Handlers license and should be immediately checked up by a health inspector so they can be put in their place. You don't serve people dirty silverware and contaminate with your own hands at the same time, and you certainly do not leave hair in your patrons flatbreads!
(2)D S.
This place is horrible. Over 30 minute wait to get our order then to have it come out wrong!! This has happened the last two visits here.
(1)Jason L.
I just don't get it... over priced sandwiches, breads, soups, and drinks. And its all stuff that you could easily make at home. Safeway sells the same exact thing for half the costs, but you just don't get the atmosphere. Nothing that I've had here really "stands" out or makes me want to keep coming back for more. I know some people love this place, for me... its just meh
(3)Dave L.
Nice place, but the food is not what is worth. I have tasted better pasta and sandwiches at other locations for the same price.
(2)kalani c.
So yes it is clearly stated with a sign that on weekdays breakfast sand and soufflés stop at 10:30...however when the person takes your order near 11 for 2 breakfast sand allows you to pay for it...then while your waiting you are told breakfast is no longer being served...well that's just poor customer service...then having to WAIT for the manager to come over and refund the $ like it's some kind of hassle...on top of no apology from the MANAGER...again poor customer service....time to go spend my money somewhere else....The odd thing is that the reason why we were told why our orders could not be made is they were out of eggs ( I call bullshit)
(1)Lise L.
Terrible service; ordered through the app, picked it up, but found out some of the stuff I ordered was missing. So we went back, was told they were sold out, and after specifically asking, we were told that some guy would give us a refund right away. It took him 20min. Had to remind him 3times.
(1)Stephanie S.
Since Panera is so close to Washington Hospital, my nursing school classmates and I have been frequenting Panera to study after clinicals. This is a great place to study, it's warm and cozy and has free Wifi. There are a lot of people there studying or doing work, so it doesn't get super noisy. They do fill up for dinner, but again, it's nothing super distracting. The food smells amazing! Definitely get the Iced Green Tea (that's my favorite). Their pastries are all pretty decent, and if you get their Panera rewards card, you get a lot of $1 off pastries coupons. I would highly recommend this Panera for your studying needs!
(4)Drea H.
Fiance and I came here for a quick lunch on a weekday during lunch hour. Wow, the parking is pretty horrendous. The inside of the store wasn't much better either. It was super busy and a bit claustrophobic. Service was quick, food was tasty & filling, prices are comparative to other cafe-like restaurants, but the atmosphere was a bit much for us. It was also hard to find seating, and we weren't able to take a long look at their menu as it was so busy & we were rushed into ordering.
(3)Craig F.
Good sandwiches, fresh pastries and bread, but maybe a little pricey to make this a regular visit. I guess it had been awhile since my last visit, because I was expecting to pay anywhere from $7-8 for my Turkey Artichoke panini (with a choice of an apple, chips or even more bread!), but got the sticker shock when the cashier told it was $9.80 ($8.99 + 0.81)! I guess Panera has enough business from the Doctors and Nurses from the nearby hospital that can afford to come here everyday if they wanted to, but for myself, I will only come here maybe a couple times a year if I happen to be craving one of their delicious sandwiches. Free restaurant wide Wi-Fi (probably not the fastest around, but it's free!) Friendly service with a smile and a carb lovers dream.
(4)Sai Ram G.
This was the first time I visited to Panera upon my friend's suggestion and the food was really awesome especially Macroni Cheese bowl and this is the first bakery I have ever liked in USA.
(4)Andrea L.
No issues with service. Bathrooms are clean enough. I ADORE their new egg white, cheese and avocado sandwich on Sprouted Whole Grain Bagel. However, 4 out of 5 times they're OUT of this bagel when I arrive. Ahhh! (their breakfast also ends too early). They're also out of whole grain or other healthier type bagels usually. As a vegetarian and someone trying to eat healthier, I am routinely disappointed. I can get regular boring sliced bread at home! And I can get sweet pasty items at any grocery or convenience store - so having an excess (it seems usually) of these doesn't help me. Panera management: please INCREASE number of Sprouted Whole Grain Bagels, and also regular whole wheat bagels each day!! Thanks.....I'll cross my fingers you read this. :) I love your location and service - but if I continue not being able to get the breakfast sandwich (or just the Sprouted Whole Grain Bagel with butter after breakfast) I am looking forward to, I will start finding another restaurant unfortunately.
(3)Neva L.
Horrible service just okay food. Today I called to place a catering order and the employee stated that all of the catering employees were busy and that I would get a call back. I waited, waited, waited some more and no call back. So I went online and ordered there. My husband went in at the designated pick up time and guess what? Our order wasn't ready nor had they begun to assemble it. He waited 30 minutes for the order to be ready. What's the point in ordering ahead when you'll have to wait anyways? I'm over it. No more panera for me!
(1)Alie C.
I'm a huge fan of Panera. Unfortunately, this location was a huge disappointment. We went in the middle of the afternoon on a Saturday and they were out of everything. No ciabatta bread for my sandwich and they ran out of steak halfway through our order. It took nearly 20 minutes to receive our food and it wasn't even correct when we got it. We had to reorder a couple of items and ask twice for what we were missing. It was clear the cooks were new and couldn't handle the busy lunch rush as well. My sandwich, which I order every time at all the locations I go to, didn't taste anything like it was supposed to. The place was a disaster with dirty dishes all over the tables and spilling over by the trash can. They need better management at this location or else they are going to lose a ton of business.
(2)Michelle C.
Do not go to this Panera. If I could give negative stars, I would. I am sitting here drinking my latte right now when all I want to do is scream and yell at them how they ruined their chances for ever earning my business again. And we, an upper-middle class family of four, eat at Panera 4-5 times per week. I was treated rudely by Lena, who took my order and who argued with me about whether I ordered an item or not when she forgot to put it on the receipt. She told me I have a problem. I am dead serious. I just read an article on Business Insider yesterday that said Panera has been losing business and is trying to "up its game" by improving customer experience, appreciation, and reducing wait times. This Panera location fails in all pursuits. In addition to being insulted twice by Lena, the manager, Terrell, came over to help with the transaction since Lena wasn't sure how to charge something we regularly order at every Panera we visit...which is in multiple cities across the country. Terrell was impatient, irritated, and told me that "Panera doesn't sell food items that way!" Well, I USUALLY go to the Auto Mall location (for obvious reasons) and they have never once complained or corrected me for ordering two slices of ham as an extra food item. Never have they had a problem about how to charge me for it. All I can say is wtf. I'm done bringing my money here. I hope others will see this review and choose the Auto Mall location over the Mowry location because of it.
(1)Nadeem A.
I've now been to this Panera location a few times, and everything is good, from their baked goods to their soups to their sandwiches. Out of the soups, I like the chicken noodle and the clam chowder. My go-to sandwich is the steak & cheddar panini. If I'm feeling particularly indulgent, I'll get their awesome mac & cheese! On the rare times I want a little treat, I'll either get the brownie or the cinnamon bun. But avoid the pecan bun and tomato basil bread, they are horrible! Their food taste great, and it's not super filling. Win-win!
(4)Joc V.
Stood in line for 20 minutes this morning only to get to the front and be told, "No soufflés for half an hour." It's 10am on a Sunday and you don't have soufflés?!?! That's like telling a bunch of drunks last call right smack in the middle of happy hour.
(1)Sharmika H.
The place was nice and clean even in the bathrooms. The staff was friendly and I got my meal quickly.
(5)Eri H.
I love Panera Bread. Their pastries are not overly sweet and they always taste fresh. I also enjoy their cafe menu as we come here quite often. I have tried everything from their sandwiches, soups and their new added pasta. Although I have to say their pasta is my least favorite so far. I also like that they bring your food to the table now! Very convenient. But what's most outstanding is their great customer service! Always friendly and very accommodating. Just to give you two examples. When hubby came here with his friend they got his order mixed up but fixed it right away. The manager told him that he can chose any pastries and that it would be on the house. Hubby declined and left because he was not in the mood for pastry. But the manager ran after him and gave him a bag with pastries. Wow! Another great example. We came here once for dinner but somehow it seemed to take longer than usual. Hubby went to the food area to see if our food is ready but it seemed to miss some items. We just decided to wait instead of to talk or complain. But at that moment the store manager came and told us that she has been noticing that our food hasn't been served yet. She checked on the status and came back to us. She then apologized for the delay and that she is making sure that the food is prepared AND she refunded us our whole dinner! I was just happy with her apology and if she would have offered some free pastry or drink I would have completely content but refunding our whole dinner, I was stunned! This is something I have never experienced ANYWHERE!!!!! And I have been to places where they really screwed up our orders or made us wait forever without any apologies. I also love their company philosophy as they donate all their left over food and make everything fresh for the next day! YES!!!!!!!! I will always give them my business and also take my friends here to enjoy some good food and drinks!
(5)Rebecca N.
I don't usually write reviews for chain stores, but I had such a nice experience last night at this one I thought I would. This review is to specifically praise one employee named Connie. She was so nice, so patient and such a treat to interact with. This girl really knows about delivering first class customer service and doing it genuinely. We took awhile deciding what to get (and were somewhat indecisive) yet we never felt rushed or felt like we were holding anyone up. The food was great (BBQ chicken salad and autumn squash soup for me) and I left the ordering counter feeling happy. That sounds really weird...perhaps because I was happy to eat...but seriously, Connie needs to be recognized for her outstanding service skills. Girl is awesome! Thanks for a great experience :)
(5)Wilt D.
I love panera bread! Doesn't matter what location I go to they all do such a great job. It's good to see a chain that is so consistent with their product. I usually order Mediterranean egg white sandwich & chai tea latte. That's how I start my morning.
(5)Miffy L.
ok im a panera fan, but do not come to this place during rush hours. i ordered a panini and a soup to go, waited for half an hour ?!??!?!!?!
(3)Audra M.
This is an ok Panera. It tends to be a little dirty, they don't clean the seats or tables often. I know they are busy but its pretty bad sometimes. Other than that its okay, except for the birds outside, just beware if you decided to eat outside.
(3)Sunny G.
This review is to highlight some low quality service examples during my recent visits. 1. In store, "You pick two" still shows that you can have half order of pasta and half sandwich. I have been denied with explanation that it confused people a lot with pricing and all. So we just take order of small pasta and half sandwich which is of same price. I have trusted his explanation and purchased it. Later when I got receipt, I found may be that guy don't know the math well. It cost almost 4-5$ more. 2. I have checked the website just before the review and it also shows "You pick two" offers choice of pasta and sandwich. 3. Another complains is "Kids Jelly or Cheese Sandwich" are made with so little jelly or cheese in it that you almost feel like paying money for bread only. Mind you that bread cost more here. 4. I have seen similar generosity sometimes while getting "Tomato and Mozzarella Cheese" Panini as well. What that Panini has and if you go miser on cheese then you eating bread with tomato. Why not Subway then? 5. Why they have to keep silverware inside? Most of times I have to wait and extra spoon or knife. 6. Yeah they goof-up orders like delivering chips versus apple on the side, forgetting pickle and so on. Fremont area does have only two Panera locations and if you are at this location, please pay attention while ordering the food.
(2)Song D.
I really love panera... But these past few times the messed up my order twice! First, when I went for breakfast I asked for avocado, got charged for it. But didn't get avocado... Second, I asked for sliced apples as a side but didn't get my apple. I was going to go back and complain but it was already too late and I didn't want to waste my time and energy to go back there just because I didn't get my apple or avocado... then again I should have checked before I left.
(4)Lydia T.
I can honestly say I may not ever come back to panera after today. I ordered a power salad and was not offered a side with my meal. My boyfriend ordered a flatbread but the guy said they were all out. Don't you make bread here? Wtf? Whatever he gets corn chowder and Caesar salad. The baguette with his soup is a brick. Over all just bummed. We paid 35 dollars for garbage. Panera I'm over you. Not to mention the crappy cashier who made me repeat everything 5 times. Bleh
(1)Rebekah M.
The food here is ALWAYS great, and they ALWAYS bring it in a timely manner. The guy cashier that took my order was friendly, but when I asked the waitress for more caesar salad dressing for my salad, she gave me a little cup with barely any dressing in it. I then went up to the counter and asked them for more dressing and they were VERY impolite and proceeded to hand me two more cups with BARELY any dressing in them. Where has the good service gone these days?? Straight out the DOOR
(3)Jasmin T.
Usually, you would expect Panera to be clean, always have bread because it is called Panera BREAD, make their customers food with love but the Panera on Mowry is the complete opposite. I recommend you go the extra mile and go to the Panera at Pacific Commons.
(2)Elisa A.
This review is basically for the service....I hope the managers check yelp every once in awhile so they can inservice their staff. I called in a order for 2 sandwiches, the girl over the phone said it was pretty easy and in 15 to 20 it would be ready...sounds good So I get there and when I am paying the young girl goes right over to the kitchen and comes back and says they are just wrapping it up, so it will be a minute more, easy right... well there I am waiting and waiting and waiting, 20 minutes later and many orders going out, I once again stop someone and ask about my order, she goes to the kitchen and says I don't know who told you the order was ready but no its not done at all...really, you mean to tell me I called the order in, came when you told me to come and then waited 20 more minutes so that you can tell me that they havent even made it, ......i was so upset, but I just waited for my order and left. Don't get me wrong i love Panera but today's service was just awful and very upsetting because they easily put out 15 to go orders just in the time i waited and yet they could'nt get my order out...unbelievable... the worst part is, I am sure a manager walked by me more than 1, but did not bother to ask me 1 thing, even after he walked by and saw the waiting area full and then empty and then full and me still there...Please PANERA PLEASE REMIND YOUR STAFF OF TIMELINESS AND CUSTOMER SERVICE!
(1)James L.
I have not been to panera bread in a long time and don't think I will visit this place again. We walk in and we go to the register to place our order. The manager did not say hi or smile and looked down right mean..his name started with a "M". It was not a good customer experience from the get go...maybe he is having a bad day...if you are, then stay in the back and don't help customers. So, I get my coffee and they didn't have any sugar on the counter, so I asked the manager they are out of sugar. He said, "I didn't get that, can you say that again?" What about saying, "I am sorry, but can you repeat that" might be alittle more kinder. Ugh...should have asked someone else. I got the power breakfast sandwich which is $4 and some change and it was so small and not worth the price. I would have gotten a breakfast sandwich at Starbucks that tasted better for only $3.00. It was a big disappointment for customer experience and the food you can get better and cheaper elsewhere.
(1)Lo L.
I went in to kill some time and I was starving. It was my 1st time ever going. I was assisted and informed by Ashley whom was very nice and accommodating. The food was pretty good, I was no longer starving, mission accomplished!!! It was very clean and the staff were very attentive. I will definitely be going back!
(4)Elaine N.
This place is convenient and always has souffles when I'm craving them! I don't usually eat here because the tables are usually dirty. Anyways, yay for bacon souffles! The yogurt is also good. Me like!
(4)Dominic A.
yum!!! Smoked turkey sandwich ! I can eat it all day :)
(5)April C.
Ok, so my review is based on a 1star for quality of food and 4stars for customer service. About the food, the sandwich and salad were tiny for $13. Also, I got the Turkey and Avocado BLT which I've had similar to many times elsewhere, and this one from Panera was by far the worse. I had not eaten all day either, so usually when I'm starving anything tastes good to me. Even through my starvation this sandwich was extremely dissatisfying. Now on customer service, this was completely the opposite of the sandwich, it was beyond and above. The gentleman, Mike, took my to go order over the phone. Later on when I was inspecting my food at work I realized that Panera had forgotten to give me dressing for the salad and also the chips that come with my sandwich. I called them to tell them this and it was Mike again who answered the phone. When I told him about my missing part of my meal, he personally drove to my work and brought the dressing and chips to me. I was so shocked. I don't believe Panera delivers and his value of customer experience is obviously very important to him. I really appreciate how he went out of his way for another employee's mistake. Mike gets a great rating, but the food, not so much.
(3)Espie A.
I love Panera Bread!! Service, food and community involvement. My favorite deal is the fresh OJ. the half sandwich with soup or salad is prepared with care, you can see. Clean, crisp bread, fresh salad fresh bread. And, they take it to your table. I like the points and reward system too. I can also post in their community board for my FREE workshops that can help the community. I love that they donate bread, pastry and coffee to local non-profit events such as Fun Runs. As a local Realtor that gets involve with the local community, I am there to promote Panera Bread.
(5)Chera T.
I find the service at this Panera to be a bit slow. The don't listen carefully when you order to what you order for your choice of sides. They constantly give me bread which I then eat (and I shouldn't) lol. Otherwise, its a Panera Bread and I'll probably go back just knowing I might need to give it an extra ten minutes.
(3)Kyle M.
The food is good there. But I have to say the this is one of the most disgusting eating areas I have been to. The tables have old dishes standing for a long time. The floor has crumbs all over. I don't think they vacuum except at closing. When they pick up the dishes from a table it doesn't look like they wipe it down. Eewwew
(2)Shari B.
My experience was mostly positive. I got my sandwich to go and I also ordered a carrot cake muffin to go. The guy taking my order seemed like the manager and he was very matter of fact, nice but not overly friendly. The guy that handed me my order was super friendly and he actually cracked me up. My chicken salad sandwich was good, I wish I had thought to order it on different bread. It came on a plain white roll which was good, but I prefer something more dense. Now, my carrot cake muffin was beyond YUM, the cream cheese frosting was the best ever. I wish it had more of the cream cheese frosting inside instead of whatever the stuff in there. Didn't stop me from wolfing the whole thing down. Super YUMMM
(4)Timothy D.
This place is walking distance from my work. Took me about a year to finally discover this place. I usually go to other Panera chains for their delicious breads and mac n cheese. One of the creamiest ever! For about $8, you can get a signature sandwich that also comes with a bag of house chips. Very delicious and full of quality. For a complete meal, you are looking at paying over $10. Kind of expensive for a lunch. Especially a lunch where I can probably make at home. I love this place to lounge out and do some work on my laptop as this place has free wi-fi. I prefer this type of setting compared to Starbucks as you can hide away in a corner and not be distracted by others walking around.
(4)Carina R.
I have never been to Panera. But I won a gift card to Panera, so I decided to try it one night for dinner when I didn't feel like cooking. This one was pretty busy. The line was long and there was a lot of people sitting down and dining. I had looked at the menu before I got there, and noticed that they had a lot of good salads, sandwiches, and soups. So, I got the chicken noodle soup, the classic salad, and a plain bagel with blueberry cream cheese. I got it all to go. They toasted the bagel first, and then gave me the salad and soup after waiting a few minutes. Everything was pretty good. I did notice that the restaurant/sit down part of the Panera just seemed a little dirty looking. They seemed to be behind clearing the tables and vacuuming. It wasn't a big deal since I left, but I don't think I would have been able to enjoy my meal surrounded by dirty tables and looking at all of the crumbs on the floor. Obviously a bakery is going to have lots of bread crumbs, so a nice sweep or vacuum every now and then wouldn't hurt.
(3)Hobby-less R.
I like the food and the customer service is great! I've never had bad experiences here. But the prices r high. And another thing that annoys me is the customers who r so freaking quiet. Those old ladies and men who hang out here for their oldies club always give my kids rude faces. My kids weren't even misbehaving. They r just talkative and they weren't loud either. But those old farts get easily annoyed by every little sound that we make. And those studious students too! Constantly giving us looks! If u want complete silence then go study at the library or the park where u completely isolate yourself from everyone! My friend got yelled at by a customer when she brought her newborn baby here. She was waiting in line and a woman sitting down at a table yelled at her for her baby was crying and said that the baby was disturbing her. A cashier behind the counter came right out and told the woman to knock it off! Kudos to the cashier!!! I don't know who she was but if I did I would write a letter to her manager to award her with employee of the year!!! So I'd say this place got great food and customer services, but ti's not kids friendly. Honestly I stopped going to Panera with my kids because of the customers, not the employees!
(4)Lancaster K.
This is our usual breakfast spot on Sunday mornings before church. Food: I usually get the Asiago bagel with cream cheese, the breakfast sandwich with bacon and hot coffee on a mug. Overall: This place has great food selection and fast service. It;s hard to not be a regular.
(3)Ryan N.
This review might be a little short because I ordered to go so I didn't exactly have the full experience that some of the others had! So first I will say that I have a bias for sandwiches and baked goods already so I was hesitant to come here. But I needed to kill time and I was hungry so I stopped by here since my place wasn't nearby. I decided to grab something to go because I didn't know how much time I would need. Ordered some chicken and bacon sandwich because it sounded delicious. They asked me if it was okay that it comes with chips and of course I did not say no. The order took about 10 minutes to get done which was a reasonable time to wait since that's generally what it takes for grilled sandwiches. But I guess I gave off the impression of being particularly impatient so the cook said my name (they took my name for the order, nothing creepy), just to let me know that they were finishing up the sandwich and they didn't forget about me. I thought that was a nice touch of service, especially for someone that just grabbed a sandwich to go. So while the sandwich didn't match up to my place of preference, it wasn't bad and the service was better than most food places. I'm not going to go back here unless it's very specific circumstances where I just happen to be there and craving only a sandwich. It's not because it's bad, but because I prefer elsewhere. Service was fine, food was fine. The service was very good, but the reason I didn't give the 4th star is because it was average food, and, when it comes down to it, I came to get some good food.
(3)Minerva L.
LOVE it..need I say more? The ONLY thing that sucks is that there's a freaking line, even when you phone order, sometimes you have to stand in line!! GRR.. I always order on the phone, and sometimes they mess up by putting the peanut dressing ON the salad even though I said on the side for a to-go order, no biggie. I still like this place because you can earn rewards (which I haven't' had any for some odd ball reason - since I go there every Friday). The place got free wifi and the food is fresh. I def recommend you eating THERE because the portions are a lot bigger. Apples are always good, I only ran into 1 time when the apple sucked balls and was not sweet, but other than that, and out of the million times I've been here, it's been great. I love how each season they change up the salad, I WISH they got better and healthier dessert alternatives though..
(5)corina h.
This rating is for the disappointing catering service I experienced from this location. Their ordering online website is un-user friendly, especially for large orders. It took all morning to try to place the order. The PDF menu does not match the catering options, and it was difficult for others to look a the catered lunch options. An error kept occurring when trying to process the order. No one answered the phone to confirm the order was received - apparently their phones were all down. We sent someone there in person to place our order, and store confirmed that they received our online order. I warned our group that the order might be wrong when it arrived the next day, and there were several mistakes with the sides and types of bread - it almost seemed like they just gave us what they had left over. The other disappointment was the quality of the food. The sandwiches were soggy and the dry part of the bread did not fresh. I don't know how early in the day they were made (or night before), but they were not freshly made. It was overall disappointing, especially for the cost. Next time I will try the new Boudin across the street.
(1)Tom P.
Bagels, sandwiches, salads, great service, yummy food. Don't forget the pastries they are just as yummy.
(4)Kim R.
The meal gets pricey when you start adding things to your meal like a drink and cookie. I like the option of customizing the pick-2 meals. So far my favorites are: chipotle chicken panini, chicken caesar, breakfast sandwiches and their baked goodies!.. Spacious, but gets busy packed. I like how they have outdoor seating. If you come to Panera often, it's good to get a panera card to collect rewards and get discounts or freebies!
(4)Abhishek C.
Very big and spacious; the service too is quite good. Love the iced green tea and the WiFi is really great !
(4)Glenda J.
I've been to the other location and their pastries are consistent. I'm a big fan of their bear claw. Something about their filling...not too sweet and so flavorful. Crust is just right too. Ordered a peach nectar smoothie. Nice natural flavor and not too sweet. Maybe I am tired of places which go overboard with sugar so their balance suits me just fine. Kim the manager here is just the nicest and most helpful person. Very willing to help and has great listening skills. I find this refreshing compared to the slightly snooty attitude at the San Ramon location. Even though there were long lines today, service was prompt and there was no shortage of tables. Will be back because they have such great variety. BTW, they have "muffies". These are the tops of muffins. If you are like me and just eats the tops, this is your dream come true :-)
(4)Candy C.
I love Panera Bread. It's simple, easy access, no brainer kind of place, nothing pretentious. I almost always get the same thing every time I am here. I love their rewards program because I am always scoring a free pasty, bagel, or something of the like. I love coming here and sitting in front of the fireplace. It's my favorite place in the restaurant. I had them cater a luncheon once and it was quite a hit with the guests. You will find me here once a week at least... and maybe I'll find you there too!
(4)Kelly G.
First time at this location was horrible. They run out of things, even in off times. Love Panera so we gave it a few more tries. They are continuly out of bread bowls and soups. They don't post once they are are of soups so you could be standing in line waiting, believing they have what you want , because there are no signs to tell you different only to find out they are are out . The workers like they don't care. They don't bother to try to make more. For example we went ther 5 pm, an early dinner time yet they were out of two of soups and all of their bread bowls, and had no desire to make more. If you are fortunate enough and they do have what youn want,don't expect it to be right. The workers walk around delivering trays and have no clue how the pager system works to find the table. Once they find the right table to serve the food it is usually wrong. if you order soup don't expect it to be remotely warm. One time I had to send mine back not once, not twice but three times in order for it to be warm enough to eat. This Panera is very very poorly managed and they really don't care. I love Panera and will take my business elsewhere!!!
(1)Aaron B.
Pretty good sandwiches...I love panninis so i tried the turkey one...it was good. It had this tomato o basil and olive oil dressing which gave it a nice flavor. Since I bought a sandwhich, they gave me a choice of ANY pastry for .99 cents. Not a bad deal.
(4)Fenny K.
Reviewing on their new power breakfast. It looks very appetizing when I saw the picture on the menu board. Was very excited about it. When I got my breakfast, it was in a tiny bowl, totally different from what I imagine. However, for 175 cal....I think I expected too much. The price is on the higher side. For $5.09 you get 2 egg whites ( I think it is more like 4-5 oz egg whites), 7 leaves of spinach, 2oz processed turkey breast and pimento or red bell pepper.
(3)Andrew B.
Disappointing. Asked for a salad substituted with spinach and was denied because spinach is "special" for specific dishes. You have spinach but I can't order it unless I get some disgusting Asian noodle dish:/ Come on panera. Don't train your staff to be stingy on a $11 salad.
(1)Rebecca D.
I used to LOOOOVE Panera! Twice in a row now the food is subpar at best. It's like they try to put the fewest ingredients in their greek salad and tomato sandwich. Waste of money if you ask me. Luckily Marcy, a manager on duty, was very helpful and offered to comp next time I was in. We'll see how that goes. :(
(1)Vishal M.
Busy place. Full of students hogging ll the great comfortable seating. The back corner gives you more privacy and quiet time. Place is just "OKAY"
(3)Steven W.
A Thursday morning regular. Coffee sucks. I have to go to Peet's to bring it in. Egg soufflé great.
(3)Vivian T.
I LOVE PANERAS!! Esp, their strawberry poppyseed with chicken salad! My absolute favorite! I can literally eat this salad every day!! The only problem with this Panera is that it gets SUPER busy during lunch. You literally have to drive in circles a few times before you can find a parking spot. There is usually a line once you get in, but the wait isn't that long. I would also check my receipt to make sure they get your order right because there's been a few times where they would give me the wrong salad (when I am in a rush and had to order to go), or when I would ask for NO bacon on my sandwich and they would put bacon in my sandwich anyways. If there was another Panera's close by that wasn't so busy, I would go to it... but sadly, I'm stuck at this one.
(3)Srinath S.
A great sandwich place! Good variety of sandwich, salad and soups are in the menu. Mediterranean sandwich is very good. Tomato cream soup is one of the best soups that Panera Bread offers. Noise level is somewhat high. Food quality as well as Customer service is very good. I love the overall environment. This is a bit pricey but, I think for the overall experience you get, the price seems to be somewhat justified. This place is kid friendly. You can even run small meetings! I have seen this meetings of size 6-10 people taking place here :)
(5)Yvonne K.
A great place to get down and study. Panera usually has a lot of open seating that's great for studying, getting work done, or just relaxing with a nice book. Order yourself a nice bowl of hot soup (I recommend broccoli cheddar, tomato, or chicken and wild rice!), enjoy the free wi-fi, and watch your productivity gears turn.
(4)Michelle A.
I always have a problem when I come to this location vs the automall location. Today they were closed at 11:30 a.m. For unknown reasons! Makes me wonder what kind of health issue is going on as there was no explanation, just a vague sorry for inconvenience. This location is ALWAYS out of what I want. The Christy store is never. Me thinks it's a management issue.
(2)Rishi S.
Really long lines at lunch, but it moves quickly. If they don't display your favorite pastry, just ask them if they have it as some are not displayed. I like that they have a microwave to heat the pastries. I ordered the roast beef sandwich. It was ok but lacked depth in flavor. I had to ask for extra horse radish sauce.
(4)Andrea T.
I work in the same shopping center and when I have a lunch I find myself here. I'm deeply, deeply, deeply in love with their French Onion Soup. Don't ask me why, mine comes out better when I cook it at home, but I just love their soup. BUT WITHOUT CROUTONS! I hate their croutons in their soup! Ugh, it's just stale, gross, nasty, chalky bread ruining the delicious broth and onions. Three stars: I came here when I had to open so I had a lunch around 10 am. I ordered their pick 2 for $6.99. Got their F.O.S (of course) and their smoked turkey breast sandwich. (Just beginning this review I'm now starving for this! Ahem. Moving on.) Once the order is in place, I'm sitting on the bench in front of the pick up counter to be told...the F.O.S isn't done cooking yet! Ugh! I was so bummed out! Reason numbero uno: Derr...won't get my beloved F.O.S! Reason 2: I'm not able to get my soup! No, but really, I was kind of urked because the girl at the register didn't even think to check probably knowing how the long the soup would cook for. I really hope this happens at all Panera's though! Make is possible to get the 2 for $6.99 and be able to get the soup and GET A FULL SANDWICH! The prices are so out of whack I die each and every time I get rung up nearly 8 bucks for a small cup of soup and HALF a sandwich! Another thing that bothers me is maybe twice or three times so far the cashiers some how make my order so overly complicating! My sandwich is simple: No cheese, no mustard, no onions. Which means: I want mayo, tomatoes and lettuce. But for some of these ladies that is getting a super duper extra complicating order. I don't know if they're just not listening but I find myself repeating the order more than twice! And one last thing: DO NOT STAND in front of the registers if there's a long a** line and JUST STAND THERE! Make yourself useful be it hopping on register OR EVEN go to the kitchen and stand mindlessly back there where customers don't see you! Please and thank you!
(3)Lorna M.
The low star goes to their poor service for Lena! Omfg you serious? Literally are you serious? Argue with customer and for the mistake she had? What type of service was that I am wondering!
(2)Vittorio L.
Apparently this is the place to go if you're not only hungry, but need to meet a client for coffee and/or lunch. This place can get crowded, and with people sitting with their iPads and Laptops doing work, it can get kinda cut-throat to find a seat. That aside, this place makes some good sandwiches and soups, and their baked good are consistently moist and yummy. Order ahead if you dont want to wait. Plus, they offer wi-fi, food, and ambiance. What else do you want for a study group?
(3)Keith S.
Great place for a quick bite for breakfast to go or lunch staying in. Always smells wonderful (but baking carbs usually do!) and the food is definitely a step up from the usual grab and go places. This one is in an open air mall near a hospital and other businesses so its pretty busy but the staff keeps it moving and although crowded at lunch you can often find a table inside or out on a nice day. Staff is super friendly and are masters of the add-on sell ("can I get you a pastry with your meal for only $1?" or "do you have your Panera Card?").
(4)Debra T.
A nice place to have lunch or catch up on your reading. Nothing special, chain place. They have a safe variety of sandwiches and soups you can choose from.
(3)Eugenia Y.
I really don't understand the obsession with this place. Take your ass over to Safeway for a REAL sandwich. The food is ridiculous for the price. 2 slices of meat? No thank you! $4 for a small bowl of mac and cheese? No. I'm sorry. The quality is just not there for the price. Sure, it's clean and has a supposed bakery. But let me tell you, that croissant ain't a CROISSANT! it's just normal bread made like all the other loaves of flour they sell. I don't know who their mass producing pastry chef is but they need a new one. Other than the food, the staff is generally pretty nice and service is quick.
(1)Dawn L.
I pretty much come here for the Creamy Chicken & Rice soup & sandwich combo or the Egg & Bacon on ciabatta breakfast sandwich so my review is limited to those things, they're awesome! I always find the service fast, friendly and with the fireplace and different seating areas, very comfortable to sit back with my Nook and read a book while eating whatever I got. They're pretty close to my house so I do this at least once a month on a Satuday before I go get groceries for the week. They have free wi-fi as well which is nice too.
(5)Alyssa R.
Friendly staff, fast service and great food. I come on my lunch hour and its a busier time but there's not a lot of wait.
(5)Jenny T.
Me and my gf were headed off to the spa for a massage and wanted a quick snack to tie us over for the time being. We didn't want our tummies to growl loudly anytime during our session. We shared an everything bagel, toasted with original cream cheese. And a glass of free water. It was warm, good and cheap.
(5)Haley S.
Horible service automatically make me give a bad reviews. The food is good, it's too bad the staff is not. This place is quiet with free wifi which is both great, but the girl who took our order was just plain rude. I noticed several others mention this as well so I guess it's not just me. This is a little pricey so unless the service gets better I doubt we'll ever spend money here again.
(2)Donald T.
Very Mediocre.... Quality has gone down recently.....
(2)Lynn C.
Came at lunch, had the chicken caesar sandwich with cream of chicken wild rice. It was good, nothing fantastic ($10). I was a bit disappointed that the chai tea latte was pre-made and came from a dispenser. The best part about this place is the free wi-fi, which really makes this place so much better.
(3)Bryan M.
Panera is always a good go to for sandwiches and salads. Always really busy during lunch so lines are long, especially at the mowry panera. But pretty good sandwiches and salads. I really like there Mediterranean veggie sando.
(4)LM S.
I'm writing this review not because they are perfect, or that they got it right, but because when they weren't at their best, we let them know, and the manager responded with concern and understanding, and then he made it right. There are times when everyone (even Panera) has a bad day... employees that call in sick and leaves the staff short handed. This happened on Wednesday night. Long wait lines and messy tables resulted. Frustrated customers were many. However, I knew this wasn't the norm, and I guessed the manager wanted to know when things weren't right, so he could make them better. I was right. When I called, Mark was sympathetic and patiently listened. He offered a meal on him and it was a nice surprise. He said he would talk to his staff. When I returned, things were back to where I know it should be - clean and courteous. Great job Mark and great job Panera! Thank you for listening to your customers. We appreciate it!
(5)Ann W.
Panera Bread always fresh, fast, friendly and positively power ups my body. From sandwiches,salads, & soups to a bakery that is scrumptous. I just wish they stayed open past 9pm
(4)Frankie H.
I really like this place. Use to be my go to shop for breakfast And lunch. Had to cut back on my visits because it can get a little pricey. For the most part every one that works there is pleasant. Portions can be small at times. Free wifi and also many comfortable seats all through out the cafe.
(3)Stephanie G.
This Panera Bread is great. Friendly people who work here. Came here during a business meeting and was pleased they offer free wi-fi. They got my client's order wrong, but they were quick and efficient in correcting it. I'll come back to this location. A+++
(4)Samantha C.
The quality of their food has definitely deteriorated! I used to love coming here, but now I think it pretty much sucks, especially after last night's experience. I came here with my boyfriend last night. I ordered the Greek Salad and he got the Cobb Salad. I was quite satisfied with my salad at first, but as I ate it, I found that the ingredients were not all that fresh. The tomatoes were soggy and mushy, the onion were brittle, the romaine lettuce was brown, and not all my olives were pitted!!!!! It was the worse thing ever when I bit into that olive, it hurt my molar sooooooooooo badly! After that, I was just disgusted with the salad and threw it away. Additionally, my boyfriend said his Cobb salad was not all that great either. A few other times I came here, I thought the food was prepared sloppily and baredly edible. Panera is just not what it used to be!
(1)Libby T.
I love the chicken salad here, and being a fast paced restaurant it is always clean!!! Manager is very nice and greets his customers. Nice touch!!
(5)Anushree A.
I love this place, good for breakfast and lunch. Love there sweet treats. Will keep coming.
(4)Amy C.
Chipotle Chicken Sandwich (- the bacon cause I don't like bacon) Black Cherry Smoothie :) Cute & comfy atmosphere. Friendly service.
(4)Dora C.
It's just like any other Panera Bread, except this one is EXTREMELY crowded during lunch time!
(3)Mansi A.
It feels like your own little living room, which is why I love this location of Panera Bread. I've been going here pretty much since it opened, and have never had any complaints or gripes. The best of the best: - Mediterranean veggie sandwich - Turkey and artichoke panini - Frontega chicken panini - Chipotle chicken sandwich (minus the bacon) - Asian chicken salad Panera Bread is a fabulous place for lunch! This location does get super packed between 12-1:30pm on weekdays, so keep that in mind. They recently started a My Panera rewards program (which is free), so be sure to pick up a card if you are a frequent customer. I know they've got me for life now! P.S. FREE WI-FI is amazing. I work here all the time, because of it.
(5)Jose Alejandro Fortes C.
Upon opening the entry door at Panera Bread, I take in a good deep breath of air heavily scented with bread, bread, and more bread. I love Panera Bread for their bread (can't anyone tell yet?), especially their asiago rolls. With just butter or even without it, these rolls (when warmed a bit) are stand-alone tummy-fillers. Panera's asiago roast beef sandwich, in tandem with cream of chicken and wild rice soup, is bliss. I order these half-and-half with their refreshing iced green tea. And, when I'm still hungry for more, I get one of their cookies (dark chocolate!) for after-meal. Ah, Panera Bread fills me and my soul up!
(5)Christina U.
This panera bread location is a 10 minuet walk away from where I live. I love this location. Being a college student, I have to be in an area where it is comfortable, calm, has wi-fi & food. I can litterally be here for 4-5 hours a day to work on homework or study for exams. The ambience of this place is great. The food is also very good. i love how they have the calorie count on the menu. The sierra Turkey sandwich is my favorite. I absolutely love their late's and hot choclate as you can make them fat free/sugar free and itll still taste amazing! I love it more than starbucks for sure! Their asiago bagel with creme cheese is also another breakfast fav on sundays before church. Great customer service as well!
(5)Kat C.
It has now been well over a month and still nothing from the District Manager. Oh my gosh - do you thinks that maybe the girl crushing on the boy was the manager! lol Booo -Panera on Mowry Ave.
(1)Lisa T.
Once a month, I go to Naz 8 to review a film, and I always take my laptop here afterward. Tough gig, I know. :-) Panera is very dependable and the food is good. I guess it's a good thing that Sweet Tomatoes doesn't offer wi-fi; otherwise I'd eat too much and wouldn't have a lap left to put my laptop on!
(4)Mary J.
In the Fremont area this past Sunday 10/4/09 & initially just had plans for some fro-yo w/ my sis Estella & cousins, but being I hadn't visit a Panera Bread location in a while, I felt like stopping in yelp.com/biz_photos/RR1s… LOCATION: Shopping Center on Mowry St & Paseo Padre Pkwy, closest to CVS Pharmacy (previously Longs Drugs) & yes *ahem* next door to Yogurtouille. Plenty of parking in shared lot. BITES: My sis initially had plans only on the Asiago Loaf Bread & I was schemin' on some Cinnamon Crunch Bagels. Well, these Cinnamon Crunch Bogels yelp.com/biz_photos/RR1s… caught my attention being up front & pre-packaged *tee-hee*. We got the 12pk for $1.99 each container yelp.com/biz_photos/RR1s… BAGEL OR BOGEL: I had them w/ my morning coffee @ work...just nuked 3-4 to put some heat to them. Ate them w/o any cream cheese, which is actually ok 'cuz the Cinnamon Cruch is pretty sweet & good solo. Not so sure the Bogels win over the Bagels tho. Nukin' isn't exactly the same great taste as a toasted bagel, but Bogels are less messy w/ 1-bite. To Bagel or To Bogel? Eh, I'll see what I feel like in my next Panera Bread visit, but the end result will definitely be Cinnamon Crunch flavor *tee-hee*
(3)Vaishali S.
I've never been a huge fan of Panera, but tagged along w/my friend before a shopping trip. I got a chicken panini and was not impressed. The bread was decent, with a crisp parmesan flavor to it. The chicken tasted like ham and the texture was dry and plain. I was a little turned off. My friend's spinach salad was very soggy from too much dressing. The desserts looked good, I'd probably go back for something sweet, but never a meal besides breakfast again.
(2)Brian C.
Pretty good place to eat sandwiches and salads. Pros: This place is a bigger than I expected. Sandwiches and salads tasted good and are a good size. Watch out for the blue cheese in your salad! Very clean and nice interior design. Cons: Sandwiches cost $8 but come with a pickle and chips. They need to turn down the air conditioning. It was freezing inside.
(5)Maggie L.
I find the prices here are slightly higher than what I would like them to be, but hey, if you are lucky, sometimes there is an employee going to all the tables handing out free fresh baked chocolate chip cookies! =D The cafe is always nice and warm inside. It is a chill place to hang out, chat with friends, read the newspaper, get some work done. And the paninis are pretty good!
(3)cindy c.
Friendly service. But this location can be packed when u wanna dine in. Free wifi, which is always a plus for studying and work. I love their Fiji apple salad. And my new fave is their chicken stew. Which comes with three little biscuit that is encased with cheese. Yummy! If you want the best of both worlds you can get the "you pick two" of soup, salad, and half a sandwich. Prices depend on whether or not it's a panera "signature" item or not. Oh, and if you buy a sandwich, or salad plus a drink, you can buy a pastry for $0.99 more!
(5)Supreet B.
I worked here for a year and a half so my opinions might be a little biased but i'll try and be fair :) Panera is great. The soups, bread bowls, baguettes (OH MY), sandwiches, salads, pastry treats and hot drinks are really good. My personal favorites are the bacon turkey bravo (on a toasted croissant) and the chipotle chicken. The only downer is that now I have to pay full price like everyone else and I have to say, it can get a bit pricey. It is well worth it though. The quality of the food is great. The creamy tomato soup is delicious and so is the black bean soup (I always add veggies to it). I always get them in the sour dough bread bowls which are amazing! I remember at one point I mixed the creamy tomato and black bean soup and had it in a bread bowl, that was really good too! The hot drinks are really good. Besides the regular hot drinks (regular latte, hot chocolate, mocha) I've tried raspberry-caramel mocha with whipped cream, caramel mocha with whipped cream, peppermint-raspberry mocha, there are endless combinations! Personally, I could never get any studying done there but maybe it was because all my coworkers were working all the time but a lot of students come to study there. A lot of people in general come there and use the free wi-fi. It's pretty convenient. For the pastries- the chocolate chip muffie, the duet cookie, cheese pastry, muffins and the brownie/blondies are great! The cinnamon rolls always need MORE frosting, there's never enough! All in all, this place has great food, good service and free-wifi. It's a bit pricey but I think that the quality of food is worth it.
(5)Melissa T.
It's ok for a chain bakery. There are a lot of choices and the variety is good. The salads are not good. Really soggy and overdressed. Their pastries are a little better than Starbucks but that's not saying much. Would go here if there was no other local bakery around.
(3)Sandy C.
I like the ambiance and free internet connection, but the food is inconsistent and not worth the price. Their sandwiches are just OK -- nothing impressive and often looks sloppily put together. The last time I went, I was very disappointed because they put only 1 very small slice of beef in my last steak panini. I was basically just eating bread. I have ordered this before, and while it was not overflowing with meat the first time, it was more substantial. Other sandwiches (i.e. chicken) are rather thin as well. So while it's a good place to meet up with friends or just have some quiet time to yourself in a corner booth, the food is barely mediocre in my opinion.
(3)Ida L.
My friends and I love to hang out here to catch up once a month or so. Food is freshly prepared, you can basically stay there as long as they are open. Fireplace will usually be on during the winter which is a bonus, it made the place feel so much more warmer & cozier. Bathroom is pretty clean.
(5)Martine M.
We stop here often on weekends. Very friendly service and a good place to get some coffee and breakfast or lunch. Their pastries are excellent. This is a casual meeting place where you can stay for a long time visiting or even working on your computer.
(4)Linda N.
So I paid like $11.00 something including drink for a very small sandwich that was tasteless. Their sides for sandwiches is chips. Apples they call it fruit. I agree it is fruit but only apples. How about having a fruit salad instead. Or bread WTF more bread I'm eating bread on my very small sandwich. They should serve potato salad too. This place is a rip off. There was a tiny spider on my table at the time. I believe when people are done with dishes. They should take it to the back. Not having a place to put away used dishes can attract bugs near by the tables. I should have went to Rubio's instead at least that meal would have been bigger then this cheap place.
(1)Aaron S.
The French Baguette is $2.89 which is overpriced for something that ways only 14 ounces and isn't organic.
(1)Jennifer W.
I tried looking for a nice cafe to do some reading today, but I ended up in good old trusty Panera. So right now, I'm using their free wireless internet. On the table is an iced chai latte and a cobblestone. Total: $5.88 (and the receipt did not require my signature nor did it have that line that asks for tip because I don't like being put in the position of having to feel like I need to tip even though there is no waiter service. Damn those places!) There is a little fireplace and lots of seating. There are two partitions so that there are three sections. There are lots of tables for 1 or 2 people, 2-4 people, 1 large table, and some armchairs here and there that are also equipped with a tiny desk. If only lecture halls had these chairs. As for noise level, it is nice and quiet, except for the screaming kid at the next table and the guy playing loud music behind me. Oh wait, someone just told him to turn it down. THANK YOU!
(3)Amit K.
I end up going there at least once in a week. Salads along with soup are great. Some of the seasonal varieties are worth considering as they can be surprisingly good. Just have to keep off the pasties as they are very tempting. Lunch time can have long lines, though they open counters quickly to make the lines dissapear.
(4)John L.
Don't get me wrong by the stars I'm handing out for this place. I love Panera Bread. However, today I went in and opted for something I haven't had in 5 years. The breadbowl soup. Made a terrible mistake... French onion soup w/ breadbowl = O_o Strangest thing I've tasted this year. The soup doesn't seem too fresh by the temperature it was served at (not that soup should be fresh but, c'mon, lukewarm soup?) and the cheese was still kind of solid. The main complaint... Too salty. Mix that with a sourdough breadbowl... Disaster. Anyways just a rant that's getting a bit too long about some soup.
(3)LT T.
Given this Panera Bread location two chances, both times I had bad experiences.. The best time is to come early around 7 or 8am. Avoid coming around lunch time, they get really packed and flustered causing customers to wait a while until they are helped. Don't get me wrong I love Panera Bread, but these experiences gives me second thoughts on coming back to this certain location.
(2)Dan W.
Been here many times. Same ole panera flavors. Not bad at all. Service is slow. Very slow for panera.
(3)Erin N.
Panera's: A clean, semi-quiet place (not during lunch however) to study when I'm at home on the weekends or taking summer classes. DO sign up for the Panera rewards card if your a frequent customer and want some free pastries, drinks and what-nots. I'm a regular here. But I'm always hesitant to try out something new. I don't want to make trying out new food a priority and yelp since I'll get distracted from studying. Don't get the chicken noodle soup. Progresso from a can tastes better and is not so watered down. However, try some of these: -Chai Lattes-a subtle spicy yet more sweet and frothy latte drink. YUM! -Toasted cheese Danish Pastry and Hazelnut coffee - The pastry is lightly sprinkled with cinnamon which greatly accentuates the coffee. -Toasted Asiago Cheese Bagel w/ Raspberry Cream cheese. It's an awesome combination and make sure to wash it down with a lemonade. Another great thing is the free unlimited time of wi-fi usage. Great studying place for finals week. There are more seats during the afternoons than during lunch. Its highly discouraged to be studying here during lunch because they want the seats given to incoming customers. Not to mention it gets really busy and loud. Overall, this is the best place to study since the borders nearby where I lived closed down. I would go to Peet's Coffee and tea but they only allow one-hour of wi-fi usage, with purchase of course! BOO!
(3)Oolong T.
Panera!! Even though they are part of a chain, I still love coming here. I always get their 1/2 sandwich + 1/2 soup combo. If you can come here early enough, you can get stuff from their breakfast menu! BAKED. EGG. SOUFFLES. BREAKFAST. Be sure you get there early in the morning because once they run out, it's over. I also loved going to panera down in SD when I was a college student. I would go there to eat and study with friends because they also had wi-fi. I have noticed that they've been consistently upping their prices... that's one downside :/ . Also, I think the quality of their food has gone down a tad bit. I'm not sure how healthy their food is anymore, but I think since their business has gone up so much in the past 7-8 years that they've had to adjust to the crowds. But I'm still a big fan! It does get super busy during the lunch peak hours, so be prepared for a line. My favorite soups: Cream of Chicken & Wild Rice, Clam Chowder! :)
(4)Christine W.
Super packed. And they were super slow. Annoying slow service as I wanted for my order to go. Thankfully their food was good and consistent as I've had at other Panera's, but service sucked.
(2)J.J. M.
I really like their cream of tomato soup. The broccoli cheddar and veggie pesto is not bad either. I usually get the You Pick Two deal and upgrade to a bowl of soup for an extra $1. Minus one star for take out. When I got back to the office, one sandwich was missing for a co-worker. although they were nice and gave us a whole sandwich instead of the original 1/2 sandwich, we had to drive all the way back to pick it up. I always double check the bag before i leave now. Also, why is their phone number not on their take-out menu???
(4)Devika A.
I love this place! I tried their Napa Almond Chicken Salad signature sandwich, chicken tortilla soup and clam chowder soup.This place never disappoints me. Bagels are also fresh made daily. Tried it with raspberry cream cheese which they don't have any more. Wish they would bring it back instead of blue berry cream cheese.
(4)Angel G.
i'm such a big fan of Panera...The Asiago Roastbeef was very tasty! i washed it down with the green tea drink! It was very good! I'm definately coming back! I love the atmosphere~
(4)VJ C.
One of the newer panera's. Nice pastry selection. The morning soufflés are simply delicious especially the spinach egg soufflé. The pecan bear is to die for. Used to have a good strawberry scone but I'm not sure they still make it.
(4)Daly D.
The food is very consistent but if you ask them to slightly tweak your order (add or change anything), they get it seriously wrong. The staff changes constantly. The staff is very young, teenagers so they can be a little out there. Most are sweet but slow. I enjoy all their food because they have a good variety of sandwiches, soups and salads. However, the souffle is the best. They run out quick and I could never understand why they just can't make more. Overall, I consider it an ok place to grab a bite if you are hungry.
(3)Dean Z.
I love panera bread! The scenery is very calm. A lot of people come here to relax, read, study and get work done. They have free wifi, many tables and lots of space. But don't be fooled by this! This place gets packed!! The food is BOMB! Whats there to complain about?
(4)wolf c.
We've been enjoying visits to Panera lately since the place is optimized around a relaxed experience for a little food and drink. It has way different feel than other coffee shops and the selection of pastries and baked goods is outstanding. Wifi available and nice open seating makes it easy to hang out and slow down. Staff is normally very friendly.
(4)Anthony V.
Great place to grab a something quick to eat. Usually get breakfast sandwich whenever I'm working in Fremont. Lots of parking and the staff here are nice and friendly. It also close to the freeway and its an easy in and out.
(4)Cyrus S.
Some say it may be a little pricey for a meal, you could be right. However, the staff at Panera Bread are all friendly and helpful. My girlfriend and I used to stop by Panera Bread for lunch when we are in between classes. I even stop at this location to pick up food for her when she is at work. If you are looking for a place to relax, surf the web, or do some work, this is a place to go. They offer free WiFi for customers. If you go hungry again all you have to do is go back in line.
(4)Mitty C.
I have been a fan of Panera Bread since high school, and during college I always missed not having a Panera nearby to study at with a bowl of broccoli cheddar soup (which is AMAZING by the way..try it!). These days when I am in my hometown, I love frequenting Panera Bread--especially the Mowry Ave establishment in Fremont. They have always been accommodating and a friendly place to get work done at or have a bowl of soup with a friend. There is free WIFI, of course, and plenty of seating. This place does get especially crowded during lunch, since Washington Hospital and a number of businesses are right next door. If you have a large group or want to take food to-go, I highly recommend calling and ordering ahead of time since that will save you (and the staff) a lot of trouble especially during busy hours! If you are looking for a place to study or get some work done, or just to enjoy a delicious sandwich or soup, then definitely stop by Panera Bread. I know it's part of a chain, but it's worth the visit if you've never been to a Panera!
(4)Gabriela S.
I love this location. Food is great whether it's breakfast or lunch, although I mostly come to breakfast. Early in the morning around 8ish isn't too busy but around 9 or 10 the lines tend to get long but it's worth it. I love the souffles and bagels. Always freshly baked and ready to eat. I personally love the 4 cheese souffle, and I always get the Asiago bagel with plain cream cheese (or I'll settle for the free butter if I'm broke). The toffee nut cookie will make you fat but it is DELICIOUS. Definitely recommend the toffee nut cookie. For lunch, I've had sandwiches and they're pretty good. They always come with either a bag of chips or an apple. My favorite for lunch though is the clam chowder they only serve on Fridays. SO yummy!! I recommend the sourdough bread bowl! The drinks are good too. The green tea tends to have a hint of melon mixed in and the mango smoothie is nice and soft with whipped cream and always remember to ask for the raspberry sauce in the cup! The customer service I'll say is probably he best part. They're very fast and friendly! I've been coming here for years now and consistent;y there is always someone nice and energetic to help you! I definitely give this place 5 solid stars. Great food as well as service.
(5)Anita C.
Ate at a Panera's once but it didn't do much for me. But this time was different. Had this catered for work. The person on the phone was helpful and they came on time. Had a variety of sandwiches. I had the roast beef on Asiago and it was sooo good, especially the Asiago! You just let me know for how many people and they bring everything. Drinks, cookied, chips, plates, utensils. The bestest!! And salad, too. Everyone seemed to enjoy the food. Definitely will go there for lunch sometime!
(5)Diana B.
I love Panera! Some important conversations have been had here... They have the best: Low-fat vegetarian Soup Black Bean soup Turkey artichoke Panini Fuji Apple Salad Greek Salad Cobblestone Pretty much everything they have is yummy! Can't go wrong ;)
(4)Maila S.
I love Panera so much. This location is all bad. LITERALLY, a slice of mozzarella the size of a quarter on each half of my mozzarella, basil and tomato sandwich. BOOOOO!!!
(1)Nicole T.
I just love Panera! I do prefer that the San Jose locations seem to have a better nutrition/menu, but anyways...the food is great and even acceptable for a trainer and former competitor like me! Once i saw the nutrition info and found I could easily incorporate it into a healthy lifestyle, I just keep coming back! ;) My favorite is the choose 2 and i usually get soup & salad. And of course, I choose the bread as the side option.,
(5)MJ R.
My BF and I are standing by the coffee bar with our pagers in hand. We had just ordered our meals and the barista was finishing our drinks. All of a sudden, a man who was bussing tables but looks like a manager walked by us and snapped "you have pagers. You need to sit down!" Ummm...huh? We both looked at him and said we were waiting for drinks and would be sitting momentarily. He muttered a half apology and walked away. I work in customer service, so I'm lenient when someone is flustered or having an off day. But this was just plain rude. I'm never returning to this panera again
(1)Rajan M.
Came here for an informal business meeting. The good: Free internet, nice ambiance, very clean, nice workers, delicious iced green tea (90 calories only!). The bad: Cup of iced green tea = 2.49$.....really? Feels a bit steep...at least give free refills or something. Very pleased overall though!
(4)Rosemarie P.
My fiancé and I couldn't decide where to have lunch after our exhausting workout (at 24 hour fitness, located at the other end of the plaza) and just when we were about to pull out of the parking lot, I noticed Panera. He and I haven't been to this location before, but thought it should be just as good as the other ones we have been to. And it was! I ordered the 2-for combo w/ a side: * Low-Fat Vegetarian Black Bean Soup - perfect protein replenishment after a workout. (I would have ordered the Low-Fat Vegetarian Garden Vegetable Soup, but it wasn't on the menu today.) * Mediterranean Veggie Sandwich - my fave sandwich filled with flavorful goodness. * Apple My fiancé ordered the sausage, egg & cheese sandwich and just that. He expected it to come w/ sides, but what you order is what you get. It's only Panera. ;) I had a bite of his sandwich and I liked how the bread was warm and toasty and the melted cheese was deliciously gooey. Mmm. =9 The service was fast at this location. We received our order a little over 5 minutes after sitting down. One of the staff members walked around and greeted patrons, which was kinda nice for a (fast-food) change and the place seemed clean and tidy. Can't say much about the bathroom, since I didn't pay a visit. Overall, it was a good experience. I wouldn't mind coming here again.
(4)C L.
Spacious sandwich spot meets cafe. I haven't had any of their meals, so this review is for their "cafe" abilities. CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE $2 Big flat cookie about 5.5 inches in diameter. It's soft and bendable. The chocolate chips are small chips and sprinkled throughout the cookie. The dough is not too sweet, but overall the cookie is mediocre. I prefer more chocolate and strong vanilla highlight in the dough. AMBIENCE: Big restaurant with a couple one seat couches by a fire place. It's pretty quiet and good for writing. There's free wifi. SERVICE: Fine. VISIT DETAILS: Chilling at a cafe
(3)Diana R.
I always like to come here for soup and a sandwich. Never really loved this location but it is was closer. BOTH my husband & mine were served luke warm soup. To top it off, I was asked to microwave it myself. I think I'll stick to the location off Auto Mall from now on.
(2)Ami S.
I've been a fan of Panera Bread ever since I've tried it a few years ago. Their food is fresh and delicious. I love getting the Mediterranean Veggie. Sometimes I get it with the Greek Salad, Tomato Soup, or Garden Vegetable with Pesto. I love their coffee drinks too, especially the big mugs they come in. They recently launched a Panera Rewards card (it's free) which is great. You get so many free things with it! So far, I've gotten a free pastry and a free espresso/smoothie. The staff here is very friendly; the restaurant itself is very spacious and cozy. My only issue is that parking here, during lunch especially, is a pain.
(5)Stefanie J.
I go here for the comforting atmosphere more than anything. Free Wifi, cozy chairs, soothing colors in the interior, and nobody will try to kick you out if you camp out there the whole day. It's like a more upscale Starbucks. I do love their warm chai latte; it's served with a lot of foam on top in a mug when you dine in. Awesome stuff. A hint of spice and a lot of sweetness. I know my Indian friend would cringe at me even daring to call it tea, but I like it. :) The baristas can be inconsistent in making it, though; once when I ordered it, it was terribly bland. I've tried most of their sandwiches, and I think the only one I really like is the chicken chipotle. Everything else is either dry, bland, or served on bread that's a little too tough for my liking. Oh and when they ask you "Chips, apple, or bread?", the safest thing to choose would be the chips. The apples are kind of a hit or miss; they used to serve awfully sour, unripe ones, but recently they've been giving me sweet ones. I think one was even a Fuji apple. But do not EVER, I mean EVER, opt for the bread. It's always rock-hard. But more importantly, how inane is it to get bread as a side to a sandwich??? Seriously, Panera? Seriously? As for the pastries: Blueberry muffin - awesome Cranberry muffin - nice, a little too tart for me though Apple crumble muffin - pretty good Brownie - awesome, but they came out with a version that had some horrible icing on it; steer clear of that one. Blondie - too sweet. Chocolate chip cookie - meh. I've also tried their soups and smoothies several times, and they're all right...just nothing too memorable.
(3)Andrea M.
OMG this was awesome!!! We came here for breakfast before grocery shopping at Raley's, and I ordered the everything bagel and a vanilla latte. I have to say, it was even better than Peet's or Starbuck's lattes. In comparison, Panera blew them all away! Hubby got a spinach quiche, and let me tell you, I never like quiche, but this was delicious! Down side was, they were slightly over-browned for my liking, but they were busy, so I'll give them a grain of salt for that. We both thought it was a small, hole-in-the-wall, but it went on forever! Nice seating, friendly staff, and best of all, GREAT FOOD!!! We will definitely be coming back!!!
(5)Robin K.
My newest discovery is Panera. way better than subway, togo's, or quizno's. The other day, I needed me some veggies, and ended up getting a quick fix salad at Mickey D's for over 5 bucks. I should have gone to Panera instead.
(4)Smriti S.
I love their tomato panini! It is really, really good! :-) P.S. Their mac n cheese is amazing as well!
(5)Farrah F.
The most amazing (and recent) thing I've had here = Strawberry Poppyseed Salad. It's a bit expensive, and if you don't like sweet, you probably shouldn't get it. BUT THIS WAS AMAZING. *-* It's seasonal, so I better get it while it's still around. From what I recall, their sandwiches were really good as well.
(4)leena k.
Man, Panera's great. It's spacious, clean, there's free WiFi, decent and affordable soups/salads/sammiches, and moreover, great COOKIES! And BREAD! It's not a place I'd especially come to for a meal, but it's great to hang out and get some work done.
(5)Elise A.
This is the regular meeting place for a knitting group I belong to and while I appreciate that they accommodate us, week after week... I'm not that thrilled with this particular Panera Bread, which seems a little run down and not-always-too-clean or well maintained. The bathrooms always seem to need help and the place just generally doesn't seem well cared for. The staff always gives me the impression of being overworked and tired, though they make an effort. There's one waiter in particular who is always very helpful when we're there... I just wish this one measured up to the Panera Bread I used to go to in Bloomington, In - which seemed just ... well... nicer... a LOT nicer, to the point of being a completely different experience. I think this Panera is always very busy - so it's probably difficult to keep it looking tidy. I just wish the place had the (I know this is going to sound strange for a Panera) but elegance of the same place in Bloomington, In - where they made a real effort to be welcoming, inviting and kept the place spotless, despite the huge number of students they got in there daily. I think this place can also benefit greatly from better lighting. I think the one in Bloomington had better lighting, just by virtue of where it was located and capturing a lot of natural light... But since this Panera doesn't have as many windows - I think additional lighting can really brighten the place up. Coffee drinks are good, though not stellar. Food is good, though not fantastic. Service is decent, though not the best. Cleanliness - more like a C - , not so bad that I would leave and not bad enough that I would feel uncomfortable eating here, but the place always seems to be in need of a good vacuuming and too many tables seem to be dirty for too long, as well as the bathrooms being a bit of a wreck. They need to get some folks to spend some dedicated time, cleaning the place up. An extra star goes to their being kind to the knitting group and to the waiter who always helps us out.... But beyond that, I wish they would do more to make going here a better experience.
(3)Fu L.
My family LOVE this place! Friendly employee with great customer service. Our favorite is their panini with chicken noodle soup. We always order extra bread to go with our soup.
(4)Steve M.
FREE WIFI! The sandwiches are good. I usually get a turkey and swiss. The pastries are delicious. The cream cheese danish thing (I think they call it cheese bread) is really good. Make sure to try some of their green tea. Kind of a small cup, but worth a try.
(4)Amy O.
This place is cozy, and I like the fireplace seating area. I tried a combo meal that came with a cup of soup and salad. I ordered French Onion Soup and Chinese Chicken Salad for $8.95. Small portions! Both good, but sizes were a joke. My co-worker/friend ordered the soup in a breadbowl. Even funnier joke. I think there was maybe 3/4s cup of soup in that bread bowl. He said it was tastey, but he was hungry an hour later. Slightly pricey for what you get, and I haven't had a sandwich at Panera that I have yet to like. Stick with the soup and salads, but take advantage of the comfy environment otherwise you'll feel jipped on the food.
(4)Nora R.
I think I have only eaten "in-store" here once, *BUT* I have picked up at least several thousand bagels (and various breads) here over a period of time. I have varied between picking up these amazing bread products at the Fremont and Hayward locations, but the majority of my pickups have been here (Fremont) due to proximity to my business. I personally think that the variety of bagels and breads have been a decisive factor in helping retain employees at work. :) "Bagel Day" has always been Thursdays for us. I don't know if the reader is a bagel fan, but I like to think of myself as a HIGHLY experienced bagel aficionado. I've had bagels from every popular "fresh" vendor in the immediate East Bay Area. The true test of the bagel is how it tastes UNtoasted and without extra embellishments (butter, cream cheese, spreads, lox, etc.). Too doughy? Not good. Too 'tough'? Not good. Too 'fluffy'? Then it ain't a bagel. :) Panera's have had that "just right" feeling with their bagels for years. Switching to them for our weekly supply significantly altered our "Bagel Days". Other gems there are their insanely well-done breads. If you're a Ciabatta fan, theirs is subtle, and the crust is correctly crisped (lightly and just on the surface), and you can absolutely taste the olive oil. I know of only one, independently-owned patisserie in the immediate area that can compete, but they don't make Ciabattas everyday. Now I know I'm going to be shot if any colleagues read this review because I'm going to reveal a slight secret. On Bagel Day, I pick up another Panera favorite of mine: the Bear Claw. I can eat a Bear Claw from just about any place, but Panera's aren't OVERLY sweet like other pastry shops make them. Like some food addict, I eat half with some coffee on the way back, and then save the other half for later. It's a secret. Shhhhhhhh.
(4)Matt G.
Matt and niece smell fresh pastries and bread from this bakery inside the Paseo Padre Parkway Lot. This bakery from the inside reminds me of the Grain d'or bakery on Market St. in San Francisco. Every morning, when Matt and company are being asked by the workers at a coffee shop/bakery, the first item that comes from his big mouth is "coffee". In addition to the $1.75 morning fuel, there are a ton of colorful and fresh pastries coming out of the kitchen. As bakers brought some fresh pastries out to serve and ready to be put in somebody's belly, we saw the Cobblestone Muffin being put out and they have gotten Matt's name on it. The $2.75 muffin had mixtures of cinnamon, raisin and chunks of apples with a crusty sugar top. As more pastries being brought out, what caught the eyes of niece are the Pumpkin-muffies. The $.99 muffies are top of the muffin that looks like a shape of a cookie. (a'la Elaine Benes). More assorted muffies came out .i.e. blueberry, chocolate chip and lemon. We bought a half-dozen to take to the kids. We enjoyed our breakfast and lounge in the dining area and listening to jazz tunes. This bakery also make fresh Pannini sandwiches, which will be next on our list.
(4)Bill F.
After reading Ivy R's review of Panera Bread, I decided to go to the Panera Bread in Fremont. This location is in a strip mall near the BART station - this made it convenient. We could go after getting out of the BART system. We bought some bread and some muffins. Both were delicious and had great texture. Service was friendly and courteous. The bakery/cafe looked appealing. Product was displayed well. Overall, a great place to purchase some delicious bakery products.
(5)DJ E.
I've been at this location twice and had ordered mostly a meal with some sorta salad (chicken ceasar or fuji apple chicken). The salad looked tired and not fresh. I've been to other Panera location outside California and I;ve had always great salad for lunch. Perhaps, when we when it was dinner time, maybe the vegetables have been sitting around a while. Also, at one time they ran out of baguettes. What?! Is this Panera Bread? It's like KFC running out of chickens to sell that day!?
(2)Hanul L.
I've been to this panera bread a couple of times but one experience sticks out & so I shall write about it. The first time I went to panera, I ordered the chicken pomodoro; it was delicious & the next time I went, i ordered it again but i was running late & so got it togo. I was extremely unhappy when I opened up my bag & found a ham&cheese sandwich & not my chicken pomodoro. $7 for a ham and cheese sandwich? :( Everything on the menu is pretty pricy. I would probably avoid going back & wouldn't recommend others going either. Free wifi though!
(1)Melissa T.
I love Panera, but this is a horrible location. The service just sucks. Almost every to-go order I've ever placed has been missing multiple items.... they don't carry a lot of things EVERY other Panera carries... and the staff is pretty slack and unknowledgeable in general. That might fly without comment at Taco Bell, but when you're spending $15 for a fast food lunch these things become pretty irritating.
(2)Sunny C.
Great Service once again. Good food and clean facility and service with a smile.
(4)Meg T.
This used to be a St Louis based bread company, so when my bf at the time and I went in he was so excited, being as he's from St Louis. They have wonderful onion soup. Its sooo yummy and even has bread inside it. Their sanwhiches are so good, very filling, but not heavy. It's one of my favourite places to go when I go up to the Fremont area. It's also very close to BART so thats another mark in it's favor.
(5)Joyce S.
I go to Panera so often, when I show up the counter they automatically ring up a Cafe Latte before I say anything! Although it is a chain, there are many regulars such as the Red Hat Society who meet on Tuesdays, the retirees who talk about ways to save the world by the window, the knitting group, and of course the endless laptop users who hog a table to themselves and use internet. For these reasons, this Panera has a homey feel for me. The drinks are ok, but mainly its about the bread and sandwiches. I've tried about everything on the menu and always get consistent quality. Mainly, the wi-fi, amount of seating, warm environment makes it a great place to catch up with friends, eat dinner, have business meetings, play world of warcraft (saw this incident a few times.. ), or write reviews about Panera from your laptop.
(4)Jen N.
Love the coffee and bagels here. Hazelnut spread is awesome! Staff nice and fast.
(3)Elaine Y.
had the new ham and cheese (that starts w/ a g) breakfast sandwich for 5.00. it was small but tasty. good chai latte as well. the service was ok. would go back and try other stuff.
(3)Katy W.
I like Panera Bread, especially compared to many chain establishments. I enjoy their menu selections as well as the cheery decor and their wifi policy (free and they seem nice about how long you stay). However, this location in Fremont was not as nice as others I have been to. It's weird since they are all very much similar, but this one seemed to be broken up a little differently as far as seating. I also wasn't thrilled with the server who sort of dropped our food off and ran without giving us a chance to see if we got our order (which we didn't). It wasn't very busy so I found that a little annoying. Still, I will probably be back because I like the company.
(3)A R.
I have been to this location approximately three times and each time I have been there, I have had great service. The employees are all very friendly and helpful as well.
(5)Shannon L.
Panera has definitely gone downhill since the first time I had it in '02? It use to be such a hit with fresh sandwiches and tasty soups. Now everything tastes pre-made (which I think it is) in mass amounts and commercialized. The pastries are nothing special... a little overly sweet and just too much (if you know what I mean). I like things on the lighter side so maybe that biases me. They recently came out with some thin crust, rectangle shape pizzas and beware! If you're ordering take-out, phone in the order instead of going there because pizzas have a wait of at least 20 minutes. The BBQ Chicken was pretty tasty.
(2)AdnerB M.
Came here with about 9 for after a company function. Oh and after we saw Pete's was closed for inventory. The fire place drew us in. It was a Friday night though about 2 hours before closing and we were the only ones there! Wow it's usually packed when I go. About half of us purchased coffee drinks and they were made promptly. Very tasty. The employees were polite and welcoming. Nice and clean right down to the bathrooms!
(5)Anjelica C.
This Panera played a very big part in my high school ditching days. Ditching, in the sense that when I was excused from school for a dentist appointment on Maury, I liked to stay out of school a little longer than my appointment lasted ;) To do this, I would kill time at Panera! A friend introduced me to the souffles and they're the first thing I order IF there are any left by the time I get there. They seem to run out fast. So I secondly opt for the half sandwich and soup: usually broccoli and cheddar, but if I'm feeling daring, I'll get a french onion. They discontinued my FAVORITEEE sandwich, and I don't even remember what it was called but it had some bomb gorganzola sauce and I wish they'd bring that sandwich back :(. So now I just get the Frontega Chicken, or whatev it's called. Still good.,. And it's a chill place to hang out at.
(4)Albert H.
Writing this review from Panera. It only took me like an hour to get to this page...cool wifi. Foods cool. Workers are cool. Cool study spot. Cool chipotle chicken sandwich with cool broccoli chedder soup with cool bread and cool butter. This place is cool. Prices cool.
(4)Patrice P.
From time to time when I'm craving a soup, sandwich, or salad.. or any of the two or all (hahahaha), i like heading over to Panera Bread. Their sandwiches are to die for!! A bit pricey considering the portion size, but it's worth it!! I have yet to try some of their pastries, but for me it's all about the lunch! Hahaaa. My favorite is the sandwich with turkey, bacon, and gouda cheese. It's not overpowering, yet it's a great balance of flavor. Great customer service as they were able to prepare my order within a few minutes :)
(4)Sarah S.
I am so addicted to their Meditarrean sandwich ... being a vegan ... i love it ! their newly rewards card helps you save many bucks ... like you get a free pastry on just signing up with them. it's a great place to eat out or study or staff dinner/ lunch. it's affordable too !!!!
(4)Kimmie M.
I'm a fan of Panera bread. Anything with bread in the title is good for me. This particular location seems to always be pretty busy, but it's large enough that I can get a table. Recently grabbed a frozen lemonade because it was hot as balls out and yummy so refreshing and good, but damn i had the WORST brain freeze of my life. So be careful thirsty yelpers. Their sandwiches, soups, salads, and pastries are all delicious. And their Mac n cheese. Can never decide what exactly to get! AND FREE WIFI! Woohoo
(4)Clarissa R.
(I've reduced my rating due to the price increases and the wifi time limit at lunchtime--pretty absurd; I've never seen this location so busy as to justify a time limit. The chain should make this policy on a location-by-location basis. However, both of these policies are chain-wide. This Panera remains a pretty darned good Panera.) As far as chains go, Panera is one of my favorites. There's a variety of seating, nobody bugs you if you hang out for a while, the food is relatively healthy, and there's free wifi. And, unlike a lot of wifi-enabled places, there are actually enough power outlets! That gets a whole star by itself. I also like the new morning-only breakfast sandwiches, and the dinner-only pizza-ish things. I enjoy the salads with a mix of sweet and savory ingredients, and the French onion soup in a bread bowl. Panera is a good choice if you need to satisfy a group who can't agree on food, because there's really something for everyone. Like all Panera locations, though, prices have been creeping up to the point where a You Pick Two with a couple of add-ons such as a drink and a cookie can rival dinner at Pasta Pomodoro. Since Panera is primarily a soup-and-sandwich place, I think their prices have started to become unreasonable. The good points of this particular Panera are the employees, who are very nice, fast, and understanding; the convenient location; and the amount of seating. The bad points are that it's often very crowded (due to the location near much of Fremont's city services and medical facilities) and somewhat noisy. If you want peace and quiet, try the Pacific Commons location. Anyway, I've found that I sometimes get more done there than I do at home, so if you see someone writing on Yelp from an oversized MacBook Pro, it's probably me ...
(3)Brande B.
I love this Panera! It's pretty big inside with free Wi-Fi if you needed to come here with a group or to study. I like that it's large cause you don't usually have to wait for a table. The staff is friendly and does a good job about cleaning up after those who don't when their done. They make your food fast and bring it to your table. I haven't had anything here I don't like. If I'm not in the mood to cook, but don't want to eat fast food this is one of my top choices.
(4)Miko T.
This place is quick and easy, or can be a place to enjoy a longer meal if you choose. You wait in line, order your food at the counter, and then sit down if you somewhere if you want to dine in. They give you a number, and then when your food is ready they bring it to you. If you order to go, you wait over by a food counter (not where you purchased food), and just wait for your order to be ready. There's a decent amount of seating here, but it can be difficult if you come during really busy hours, or just get unlucky when there's a huge rush of people eating, or just sitting around hanging out. There is additional seating outside though, which is good if it's a nice day. I love the food. I love the turkey artichoke sandwich! It's my favorite, and I get it almost every time. It's warm, juicy, and just oh so tasty! Oh, and your meal comes with a side, so you have a choice of an apple, baguette, or bag of baked potato chips. The broccoli cheddar soup is also delicious, and very cheesy. Sometimes I like to dip my potato chips in it. The salads are good too; I've had the Asian salad (I forgot the exact name of it) which is quite good, and the cesar salad isn't bad, though not the best I've ever had. The pastries are excellent, any of them. I highly recommend the cherry or strawberry pastry though! And the shortbread cookies! They are really buttery, and like a little rectangle of heaven! The prices here a decent and fair, especially for the meal items. The pastries might be a little high (I'm not as familiar with the norms of pastry pricing), but it's not exorbitant. Still worth getting. They also have a breakfast menu, although I've never tried anything on it. I plan on it, though! The service here is good, and I've never had a problem that ruined my meal in any way. Definitely worth coming too for a bite if you're a little short on time and don't want to have to spend time with waiter service, waiting for food for a long time, the bill to come, etc. Also, no tip expected here, which is also nice if you're on a tight budget. Basically, I like this place a lot. As long as the turkey artichoke sandwich is there, I'll be coming back.
(4)Dave K.
The free Wi Fi is very cool for working on the road. The sandwiches are usually very good but the cookies are La Bomba! I have not gone with one of their loaves of bread although they always look delicious and I'm a HUGE fan of freshly baked bread. They can accommodate a group of about 10 or so inside but taking out would be the way to go. They are very fast at putting together a to-go order for 10+ lunches. Auf.
(4)Anne N.
Great service and food. Just wished that Panera Bread overall would come up with new stuff to put on their menu. I just started coming to this place whenever I can so I'll be able to try everything on the menu. The French Onion soup was little salty. The bread needs to be baked for less time because the crust is really hard to bite through. Overall though, my family is a fan of the Turkey Artichoke Panini :). I will become a fan when I get enough time to adore this place
(3)Ali L.
Over the past few years that this Panera Bread has been open I've always had a good experience. The staff has always been helpful and kind and never seemed to care much when I would meander for hours using their free WiFi. This last time I went, my friend and I were inside until 9:30 using their Internet and when the girl asked if she could take our plates we said of course, what time do you close? She simply said 9PM without an attitude and completed the rest of her cleaning duties. My friend and I promptly left, but the rest of the staff didn't seem to be bothered at all by the people still left in the restaurant using the WiFi even after the restaurant had been closed for business.
(4)Nikki V.
I really like this place for lunch - they are busy, but the service is great for the amount of people that shuffle through during lunch. I usually get the like the Med Veggie Sandwich, and its great...but somtimes the feta cheese and green pesto spread can sometimes be a little too salty. Their soup of the day is also warm and yummie - especially on those chilli windy days...plus who doesn't love the smell of bread!
(4)Jim D.
I like the sandwiches but this place always has a Long line and always seems dirty. Last time I went My "hot" sandwich was cold.I wanted to like this place but I think that everything here is just mediocre and over priced.
(2)Madhuri K.
the best brownie ever. I also had their creamy tomato soup and 1/2 a turkey sandwich. The soup was really good. I only give it 3 stars bc its really pricey for a casual place like this. Not so over the top good that I'd want to pay that much for a cup of soup and sandwich.
(3)Camille B.
Great place for studying. However, sometimes it can get loud when groups have meetings -- no idea why they always feel like they have to talk so loud. Cinnamon Crunch bagels are dangerous. Thank goodness for the Thai Chopped Salad, which is very tasty, yet reasonably healthy.
(4)Tanya S.
Nice place. Free wifi, Good food.. great coffee. What more can u ask for? Its such a big place to sit and chat and hang out for a little while even after we are done with our food.
(5)Shirley M.
Like my profile says..."Don't Make me get hyphy up in here"!!! Well folks...it happened today...Panera Bread on Mowry Ave brought out the Hyphy in me!!! Don't get me wrong, the food here is good...it's a chain and they'd have to really screw things up to get the food wrong, so what they're left with to set themselves apart is service...and they BLEW that!!! I came in with a friend after our walk around Lake Elizabeth and ordered a breakfast sandwich with a small cup of fruit...it took a few minutes for them to determine they were out of fruit but would go in the back and get some...which took another 5 minutes to determine they'd have to cut some up...but they assured me they'd bring it right out to our table...10 minutes passed and NO fruit... So, I went back to the front and they advised me they were still cutting up the fruit... You know how the story ends folks...10 more minutes passed and STILL NO Fruit! (needless to say I was done with my breakfast sandwich) I went and talked to the manager who then attempted to explain their process of cutting up fruit! PLEEZE!!!! Save me the explanation! After all, it's Saturday morning...do ya think ya might be ready for the weekend crowd with some fruit already cut-up? I will go back to Panera...just not this one on Mowry! And I'm sure they could care less if I return, because they sure could care less when I complained... BTW, the GOOD Panera is on Auto-Mall Parkway...and their food and service is definitely worth the drive down 880...
(1)Amanda M.
Their sandwiches are awesome, I always get the turkey bacon one. And they also have great bagels. The service is pretty good, there was one time however I went to sit down and all the tables were dirty. That was pretty annoying, especially since one of them had spilled soda all over the place. Other than that experience, this place is great for breakfast or lunch.
(4)Rick H.
Yummy food. Great Internet connection. I love the atmosphere.
(5)Veronica B.
The coffee and espresso drinks are not the best, but I do love the food. I like that they also have rewards program so you get free beverages or pastries once in awhile. Their service is excellent. Everyone who works there seems helpful and kind. They have plenty of seating. Even during the lunch rush, I am always able to find a place to sit and park my laptop to eat and do some work.
(4)Neil R.
Funny, the guy below me has the same name as me. And the girl below him is my teller. Nice! Only on yelp! Onward... I love Panera's menu... just about anything I order, whether its a sandwich, or a cookie or a smoothie.. etc. It never disappoints. This is like a trendy deli/cafe place with wi-fi and modern lighting/decor. I like it. That's what I noticed the very FIRST time I walked in. I used have the best dates here. Nice and quiet and comfortable and CLASSY! :-) The only thing I kinda didn't like was their prices. Kinda pricey if you ask me! As far as their staff and overall customer service goes. No complaints. Enjoy peeps!
(4)Foo D.
Their sandwiches are expensive and pathetic! Got a ham and cheese, traded Swiss for Gouda. They had the audacity to charge me 60 cents more for the one small slice of cheese which barely fit 1/3 of the sandwich. 2 thin slices of processed, flavorless ham, wilted lettuce and two grayish tomato slices. $8!! If I could give -8 stars, 1 for each buck I wasted, I would! A day later and I'm still pissed.
(1)Esther A.
Love Panera Bread. I'm a big fan of bread. Especially sourdough. This is the first location I've ever tried and I was happy they've opened another location in Fremont in the Pacific Common shopping area off Automall. Quiet cafe atmosphere with free wi-fi. I liked sitting at the fireplace on those cold rainy afternoons. Small complaint: They recently discontinued the Fandango salad!
(5)Derrick V.
Place is nice. Asiago cheese bread is one of my favorite snacks. Too bad it's not done well here. If you know of a bakery in Fremont that has better asiago cheese bread, lemme know! Hard to beat Arizmendi & Cheeseboard!
(3)Juliana T.
This is my favorite Panera. Close to home, always clean, layed back environment, yummy food, free refills, long hours. They have free wifi and feel very comfortable spending time there doing some work while grabbing a snack. Never feel pressured to leave.
(5)Sarah G.
I can make fresh-baked bread at home. Given that, why should I spend $6.99 for a sandwich with shredded chicken, a slice of cheese, a slop of mustard, and a piece of bacon? Even at bay area prices this is a bit excessive. And soup ... soup is cheap. Bread and soup are so cheap that they serve those things to homeless people in soup kitchens. The food is decent. The environment would be nice if everyone at the local hospital didn't decide to eat lunch there. But the prices? Insane. If you want to save some bread, don't eat at Panera Bakery.
(2)Anne O.
Their grilled American sandwiches (a.k.a. panini's) are alright. Hubby prefers a larger sandwich than what they serve here. He's not so fond of their offerings...too foofy for him. Me, I am a bread person. I have enjoyed a few bagels here...as well as the baked egg souffle's...gotta get there early, they usually run out around 10 or so. The loaf I usually bring home is the Asiago loaf...a cheese bread, how can you go wrong? Cookies, well, I bake'em pretty good...but when it's hot here in Fremont and I don't want to heat up the house more with a 350 degree oven, I come to Panera. Mmm...mmm...good cookies.
(3)Paul H.
Don't know why this place doesn't have a better review - I'd give them 4.5 stars. Panera food is always good - sandwiches, salads, soups are consistently tasty and fresh. This panera looks like all the others - it's nice inside, free wireless internet, lets us sit outside with our dog. You can always find parking in this lot. My only complaint would be they can be really slow sometimes.
(5)Jon T.
I like this panera more than the pacific common one, the staff here seems to be more friendly and seem to be more efficient when taking orders, also their baked goods seem to be more abundant. A good place to just sit and chat with your friends
(4)Khanh C.
I ordered a hot tomato/mozarela panini to go when I opened it it was not toasted and the bread is not a foccacia. What a disappointment. Panera of Tampa bay, FL is doing much better. Sorry I will not return to try anything else. Paul
(1)Tess W.
food is okay, but the portions are small. Also, there was hair in the salad AND the sandwich! told the waitress who did not even tell the manager after we told her to!
(2)Rob C.
I've taken away a couple stars from the franchise because I still remember the old days of the original St. Louis Bread Co. and have noticed how much things have declined at Panera relative to the past 7 years. People still seem to like this place in general, but I remember when the sandwiches were bigger. Now even the chips bags are smaller. Meager choices for soups. Salads a lot more variable depending on who is making them. Well, it did take a long time to get to this area, so I can see why it's still fairly well-received.
(2)Doris L.
I started going to Panera when I was on a consulting project in Denver before there were even Paneras in the bay area. So I was uber excited when I saw that a Panera was coming to Fremont and so close to my house! Panera food is wonderful. I've tried a lot of their sandwiches, had most of their salads, a lot of their soups, Crispani, bagels, iced green tea, the cookies, oh yes, I love it all. The "you pick two" for $6.95 is perfect for me b/c I'm so indecisive. I usually get a sandwich and salad. My husband is a fan of the brocolli cheddar soup, but is not a huge fan of the french onion. We both love the Crispani for a quick dinner. As for ambiance, the free wi-fi is great and draws a lot of people to study or meet. I've seen study groups, book clubs, and other clubs meet here. I myself, have some wedding client meetings here and study groups too. It's just really convenient, spacious, and have a lot of big size tables to spread out.
(5)Suyog S.
Expensive, average quality breads. The soup bowls were chewy, tough for jaws.
(3)Angela N.
I could never, for the life of me, work out why my ex-boyfriend liked this place so much. It so completely offends me. To start with, what they don't serve is real panini. Real panini is thinner, finer and less greasy. This is an all-American grilled sandwich, stuffed to overflowing and crisped just enough to outdo the melted butter's sogginess. And to ornament this euphemized meal they put it in a fast-food setting that's supposed to pass for some kind of mod Krispy Kreme of bakeries. Oh you make me sick. Their smoothies are good though.
(1)Steve N.
This place is fantastic. I had been waiting years for something like this to come to Fremont. Then suddenly, there were two of em :) The bread is delicious. The bagels are great. The Baked Potato Soup and the Broccolli Cheese soup is really good, along with the french bread on the side. It's also a good place for eating healthy - you can get the "you pick two" with a half asian chicken salad, and a bowl of soup, or a half sandwich. Usually a 600 calorie dinner...and it's tasty and fresh. A nice change from Sweet Tomatoes across the parking lot, which is always overcrowded and not so fresh. You can also get the Crispani after 4 PM, which is a thin crust pizza. I usually get the tomato and basil, and it's basically the healthiest pizza you can get in a restaurant, but it's tasty! The service is the biggest problem. The first few months it was spectacular, but the problem they have is the high turnover rate. There is always someone new working, and by the time they learn the menu, they quit. Also, it can get quite busy at lunchtime. I've been told this location is the busiest of all of their locations in the country. So the staff can get frustrated with so much going on. I'd also recommend the orange scone. Try to get it earlier in the day while it's still very fresh. It's delicious. The only things I can't recommend are the Panini Sandwiches. These just don't quite cut it for me. They remind me a bit of a hot pocket.
(5)Candice S.
You absolutely cannot go WRONG with Panera. ESPECIALLY if you're in own of those, "i don't know what i feel like eating" moods. Cause I guarantee there is SOMETHING here you will want. I have to admit sometimes I really get sick of the same old soup/salad/sandwich BUT they started making these personal pizza things called Crispanis. Oooh baby, they are seriously delicious! Try the Margherita, I loved it.
(5)Mike C.
I haven't tried their breads and they may be the best but we had lunch there a little while back and ordered three sandwiches which took too long to order, too long to make and tasted bland bland bland. It really wasn't even worth finishing it was that poor. To top it off it feels like you're eating in Starbucks. Others may disagree and again I haven't tried their breads but I thought this was a pretty lame place for lunch.
(1)Joe K.
I love this place!! The food is consistently great. I love the fresh bread and pastries they have. My favorite sandwich is the bacon turkey bravo on tomato basil bread. MMMMMM!!! Their lemonade is also one of the best, Kinda sour but that is the way I like it!! Free WiFi in the restaurant. The place is spacious and clean. I know this is a chain but I have to give it five stars!!
(5)Susan B.
Love their creamy tomato soup and their coffee. But the wi-fi squatters who camp out for hours while nursing a cup of coffee annoy me. Save some space for us who legitimately want to eat lunch!
(3)Jessica W.
I worked at the one in Florida so i am pretty sure i'm the expert on every single one of their offerings... and their food is so good!!! i want one in the city, next to coldstone. mmm. but the fremont location is nice with a large space, comfy booths, and chairs by a fireplace. Friendly staff I've noticed. my favorites include: smokehouse turkey sandwich on toasted three cheese bread with a sun dried tomato sauce, cheese, turkey and bacon; broccolli soup; chocolate duet cookie with macademia nuts; frozen mocha (has distinct flavor no other place has); greek salad; asian sesame chicken salad(just as good without the chicken). I recommend ordering the U Pick 2 for like $7 and pick 2 from a half sandwich, soup, or half salad so you can try a few things. Good selection for kids with all healthy options. I like a company that cares about health. They make all of the pastries and breads fresh in-house every morning. Go pick up a loaf of 3-Cheese.
(5)Elisa T.
i LOVE LOVE LOVE their asian chicken salad! the dressing is so light and refreshing with the salad. Normally i'll get a side of the salad and either soup (chicken noodle soup) or a sandwich... i highly recomment their turkey & artichoke sandwich. This location is normally nice and quiet, great place to study in the corners and the service is nice and friendly.
(4)Jodi B.
My review is strictly for the sandwiches -never bought the bread. I miss this place, I moved from Fremont to Livermore and there is nothing even close. The turkey artichoke sandwich was to die for and I may be moving back to Fremont unless I can find one in the tri-valley area. I tried to make panini's at home but it's just not the same! * I don't know what "real" panini is but I like theirs! Panera Bread- I will visit you every time I'm in Fremont and may even make a special trip once in awhile, just to partake in your yumminess!
(4)Chad C.
I would have given them a negative five if such option exists. Customer service is so horrible at this location that no matter how good the food can be it is just an unpleasant experience to eat here. I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for the free wi-fi. I stood in front of the counter for five minutes while I watched almost six employees who were all supposed to be helping customers at the counter vanish into the back rooms. They all looked at me and kept walking. Only one had the decency to say the typical fake "we will be with you shortly sir". Even one of the other employees who was preparing the food for some of the orders and was not responsible to be taking customer orders was rolling her eyes and watching in dissmay what was going on. When finally one of the employees came back, I told him i only want to know where the water was and went and got a cup of water. I put my wallet back in my pocket and went to the soda machine where water was. I decided not to order or give them my business. I hope the manager of this location reads this review and pays more attention to the lousy employees they have!
(1)Sandy Q.
The sandwiches and salads are very fresh. I usually order the "Pick Two". I get half a sandwich (Sierra Turkey Sandwich) and half a salad (Fuji Apple Chicken Salad). The bill normally comes to a little over $8. I don't come here often because it seems a little expensive for such small portions. However, the food is very good and healthy.
(4)Christina Y.
I like Panera for a quick lunch since I work & go to school around the area. So far, I've enjoyed the Chicken Artichoke Panini, a couple of their soups, and their Greek salad. I really enjoyed the Chicken Tomesto, but it's not on their menu anymore. :( Their You Pick Two isn't too bad especially if you just want a small lunch with a sandwhich, soup or salad. I'm not one for pastries either, but I really liked their Strawberries & Cream pastry.. You can't imagine how much I spent on those pastries (especially at 1.99 each!). Some of their stuff is inexpensive though.. their focaccias (which I'm not very partial to unless it's warmed) and their coffee cake ($5.99). Oh! Try their souflees in the morning.. they're yum, but quite small. Still good though. Fun Fact: They have bread and pastry samples throughout the day. :) Edit: Minus one star 'cos they updated their You Pick Two to work with their more "Premium" sandwiches. *insert mad face*
(3)Toshinobu K.
Decent decor, lots of people, nice table and setting. These are all the positives of the place, and the environment sure feels comfortable. Why the one star rating? Well, I seriously cannot justify paying $11 for a soup and sandwich lunch. Granted, the sandwich and the soup is decent, but I can even make it at home! I mean, unless there are gold bars along with the meal, I just can't imagine paying that much money for a plain sandwich. Ok, they have fresh bread, fine, they have Wireless, but com'on, a sandwich is a sandwich is a sandwich, not Foie Gras. If I am just judging on the taste of the food, its not bad, but the price is what gets to me. I hate to give a bad rating for a decent restaurant such as this, but seriously, this is just a high-end sandwich shop.
(1)Ernie H.
So yes, Panera is a chain-bakery, but as I've been born and raised here in the Bay Area, this is my first experience with a Panera. It's a bakery and a cafe - I'm actually here in the store right now, taking advantage of their free Wi-Fi. Their panini sandwiches aren't too bad, albeit a little expensive. (I paid around $8.50 for a soup/salad combo and a drink.) As far as "atmosphere," it's pretty full for a Saturday afternoon, although there is only one other person with me sitting at a single table using their laptop; everyone else seems to be a mixture of suburban families having lunch. Overall, not too bad. 3 stars if they didn't offer the free wireless access, but 4 stars because they do.
(4)Annabel C.
I can sum up my review of Panera in 6 words: Free WiFi, free WiFi, free WiFi. I'm one of those borderline ADD people who can't study at home because I'll suddenly realize that I have to clean the bathroom or do the laundry or watch TV or whatever. Panera has been my godsend. I have sat here for hours (yes, I'm here right now) and have never felt unwelcome. The food and coffee are decent, the ambience and decor are warm and inviting, so what more could you ask for? Free WiFi, maybe? They already got you beat.
(4)Sue Ann D.
I used to love, love this place! Then, like everything else in the bay area, word gets around and then it just goes *south*........the service is not that great anymore and the people who take your orders/etc just looked either pissed off or annoyed with their jobs or life in general. The food is still pretty decent, but I think the quality has gone down, but it's still okay for the days of "I don't feel like cooking".
(2)Joseph A.
Like Starbucks for bread plus free Wi-Fi. Good Challah, rich tasty souffles, friendly and courteous staff.
(5)Lucy L.
im a regular here and the pacific commons branch!! recommended for lunch! They have wifi so you can chill, or do hw there. :) They used to have pizza after 4pm, i wish they still have that. I really like their hot panini, salad, sandwiches, and combos.
(5)Ann T.
Came here for the free wi-fi, which was great. Got a hot chocolate and mint crinkle cookie....mmmm! Very nice way to unwind after work. Will definitely be coming back again!
(4)Ryan T.
For a nearby joint where I can get some work done due to free WiFi, and have a pretty good salad, not bad, especially for it being a chain. Pretty freezing inside, per last evening's visit. But it's a real honest-to-goodness bakery they're running, with multiple ovens blazing, so the hyperactive a/c part's understood. Better than average, but not overly special.
(3)Cynthia C.
Went to Panera for the first time while visiting Virginia, and Fremont's is no different, clean, spacious, and consistent flavorful and fresh food. Free WI-FI for all the computer geeks out there.
(4)melissa m.
Their asian chicken sesame salad is DELICIOUS. I love it! I get the half asian chicken sesame salad and that's enough to fill me up! You also get a piece of bread with it... ALTHOUGH, i just went there today and they are now charging extra for bread. Booo. Place is really nice though. I used to study there. It can get pretty loud during lunch hours, but I'm good at drowning people out so it was fine for me. You also get free wi-fi. BUTTT they have limited it to half an hour during lunch hours... which sucks!! I went to Paneras to study until the library opened because I needed the internet. While working on something, the internet just shut off. So beware!
(4)Jennifer M.
Panera Bread always offers great customer service and they have great food. I can always trust that I cam getting high quality, fresh ingredients when I go to Panera. Thanks for making a healthy food alternative!
(4)Kirsten M.
I'm a Panera addict. Everything is good and flavorful, especially in comparison to other similar places. The combos rock and the staff in this location is awesome.
(4)Rayn B.
We went here twice (yes, we gave them a second chance. They don't get a third.) Both times they were "out" of everything that looked appealing to us. The workers were either rude or didn't seem to care about anything at all, least of all customers. If you're in the mood for Panera Bread, take my advice and drive to the one outside Southland Mall in Hayward, it's a much better experience and the food is fabulous.
(1)Richard S.
I'm not usually the biggest fan of Panera Bread, but it's usually good in a pinch. The Starbucks of the soup and sandwich. This one was an exception...in the good way It's a great spot for food and/or leisure They have a coffee bar/lounge too (but Peet's is in the same parking lot ;-) Free WiFi Great space and layout My (sierra? something) turkey sandwich was excellent The staff was competent and friendly So they get 4 stars for exceeding expectations And lucky for me it's close to home
(4)Hyman W.
I agreed with Angela N. This place do not offer REAL panini. It is a grilled american sandwich. When I placed the order at the counter, the people (a guy and a girl) did not even put any smile on their faces. They were kind of rude or did not really care about customer services. I ordered the Asago Roasted Beef Sandwich today and it was so bland. The tomato soup was too salty. The reason for two stars : free wi-fi and the decor is ok. Will probably not go back.
(2)Channon W.
My first time eating at Panera and i LOVED IT! Their sandwiches are sooo good. You walk in there and you're just consumed with the fresh bread smells. Their sandwiches are sooo fresh and tasty. Yah..the price is a little steep, but I think it's worth it just cuz everything is made fresh ($6.00 for sandwich and chips). My only compliaint is ther expressos aren't that great. they put wayyyyy too much syrup in their drinks.
(4)Daniel W.
Came here on a Friday night with my girlfriend. We both ordered the 2-item special. The food was delivered quickly and tasted good.
(4)Spring S.
Good service, but my what a crowd it builds during lunch! You can tell this is a very popular place. Go when you aren't in a time crunch, or get there as fast as you can with a plan of what you'd like to order so you can get back to what you were doing. There is a wide variety of baked goods, and a good variety of all types of salads. Mostly with meat. I'm likely to eat salad for lunch, but there isn't enough variety for meatless salads. From one of the reviewers, you cannot put an order in for a custom made sandwich as they all come from a central distribution point. That is highly disappointing. Still I can get around the menu. I love the ice tea. It is by far the best tea I've had that was suited for ice at a restaurant . It isn't wimpy! You can put ice in it, and it doesn't dilute that badly, and retains its flavor. Yum! I also indulged in one of their mango smoothies. Oh, that was heaven in a cup! I plan on visiting some of their other locations in the future, as their breads and pastries look sinfully good!
(4)PRETTY D.
On a cold rainy night there is nothing comforting as a hot soup! They have good choices and even couple of them for veggies like me...I also love their Mediterranean sandwich and o, the Crispani is to die for...they don't have crispanis in all the panera bread so you might want to call and check before you go...
(5)Ed M.
I usually go to the Panera Bread on Christy St., but on a whim I decided to give this one a chance. As you can imagine, it's not very different, other than the layout of the place. I think I like the Mowry layout a bit better. The space is long and narrow versus the very square setting on Christy St. They have sort of a cafe area in the front and dining area in the back. Good WiFi and plenty of power outlets. It seems like this one gets just as crowded during the lunch rush, so no real advantage there. I'll probably stick with the Christy location simply because it has better freeway access, but the Mowry location is nice too. I had the Chicken Tomesto sandwich ( dishadish.com/dish/66831… ) which is pretty good.
(4)Ryan B.
just wanted to let you know that at panera we do not ship sandwiches to the Cafes. I believe what you are talking about is our Paninis. We make them daily at each cafe. They are made in the morning, and they need to steam for 30 mins, and so that is why you cant change the ingredients. Each time a batch is made they need to steam.
(5)Khloe B.
This looks like a restaurant but it's more like fast food! I never have to wait or salivate for long here. I always order the portabello and mozzarella panini. Very crispy and generous with their filling. Their green tea is more sweet and seemed processed, so unless you're expecting artificial green tea that will give you cavities, don't order it. Their cookies are absolutely to die for! I love their chocolate on chocolate cookie (forgot the name) but it is like crack to my tastebuds!
(4)Jojo G.
Free WiFi. Thats the first thing I love about this place considering its a bakery. Service has always been great. The bread is pretty good. Not the best I've had but its not bad. Sometimes I hang out here to finish some work without distraction of TV, etc. Try the Crispanis. It's like pizza but better. If only they had better coffee....
(4)Valerie F.
Yummy bread especially for a chain. Not as good as Semifreddi's in Berkeley but better than anything else around here.
(4)Victor B.
the bread is delicious. absolutely delicious. if i didnt try anything else, they'd get a 5 star rating. but then i got the bagel. and the fritatta and the green tea frap thing. and i paid like $9 for it all. and i was ridiculously hungry, hungover still, and wholly unsatisfied after it all.
(3)Jane Y.
their salads, sandwiches, soups, have all been wonderfully fresh and delicious. they have a big selection of breads and pastries which i intend to dig into the next time i go! i wish i had one near my work...beats le boulanger any day! **UPDATE: panera has become one our fav places to grab a bite! i love their classic and greek salads and as simple as it sounds, their turkey sammich is sooo good - it's the combo of their fresh ingredients and wonderful bread! not to mention their selection of pastry goodies also has me coming back!
(4)Carolyn P.
I really like panera bread. Their bagels are incredible and their sandwiches and salads are great as well. I have yet to sample their pastries but that's probably for the best. :)
(4)Carmen M.
Nice atmosphere but pricey sandwiches. Sandwiches were ranging for at least $7.00 for a little slab of pesto and small pieces of chicken in it. Expensive pastries but I am a sucker for the apple pastry for $1.99.
(2)Rob M.
This is a chain of bakery-restaurants from the Midwest that are starting to spill over the Sierras into CA. You can get a wide selection of sandwiches here as well as breads of all types, pastries, cookies, etc. This store is clean yet it is brand new so it's hard to say too much about that. I liked it, but part of me dreads there being a Panera Bread popping up on every corner of every city here. There are still great local bakeries who use local products and offer healthy choices. This place is not bad and if you go there and order you likely will enjoy what you eat (and that's important), it's just a philosophical stand.
(3)Lea B.
I finally got to try this place after hearing my boyfriend talk about it (he works nearby), and it was really good. The menu selection has a nice variety, and everything is fairly reasonably priced. I got a half Mediterranean Veggie, which consisted of "Zesty Peppadew(tm) piquant peppers, feta cheese, cucumbers, lettuce, tomatoes, onions and cilantro hummus on our Tomato Basil bread" with a Tomato and Fresh Mozzarella Salad. The sandwich bread and cilantro hummus were especially good. We also got "muffies" (it was so funny to hear my boyfriend order a "muffie," heh heh). Muffies are like muffin tops but look like over puffed cookies. At 99 cents, not bad. The pumpkin muffie was better than the chocolate chip, which was a little stale (we were there in the evening). The only reason for deducting a star was the stale choco-chip muffie and it took a while for us to get the food. I wouldn't normally have cared, but we were in a bit of a hurry, so we had to eat super fast. I wish they would put a Panera in the Tri-Valley.
(4)