Horrible service. Server was slow to take drink order. 20 mins to deliver. Slow to take food order. When food finically arrives, server does not check in to ensure satisfaction. Did not follow up with a simple request for a side of BBQ sauce. Did not even introduce herself to begin with. I don't understand why the crappy service. Poor training? Lack of management. Will never eat at this location, or any chain location again. Servers are not knowledge of food or the drink menu, and provide undesirable service.
(1)
Connie B.
We aren't sure why this location has only 3 and a half stars. We've only encountered nice staff and our food comes out quick and perfect to our order. We love it!
(4)
Jeanine S.
Fresh & decent food...nothing special & a little overpriced, but I still go there often bc of the convenience and quality. I usually get the Thai chicken salad with avocado but sometimes the avo is super skimpy & I get irritated...basically I'd stop there for fresh, good food bc you're lazy or in a hurry ;)
(3)
Matthew S.
I do not believe I have ever been to CPK for a standard pizza. So, this is a review of their new celiac safe Gluten Free pizzas. The pizza was on a very thin but edible crust that did not taste rice floury - like some of gf stuff does. However, the crust does come out of the fridge / freezer so is not that fresh - from what I can tell. Everything else was pretty standard toppings. I felt it was really nice to have the option and CPK has definitely trained their employees on how to avoid cross contamination (new gloves, own baking dish, different prep area), but in the end Udis frozen is pretty much the same thing and about $4 cheaper. There are other GF pizza options in SD that I would recommend for the celiac. around the same price range, but its good to know this is there!
(3)
Graham C.
My first time to a California Pizza Kitchen. I'm a huge fan of pizza and this place impressed me. The flat bread was delicious. I got the wild mushroom pizza (thin crust) with white truffle oil and it was great to try something a little different. The thin crust was perfectly crisp and not too heavy (so I was able to eat the whole thing). Looking forward to going back.
(4)
Fritz H.
Have been coming here for many years - usually when we wanted an uninspired but consistently adequate meal, acceptable service - notwithstanding the creepy older busboy that leers at little boys, and a comfortable unpretentious feeling. But this was our first time in since they redid the concept and design. A freakin' grand disaster! Service was AWFUL! Food was late and orders wrong. The whole remodel looks cheap (IKEA?) and appears to be trying to capture the small local farm to table silliness - chalkboards, lotsa raw wood, Brussels sprouts and over easy eggs on pizza, er now "flatbread". (Is the name changing to California Flatbread Kitchen? Ha ha). But the absolute worst part is they took out the noise reducing improvements the previous team had added. The ambient noise is bounced around that room so badly and so many times it is impossible to carry on a conversation without raising your voice. The waiter had to come stand next to each of us and lean in to hear. Even then things had to be repeated. And the joke is that much of the staff are wearing the headsets - the hostesses, the head chef, the busboys, - like they're working crowd control at a hip hop concert. Effing joke. Doubt we'll be back anytime soon.
(1)
Parris B.
This is the one place the family can agree on whenever we go out. I love the small bites fried mac n cheese, and the chicken tequila fettuccine. For dessert, I'm a sucker for the key lime pie and a stolen bite of the kids' hot fudge sundaes! The restaurant has a great vibe: the kitchen is out in the open for all to see and I like the pizza crust as well. We have a good server most of the time and always use the dough points card to rack up some future dollar savings.
(4)
Christopher K.
Spent a couple days in Solana Beach to relax and enjoy some of the local fare. CPK was a great choice. Today the wife and I ate lunch and dinner at their newly renovated location on highway 101. The pizza and salad lunch special was outstanding. The salad was fresh and the pizza hot and crispy. Both waitresses were friendly and very attentive. I would definitely recommend this location to others.
(5)
Ashley O.
I just finished dinner there, we were served by Lupe who was WONDERFUL! There was an incident with one of our dishes however, the way it was handled was beyond professional! The manager or assistant manager was amazing as well! One of our favorite restaurants. Thanks for a wonderful dinner.
(5)
Valerie P.
If I was writing this review a year ago, it would have been four stars. Today, I feel that giving one start is generous. Read on to hear me out. I've never had such a terrible experience at a restaurant. My boyfriend and I ended up spending our entire Friday night date talking about writing this yelp review to warn others in the community. First complaint: Waitstaff We were greeted by 5 people hanging out at the host stand-excessive and overwhelming when you walk in. Two different hosts put their fingers on our plates before they set them in front of us... If you haven't been recently, they've renovated and changed their menu. The new furniture is a bunch of cheap decor trying to be modern but ended up being inconvenient- our table was uneven and the coasters too thin to slip under the table legs. In fact, the coasters were so thin, they didn't even absorb the condensation from our glasses. Yet again giving off a cheap vibe. Our waitress asked us if we wanted another entree when she came to take our entree plate... I've never heard of that before. Who goes and buys two rounds of entrees? Wouldn't you just order them at the same time? She complained to us that another server took our drink orders before she could get to our table, unprofessional. Later our waitress was audibly arguing with other waitstaff before bringing our check.. unprofessional. Not to mention, while sitting on the patio two children were running around and yelling without their shoes off trying to touch the fire in the heaters. Unique to our experience, but added to our frustration. Second major complaint: Food & Drinks Our drinks were severely watered down and overpriced for sure... who orders a margarita and doesn't even feel it?! A little picky in some points in my review? probably. The whole time my boyfriend kept saying, at least the food tastes good! At least our meal is good. But here's the kicker..... My boyfriend got food poisoning from his sausage, mushroom, and pepperoni pizza. It had to be that because we ate all of the same food all day leading up to the entree! CPK used to be great! We enjoyed going out once and a while.... but that will be our last visit.
(1)
Craig W.
It's CPK. Portions are pretty good, food is pretty good, service is pretty good. The pizzas and salads are all fairly decent and the place is family friendly. This location seems to be quite popular, in fact. It's CPK. Nothing more, nothing less.
(3)
Julianne B.
This is our favorite family restaurant. It's got something everyone loves. My all-time favorite is the Tre Color Salad on top of a crunchy pizza crust (to die for!) and my kids love the Crispy Mac & Cheese balls. Yumm! There's a great staff, especially here at the Solana Beach location. We always enjoy chattin' with our waitress/waiter. Thanks CPK!
(5)
Ryan G.
Ordered the Crush Alfredo and it was some of the best Alfredo sauce I've ever had. The chicken was perfectly cooked also. Portion size wasn't huge, but I was plenty full afterwards. Great food overall and I hope to visit again.
(5)
Ashley S.
Love CPK! This one stands out to me because I went their one year for Veteran's Day to get my free pizza :) and -I won't cry- but their was a homeless Veteran that asked the hostess if he could get a pizza. He didn't have an ID card, but a picture. She let him in and took care of him. It's nice to know that if I end up there, CPK will still treat me like the Veteran I am.
(4)
Ray C.
Lunch for us was very good.. It is a chain restaurant, so I don't know if some expect a more of a 'unique' feel, but as far as chain restaurants go, this place is pretty good. Enjoyed the pear & gorgonzola pizza & the spouse found the moroccan salad to be very good too.
(4)
Amanda R.
First time eating here while on vacation in San Diego. Great appetizers and drinks! The white sangria was one of the best sangria I have tasted! The pizza was also very good. Our friends pizza was only okay they said. Good desserts too.
(4)
Philip A.
Slow slow slow. 130pm for lunch. Place half empty. 2 salads took 40 mins to come out.. Waiter Elizabeth was totally disengaged
(1)
C. L.
I came here tonight for Veteran's Day and the food was fabulous and all of the staff were extremely friendly. The environment was comfortable and the new decor was beautiful at night from the street. Thank you CPK for celebrating Veteran's Day and honoring those who have served and who continue to serve!
(5)
Laura D.
Wow, I was really unpleasantly surprised when I stopped here to get pizzas to go. The take out is user-friendly; there are two spots right in front of the restaurant and you call them and they bring the stuff out. We ordered two roasted garlic chicken pizzas and the new carmelized peach salads. I have ordered these pizzas a million times in Los Angeles and they are always delicious. What happened with the Solana Beach location? This is a chain, and the food is supposed to be made according to specific recipes. The thin crust was good, crispy and not oily. The chicken? Where was it??? There were about 6 TINY chunks of chicken. The cheese? Where was it? There were a couple of little strings on cheese splayed across the face of the pizza. This is a pizza???? I don't think so. So disappointed. High expectations dashed into dust.
(2)
Jarett A.
I love this place. My family and I often go there for dinner or get take out. The servers are efficient, friendly, and food comes out reasonably fast. I usually get a pizza or fish tacos. Both are great! The only dish that I have had that wasn't that nice was the spaghetti and meat sauce. But that didn't stop me from going again. I would recommend this place especially for family's with kids!
(5)
Max L.
Got a carry out sausage pizza and it was very bad. No cheese & no sausage and a tough cardboard crust. Have eaten in house before and food was good, but this carry out was terrible.
(2)
Madelyn S.
I love love love LOVE cpk!!! Everything on their menu is delicious, and the service is always fantastic. We recently signed up for their Pizza Dough reward system they have, and it's awesome. Decently priced for a delicious meal. The quality and quantity are perfect. I'm naturally a very hungry person who eats a ton of food, and I'm always stuffed after leaving here. Love it!
(5)
DesertRose P.
I've never been in a bad one. They always please my tastes. The waitress was very attentative as I ate outside. Their salads are always great. I ate there at least 3 times during the week I was there. I also did curbside, which was very quick. However, the appetizer pizza was stone cold and actually looked like it had been out for a long time. :(
(4)
Rebecca C.
This was one of the first places I ate in California ever. and it was good. Not great but good. Perhaps it was the long flight, lack of sleep, general exhaustion, but I felt the service was slow. Like fall asleep slow. I've eaten here subsequently and still a little slow.
(3)
Dan H.
Oh man where do I start.... when we walked in the hostess was very friendly and helped our rather large group find a table pretty quickly. We had been on our weekend Harley ride all day and stopped in a quick bite for dinner. Once seated at our table we waited about 20 mins for the waiter to come over and greet us. Once he did he was really blunt and stuck up. He was a Mexican guy and a few of us in the group Spanish is our first language meaning we are more comfortable speaking that language. One of our party started ordering in Spanish and he stopped her in the middle of her drink order and told her in his broken English " I espeaka english, OK!" little rude fuck!! She looked at us like I cant believe he just said that. She then continued in English for this guy. We all ordered drinks and the guy disappeared for another 20 mins. Finally the manager came over to check on us, then our drinks appeared. We made sure to order while we had the guy there. He was supper annoyed by us and his attitude sure as hell showed it. The manager came over and was checking on us while this guy was MIA our food finally showed up. I ordered the Hawaiian pizza and it was very dry even at the point of starving the food was just "OK". We ate our food and the only time this guy was on it was when he brought the check. I paid $40 for a salad and a 10" pizza that taste like bread with melted cheese with dried out ham and dehydrated pineapple on it. I think this guy needs a job somewhere behind the scenes and not dealing with customers I am not saying fire him but put him somewhere else. I will not be going back to this place, I have received better service at a dine in pizza hut where they don't expect tips. Thank you to the Manger who helped us and the Hostess who was very helpful as well
(1)
Fred G.
My wife and I were seated really quickly, which was good. Our waitress came off as really unfriendly and irritated. We ordered drinks but apparently they were out of lime juice for my wife's margarita. She then ordered a club soda with grey goose. I'm pretty sure they didn't put any vodka in it. When my wife wanted to Make sure that they had put it in the waitress seemed really annoyed we were asking. When we got our main courses my pizza was good, but her pasta looked really bad and according to her tasted just as mediocre. A 15 dollar meal that looks like it cost 3 dollars to make. There is a pretty good chance we will never be going back.
(1)
Jeff J.
Notable stars sprinkled throughout this menu. After moving to the east coast, there's not much that stands out about the pizza from this place. Then again, there's a couple things I'll admit I miss a little bit. The BBQ chicken pizza was always a big hit with me. It's sweet, tangy and a real good pizza. Growing up, this was always the place my mom wanted to go for her birthday. At night, it gets crowded, so try to make a reservation. She raved about their salads. Since I haven't tried one, I can't give any other insight into it. What stood out to me was their chicken caesar sandwiches served on herb cheese focaccia bread. Note to self: I got to find out how to make this bread. Anyways, it's served with a cup of soup on the side; they used to offer this awesome one, the adobe chicken chowder -- a tad of spice, not too much chicken and some crispy tortilla chip strips laid on top added a nice crunch to it. My school was close to this place, so for lunches, we often ordered it to go. It became the usual go to place for a quick pick up and affordable, yet delicious, lunch. This brings me to my next point. My favorite part about CPK: roadside service. Simply pull up to the tent marked as such, and that's it. Let the waiter/waitress come to you. It's easy, convenient and best of all, fast. No waiting for a table. Only friendly, curbside pick up. If only everything was this easy. Just remember, try to leave a small tip. These waiters/waitresses/curbside hosts/hostesses need some lovin' too. I'm proud to say to my east coast friends that I'll be back when I'm in the area. Probably just to pick up a chicken caesar sandwich on that focaccia bread.
(3)
Alain G.
I kind of wish I could enjoy California Pizza Kitchen (CPK) more than I really do. Because there are just so many good things about this restaurant! However, every time I go I just end up thinking "meh." Let's start with the pros. The food isn't bad. The menu is a nice mix between standard pepperoni pizza choices and slightly more adventurous Gorgonzola/pine nut/pear pizza options. I like adventurous pizza so this aspect to the restaurant appeals to me. CPK is also a chain located in several areas around San Diego including Solana Beach, La Jolla and downtown San Diego area (off Friars Road). These locations make it a reliable, convenient choice. I've never had to wait longer than 20 minutes at any location. So if you're starving, it's the kind of place you know you could get into on a Friday/Saturday night in areas of San Diego that normally tend to be more crowded. The cons? While the food isn't bad, it's not great either. Nothing I've had at CPK has been especially memorable. I don't mind eating the food but there's really nothing "signature" about a CPK pizza. I would just as soon get a pizza from any other place. However, I will admit that CPK is a great place to take kids. It's definitely a step up from Pizza Hut but still has the kind of things that kids like to eat. So as a family outing it's a good option. As a going out on the town with your date option? Meh.
(2)
Andy C.
This place is awesome. My friend and I went on a hike down at Torrey Pines, and I wanted to find something filling, delicious, and cheap to help celebrate her birthday. I remember that this place was here and this is where we ate. We were placed at a booth looking towards the kitchen and it was cool to be around the fun atmosphere around here. The server was very attentive and would quickly refill our sodas when they were down low or on empty. The food that we got was delicious. I tried a new pizza. I got a Pear and Gorgonzola Pizza. This pizza was delicious and the only were thing that happened with my pizza was that it was a different size. Like, I never remember the kitchen adding a little salad on top of a pizza, or on the side, and when I got my pizza, there was a little salad on there. well, when I removed the salad, I noticed that the pizza was kind of two different sizes. I don't know what that was all about, but I looked past that and ate the food. My friend got the always delicious and safe BBQ Chicken Salad. Awesome place, because we got free dessert. well, it was my friends birthday, but I mean, still, the people will even never know, so remember, free dessert!!! hahahaha, just kidding....or am i....
(4)
Banu K.
Of course I love this place. Where else can you get a decent menu, good service, and the kids just adore it (I know, it's all about the kids.) It's a favorite of ours. My new small portion meal for dinner (i'm trying to eat smaller portions for dinner) is the Korean BBQ Steak Tacos. If it's lunchtime, i'll either go with the Miso Salad (super delish, with dressing on side otherwise it drowns, and ask for chili garlic hot sauce on side), or i'll get the Steak Tacos (super fresh, meat grilled excellent on several occasions I've gotten it.) The hubby usually gets a pizza or another, but the kids demand the mac and cheese with edamame on the side. Love the place, a comfort zone for us. Only reason it got 4 stars is that it doesn't take me to another dimension, sorry CPK, but definitely a family favorite, we go or take out at least 2xmonth!
(4)
Tony D.
The service and food are what you would expect from the typical CPK experience. My friend and I shared the Baja Fish and Carnitas tacos. The fish tacos were much better. I had the Carnitas tacos at a CPK near LA recently and they were much better then for some reason. Not sure if they are testing different recipes at different locations. There is not a lot of parking here. Most of the spots seemed to be either compact or 30 min parking.
(3)
Melissa I.
This is just your average CPK. Nothing special, but consistent. It wa spretty busy but only had to wait 15 minutes on a Saturday night.
(3)
Evan B.
I would like to let you all know about the kitchen part, as they really do have more than just pizza. they are so proud of the kitchen it is open for all so see in the location , this is true about all locations of this concept, not just this one have the open kitchen, We started our meal with the Mediterranean egg rolls, roasted peppers mushrooms and caramelized onions inside of a tortilla that is toasted and served with marinara sauce. I really think the thick bland tortillas overpower this dish and take away from its Mediterranean lightness. For my main course I had the Thai linguine, pasta with a zesty peanut thai sauce, bean sports and carrots, it is a nice flavor change from the usual fair. I added a good amount of red pepper to up the spice, however the poor service meant i finished 1/2 of my dish before the red pepper arrived. At my table people ordered the mushroom ravioli in the garlic cream sauce which was good, as was the kung pao spaghetti. What I do wonder is why must it be so noisy? They pump up the music, so everyone talks louder, the open kitchen noise and the unfinished ceilings make it hard to even order on a busy night. If you want a place that can make many people happy with decent food try this place, you may have a long wait and poor service.
(3)
Caroline P.
I'm sad to update this gluten free review. After another yelper alerted me to some shifty practices at CPK. The pizzas are going to be cross contaminated, and the company doesn't care because it is not specifically for people with celiac, but rather just for people who are trying to avoid gluten. Ridiculous. Although I had an overall good experience, I would not deem this place as safe for celiacs given their attitude towards safe food prep.
(1)
Michele B.
No Happy Hour. No French Fries! Okay, I admit... I am not prone to writing reviews. But this place nerved me so here goes. I stopped by after work thinking I'd have a nice Hop Head Red that they once had on tap over the summer. No such luck. Okay, I'm flexible. But also no Happy Hour Specials? At all? Okay, fine....with all the little kids in the place - I can see it. I had the caramelized peach salad with chicken which was pretty okay. The chicken was nicely grilled, hot, moist, tender - the salad was served with a nice white balsamic vinaigrette. Only one piece of undesirable greens - I can live with it. The side of bread was really unmentionable - cold and tasteless. But free, so... I asked for a side of French Fries and was told they don't have French Fries. Really? With all the little kids in this place? And no happy hour ... Sorry but next time I'll go to Pizza Nova.
(1)
Bridget W.
Terrible. Total junk! Too many local spots that are waaaaaay better
(1)
David C.
This was a default choice for my roommate and I as Claire's on Cedros was packed. I tried the BBQ chicken pizza to compare it to the grocery store version that I have had tons of times. Of course it is better, but I still wasn't extremely excited about it. I like the crust, but the BBQ sauce wasn't outstanding at all. My roommate had the bolognese spaghetti, which was slightly better than the pizza! CPK is a good chain, but there are tons of better choices!
(3)
Al A.
I can't tell you how many times I've passed this particular CPK while cruising the scenic 101 Fwy. I've always settled for some dive off the road or to stand in line with the locals at some cheap Mexican food joint. That was back in the day when I was single, still in school and making a modest hourly wage. Today, life is much different. I'm cruising down the 101 in an SUV with wife and kids in tow. I now have to consider what they want to eat instead of just myself. Also, CPK's familiarity with us suburbanites drew us to it. Since this location is near the beach, wearing t-shirts, shorts and flip flops made us look like locals. Historically, CPK has always delivered on quality, service and taste. This one is no different.
A large group of us went to the California Pizza Kitchen on a weekday to celebrate the birthdays for two 8 year olds. I was pleasantly surprised when the host came out to welcome us as we gathered by the outside benches. The food was delicious, and our server Durwood was professional and went the extra mile to make sure we had everything we needed. I would definitely go back, and I recommend it to others.
(4)
Ron L.
It is predictably good. They have better than average pasta, good pizza selections, salads, and decent soup choices. It is my go to place when I don't know where to go or what I want. I still order the half steakhouse chopped salad. They said they took it off the menu because people were not happy it did not have steak in it. Go figure. They made if for me and I thoroughly enjoyed it and a bowl of soup. Today I tried their new offering Tuscan Navy Bean. Not their best effort. I prefer sitting at the counter as you can see all that's going on, you can always get a seat, and the service seems to be a little more sequential One complaint is that the one in Solana Beach has limited parking but don't let that scare you off. There is always a space in the back. It does however require a little extra effort to park
(4)
Trevor H.
Good place for good food and a sit down meal.
(4)
Jessica H.
It is what it is - if you've ever been to a CPK, you know what you'll get here. Try the Carnitas pizza. :)
(3)
Beth V.
This is my favorite California Pizza Kitchen because it's never too crowded, the food always tastes great, the bathrooms are clean, the restaurant is tidy, and the waiters are great! The BBQ chicken pizza is also my fav pizza on the menu.
(5)
Alkarim S.
I eat at CPK when I want to eat at a chain. Saying that, it does not have the best food, rather it has good food. What is important to me about a chain, then comes down to the quality of the food (its cooking methods and preparation) and the service. Both were good at Encinitas. I must admit that when we went on a Post Halloween Sunday, it was almost empty. I expect the service to be good and not smothering. The pasta we had was cooked al dente. A big plus in my book. Will you find the same quality during a peak hour may be questionable. Here is my problem, too many carbs, not enough goodies. With the Cheese Garlic bread, there was only a small amount of Bruscetta. With the pasta, they skimped on the sun dried tomatoes and broccoli. That is my problem with CPK. I know I could ask for extra veggies, but I should not need to. Its all about balance, and it was lopsided on the pasta and bread side.
(4)
Amy S.
This was the first time I'd made it to CPK since moving here 2 years ago. Shame on me? We ordered the "small cravings" menu item of chips and guac and it did not disappoint nor fill us up like most apps do before your meal. This smaller portioned menu is a good idea for the calorie conscious. Then we ordered the pepperoni-mushroom-sausage pizza on honey wheat crust. This pizza had plenty to share with 3 pieces each and they weren't whopping huge. I washed it all down with a cherry limeade (free refills people and worth every gulp, so I got 2). I want to revisit this establishment to try some of their non-pizza items because it's quite a big menu.
(4)
Eartha H.
I've eaten at this particular CPK on several occasions. Service has always been great and the food has never disappointed me. I've tried many of the pizza's on the menu and my favorites are the chipotle with chicken, goat cheese, and BLT. The pizza dough is always just right and it gets to your table pretty fast after you place your order. I love the crust because it's not too thin or too thick. I have yet to try any of their other menu items like pasta or salads. The pizza's are always so good and they have so many varieties you just wouldn't find in another pizza place. The desserts are decent too. Our favorite is the apple crisp with ice cream. It's enough for two although I always want to finish it all by myself. My only complaint is that they need to do something about their water and the glasses. I know that sounds funny but I'm not kidding, I have had to get another drink many times because the water tasted like they got it from the dish water and added ice. If you don't like crowds, Saturday afternoons are a good time to go before the dinner rush.
(4)
Frank H.
I go there so much that I'm bored with the menu. I can't wait for new menu items.
(3)
BGrace G.
I'm not much on chains, but these guys do a pretty good job, if you want to have a casual bite, not a bad choice. I usually order their adobe chicken chowder, very tasty. The neapolitan style Margherita pizza was very good. I did have a bad experience with a cocktail. Ordered a raspberry lemon drop and it tasted a bit odd. Had my friend taste it to make sure it wasn't my imagination, she said '' it tastes like that lemon juice you buy in the bottles'', you know the kind of metallic aftertaste. Fortunately my friend pointed out on the menu they have a policy, go ahead and experiment, if you don't like it, we'll replace it (paraphrasing). So we did, and they were very nice about it. I ordered a Kendall Jackson Chardonnay (can't go too wrong with that), which was fine. So with that, I would use caution with the cocktails is all. The service has always been very nice when I've gone too, which is several times (probably five in the last two years).
(3)
Kawika D.
Service was bad. Waited 30 min to get some food (after we order). Pizza was cold. Drinks were not kept filled. Asked for wine never brought it to the table. Other people who came in after us and ordered after us got they food and left before we even got our food.
(1)
Sumi A.
Decent food and service so I have no complaints. You'd think I'd give it more stars based on the number of times I eat here, but I just don't get excited about CPK and usually eat there for convenience or lack of creativity when deciding where to eat. It really attracts families and sometimes it feels like Romper Room, so hubby and I prefer to go during off-peak times when it's a little quieter.
(3)
Michelle T.
CPK is a pretty decent standby that everyone seems to like. Generally speaking I would rather go head over to Station Sushi for about the same price and have a more delicious meal though... Anyway, my mom loves the Chinese chicken salad. It is one of the best things on the menu I think. Don't really like all the weird pizza toppings. I usually get the tequila lime pasta which has really yummy caramelized onions and peppers in it. If you're in the area and want a fun, casual dinner you can always try Pacific Coast Grill instead.
(3)
Carolyn S.
For what it is...an upscale pizza parlor and upscale diner...this place deserves 4 stars. This CPK is one of a sizable chain...and for a chain restaurant..it has a formula that basically works: good food, fresh ingredients, decent enough prices and a full service bar. One thing I always appreciate about any CPK...is that they offer whole wheat dough as a substitution for any pizza's regular white dough crust. Now here's a little known fact, they will also cheerfully substitute this whole wheat dough for the white dough in their hummus and bruschetta appetizers. This makes them delicious and even more nutritious! The quality of service is really the only point of contention I hold with CPK...and this location is no exception. You see...CPK was the brain child of a trio of attorneys...their formula is a strict one...but, in my experience, is strict on the wrong level. Every CPK server is grilled extensively on the ingredient listing of the CPK menu. But folks...waiting tables effectively..with intelligence, warmth and common sense...is a far different test than the by rote memorization of a menu. Thus, service at any CPK is often hit and miss. More often...it is a hit (or is at least semi-competent)...but when your waiter is unable to help you select a wine..and doesn't seem to be able to competently open the bottle...the wrong training is being stressed and enforced.
(4)
Ben H.
OK, there is nothing I like more than free bread so I may be biased. However, I'm usually a huge fan of New York style thin pizzas and I wasn't expecting to like anything pizza with California in the title. I'm no hippy and I don't eat vegetables, so why would I? The Jamaican Jerk Pizza, though, blew my freaking mind. Even though I get a stomach-ache EVERY SINGLE time I eat it, I can't stop. I'd eat that pizza every day for breakfast lunch and dinner. As for this location in particular, it's a chain restaurant. What do you expect? Just try the Jerk and you won't regret it.
(5)
G J J.
High marks for most CPKs. Taco Pizza, Margharita. 'Nuff said, really. Tiramisu is decent, and so are the salads.
(5)
Julie U.
It's not just this particular location, but really all locations. CPK is, hands-down, my very favorite chain restaurant for a casual, quick, affordable, healthy meal. One of the best things about it, actually, is that the experience is consistent regardless of the location. Here are some of my favorite things about CPK: 1. The food is wonderful. Healthy, fresh, quality ingredients combined into some of the tastiest pizzas, salads, soups, pastas and desserts. I've never had anything here that I wouldn't order again. 2. Superb service. The host and wait staffs are always friendly, efficient, knowledgable and accommodating. 3. Great wine list. Okay, so it's no Napa, but for a chain restaurant the selection is quite nice. I also love their wine glasses. 4. Good to-go. They've got it dialed in for pick-ups (both small and large orders) with a convenient curbside service so that you don't even have to leave your car. CPK does it right.
(5)
Steph L.
I don't have much to add to Julie's review. The only 2 things I ever eat there are: Tostada Pizza. Sounds gross, but it's oh so good: Black beans, sharp cheddar and monterey jack cheese, topped with lettuce, fresh tomatoes, green onions and crispy tortilla strips with garden-herb ranch dressing. Tomato Basil Spaghettini. Thin spaghetti with imported Italian tomatoes, garlic and fresh basil. I've eaten at CPKs all over the country, and the consistent good taste of their food never ceases to amaze me.
(4)
Chad V.
Don't eat here unless you enjoy having PUBIC HAIR in your pizza. Because that's what happened to me. It was not just a normal hair, but clearly a pubic hair. The way the situation was handled by "the Management" was also unheard of. They tried to bill me for the two salads that we had before we got our Pubic Hair special surprise, instead of comping the bill which is what you do...UNBELIEVABLY shitty experience and horrible customer service skills. Never again.
(1)
Tom R.
For a chain, CPK does a very good job. Lots of interesting stuff, well prepared, on the menu. Some favorites have disappeared in recent months. Some of the replacements were very interesting, some were not. The service is good but not great. The only major complaint I have is the noise at this particular location of CPK. The place seems to have been deliberately constructed to maximize the noise level. I know that some restauranteurs believe that customers find a place with a high noise level to be "exciting". If you, like me, prefer to be able to carry on a conversation without raising your voice, don't go to this location when the restaurant is more than half full.
(3)
paige m.
cpk is awesome, obviously. the selections are diverse... where else will you see pear gorgonzola pizza, tostada pizza, bbq pizza, mango tandori pizza and greek pizza on the same menu? and they pull them all off.salads are good, pizzas are good, appetizers are good, pastas are boring. what kind of sucked is, while eating with the fam, my mom asked for a booth instead of the chairs they put us at, and the hostess said they couldn't give that server any more tables..and guess what? another group of 4 got the booth literally 1 min after us. one other complaint is that we got the hummus appetizer and ran out of pita. we asked for extra pita and it came after they removed the hummus from the table. so we had pita that we paid for, but no hummus.. so that's my justification for docking a star from a place that has always been totally consistent, reliable and yummy. i recommend it wholeheartedly if you're looking for some fun pizza and salads. also they do curbside to go.
(4)
Craig Y.
Let me first say that I've always been a big fan of CPK. It's of course a little pricey for what it is but the food is very consistent and of good quality. Ever since my daughter was little, it has been her favorite restaurant--from Manhattan Beach to Fort Lauderdale to Beverly Hills. But I have to say that this restaurant is not one of the better ones in the chain. It's one of the smaller layouts and consequently the atmosphere is not very good. If you get a booth near the windows it's fine but if you have the sit on the kitchen side of the partition, it feels crowded. The service is hit or miss--they have some very good waiters but also some distracted ones. (They do have one GREAT busboy though--an older gentleman that seems to have been there forever). The parking is almost always difficult (I can't believe the parking lot passed the city code with so few spaces for the number of businesses). We live in Del Mar but are ready to start driving to the La Jolla restaurant for our CPK fix.
(2)
Phil W.
It the best, always constant, and Brian is the Best!!! And a good price
(4)
Aluna Y.
CPK as it is - nothing special. The same quality and the same food you would find in any other CPK location. The waiter was weird - a replica of Clark Gable, was extremely helpful and fun, even though was not that familliar with their own menu.
(3)
pete b.
CPK has very ordinary food that's a step up from Denny's. Pizza and salads are ordinary and the bread is awful. It's typical of chain restaurants that take little pride in using fresh vegetables or local ingredients. If you want pizza and salads Pizza Nova, a mile or two away is far superior. And it's locally owned.
(1)
Vickie B.
Came here Saturday afternoon. I believe Tara L was our server (that's what our receipt said). She was very attentive and gave great descriptions of the 2 chicken choices we were deciding on. We ended up getting the Chicken Piccata. 2 pieces of tender chicken breast and side spaghettini. So flavorful!! Delicious!! My son had a bowl of the potato soup, he described it as a Thanksgiving dinner!! Haha My other son ordered a Cobb Salad with Chicken!! What a BIG portion!! Fresh ingredients and perfect amount of bacon, egg, avocado, blue cheese.... We had a great experience here even though my hubby hee hawed about coming in. I'm glad we came in!! Oh and did I mention my hubby loves your lemon drop martinis?!?!
(5)
Karyl M.
I love this menu and atmosphere and decor, however last week I had a Greek salad topped with chicken and puked my guts out an hour later. My lunchmate also had salad w/o chicken and she was ok. I will definitely eat there again and assume the incident was an anomoly. Crossing my fingers.
(2)
Drew L.
Prelims: the interior looks like every other CPK in the world, with a bar, some booth seating, some regular seating, and a full view of the pizza making process. I went at lunch time on a Saturday so I didn't get the lunch deal of half pizza and salad. The lighting is pretty good, it's spacious, and it's located in a plaza with plenty of parking. But I came on a Saturday so take it with a grain of salt, although it is Solana Beach so maybe parking is never an issue. I set aside a specific paragraph for the service. Normally I couldn't give a rat's behind about service because I come to restaurant to eat food, not to be served. As a former worker in the service industry, I know and understand that service is oftentimes very dependent on other customers, the kitchen, and a lot of other things outside of a server's control and they shouldn't be penalized on the tip just because they are the face of the disaster that's slowly detonating behind them. But in this case, I am fuming over the way that I was treated at this location. I came as a single. Yes, the fiancee was sleeping after work - I'm a sad, sad little man. I came after playing ball for 2 hours and then having a light workout at the Fit Athletic Club next door (SHOUT OUT TO TRISH FOR THE YELP FIT EVENT! YOU'RE AWESOME!!!) so I was understandably starving for some sort of protein. Hell, for any sort of food. But as a single, I don't really represent a lot in terms of tip. So if I'm a little lower on the priority list, fine. Whatever. I was seated at a booth and it takes 15 minutes for the server to come and tell me that she would be "right with me". 10 minutes later, water. "Right with me"...right.... So after 25 minutes, I finally get to order. I order the Works pizza. 8 minutes later, she comes and offers me bread. I refuse out of principle that this is taking forever and the fact that I need to watch my figure. It takes another 18 minutes for the food to get to me. So a starving single man needs to wait 40 minutes to get his food - while the mom and daughter sitting behind me gets seated 10 minutes after me, gets orders in within 5 minutes, and gets their food, all before I even order. They finished eating when I GOT my food and left while I was eating. Are you kidding me? While the server makes apologies, in this case, all apologies are excuses. The food was standard. The works pizza is with sausage, bell pepper, red onion, and oregano. It was ok. But the food was totally spoiled because I was sitting there playing with my phone for a solid 40 minutes. I left after one hour; 15 minutes to eat. One hour for a single person to sit, order and eat. Objectively, the food was standard; it tasted like a pizza and I only ate half because I was past the point of hungry and I saved the rest. If you are desperate for pizza in this area, I would recommend putting your craving off and eating at Rubio's next door. Better food, better service. I regret putting down $18 (yes, I still tipped. You should too) for a substandard lunch. If I'm not worth your time, serve me faster so that other customers get my table. Whatever. Lesson is seriously learned. TL;DR Don't come alone or they treat you like you are not worth their time.
(2)
Diana A.
This is my kids favorite place to eat. They just love the Mac and cheese and I can see why it's really tasty! Service here is always pleasant. The host tonight was fantastic...such a gentleman! Paige our server was excellent as well. We ordered the spinach dip app always comes out quick and hot. I tried the new tricolor salad pizza it was delicious. For dessert we all shared the butter cake! It was a huge piece with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream on top! Even the four of us couldn't finish it all. All in all good food, good service and very affordable! A family of four can walk out full for around $60. Great deal in my book. I'm sure I'll be here again next week ;)
(5)
Abby W.
I recently revisted CPK and learned that they had revamped their menu. There are now a lot of non-pizza options, which is great because I've never been super impressed by their pizza. I decided to try the Pesto Cream Penne with Chicken and actually found the dish to be very good. The sauce was amazing and there was plenty of sundried tomatoes to add extra flavor. The portion size proved to be plenty for two meals for me. Unfortunately, my man didn't care for his Tostada Thin Crust pizza at all. Although it's topped with black beans and cheese, the lettuce seemed to overwhelm the pizza. The tiny bit of ranch drizzle and the side of salsa didn't add enough moisture to overcome the lack of a sauce. He thought that each slice made a better taco than a pizza. We also had some trouble communicating with our waitress. We signed up for the Pizza Dough while we were at the table and tried to get her to add the points to our card but we don't think that it happened. She tried to tell us that she already added it but we hadn't given her the number yet. We eventually just gave up. On the plus side though, you get a free small plate for signing up and we were able to redeem that. We chose the White Corn Guacamole and Chips and thought that it was pretty good. We did deconstruct the guacamole though to mash it up as it was rather chunky but it tasted good.
My husband and I travel quite a bit and we always end up at a CPK! This one has to be one of the friendliest CPK's we've been in. Our waitress was a little late getting to us but the manager Evan took care of us until Rachel came along. Without a doubt, hands down, Evan & Rachel treated us well and I would ask for Rachel if we were to ever go back! Chicken Piccata is my husbands favorite and mine would be the Pear Gorgonzola pizza. You can't go wrong with either. We were treated to dessert ( which we never order) for the little delay we had in service. Evan recommended the Butter cake (yummy) and my husband had the ice cream sundae (kids favorite). Thanks to Evan, Rachel and the rest of the staff at CPK. We really enjoyed our evening with your kind team!
Always great - we eat here every year, order a variety of food (we have 3 boys of quite different ages and tastes) and are never disappointed. Tasty food, good service.
(5)
A R.
Had a strange experience. I went with my in laws and we had three small kids with us. We took a bit longer getting settled at our table, the guy who brought us to the table gave a co worker a roll of the eyes because we weren't fast enough. They bring the adults drinks, but took a while to bring the kids drinks. The waitress was overall rude. I get she probably has no kids, but as a waitress she should understand not to put hot food and drinks in the reach of a young toddler, she did it over and over. Salad was wrong etc. the manager was kind and took the salad off our check and free dessert. He definitely tried to fix things which was great. But it just stinks to get bad looks and attitude from the start. We didn't feel we were welcome.
(3)
Ariana T.
The food is good, but not great. I bring my son here some times for a treat. It's family friendly and good service. The good is just not amazing for a foodie. The desserts are yummy too! The caramel pudding cake thing=yummy!
(3)
Judy M.
Everything was very good staff was amazing always asking if everything was good love it will be coming back
(5)
Barbara H.
BBQ chicken salad has always been my favorite at other locations but this location didnt have as much jicama in it which ruins the salad in my opinion. They also removed my husbands favorite habenero pizza. Husband doesnt want to go back and I have to agree I can make the salad myself and no pizza so no more CPK :-(
(2)
An L.
Came here for lunch cause we wanted to try sumthin' different and I had heard their salads were good. The menu had changed a little since the las time I was here. I have always enjoyed this place. I was happy to see they had a Waldorf salad. One of my favorites. Lemme tell ya, I have a hearty appetite and I was definitely hungry that day but in an effort to start eating better I got a salad and a half order of it at that! Gotta say, it did me right. I was pretty satisfied and didn't get hungry again till dinner rolled around. My friend got the chopped salad and another got his regular margarita pizza. We were all pleased with lunch. Our waitress was super friendly and the host was nice too. All and all, we'll be back again for lunch. It's a nice walk through Cedros from our office!
(4)
Betsy N.
A thumbs up for CPK. I had a take out order for a half salad. Later at home discovered the chicken was left out. I called the next day and spoke to the manager, Chris. He was most apologetic and thanked me for calling. Best of all he gave me a complementary full size salad.
(5)
Scotty B.
What do you expect for a bunch of kids working for low wages and taxed tips? Ordered a pizza and quinoa salad to go. Quinoa salad was outrageously under-portioned. I called to bring this to a mangers attention and thats when it all went downhill fast. If "Francisco" had a little more experience and acumen, the situation would be remedied. Instead, there was condescending tone and resistance to my concerns. Its time to give Sammy's some business.
(1)
Brian W.
Love this place their porterhouse with blue cheese butter is to die for. Plenty of variety if your not in a pizza mood. Love it
(4)
Mrs. C.
I always enjoy going to this restaurant. I can't get past getting my favorite Bar-B-Q chicken chopped salad and never want to order anything else. We had this last night and it was great as always but what prompted me to write this review was our server named Jesse. He was really a great waiter and was really on top of everything. He was fast, helpful, notified us of how soon our meal would be ready, cleared our dishes fast, he was smooth and made us feel like we were the only people in the restaurant. I'd go back just to be served by him. So, way to go Jesse and California Pizza Kitchen. Go there, order Chicken Chop Salad and hopefully you will be served by the best waiter around, Jesse!
(5)
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Address :437 S Highway 101
Solana Beach, CA, 92075
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 : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
Pizza is a famous Italian dish savored around the world. The entire credit for the popularity of Pizza in the United States goes to the chain of pizzerias all over the country. While the base and the texture of Pizza remains same across the globe, it's the toppings that differs from country to country. In the United States, you will find the top pizzerias serving pizzas with the toppings of mainly beef, bacon, chicken, ham, and sausage for the non-vegetarians. Other than these famous meat options, Pizzas with veg toppings such as mushrooms, pepperonis, garlic, tomatoes, spinach, etc. are also famous in most restaurants in the United States.
Irrespective of your locality, you will find a variety of different restaurants in your cities offering pizzas of all different types. Pizza is hot favorite among people of all ages in the United States. A large size pizza is enough to feed a family of 3 or 4 at large. Pizza is also the most preferred food whenever a group of friends is hanging out together. Pizza gained popularity in the United States after the American soldiers stationed in Italy returned from World War II.
Over the years, different pizzerias in the United States have developed their own respective regional variations. Pizza gained popularity as the iconic dish in the United States in the second half of the 20th century. Whether you prefer thin or thick crust pizza, you can find a pizza of your preference at the best pizza restaurants in your city.
Natalie D.
Horrible service. Server was slow to take drink order. 20 mins to deliver. Slow to take food order. When food finically arrives, server does not check in to ensure satisfaction. Did not follow up with a simple request for a side of BBQ sauce. Did not even introduce herself to begin with. I don't understand why the crappy service. Poor training? Lack of management. Will never eat at this location, or any chain location again. Servers are not knowledge of food or the drink menu, and provide undesirable service.
(1)Connie B.
We aren't sure why this location has only 3 and a half stars. We've only encountered nice staff and our food comes out quick and perfect to our order. We love it!
(4)Jeanine S.
Fresh & decent food...nothing special & a little overpriced, but I still go there often bc of the convenience and quality. I usually get the Thai chicken salad with avocado but sometimes the avo is super skimpy & I get irritated...basically I'd stop there for fresh, good food bc you're lazy or in a hurry ;)
(3)Matthew S.
I do not believe I have ever been to CPK for a standard pizza. So, this is a review of their new celiac safe Gluten Free pizzas. The pizza was on a very thin but edible crust that did not taste rice floury - like some of gf stuff does. However, the crust does come out of the fridge / freezer so is not that fresh - from what I can tell. Everything else was pretty standard toppings. I felt it was really nice to have the option and CPK has definitely trained their employees on how to avoid cross contamination (new gloves, own baking dish, different prep area), but in the end Udis frozen is pretty much the same thing and about $4 cheaper. There are other GF pizza options in SD that I would recommend for the celiac. around the same price range, but its good to know this is there!
(3)Graham C.
My first time to a California Pizza Kitchen. I'm a huge fan of pizza and this place impressed me. The flat bread was delicious. I got the wild mushroom pizza (thin crust) with white truffle oil and it was great to try something a little different. The thin crust was perfectly crisp and not too heavy (so I was able to eat the whole thing). Looking forward to going back.
(4)Fritz H.
Have been coming here for many years - usually when we wanted an uninspired but consistently adequate meal, acceptable service - notwithstanding the creepy older busboy that leers at little boys, and a comfortable unpretentious feeling. But this was our first time in since they redid the concept and design. A freakin' grand disaster! Service was AWFUL! Food was late and orders wrong. The whole remodel looks cheap (IKEA?) and appears to be trying to capture the small local farm to table silliness - chalkboards, lotsa raw wood, Brussels sprouts and over easy eggs on pizza, er now "flatbread". (Is the name changing to California Flatbread Kitchen? Ha ha). But the absolute worst part is they took out the noise reducing improvements the previous team had added. The ambient noise is bounced around that room so badly and so many times it is impossible to carry on a conversation without raising your voice. The waiter had to come stand next to each of us and lean in to hear. Even then things had to be repeated. And the joke is that much of the staff are wearing the headsets - the hostesses, the head chef, the busboys, - like they're working crowd control at a hip hop concert. Effing joke. Doubt we'll be back anytime soon.
(1)Parris B.
This is the one place the family can agree on whenever we go out. I love the small bites fried mac n cheese, and the chicken tequila fettuccine. For dessert, I'm a sucker for the key lime pie and a stolen bite of the kids' hot fudge sundaes! The restaurant has a great vibe: the kitchen is out in the open for all to see and I like the pizza crust as well. We have a good server most of the time and always use the dough points card to rack up some future dollar savings.
(4)Christopher K.
Spent a couple days in Solana Beach to relax and enjoy some of the local fare. CPK was a great choice. Today the wife and I ate lunch and dinner at their newly renovated location on highway 101. The pizza and salad lunch special was outstanding. The salad was fresh and the pizza hot and crispy. Both waitresses were friendly and very attentive. I would definitely recommend this location to others.
(5)Ashley O.
I just finished dinner there, we were served by Lupe who was WONDERFUL! There was an incident with one of our dishes however, the way it was handled was beyond professional! The manager or assistant manager was amazing as well! One of our favorite restaurants. Thanks for a wonderful dinner.
(5)Valerie P.
If I was writing this review a year ago, it would have been four stars. Today, I feel that giving one start is generous. Read on to hear me out. I've never had such a terrible experience at a restaurant. My boyfriend and I ended up spending our entire Friday night date talking about writing this yelp review to warn others in the community. First complaint: Waitstaff We were greeted by 5 people hanging out at the host stand-excessive and overwhelming when you walk in. Two different hosts put their fingers on our plates before they set them in front of us... If you haven't been recently, they've renovated and changed their menu. The new furniture is a bunch of cheap decor trying to be modern but ended up being inconvenient- our table was uneven and the coasters too thin to slip under the table legs. In fact, the coasters were so thin, they didn't even absorb the condensation from our glasses. Yet again giving off a cheap vibe. Our waitress asked us if we wanted another entree when she came to take our entree plate... I've never heard of that before. Who goes and buys two rounds of entrees? Wouldn't you just order them at the same time? She complained to us that another server took our drink orders before she could get to our table, unprofessional. Later our waitress was audibly arguing with other waitstaff before bringing our check.. unprofessional. Not to mention, while sitting on the patio two children were running around and yelling without their shoes off trying to touch the fire in the heaters. Unique to our experience, but added to our frustration. Second major complaint: Food & Drinks Our drinks were severely watered down and overpriced for sure... who orders a margarita and doesn't even feel it?! A little picky in some points in my review? probably. The whole time my boyfriend kept saying, at least the food tastes good! At least our meal is good. But here's the kicker..... My boyfriend got food poisoning from his sausage, mushroom, and pepperoni pizza. It had to be that because we ate all of the same food all day leading up to the entree! CPK used to be great! We enjoyed going out once and a while.... but that will be our last visit.
(1)Craig W.
It's CPK. Portions are pretty good, food is pretty good, service is pretty good. The pizzas and salads are all fairly decent and the place is family friendly. This location seems to be quite popular, in fact. It's CPK. Nothing more, nothing less.
(3)Julianne B.
This is our favorite family restaurant. It's got something everyone loves. My all-time favorite is the Tre Color Salad on top of a crunchy pizza crust (to die for!) and my kids love the Crispy Mac & Cheese balls. Yumm! There's a great staff, especially here at the Solana Beach location. We always enjoy chattin' with our waitress/waiter. Thanks CPK!
(5)Ryan G.
Ordered the Crush Alfredo and it was some of the best Alfredo sauce I've ever had. The chicken was perfectly cooked also. Portion size wasn't huge, but I was plenty full afterwards. Great food overall and I hope to visit again.
(5)Ashley S.
Love CPK! This one stands out to me because I went their one year for Veteran's Day to get my free pizza :) and -I won't cry- but their was a homeless Veteran that asked the hostess if he could get a pizza. He didn't have an ID card, but a picture. She let him in and took care of him. It's nice to know that if I end up there, CPK will still treat me like the Veteran I am.
(4)Ray C.
Lunch for us was very good.. It is a chain restaurant, so I don't know if some expect a more of a 'unique' feel, but as far as chain restaurants go, this place is pretty good. Enjoyed the pear & gorgonzola pizza & the spouse found the moroccan salad to be very good too.
(4)Amanda R.
First time eating here while on vacation in San Diego. Great appetizers and drinks! The white sangria was one of the best sangria I have tasted! The pizza was also very good. Our friends pizza was only okay they said. Good desserts too.
(4)Philip A.
Slow slow slow. 130pm for lunch. Place half empty. 2 salads took 40 mins to come out.. Waiter Elizabeth was totally disengaged
(1)C. L.
I came here tonight for Veteran's Day and the food was fabulous and all of the staff were extremely friendly. The environment was comfortable and the new decor was beautiful at night from the street. Thank you CPK for celebrating Veteran's Day and honoring those who have served and who continue to serve!
(5)Laura D.
Wow, I was really unpleasantly surprised when I stopped here to get pizzas to go. The take out is user-friendly; there are two spots right in front of the restaurant and you call them and they bring the stuff out. We ordered two roasted garlic chicken pizzas and the new carmelized peach salads. I have ordered these pizzas a million times in Los Angeles and they are always delicious. What happened with the Solana Beach location? This is a chain, and the food is supposed to be made according to specific recipes. The thin crust was good, crispy and not oily. The chicken? Where was it??? There were about 6 TINY chunks of chicken. The cheese? Where was it? There were a couple of little strings on cheese splayed across the face of the pizza. This is a pizza???? I don't think so. So disappointed. High expectations dashed into dust.
(2)Jarett A.
I love this place. My family and I often go there for dinner or get take out. The servers are efficient, friendly, and food comes out reasonably fast. I usually get a pizza or fish tacos. Both are great! The only dish that I have had that wasn't that nice was the spaghetti and meat sauce. But that didn't stop me from going again. I would recommend this place especially for family's with kids!
(5)Max L.
Got a carry out sausage pizza and it was very bad. No cheese & no sausage and a tough cardboard crust. Have eaten in house before and food was good, but this carry out was terrible.
(2)Madelyn S.
I love love love LOVE cpk!!! Everything on their menu is delicious, and the service is always fantastic. We recently signed up for their Pizza Dough reward system they have, and it's awesome. Decently priced for a delicious meal. The quality and quantity are perfect. I'm naturally a very hungry person who eats a ton of food, and I'm always stuffed after leaving here. Love it!
(5)DesertRose P.
I've never been in a bad one. They always please my tastes. The waitress was very attentative as I ate outside. Their salads are always great. I ate there at least 3 times during the week I was there. I also did curbside, which was very quick. However, the appetizer pizza was stone cold and actually looked like it had been out for a long time. :(
(4)Rebecca C.
This was one of the first places I ate in California ever. and it was good. Not great but good. Perhaps it was the long flight, lack of sleep, general exhaustion, but I felt the service was slow. Like fall asleep slow. I've eaten here subsequently and still a little slow.
(3)Dan H.
Oh man where do I start.... when we walked in the hostess was very friendly and helped our rather large group find a table pretty quickly. We had been on our weekend Harley ride all day and stopped in a quick bite for dinner. Once seated at our table we waited about 20 mins for the waiter to come over and greet us. Once he did he was really blunt and stuck up. He was a Mexican guy and a few of us in the group Spanish is our first language meaning we are more comfortable speaking that language. One of our party started ordering in Spanish and he stopped her in the middle of her drink order and told her in his broken English " I espeaka english, OK!" little rude fuck!! She looked at us like I cant believe he just said that. She then continued in English for this guy. We all ordered drinks and the guy disappeared for another 20 mins. Finally the manager came over to check on us, then our drinks appeared. We made sure to order while we had the guy there. He was supper annoyed by us and his attitude sure as hell showed it. The manager came over and was checking on us while this guy was MIA our food finally showed up. I ordered the Hawaiian pizza and it was very dry even at the point of starving the food was just "OK". We ate our food and the only time this guy was on it was when he brought the check. I paid $40 for a salad and a 10" pizza that taste like bread with melted cheese with dried out ham and dehydrated pineapple on it. I think this guy needs a job somewhere behind the scenes and not dealing with customers I am not saying fire him but put him somewhere else. I will not be going back to this place, I have received better service at a dine in pizza hut where they don't expect tips. Thank you to the Manger who helped us and the Hostess who was very helpful as well
(1)Fred G.
My wife and I were seated really quickly, which was good. Our waitress came off as really unfriendly and irritated. We ordered drinks but apparently they were out of lime juice for my wife's margarita. She then ordered a club soda with grey goose. I'm pretty sure they didn't put any vodka in it. When my wife wanted to Make sure that they had put it in the waitress seemed really annoyed we were asking. When we got our main courses my pizza was good, but her pasta looked really bad and according to her tasted just as mediocre. A 15 dollar meal that looks like it cost 3 dollars to make. There is a pretty good chance we will never be going back.
(1)Jeff J.
Notable stars sprinkled throughout this menu. After moving to the east coast, there's not much that stands out about the pizza from this place. Then again, there's a couple things I'll admit I miss a little bit. The BBQ chicken pizza was always a big hit with me. It's sweet, tangy and a real good pizza. Growing up, this was always the place my mom wanted to go for her birthday. At night, it gets crowded, so try to make a reservation. She raved about their salads. Since I haven't tried one, I can't give any other insight into it. What stood out to me was their chicken caesar sandwiches served on herb cheese focaccia bread. Note to self: I got to find out how to make this bread. Anyways, it's served with a cup of soup on the side; they used to offer this awesome one, the adobe chicken chowder -- a tad of spice, not too much chicken and some crispy tortilla chip strips laid on top added a nice crunch to it. My school was close to this place, so for lunches, we often ordered it to go. It became the usual go to place for a quick pick up and affordable, yet delicious, lunch. This brings me to my next point. My favorite part about CPK: roadside service. Simply pull up to the tent marked as such, and that's it. Let the waiter/waitress come to you. It's easy, convenient and best of all, fast. No waiting for a table. Only friendly, curbside pick up. If only everything was this easy. Just remember, try to leave a small tip. These waiters/waitresses/curbside hosts/hostesses need some lovin' too. I'm proud to say to my east coast friends that I'll be back when I'm in the area. Probably just to pick up a chicken caesar sandwich on that focaccia bread.
(3)Alain G.
I kind of wish I could enjoy California Pizza Kitchen (CPK) more than I really do. Because there are just so many good things about this restaurant! However, every time I go I just end up thinking "meh." Let's start with the pros. The food isn't bad. The menu is a nice mix between standard pepperoni pizza choices and slightly more adventurous Gorgonzola/pine nut/pear pizza options. I like adventurous pizza so this aspect to the restaurant appeals to me. CPK is also a chain located in several areas around San Diego including Solana Beach, La Jolla and downtown San Diego area (off Friars Road). These locations make it a reliable, convenient choice. I've never had to wait longer than 20 minutes at any location. So if you're starving, it's the kind of place you know you could get into on a Friday/Saturday night in areas of San Diego that normally tend to be more crowded. The cons? While the food isn't bad, it's not great either. Nothing I've had at CPK has been especially memorable. I don't mind eating the food but there's really nothing "signature" about a CPK pizza. I would just as soon get a pizza from any other place. However, I will admit that CPK is a great place to take kids. It's definitely a step up from Pizza Hut but still has the kind of things that kids like to eat. So as a family outing it's a good option. As a going out on the town with your date option? Meh.
(2)Andy C.
This place is awesome. My friend and I went on a hike down at Torrey Pines, and I wanted to find something filling, delicious, and cheap to help celebrate her birthday. I remember that this place was here and this is where we ate. We were placed at a booth looking towards the kitchen and it was cool to be around the fun atmosphere around here. The server was very attentive and would quickly refill our sodas when they were down low or on empty. The food that we got was delicious. I tried a new pizza. I got a Pear and Gorgonzola Pizza. This pizza was delicious and the only were thing that happened with my pizza was that it was a different size. Like, I never remember the kitchen adding a little salad on top of a pizza, or on the side, and when I got my pizza, there was a little salad on there. well, when I removed the salad, I noticed that the pizza was kind of two different sizes. I don't know what that was all about, but I looked past that and ate the food. My friend got the always delicious and safe BBQ Chicken Salad. Awesome place, because we got free dessert. well, it was my friends birthday, but I mean, still, the people will even never know, so remember, free dessert!!! hahahaha, just kidding....or am i....
(4)Banu K.
Of course I love this place. Where else can you get a decent menu, good service, and the kids just adore it (I know, it's all about the kids.) It's a favorite of ours. My new small portion meal for dinner (i'm trying to eat smaller portions for dinner) is the Korean BBQ Steak Tacos. If it's lunchtime, i'll either go with the Miso Salad (super delish, with dressing on side otherwise it drowns, and ask for chili garlic hot sauce on side), or i'll get the Steak Tacos (super fresh, meat grilled excellent on several occasions I've gotten it.) The hubby usually gets a pizza or another, but the kids demand the mac and cheese with edamame on the side. Love the place, a comfort zone for us. Only reason it got 4 stars is that it doesn't take me to another dimension, sorry CPK, but definitely a family favorite, we go or take out at least 2xmonth!
(4)Tony D.
The service and food are what you would expect from the typical CPK experience. My friend and I shared the Baja Fish and Carnitas tacos. The fish tacos were much better. I had the Carnitas tacos at a CPK near LA recently and they were much better then for some reason. Not sure if they are testing different recipes at different locations. There is not a lot of parking here. Most of the spots seemed to be either compact or 30 min parking.
(3)Melissa I.
This is just your average CPK. Nothing special, but consistent. It wa spretty busy but only had to wait 15 minutes on a Saturday night.
(3)Evan B.
I would like to let you all know about the kitchen part, as they really do have more than just pizza. they are so proud of the kitchen it is open for all so see in the location , this is true about all locations of this concept, not just this one have the open kitchen, We started our meal with the Mediterranean egg rolls, roasted peppers mushrooms and caramelized onions inside of a tortilla that is toasted and served with marinara sauce. I really think the thick bland tortillas overpower this dish and take away from its Mediterranean lightness. For my main course I had the Thai linguine, pasta with a zesty peanut thai sauce, bean sports and carrots, it is a nice flavor change from the usual fair. I added a good amount of red pepper to up the spice, however the poor service meant i finished 1/2 of my dish before the red pepper arrived. At my table people ordered the mushroom ravioli in the garlic cream sauce which was good, as was the kung pao spaghetti. What I do wonder is why must it be so noisy? They pump up the music, so everyone talks louder, the open kitchen noise and the unfinished ceilings make it hard to even order on a busy night. If you want a place that can make many people happy with decent food try this place, you may have a long wait and poor service.
(3)Caroline P.
I'm sad to update this gluten free review. After another yelper alerted me to some shifty practices at CPK. The pizzas are going to be cross contaminated, and the company doesn't care because it is not specifically for people with celiac, but rather just for people who are trying to avoid gluten. Ridiculous. Although I had an overall good experience, I would not deem this place as safe for celiacs given their attitude towards safe food prep.
(1)Michele B.
No Happy Hour. No French Fries! Okay, I admit... I am not prone to writing reviews. But this place nerved me so here goes. I stopped by after work thinking I'd have a nice Hop Head Red that they once had on tap over the summer. No such luck. Okay, I'm flexible. But also no Happy Hour Specials? At all? Okay, fine....with all the little kids in the place - I can see it. I had the caramelized peach salad with chicken which was pretty okay. The chicken was nicely grilled, hot, moist, tender - the salad was served with a nice white balsamic vinaigrette. Only one piece of undesirable greens - I can live with it. The side of bread was really unmentionable - cold and tasteless. But free, so... I asked for a side of French Fries and was told they don't have French Fries. Really? With all the little kids in this place? And no happy hour ... Sorry but next time I'll go to Pizza Nova.
(1)Bridget W.
Terrible. Total junk! Too many local spots that are waaaaaay better
(1)David C.
This was a default choice for my roommate and I as Claire's on Cedros was packed. I tried the BBQ chicken pizza to compare it to the grocery store version that I have had tons of times. Of course it is better, but I still wasn't extremely excited about it. I like the crust, but the BBQ sauce wasn't outstanding at all. My roommate had the bolognese spaghetti, which was slightly better than the pizza! CPK is a good chain, but there are tons of better choices!
(3)Al A.
I can't tell you how many times I've passed this particular CPK while cruising the scenic 101 Fwy. I've always settled for some dive off the road or to stand in line with the locals at some cheap Mexican food joint. That was back in the day when I was single, still in school and making a modest hourly wage. Today, life is much different. I'm cruising down the 101 in an SUV with wife and kids in tow. I now have to consider what they want to eat instead of just myself. Also, CPK's familiarity with us suburbanites drew us to it. Since this location is near the beach, wearing t-shirts, shorts and flip flops made us look like locals. Historically, CPK has always delivered on quality, service and taste. This one is no different.
(5)Gudi R.
Sunday night after work we went to dinner at California Pizza Kitchen. We got there fairly early so there was no wait. The food was fabulous and hit the spot 100%. We ordered roasted vegetable salad, which came with artichoke hearts, asparagus, bell peppers... over a bed of baby greens with a very lovely dijon mustard and balsamic dressing (not too sharp and tangy ) just perfect. As pizza, we chose the gorgonzola, pear variety. This pizza went perfectly with our salad, was mild and just a touch sweet, great crust. For dessert I had the warm chocolate soufflé cake with vanilla cream (whipped cream with vanilla bean) and vanilla ice cream. Next time I'll order it without the ice cream and ask for more vanilla cream. The texture was a dream, so was the flavor. Rich chocolate, not too sweet, warm and creamy, not goopey - just perfect. My husband had teramisu which he finished off without any problem, so it must have been good too (I doubt, that it can compare with the chocolate soufflé). Every single step of this meal was extremely enjoyable and just perfect. Thanks for this dining experience.
(5)Shamus T.
A large group of us went to the California Pizza Kitchen on a weekday to celebrate the birthdays for two 8 year olds. I was pleasantly surprised when the host came out to welcome us as we gathered by the outside benches. The food was delicious, and our server Durwood was professional and went the extra mile to make sure we had everything we needed. I would definitely go back, and I recommend it to others.
(4)Ron L.
It is predictably good. They have better than average pasta, good pizza selections, salads, and decent soup choices. It is my go to place when I don't know where to go or what I want. I still order the half steakhouse chopped salad. They said they took it off the menu because people were not happy it did not have steak in it. Go figure. They made if for me and I thoroughly enjoyed it and a bowl of soup. Today I tried their new offering Tuscan Navy Bean. Not their best effort. I prefer sitting at the counter as you can see all that's going on, you can always get a seat, and the service seems to be a little more sequential One complaint is that the one in Solana Beach has limited parking but don't let that scare you off. There is always a space in the back. It does however require a little extra effort to park
(4)Trevor H.
Good place for good food and a sit down meal.
(4)Jessica H.
It is what it is - if you've ever been to a CPK, you know what you'll get here. Try the Carnitas pizza. :)
(3)Beth V.
This is my favorite California Pizza Kitchen because it's never too crowded, the food always tastes great, the bathrooms are clean, the restaurant is tidy, and the waiters are great! The BBQ chicken pizza is also my fav pizza on the menu.
(5)Alkarim S.
I eat at CPK when I want to eat at a chain. Saying that, it does not have the best food, rather it has good food. What is important to me about a chain, then comes down to the quality of the food (its cooking methods and preparation) and the service. Both were good at Encinitas. I must admit that when we went on a Post Halloween Sunday, it was almost empty. I expect the service to be good and not smothering. The pasta we had was cooked al dente. A big plus in my book. Will you find the same quality during a peak hour may be questionable. Here is my problem, too many carbs, not enough goodies. With the Cheese Garlic bread, there was only a small amount of Bruscetta. With the pasta, they skimped on the sun dried tomatoes and broccoli. That is my problem with CPK. I know I could ask for extra veggies, but I should not need to. Its all about balance, and it was lopsided on the pasta and bread side.
(4)Amy S.
This was the first time I'd made it to CPK since moving here 2 years ago. Shame on me? We ordered the "small cravings" menu item of chips and guac and it did not disappoint nor fill us up like most apps do before your meal. This smaller portioned menu is a good idea for the calorie conscious. Then we ordered the pepperoni-mushroom-sausage pizza on honey wheat crust. This pizza had plenty to share with 3 pieces each and they weren't whopping huge. I washed it all down with a cherry limeade (free refills people and worth every gulp, so I got 2). I want to revisit this establishment to try some of their non-pizza items because it's quite a big menu.
(4)Eartha H.
I've eaten at this particular CPK on several occasions. Service has always been great and the food has never disappointed me. I've tried many of the pizza's on the menu and my favorites are the chipotle with chicken, goat cheese, and BLT. The pizza dough is always just right and it gets to your table pretty fast after you place your order. I love the crust because it's not too thin or too thick. I have yet to try any of their other menu items like pasta or salads. The pizza's are always so good and they have so many varieties you just wouldn't find in another pizza place. The desserts are decent too. Our favorite is the apple crisp with ice cream. It's enough for two although I always want to finish it all by myself. My only complaint is that they need to do something about their water and the glasses. I know that sounds funny but I'm not kidding, I have had to get another drink many times because the water tasted like they got it from the dish water and added ice. If you don't like crowds, Saturday afternoons are a good time to go before the dinner rush.
(4)Frank H.
I go there so much that I'm bored with the menu. I can't wait for new menu items.
(3)BGrace G.
I'm not much on chains, but these guys do a pretty good job, if you want to have a casual bite, not a bad choice. I usually order their adobe chicken chowder, very tasty. The neapolitan style Margherita pizza was very good. I did have a bad experience with a cocktail. Ordered a raspberry lemon drop and it tasted a bit odd. Had my friend taste it to make sure it wasn't my imagination, she said '' it tastes like that lemon juice you buy in the bottles'', you know the kind of metallic aftertaste. Fortunately my friend pointed out on the menu they have a policy, go ahead and experiment, if you don't like it, we'll replace it (paraphrasing). So we did, and they were very nice about it. I ordered a Kendall Jackson Chardonnay (can't go too wrong with that), which was fine. So with that, I would use caution with the cocktails is all. The service has always been very nice when I've gone too, which is several times (probably five in the last two years).
(3)Kawika D.
Service was bad. Waited 30 min to get some food (after we order). Pizza was cold. Drinks were not kept filled. Asked for wine never brought it to the table. Other people who came in after us and ordered after us got they food and left before we even got our food.
(1)Sumi A.
Decent food and service so I have no complaints. You'd think I'd give it more stars based on the number of times I eat here, but I just don't get excited about CPK and usually eat there for convenience or lack of creativity when deciding where to eat. It really attracts families and sometimes it feels like Romper Room, so hubby and I prefer to go during off-peak times when it's a little quieter.
(3)Michelle T.
CPK is a pretty decent standby that everyone seems to like. Generally speaking I would rather go head over to Station Sushi for about the same price and have a more delicious meal though... Anyway, my mom loves the Chinese chicken salad. It is one of the best things on the menu I think. Don't really like all the weird pizza toppings. I usually get the tequila lime pasta which has really yummy caramelized onions and peppers in it. If you're in the area and want a fun, casual dinner you can always try Pacific Coast Grill instead.
(3)Carolyn S.
For what it is...an upscale pizza parlor and upscale diner...this place deserves 4 stars. This CPK is one of a sizable chain...and for a chain restaurant..it has a formula that basically works: good food, fresh ingredients, decent enough prices and a full service bar. One thing I always appreciate about any CPK...is that they offer whole wheat dough as a substitution for any pizza's regular white dough crust. Now here's a little known fact, they will also cheerfully substitute this whole wheat dough for the white dough in their hummus and bruschetta appetizers. This makes them delicious and even more nutritious! The quality of service is really the only point of contention I hold with CPK...and this location is no exception. You see...CPK was the brain child of a trio of attorneys...their formula is a strict one...but, in my experience, is strict on the wrong level. Every CPK server is grilled extensively on the ingredient listing of the CPK menu. But folks...waiting tables effectively..with intelligence, warmth and common sense...is a far different test than the by rote memorization of a menu. Thus, service at any CPK is often hit and miss. More often...it is a hit (or is at least semi-competent)...but when your waiter is unable to help you select a wine..and doesn't seem to be able to competently open the bottle...the wrong training is being stressed and enforced.
(4)Ben H.
OK, there is nothing I like more than free bread so I may be biased. However, I'm usually a huge fan of New York style thin pizzas and I wasn't expecting to like anything pizza with California in the title. I'm no hippy and I don't eat vegetables, so why would I? The Jamaican Jerk Pizza, though, blew my freaking mind. Even though I get a stomach-ache EVERY SINGLE time I eat it, I can't stop. I'd eat that pizza every day for breakfast lunch and dinner. As for this location in particular, it's a chain restaurant. What do you expect? Just try the Jerk and you won't regret it.
(5)G J J.
High marks for most CPKs. Taco Pizza, Margharita. 'Nuff said, really. Tiramisu is decent, and so are the salads.
(5)Julie U.
It's not just this particular location, but really all locations. CPK is, hands-down, my very favorite chain restaurant for a casual, quick, affordable, healthy meal. One of the best things about it, actually, is that the experience is consistent regardless of the location. Here are some of my favorite things about CPK: 1. The food is wonderful. Healthy, fresh, quality ingredients combined into some of the tastiest pizzas, salads, soups, pastas and desserts. I've never had anything here that I wouldn't order again. 2. Superb service. The host and wait staffs are always friendly, efficient, knowledgable and accommodating. 3. Great wine list. Okay, so it's no Napa, but for a chain restaurant the selection is quite nice. I also love their wine glasses. 4. Good to-go. They've got it dialed in for pick-ups (both small and large orders) with a convenient curbside service so that you don't even have to leave your car. CPK does it right.
(5)Steph L.
I don't have much to add to Julie's review. The only 2 things I ever eat there are: Tostada Pizza. Sounds gross, but it's oh so good: Black beans, sharp cheddar and monterey jack cheese, topped with lettuce, fresh tomatoes, green onions and crispy tortilla strips with garden-herb ranch dressing. Tomato Basil Spaghettini. Thin spaghetti with imported Italian tomatoes, garlic and fresh basil. I've eaten at CPKs all over the country, and the consistent good taste of their food never ceases to amaze me.
(4)Chad V.
Don't eat here unless you enjoy having PUBIC HAIR in your pizza. Because that's what happened to me. It was not just a normal hair, but clearly a pubic hair. The way the situation was handled by "the Management" was also unheard of. They tried to bill me for the two salads that we had before we got our Pubic Hair special surprise, instead of comping the bill which is what you do...UNBELIEVABLY shitty experience and horrible customer service skills. Never again.
(1)Tom R.
For a chain, CPK does a very good job. Lots of interesting stuff, well prepared, on the menu. Some favorites have disappeared in recent months. Some of the replacements were very interesting, some were not. The service is good but not great. The only major complaint I have is the noise at this particular location of CPK. The place seems to have been deliberately constructed to maximize the noise level. I know that some restauranteurs believe that customers find a place with a high noise level to be "exciting". If you, like me, prefer to be able to carry on a conversation without raising your voice, don't go to this location when the restaurant is more than half full.
(3)paige m.
cpk is awesome, obviously. the selections are diverse... where else will you see pear gorgonzola pizza, tostada pizza, bbq pizza, mango tandori pizza and greek pizza on the same menu? and they pull them all off.salads are good, pizzas are good, appetizers are good, pastas are boring. what kind of sucked is, while eating with the fam, my mom asked for a booth instead of the chairs they put us at, and the hostess said they couldn't give that server any more tables..and guess what? another group of 4 got the booth literally 1 min after us. one other complaint is that we got the hummus appetizer and ran out of pita. we asked for extra pita and it came after they removed the hummus from the table. so we had pita that we paid for, but no hummus.. so that's my justification for docking a star from a place that has always been totally consistent, reliable and yummy. i recommend it wholeheartedly if you're looking for some fun pizza and salads. also they do curbside to go.
(4)Craig Y.
Let me first say that I've always been a big fan of CPK. It's of course a little pricey for what it is but the food is very consistent and of good quality. Ever since my daughter was little, it has been her favorite restaurant--from Manhattan Beach to Fort Lauderdale to Beverly Hills. But I have to say that this restaurant is not one of the better ones in the chain. It's one of the smaller layouts and consequently the atmosphere is not very good. If you get a booth near the windows it's fine but if you have the sit on the kitchen side of the partition, it feels crowded. The service is hit or miss--they have some very good waiters but also some distracted ones. (They do have one GREAT busboy though--an older gentleman that seems to have been there forever). The parking is almost always difficult (I can't believe the parking lot passed the city code with so few spaces for the number of businesses). We live in Del Mar but are ready to start driving to the La Jolla restaurant for our CPK fix.
(2)Phil W.
It the best, always constant, and Brian is the Best!!! And a good price
(4)Aluna Y.
CPK as it is - nothing special. The same quality and the same food you would find in any other CPK location. The waiter was weird - a replica of Clark Gable, was extremely helpful and fun, even though was not that familliar with their own menu.
(3)pete b.
CPK has very ordinary food that's a step up from Denny's. Pizza and salads are ordinary and the bread is awful. It's typical of chain restaurants that take little pride in using fresh vegetables or local ingredients. If you want pizza and salads Pizza Nova, a mile or two away is far superior. And it's locally owned.
(1)Vickie B.
Came here Saturday afternoon. I believe Tara L was our server (that's what our receipt said). She was very attentive and gave great descriptions of the 2 chicken choices we were deciding on. We ended up getting the Chicken Piccata. 2 pieces of tender chicken breast and side spaghettini. So flavorful!! Delicious!! My son had a bowl of the potato soup, he described it as a Thanksgiving dinner!! Haha My other son ordered a Cobb Salad with Chicken!! What a BIG portion!! Fresh ingredients and perfect amount of bacon, egg, avocado, blue cheese.... We had a great experience here even though my hubby hee hawed about coming in. I'm glad we came in!! Oh and did I mention my hubby loves your lemon drop martinis?!?!
(5)Karyl M.
I love this menu and atmosphere and decor, however last week I had a Greek salad topped with chicken and puked my guts out an hour later. My lunchmate also had salad w/o chicken and she was ok. I will definitely eat there again and assume the incident was an anomoly. Crossing my fingers.
(2)Drew L.
Prelims: the interior looks like every other CPK in the world, with a bar, some booth seating, some regular seating, and a full view of the pizza making process. I went at lunch time on a Saturday so I didn't get the lunch deal of half pizza and salad. The lighting is pretty good, it's spacious, and it's located in a plaza with plenty of parking. But I came on a Saturday so take it with a grain of salt, although it is Solana Beach so maybe parking is never an issue. I set aside a specific paragraph for the service. Normally I couldn't give a rat's behind about service because I come to restaurant to eat food, not to be served. As a former worker in the service industry, I know and understand that service is oftentimes very dependent on other customers, the kitchen, and a lot of other things outside of a server's control and they shouldn't be penalized on the tip just because they are the face of the disaster that's slowly detonating behind them. But in this case, I am fuming over the way that I was treated at this location. I came as a single. Yes, the fiancee was sleeping after work - I'm a sad, sad little man. I came after playing ball for 2 hours and then having a light workout at the Fit Athletic Club next door (SHOUT OUT TO TRISH FOR THE YELP FIT EVENT! YOU'RE AWESOME!!!) so I was understandably starving for some sort of protein. Hell, for any sort of food. But as a single, I don't really represent a lot in terms of tip. So if I'm a little lower on the priority list, fine. Whatever. I was seated at a booth and it takes 15 minutes for the server to come and tell me that she would be "right with me". 10 minutes later, water. "Right with me"...right.... So after 25 minutes, I finally get to order. I order the Works pizza. 8 minutes later, she comes and offers me bread. I refuse out of principle that this is taking forever and the fact that I need to watch my figure. It takes another 18 minutes for the food to get to me. So a starving single man needs to wait 40 minutes to get his food - while the mom and daughter sitting behind me gets seated 10 minutes after me, gets orders in within 5 minutes, and gets their food, all before I even order. They finished eating when I GOT my food and left while I was eating. Are you kidding me? While the server makes apologies, in this case, all apologies are excuses. The food was standard. The works pizza is with sausage, bell pepper, red onion, and oregano. It was ok. But the food was totally spoiled because I was sitting there playing with my phone for a solid 40 minutes. I left after one hour; 15 minutes to eat. One hour for a single person to sit, order and eat. Objectively, the food was standard; it tasted like a pizza and I only ate half because I was past the point of hungry and I saved the rest. If you are desperate for pizza in this area, I would recommend putting your craving off and eating at Rubio's next door. Better food, better service. I regret putting down $18 (yes, I still tipped. You should too) for a substandard lunch. If I'm not worth your time, serve me faster so that other customers get my table. Whatever. Lesson is seriously learned. TL;DR Don't come alone or they treat you like you are not worth their time.
(2)Diana A.
This is my kids favorite place to eat. They just love the Mac and cheese and I can see why it's really tasty! Service here is always pleasant. The host tonight was fantastic...such a gentleman! Paige our server was excellent as well. We ordered the spinach dip app always comes out quick and hot. I tried the new tricolor salad pizza it was delicious. For dessert we all shared the butter cake! It was a huge piece with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream on top! Even the four of us couldn't finish it all. All in all good food, good service and very affordable! A family of four can walk out full for around $60. Great deal in my book. I'm sure I'll be here again next week ;)
(5)Abby W.
I recently revisted CPK and learned that they had revamped their menu. There are now a lot of non-pizza options, which is great because I've never been super impressed by their pizza. I decided to try the Pesto Cream Penne with Chicken and actually found the dish to be very good. The sauce was amazing and there was plenty of sundried tomatoes to add extra flavor. The portion size proved to be plenty for two meals for me. Unfortunately, my man didn't care for his Tostada Thin Crust pizza at all. Although it's topped with black beans and cheese, the lettuce seemed to overwhelm the pizza. The tiny bit of ranch drizzle and the side of salsa didn't add enough moisture to overcome the lack of a sauce. He thought that each slice made a better taco than a pizza. We also had some trouble communicating with our waitress. We signed up for the Pizza Dough while we were at the table and tried to get her to add the points to our card but we don't think that it happened. She tried to tell us that she already added it but we hadn't given her the number yet. We eventually just gave up. On the plus side though, you get a free small plate for signing up and we were able to redeem that. We chose the White Corn Guacamole and Chips and thought that it was pretty good. We did deconstruct the guacamole though to mash it up as it was rather chunky but it tasted good.
(3)Lysabeth L.
The perks of working at a school with a year round schedule is that when most are just starting school, I'm already on vacation! Yes, it's Fall Break and I'm totally loving it! One of the things I love to do when on vacation (and every other day at that) is eat! I'm always up for a great meal! The restaurant has undergone a complete transformation, from the design and décor to the menu. The Solana Beach location is among the first in the country to roll out the new design and menu items, with other locations to follow. The vibe in the restaurant was casual and very "SoCal"! The staff was very excited to share the highlights of the new items on the menu. They were all very friendly, knowledgeable, and inspired with the new changes for CPK! Hubby tried the Fire-Grilled Ribeye: A 12-oz. USDA choice ribeye grilled with housemade Pinot Noir sea salt and topped with creamy bleu cheese butter. Served with roasted fingerling potatoes and lemon-garlic arugula salad. It was tender, juicy, and everything a great steak should be! I tried the Hearth-Roasted Halibut: Wild caught from the Aleutian Islands, roasted on a cedar plank with butternut squash farro and grilled asparagus. The flavors were rich and definitely made my tummy happy! We had a wonderful lunch with great food and the wonderful staff at CPK to make it an enjoyable experience overall!
(5)Debbie W.
My husband and I travel quite a bit and we always end up at a CPK! This one has to be one of the friendliest CPK's we've been in. Our waitress was a little late getting to us but the manager Evan took care of us until Rachel came along. Without a doubt, hands down, Evan & Rachel treated us well and I would ask for Rachel if we were to ever go back! Chicken Piccata is my husbands favorite and mine would be the Pear Gorgonzola pizza. You can't go wrong with either. We were treated to dessert ( which we never order) for the little delay we had in service. Evan recommended the Butter cake (yummy) and my husband had the ice cream sundae (kids favorite). Thanks to Evan, Rachel and the rest of the staff at CPK. We really enjoyed our evening with your kind team!
(4)Jodi A.
This is our go to place for a fast and yummy meal, that is when we go with 4 or less people. Unfortunately, every time we go with a larger party the food is sub-par, dishes missing key ingredients (pizza toppings) and just not tasting as great as it has (temperature, flavor)! We love the chipotle chicken pizza. My fiancé loves it with a side of their habanero salsa! CPK hack: Did you know you can make a salad pizza? Choose your favorite salad and have it put on the tricolor pizza crust undercooked (make sure you ask for it undercooked or else it will come out too crispy). This is a healthier option giving you a satisfying meal without having to choose between a salad and a pizza. Best of both worlds! We love the half order Chinese chicken salad on the crust. Service is usually pretty quick and they do curbside pick up for to go orders!
(4)Bob D.
Always great - we eat here every year, order a variety of food (we have 3 boys of quite different ages and tastes) and are never disappointed. Tasty food, good service.
(5)A R.
Had a strange experience. I went with my in laws and we had three small kids with us. We took a bit longer getting settled at our table, the guy who brought us to the table gave a co worker a roll of the eyes because we weren't fast enough. They bring the adults drinks, but took a while to bring the kids drinks. The waitress was overall rude. I get she probably has no kids, but as a waitress she should understand not to put hot food and drinks in the reach of a young toddler, she did it over and over. Salad was wrong etc. the manager was kind and took the salad off our check and free dessert. He definitely tried to fix things which was great. But it just stinks to get bad looks and attitude from the start. We didn't feel we were welcome.
(3)Ariana T.
The food is good, but not great. I bring my son here some times for a treat. It's family friendly and good service. The good is just not amazing for a foodie. The desserts are yummy too! The caramel pudding cake thing=yummy!
(3)Judy M.
Everything was very good staff was amazing always asking if everything was good love it will be coming back
(5)Barbara H.
BBQ chicken salad has always been my favorite at other locations but this location didnt have as much jicama in it which ruins the salad in my opinion. They also removed my husbands favorite habenero pizza. Husband doesnt want to go back and I have to agree I can make the salad myself and no pizza so no more CPK :-(
(2)An L.
Came here for lunch cause we wanted to try sumthin' different and I had heard their salads were good. The menu had changed a little since the las time I was here. I have always enjoyed this place. I was happy to see they had a Waldorf salad. One of my favorites. Lemme tell ya, I have a hearty appetite and I was definitely hungry that day but in an effort to start eating better I got a salad and a half order of it at that! Gotta say, it did me right. I was pretty satisfied and didn't get hungry again till dinner rolled around. My friend got the chopped salad and another got his regular margarita pizza. We were all pleased with lunch. Our waitress was super friendly and the host was nice too. All and all, we'll be back again for lunch. It's a nice walk through Cedros from our office!
(4)Betsy N.
A thumbs up for CPK. I had a take out order for a half salad. Later at home discovered the chicken was left out. I called the next day and spoke to the manager, Chris. He was most apologetic and thanked me for calling. Best of all he gave me a complementary full size salad.
(5)Scotty B.
What do you expect for a bunch of kids working for low wages and taxed tips? Ordered a pizza and quinoa salad to go. Quinoa salad was outrageously under-portioned. I called to bring this to a mangers attention and thats when it all went downhill fast. If "Francisco" had a little more experience and acumen, the situation would be remedied. Instead, there was condescending tone and resistance to my concerns. Its time to give Sammy's some business.
(1)Brian W.
Love this place their porterhouse with blue cheese butter is to die for. Plenty of variety if your not in a pizza mood. Love it
(4)Mrs. C.
I always enjoy going to this restaurant. I can't get past getting my favorite Bar-B-Q chicken chopped salad and never want to order anything else. We had this last night and it was great as always but what prompted me to write this review was our server named Jesse. He was really a great waiter and was really on top of everything. He was fast, helpful, notified us of how soon our meal would be ready, cleared our dishes fast, he was smooth and made us feel like we were the only people in the restaurant. I'd go back just to be served by him. So, way to go Jesse and California Pizza Kitchen. Go there, order Chicken Chop Salad and hopefully you will be served by the best waiter around, Jesse!
(5)