I like to eat here if I am dining in, in fact I actually prefer several of their salads over many other places because of their consistently fresh ingredients. Unfortunately, I order to-go from here quite a bit and for some reason they are also very consistent about being inconsistent. Something is always missing, and it's usually something big. How do you forget to add the chicken on a Chicken Cobb Avocado Salad???? It's the main ingredient!! Aside from my rant about today's visit, the parking at this specific location is always terrible during lunch hour, despite the recent added parking spaces. If you decide to dine here, I would recommend dining in and arriving early or waiting until the lunch rush is over!
(2)
Andrea B.
I was once a huge fan of Panera in their early days. Unfortunately, as they got bigger and added more locations, they began producing more and more of their product elsewhere and doing onsite warm up or final prep for everything from the soups to the pressed sandwiches which are premade elsewhere and frozen. That being said, I have been enjoying some of the new ideas and products Panera has added over the years including a wider selection of salads, seasonal offerings, and their mac n cheese which is insanely good. Panera isn't my top choice for grabbing a quick bite, but this location is very large and has tons of space, making it an excellent meeting location for my book club. The staff here has always been helpful and friendly and the service quick. The dining room is well tended and kept clean and cleared. So - mixed bag. I am not the biggest fan of their food, though there are a few items I enjoy, but at the same time this is a great location with just the features needed for our purposes of meeting, noshing, and dishing about our monthly book.
(3)
Jason C.
I've been to this location several times. My favorites include the Mediterranean veggie and chicken salad sandwiches. I also enjoy their bagels. I've tried their pastas in the past, and they were overall okay. The pasta itself was fine, but I didn't think it was a very good value. It does get very busy at lunch and breakfast time, so I advise going right before or after peak times to beat the rush.
(3)
michelle l.
Panera tends to be pretty solid, and they are pretty fast at completing most orders too. The place is kept clean, and staff is pretty friendly. I don't love the parking lot here. Something about it makes me feel claustrophobic. I have had the Asiago Beef sandwich, and the Turkey Avocado BLT. Both are pretty good. I like that the turkey is not lunch meat cold cuts but rather thicker cuts of turkey breast. The sourdough used with the BLT has just a hint of sour. I'd like a little more sourness to it. For whatever reason, the sandwiches tend to get soggy easily. They need to dry off their lettuce and/or de-seed the tomatoes more to prevent this.
(4)
Lauren W.
I have been here many times since living here for the past six years, and have never had a bad experience. Panera's prices are slightly higher, but I love knowing how fresh the food is and that their chicken is antibiotic-free. The You Pick Two is my favorite, usually with a bowl of soup and either a salad or sandwich. The salad you get with the YPT is supposedly a half salad, but it's always plenty big for me! As a side note, I am most likely gluten intolerant so I was depressed that I wouldn't be able to eat at one of my favorite restaurants anymore, considering "Bread" is in the name! But I did some research and discovered I can have the tomato soup and many of their salads (both sans croutons). Last time I got the chicken caesar, with chips as my side, and it was all delicious! Glad Panera has some GF options! If you can have gluten, however, their mac & cheese is out of this world.
(4)
Will O.
This was one of the best (service wise) restaurant experiences I've ever had. The cashier at the front was very inviting and extremely helpful. He went over the menu, answered and anticipated my questions. This was only my second time ever to a Panera. I literally thought that Mike was the manager, because no regular employee could be as dedicated to customer service as this guy. After careful examination of his name badge, nope, just a regular employee. I observed him being this way, genuinely, with every other customer he helped.
(4)
Danesh J.
Okay, I think I stayed away from this one enough to really appreciate it (and I went at night when it is much quieter, no rush, and plenty of seating). Order this chili this time. Pretty decent. Medium cumin flavor. The cornbread inside tastes delicious. Never tried that before. It seems if you get the cornbread on the side, you get a lot more than if you didn't get it on the side. Worth a try. I like this location more at night I am realizing. However, don't go here when it is close to exams, it gets packed.
(3)
Victoria A.
There is nothing bad I could say about Panera Bread! I am seriously in love with this place. The service here is very good and of course just like any Panera its "PACKED"! The workers are hustling in there like a sweat shop. Plus, I love extra dressing and they never have a problem giving plenty more I like that. This Panera is not as big as all the rest I have been to and has no outside seating but its a-okay with me. Its close to work and always a great lunch spot. Only down fall is because it is, always packed and in a busy plaza the parking is WAYYYYYY to tight! Welp until next time amigos adios.
(5)
Jorge R.
Great service and great food. A winning combination only thing I wished they would do is serve coca-cola instead of Pepsi :(
(4)
Carlos H.
Came here today and really wanted to have a Clam Chowder with a bread bowl but they were fresh out so I ordered a French Onion soup bread bowl with a Tuna Sandwich instead and an Iced Tea to drink. The French Onion soup was actually pretty good, very filling and although I didn't finish the whole thing, what I had wasn't bad at all. The tuna sandwich was great, I've never had their tuna before and now I'll have to keep them in mind when I'm craving one. Workers were friendly and quick to fill orders as usual, despite being pretty busy with all the USF area diners. Workers were nice and friendly and you can't beat free Wifi with plugs for laptops around the restaurant for when you need to have a meeting or just surf the net.
(4)
Dave M.
This is a fast food chain disguised by a solid brand and look. I'm pretty sure most people know that and this review is just to make me feel better. The staff wasn't able to help me get an Americano. They do serve espresso and have hot water, but couldn't combine them. If this one staff member indicates their standard, I don't think they aim the bar all that high in hiring. Two of us placed an order and received 1 fork and 1 knife. Also, it's full of screaming kids. They offer free wireless, but I don't think much of it because the environment is terrible if you want to make use of it by reading or checking a couple of things online. Won't be back anytime soon.
(2)
Niki D.
Food: Sandwiches, soups/salads, bagels, coffee/tea... I'm a fan of the breakfast souffles (spinach/artichoke!) and the refillable hazelnut blend coffee. This Panera is quite busy, since it is nestled walking distance from USF, Veteran's Hospital, University Community Hospital, University Mall, and various other sources of hungry students/employees. Lunch is great, so long as you're comfortable sharing elbow room with other diners. The employees are pleasant, and you can fax your order in if you want to dash in/out. If you plan on studying here: - This is a very popular spot for USF/USF Med School students to congregate and study in groups. If you're looking for a place to have your study group, it is a great location - complete with a never-ending supply of coffee. Just make sure you get there and secure a table/booth. When people come to gather at Panera, they seldom leave in 30 minutes. Many stay until the place closes. [Tip: Ask the staff when a good time to secure a spot is; they know the restaurant better than anyone, and some may even offer to "save" a booth, though it is not standard practice] - Free Wifi! It is a godsend when you've grown tired of studying at home or on campus.
(3)
Shawn L.
Pros: Quick (even when packed at lunch), food tastes good, bread often comes warm and priced right. Cons: Parking can be a problem at lunch time, reward card is useless, the enclosed extra sitting area is only tolerable.
(3)
Jacqueline L.
lolomgwtfbbq Never again. Had never been to a Panera Bread before and decided to give it a try. My salad was bland and I absolutely hated it. I've had better, fresher, cheaper and more flavorful salads from a 7-Eleven. The cookies and cupcakes looked yummy, but the service wasn't worth double dipping for a more than likely stale cookie.
(1)
Lara S.
It's Panera. If you've been to one, then you know what you're getting. In my opinion Panera is better than most quick food places because they have decent sandwiches and salads. On a recent trip to visit family I came to this Panera about 3 times. No joke- 3 times in one weekend. That's a lot, but my other quick choices were Dunkin Donuts or...well, I'm not even sure what else. Overall, my experience was fine. The first time we ordered several sandwiches and soups to go. It was very quick and everything was very good. The second time we stopped in for breakfast. It was after 11 AM so they were no longer serving their breakfasts with eggs. Instead, we opted for bagels with cream cheese. The girl at the cash register said she had fat free cream cheese, but in reality they don't. They have reduced fat or regular. She was super slow and barely knew how to ring anything up. I was trying to be patient because she seemed about 16 years old. The latte took about 15 minutes because there was no one working on making it for the first 10 minutes. In the end I would've rather not ordered it because it was too milky. The third time was the worst. I ordered some sandwiches and salads first, and then decided to get some cookies and coffee. We were prepping for our 5 hour drive back to Miami. The line for cookies and coffee was not long, but it took a very long time. If it weren't for the fact that I really needed some coffee to make the drive, I would've just left without it. So, overall, it's a Panera. You go, you order your food, and the sometimes lackadaisical people who are there get it ready for you. I won't hold it against them as they were all so young, and I'm sure many people remember that they barely wanted to be at their first jobs either.
(3)
Rob F.
At the time I used to go there the manager was awful. Very rude and cocky. Also everything I ate from there tasted too processed, bland, and honestly unhealthy. Ive stopped going and do not miss it at all. Your time is better spent at Starbucks, Subs N Such, McAlisters, etc.
(1)
Anuja D.
I loved this Panera Bread place. We would often come to study. The unlimited supply of tea and coffee always helps! It is difficult to secure a booth at times, but its not that hard. Its pretty clean and the staff the pretty helpful.
(4)
Natalie K.
Panera, and this location in particular, is really disappointing me. Portions are incredibly skimpy, not satisfying, and not cheap considering the lack of satisfaction one receives upon dining at a Panera. This chain really needs to step up their game for menu items other than breads and pastries if they want to keep the people coming, and that starts with portion size.
(2)
Genna H.
I normally enjoy Panera Bread but not this time. After Miles for moffit a few of us went here for breakfast. I ordered Turkey and a bagel, toasted (like a sandwhich( which I said multiple times. I received a buzzer and waited for my food. After about ten minutes I asked where my food was and it was not made. There was no communication amongst employees and then I was told it would be at the other and which it was not so they then had to make my meal for me. Once it was made I had one entire piece of turkey and a bagel. I asked for another piece of turkey and they said, "oh, you should have two". At this point I was just ready to get out there.
(1)
Bonita B.
Overrated -- the best thing about this location is the free WiFi, yummy warm cookies, and the green tea. I will not try their Caesar salad again - it lacked so many things: fresh Romain lettuce, less hard stuff more lettuce leaf, and more salad dressing unless I ask for it to be a skinny Caesar salad (aka minimal dressing). I like their enclosed patio area, it's quieter and warmer.
(3)
Dianna B.
Panera's near Busch Garden is close to work so I can stop in and grab a bite on the way to HOS. It's a good thing too, since I often want something that tastes good and makes me happy. I find that I prefer their take 2 option vs other fast food. And when I want something made special: ie take off onions or dressing on the side, they're happy to make that accommodation. And they do it without argument.
(4)
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Address :11860 Bruce B Downs Boulevard
Tampa, FL, 33612
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : No Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : No Waiter Service : No Caters : Yes
Diane G.
I like to eat here if I am dining in, in fact I actually prefer several of their salads over many other places because of their consistently fresh ingredients. Unfortunately, I order to-go from here quite a bit and for some reason they are also very consistent about being inconsistent. Something is always missing, and it's usually something big. How do you forget to add the chicken on a Chicken Cobb Avocado Salad???? It's the main ingredient!! Aside from my rant about today's visit, the parking at this specific location is always terrible during lunch hour, despite the recent added parking spaces. If you decide to dine here, I would recommend dining in and arriving early or waiting until the lunch rush is over!
(2)Andrea B.
I was once a huge fan of Panera in their early days. Unfortunately, as they got bigger and added more locations, they began producing more and more of their product elsewhere and doing onsite warm up or final prep for everything from the soups to the pressed sandwiches which are premade elsewhere and frozen. That being said, I have been enjoying some of the new ideas and products Panera has added over the years including a wider selection of salads, seasonal offerings, and their mac n cheese which is insanely good. Panera isn't my top choice for grabbing a quick bite, but this location is very large and has tons of space, making it an excellent meeting location for my book club. The staff here has always been helpful and friendly and the service quick. The dining room is well tended and kept clean and cleared. So - mixed bag. I am not the biggest fan of their food, though there are a few items I enjoy, but at the same time this is a great location with just the features needed for our purposes of meeting, noshing, and dishing about our monthly book.
(3)Jason C.
I've been to this location several times. My favorites include the Mediterranean veggie and chicken salad sandwiches. I also enjoy their bagels. I've tried their pastas in the past, and they were overall okay. The pasta itself was fine, but I didn't think it was a very good value. It does get very busy at lunch and breakfast time, so I advise going right before or after peak times to beat the rush.
(3)michelle l.
Panera tends to be pretty solid, and they are pretty fast at completing most orders too. The place is kept clean, and staff is pretty friendly. I don't love the parking lot here. Something about it makes me feel claustrophobic. I have had the Asiago Beef sandwich, and the Turkey Avocado BLT. Both are pretty good. I like that the turkey is not lunch meat cold cuts but rather thicker cuts of turkey breast. The sourdough used with the BLT has just a hint of sour. I'd like a little more sourness to it. For whatever reason, the sandwiches tend to get soggy easily. They need to dry off their lettuce and/or de-seed the tomatoes more to prevent this.
(4)Lauren W.
I have been here many times since living here for the past six years, and have never had a bad experience. Panera's prices are slightly higher, but I love knowing how fresh the food is and that their chicken is antibiotic-free. The You Pick Two is my favorite, usually with a bowl of soup and either a salad or sandwich. The salad you get with the YPT is supposedly a half salad, but it's always plenty big for me! As a side note, I am most likely gluten intolerant so I was depressed that I wouldn't be able to eat at one of my favorite restaurants anymore, considering "Bread" is in the name! But I did some research and discovered I can have the tomato soup and many of their salads (both sans croutons). Last time I got the chicken caesar, with chips as my side, and it was all delicious! Glad Panera has some GF options! If you can have gluten, however, their mac & cheese is out of this world.
(4)Will O.
This was one of the best (service wise) restaurant experiences I've ever had. The cashier at the front was very inviting and extremely helpful. He went over the menu, answered and anticipated my questions. This was only my second time ever to a Panera. I literally thought that Mike was the manager, because no regular employee could be as dedicated to customer service as this guy. After careful examination of his name badge, nope, just a regular employee. I observed him being this way, genuinely, with every other customer he helped.
(4)Danesh J.
Okay, I think I stayed away from this one enough to really appreciate it (and I went at night when it is much quieter, no rush, and plenty of seating). Order this chili this time. Pretty decent. Medium cumin flavor. The cornbread inside tastes delicious. Never tried that before. It seems if you get the cornbread on the side, you get a lot more than if you didn't get it on the side. Worth a try. I like this location more at night I am realizing. However, don't go here when it is close to exams, it gets packed.
(3)Victoria A.
There is nothing bad I could say about Panera Bread! I am seriously in love with this place. The service here is very good and of course just like any Panera its "PACKED"! The workers are hustling in there like a sweat shop. Plus, I love extra dressing and they never have a problem giving plenty more I like that. This Panera is not as big as all the rest I have been to and has no outside seating but its a-okay with me. Its close to work and always a great lunch spot. Only down fall is because it is, always packed and in a busy plaza the parking is WAYYYYYY to tight! Welp until next time amigos adios.
(5)Jorge R.
Great service and great food. A winning combination only thing I wished they would do is serve coca-cola instead of Pepsi :(
(4)Carlos H.
Came here today and really wanted to have a Clam Chowder with a bread bowl but they were fresh out so I ordered a French Onion soup bread bowl with a Tuna Sandwich instead and an Iced Tea to drink. The French Onion soup was actually pretty good, very filling and although I didn't finish the whole thing, what I had wasn't bad at all. The tuna sandwich was great, I've never had their tuna before and now I'll have to keep them in mind when I'm craving one. Workers were friendly and quick to fill orders as usual, despite being pretty busy with all the USF area diners. Workers were nice and friendly and you can't beat free Wifi with plugs for laptops around the restaurant for when you need to have a meeting or just surf the net.
(4)Dave M.
This is a fast food chain disguised by a solid brand and look. I'm pretty sure most people know that and this review is just to make me feel better. The staff wasn't able to help me get an Americano. They do serve espresso and have hot water, but couldn't combine them. If this one staff member indicates their standard, I don't think they aim the bar all that high in hiring. Two of us placed an order and received 1 fork and 1 knife. Also, it's full of screaming kids. They offer free wireless, but I don't think much of it because the environment is terrible if you want to make use of it by reading or checking a couple of things online. Won't be back anytime soon.
(2)Niki D.
Food: Sandwiches, soups/salads, bagels, coffee/tea... I'm a fan of the breakfast souffles (spinach/artichoke!) and the refillable hazelnut blend coffee. This Panera is quite busy, since it is nestled walking distance from USF, Veteran's Hospital, University Community Hospital, University Mall, and various other sources of hungry students/employees. Lunch is great, so long as you're comfortable sharing elbow room with other diners. The employees are pleasant, and you can fax your order in if you want to dash in/out. If you plan on studying here: - This is a very popular spot for USF/USF Med School students to congregate and study in groups. If you're looking for a place to have your study group, it is a great location - complete with a never-ending supply of coffee. Just make sure you get there and secure a table/booth. When people come to gather at Panera, they seldom leave in 30 minutes. Many stay until the place closes. [Tip: Ask the staff when a good time to secure a spot is; they know the restaurant better than anyone, and some may even offer to "save" a booth, though it is not standard practice] - Free Wifi! It is a godsend when you've grown tired of studying at home or on campus.
(3)Shawn L.
Pros: Quick (even when packed at lunch), food tastes good, bread often comes warm and priced right. Cons: Parking can be a problem at lunch time, reward card is useless, the enclosed extra sitting area is only tolerable.
(3)Jacqueline L.
lolomgwtfbbq Never again. Had never been to a Panera Bread before and decided to give it a try. My salad was bland and I absolutely hated it. I've had better, fresher, cheaper and more flavorful salads from a 7-Eleven. The cookies and cupcakes looked yummy, but the service wasn't worth double dipping for a more than likely stale cookie.
(1)Lara S.
It's Panera. If you've been to one, then you know what you're getting. In my opinion Panera is better than most quick food places because they have decent sandwiches and salads. On a recent trip to visit family I came to this Panera about 3 times. No joke- 3 times in one weekend. That's a lot, but my other quick choices were Dunkin Donuts or...well, I'm not even sure what else. Overall, my experience was fine. The first time we ordered several sandwiches and soups to go. It was very quick and everything was very good. The second time we stopped in for breakfast. It was after 11 AM so they were no longer serving their breakfasts with eggs. Instead, we opted for bagels with cream cheese. The girl at the cash register said she had fat free cream cheese, but in reality they don't. They have reduced fat or regular. She was super slow and barely knew how to ring anything up. I was trying to be patient because she seemed about 16 years old. The latte took about 15 minutes because there was no one working on making it for the first 10 minutes. In the end I would've rather not ordered it because it was too milky. The third time was the worst. I ordered some sandwiches and salads first, and then decided to get some cookies and coffee. We were prepping for our 5 hour drive back to Miami. The line for cookies and coffee was not long, but it took a very long time. If it weren't for the fact that I really needed some coffee to make the drive, I would've just left without it. So, overall, it's a Panera. You go, you order your food, and the sometimes lackadaisical people who are there get it ready for you. I won't hold it against them as they were all so young, and I'm sure many people remember that they barely wanted to be at their first jobs either.
(3)Rob F.
At the time I used to go there the manager was awful. Very rude and cocky. Also everything I ate from there tasted too processed, bland, and honestly unhealthy. Ive stopped going and do not miss it at all. Your time is better spent at Starbucks, Subs N Such, McAlisters, etc.
(1)Anuja D.
I loved this Panera Bread place. We would often come to study. The unlimited supply of tea and coffee always helps! It is difficult to secure a booth at times, but its not that hard. Its pretty clean and the staff the pretty helpful.
(4)Natalie K.
Panera, and this location in particular, is really disappointing me. Portions are incredibly skimpy, not satisfying, and not cheap considering the lack of satisfaction one receives upon dining at a Panera. This chain really needs to step up their game for menu items other than breads and pastries if they want to keep the people coming, and that starts with portion size.
(2)Genna H.
I normally enjoy Panera Bread but not this time. After Miles for moffit a few of us went here for breakfast. I ordered Turkey and a bagel, toasted (like a sandwhich( which I said multiple times. I received a buzzer and waited for my food. After about ten minutes I asked where my food was and it was not made. There was no communication amongst employees and then I was told it would be at the other and which it was not so they then had to make my meal for me. Once it was made I had one entire piece of turkey and a bagel. I asked for another piece of turkey and they said, "oh, you should have two". At this point I was just ready to get out there.
(1)Bonita B.
Overrated -- the best thing about this location is the free WiFi, yummy warm cookies, and the green tea. I will not try their Caesar salad again - it lacked so many things: fresh Romain lettuce, less hard stuff more lettuce leaf, and more salad dressing unless I ask for it to be a skinny Caesar salad (aka minimal dressing). I like their enclosed patio area, it's quieter and warmer.
(3)Dianna B.
Panera's near Busch Garden is close to work so I can stop in and grab a bite on the way to HOS. It's a good thing too, since I often want something that tastes good and makes me happy. I find that I prefer their take 2 option vs other fast food. And when I want something made special: ie take off onions or dressing on the side, they're happy to make that accommodation. And they do it without argument.
(4)