I've been going to Cosi for lunch every now and then, and I think that the decor and "fast food" feel psycologically tricks people into rating this place lower than it deserves. The flatbread is hot, soft, and fresh. I think the place is good because of the flatbread. The greek salad is not bad and the tomato basil soup is tasty! Check it out.
(3)
Oski B.
This place is nasty and many of its employees seem to be encouraged to treat customers like the garbage that often covers the tables. Like Jen D. says, this restaurant only stays open because of its proximity to Penn.
(1)
Jon L.
Absolutely agree with everything Jacquelin K. says. The staff here can get overwhelmed and unproductive when the line gets long. And yet, I've been in there when there was NO line, and it still took ten minutes to get someone's attention. One worker was rearranging potato chips behind the register while I waited patiently to order. I give Cosi three stars because, unlike some other folks, I do think it's a cozy place to have coffee (or even a slightly overpriced sandwich.) The booths are a million times better than typical cafe seating. I really love the Cosi flatbread when it's warm and fresh. But it loses it's kick when it sits around for a while---and that's what you're gonna get if you go in when the place is really busy. My favorite used to be the tandoori chicken sandwich. I hope they still have it.
(3)
Heavenly O.
I'd like to give this place 2 1/2 stars. The food is decent (I like the TBM), but it's usually crowded and it's TOO expensive. I feel fooled whenever I end up there. Unfortunately, that's a lot.
(3)
Jaymes H.
pass. no part of the experience is worth it.
(1)
Won Ho K.
Normally, I like this Cosi, but today, when I ordered a Turkey, Bacon, and Cheddar Melt (very good, by the way), they failed to even START making my sandwich until after I had paid and waited for my sandwich for at least five minutes. Needless to say, I was not very well pleased, but I was even more surprised that the cook offered a really weak apology. I like the food here, and I think the half and half option (e.g. half a salad, half a soup) is a good deal, but I'm never really confident in the quality of the service here. It's often crowded, and things don't seem to be very well organized here.
(3)
Gordon C.
As I exited the tunnel from the Septa trolley I immediately looked for a rest room before checking out the Penn Relays on Friday, April 23rd. Just by coincidence I overheard a Georgetown Univ student comment about the bathroom in the upstairs dining area, so considering my options were limited and having to go REALLY BAD, I headed there myself. After returning downstairs and checking my watch I figured out I had plenty of time to get a bite to eat before heading to Franklin Field. That's when I noticed the menu. Ordered the Spinach Florentine which I thought was really good. I've never had anything like it and specifically the artichoke spread. I went back on Saturday and had the Tuscan Pesto Chicken. Also really good. One note though, this place is a bit pricey so don't be surprised.
(3)
Joseph K.
Why don't they have any Cosis in LA? For all you sandwich/flatbread lovers, Cosi redefines lunchtime. What I Ordered: The Cosi Duo. For around $10 you get a half portion of any sandwich on their menu and a small cup of soup. I try to keep it simple when ordering there. Plus, I fell in love with their TBM (Tomato Basil Mozzarella) sandwich. Couple that with a cup of their tomato basil soup, and you have yourself a lunch! Verdict: There's nothing really to write but praise. It's relatively cheap and tastes phenomenal. What more could you ask? From time to time they feature some special sandwiches, but for starters, try their TBM. Absolutely cannot go wrong with that. Money back guaranteed. Well, not really. But you catch my drift, right?
(5)
Abby I.
A bit on the pricier side for salads and sandwiches. If you come here for prime time lunch/dinner, the wait is going to be long since it's on UPenn campus. Also, you can only sit in the dining area for dinner if you pay for table service. Silly but true. I'm not sure why I get the Grilled Wild Alaskan Salmon Salad every time especially when the salmon tastes so weird consistently. Why! Their Signature Salad is pretty awesome too! And the flatbread is delicious! They also have a great coffee bar great for those of us who need a caffeine fix/just do not sleep. Also, I've been coming here for years and just noticed today that they are opened 'till 12AM. AWESOME! Overall, a great place to eat when you need a place to catch up with friends and plenty of seating outside for those nicer days!
(3)
Eric B.
Good food fast and polite service.
(3)
Ryan L.
Worst service ever. I wasn't even served. I stood there for 5 minutes looking like an idiot and they all saw me but nobody served me. I'm never going here again.
(1)
Sherise S.
Nice improvements. I had a craving for a flatbread pizza and decided to brave the madness again. The bosses must've been reading these reviews because there was more organization to the place. They've set up some makeshift aisles for placing an order, with much more clearly defined and clearly labeled purposes. Unfortunately the waiting area is still an open pit where people look as though they aren't done ordering or confused about what to do with themselves. I still didn't see a "pay here" station. I think it would be better if the food preparers direct you over to pay for your order instead of allowing you to stand idly waiting for cashiers to start screaming at you. Not fully there yet Cosi, but nice moves in a better direction. Much appreciated!
(4)
Sheila D.
I love Cosi - it's fast, convenient, and delicious! While I agree that the concept and feel of the restaurant is very similar to Panera, I would say that the variety of food at Cosi is very different. I REALLY enjoy Cosi flatbread, which is definitely their signature product. There's something really special about their flatbread, and for some reason I just can't put my finger on why I think it's so flavorful. They give a piece of flatbread with every salad, and it's a fantastic, crunchy, and fulfilling finish to a meal. Other yelpers say that it would be great with some sort of spread or dip, but I think it tastes amazing alone as well. In terms of the other food, I've only ordered the salads and have found the staff to be very helpful and willing to accommodate for any dietary restrictions or preferences. They very easily switch out chicken for salmon in my salad, so that's definitely a wonderful option for me since I adore eating fish. Plus, it's difficult to find dishes with fish in University City without paying a fortune. The workers are quick and efficient (which others may interpret as cold), but I really appreciate the speediness of Cosi, especially when rushing between classes throughout a busy day. I guess the only negative aspect of Cosi that I see is that many of the other items on the menu are pretty pricey (many are around $8-10) for the food that you get (mainly sandwiches...), so I haven't been too adventurous with trying out different options since I know I can get the best bang out of my buck with the salad that I consistently order. Oh, before I forget - COSI SERVES S'MORES. It's great. For around $8, they provide graham crackers, marshmallows, chocolate and skewers for two with a cute, mini-burner, making such a wonderfully unique and interactive end to a meal with that special someone. You definitely can't find this experience for this price anywhere else in the area. Recommend you try the s'mores, for sure!
(4)
Victoria L.
Cosi is like a Panera without the good quality sandwiches. The convenience of this place being in the center of Penn's campus makes it a great option to grab a quick meal to-go. I've gotten their flatbreads here a few times and it has always been a hit or miss with their sandwiches. Sometimes my flatbread would be so scarce with ingredients or the bread would be too hard to bite into to. So I always go with the safer option of choosing their salads. You can also get just a single flatbread for $1 if you're in the mood to just nibble on some bread. Sometimes the service is a hit or miss as well. I would come here more often if it weren't for the expensive prices for the below than average quality food and unfriendly service.
(2)
Farrah A.
If you are looking for a quick bite to grab, Cosi is the place. It's hard to find other healthy options around the 36th Street and Walnut area, with Federal donuts right around the corner and the Penn Bookstore cafe right next door. Service is very quick (depending on the time) although most of the menu is overpriced. Being a regular, most of the staff is friendly to me and always let me customize my orders. If you are looking for a light lunch, I would suggest ordering the bread and one spread. I highly recommend the sun-dried tomato spread since it is very tasty. With some basil, it makes for a healthy, delicious vegan lunch.
(3)
Anu P.
The best thing to get here is the flatbread. I've had the vegetarian melt - ~$7 for a big flatbread sandwich with melted cheese and pickled veggies. I wish the veggies didn't taste so sweet as they did (the Indian in me wanted to douse the sandwich in hot sauce) but the bread was the redeeming part of the meal and I would come back just to try another sandwich with the same flatbread! Not a bad deal for a huge meal.
(3)
Tracy H.
First time here at a Cosi. I was looking for something fresh and a pick me up at the gym and this was the best choice I've made. I love the choose two options where you can get half of each item. The kettle chips are amazing as well. A very close location and also very spacious, there's seats outside, first floor and an upstairs! Definitely coming back again :)
(4)
Sasha B.
Horrible service and store layout. I've been to this place multiple times, and each time I have ended up getting someone else's sandwich. I asked the service staff twice to make sure that I got the correct sandwich, but still they messed up the order. Not going to come to this place ever again.
(1)
Laura S.
When I was an undergrad, I thought Cosi was really cool. I didn't know it was a chain, they had square bagels, and they would serve you s'more fixins with a fire. Pretty sweet. Now I am not an undergrad and Cosi is everywhere and it is always crowded and I am full of rage standing behind the screeching law school students in line. And yet, when I can't figure out what to eat but I am starving and have no time, I go here. Because this is the function of a chain restaurant. And the food is pretty good. Pros: Free wireless, nice seating area upstairs, chance to practice zen meditation while willing self not to strangle public at large. Cons: Lines, when it's crowded going from ordering your food to paying becomes a crazy mosh pit, pretty expensive for sandwiches. If you are going to go out of your mind if you eat another TBM or Signature Salad, you should order the Spinach Artichoke Dip. Just don't look at the nutritional information. Ever.
(3)
Hank C.
There's was a dearth of servers here on a Saturday during Homecoming at the local university. Not sure how that happened, but they were a bit slower than normal because of it, but at least they noticed us. Food here isn't anything remarkable, but the TBM and wasabi roast beef sandwiches are usually acceptable. Chai Tea Latte is decent, although the House Coffee has no refills.
(2)
Maya Y.
This place is a bit expensive for "fast food" and the portions aren't too generous, but if you're in a hurry and you're walking home from a night class, this may be your best bet (it's open most weeknights until 11 P.M.) Lunch items aren't served until 11 A.M. - if you go any earlier you're stuck with bagels (I believe they're called "squagels" by virtue of the fact that they're squarish and not circular) and other items I don't really consider to be "real" food. I tried the jalapeno and cheddar squagel on two occasions - I ordered cream cheese with it and it was fairly tasty to my sleep-deprived, 7 A.M., slightly off-game taste buds. The Asian chicken salad was acceptable and the piece of bread it came with was fairly good and added value to the meal. The chain also offers a 1/2-salad, 1/2-sandwich combo which is a convenient (though obvious) idea. I usually get the Tuscan pesto chicken since it's the least offensive and least messy of the sandwiches I've ordered here (the chicken tinga sandwich is a bit messier - the guacamole and stringy chicken bits tend to spill out of the sandwich when you bite into it) and I order a salad with it. I've never gotten a soup here. The coffee is acceptable if not memorable. The brownies and cookies don't exactly taste homemade, but if the mood strikes you, they're available. Going back to the sandwiches - order them raw (not toasted) since the toasted bread is crunchy and hard. Also, the Tuscan pesto chicken tastes better without melted cheese. The latter ruins an otherwise quasi-healthy meal. I've never gotten the carrots with a sandwich, but I've opted for the pepper-flavored kettle chips. Raw carrots don't particularly appeal to me. For beverages, I do recommend their lemonades (mojito lemonade or raspberry lemonade) albeit they're full of empty calories. Service: B- Taste: B-
(3)
Grace S.
tomato basil soup, omg delicious. bbq chicken flatbread is good when I'm eating it but then I feel sick afterwards. My bf loves the curry chicken but I'm not a big fan of any of Cosi's sandwiches.
(3)
Robyn H.
To my knowledge, Cosi's sandwiches are all pre-prepared , so I never go in there expecting to be BLOWN AWAY. Their food is EDIBLE, and that's pretty much it. I like to go to Cosi for lunch and sit outside and catch a breeze. It's a perfect spot for kicking it with friends or as a neutral meeting place for business acquaintances. I like the tomato soup and the Chicken TBM sandwich, the hot apple cider, the hot chocolate and teas.
(3)
Stephanie P.
#317 Bah, so many people hate Cosi. Don't know why. This location is probably one of my more favorite ones in Philly because of how spacious it is. Sure, it gets packed but I've always been able to find myself a seat somewhere. Plus, plenty of seating outside on a nice, sunny afternoon! The lines aren't actually that confusing, you just figure out where each one is leading you and you can easily deduce where you should be standing. I love their soups because they're always so hearty (and packed with calories) and I'm always a sucker for them. I've also really enjoyed their mango-based drinks on more than several occasions. Not a bad location to be when you need to get some work done or want to catch up with friends!
(3)
Jay G.
After living pretty much next door to this place for a year, I have certainly had my fair share of experiences eating here. Unfortunately I probably shouldn't have eaten here quite so often. This place is pretty much a second-rate Panera: they have some interesting sandwich combinations (like putting brie on sandwiches mmmmmm) but there is nothing particularly special about this place. The pizza is pretty okay but definitely overpriced. There really is no reason to come to this place when there are tons of other sandwich/hoagie spots/carts scattered throughout West Philly with higher quality food.
(2)
Dustyn S.
I went to this place a few times in NY, tried it out in Philly and remembered why I never went back before. I was starving and still couldnt stomach my Chicken Parm Flatbread. If theres a Panera nearby, go there instead.
(1)
Renea R.
I LOVE their steakhouse gorgonzola sandwich with a side of buffalo sauce. It's my recent obsession. Prices are reasonable for the good quality food. Service can be a bit slow. Overall I'm a huge fan!
(4)
Terrell M.
Honestly I don't go here for the food, I go to this Cosi to study. I think it's great for studying. The food is just an added benefit!
(4)
Charu J.
Their flat bread pizza's are great especially if you're looking for a big lunch or dinner. I usually get take out.
(3)
Jen D.
This is a pretty large Cosi, but it still sucks. It's dirty and smelly. The staff is rude. The only reason this place stays open is due to the fact that it's on Penn Campus.
(1)
Linda C.
Derr. The food tasted good, but it was REDICULOUSLY packed, and the fillins' were skimpy. So not worth my 10 dollars. Go to the one on Walnut for a more substantial sammich, a smile, and relatively no crowds! (except maybe during the lunch hour, which is, expected).
(2)
Kat W.
This place is a joke. The staff is rude, the tables are sticky, the room is nasty and dirty, and they claim to have free wireless internet but they lie. Their wireless internet does not work. Never come to this place. Waste of your time, energy, money and health.
(1)
Jacquelin K.
Cosi makes yummy salads with quality mixed greens and flavorful dressings that are to die for. Unfortunately, that's pretty much where the positives end. This location is notorious for 2 kinds of servers: totally inattentive and witheringly nasty. Maybe it's something in the water; maybe this property sits on top of an ancient burial ground & the spirits haunt the Cosi workers, who then take out their anger on the public. I've been coming to this place since it was a Xando & nothing's changed. Something that has changed is serving sizes at Cosi. It seems like the portions of meat you get on sandwiches are exponentially decreasing. We all know that Cosi's price point is a little higher than Wendy's. When we walk in the door, we accept that a sandwich will cost $8. However, when you pay $8 for a sandwich, it better have some meat on it. Adding insult to injury is the fact that the staff's ability to manage high customer volume is a total crap shoot. On some days the system works. On other days you end up waiting in agony for 1 of the workers milling about to decide to come stand at the register and ring up your stuff.
(2)
Melissa E.
I'm going to say upfront that I usually like Cosi's food (depending on what I order), and that my main problem with this particular Cosi is the service. Today, for example, the oven they use to toast the sandwiches and pizzas on stopped working, so they had to switch to another one, which took some time to heat up. I've worked in food service, I understand these things happen. What I was not happy about was that even after the manager assured us we'd have our food shortly, and me waiting 25 minutes from when I walked in the shop, I find out that my sandwich was never even made. How, I'm not sure, as the employee that took my order filled out an order slip. Perhaps someone else grabbed it, but whatever the case is, I was on my lunch break, and I ended up spending 35 minutes just getting food to-go. Their employees on the whole tend to be unfriendly and sometimes rude. I've seen some stick their hands in the food bar and eat in front of customers, and then continue making food with the same pair of gloves. I really wish that they could get their service together, because it's in a convenient location and is relatively affordable on a college student's budget.
(2)
T. G.
Every time I walk in here, I regret it. I'm usually there around 8:30am and there's never a line, yet the average time I have to wait for someone to look up at me is about 3 minutes. Everyone in there looks half-dead and they're rude. And now they've implemented a waste-of-paper system where the sandwich maker gives you a paper with your order to hand to the cashier. This system makes sense maybe if they all weren't behind the same counter. If you don't trust your customers, pass the food to the cashier. Oh, wait, then they'd actually have to interact and move and stuff.
(2)
Grace H.
For a time, I came to Cosi every single day and ordered the Signature Salad with chicken. It really never gets old. It's hard to find healthy options around campus, but Cosi is right near the library and was always reliably quick and yummy. I particularly enjoyed eating the bread samples while waiting in line. I've also tried the TBM melt and the BBQ chicken pizza. Also delicious! The bread is baked fresh daily (you can see it from where you order), and I like to treat myself on occasion to the specialty drinks (mojito lemonade, raspberry iced tea). Similar to Panera, but it has its own charm.
(4)
Dario Z.
Healthy and really tasty alternative take on classic sandwiches, salads and food bowls. Price seems reasonable, seeing that they use fair trade ingredients for all their products.
(5)
Jacky L.
Terrible service, expensive, confusing order and payment layout, ok food. I've come to this Cosi three times already, and each time, I question why I come here again for their terrible service. The people that work there are highly unprofessional and rude. The hatred of patrons that the people that work at Cosi doesn't help with the confusing layout of the shop. You first need to line up (well, there's a sign to tell you where to line up to order) to talk to the sandwich makers. You have to almost yell since it's so loud, and they're often busy making sandwiches which adds to the confusion on who you should be talking to. After this, you awkwardly walk to the cashiers, whom each time I went, we're seemingly reluctant to take my order. Also.. Why do I have to tell them my order twice, once to the chef, and once to the cashier? Also so confusing on where we should be to get our food. Do they go to us? Or do we stand somewhere near the line to pick it up? The good thing is, the food is pretty good. Their chicken noodle soup is on point. But yeah.. This is probably the most confusing food place I've been to. Terrible service doesn't help it. Avoid. If you can.. Since they have a monopoly towards the University City students.
(2)
Sophia H.
Turkey avocado sandwich = best thing ever! Always crowded but great food and fast friendly service
(4)
Vidushi B.
Cosi is a great place to grab a sandwich, soup, flatbread, or other cafe-type meal. It's a little bit overpriced for what it is, but it also offers a wide variety of tasty options, so that makes it worthwhile. I really like the soup here, because you can get a regular sized soup and sizeable slice of bread for $3.70ish, and if I eat the whole thing, it fills me up. The tomato basil soup is usually my go-to, it's really good. I also enjoy the melts and sandwiches, like the chicken pesto and the chicken TBM. The flatbreads are similarly enjoyable, and are a pretty good value if you get a whole thing. I really want to try the s'mores they have here during the fall/winter - they look delicious and you get to make them yourself on mini fire!
(4)
Yun W.
Unfortunately this Cosi just does not cut it. Being one of the few cheap cafe sandwich shops in University City, it has quite the monopoly over UPenn students. Although some of the workers are friendly, the majority of the time, the cashiers and non-food preparation staff are extraordinarily rude to students and the food preparation staff are quite incompetent. Recent visit - There was a dispute over what I had ordered at the cashier. I told her I ordered the Tuscan Pesto Chicken sandwich. She was extremely unprofessional and actually reached into my sandwich bag and TOUCHED my sandwich to feel if it was hot or cold. She then insisted that it was a Tuscan Pesto Chicken melt because it was hot, and charged me for the melt price. I protested, saying that there was no cheese in the sandwich and it was therefore not a melt. The end was a unhappy dispute over a less than $1 difference. She ended up charging me for a sandwich, insisting that I was not allowed to get sandwiches toasted again. Quite unprofessional. Seriously? My first visit - Ordered the Asian Salmon Salad and the worker forgot to put salmon in it altogether. Brought the half eaten dish back to the line worker who was skeptical of his mistake and then reluctantly added in salmon. Another visit - Ordered the Tandoori Chicken salad, same dish as the customer in front. The salad making area was out of cucumbers. There was a mad scramble to cut up cucumbers from the sandwich making area, which was not enough, and prompted another scramble to the back room for cucumbers. Unfortunately, after all of this they still forgot to put cucumbers in my salad, until I reminded them about doing so and they had to reopen my container to do so. Another visit - The cashier was extremely rude and pushy to get me to pay right away despite there not being a crowd at all, while I was watching the sandwich making process (due to the mistakes of food preparation in the previous visits)
(1)
Shereen C.
It's worse than I thought Their "chicken" is processed stuff Fake chewy "meat" -- Yech!
(2)
Kaveh R.
ok food, good service.
(3)
Minh C.
I was not previously a fan of Cosi in general, but ever since the weather has gotten colder, I've stopped by to give it another chance. The Taste Two (I think that's what it's called) is not a bad deal - get half a sandwich + soup (it's a little confusing, because sometimes they give me different size soup). The chai latte here is also not too great. It tastes more like sugar water with some spices in it.
(3)
Meg S.
Cosi is like the overpriced, overrated version of Panera. I have come here more than I would like as it is one of the few restaurants open after a 7pm movie screening, but I've never left without being annoyed. First, you walk in and it's endlessly confusing where you're supposed to order and pay. I've been here in about 15 times and it's been different about 1/3 of the time, so it's definitely them, not me! Do not get the drinks here-I somehow paid close to $4 on a sweltering summer day for a 16oz lemonade that ended up being 500 calories. (Kicker? Not even good, it tasted like I was drinking pure syrup). I've had a lot of the menu items, and the only one that I really kind of like is the buffalo sandwich. If you're also forced into going here, the second floor is considerably nicer than the bottom floor.
(1)
Melissa E.
I'm going to say upfront that I usually like Cosi's food (depending on what I order), and that my main problem with this particular Cosi is the service. Today, for example, the oven they use to toast the sandwiches and pizzas on stopped working, so they had to switch to another one, which took some time to heat up. I've worked in food service, I understand these things happen. What I was not happy about was that even after the manager assured us we'd have our food shortly, and me waiting 25 minutes from when I walked in the shop, I find out that my sandwich was never even made. How, I'm not sure, as the employee that took my order filled out an order slip. Perhaps someone else grabbed it, but whatever the case is, I was on my lunch break, and I ended up spending 35 minutes just getting food to-go. Their employees on the whole tend to be unfriendly and sometimes rude. I've seen some stick their hands in the food bar and eat in front of customers, and then continue making food with the same pair of gloves. I really wish that they could get their service together, because it's in a convenient location and is relatively affordable on a college student's budget.
(2)
T. G.
Every time I walk in here, I regret it. I'm usually there around 8:30am and there's never a line, yet the average time I have to wait for someone to look up at me is about 3 minutes. Everyone in there looks half-dead and they're rude. And now they've implemented a waste-of-paper system where the sandwich maker gives you a paper with your order to hand to the cashier. This system makes sense maybe if they all weren't behind the same counter. If you don't trust your customers, pass the food to the cashier. Oh, wait, then they'd actually have to interact and move and stuff.
(2)
Chihee K.
I've been going to Cosi for lunch every now and then, and I think that the decor and "fast food" feel psycologically tricks people into rating this place lower than it deserves. The flatbread is hot, soft, and fresh. I think the place is good because of the flatbread. The greek salad is not bad and the tomato basil soup is tasty! Check it out.
(3)
Oski B.
This place is nasty and many of its employees seem to be encouraged to treat customers like the garbage that often covers the tables. Like Jen D. says, this restaurant only stays open because of its proximity to Penn.
(1)
Jon L.
Absolutely agree with everything Jacquelin K. says. The staff here can get overwhelmed and unproductive when the line gets long. And yet, I've been in there when there was NO line, and it still took ten minutes to get someone's attention. One worker was rearranging potato chips behind the register while I waited patiently to order. I give Cosi three stars because, unlike some other folks, I do think it's a cozy place to have coffee (or even a slightly overpriced sandwich.) The booths are a million times better than typical cafe seating. I really love the Cosi flatbread when it's warm and fresh. But it loses it's kick when it sits around for a while---and that's what you're gonna get if you go in when the place is really busy. My favorite used to be the tandoori chicken sandwich. I hope they still have it.
(3)
Kimberly Y.
I'm a die-hard Panera fan, but Cosi has a good amount to offer. It's better than ABP in my book, at least! You just have to know what to get. And I've actually never had a problem with their customer service, and I've visited quite a few times... I mean, these places generally aren't known for their service anyway. Come for lunch to get hot, fresh flatbreads with whatever you're ordering. They're amazing when fresh, but passable if not. I love their pesto chicken melt (not sandwich), steakhouse salad, and tomato basil soup to dip the flatbread in. The only pizza that's worth getting is the smoky BBQ chicken. Also, please don't get the squagels (hard as a rock!) or the lemonades (overpriced and so sour, in my experience)! The prices are a little expensive for the quality, but at least they're consistent and convenient--and there are quite a few yummy options. It's also a great place to study or chat for a while; don't forget about the upstairs seating!
(4)
Charlie G.
They have the slowest most inattentive service. This place is empty--I ordered after waiting in no line--and my toasted squagel with cream cheese, a very easy order, took 12 minutes. No line! The soda in the fridge was warm. Come on man, serving warm drinks? This place isn't cheap either. What am I paying for?
(1)
Christine V.
Like other people have said, it's like another Panera but I do enjoy Panera more. Cosi is conveniently located near UPenn campus and could be a good study spot. They have an upstairs, which is more isolated and quiet so you could get more studying done up there. I've gotten food twice here and occasionally drop in to just buy a drink. I'm not too big a fan of their flat bread sandwiches. The last time I had it, the bread was really hard and just hard to bite into. I've recently gone there as a quick stop for breakfast and ordered a squagel (square bagel), and I really enjoyed that! I ordered the club squagel, which consisted of eggs, cheddar, bacon, and tomato. I chose to get the basil parmesan squagel out of many other choices you have. It was a solid quick breakfast at a very reasonable price! The other thing I really like about Cosi is their selection of drinks that they offer in the afternoons. I've gotten the grapefruit apple, raspberry mojito, and some other form of their mojitos. It's light, refreshing, and delicious.
(3)
J F.
Since this Cosi is located in University City with a significant customer base of students, I wonder whether it is coincidence or intentional design that the store has two levels, the top one especially good for studying in the morning hours . I am not sure if this applies to the afternoon and evening hours, as I have not been there at those times. In terms of the food, I really enjoy the Turkey Light sandwich for lunch and the sesame bagels (Cosi calls them squagels) for breakfast. Just recently, Cosi upped its coffee game with more diversified offerings. For example, I tasted an Ethiopian blend this morning. It was excellent. Service speed can slow up at times with big morning and lunch rushes, but having been here on and off for many years, the service and food have been 3-star consistent. A pretty high traffic Cosi, the place is not the cleanest at times, an area that I hope that they are aware of and are working on.
(3)
Jennifer C.
Yes, I know I said I'd never go back. I said that after my pervious two- and one-star reviews. But I can not be held 100% responsible for the things that I do when I am NOT under the influence of caffeine... So, third review is the charm....I'm pretty sure this location is under new management and for sure they've hired some new (super nice! competent! friendly!) staff. I still only go in for drinks (and usually early a.m. when there aren't many people in there) but they make them perfect (1-pump and extra-shot) every time. Served with a smile & engaging conversation. Side story: one night when I was waiting for the trolley one of the baristas was also at the station and asked me if I had ever been there (to Cosi) & how my experience was! Way to go Cosi! Tell your morning coffee bar staff how fabulous they are!
(4)
Roopa S.
The flatbread here is really what is truly exceptional. The rest of the food kind of just falls to the "average" plane. It's basically a Panera bread, but slightly worse. I've tried the hummus and veggies sandwich, the tomato and mozzarella sandwich, the Shanghai Chicken Salad, and the Lime Chicken Salad. I have a slight preference for the salads over the sandwiches, though both aren't superb. The prices are average-- not too pricey but not cheap either. The portion sizes are pretty averagae as well. Service is usually quick, so that's a plus. Don't expect great tasting food here, but it certainly is not bad!
(3)
Joy W.
Cosi is another salad/sandwich/soup place similar to Panera. They have two lines, the one on the left is for salads and the one on the right is for sandwiches. They have many great healthy options that it was hard to decide, but the line behind me was starting to grow. I quickly decided on the tandoori chicken salad, which came with a slice of flat bread. Since I'm a clutz, I dropped my flatbread on the ground but the cashier was really nice and gave me another slice. Unfortunately their flatbreads are pretty difficult to chew since they are hard, so I would recommend eating it with soup or hummus. However, the tandoori chicken salad is AMAZING! The ingredients were really fresh and they did a pretty good job of imitating the tandoori flavors with their sliced grilled chicken. It came with onions as well, so I may have had stinky breath afterwards but it was well worth it. If I lived around the area, this would be an ideal lunch place to have a quick dine in or order healthy food to go. [61 of 100]
(3)
Victoria R.
Fast, easy, a little pricy for an entire meal with sides and a drink but it's close and comfy food. I had the pesto chicken melt and it was amazing! My husband had the veggie sandwich and he loved it! Great place for a quick and delicious brunch or lunch!
(4)
Satty N.
Second time I've gotten coffee and it was cold. This time, every single canister(?) of self serve coffee was empty. They didn't seem to mind of course. Stay away.
(1)
Andrew G.
Occasionally the employees aren't the nicest, but the food and coffee are solid at all times of day.
(4)
Tiger J.
Food is mediocre. The workers mumble alot and it is extremely hard to hear them speak. Manager needs to train them to speak clearly and be friendly. I asked a worker about a recommendation, and she gave me a 'wtf' look. The worker is the black female making the food here april 12th at 530pm. Manager please train her.
(2)
betsy s.
I went in at 9:15 am for breakfast, didn't get my food until 10. and there were numerous employees but no one at the register. They have it set up so you order at the sandwich counter and then get back in line at a different counter to pay. Just seemed dumb.
(2)
Muhammad N.
The customer service, location, everything is fine...except the food. It's very boring and unoriginal. They're also quite expensive for a place that offers sandwich.
(1)
Lenny Z.
I've been to many Cosi shops. This one, like all of the rest, is okay, but a little overpriced considering what you get. The portions are small and should cost no more than $5 or $6. However, they stroke you for more like $9. I've had better sandwiches for $3. The one cool thing about this location is on a nice day they have lots of outdoor seating. Other than that, it doesn't have much going for it. Save your money and time.
(2)
Clare D.
Cosi isn't consistent. When I get a freshly made sandwich with bread just out of the oven and split, it tastes great, but once the bread cools completely, it can be cracker crisp, not pita soft. I don't understand what everyone's infatuation is with Cosi. Is it supposed to be healthy? Where you place your order is sometimes confusing. There are clearly signs that direct you to order from one of the sandwich makers, but sometimes they tell me to give my order to the cashier before I get my sandwich from them. When it gets busy during the day, it can be a madhouse in there.
(1)
Christopher K.
Great place for breakfast! Usually get the Steak & Egg wrap or a yogurt parfait. I wish they had more variety, such as egg omelettes. Beware that the egg omelette sandwich does not actually have an omelette inside. Just scrambled eggs with toppings.
(4)
Nancy P.
I came here with a coworker during lunch and boy, the lines are pretty much out the door. There are two lines, one for salads and one for sandwiches. There's usually a person writing down your order before you get to the sandwich station though since that one is typically a longer wait. I tried the Prosciutto Olive Chicken melt. It was okay, not great. I mean, I wasn't expecting great prosciutto at Cosi so it wasn't bad. The olives were bland and didn't add too much to the sandwich though. But the flatbread is so yummy.
It was National Cabbage Day so I dropped by Così to get a Korean BBQ Pork Bowl for dinner. The Asian cabbage slaw on top was actually really good, sweet and tangy. The cabbage and various vegetables were quite crunchy and refreshing. The BBQ pork was actually really flavourful as well, not overwhelming, but sweet and comforting. The pork was tender enough although it was slightly hard to pull apart and was by no means melt-in-your-mouth. The grains were a little greasy, though, but they should not be since it is just grains and rice. The Country Lentil Soup was decent and had a strong tomato and vegetable taste. It was thick enough but not too much that it was no longer a soup. The lentils added texture and the ingredients were fresh and hearty. The Cheesecake Brownie had a slight pungent cheese smell. It was more like a thin layer of cheese-flavoured dense cake on top of a fudge brownie. The heart shapes were cute, I though. The entire dessert was dense and chewy, the way I like my brownies to be. Così can have a really long wait time. The staff at this particular one seem very inefficient. There are so many of them yet food comes out so slow. It takes forever every time I am there. Also, I spotted a cockroach on the wall behind the counter and that was not very comforting. Let's hope they do not get near the actual food itself.
(2)
Anne N.
pros: free wifi - no login, they let you use it forever, no hassle. yay, thank you! large upstairs space uncrowded on a Thursday evening. friendly woman at checkout. clean. cons: i really like unobtrusive, alternative rock Shins-style music in cafes, not kinda-loud 90s soft rock-style. really loud environment, even with earplugs. staff was unfamiliar with special orders, was patient with me, but it seemed like an effort.
(3)
Mimi L.
I took my kids for some smores. End up ordering snacks. lol. Half Turkey and Brie sandwich with clam chowder. Both were really good. My son ordered the tuscan sandwich, that was also good. My daughter had the itailian sausage pizza and that was so so for me. The apple pie and smores were the cake. Fun and good. For drinks we had ice coffee, frozen hot chocolate and raspberry ice tea. All drinks were really good. To top that off we had top notch service from Daniel. Who does it all. Made the sandwich, made the drinks, cashier and waitress. I would definately come here again just to have great service from Daniel. Cosi is a great late night snack place that is kid friendly.
(4)
Jay G.
After living pretty much next door to this place for a year, I have certainly had my fair share of experiences eating here. Unfortunately I probably shouldn't have eaten here quite so often. This place is pretty much a second-rate Panera: they have some interesting sandwich combinations (like putting brie on sandwiches mmmmmm) but there is nothing particularly special about this place. The pizza is pretty okay but definitely overpriced. There really is no reason to come to this place when there are tons of other sandwich/hoagie spots/carts scattered throughout West Philly with higher quality food.
(2)
Dustyn S.
I went to this place a few times in NY, tried it out in Philly and remembered why I never went back before. I was starving and still couldnt stomach my Chicken Parm Flatbread. If theres a Panera nearby, go there instead.
(1)
Nina P.
From the reviews I read before coming here I fully expected a not-so-great experience, but I was really craving spinach artichoke dip so was willing to give it a chance. My first impression was the smell of burnt bread, which after a while I got used to, but is really pungent at first. I already expected the meal not to be great but there was no turning back now. I ordered my dip and they said it would take a few minutes, which really didnt bother me. Then after 5 minutes they said it was going to take a little longer so while I waited they offered me a free drink or soup. It's funny bc I wasn't even waiting for a long time, but they are obviously trying to keep their customers happy and I have no problem with that. In fact, I appreciate the fact that they acknowledged how long the food was taking. If this situation happened in NY, they'd be probably give you a dirty look and some fake apology. I had no complaints about the dip and the soup was good as well (reminded me of spaghettios sauce, my favorite as a kid). Overall not bad. Way better than I expected it to be.
(4)
James V.
This Cosi is located on the University of Pennsylvania's campus. If you have been to a Cosi before, then you know what to expect. If you have not been to a Cosi, then you should know that it is a decent place to go for something quick and a step up from fast food. The flat-breads or the salads are usually both good choices. Although if want something sweet and have a little more time, the S'mores is a great option. You actually get a small burner of your own so you get to toast your marshmallows. The one really nice thing about this particular Cosi is that it has a lot of seating, including upstairs and tables outside.
(3)
Dana L.
WORST SERVICE EVER. and i mean ever. After someone took my food by accident, I asked them to make another one for me (and I waited ANOTHER 5 minutes). They misunderstood and didn't add chicken to the pizza I ordered. So the employee rolled his eyes at me and gave me this look. So after 15 minutes of waiting...I got my food. I have never been treated this way at ANY fast food place even. No one apologized. Now I go out of my way NOT to go to Cosi. They don't care about their customers. They just make the money. But hey...students need food...so they go to Cosi. Is it too much to ask for employees to be respectful?
(1)
Adam S.
Good menu, solid ingredients, but these folks are not sandwich artists. I had a Turkey and Brie Wrap one day and the Spinach Florentine Wrap the next. Both "wraps" could have more fittingly been called "crumples" because that's how they were assembled. While watching the sandwich line I kept thinking, "Thank god they're not trying to fold burritos!" Everyone in the sandwich line either looked befuddled by anything other than a plain bagel or like they were supposed to be somewhere else ten minutes ago. Also, can we please hang a few signs like "order here", "pick-up here," "pay-here" to direct traffic instead of the east coast "If you don already know, then leave!" attitude?
(2)
Erin M.
People are pretty harsh on this establishment, here, but I think it does what it does well. I've gone in there when the line is to the door, but I'm always through in 5-10 minutes. The signature salad is always good, full of fresh greens, grapes, pistachios, blue cheese and dried cranberries. Today, I tried a duo, so I had a half signature salad, that was definitely not quite a full half, and a tuna sandwich on the standard cosi bread, along with cracked pepper chips. It was all filling and delicious. At $7.77 with tax, this rings up to be one of the pricier on campus establishments for a quick bite. But it's definitely my favorite salad. Also, they have outdoor seating, every day of the year. It was unseasonably warm today, and I sat out with coworkers and enjoyed the blue sky.
(3)
David D.
Unfortunately I developed a TBM sandwich addiction a few years ago. Food poisoning from the aforementioned sammich nipped that one in the bud. Overpriced, rancid mozzarella and stoned or otherwise distracted staff.... yeahnotsomuch.
(1)
Alicia J.
Unfriendly people, a strange line system and high prices - that pretty much sums up my impression of Cosi. However, I do like their food which has never failed to be delicious somehow. I don't know why this place needs a separate line for salads when more often than not you have to wait for your order anyways. It also doesn't help that there are a bunch of people around you who don't know where to go, where to pay and whether the person randomly standing in front of them is in line or waiting for their food. This could all be avoided if the place was better organized - or had people actually helping their customers out. Food-wise I am quite fond of Cosi. Most of their pizzas and sandwiches almost live up to the price. If only it was a bit cheaper, I'd come here much more often.
(2)
Rosalyn P.
Cosi makes an excellent spinach and egg wrap from their breakfast menu! Really tasty and quick service.
(5)
Mansi B.
I love the food at Cosi and there's adequate seating. But my complain is it is very confusing to place an order. It is all over the place. Sandwiches in one corner, pay in another and pick up beverages in yet another. The cashier keeps asking what you got, but doesn't hear half the things because there are always too many people. When it's crowded, customer service goes out the window. The cooks are yelling, cashiers are confused and as a customer you are afraid of making a mistake while ordering. Phew! Quite stressful. A cafe should be a welcoming place.
(3)
Ceasar B.
I wouldn't really recommend eating here per se-- your money is always undoubtedly spent better elsewhere --however, Cosi is really not a bad spot to meet someone for coffee at (not to say the coffee is good, but it's alright). Plenty of seats and reasonable decor make it half-decent.
(2)
Joyce L.
I am a fan of Cosi. Their flatbread is DELICIOUS! (though sometimes on the salty side). Even though it's a chain store, I find that the quality of the ingredients acceptable. I've only been twice--once for the signature salad and once for the fire roasted vegetable sandwich. In terms of flavor, I really like both. The lunch hour is crazy! It is a bit hard to figure out where to stand..but there are plenty of employees hollering directions (adding to the madness), but it works out in the end. There is plenty of seating upstairs and the employees take the time to clean the tables. AND, I appreciate the calorie information. All chain restaurants should definitely be moving in this direction. Please add sodium and fat content!
(4)
Candace C.
I actually really like this Cosi! The Law School is right around the corner so I've turned to this trusty Cosi many-a times with minimal disappointments. The tomato soup is always a winner and most of their salads are good (except the Asian salad is a bit wimpy, which is a big no-no in my book). The pizza is really tasty too. I mean, if you come to Cosi, you shouldn't be expecting anything gourmet. Just something quick, easy, and tasty. I guess it isn't super cheap relative to the competing lunch options, but its not that expensive either. Don't come here everyday though with the plethora of eats around Penn. I don't know about anyone else but when the cold strikes and I crave soup, Cosi's tomato soup generally hits the spot. 3.5 stars! (Yelp needs to have half stars)
(3)
Laura S.
When I was an undergrad, I thought Cosi was really cool. I didn't know it was a chain, they had square bagels, and they would serve you s'more fixins with a fire. Pretty sweet. Now I am not an undergrad and Cosi is everywhere and it is always crowded and I am full of rage standing behind the screeching law school students in line. And yet, when I can't figure out what to eat but I am starving and have no time, I go here. Because this is the function of a chain restaurant. And the food is pretty good. Pros: Free wireless, nice seating area upstairs, chance to practice zen meditation while willing self not to strangle public at large. Cons: Lines, when it's crowded going from ordering your food to paying becomes a crazy mosh pit, pretty expensive for sandwiches. If you are going to go out of your mind if you eat another TBM or Signature Salad, you should order the Spinach Artichoke Dip. Just don't look at the nutritional information. Ever.
(3)
Hank C.
There's was a dearth of servers here on a Saturday during Homecoming at the local university. Not sure how that happened, but they were a bit slower than normal because of it, but at least they noticed us. Food here isn't anything remarkable, but the TBM and wasabi roast beef sandwiches are usually acceptable. Chai Tea Latte is decent, although the House Coffee has no refills.
(2)
Maya Y.
This place is a bit expensive for "fast food" and the portions aren't too generous, but if you're in a hurry and you're walking home from a night class, this may be your best bet (it's open most weeknights until 11 P.M.) Lunch items aren't served until 11 A.M. - if you go any earlier you're stuck with bagels (I believe they're called "squagels" by virtue of the fact that they're squarish and not circular) and other items I don't really consider to be "real" food. I tried the jalapeno and cheddar squagel on two occasions - I ordered cream cheese with it and it was fairly tasty to my sleep-deprived, 7 A.M., slightly off-game taste buds. The Asian chicken salad was acceptable and the piece of bread it came with was fairly good and added value to the meal. The chain also offers a 1/2-salad, 1/2-sandwich combo which is a convenient (though obvious) idea. I usually get the Tuscan pesto chicken since it's the least offensive and least messy of the sandwiches I've ordered here (the chicken tinga sandwich is a bit messier - the guacamole and stringy chicken bits tend to spill out of the sandwich when you bite into it) and I order a salad with it. I've never gotten a soup here. The coffee is acceptable if not memorable. The brownies and cookies don't exactly taste homemade, but if the mood strikes you, they're available. Going back to the sandwiches - order them raw (not toasted) since the toasted bread is crunchy and hard. Also, the Tuscan pesto chicken tastes better without melted cheese. The latter ruins an otherwise quasi-healthy meal. I've never gotten the carrots with a sandwich, but I've opted for the pepper-flavored kettle chips. Raw carrots don't particularly appeal to me. For beverages, I do recommend their lemonades (mojito lemonade or raspberry lemonade) albeit they're full of empty calories. Service: B- Taste: B-
(3)
Grace S.
tomato basil soup, omg delicious. bbq chicken flatbread is good when I'm eating it but then I feel sick afterwards. My bf loves the curry chicken but I'm not a big fan of any of Cosi's sandwiches.
(3)
Won Ho K.
Normally, I like this Cosi, but today, when I ordered a Turkey, Bacon, and Cheddar Melt (very good, by the way), they failed to even START making my sandwich until after I had paid and waited for my sandwich for at least five minutes. Needless to say, I was not very well pleased, but I was even more surprised that the cook offered a really weak apology. I like the food here, and I think the half and half option (e.g. half a salad, half a soup) is a good deal, but I'm never really confident in the quality of the service here. It's often crowded, and things don't seem to be very well organized here.
(3)
Gordon C.
As I exited the tunnel from the Septa trolley I immediately looked for a rest room before checking out the Penn Relays on Friday, April 23rd. Just by coincidence I overheard a Georgetown Univ student comment about the bathroom in the upstairs dining area, so considering my options were limited and having to go REALLY BAD, I headed there myself. After returning downstairs and checking my watch I figured out I had plenty of time to get a bite to eat before heading to Franklin Field. That's when I noticed the menu. Ordered the Spinach Florentine which I thought was really good. I've never had anything like it and specifically the artichoke spread. I went back on Saturday and had the Tuscan Pesto Chicken. Also really good. One note though, this place is a bit pricey so don't be surprised.
(3)
Joseph K.
Why don't they have any Cosis in LA? For all you sandwich/flatbread lovers, Cosi redefines lunchtime. What I Ordered: The Cosi Duo. For around $10 you get a half portion of any sandwich on their menu and a small cup of soup. I try to keep it simple when ordering there. Plus, I fell in love with their TBM (Tomato Basil Mozzarella) sandwich. Couple that with a cup of their tomato basil soup, and you have yourself a lunch! Verdict: There's nothing really to write but praise. It's relatively cheap and tastes phenomenal. What more could you ask? From time to time they feature some special sandwiches, but for starters, try their TBM. Absolutely cannot go wrong with that. Money back guaranteed. Well, not really. But you catch my drift, right?
(5)
Abby I.
A bit on the pricier side for salads and sandwiches. If you come here for prime time lunch/dinner, the wait is going to be long since it's on UPenn campus. Also, you can only sit in the dining area for dinner if you pay for table service. Silly but true. I'm not sure why I get the Grilled Wild Alaskan Salmon Salad every time especially when the salmon tastes so weird consistently. Why! Their Signature Salad is pretty awesome too! And the flatbread is delicious! They also have a great coffee bar great for those of us who need a caffeine fix/just do not sleep. Also, I've been coming here for years and just noticed today that they are opened 'till 12AM. AWESOME! Overall, a great place to eat when you need a place to catch up with friends and plenty of seating outside for those nicer days!
(3)
Eric B.
Good food fast and polite service.
(3)
Ryan L.
Worst service ever. I wasn't even served. I stood there for 5 minutes looking like an idiot and they all saw me but nobody served me. I'm never going here again.
(1)
Robyn H.
To my knowledge, Cosi's sandwiches are all pre-prepared , so I never go in there expecting to be BLOWN AWAY. Their food is EDIBLE, and that's pretty much it. I like to go to Cosi for lunch and sit outside and catch a breeze. It's a perfect spot for kicking it with friends or as a neutral meeting place for business acquaintances. I like the tomato soup and the Chicken TBM sandwich, the hot apple cider, the hot chocolate and teas.
(3)
Stephanie P.
#317 Bah, so many people hate Cosi. Don't know why. This location is probably one of my more favorite ones in Philly because of how spacious it is. Sure, it gets packed but I've always been able to find myself a seat somewhere. Plus, plenty of seating outside on a nice, sunny afternoon! The lines aren't actually that confusing, you just figure out where each one is leading you and you can easily deduce where you should be standing. I love their soups because they're always so hearty (and packed with calories) and I'm always a sucker for them. I've also really enjoyed their mango-based drinks on more than several occasions. Not a bad location to be when you need to get some work done or want to catch up with friends!
(3)
Renea R.
I LOVE their steakhouse gorgonzola sandwich with a side of buffalo sauce. It's my recent obsession. Prices are reasonable for the good quality food. Service can be a bit slow. Overall I'm a huge fan!
(4)
Terrell M.
Honestly I don't go here for the food, I go to this Cosi to study. I think it's great for studying. The food is just an added benefit!
(4)
Charu J.
Their flat bread pizza's are great especially if you're looking for a big lunch or dinner. I usually get take out.
(3)
Jen D.
This is a pretty large Cosi, but it still sucks. It's dirty and smelly. The staff is rude. The only reason this place stays open is due to the fact that it's on Penn Campus.
(1)
Linda C.
Derr. The food tasted good, but it was REDICULOUSLY packed, and the fillins' were skimpy. So not worth my 10 dollars. Go to the one on Walnut for a more substantial sammich, a smile, and relatively no crowds! (except maybe during the lunch hour, which is, expected).
(2)
Kat W.
This place is a joke. The staff is rude, the tables are sticky, the room is nasty and dirty, and they claim to have free wireless internet but they lie. Their wireless internet does not work. Never come to this place. Waste of your time, energy, money and health.
(1)
Jacquelin K.
Cosi makes yummy salads with quality mixed greens and flavorful dressings that are to die for. Unfortunately, that's pretty much where the positives end. This location is notorious for 2 kinds of servers: totally inattentive and witheringly nasty. Maybe it's something in the water; maybe this property sits on top of an ancient burial ground & the spirits haunt the Cosi workers, who then take out their anger on the public. I've been coming to this place since it was a Xando & nothing's changed. Something that has changed is serving sizes at Cosi. It seems like the portions of meat you get on sandwiches are exponentially decreasing. We all know that Cosi's price point is a little higher than Wendy's. When we walk in the door, we accept that a sandwich will cost $8. However, when you pay $8 for a sandwich, it better have some meat on it. Adding insult to injury is the fact that the staff's ability to manage high customer volume is a total crap shoot. On some days the system works. On other days you end up waiting in agony for 1 of the workers milling about to decide to come stand at the register and ring up your stuff.
(2)
Heavenly O.
I'd like to give this place 2 1/2 stars. The food is decent (I like the TBM), but it's usually crowded and it's TOO expensive. I feel fooled whenever I end up there. Unfortunately, that's a lot.
(3)
Jaymes H.
pass. no part of the experience is worth it.
(1)
Grace H.
For a time, I came to Cosi every single day and ordered the Signature Salad with chicken. It really never gets old. It's hard to find healthy options around campus, but Cosi is right near the library and was always reliably quick and yummy. I particularly enjoyed eating the bread samples while waiting in line. I've also tried the TBM melt and the BBQ chicken pizza. Also delicious! The bread is baked fresh daily (you can see it from where you order), and I like to treat myself on occasion to the specialty drinks (mojito lemonade, raspberry iced tea). Similar to Panera, but it has its own charm.
(4)
Dario Z.
Healthy and really tasty alternative take on classic sandwiches, salads and food bowls. Price seems reasonable, seeing that they use fair trade ingredients for all their products.
(5)
Sherise S.
Nice improvements. I had a craving for a flatbread pizza and decided to brave the madness again. The bosses must've been reading these reviews because there was more organization to the place. They've set up some makeshift aisles for placing an order, with much more clearly defined and clearly labeled purposes. Unfortunately the waiting area is still an open pit where people look as though they aren't done ordering or confused about what to do with themselves. I still didn't see a "pay here" station. I think it would be better if the food preparers direct you over to pay for your order instead of allowing you to stand idly waiting for cashiers to start screaming at you. Not fully there yet Cosi, but nice moves in a better direction. Much appreciated!
(4)
Jacky L.
Terrible service, expensive, confusing order and payment layout, ok food. I've come to this Cosi three times already, and each time, I question why I come here again for their terrible service. The people that work there are highly unprofessional and rude. The hatred of patrons that the people that work at Cosi doesn't help with the confusing layout of the shop. You first need to line up (well, there's a sign to tell you where to line up to order) to talk to the sandwich makers. You have to almost yell since it's so loud, and they're often busy making sandwiches which adds to the confusion on who you should be talking to. After this, you awkwardly walk to the cashiers, whom each time I went, we're seemingly reluctant to take my order. Also.. Why do I have to tell them my order twice, once to the chef, and once to the cashier? Also so confusing on where we should be to get our food. Do they go to us? Or do we stand somewhere near the line to pick it up? The good thing is, the food is pretty good. Their chicken noodle soup is on point. But yeah.. This is probably the most confusing food place I've been to. Terrible service doesn't help it. Avoid. If you can.. Since they have a monopoly towards the University City students.
(2)
Sophia H.
Turkey avocado sandwich = best thing ever! Always crowded but great food and fast friendly service
(4)
Sheila D.
I love Cosi - it's fast, convenient, and delicious! While I agree that the concept and feel of the restaurant is very similar to Panera, I would say that the variety of food at Cosi is very different. I REALLY enjoy Cosi flatbread, which is definitely their signature product. There's something really special about their flatbread, and for some reason I just can't put my finger on why I think it's so flavorful. They give a piece of flatbread with every salad, and it's a fantastic, crunchy, and fulfilling finish to a meal. Other yelpers say that it would be great with some sort of spread or dip, but I think it tastes amazing alone as well. In terms of the other food, I've only ordered the salads and have found the staff to be very helpful and willing to accommodate for any dietary restrictions or preferences. They very easily switch out chicken for salmon in my salad, so that's definitely a wonderful option for me since I adore eating fish. Plus, it's difficult to find dishes with fish in University City without paying a fortune. The workers are quick and efficient (which others may interpret as cold), but I really appreciate the speediness of Cosi, especially when rushing between classes throughout a busy day. I guess the only negative aspect of Cosi that I see is that many of the other items on the menu are pretty pricey (many are around $8-10) for the food that you get (mainly sandwiches...), so I haven't been too adventurous with trying out different options since I know I can get the best bang out of my buck with the salad that I consistently order. Oh, before I forget - COSI SERVES S'MORES. It's great. For around $8, they provide graham crackers, marshmallows, chocolate and skewers for two with a cute, mini-burner, making such a wonderfully unique and interactive end to a meal with that special someone. You definitely can't find this experience for this price anywhere else in the area. Recommend you try the s'mores, for sure!
(4)
Victoria L.
Cosi is like a Panera without the good quality sandwiches. The convenience of this place being in the center of Penn's campus makes it a great option to grab a quick meal to-go. I've gotten their flatbreads here a few times and it has always been a hit or miss with their sandwiches. Sometimes my flatbread would be so scarce with ingredients or the bread would be too hard to bite into to. So I always go with the safer option of choosing their salads. You can also get just a single flatbread for $1 if you're in the mood to just nibble on some bread. Sometimes the service is a hit or miss as well. I would come here more often if it weren't for the expensive prices for the below than average quality food and unfriendly service.
(2)
Farrah A.
If you are looking for a quick bite to grab, Cosi is the place. It's hard to find other healthy options around the 36th Street and Walnut area, with Federal donuts right around the corner and the Penn Bookstore cafe right next door. Service is very quick (depending on the time) although most of the menu is overpriced. Being a regular, most of the staff is friendly to me and always let me customize my orders. If you are looking for a light lunch, I would suggest ordering the bread and one spread. I highly recommend the sun-dried tomato spread since it is very tasty. With some basil, it makes for a healthy, delicious vegan lunch.
(3)
Vidushi B.
Cosi is a great place to grab a sandwich, soup, flatbread, or other cafe-type meal. It's a little bit overpriced for what it is, but it also offers a wide variety of tasty options, so that makes it worthwhile. I really like the soup here, because you can get a regular sized soup and sizeable slice of bread for $3.70ish, and if I eat the whole thing, it fills me up. The tomato basil soup is usually my go-to, it's really good. I also enjoy the melts and sandwiches, like the chicken pesto and the chicken TBM. The flatbreads are similarly enjoyable, and are a pretty good value if you get a whole thing. I really want to try the s'mores they have here during the fall/winter - they look delicious and you get to make them yourself on mini fire!
(4)
Tracy H.
First time here at a Cosi. I was looking for something fresh and a pick me up at the gym and this was the best choice I've made. I love the choose two options where you can get half of each item. The kettle chips are amazing as well. A very close location and also very spacious, there's seats outside, first floor and an upstairs! Definitely coming back again :)
(4)
Sasha B.
Horrible service and store layout. I've been to this place multiple times, and each time I have ended up getting someone else's sandwich. I asked the service staff twice to make sure that I got the correct sandwich, but still they messed up the order. Not going to come to this place ever again.
(1)
Anu P.
The best thing to get here is the flatbread. I've had the vegetarian melt - ~$7 for a big flatbread sandwich with melted cheese and pickled veggies. I wish the veggies didn't taste so sweet as they did (the Indian in me wanted to douse the sandwich in hot sauce) but the bread was the redeeming part of the meal and I would come back just to try another sandwich with the same flatbread! Not a bad deal for a huge meal.
(3)
Christine V.
Like other people have said, it's like another Panera but I do enjoy Panera more. Cosi is conveniently located near UPenn campus and could be a good study spot. They have an upstairs, which is more isolated and quiet so you could get more studying done up there. I've gotten food twice here and occasionally drop in to just buy a drink. I'm not too big a fan of their flat bread sandwiches. The last time I had it, the bread was really hard and just hard to bite into. I've recently gone there as a quick stop for breakfast and ordered a squagel (square bagel), and I really enjoyed that! I ordered the club squagel, which consisted of eggs, cheddar, bacon, and tomato. I chose to get the basil parmesan squagel out of many other choices you have. It was a solid quick breakfast at a very reasonable price! The other thing I really like about Cosi is their selection of drinks that they offer in the afternoons. I've gotten the grapefruit apple, raspberry mojito, and some other form of their mojitos. It's light, refreshing, and delicious.
(3)
J F.
Since this Cosi is located in University City with a significant customer base of students, I wonder whether it is coincidence or intentional design that the store has two levels, the top one especially good for studying in the morning hours . I am not sure if this applies to the afternoon and evening hours, as I have not been there at those times. In terms of the food, I really enjoy the Turkey Light sandwich for lunch and the sesame bagels (Cosi calls them squagels) for breakfast. Just recently, Cosi upped its coffee game with more diversified offerings. For example, I tasted an Ethiopian blend this morning. It was excellent. Service speed can slow up at times with big morning and lunch rushes, but having been here on and off for many years, the service and food have been 3-star consistent. A pretty high traffic Cosi, the place is not the cleanest at times, an area that I hope that they are aware of and are working on.
(3)
Jennifer C.
Yes, I know I said I'd never go back. I said that after my pervious two- and one-star reviews. But I can not be held 100% responsible for the things that I do when I am NOT under the influence of caffeine... So, third review is the charm....I'm pretty sure this location is under new management and for sure they've hired some new (super nice! competent! friendly!) staff. I still only go in for drinks (and usually early a.m. when there aren't many people in there) but they make them perfect (1-pump and extra-shot) every time. Served with a smile & engaging conversation. Side story: one night when I was waiting for the trolley one of the baristas was also at the station and asked me if I had ever been there (to Cosi) & how my experience was! Way to go Cosi! Tell your morning coffee bar staff how fabulous they are!
(4)
Roopa S.
The flatbread here is really what is truly exceptional. The rest of the food kind of just falls to the "average" plane. It's basically a Panera bread, but slightly worse. I've tried the hummus and veggies sandwich, the tomato and mozzarella sandwich, the Shanghai Chicken Salad, and the Lime Chicken Salad. I have a slight preference for the salads over the sandwiches, though both aren't superb. The prices are average-- not too pricey but not cheap either. The portion sizes are pretty averagae as well. Service is usually quick, so that's a plus. Don't expect great tasting food here, but it certainly is not bad!
(3)
Kimberly Y.
I'm a die-hard Panera fan, but Cosi has a good amount to offer. It's better than ABP in my book, at least! You just have to know what to get. And I've actually never had a problem with their customer service, and I've visited quite a few times... I mean, these places generally aren't known for their service anyway. Come for lunch to get hot, fresh flatbreads with whatever you're ordering. They're amazing when fresh, but passable if not. I love their pesto chicken melt (not sandwich), steakhouse salad, and tomato basil soup to dip the flatbread in. The only pizza that's worth getting is the smoky BBQ chicken. Also, please don't get the squagels (hard as a rock!) or the lemonades (overpriced and so sour, in my experience)! The prices are a little expensive for the quality, but at least they're consistent and convenient--and there are quite a few yummy options. It's also a great place to study or chat for a while; don't forget about the upstairs seating!
(4)
Charlie G.
They have the slowest most inattentive service. This place is empty--I ordered after waiting in no line--and my toasted squagel with cream cheese, a very easy order, took 12 minutes. No line! The soda in the fridge was warm. Come on man, serving warm drinks? This place isn't cheap either. What am I paying for?
(1)
Joy W.
Cosi is another salad/sandwich/soup place similar to Panera. They have two lines, the one on the left is for salads and the one on the right is for sandwiches. They have many great healthy options that it was hard to decide, but the line behind me was starting to grow. I quickly decided on the tandoori chicken salad, which came with a slice of flat bread. Since I'm a clutz, I dropped my flatbread on the ground but the cashier was really nice and gave me another slice. Unfortunately their flatbreads are pretty difficult to chew since they are hard, so I would recommend eating it with soup or hummus. However, the tandoori chicken salad is AMAZING! The ingredients were really fresh and they did a pretty good job of imitating the tandoori flavors with their sliced grilled chicken. It came with onions as well, so I may have had stinky breath afterwards but it was well worth it. If I lived around the area, this would be an ideal lunch place to have a quick dine in or order healthy food to go. [61 of 100]
(3)
Victoria R.
Fast, easy, a little pricy for an entire meal with sides and a drink but it's close and comfy food. I had the pesto chicken melt and it was amazing! My husband had the veggie sandwich and he loved it! Great place for a quick and delicious brunch or lunch!
(4)
Satty N.
Second time I've gotten coffee and it was cold. This time, every single canister(?) of self serve coffee was empty. They didn't seem to mind of course. Stay away.
(1)
Andrew G.
Occasionally the employees aren't the nicest, but the food and coffee are solid at all times of day.
(4)
Tiger J.
Food is mediocre. The workers mumble alot and it is extremely hard to hear them speak. Manager needs to train them to speak clearly and be friendly. I asked a worker about a recommendation, and she gave me a 'wtf' look. The worker is the black female making the food here april 12th at 530pm. Manager please train her.
(2)
betsy s.
I went in at 9:15 am for breakfast, didn't get my food until 10. and there were numerous employees but no one at the register. They have it set up so you order at the sandwich counter and then get back in line at a different counter to pay. Just seemed dumb.
(2)
Muhammad N.
The customer service, location, everything is fine...except the food. It's very boring and unoriginal. They're also quite expensive for a place that offers sandwich.
(1)
Lenny Z.
I've been to many Cosi shops. This one, like all of the rest, is okay, but a little overpriced considering what you get. The portions are small and should cost no more than $5 or $6. However, they stroke you for more like $9. I've had better sandwiches for $3. The one cool thing about this location is on a nice day they have lots of outdoor seating. Other than that, it doesn't have much going for it. Save your money and time.
(2)
Clare D.
Cosi isn't consistent. When I get a freshly made sandwich with bread just out of the oven and split, it tastes great, but once the bread cools completely, it can be cracker crisp, not pita soft. I don't understand what everyone's infatuation is with Cosi. Is it supposed to be healthy? Where you place your order is sometimes confusing. There are clearly signs that direct you to order from one of the sandwich makers, but sometimes they tell me to give my order to the cashier before I get my sandwich from them. When it gets busy during the day, it can be a madhouse in there.
(1)
Christopher K.
Great place for breakfast! Usually get the Steak & Egg wrap or a yogurt parfait. I wish they had more variety, such as egg omelettes. Beware that the egg omelette sandwich does not actually have an omelette inside. Just scrambled eggs with toppings.
(4)
Nancy P.
I came here with a coworker during lunch and boy, the lines are pretty much out the door. There are two lines, one for salads and one for sandwiches. There's usually a person writing down your order before you get to the sandwich station though since that one is typically a longer wait. I tried the Prosciutto Olive Chicken melt. It was okay, not great. I mean, I wasn't expecting great prosciutto at Cosi so it wasn't bad. The olives were bland and didn't add too much to the sandwich though. But the flatbread is so yummy.
(3)
Mike D.
Rude staff. Won't be returning to this location.
(1)
Sunny S.
It was National Cabbage Day so I dropped by Così to get a Korean BBQ Pork Bowl for dinner. The Asian cabbage slaw on top was actually really good, sweet and tangy. The cabbage and various vegetables were quite crunchy and refreshing. The BBQ pork was actually really flavourful as well, not overwhelming, but sweet and comforting. The pork was tender enough although it was slightly hard to pull apart and was by no means melt-in-your-mouth. The grains were a little greasy, though, but they should not be since it is just grains and rice. The Country Lentil Soup was decent and had a strong tomato and vegetable taste. It was thick enough but not too much that it was no longer a soup. The lentils added texture and the ingredients were fresh and hearty. The Cheesecake Brownie had a slight pungent cheese smell. It was more like a thin layer of cheese-flavoured dense cake on top of a fudge brownie. The heart shapes were cute, I though. The entire dessert was dense and chewy, the way I like my brownies to be. Così can have a really long wait time. The staff at this particular one seem very inefficient. There are so many of them yet food comes out so slow. It takes forever every time I am there. Also, I spotted a cockroach on the wall behind the counter and that was not very comforting. Let's hope they do not get near the actual food itself.
(2)
Anne N.
pros: free wifi - no login, they let you use it forever, no hassle. yay, thank you! large upstairs space uncrowded on a Thursday evening. friendly woman at checkout. clean. cons: i really like unobtrusive, alternative rock Shins-style music in cafes, not kinda-loud 90s soft rock-style. really loud environment, even with earplugs. staff was unfamiliar with special orders, was patient with me, but it seemed like an effort.
(3)
Mimi L.
I took my kids for some smores. End up ordering snacks. lol. Half Turkey and Brie sandwich with clam chowder. Both were really good. My son ordered the tuscan sandwich, that was also good. My daughter had the itailian sausage pizza and that was so so for me. The apple pie and smores were the cake. Fun and good. For drinks we had ice coffee, frozen hot chocolate and raspberry ice tea. All drinks were really good. To top that off we had top notch service from Daniel. Who does it all. Made the sandwich, made the drinks, cashier and waitress. I would definately come here again just to have great service from Daniel. Cosi is a great late night snack place that is kid friendly.
(4)
Nina P.
From the reviews I read before coming here I fully expected a not-so-great experience, but I was really craving spinach artichoke dip so was willing to give it a chance. My first impression was the smell of burnt bread, which after a while I got used to, but is really pungent at first. I already expected the meal not to be great but there was no turning back now. I ordered my dip and they said it would take a few minutes, which really didnt bother me. Then after 5 minutes they said it was going to take a little longer so while I waited they offered me a free drink or soup. It's funny bc I wasn't even waiting for a long time, but they are obviously trying to keep their customers happy and I have no problem with that. In fact, I appreciate the fact that they acknowledged how long the food was taking. If this situation happened in NY, they'd be probably give you a dirty look and some fake apology. I had no complaints about the dip and the soup was good as well (reminded me of spaghettios sauce, my favorite as a kid). Overall not bad. Way better than I expected it to be.
This Cosi is located on the University of Pennsylvania's campus. If you have been to a Cosi before, then you know what to expect. If you have not been to a Cosi, then you should know that it is a decent place to go for something quick and a step up from fast food. The flat-breads or the salads are usually both good choices. Although if want something sweet and have a little more time, the S'mores is a great option. You actually get a small burner of your own so you get to toast your marshmallows. The one really nice thing about this particular Cosi is that it has a lot of seating, including upstairs and tables outside.
(3)
Dana L.
WORST SERVICE EVER. and i mean ever. After someone took my food by accident, I asked them to make another one for me (and I waited ANOTHER 5 minutes). They misunderstood and didn't add chicken to the pizza I ordered. So the employee rolled his eyes at me and gave me this look. So after 15 minutes of waiting...I got my food. I have never been treated this way at ANY fast food place even. No one apologized. Now I go out of my way NOT to go to Cosi. They don't care about their customers. They just make the money. But hey...students need food...so they go to Cosi. Is it too much to ask for employees to be respectful?
(1)
Adam S.
Good menu, solid ingredients, but these folks are not sandwich artists. I had a Turkey and Brie Wrap one day and the Spinach Florentine Wrap the next. Both "wraps" could have more fittingly been called "crumples" because that's how they were assembled. While watching the sandwich line I kept thinking, "Thank god they're not trying to fold burritos!" Everyone in the sandwich line either looked befuddled by anything other than a plain bagel or like they were supposed to be somewhere else ten minutes ago. Also, can we please hang a few signs like "order here", "pick-up here," "pay-here" to direct traffic instead of the east coast "If you don already know, then leave!" attitude?
(2)
Ceasar B.
I wouldn't really recommend eating here per se-- your money is always undoubtedly spent better elsewhere --however, Cosi is really not a bad spot to meet someone for coffee at (not to say the coffee is good, but it's alright). Plenty of seats and reasonable decor make it half-decent.
(2)
Alicia J.
Unfriendly people, a strange line system and high prices - that pretty much sums up my impression of Cosi. However, I do like their food which has never failed to be delicious somehow. I don't know why this place needs a separate line for salads when more often than not you have to wait for your order anyways. It also doesn't help that there are a bunch of people around you who don't know where to go, where to pay and whether the person randomly standing in front of them is in line or waiting for their food. This could all be avoided if the place was better organized - or had people actually helping their customers out. Food-wise I am quite fond of Cosi. Most of their pizzas and sandwiches almost live up to the price. If only it was a bit cheaper, I'd come here much more often.
(2)
Rosalyn P.
Cosi makes an excellent spinach and egg wrap from their breakfast menu! Really tasty and quick service.
(5)
Mansi B.
I love the food at Cosi and there's adequate seating. But my complain is it is very confusing to place an order. It is all over the place. Sandwiches in one corner, pay in another and pick up beverages in yet another. The cashier keeps asking what you got, but doesn't hear half the things because there are always too many people. When it's crowded, customer service goes out the window. The cooks are yelling, cashiers are confused and as a customer you are afraid of making a mistake while ordering. Phew! Quite stressful. A cafe should be a welcoming place.
(3)
Joyce L.
I am a fan of Cosi. Their flatbread is DELICIOUS! (though sometimes on the salty side). Even though it's a chain store, I find that the quality of the ingredients acceptable. I've only been twice--once for the signature salad and once for the fire roasted vegetable sandwich. In terms of flavor, I really like both. The lunch hour is crazy! It is a bit hard to figure out where to stand..but there are plenty of employees hollering directions (adding to the madness), but it works out in the end. There is plenty of seating upstairs and the employees take the time to clean the tables. AND, I appreciate the calorie information. All chain restaurants should definitely be moving in this direction. Please add sodium and fat content!
(4)
Candace C.
I actually really like this Cosi! The Law School is right around the corner so I've turned to this trusty Cosi many-a times with minimal disappointments. The tomato soup is always a winner and most of their salads are good (except the Asian salad is a bit wimpy, which is a big no-no in my book). The pizza is really tasty too. I mean, if you come to Cosi, you shouldn't be expecting anything gourmet. Just something quick, easy, and tasty. I guess it isn't super cheap relative to the competing lunch options, but its not that expensive either. Don't come here everyday though with the plethora of eats around Penn. I don't know about anyone else but when the cold strikes and I crave soup, Cosi's tomato soup generally hits the spot. 3.5 stars! (Yelp needs to have half stars)
(3)
Erin M.
People are pretty harsh on this establishment, here, but I think it does what it does well. I've gone in there when the line is to the door, but I'm always through in 5-10 minutes. The signature salad is always good, full of fresh greens, grapes, pistachios, blue cheese and dried cranberries. Today, I tried a duo, so I had a half signature salad, that was definitely not quite a full half, and a tuna sandwich on the standard cosi bread, along with cracked pepper chips. It was all filling and delicious. At $7.77 with tax, this rings up to be one of the pricier on campus establishments for a quick bite. But it's definitely my favorite salad. Also, they have outdoor seating, every day of the year. It was unseasonably warm today, and I sat out with coworkers and enjoyed the blue sky.
(3)
David D.
Unfortunately I developed a TBM sandwich addiction a few years ago. Food poisoning from the aforementioned sammich nipped that one in the bud. Overpriced, rancid mozzarella and stoned or otherwise distracted staff.... yeahnotsomuch.
(1)
Yun W.
Unfortunately this Cosi just does not cut it. Being one of the few cheap cafe sandwich shops in University City, it has quite the monopoly over UPenn students. Although some of the workers are friendly, the majority of the time, the cashiers and non-food preparation staff are extraordinarily rude to students and the food preparation staff are quite incompetent. Recent visit - There was a dispute over what I had ordered at the cashier. I told her I ordered the Tuscan Pesto Chicken sandwich. She was extremely unprofessional and actually reached into my sandwich bag and TOUCHED my sandwich to feel if it was hot or cold. She then insisted that it was a Tuscan Pesto Chicken melt because it was hot, and charged me for the melt price. I protested, saying that there was no cheese in the sandwich and it was therefore not a melt. The end was a unhappy dispute over a less than $1 difference. She ended up charging me for a sandwich, insisting that I was not allowed to get sandwiches toasted again. Quite unprofessional. Seriously? My first visit - Ordered the Asian Salmon Salad and the worker forgot to put salmon in it altogether. Brought the half eaten dish back to the line worker who was skeptical of his mistake and then reluctantly added in salmon. Another visit - Ordered the Tandoori Chicken salad, same dish as the customer in front. The salad making area was out of cucumbers. There was a mad scramble to cut up cucumbers from the sandwich making area, which was not enough, and prompted another scramble to the back room for cucumbers. Unfortunately, after all of this they still forgot to put cucumbers in my salad, until I reminded them about doing so and they had to reopen my container to do so. Another visit - The cashier was extremely rude and pushy to get me to pay right away despite there not being a crowd at all, while I was watching the sandwich making process (due to the mistakes of food preparation in the previous visits)
(1)
Shereen C.
It's worse than I thought Their "chicken" is processed stuff Fake chewy "meat" -- Yech!
(2)
Kaveh R.
ok food, good service.
(3)
Minh C.
I was not previously a fan of Cosi in general, but ever since the weather has gotten colder, I've stopped by to give it another chance. The Taste Two (I think that's what it's called) is not a bad deal - get half a sandwich + soup (it's a little confusing, because sometimes they give me different size soup). The chai latte here is also not too great. It tastes more like sugar water with some spices in it.
(3)
Meg S.
Cosi is like the overpriced, overrated version of Panera. I have come here more than I would like as it is one of the few restaurants open after a 7pm movie screening, but I've never left without being annoyed. First, you walk in and it's endlessly confusing where you're supposed to order and pay. I've been here in about 15 times and it's been different about 1/3 of the time, so it's definitely them, not me! Do not get the drinks here-I somehow paid close to $4 on a sweltering summer day for a 16oz lemonade that ended up being 500 calories. (Kicker? Not even good, it tasted like I was drinking pure syrup). I've had a lot of the menu items, and the only one that I really kind of like is the buffalo sandwich. If you're also forced into going here, the second floor is considerably nicer than the bottom floor.
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch Parking : Street Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : No Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
Chihee K.
I've been going to Cosi for lunch every now and then, and I think that the decor and "fast food" feel psycologically tricks people into rating this place lower than it deserves. The flatbread is hot, soft, and fresh. I think the place is good because of the flatbread. The greek salad is not bad and the tomato basil soup is tasty! Check it out.
(3)Oski B.
This place is nasty and many of its employees seem to be encouraged to treat customers like the garbage that often covers the tables. Like Jen D. says, this restaurant only stays open because of its proximity to Penn.
(1)Jon L.
Absolutely agree with everything Jacquelin K. says. The staff here can get overwhelmed and unproductive when the line gets long. And yet, I've been in there when there was NO line, and it still took ten minutes to get someone's attention. One worker was rearranging potato chips behind the register while I waited patiently to order. I give Cosi three stars because, unlike some other folks, I do think it's a cozy place to have coffee (or even a slightly overpriced sandwich.) The booths are a million times better than typical cafe seating. I really love the Cosi flatbread when it's warm and fresh. But it loses it's kick when it sits around for a while---and that's what you're gonna get if you go in when the place is really busy. My favorite used to be the tandoori chicken sandwich. I hope they still have it.
(3)Heavenly O.
I'd like to give this place 2 1/2 stars. The food is decent (I like the TBM), but it's usually crowded and it's TOO expensive. I feel fooled whenever I end up there. Unfortunately, that's a lot.
(3)Jaymes H.
pass. no part of the experience is worth it.
(1)Won Ho K.
Normally, I like this Cosi, but today, when I ordered a Turkey, Bacon, and Cheddar Melt (very good, by the way), they failed to even START making my sandwich until after I had paid and waited for my sandwich for at least five minutes. Needless to say, I was not very well pleased, but I was even more surprised that the cook offered a really weak apology. I like the food here, and I think the half and half option (e.g. half a salad, half a soup) is a good deal, but I'm never really confident in the quality of the service here. It's often crowded, and things don't seem to be very well organized here.
(3)Gordon C.
As I exited the tunnel from the Septa trolley I immediately looked for a rest room before checking out the Penn Relays on Friday, April 23rd. Just by coincidence I overheard a Georgetown Univ student comment about the bathroom in the upstairs dining area, so considering my options were limited and having to go REALLY BAD, I headed there myself. After returning downstairs and checking my watch I figured out I had plenty of time to get a bite to eat before heading to Franklin Field. That's when I noticed the menu. Ordered the Spinach Florentine which I thought was really good. I've never had anything like it and specifically the artichoke spread. I went back on Saturday and had the Tuscan Pesto Chicken. Also really good. One note though, this place is a bit pricey so don't be surprised.
(3)Joseph K.
Why don't they have any Cosis in LA? For all you sandwich/flatbread lovers, Cosi redefines lunchtime. What I Ordered: The Cosi Duo. For around $10 you get a half portion of any sandwich on their menu and a small cup of soup. I try to keep it simple when ordering there. Plus, I fell in love with their TBM (Tomato Basil Mozzarella) sandwich. Couple that with a cup of their tomato basil soup, and you have yourself a lunch! Verdict: There's nothing really to write but praise. It's relatively cheap and tastes phenomenal. What more could you ask? From time to time they feature some special sandwiches, but for starters, try their TBM. Absolutely cannot go wrong with that. Money back guaranteed. Well, not really. But you catch my drift, right?
(5)Abby I.
A bit on the pricier side for salads and sandwiches. If you come here for prime time lunch/dinner, the wait is going to be long since it's on UPenn campus. Also, you can only sit in the dining area for dinner if you pay for table service. Silly but true. I'm not sure why I get the Grilled Wild Alaskan Salmon Salad every time especially when the salmon tastes so weird consistently. Why! Their Signature Salad is pretty awesome too! And the flatbread is delicious! They also have a great coffee bar great for those of us who need a caffeine fix/just do not sleep. Also, I've been coming here for years and just noticed today that they are opened 'till 12AM. AWESOME! Overall, a great place to eat when you need a place to catch up with friends and plenty of seating outside for those nicer days!
(3)Eric B.
Good food fast and polite service.
(3)Ryan L.
Worst service ever. I wasn't even served. I stood there for 5 minutes looking like an idiot and they all saw me but nobody served me. I'm never going here again.
(1)Sherise S.
Nice improvements. I had a craving for a flatbread pizza and decided to brave the madness again. The bosses must've been reading these reviews because there was more organization to the place. They've set up some makeshift aisles for placing an order, with much more clearly defined and clearly labeled purposes. Unfortunately the waiting area is still an open pit where people look as though they aren't done ordering or confused about what to do with themselves. I still didn't see a "pay here" station. I think it would be better if the food preparers direct you over to pay for your order instead of allowing you to stand idly waiting for cashiers to start screaming at you. Not fully there yet Cosi, but nice moves in a better direction. Much appreciated!
(4)Sheila D.
I love Cosi - it's fast, convenient, and delicious! While I agree that the concept and feel of the restaurant is very similar to Panera, I would say that the variety of food at Cosi is very different. I REALLY enjoy Cosi flatbread, which is definitely their signature product. There's something really special about their flatbread, and for some reason I just can't put my finger on why I think it's so flavorful. They give a piece of flatbread with every salad, and it's a fantastic, crunchy, and fulfilling finish to a meal. Other yelpers say that it would be great with some sort of spread or dip, but I think it tastes amazing alone as well. In terms of the other food, I've only ordered the salads and have found the staff to be very helpful and willing to accommodate for any dietary restrictions or preferences. They very easily switch out chicken for salmon in my salad, so that's definitely a wonderful option for me since I adore eating fish. Plus, it's difficult to find dishes with fish in University City without paying a fortune. The workers are quick and efficient (which others may interpret as cold), but I really appreciate the speediness of Cosi, especially when rushing between classes throughout a busy day. I guess the only negative aspect of Cosi that I see is that many of the other items on the menu are pretty pricey (many are around $8-10) for the food that you get (mainly sandwiches...), so I haven't been too adventurous with trying out different options since I know I can get the best bang out of my buck with the salad that I consistently order. Oh, before I forget - COSI SERVES S'MORES. It's great. For around $8, they provide graham crackers, marshmallows, chocolate and skewers for two with a cute, mini-burner, making such a wonderfully unique and interactive end to a meal with that special someone. You definitely can't find this experience for this price anywhere else in the area. Recommend you try the s'mores, for sure!
(4)Victoria L.
Cosi is like a Panera without the good quality sandwiches. The convenience of this place being in the center of Penn's campus makes it a great option to grab a quick meal to-go. I've gotten their flatbreads here a few times and it has always been a hit or miss with their sandwiches. Sometimes my flatbread would be so scarce with ingredients or the bread would be too hard to bite into to. So I always go with the safer option of choosing their salads. You can also get just a single flatbread for $1 if you're in the mood to just nibble on some bread. Sometimes the service is a hit or miss as well. I would come here more often if it weren't for the expensive prices for the below than average quality food and unfriendly service.
(2)Farrah A.
If you are looking for a quick bite to grab, Cosi is the place. It's hard to find other healthy options around the 36th Street and Walnut area, with Federal donuts right around the corner and the Penn Bookstore cafe right next door. Service is very quick (depending on the time) although most of the menu is overpriced. Being a regular, most of the staff is friendly to me and always let me customize my orders. If you are looking for a light lunch, I would suggest ordering the bread and one spread. I highly recommend the sun-dried tomato spread since it is very tasty. With some basil, it makes for a healthy, delicious vegan lunch.
(3)Anu P.
The best thing to get here is the flatbread. I've had the vegetarian melt - ~$7 for a big flatbread sandwich with melted cheese and pickled veggies. I wish the veggies didn't taste so sweet as they did (the Indian in me wanted to douse the sandwich in hot sauce) but the bread was the redeeming part of the meal and I would come back just to try another sandwich with the same flatbread! Not a bad deal for a huge meal.
(3)Tracy H.
First time here at a Cosi. I was looking for something fresh and a pick me up at the gym and this was the best choice I've made. I love the choose two options where you can get half of each item. The kettle chips are amazing as well. A very close location and also very spacious, there's seats outside, first floor and an upstairs! Definitely coming back again :)
(4)Sasha B.
Horrible service and store layout. I've been to this place multiple times, and each time I have ended up getting someone else's sandwich. I asked the service staff twice to make sure that I got the correct sandwich, but still they messed up the order. Not going to come to this place ever again.
(1)Laura S.
When I was an undergrad, I thought Cosi was really cool. I didn't know it was a chain, they had square bagels, and they would serve you s'more fixins with a fire. Pretty sweet. Now I am not an undergrad and Cosi is everywhere and it is always crowded and I am full of rage standing behind the screeching law school students in line. And yet, when I can't figure out what to eat but I am starving and have no time, I go here. Because this is the function of a chain restaurant. And the food is pretty good. Pros: Free wireless, nice seating area upstairs, chance to practice zen meditation while willing self not to strangle public at large. Cons: Lines, when it's crowded going from ordering your food to paying becomes a crazy mosh pit, pretty expensive for sandwiches. If you are going to go out of your mind if you eat another TBM or Signature Salad, you should order the Spinach Artichoke Dip. Just don't look at the nutritional information. Ever.
(3)Hank C.
There's was a dearth of servers here on a Saturday during Homecoming at the local university. Not sure how that happened, but they were a bit slower than normal because of it, but at least they noticed us. Food here isn't anything remarkable, but the TBM and wasabi roast beef sandwiches are usually acceptable. Chai Tea Latte is decent, although the House Coffee has no refills.
(2)Maya Y.
This place is a bit expensive for "fast food" and the portions aren't too generous, but if you're in a hurry and you're walking home from a night class, this may be your best bet (it's open most weeknights until 11 P.M.) Lunch items aren't served until 11 A.M. - if you go any earlier you're stuck with bagels (I believe they're called "squagels" by virtue of the fact that they're squarish and not circular) and other items I don't really consider to be "real" food. I tried the jalapeno and cheddar squagel on two occasions - I ordered cream cheese with it and it was fairly tasty to my sleep-deprived, 7 A.M., slightly off-game taste buds. The Asian chicken salad was acceptable and the piece of bread it came with was fairly good and added value to the meal. The chain also offers a 1/2-salad, 1/2-sandwich combo which is a convenient (though obvious) idea. I usually get the Tuscan pesto chicken since it's the least offensive and least messy of the sandwiches I've ordered here (the chicken tinga sandwich is a bit messier - the guacamole and stringy chicken bits tend to spill out of the sandwich when you bite into it) and I order a salad with it. I've never gotten a soup here. The coffee is acceptable if not memorable. The brownies and cookies don't exactly taste homemade, but if the mood strikes you, they're available. Going back to the sandwiches - order them raw (not toasted) since the toasted bread is crunchy and hard. Also, the Tuscan pesto chicken tastes better without melted cheese. The latter ruins an otherwise quasi-healthy meal. I've never gotten the carrots with a sandwich, but I've opted for the pepper-flavored kettle chips. Raw carrots don't particularly appeal to me. For beverages, I do recommend their lemonades (mojito lemonade or raspberry lemonade) albeit they're full of empty calories. Service: B- Taste: B-
(3)Grace S.
tomato basil soup, omg delicious. bbq chicken flatbread is good when I'm eating it but then I feel sick afterwards. My bf loves the curry chicken but I'm not a big fan of any of Cosi's sandwiches.
(3)Robyn H.
To my knowledge, Cosi's sandwiches are all pre-prepared , so I never go in there expecting to be BLOWN AWAY. Their food is EDIBLE, and that's pretty much it. I like to go to Cosi for lunch and sit outside and catch a breeze. It's a perfect spot for kicking it with friends or as a neutral meeting place for business acquaintances. I like the tomato soup and the Chicken TBM sandwich, the hot apple cider, the hot chocolate and teas.
(3)Stephanie P.
#317 Bah, so many people hate Cosi. Don't know why. This location is probably one of my more favorite ones in Philly because of how spacious it is. Sure, it gets packed but I've always been able to find myself a seat somewhere. Plus, plenty of seating outside on a nice, sunny afternoon! The lines aren't actually that confusing, you just figure out where each one is leading you and you can easily deduce where you should be standing. I love their soups because they're always so hearty (and packed with calories) and I'm always a sucker for them. I've also really enjoyed their mango-based drinks on more than several occasions. Not a bad location to be when you need to get some work done or want to catch up with friends!
(3)Jay G.
After living pretty much next door to this place for a year, I have certainly had my fair share of experiences eating here. Unfortunately I probably shouldn't have eaten here quite so often. This place is pretty much a second-rate Panera: they have some interesting sandwich combinations (like putting brie on sandwiches mmmmmm) but there is nothing particularly special about this place. The pizza is pretty okay but definitely overpriced. There really is no reason to come to this place when there are tons of other sandwich/hoagie spots/carts scattered throughout West Philly with higher quality food.
(2)Dustyn S.
I went to this place a few times in NY, tried it out in Philly and remembered why I never went back before. I was starving and still couldnt stomach my Chicken Parm Flatbread. If theres a Panera nearby, go there instead.
(1)Renea R.
I LOVE their steakhouse gorgonzola sandwich with a side of buffalo sauce. It's my recent obsession. Prices are reasonable for the good quality food. Service can be a bit slow. Overall I'm a huge fan!
(4)Terrell M.
Honestly I don't go here for the food, I go to this Cosi to study. I think it's great for studying. The food is just an added benefit!
(4)Charu J.
Their flat bread pizza's are great especially if you're looking for a big lunch or dinner. I usually get take out.
(3)Jen D.
This is a pretty large Cosi, but it still sucks. It's dirty and smelly. The staff is rude. The only reason this place stays open is due to the fact that it's on Penn Campus.
(1)Linda C.
Derr. The food tasted good, but it was REDICULOUSLY packed, and the fillins' were skimpy. So not worth my 10 dollars. Go to the one on Walnut for a more substantial sammich, a smile, and relatively no crowds! (except maybe during the lunch hour, which is, expected).
(2)Kat W.
This place is a joke. The staff is rude, the tables are sticky, the room is nasty and dirty, and they claim to have free wireless internet but they lie. Their wireless internet does not work. Never come to this place. Waste of your time, energy, money and health.
(1)Jacquelin K.
Cosi makes yummy salads with quality mixed greens and flavorful dressings that are to die for. Unfortunately, that's pretty much where the positives end. This location is notorious for 2 kinds of servers: totally inattentive and witheringly nasty. Maybe it's something in the water; maybe this property sits on top of an ancient burial ground & the spirits haunt the Cosi workers, who then take out their anger on the public. I've been coming to this place since it was a Xando & nothing's changed. Something that has changed is serving sizes at Cosi. It seems like the portions of meat you get on sandwiches are exponentially decreasing. We all know that Cosi's price point is a little higher than Wendy's. When we walk in the door, we accept that a sandwich will cost $8. However, when you pay $8 for a sandwich, it better have some meat on it. Adding insult to injury is the fact that the staff's ability to manage high customer volume is a total crap shoot. On some days the system works. On other days you end up waiting in agony for 1 of the workers milling about to decide to come stand at the register and ring up your stuff.
(2)Melissa E.
I'm going to say upfront that I usually like Cosi's food (depending on what I order), and that my main problem with this particular Cosi is the service. Today, for example, the oven they use to toast the sandwiches and pizzas on stopped working, so they had to switch to another one, which took some time to heat up. I've worked in food service, I understand these things happen. What I was not happy about was that even after the manager assured us we'd have our food shortly, and me waiting 25 minutes from when I walked in the shop, I find out that my sandwich was never even made. How, I'm not sure, as the employee that took my order filled out an order slip. Perhaps someone else grabbed it, but whatever the case is, I was on my lunch break, and I ended up spending 35 minutes just getting food to-go. Their employees on the whole tend to be unfriendly and sometimes rude. I've seen some stick their hands in the food bar and eat in front of customers, and then continue making food with the same pair of gloves. I really wish that they could get their service together, because it's in a convenient location and is relatively affordable on a college student's budget.
(2)T. G.
Every time I walk in here, I regret it. I'm usually there around 8:30am and there's never a line, yet the average time I have to wait for someone to look up at me is about 3 minutes. Everyone in there looks half-dead and they're rude. And now they've implemented a waste-of-paper system where the sandwich maker gives you a paper with your order to hand to the cashier. This system makes sense maybe if they all weren't behind the same counter. If you don't trust your customers, pass the food to the cashier. Oh, wait, then they'd actually have to interact and move and stuff.
(2)Grace H.
For a time, I came to Cosi every single day and ordered the Signature Salad with chicken. It really never gets old. It's hard to find healthy options around campus, but Cosi is right near the library and was always reliably quick and yummy. I particularly enjoyed eating the bread samples while waiting in line. I've also tried the TBM melt and the BBQ chicken pizza. Also delicious! The bread is baked fresh daily (you can see it from where you order), and I like to treat myself on occasion to the specialty drinks (mojito lemonade, raspberry iced tea). Similar to Panera, but it has its own charm.
(4)Dario Z.
Healthy and really tasty alternative take on classic sandwiches, salads and food bowls. Price seems reasonable, seeing that they use fair trade ingredients for all their products.
(5)Jacky L.
Terrible service, expensive, confusing order and payment layout, ok food. I've come to this Cosi three times already, and each time, I question why I come here again for their terrible service. The people that work there are highly unprofessional and rude. The hatred of patrons that the people that work at Cosi doesn't help with the confusing layout of the shop. You first need to line up (well, there's a sign to tell you where to line up to order) to talk to the sandwich makers. You have to almost yell since it's so loud, and they're often busy making sandwiches which adds to the confusion on who you should be talking to. After this, you awkwardly walk to the cashiers, whom each time I went, we're seemingly reluctant to take my order. Also.. Why do I have to tell them my order twice, once to the chef, and once to the cashier? Also so confusing on where we should be to get our food. Do they go to us? Or do we stand somewhere near the line to pick it up? The good thing is, the food is pretty good. Their chicken noodle soup is on point. But yeah.. This is probably the most confusing food place I've been to. Terrible service doesn't help it. Avoid. If you can.. Since they have a monopoly towards the University City students.
(2)Sophia H.
Turkey avocado sandwich = best thing ever! Always crowded but great food and fast friendly service
(4)Vidushi B.
Cosi is a great place to grab a sandwich, soup, flatbread, or other cafe-type meal. It's a little bit overpriced for what it is, but it also offers a wide variety of tasty options, so that makes it worthwhile. I really like the soup here, because you can get a regular sized soup and sizeable slice of bread for $3.70ish, and if I eat the whole thing, it fills me up. The tomato basil soup is usually my go-to, it's really good. I also enjoy the melts and sandwiches, like the chicken pesto and the chicken TBM. The flatbreads are similarly enjoyable, and are a pretty good value if you get a whole thing. I really want to try the s'mores they have here during the fall/winter - they look delicious and you get to make them yourself on mini fire!
(4)Yun W.
Unfortunately this Cosi just does not cut it. Being one of the few cheap cafe sandwich shops in University City, it has quite the monopoly over UPenn students. Although some of the workers are friendly, the majority of the time, the cashiers and non-food preparation staff are extraordinarily rude to students and the food preparation staff are quite incompetent. Recent visit - There was a dispute over what I had ordered at the cashier. I told her I ordered the Tuscan Pesto Chicken sandwich. She was extremely unprofessional and actually reached into my sandwich bag and TOUCHED my sandwich to feel if it was hot or cold. She then insisted that it was a Tuscan Pesto Chicken melt because it was hot, and charged me for the melt price. I protested, saying that there was no cheese in the sandwich and it was therefore not a melt. The end was a unhappy dispute over a less than $1 difference. She ended up charging me for a sandwich, insisting that I was not allowed to get sandwiches toasted again. Quite unprofessional. Seriously? My first visit - Ordered the Asian Salmon Salad and the worker forgot to put salmon in it altogether. Brought the half eaten dish back to the line worker who was skeptical of his mistake and then reluctantly added in salmon. Another visit - Ordered the Tandoori Chicken salad, same dish as the customer in front. The salad making area was out of cucumbers. There was a mad scramble to cut up cucumbers from the sandwich making area, which was not enough, and prompted another scramble to the back room for cucumbers. Unfortunately, after all of this they still forgot to put cucumbers in my salad, until I reminded them about doing so and they had to reopen my container to do so. Another visit - The cashier was extremely rude and pushy to get me to pay right away despite there not being a crowd at all, while I was watching the sandwich making process (due to the mistakes of food preparation in the previous visits)
(1)Shereen C.
It's worse than I thought Their "chicken" is processed stuff Fake chewy "meat" -- Yech!
(2)Kaveh R.
ok food, good service.
(3)Minh C.
I was not previously a fan of Cosi in general, but ever since the weather has gotten colder, I've stopped by to give it another chance. The Taste Two (I think that's what it's called) is not a bad deal - get half a sandwich + soup (it's a little confusing, because sometimes they give me different size soup). The chai latte here is also not too great. It tastes more like sugar water with some spices in it.
(3)Meg S.
Cosi is like the overpriced, overrated version of Panera. I have come here more than I would like as it is one of the few restaurants open after a 7pm movie screening, but I've never left without being annoyed. First, you walk in and it's endlessly confusing where you're supposed to order and pay. I've been here in about 15 times and it's been different about 1/3 of the time, so it's definitely them, not me! Do not get the drinks here-I somehow paid close to $4 on a sweltering summer day for a 16oz lemonade that ended up being 500 calories. (Kicker? Not even good, it tasted like I was drinking pure syrup). I've had a lot of the menu items, and the only one that I really kind of like is the buffalo sandwich. If you're also forced into going here, the second floor is considerably nicer than the bottom floor.
(1)Melissa E.
I'm going to say upfront that I usually like Cosi's food (depending on what I order), and that my main problem with this particular Cosi is the service. Today, for example, the oven they use to toast the sandwiches and pizzas on stopped working, so they had to switch to another one, which took some time to heat up. I've worked in food service, I understand these things happen. What I was not happy about was that even after the manager assured us we'd have our food shortly, and me waiting 25 minutes from when I walked in the shop, I find out that my sandwich was never even made. How, I'm not sure, as the employee that took my order filled out an order slip. Perhaps someone else grabbed it, but whatever the case is, I was on my lunch break, and I ended up spending 35 minutes just getting food to-go. Their employees on the whole tend to be unfriendly and sometimes rude. I've seen some stick their hands in the food bar and eat in front of customers, and then continue making food with the same pair of gloves. I really wish that they could get their service together, because it's in a convenient location and is relatively affordable on a college student's budget.
(2)T. G.
Every time I walk in here, I regret it. I'm usually there around 8:30am and there's never a line, yet the average time I have to wait for someone to look up at me is about 3 minutes. Everyone in there looks half-dead and they're rude. And now they've implemented a waste-of-paper system where the sandwich maker gives you a paper with your order to hand to the cashier. This system makes sense maybe if they all weren't behind the same counter. If you don't trust your customers, pass the food to the cashier. Oh, wait, then they'd actually have to interact and move and stuff.
(2)Chihee K.
I've been going to Cosi for lunch every now and then, and I think that the decor and "fast food" feel psycologically tricks people into rating this place lower than it deserves. The flatbread is hot, soft, and fresh. I think the place is good because of the flatbread. The greek salad is not bad and the tomato basil soup is tasty! Check it out.
(3)Oski B.
This place is nasty and many of its employees seem to be encouraged to treat customers like the garbage that often covers the tables. Like Jen D. says, this restaurant only stays open because of its proximity to Penn.
(1)Jon L.
Absolutely agree with everything Jacquelin K. says. The staff here can get overwhelmed and unproductive when the line gets long. And yet, I've been in there when there was NO line, and it still took ten minutes to get someone's attention. One worker was rearranging potato chips behind the register while I waited patiently to order. I give Cosi three stars because, unlike some other folks, I do think it's a cozy place to have coffee (or even a slightly overpriced sandwich.) The booths are a million times better than typical cafe seating. I really love the Cosi flatbread when it's warm and fresh. But it loses it's kick when it sits around for a while---and that's what you're gonna get if you go in when the place is really busy. My favorite used to be the tandoori chicken sandwich. I hope they still have it.
(3)Kimberly Y.
I'm a die-hard Panera fan, but Cosi has a good amount to offer. It's better than ABP in my book, at least! You just have to know what to get. And I've actually never had a problem with their customer service, and I've visited quite a few times... I mean, these places generally aren't known for their service anyway. Come for lunch to get hot, fresh flatbreads with whatever you're ordering. They're amazing when fresh, but passable if not. I love their pesto chicken melt (not sandwich), steakhouse salad, and tomato basil soup to dip the flatbread in. The only pizza that's worth getting is the smoky BBQ chicken. Also, please don't get the squagels (hard as a rock!) or the lemonades (overpriced and so sour, in my experience)! The prices are a little expensive for the quality, but at least they're consistent and convenient--and there are quite a few yummy options. It's also a great place to study or chat for a while; don't forget about the upstairs seating!
(4)Charlie G.
They have the slowest most inattentive service. This place is empty--I ordered after waiting in no line--and my toasted squagel with cream cheese, a very easy order, took 12 minutes. No line! The soda in the fridge was warm. Come on man, serving warm drinks? This place isn't cheap either. What am I paying for?
(1)Christine V.
Like other people have said, it's like another Panera but I do enjoy Panera more. Cosi is conveniently located near UPenn campus and could be a good study spot. They have an upstairs, which is more isolated and quiet so you could get more studying done up there. I've gotten food twice here and occasionally drop in to just buy a drink. I'm not too big a fan of their flat bread sandwiches. The last time I had it, the bread was really hard and just hard to bite into. I've recently gone there as a quick stop for breakfast and ordered a squagel (square bagel), and I really enjoyed that! I ordered the club squagel, which consisted of eggs, cheddar, bacon, and tomato. I chose to get the basil parmesan squagel out of many other choices you have. It was a solid quick breakfast at a very reasonable price! The other thing I really like about Cosi is their selection of drinks that they offer in the afternoons. I've gotten the grapefruit apple, raspberry mojito, and some other form of their mojitos. It's light, refreshing, and delicious.
(3)J F.
Since this Cosi is located in University City with a significant customer base of students, I wonder whether it is coincidence or intentional design that the store has two levels, the top one especially good for studying in the morning hours . I am not sure if this applies to the afternoon and evening hours, as I have not been there at those times. In terms of the food, I really enjoy the Turkey Light sandwich for lunch and the sesame bagels (Cosi calls them squagels) for breakfast. Just recently, Cosi upped its coffee game with more diversified offerings. For example, I tasted an Ethiopian blend this morning. It was excellent. Service speed can slow up at times with big morning and lunch rushes, but having been here on and off for many years, the service and food have been 3-star consistent. A pretty high traffic Cosi, the place is not the cleanest at times, an area that I hope that they are aware of and are working on.
(3)Jennifer C.
Yes, I know I said I'd never go back. I said that after my pervious two- and one-star reviews. But I can not be held 100% responsible for the things that I do when I am NOT under the influence of caffeine... So, third review is the charm....I'm pretty sure this location is under new management and for sure they've hired some new (super nice! competent! friendly!) staff. I still only go in for drinks (and usually early a.m. when there aren't many people in there) but they make them perfect (1-pump and extra-shot) every time. Served with a smile & engaging conversation. Side story: one night when I was waiting for the trolley one of the baristas was also at the station and asked me if I had ever been there (to Cosi) & how my experience was! Way to go Cosi! Tell your morning coffee bar staff how fabulous they are!
(4)Roopa S.
The flatbread here is really what is truly exceptional. The rest of the food kind of just falls to the "average" plane. It's basically a Panera bread, but slightly worse. I've tried the hummus and veggies sandwich, the tomato and mozzarella sandwich, the Shanghai Chicken Salad, and the Lime Chicken Salad. I have a slight preference for the salads over the sandwiches, though both aren't superb. The prices are average-- not too pricey but not cheap either. The portion sizes are pretty averagae as well. Service is usually quick, so that's a plus. Don't expect great tasting food here, but it certainly is not bad!
(3)Joy W.
Cosi is another salad/sandwich/soup place similar to Panera. They have two lines, the one on the left is for salads and the one on the right is for sandwiches. They have many great healthy options that it was hard to decide, but the line behind me was starting to grow. I quickly decided on the tandoori chicken salad, which came with a slice of flat bread. Since I'm a clutz, I dropped my flatbread on the ground but the cashier was really nice and gave me another slice. Unfortunately their flatbreads are pretty difficult to chew since they are hard, so I would recommend eating it with soup or hummus. However, the tandoori chicken salad is AMAZING! The ingredients were really fresh and they did a pretty good job of imitating the tandoori flavors with their sliced grilled chicken. It came with onions as well, so I may have had stinky breath afterwards but it was well worth it. If I lived around the area, this would be an ideal lunch place to have a quick dine in or order healthy food to go. [61 of 100]
(3)Victoria R.
Fast, easy, a little pricy for an entire meal with sides and a drink but it's close and comfy food. I had the pesto chicken melt and it was amazing! My husband had the veggie sandwich and he loved it! Great place for a quick and delicious brunch or lunch!
(4)Satty N.
Second time I've gotten coffee and it was cold. This time, every single canister(?) of self serve coffee was empty. They didn't seem to mind of course. Stay away.
(1)Andrew G.
Occasionally the employees aren't the nicest, but the food and coffee are solid at all times of day.
(4)Tiger J.
Food is mediocre. The workers mumble alot and it is extremely hard to hear them speak. Manager needs to train them to speak clearly and be friendly. I asked a worker about a recommendation, and she gave me a 'wtf' look. The worker is the black female making the food here april 12th at 530pm. Manager please train her.
(2)betsy s.
I went in at 9:15 am for breakfast, didn't get my food until 10. and there were numerous employees but no one at the register. They have it set up so you order at the sandwich counter and then get back in line at a different counter to pay. Just seemed dumb.
(2)Muhammad N.
The customer service, location, everything is fine...except the food. It's very boring and unoriginal. They're also quite expensive for a place that offers sandwich.
(1)Lenny Z.
I've been to many Cosi shops. This one, like all of the rest, is okay, but a little overpriced considering what you get. The portions are small and should cost no more than $5 or $6. However, they stroke you for more like $9. I've had better sandwiches for $3. The one cool thing about this location is on a nice day they have lots of outdoor seating. Other than that, it doesn't have much going for it. Save your money and time.
(2)Clare D.
Cosi isn't consistent. When I get a freshly made sandwich with bread just out of the oven and split, it tastes great, but once the bread cools completely, it can be cracker crisp, not pita soft. I don't understand what everyone's infatuation is with Cosi. Is it supposed to be healthy? Where you place your order is sometimes confusing. There are clearly signs that direct you to order from one of the sandwich makers, but sometimes they tell me to give my order to the cashier before I get my sandwich from them. When it gets busy during the day, it can be a madhouse in there.
(1)Christopher K.
Great place for breakfast! Usually get the Steak & Egg wrap or a yogurt parfait. I wish they had more variety, such as egg omelettes. Beware that the egg omelette sandwich does not actually have an omelette inside. Just scrambled eggs with toppings.
(4)Nancy P.
I came here with a coworker during lunch and boy, the lines are pretty much out the door. There are two lines, one for salads and one for sandwiches. There's usually a person writing down your order before you get to the sandwich station though since that one is typically a longer wait. I tried the Prosciutto Olive Chicken melt. It was okay, not great. I mean, I wasn't expecting great prosciutto at Cosi so it wasn't bad. The olives were bland and didn't add too much to the sandwich though. But the flatbread is so yummy.
(3)Mike D.
Rude staff. Won't be returning to this location.
(1)David C.
I came in here for lunch with my fiancé on 6/11/12, and ordered a melt sandwich. The person preparing the order forgot to take the paper off of the cheese, and when I presented the mistake to them they replaced my sandwich, gave me a refill on my drink, and threw in a cookie to boot. Normally I wouldn't give any chain restaurant anything above three stars, but they went out of their way to rectify their mistake. Additionally, the upstairs seating was a nice little lunch nook for me and my fiancee.
(4)Sunny S.
It was National Cabbage Day so I dropped by Così to get a Korean BBQ Pork Bowl for dinner. The Asian cabbage slaw on top was actually really good, sweet and tangy. The cabbage and various vegetables were quite crunchy and refreshing. The BBQ pork was actually really flavourful as well, not overwhelming, but sweet and comforting. The pork was tender enough although it was slightly hard to pull apart and was by no means melt-in-your-mouth. The grains were a little greasy, though, but they should not be since it is just grains and rice. The Country Lentil Soup was decent and had a strong tomato and vegetable taste. It was thick enough but not too much that it was no longer a soup. The lentils added texture and the ingredients were fresh and hearty. The Cheesecake Brownie had a slight pungent cheese smell. It was more like a thin layer of cheese-flavoured dense cake on top of a fudge brownie. The heart shapes were cute, I though. The entire dessert was dense and chewy, the way I like my brownies to be. Così can have a really long wait time. The staff at this particular one seem very inefficient. There are so many of them yet food comes out so slow. It takes forever every time I am there. Also, I spotted a cockroach on the wall behind the counter and that was not very comforting. Let's hope they do not get near the actual food itself.
(2)Anne N.
pros: free wifi - no login, they let you use it forever, no hassle. yay, thank you! large upstairs space uncrowded on a Thursday evening. friendly woman at checkout. clean. cons: i really like unobtrusive, alternative rock Shins-style music in cafes, not kinda-loud 90s soft rock-style. really loud environment, even with earplugs. staff was unfamiliar with special orders, was patient with me, but it seemed like an effort.
(3)Mimi L.
I took my kids for some smores. End up ordering snacks. lol. Half Turkey and Brie sandwich with clam chowder. Both were really good. My son ordered the tuscan sandwich, that was also good. My daughter had the itailian sausage pizza and that was so so for me. The apple pie and smores were the cake. Fun and good. For drinks we had ice coffee, frozen hot chocolate and raspberry ice tea. All drinks were really good. To top that off we had top notch service from Daniel. Who does it all. Made the sandwich, made the drinks, cashier and waitress. I would definately come here again just to have great service from Daniel. Cosi is a great late night snack place that is kid friendly.
(4)Jay G.
After living pretty much next door to this place for a year, I have certainly had my fair share of experiences eating here. Unfortunately I probably shouldn't have eaten here quite so often. This place is pretty much a second-rate Panera: they have some interesting sandwich combinations (like putting brie on sandwiches mmmmmm) but there is nothing particularly special about this place. The pizza is pretty okay but definitely overpriced. There really is no reason to come to this place when there are tons of other sandwich/hoagie spots/carts scattered throughout West Philly with higher quality food.
(2)Dustyn S.
I went to this place a few times in NY, tried it out in Philly and remembered why I never went back before. I was starving and still couldnt stomach my Chicken Parm Flatbread. If theres a Panera nearby, go there instead.
(1)Nina P.
From the reviews I read before coming here I fully expected a not-so-great experience, but I was really craving spinach artichoke dip so was willing to give it a chance. My first impression was the smell of burnt bread, which after a while I got used to, but is really pungent at first. I already expected the meal not to be great but there was no turning back now. I ordered my dip and they said it would take a few minutes, which really didnt bother me. Then after 5 minutes they said it was going to take a little longer so while I waited they offered me a free drink or soup. It's funny bc I wasn't even waiting for a long time, but they are obviously trying to keep their customers happy and I have no problem with that. In fact, I appreciate the fact that they acknowledged how long the food was taking. If this situation happened in NY, they'd be probably give you a dirty look and some fake apology. I had no complaints about the dip and the soup was good as well (reminded me of spaghettios sauce, my favorite as a kid). Overall not bad. Way better than I expected it to be.
(4)James V.
This Cosi is located on the University of Pennsylvania's campus. If you have been to a Cosi before, then you know what to expect. If you have not been to a Cosi, then you should know that it is a decent place to go for something quick and a step up from fast food. The flat-breads or the salads are usually both good choices. Although if want something sweet and have a little more time, the S'mores is a great option. You actually get a small burner of your own so you get to toast your marshmallows. The one really nice thing about this particular Cosi is that it has a lot of seating, including upstairs and tables outside.
(3)Dana L.
WORST SERVICE EVER. and i mean ever. After someone took my food by accident, I asked them to make another one for me (and I waited ANOTHER 5 minutes). They misunderstood and didn't add chicken to the pizza I ordered. So the employee rolled his eyes at me and gave me this look. So after 15 minutes of waiting...I got my food. I have never been treated this way at ANY fast food place even. No one apologized. Now I go out of my way NOT to go to Cosi. They don't care about their customers. They just make the money. But hey...students need food...so they go to Cosi. Is it too much to ask for employees to be respectful?
(1)Adam S.
Good menu, solid ingredients, but these folks are not sandwich artists. I had a Turkey and Brie Wrap one day and the Spinach Florentine Wrap the next. Both "wraps" could have more fittingly been called "crumples" because that's how they were assembled. While watching the sandwich line I kept thinking, "Thank god they're not trying to fold burritos!" Everyone in the sandwich line either looked befuddled by anything other than a plain bagel or like they were supposed to be somewhere else ten minutes ago. Also, can we please hang a few signs like "order here", "pick-up here," "pay-here" to direct traffic instead of the east coast "If you don already know, then leave!" attitude?
(2)Erin M.
People are pretty harsh on this establishment, here, but I think it does what it does well. I've gone in there when the line is to the door, but I'm always through in 5-10 minutes. The signature salad is always good, full of fresh greens, grapes, pistachios, blue cheese and dried cranberries. Today, I tried a duo, so I had a half signature salad, that was definitely not quite a full half, and a tuna sandwich on the standard cosi bread, along with cracked pepper chips. It was all filling and delicious. At $7.77 with tax, this rings up to be one of the pricier on campus establishments for a quick bite. But it's definitely my favorite salad. Also, they have outdoor seating, every day of the year. It was unseasonably warm today, and I sat out with coworkers and enjoyed the blue sky.
(3)David D.
Unfortunately I developed a TBM sandwich addiction a few years ago. Food poisoning from the aforementioned sammich nipped that one in the bud. Overpriced, rancid mozzarella and stoned or otherwise distracted staff.... yeahnotsomuch.
(1)Alicia J.
Unfriendly people, a strange line system and high prices - that pretty much sums up my impression of Cosi. However, I do like their food which has never failed to be delicious somehow. I don't know why this place needs a separate line for salads when more often than not you have to wait for your order anyways. It also doesn't help that there are a bunch of people around you who don't know where to go, where to pay and whether the person randomly standing in front of them is in line or waiting for their food. This could all be avoided if the place was better organized - or had people actually helping their customers out. Food-wise I am quite fond of Cosi. Most of their pizzas and sandwiches almost live up to the price. If only it was a bit cheaper, I'd come here much more often.
(2)Rosalyn P.
Cosi makes an excellent spinach and egg wrap from their breakfast menu! Really tasty and quick service.
(5)Mansi B.
I love the food at Cosi and there's adequate seating. But my complain is it is very confusing to place an order. It is all over the place. Sandwiches in one corner, pay in another and pick up beverages in yet another. The cashier keeps asking what you got, but doesn't hear half the things because there are always too many people. When it's crowded, customer service goes out the window. The cooks are yelling, cashiers are confused and as a customer you are afraid of making a mistake while ordering. Phew! Quite stressful. A cafe should be a welcoming place.
(3)Ceasar B.
I wouldn't really recommend eating here per se-- your money is always undoubtedly spent better elsewhere --however, Cosi is really not a bad spot to meet someone for coffee at (not to say the coffee is good, but it's alright). Plenty of seats and reasonable decor make it half-decent.
(2)Joyce L.
I am a fan of Cosi. Their flatbread is DELICIOUS! (though sometimes on the salty side). Even though it's a chain store, I find that the quality of the ingredients acceptable. I've only been twice--once for the signature salad and once for the fire roasted vegetable sandwich. In terms of flavor, I really like both. The lunch hour is crazy! It is a bit hard to figure out where to stand..but there are plenty of employees hollering directions (adding to the madness), but it works out in the end. There is plenty of seating upstairs and the employees take the time to clean the tables. AND, I appreciate the calorie information. All chain restaurants should definitely be moving in this direction. Please add sodium and fat content!
(4)Candace C.
I actually really like this Cosi! The Law School is right around the corner so I've turned to this trusty Cosi many-a times with minimal disappointments. The tomato soup is always a winner and most of their salads are good (except the Asian salad is a bit wimpy, which is a big no-no in my book). The pizza is really tasty too. I mean, if you come to Cosi, you shouldn't be expecting anything gourmet. Just something quick, easy, and tasty. I guess it isn't super cheap relative to the competing lunch options, but its not that expensive either. Don't come here everyday though with the plethora of eats around Penn. I don't know about anyone else but when the cold strikes and I crave soup, Cosi's tomato soup generally hits the spot. 3.5 stars! (Yelp needs to have half stars)
(3)Laura S.
When I was an undergrad, I thought Cosi was really cool. I didn't know it was a chain, they had square bagels, and they would serve you s'more fixins with a fire. Pretty sweet. Now I am not an undergrad and Cosi is everywhere and it is always crowded and I am full of rage standing behind the screeching law school students in line. And yet, when I can't figure out what to eat but I am starving and have no time, I go here. Because this is the function of a chain restaurant. And the food is pretty good. Pros: Free wireless, nice seating area upstairs, chance to practice zen meditation while willing self not to strangle public at large. Cons: Lines, when it's crowded going from ordering your food to paying becomes a crazy mosh pit, pretty expensive for sandwiches. If you are going to go out of your mind if you eat another TBM or Signature Salad, you should order the Spinach Artichoke Dip. Just don't look at the nutritional information. Ever.
(3)Hank C.
There's was a dearth of servers here on a Saturday during Homecoming at the local university. Not sure how that happened, but they were a bit slower than normal because of it, but at least they noticed us. Food here isn't anything remarkable, but the TBM and wasabi roast beef sandwiches are usually acceptable. Chai Tea Latte is decent, although the House Coffee has no refills.
(2)Maya Y.
This place is a bit expensive for "fast food" and the portions aren't too generous, but if you're in a hurry and you're walking home from a night class, this may be your best bet (it's open most weeknights until 11 P.M.) Lunch items aren't served until 11 A.M. - if you go any earlier you're stuck with bagels (I believe they're called "squagels" by virtue of the fact that they're squarish and not circular) and other items I don't really consider to be "real" food. I tried the jalapeno and cheddar squagel on two occasions - I ordered cream cheese with it and it was fairly tasty to my sleep-deprived, 7 A.M., slightly off-game taste buds. The Asian chicken salad was acceptable and the piece of bread it came with was fairly good and added value to the meal. The chain also offers a 1/2-salad, 1/2-sandwich combo which is a convenient (though obvious) idea. I usually get the Tuscan pesto chicken since it's the least offensive and least messy of the sandwiches I've ordered here (the chicken tinga sandwich is a bit messier - the guacamole and stringy chicken bits tend to spill out of the sandwich when you bite into it) and I order a salad with it. I've never gotten a soup here. The coffee is acceptable if not memorable. The brownies and cookies don't exactly taste homemade, but if the mood strikes you, they're available. Going back to the sandwiches - order them raw (not toasted) since the toasted bread is crunchy and hard. Also, the Tuscan pesto chicken tastes better without melted cheese. The latter ruins an otherwise quasi-healthy meal. I've never gotten the carrots with a sandwich, but I've opted for the pepper-flavored kettle chips. Raw carrots don't particularly appeal to me. For beverages, I do recommend their lemonades (mojito lemonade or raspberry lemonade) albeit they're full of empty calories. Service: B- Taste: B-
(3)Grace S.
tomato basil soup, omg delicious. bbq chicken flatbread is good when I'm eating it but then I feel sick afterwards. My bf loves the curry chicken but I'm not a big fan of any of Cosi's sandwiches.
(3)Won Ho K.
Normally, I like this Cosi, but today, when I ordered a Turkey, Bacon, and Cheddar Melt (very good, by the way), they failed to even START making my sandwich until after I had paid and waited for my sandwich for at least five minutes. Needless to say, I was not very well pleased, but I was even more surprised that the cook offered a really weak apology. I like the food here, and I think the half and half option (e.g. half a salad, half a soup) is a good deal, but I'm never really confident in the quality of the service here. It's often crowded, and things don't seem to be very well organized here.
(3)Gordon C.
As I exited the tunnel from the Septa trolley I immediately looked for a rest room before checking out the Penn Relays on Friday, April 23rd. Just by coincidence I overheard a Georgetown Univ student comment about the bathroom in the upstairs dining area, so considering my options were limited and having to go REALLY BAD, I headed there myself. After returning downstairs and checking my watch I figured out I had plenty of time to get a bite to eat before heading to Franklin Field. That's when I noticed the menu. Ordered the Spinach Florentine which I thought was really good. I've never had anything like it and specifically the artichoke spread. I went back on Saturday and had the Tuscan Pesto Chicken. Also really good. One note though, this place is a bit pricey so don't be surprised.
(3)Joseph K.
Why don't they have any Cosis in LA? For all you sandwich/flatbread lovers, Cosi redefines lunchtime. What I Ordered: The Cosi Duo. For around $10 you get a half portion of any sandwich on their menu and a small cup of soup. I try to keep it simple when ordering there. Plus, I fell in love with their TBM (Tomato Basil Mozzarella) sandwich. Couple that with a cup of their tomato basil soup, and you have yourself a lunch! Verdict: There's nothing really to write but praise. It's relatively cheap and tastes phenomenal. What more could you ask? From time to time they feature some special sandwiches, but for starters, try their TBM. Absolutely cannot go wrong with that. Money back guaranteed. Well, not really. But you catch my drift, right?
(5)Abby I.
A bit on the pricier side for salads and sandwiches. If you come here for prime time lunch/dinner, the wait is going to be long since it's on UPenn campus. Also, you can only sit in the dining area for dinner if you pay for table service. Silly but true. I'm not sure why I get the Grilled Wild Alaskan Salmon Salad every time especially when the salmon tastes so weird consistently. Why! Their Signature Salad is pretty awesome too! And the flatbread is delicious! They also have a great coffee bar great for those of us who need a caffeine fix/just do not sleep. Also, I've been coming here for years and just noticed today that they are opened 'till 12AM. AWESOME! Overall, a great place to eat when you need a place to catch up with friends and plenty of seating outside for those nicer days!
(3)Eric B.
Good food fast and polite service.
(3)Ryan L.
Worst service ever. I wasn't even served. I stood there for 5 minutes looking like an idiot and they all saw me but nobody served me. I'm never going here again.
(1)Robyn H.
To my knowledge, Cosi's sandwiches are all pre-prepared , so I never go in there expecting to be BLOWN AWAY. Their food is EDIBLE, and that's pretty much it. I like to go to Cosi for lunch and sit outside and catch a breeze. It's a perfect spot for kicking it with friends or as a neutral meeting place for business acquaintances. I like the tomato soup and the Chicken TBM sandwich, the hot apple cider, the hot chocolate and teas.
(3)Stephanie P.
#317 Bah, so many people hate Cosi. Don't know why. This location is probably one of my more favorite ones in Philly because of how spacious it is. Sure, it gets packed but I've always been able to find myself a seat somewhere. Plus, plenty of seating outside on a nice, sunny afternoon! The lines aren't actually that confusing, you just figure out where each one is leading you and you can easily deduce where you should be standing. I love their soups because they're always so hearty (and packed with calories) and I'm always a sucker for them. I've also really enjoyed their mango-based drinks on more than several occasions. Not a bad location to be when you need to get some work done or want to catch up with friends!
(3)Renea R.
I LOVE their steakhouse gorgonzola sandwich with a side of buffalo sauce. It's my recent obsession. Prices are reasonable for the good quality food. Service can be a bit slow. Overall I'm a huge fan!
(4)Terrell M.
Honestly I don't go here for the food, I go to this Cosi to study. I think it's great for studying. The food is just an added benefit!
(4)Charu J.
Their flat bread pizza's are great especially if you're looking for a big lunch or dinner. I usually get take out.
(3)Jen D.
This is a pretty large Cosi, but it still sucks. It's dirty and smelly. The staff is rude. The only reason this place stays open is due to the fact that it's on Penn Campus.
(1)Linda C.
Derr. The food tasted good, but it was REDICULOUSLY packed, and the fillins' were skimpy. So not worth my 10 dollars. Go to the one on Walnut for a more substantial sammich, a smile, and relatively no crowds! (except maybe during the lunch hour, which is, expected).
(2)Kat W.
This place is a joke. The staff is rude, the tables are sticky, the room is nasty and dirty, and they claim to have free wireless internet but they lie. Their wireless internet does not work. Never come to this place. Waste of your time, energy, money and health.
(1)Jacquelin K.
Cosi makes yummy salads with quality mixed greens and flavorful dressings that are to die for. Unfortunately, that's pretty much where the positives end. This location is notorious for 2 kinds of servers: totally inattentive and witheringly nasty. Maybe it's something in the water; maybe this property sits on top of an ancient burial ground & the spirits haunt the Cosi workers, who then take out their anger on the public. I've been coming to this place since it was a Xando & nothing's changed. Something that has changed is serving sizes at Cosi. It seems like the portions of meat you get on sandwiches are exponentially decreasing. We all know that Cosi's price point is a little higher than Wendy's. When we walk in the door, we accept that a sandwich will cost $8. However, when you pay $8 for a sandwich, it better have some meat on it. Adding insult to injury is the fact that the staff's ability to manage high customer volume is a total crap shoot. On some days the system works. On other days you end up waiting in agony for 1 of the workers milling about to decide to come stand at the register and ring up your stuff.
(2)Heavenly O.
I'd like to give this place 2 1/2 stars. The food is decent (I like the TBM), but it's usually crowded and it's TOO expensive. I feel fooled whenever I end up there. Unfortunately, that's a lot.
(3)Jaymes H.
pass. no part of the experience is worth it.
(1)Grace H.
For a time, I came to Cosi every single day and ordered the Signature Salad with chicken. It really never gets old. It's hard to find healthy options around campus, but Cosi is right near the library and was always reliably quick and yummy. I particularly enjoyed eating the bread samples while waiting in line. I've also tried the TBM melt and the BBQ chicken pizza. Also delicious! The bread is baked fresh daily (you can see it from where you order), and I like to treat myself on occasion to the specialty drinks (mojito lemonade, raspberry iced tea). Similar to Panera, but it has its own charm.
(4)Dario Z.
Healthy and really tasty alternative take on classic sandwiches, salads and food bowls. Price seems reasonable, seeing that they use fair trade ingredients for all their products.
(5)Sherise S.
Nice improvements. I had a craving for a flatbread pizza and decided to brave the madness again. The bosses must've been reading these reviews because there was more organization to the place. They've set up some makeshift aisles for placing an order, with much more clearly defined and clearly labeled purposes. Unfortunately the waiting area is still an open pit where people look as though they aren't done ordering or confused about what to do with themselves. I still didn't see a "pay here" station. I think it would be better if the food preparers direct you over to pay for your order instead of allowing you to stand idly waiting for cashiers to start screaming at you. Not fully there yet Cosi, but nice moves in a better direction. Much appreciated!
(4)Jacky L.
Terrible service, expensive, confusing order and payment layout, ok food. I've come to this Cosi three times already, and each time, I question why I come here again for their terrible service. The people that work there are highly unprofessional and rude. The hatred of patrons that the people that work at Cosi doesn't help with the confusing layout of the shop. You first need to line up (well, there's a sign to tell you where to line up to order) to talk to the sandwich makers. You have to almost yell since it's so loud, and they're often busy making sandwiches which adds to the confusion on who you should be talking to. After this, you awkwardly walk to the cashiers, whom each time I went, we're seemingly reluctant to take my order. Also.. Why do I have to tell them my order twice, once to the chef, and once to the cashier? Also so confusing on where we should be to get our food. Do they go to us? Or do we stand somewhere near the line to pick it up? The good thing is, the food is pretty good. Their chicken noodle soup is on point. But yeah.. This is probably the most confusing food place I've been to. Terrible service doesn't help it. Avoid. If you can.. Since they have a monopoly towards the University City students.
(2)Sophia H.
Turkey avocado sandwich = best thing ever! Always crowded but great food and fast friendly service
(4)Sheila D.
I love Cosi - it's fast, convenient, and delicious! While I agree that the concept and feel of the restaurant is very similar to Panera, I would say that the variety of food at Cosi is very different. I REALLY enjoy Cosi flatbread, which is definitely their signature product. There's something really special about their flatbread, and for some reason I just can't put my finger on why I think it's so flavorful. They give a piece of flatbread with every salad, and it's a fantastic, crunchy, and fulfilling finish to a meal. Other yelpers say that it would be great with some sort of spread or dip, but I think it tastes amazing alone as well. In terms of the other food, I've only ordered the salads and have found the staff to be very helpful and willing to accommodate for any dietary restrictions or preferences. They very easily switch out chicken for salmon in my salad, so that's definitely a wonderful option for me since I adore eating fish. Plus, it's difficult to find dishes with fish in University City without paying a fortune. The workers are quick and efficient (which others may interpret as cold), but I really appreciate the speediness of Cosi, especially when rushing between classes throughout a busy day. I guess the only negative aspect of Cosi that I see is that many of the other items on the menu are pretty pricey (many are around $8-10) for the food that you get (mainly sandwiches...), so I haven't been too adventurous with trying out different options since I know I can get the best bang out of my buck with the salad that I consistently order. Oh, before I forget - COSI SERVES S'MORES. It's great. For around $8, they provide graham crackers, marshmallows, chocolate and skewers for two with a cute, mini-burner, making such a wonderfully unique and interactive end to a meal with that special someone. You definitely can't find this experience for this price anywhere else in the area. Recommend you try the s'mores, for sure!
(4)Victoria L.
Cosi is like a Panera without the good quality sandwiches. The convenience of this place being in the center of Penn's campus makes it a great option to grab a quick meal to-go. I've gotten their flatbreads here a few times and it has always been a hit or miss with their sandwiches. Sometimes my flatbread would be so scarce with ingredients or the bread would be too hard to bite into to. So I always go with the safer option of choosing their salads. You can also get just a single flatbread for $1 if you're in the mood to just nibble on some bread. Sometimes the service is a hit or miss as well. I would come here more often if it weren't for the expensive prices for the below than average quality food and unfriendly service.
(2)Farrah A.
If you are looking for a quick bite to grab, Cosi is the place. It's hard to find other healthy options around the 36th Street and Walnut area, with Federal donuts right around the corner and the Penn Bookstore cafe right next door. Service is very quick (depending on the time) although most of the menu is overpriced. Being a regular, most of the staff is friendly to me and always let me customize my orders. If you are looking for a light lunch, I would suggest ordering the bread and one spread. I highly recommend the sun-dried tomato spread since it is very tasty. With some basil, it makes for a healthy, delicious vegan lunch.
(3)Vidushi B.
Cosi is a great place to grab a sandwich, soup, flatbread, or other cafe-type meal. It's a little bit overpriced for what it is, but it also offers a wide variety of tasty options, so that makes it worthwhile. I really like the soup here, because you can get a regular sized soup and sizeable slice of bread for $3.70ish, and if I eat the whole thing, it fills me up. The tomato basil soup is usually my go-to, it's really good. I also enjoy the melts and sandwiches, like the chicken pesto and the chicken TBM. The flatbreads are similarly enjoyable, and are a pretty good value if you get a whole thing. I really want to try the s'mores they have here during the fall/winter - they look delicious and you get to make them yourself on mini fire!
(4)Tracy H.
First time here at a Cosi. I was looking for something fresh and a pick me up at the gym and this was the best choice I've made. I love the choose two options where you can get half of each item. The kettle chips are amazing as well. A very close location and also very spacious, there's seats outside, first floor and an upstairs! Definitely coming back again :)
(4)Sasha B.
Horrible service and store layout. I've been to this place multiple times, and each time I have ended up getting someone else's sandwich. I asked the service staff twice to make sure that I got the correct sandwich, but still they messed up the order. Not going to come to this place ever again.
(1)Anu P.
The best thing to get here is the flatbread. I've had the vegetarian melt - ~$7 for a big flatbread sandwich with melted cheese and pickled veggies. I wish the veggies didn't taste so sweet as they did (the Indian in me wanted to douse the sandwich in hot sauce) but the bread was the redeeming part of the meal and I would come back just to try another sandwich with the same flatbread! Not a bad deal for a huge meal.
(3)Christine V.
Like other people have said, it's like another Panera but I do enjoy Panera more. Cosi is conveniently located near UPenn campus and could be a good study spot. They have an upstairs, which is more isolated and quiet so you could get more studying done up there. I've gotten food twice here and occasionally drop in to just buy a drink. I'm not too big a fan of their flat bread sandwiches. The last time I had it, the bread was really hard and just hard to bite into. I've recently gone there as a quick stop for breakfast and ordered a squagel (square bagel), and I really enjoyed that! I ordered the club squagel, which consisted of eggs, cheddar, bacon, and tomato. I chose to get the basil parmesan squagel out of many other choices you have. It was a solid quick breakfast at a very reasonable price! The other thing I really like about Cosi is their selection of drinks that they offer in the afternoons. I've gotten the grapefruit apple, raspberry mojito, and some other form of their mojitos. It's light, refreshing, and delicious.
(3)J F.
Since this Cosi is located in University City with a significant customer base of students, I wonder whether it is coincidence or intentional design that the store has two levels, the top one especially good for studying in the morning hours . I am not sure if this applies to the afternoon and evening hours, as I have not been there at those times. In terms of the food, I really enjoy the Turkey Light sandwich for lunch and the sesame bagels (Cosi calls them squagels) for breakfast. Just recently, Cosi upped its coffee game with more diversified offerings. For example, I tasted an Ethiopian blend this morning. It was excellent. Service speed can slow up at times with big morning and lunch rushes, but having been here on and off for many years, the service and food have been 3-star consistent. A pretty high traffic Cosi, the place is not the cleanest at times, an area that I hope that they are aware of and are working on.
(3)Jennifer C.
Yes, I know I said I'd never go back. I said that after my pervious two- and one-star reviews. But I can not be held 100% responsible for the things that I do when I am NOT under the influence of caffeine... So, third review is the charm....I'm pretty sure this location is under new management and for sure they've hired some new (super nice! competent! friendly!) staff. I still only go in for drinks (and usually early a.m. when there aren't many people in there) but they make them perfect (1-pump and extra-shot) every time. Served with a smile & engaging conversation. Side story: one night when I was waiting for the trolley one of the baristas was also at the station and asked me if I had ever been there (to Cosi) & how my experience was! Way to go Cosi! Tell your morning coffee bar staff how fabulous they are!
(4)Roopa S.
The flatbread here is really what is truly exceptional. The rest of the food kind of just falls to the "average" plane. It's basically a Panera bread, but slightly worse. I've tried the hummus and veggies sandwich, the tomato and mozzarella sandwich, the Shanghai Chicken Salad, and the Lime Chicken Salad. I have a slight preference for the salads over the sandwiches, though both aren't superb. The prices are average-- not too pricey but not cheap either. The portion sizes are pretty averagae as well. Service is usually quick, so that's a plus. Don't expect great tasting food here, but it certainly is not bad!
(3)Kimberly Y.
I'm a die-hard Panera fan, but Cosi has a good amount to offer. It's better than ABP in my book, at least! You just have to know what to get. And I've actually never had a problem with their customer service, and I've visited quite a few times... I mean, these places generally aren't known for their service anyway. Come for lunch to get hot, fresh flatbreads with whatever you're ordering. They're amazing when fresh, but passable if not. I love their pesto chicken melt (not sandwich), steakhouse salad, and tomato basil soup to dip the flatbread in. The only pizza that's worth getting is the smoky BBQ chicken. Also, please don't get the squagels (hard as a rock!) or the lemonades (overpriced and so sour, in my experience)! The prices are a little expensive for the quality, but at least they're consistent and convenient--and there are quite a few yummy options. It's also a great place to study or chat for a while; don't forget about the upstairs seating!
(4)Charlie G.
They have the slowest most inattentive service. This place is empty--I ordered after waiting in no line--and my toasted squagel with cream cheese, a very easy order, took 12 minutes. No line! The soda in the fridge was warm. Come on man, serving warm drinks? This place isn't cheap either. What am I paying for?
(1)Joy W.
Cosi is another salad/sandwich/soup place similar to Panera. They have two lines, the one on the left is for salads and the one on the right is for sandwiches. They have many great healthy options that it was hard to decide, but the line behind me was starting to grow. I quickly decided on the tandoori chicken salad, which came with a slice of flat bread. Since I'm a clutz, I dropped my flatbread on the ground but the cashier was really nice and gave me another slice. Unfortunately their flatbreads are pretty difficult to chew since they are hard, so I would recommend eating it with soup or hummus. However, the tandoori chicken salad is AMAZING! The ingredients were really fresh and they did a pretty good job of imitating the tandoori flavors with their sliced grilled chicken. It came with onions as well, so I may have had stinky breath afterwards but it was well worth it. If I lived around the area, this would be an ideal lunch place to have a quick dine in or order healthy food to go. [61 of 100]
(3)Victoria R.
Fast, easy, a little pricy for an entire meal with sides and a drink but it's close and comfy food. I had the pesto chicken melt and it was amazing! My husband had the veggie sandwich and he loved it! Great place for a quick and delicious brunch or lunch!
(4)Satty N.
Second time I've gotten coffee and it was cold. This time, every single canister(?) of self serve coffee was empty. They didn't seem to mind of course. Stay away.
(1)Andrew G.
Occasionally the employees aren't the nicest, but the food and coffee are solid at all times of day.
(4)Tiger J.
Food is mediocre. The workers mumble alot and it is extremely hard to hear them speak. Manager needs to train them to speak clearly and be friendly. I asked a worker about a recommendation, and she gave me a 'wtf' look. The worker is the black female making the food here april 12th at 530pm. Manager please train her.
(2)betsy s.
I went in at 9:15 am for breakfast, didn't get my food until 10. and there were numerous employees but no one at the register. They have it set up so you order at the sandwich counter and then get back in line at a different counter to pay. Just seemed dumb.
(2)Muhammad N.
The customer service, location, everything is fine...except the food. It's very boring and unoriginal. They're also quite expensive for a place that offers sandwich.
(1)Lenny Z.
I've been to many Cosi shops. This one, like all of the rest, is okay, but a little overpriced considering what you get. The portions are small and should cost no more than $5 or $6. However, they stroke you for more like $9. I've had better sandwiches for $3. The one cool thing about this location is on a nice day they have lots of outdoor seating. Other than that, it doesn't have much going for it. Save your money and time.
(2)Clare D.
Cosi isn't consistent. When I get a freshly made sandwich with bread just out of the oven and split, it tastes great, but once the bread cools completely, it can be cracker crisp, not pita soft. I don't understand what everyone's infatuation is with Cosi. Is it supposed to be healthy? Where you place your order is sometimes confusing. There are clearly signs that direct you to order from one of the sandwich makers, but sometimes they tell me to give my order to the cashier before I get my sandwich from them. When it gets busy during the day, it can be a madhouse in there.
(1)Christopher K.
Great place for breakfast! Usually get the Steak & Egg wrap or a yogurt parfait. I wish they had more variety, such as egg omelettes. Beware that the egg omelette sandwich does not actually have an omelette inside. Just scrambled eggs with toppings.
(4)Nancy P.
I came here with a coworker during lunch and boy, the lines are pretty much out the door. There are two lines, one for salads and one for sandwiches. There's usually a person writing down your order before you get to the sandwich station though since that one is typically a longer wait. I tried the Prosciutto Olive Chicken melt. It was okay, not great. I mean, I wasn't expecting great prosciutto at Cosi so it wasn't bad. The olives were bland and didn't add too much to the sandwich though. But the flatbread is so yummy.
(3)Mike D.
Rude staff. Won't be returning to this location.
(1)Sunny S.
It was National Cabbage Day so I dropped by Così to get a Korean BBQ Pork Bowl for dinner. The Asian cabbage slaw on top was actually really good, sweet and tangy. The cabbage and various vegetables were quite crunchy and refreshing. The BBQ pork was actually really flavourful as well, not overwhelming, but sweet and comforting. The pork was tender enough although it was slightly hard to pull apart and was by no means melt-in-your-mouth. The grains were a little greasy, though, but they should not be since it is just grains and rice. The Country Lentil Soup was decent and had a strong tomato and vegetable taste. It was thick enough but not too much that it was no longer a soup. The lentils added texture and the ingredients were fresh and hearty. The Cheesecake Brownie had a slight pungent cheese smell. It was more like a thin layer of cheese-flavoured dense cake on top of a fudge brownie. The heart shapes were cute, I though. The entire dessert was dense and chewy, the way I like my brownies to be. Così can have a really long wait time. The staff at this particular one seem very inefficient. There are so many of them yet food comes out so slow. It takes forever every time I am there. Also, I spotted a cockroach on the wall behind the counter and that was not very comforting. Let's hope they do not get near the actual food itself.
(2)Anne N.
pros: free wifi - no login, they let you use it forever, no hassle. yay, thank you! large upstairs space uncrowded on a Thursday evening. friendly woman at checkout. clean. cons: i really like unobtrusive, alternative rock Shins-style music in cafes, not kinda-loud 90s soft rock-style. really loud environment, even with earplugs. staff was unfamiliar with special orders, was patient with me, but it seemed like an effort.
(3)Mimi L.
I took my kids for some smores. End up ordering snacks. lol. Half Turkey and Brie sandwich with clam chowder. Both were really good. My son ordered the tuscan sandwich, that was also good. My daughter had the itailian sausage pizza and that was so so for me. The apple pie and smores were the cake. Fun and good. For drinks we had ice coffee, frozen hot chocolate and raspberry ice tea. All drinks were really good. To top that off we had top notch service from Daniel. Who does it all. Made the sandwich, made the drinks, cashier and waitress. I would definately come here again just to have great service from Daniel. Cosi is a great late night snack place that is kid friendly.
(4)Nina P.
From the reviews I read before coming here I fully expected a not-so-great experience, but I was really craving spinach artichoke dip so was willing to give it a chance. My first impression was the smell of burnt bread, which after a while I got used to, but is really pungent at first. I already expected the meal not to be great but there was no turning back now. I ordered my dip and they said it would take a few minutes, which really didnt bother me. Then after 5 minutes they said it was going to take a little longer so while I waited they offered me a free drink or soup. It's funny bc I wasn't even waiting for a long time, but they are obviously trying to keep their customers happy and I have no problem with that. In fact, I appreciate the fact that they acknowledged how long the food was taking. If this situation happened in NY, they'd be probably give you a dirty look and some fake apology. I had no complaints about the dip and the soup was good as well (reminded me of spaghettios sauce, my favorite as a kid). Overall not bad. Way better than I expected it to be.
(4)David C.
I came in here for lunch with my fiancé on 6/11/12, and ordered a melt sandwich. The person preparing the order forgot to take the paper off of the cheese, and when I presented the mistake to them they replaced my sandwich, gave me a refill on my drink, and threw in a cookie to boot. Normally I wouldn't give any chain restaurant anything above three stars, but they went out of their way to rectify their mistake. Additionally, the upstairs seating was a nice little lunch nook for me and my fiancee.
(4)James V.
This Cosi is located on the University of Pennsylvania's campus. If you have been to a Cosi before, then you know what to expect. If you have not been to a Cosi, then you should know that it is a decent place to go for something quick and a step up from fast food. The flat-breads or the salads are usually both good choices. Although if want something sweet and have a little more time, the S'mores is a great option. You actually get a small burner of your own so you get to toast your marshmallows. The one really nice thing about this particular Cosi is that it has a lot of seating, including upstairs and tables outside.
(3)Dana L.
WORST SERVICE EVER. and i mean ever. After someone took my food by accident, I asked them to make another one for me (and I waited ANOTHER 5 minutes). They misunderstood and didn't add chicken to the pizza I ordered. So the employee rolled his eyes at me and gave me this look. So after 15 minutes of waiting...I got my food. I have never been treated this way at ANY fast food place even. No one apologized. Now I go out of my way NOT to go to Cosi. They don't care about their customers. They just make the money. But hey...students need food...so they go to Cosi. Is it too much to ask for employees to be respectful?
(1)Adam S.
Good menu, solid ingredients, but these folks are not sandwich artists. I had a Turkey and Brie Wrap one day and the Spinach Florentine Wrap the next. Both "wraps" could have more fittingly been called "crumples" because that's how they were assembled. While watching the sandwich line I kept thinking, "Thank god they're not trying to fold burritos!" Everyone in the sandwich line either looked befuddled by anything other than a plain bagel or like they were supposed to be somewhere else ten minutes ago. Also, can we please hang a few signs like "order here", "pick-up here," "pay-here" to direct traffic instead of the east coast "If you don already know, then leave!" attitude?
(2)Ceasar B.
I wouldn't really recommend eating here per se-- your money is always undoubtedly spent better elsewhere --however, Cosi is really not a bad spot to meet someone for coffee at (not to say the coffee is good, but it's alright). Plenty of seats and reasonable decor make it half-decent.
(2)Alicia J.
Unfriendly people, a strange line system and high prices - that pretty much sums up my impression of Cosi. However, I do like their food which has never failed to be delicious somehow. I don't know why this place needs a separate line for salads when more often than not you have to wait for your order anyways. It also doesn't help that there are a bunch of people around you who don't know where to go, where to pay and whether the person randomly standing in front of them is in line or waiting for their food. This could all be avoided if the place was better organized - or had people actually helping their customers out. Food-wise I am quite fond of Cosi. Most of their pizzas and sandwiches almost live up to the price. If only it was a bit cheaper, I'd come here much more often.
(2)Rosalyn P.
Cosi makes an excellent spinach and egg wrap from their breakfast menu! Really tasty and quick service.
(5)Mansi B.
I love the food at Cosi and there's adequate seating. But my complain is it is very confusing to place an order. It is all over the place. Sandwiches in one corner, pay in another and pick up beverages in yet another. The cashier keeps asking what you got, but doesn't hear half the things because there are always too many people. When it's crowded, customer service goes out the window. The cooks are yelling, cashiers are confused and as a customer you are afraid of making a mistake while ordering. Phew! Quite stressful. A cafe should be a welcoming place.
(3)Joyce L.
I am a fan of Cosi. Their flatbread is DELICIOUS! (though sometimes on the salty side). Even though it's a chain store, I find that the quality of the ingredients acceptable. I've only been twice--once for the signature salad and once for the fire roasted vegetable sandwich. In terms of flavor, I really like both. The lunch hour is crazy! It is a bit hard to figure out where to stand..but there are plenty of employees hollering directions (adding to the madness), but it works out in the end. There is plenty of seating upstairs and the employees take the time to clean the tables. AND, I appreciate the calorie information. All chain restaurants should definitely be moving in this direction. Please add sodium and fat content!
(4)Candace C.
I actually really like this Cosi! The Law School is right around the corner so I've turned to this trusty Cosi many-a times with minimal disappointments. The tomato soup is always a winner and most of their salads are good (except the Asian salad is a bit wimpy, which is a big no-no in my book). The pizza is really tasty too. I mean, if you come to Cosi, you shouldn't be expecting anything gourmet. Just something quick, easy, and tasty. I guess it isn't super cheap relative to the competing lunch options, but its not that expensive either. Don't come here everyday though with the plethora of eats around Penn. I don't know about anyone else but when the cold strikes and I crave soup, Cosi's tomato soup generally hits the spot. 3.5 stars! (Yelp needs to have half stars)
(3)Erin M.
People are pretty harsh on this establishment, here, but I think it does what it does well. I've gone in there when the line is to the door, but I'm always through in 5-10 minutes. The signature salad is always good, full of fresh greens, grapes, pistachios, blue cheese and dried cranberries. Today, I tried a duo, so I had a half signature salad, that was definitely not quite a full half, and a tuna sandwich on the standard cosi bread, along with cracked pepper chips. It was all filling and delicious. At $7.77 with tax, this rings up to be one of the pricier on campus establishments for a quick bite. But it's definitely my favorite salad. Also, they have outdoor seating, every day of the year. It was unseasonably warm today, and I sat out with coworkers and enjoyed the blue sky.
(3)David D.
Unfortunately I developed a TBM sandwich addiction a few years ago. Food poisoning from the aforementioned sammich nipped that one in the bud. Overpriced, rancid mozzarella and stoned or otherwise distracted staff.... yeahnotsomuch.
(1)Yun W.
Unfortunately this Cosi just does not cut it. Being one of the few cheap cafe sandwich shops in University City, it has quite the monopoly over UPenn students. Although some of the workers are friendly, the majority of the time, the cashiers and non-food preparation staff are extraordinarily rude to students and the food preparation staff are quite incompetent. Recent visit - There was a dispute over what I had ordered at the cashier. I told her I ordered the Tuscan Pesto Chicken sandwich. She was extremely unprofessional and actually reached into my sandwich bag and TOUCHED my sandwich to feel if it was hot or cold. She then insisted that it was a Tuscan Pesto Chicken melt because it was hot, and charged me for the melt price. I protested, saying that there was no cheese in the sandwich and it was therefore not a melt. The end was a unhappy dispute over a less than $1 difference. She ended up charging me for a sandwich, insisting that I was not allowed to get sandwiches toasted again. Quite unprofessional. Seriously? My first visit - Ordered the Asian Salmon Salad and the worker forgot to put salmon in it altogether. Brought the half eaten dish back to the line worker who was skeptical of his mistake and then reluctantly added in salmon. Another visit - Ordered the Tandoori Chicken salad, same dish as the customer in front. The salad making area was out of cucumbers. There was a mad scramble to cut up cucumbers from the sandwich making area, which was not enough, and prompted another scramble to the back room for cucumbers. Unfortunately, after all of this they still forgot to put cucumbers in my salad, until I reminded them about doing so and they had to reopen my container to do so. Another visit - The cashier was extremely rude and pushy to get me to pay right away despite there not being a crowd at all, while I was watching the sandwich making process (due to the mistakes of food preparation in the previous visits)
(1)Shereen C.
It's worse than I thought Their "chicken" is processed stuff Fake chewy "meat" -- Yech!
(2)Kaveh R.
ok food, good service.
(3)Minh C.
I was not previously a fan of Cosi in general, but ever since the weather has gotten colder, I've stopped by to give it another chance. The Taste Two (I think that's what it's called) is not a bad deal - get half a sandwich + soup (it's a little confusing, because sometimes they give me different size soup). The chai latte here is also not too great. It tastes more like sugar water with some spices in it.
(3)Meg S.
Cosi is like the overpriced, overrated version of Panera. I have come here more than I would like as it is one of the few restaurants open after a 7pm movie screening, but I've never left without being annoyed. First, you walk in and it's endlessly confusing where you're supposed to order and pay. I've been here in about 15 times and it's been different about 1/3 of the time, so it's definitely them, not me! Do not get the drinks here-I somehow paid close to $4 on a sweltering summer day for a 16oz lemonade that ended up being 500 calories. (Kicker? Not even good, it tasted like I was drinking pure syrup). I've had a lot of the menu items, and the only one that I really kind of like is the buffalo sandwich. If you're also forced into going here, the second floor is considerably nicer than the bottom floor.
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