Between a 3 and a 4 on this one as well. I do really like this location, but sometimes the servers can be a little spacey. Service generally is good, but sometimes can be a little slow. I love their Thai Crunch Salad (actually I'm kind of obsessed with it-I don't even eat pizza at CPK because of this salad). Their barbecue chicken pizza is good as well-if you want pizza. Decent location near the Galleria; a good lunch choice when shopping in the area. Prices are so so; maybe a little expensive for what they are serving, but I've never been disappointed.
(4)
Shari S.
CPK has decent but not stellar food, in my opinion. It is a good spot to know about if you: are in the Galleria area, want a meal for $15-20/pp, and don't like to wait for a table. So far, I have enjoyed their Asian Chicken Salad the best. One thing that I wish CPK would change is for their staff to be less aggressive in pushing their "specials".
(3)
V C.
Came here for dinner tonight. We got seated right away and our waitress was great. Everything came out quick. Food as usual is yummy.
(4)
Ken B.
I ate here about a month ago for the first time. I thought it was great! Fast service, tasty food, great presentation, reasonalble prices. I had the Thai Crunch salad and it was delicious. I went back this week two times and ordered the same dish. Love it!
(5)
Anne B.
The pizza is not ideal, nor are the sandwiches. I find the food overly salty, and I feel poorly after I have eaten food from here. Don't bother. I could do far better on my own at home with a bowl of cereal.
(1)
Laura W.
I should actually give this restaurant a 2-star rating but I'll be nice... My boyfriend calls it, "CPK." Ehh...it's not that great in my opinion. Appetizers? What appetizers?! There isn't much to offer in that section of the menu. The overall taste of their pizzas are just odd to me. I'm beginning to realize that "hole-in-wall" pizza joints are much better than chains like Star Pizza, Milano's (off of Beltway 8 and West Rd.) and you get my drift. Too overpriced for what your taste buds are actually wanting. For those who are interested, here are the links to Star Pizza and Milano's: yelp.com/biz/star-pizza-… yelp.com/biz/milanos-piz…
(3)
Margaret M.
I was not very pleased with CPK I was indecisive and trying to decide rather or not to just split a pizza with my 5 year old daughter or just get her a kids pizza and me something else. Which I decided to do and I specifically ordered a "kids" cheese pizza. I ordered an appetizer of mini wraps for myself. The service sucked, the wraps were not very impressive and the waitress brought us a large cheese pizza. WTH??? I will maybe try it again sometime in the next 3 years which is about how long its been since I tried it last.
(2)
Franklin J.
Not my first time here and not my last. We detoured from Galeria tonite...bet its a mad house there. Tried a few new items today. Margherita pizza was ok only. They had some new quick bites, korean bbq taco was ok only, crispy mac cheese wasnt good...wasnt what i was expecting. Wife had the bbq chicken pizza and she enjoyed it. On my past visits, i did enjoy the thai pizza and the jerk pizza.
(3)
Nick N.
Food: 5/5 Service: 4/5 Cleanliness: 5/5 Decor & Style: 5/5 Pizza is great here, its the only thing I get. I usually get the barbecue chicken pizza or the Italian one. The Cucumber Martini was gross, but I'm sure other drinks are great (I hope). Good pricing for portions. Nice modern style in Uptown Houston. Had the window seating. The layout was awesome! i'd give it an overall of 5/5!
(5)
Roshni P.
Let me just say that my family lives in Sugar Land and we drive all the way to the Galleria to get our CPK fix - even on work/school days! We love the Tostada pizza (like every other Indian family apparently) and we finish every piece. But every now and then I'll branch out and order something different along with it and I like those too. The pasta is decent and always finished at the table. I've tried the quinoa salad and it was interesting to try but I don't think I'd get it again.
(4)
Susan W.
Should've stayed away. Hadn't been to CPK on Post Oak in quite a long time. The service is very uneven and, other than the Tiny Bites menu, it always seems that everything is overpriced i.e. half a salad for $10 - really? So I was in the neighborhood late afternoon today and hadn't eaten all day, so I was hungry. I arrived at 4:50, was seated and in 5 minutes someone came by to take my drink order and tell me my waiter would be by shortly (found out later, that OUR waiter didn't even begin his shift until 5:00 - 10 minutes after I was seated). So, I'm still waiting and flagged down a waiter and asked if I could order a couple of Tiny Bites. NP. Looked around a few minutes later, saw a waiter waiting on a party that came in after me. Still not sure who the heck my waiter is. After waiting 20 minutes, I approached the manager and explained to him that I didn't think my waiter knew I was his table. He agreed to find my waiter and I waited some more. Eventually the waiter came over and explained the whole thing - that my waiter didn't even start his shift til 10 minutes after I was seated and he had no idea which party came in first - like there's a really good explanation for your not being waited on. Was that supposed to make me feel better about their level of service? I told the manager if he'd been walking around the restaurant instead of holed up behind the bar talking to waiters (who were not waiting on me), he would have found out pretty quickly that my waiter was AWOL. My biggest problem was that the overall impression I got from all the CPK staff - from the manager on down - was that this seemed kind of like business as usual w/them - no big deal. This CPK needs to learn about service. No one here has a clue they are in the service business, and also their food is overpriced IMHO. Note to self: stay away longer (as in forever), and I will!
(1)
Nicole S.
I stopped by for I hadn't been in awhile and was looking forward to my goat cheese and pepper pizza. Was disappointed to see they got rid of so many of the menu items I had loved from them in the past. The Japanese eggplant, the said goat cheese and pepper, pear, and many other pizzas are off the menu. Actually, even with their name containing pizza in the title there didn't seem to have as many pizzas to choose from as they once did. However, they did have a smaller apps menu, which had two salads on it which would make a good personal starter. I opted for the asparagus one, and it was tasty. The other was a wedge salad. The pea soup my beau order was good enough for me to probably order it next time myself. The mushroom pizza while good wont be my favorite either. I will have to try another next time or ask if I can make a pizza from the ingredients they have listed. Make sure to sign up for their rewards card if you frequent to add up points and get a free appetizer. I just wish they hadn't gotten rid of my favorite pizzas of the past.
(3)
Mike F.
Recently went here after a long sabbatical from this place because I've found much better places to sate my pizza craving. Granted we came a little later in the night on a weekend - but the most of the wait staff just looked like they didn't want to be there and you can feel it! The pizza was WORSE than I had remembered last time I came a couple of years ago. It was undercooked and the pizza bread for the humus was hard. Not a big fan of national chain restaurants here in Houston anymore because of this experience...
(2)
Miguel R.
Who doesn't like a good CPK pizza, or sandwich? It's a Chain, so I"m not going to write a review like it's the most unique thing in the world, nay, I shall elaborate upon the service. The line was packed in like cattle within the lobby. The rush crowd of Millionaire wives and business men filled this Gallaria CPK. Armani suits and Mont Blanc pens cloaked the men - Designer purses accented the women... you would assume with this normal type of cliental that the service was 5 star. That the food would be warm when you get it . That the bus boy wouldn't bump into me every time he walked by.... you would think. Not impressed.
(3)
April M.
When I'm in the mood for unusual pizza and not in a hurry for lunch I come here. Is it the best pizza in the world? I dare not make that claim but they do have my favorite version of Hawaiian pizza. The price sometimes seems high if you think of yourself as just eating pizza but when you pick one of their specialty pizzas you would have to add so many extra toppings at other chains/places at an extra charge you get a better deal here. The other aspect is that the ingredients certainly taste fresh. It gets so packed during lunch during the work week that expect a hefty wait.
(3)
Ashley E.
And the fifth star goes to the Split Pea soup And the Tortilla soup yummyyy
(4)
Am'e C.
its good, but totally overpriced. i paid $17.50 for a freaking Chic salad... WTF. no thanks.
(2)
Peter C.
I was expecting some real delicious pizza but all I got was hard ravioli and hard to eat pizza. My friend got the portabella mushroom ravioli and the shell was still a little hard to chew, the sauce was bland and the portions are small. I got the Meat Craver's pizza and it was okay. It was hard to eat cause the toppings kept falling off every time I picked it up. I had to resort to using a fork and knife. WHO EATS PIZZA WITH FORK AND KNIFE?! I felt like kicking my own ass.. The big plus was the ranch sauce. I like eating my pizza with ranch so I got some and it came with Gorgonzola cheese in it and it was delicious..
(2)
Tara A.
My personal thought is this chain is incredibly overpriced. However that's again a personal opinion. I don't believe that I've ever had the pizza in the three times I've been here, so I'm curious since it's a Pizza Kitchen if it would be any good. The last time I was there I ordered the field of greens and ordered the half portion. I still found the price to be excessive, especially for the small amount of food received. But I know that I've had pasta dishes here before that were better portioned and much tastier. I should have known not to order a salad with candied nuts. Just not something I'm interested in.
(3)
Shawn P.
This chain, in general is sort of hit or miss. I like their pizzas, and sometimes you have a really good experience, and other times it's less so. A lot of what factors in is the wait staff. They have some really friendly, helpful waiters who check up on you a lot. Sometimes you don't. Another variable is the quality of their alcoholic drinks. Sometimes they are good, sometimes they aren't. My most recent visit was one of those mediocre times. My waiter seemed almost scared or overwhelmed with his job, and was too distracted to do a good job serving us. The drinks were so watered down that I will never order alcohol here again. Paying nearly $8 for a glass of ice with a little bit of flavoring and very minuscule amount of alcohol was disappointing. I could more easily get drunk off of eating a rum cake than I could drinking an alcoholic beverage from here. There are better restaurants in the area, and I'd rather go to several other pizza places over here. While it's true that their unique flavors of pizza are interesting, I could do without the other issues. I'll probably go back to this place again some time, but it will have to be with someone else who is really set on going.
(3)
Geoffrey A.
Didn't seat me. I got there right after 11am, pretty empty. Maybe two tables of people. I saw maybe 5 waiters preparing napkins while the manager was telling them something. Maybe he was giving a really sweet pep talk about dealing with the lunch rush? Well I got sick of waiting for 5 minutes while they stood there prepping for lunch so left and went to Lubys. Lubys was good and they probably have gained a bi-weekly customer! California Kitchen probably would have won my regular business since I always eat out and I like their food at other locations! This is my first Yelp review, hope you liked it!
(1)
Ellen C.
I haven't been here lately, but I used to love getting the Vegetarian with Japanese Eggplant - sans cheese. It's actually a pizza that is fantastic without the cheese - I am assuming they season some of the veggies because they have a nice sauteed slight flavoring. I love how some of the veggies retain their crispness with a slight oven broiling. So yummy! The whole wheat crust is possibly one of my favorite pizza crusts in the whole wide world, but then I found out it contained honey (I'm vegan, so I try to NOT eat that stuff), so I started ordering my pizza with the pansy unbleached flour crush. Still good, but not as good, sigh. The Dakota Smashed Pea and Barley Soup is actually not that fantastic, but I used to order it from time to time because it is vegan and sometimes I'm just not feeling very pizza-y. I'm sure a great deal of the salads can be veganized, but I've never bothered. As for my omnivore friends - most of them have had fairly good experiences here. It's reliable food, but it doesn't completely bowl them over, so we don't really come here all that much anymore. Granted, yes, this is more expensive than Domino's or Pizza Hut, but the higher quality is discernible in the hand-crafted, sometimes very creative pizzas. I haven't been here in years, but I do remember the service being mostly good. Even when I sometimes dined with larger groups, we did all receive our orders in due time. I can't say I would go out of my way to go to CPK, but I wouldn't mind eating here again if a companion wanted to. One of the better chain restaurants I've ever been to, that's for sure.
(3)
Caroline L.
Now that our youngest is 3, this is a great restaurant to go to and the kids menu is healthier than just fried chicken tenders, which is a huge plus. I also love that the wine comes in 3 oz. portions too. Woohoo!! A great place for families. Sometimes service can be a little slow, but I think that's because we always go on the weekends.
(4)
David S.
What can I say, CPK is CPK. As national chains go, they serve a relatively health menu with fresh vegetables and salads incorporated into many of the dishes. I hesitate to say "pizza" because it is stretching the definition considerably to serve it with lettuce, uncooked tomatoes and avocado on top. On the other hand, it made for an interesting dish. I find the pasta dishes heavy on the pasta and the soups salty and over starched. If you are watching your carbs, you are going to have to watch carefully here. Light and airy atmosphere. Sitting at a CPK in Houston on a sunny day in March, it almost feels like San Diego. I am not a big fan of team waitressing. Maybe we just hit them at shift change, but one person took our order, a second delivered the food and a third brought the bill. They were all cheery in that corporate sort of way, they got the job done and my ice tea was refilled as needed so I guess I should not complain, but who am I tipping?
(3)
Maury M.
My wife and eat here quite often, and we have yet to have a bad experience here. Wait service is attentive, prices are fair, and the food is consistently good -- as is the menu selection. I mainly stick with their pizza, but their pasta and appetizers are great, too. So are the crab cakes! =) All in all, I highly recommend CPK to anyone that wants a good meal at a fair price while out and about shopping in Houston.
(4)
Emerson F.
I was reading the other reviews and I picked up a new term I hadn't heard before.. "Designer Pizza's". I really need to get out more. I love this place. The bbq chicken pizza is my absolute fav. So much so, I order 2, one for there, and one to go for later. The place is clean, and they keep great hours. Plus they sell alcohol. Nice. Can't wait to go back.
(5)
Esther L.
I've gotta say...I probably could walk to this place from my office but haven't yet. Walking anywhere during the day in this weather is not fun! CPK is in quite a convenient location and there's plenty of parking. It's pretty popular during lunch, my fellow interns and I went at around 1:15 PM one day thinking we wouldn't have to wait...but we did. For 15 minutes! Not bad I guess but 1 hour lunches are short.. Likes: Online ordering. Super quick, efficient, and easy! Spinach Artichoke Dip, Wild Mushroom Pizza w/ Chicken, Honey-Wheat Dough! Dislikes: The tomatoes used for the Italian Tomato & Basil Pizza...and it's kinda Pricey (however, I was able to make 2 meals out of 1 pizza, so I guess it's okay to pay $14-15/pizza) Next time I want: Adobe Chicken Chowder - my friend got this last time and it looked so yummy!
(3)
Theo C.
It's a bit on the expensive side, but HOT DAMN that carne asada pizza is amazing. I've had a few other pizzas which are very good, but I can never pull myself away from ordering the carne asada pizza anymore. gotta love the crust too, the right thickness and crunchiness It's definitely hits the spot whenever I go.
(4)
Shawn C.
Yes, it's a chain and yes it's a little over-priced (but not much), but damn they's got some yummy pizzas! Is this a pizza place for true pizza lovers? Probably not. If you want a good traditional pizza, then don't go here. But if you want a Thai Chicken pizza or a Carne Asada pizza then step up to CPK and let your taste buds revel.
(4)
Albert N.
Executive Summary: Designer pizza done pretty darn well CPK personifies everything I don't like about a pizza place: It's a chain, it's upscale, and it's focus is on nontraditional pizzas. Despite this, I love the place. When I'm in the mood for a designer pizza, CPK delivers a very good rendition: A perfect cracker crust (slightly sweet) with a medley of toppings that harmonizes better than one would expect. And CPK pulls it off better than other places that have more cred (Star Pizza comes to mind, and whatever happened to Wolfgang Puck's spot on Westheimer?) The pizzas are largeish for one person, and smallish for two; the best thing to do is to go in a small group and nosh on a few different choices. The Uptown location is bright and airy, with lots of windows, and the service is generally quick, friendly and competent.
(4)
Greg K.
Great pizza, good variety of salads and other stuff, love the atmosphere, but I am knocking a star off for them not having Fat Tire on tap the last time I was there!
(4)
Joe S.
I was pleasantly surprised with the food here. We were packed in about 30 deep for a birthday party and the waitstaff was on the ball. Impressive. Lettuce wrap appetizer - awesome. I'm pretty sure we tried all of the pizzas, which were great, and there was some decent pasta floating around as well. For dessert we tried a boring caramel sundae which they turned into something beautiful even after stuffing our faces all night.
(4)
Marcus H.
Love it! My first time to CPK was in Las Vegas and it was awesome! I knew this one was here but had never gone in. Now that I have all I can say is Love it! Great pies that won't disappoint! Large variety of dishes.
(4)
Reed G.
I would stick with the pizza and don't try anything outside you taste buds because you will pay for it!
(2)
David N.
I've been to this location a couple of times. There is more parking here than at the location at memorial city mall. The food is what you expect from CPK. Specialty pizzas with prices to match. I've tried many of the other pizzas but their best is still the BBQ chicken pizza. What makes CPK so good is their crust.
(4)
Bianca K.
yummy tasty food - just be warned the 'healthy' salad that you've ordered may has as much fat and calories as one of those delish pizzas the person next to you is nushing on...
(3)
Megan V.
Like it! Love it! Go here all the time. Always get the lettuce wraps and the chipotle pizza. Yum!!!
(5)
Vanessa R.
Just went here a couple of days ago for lunch and I actually liked it...which is funny cuz I'm not really too crazy about chain restaurants ('cept Chili's! I LOVE Chili's!) Anyway we ordered the egg rolls for an appetizers..and they come with 2 sauces that are really yummy. I ordered the Chicken Chili Chowder and a Field of Greens salad with goat cheese instead of Gorgonzola (they have half orders which is great. Lee ordered the a pizza..i can't remember which one it was but it had chicken and it was good..real thin just like i like it. the service was great. Our server was very attentive and tolerant of our loud laughing lol. All in all, it 's a great place in a good location. Thumbs up from me.
(4)
Irene F.
I love CPK with such an undying passion. From the thai chicken pizza to the tandoori chicken pizza to the miso salad with crab and shrimp and on and on...yum. This one is a great location, and the staff was really nice about us sitting there laughing like lunatics until past 11 pm, when they close at 10pm. Thanks dudes.
(4)
George F.
Horrible food, I came and had the chicken dumplings. The sauce tasted really bad. The raspberry iced tea tasted like I was drinking overly sweetened kool-aid. I definitely won't be coming back. Prices are too high for what they offer.
(1)
Sudy S.
I've been so APPALLED, UPSET and FURIOUS that it has taken me this long to be able to write this review! I don't care if their food is any good (haven't been there in a long time and will NEVER EVER go back again), they REALLY need to either get out this business or get a HEART and become much MUCH more compassionate!!! My sister, my friend and I were stranded in our car in front of the restaurant with ABSOLUTELY NOWHERE TO GO at the night of the one of the BIGGEST FLOOD STORMS in decades, on MEMORIAL DAY night (yes, the same SRORM that killed SEVERAL people that night) for 5 LONG hours with water raising rapidly to our car doors and HORRIFIC THUNDER AND LIGHTNING above our heads, and NOT ONLY they wouldn't give us shelter, they wouldn't even let us in to use their restrooms!!!! They said it was for liability reasons because we hadn't dined there that night!!!!! WHAT???? REALLY??!! Maybe they could learn some HUMANITY from their kind neighbors POST OAK GRILL and BERRYHILL who had apparently left their doors open all night long, with wide open arms, to EVERYONE!!!
(1)
Chad N.
We ate here with our son last night and I was struck with how well-run this location is. The General Manager visited our table twice and I noticed that he interacted with every aspect of the staff - that is a great sign in these days where service in restaurants is typically the first thing to suffer. The food was typical, but the service was spectacular.
(4)
Enrique H.
Completely in awe! The atmosphere here is excellent. The Manager Josh made us feel as pampered guests. He brought us this awesome appetizer for first time customers on the house! Our server Chris was just great with the best waiter service possible! What more can I say, but this restaurant is a have to! Once again, thank you California Pizza for a great time and the butter cake dessert!!!
(5)
S O.
LOVE this place. Very friendly and attentive staff Delicious hot food Good price Clean serving areas and bathrooms Even got a free dessert..just because. Yeh, I will be back.
(4)
Elizabeth J.
Not too bad! I have had pasta and pizza here and they both have been really good. Gets busy at lunch so make sure to get there and beat the lunch crowd during the week.
(4)
Danny L.
I took my family here yesterday and had a really good time. Our waiter was very friendly and funny which brighten the mood during our meal. As far as the food, not too bad. I honestly still prefer papa johns pizza (even though its not gourmet), but where else do you find fancy pizza like "pear and cheese..." or a pizza with like five different types of mushrooms in it. The only downside is the price. One pizza is usually about $13 and it comes with six thin slices. I think I can finish an entire pizza myself, or 1.5 kids can eat an entire pizza. If you take an entire group of kids, be prepared to spend some money! I signed up for their rewards program and got a small free plate. Sure feels good to save a few bucks!
(4)
Maria S.
I hadn't been here in years and attended this week for a birthday dinner. I remember I wasn't crazy about the food here. I'm still not that fond but the waiter and the service is what encouraged me to give this place four stars. My receipt says "Whelvin" was my server. We were a party of between 15 and 20 and Whelvin gave each of us separate checks. You still don't see that in some places. He also proceeded to not add to our checks an 18 or 20 percent tip. That's another plus for Whelvin. I didn't like my pasta that much and asked him if he might give me marinara sauce on the side. I wasn't charged for it. I've been to places where you will be charged for extra marinara sauce. One of the guests in our party brought two cakes. We were each given a small plate and a fork for this. Some places will charge you for a cake fee. I was amazed with CPK's server. My dining neighbors (friends) seemed to love their margaritas too. I also got to try this Thai appetizer with chicken and peanut sauce. It was delicious.
(4)
Bradley B.
The food is so good here--pizza, salad, drinks, etc. But beyond that, the staff is always so nice and efficient. I am part of a large group who goes once a year to a nearby event, and a dinner at CPK is always on the schedule. Consistently excellent.
(5)
Raven G.
I went here for the first time yesterday, and it was pretty good. Parking around lunchtime was actual hell, but that's to be expected. I liked that even though it was crowded, we weren't terribly close to the ther parties, and somehow, the noise level wasn't outrageous either. The wait staff was incredibly friendly and attentive. I had the bacon and avocado egg rolls to start; in so many words, I am still dreaming about these little morsels. Perfect blend of smooth and chewy textures, and the flavor was phenomenal. My roasted artichoke and spinach pizza was nothing to brag about, but it wasn't bad! I'd definitely go back to try another pizza ( and about 20 more of those egg rolls).
(3)
Bhoumin M.
Excellent food and would highly recommend it to some one else!!!!!
(5)
Stefanie H.
Food was fine. The ceiling leaked from A/C condensation and when we pointed it out we were told it was no big deal. I was told to download the CPK App for a free small plate -- but it turns out you have to sign up online and so I received the wrong small plate first and them was charged for it despite being told it was free. Next it took more than 25 minutes for the manager to fix my check and when I checked my bank account I was overcharged by $5. I had to call and send the manager a picture of my receipt to get it fixed. Basically there appear to training and management issues.
(2)
Daneen J.
I went to this location for curbside pickup of a Moroccan Chicken Salad. When I got back to my office I discovered there was NO chicken at all on my salad. I called and asked to speak with a manager, but I was informed that he was very busy and would have to call me back. That was at 12:30pm, and 3 hours later still no return call. Although my curbside experience was very pleasant, I will bring my business elsewhere for lunch.
(2)
Karina P.
I love California Pizza Kitchen, not only because of their innovative and elaborately creative menu items, but also their fresh ingredients. They're very accommodating to those with food allergies, and I always enjoy a good meal when I come here. The servers are very attentive and pay special care to their customers. Their menu denotes which items are gluten-free with a GF symbol and unlike most restaurants, the options are actually great and not just limited to boring salads. Even the salads here are a work of art though, so don't shy away from them! The roasted vegetable salad with Dijon balsamic vinaigrette and the original BBQ chicken chopped salads are superb, and two my top favorites. The white corn guacamole + chips small plate features the best guacamole I've ever had... and as a Latina, that's saying a lot. It is complex with a unique sweetness from the corn. Absolutely fantastic. Overall, this is a great place to come for lunch or dinner!
(5)
Mariah D.
What I love about CPK is the infinite options for pizzas/pastas/salads/insert-delicious-food-item-Âhere. The staff is always so great about doing a half and half pizza and 86ing one ingredient while adding another. The thin, crispy pizza crust is great while still standing up to heaping ingredients. I hate tomatoes, but I love pizza, and this is truly THE pizza place for anti-tomato persons, like myself. It's a little on the pricey side, but the ingredients are fresh and the combinations are original so I don't mind the price tag. The flavored lemonades WITH FREE REFILLS are another draw of CPK. I'll start with a Kiwi Lemonade, then enjoy a Mango Lemonade, and finish my meal with a Strawberry Lemonade. Yeah, they let you do that. All for one low price. They also offer great coupons regularly. So regularly, in fact, that I will not go in without a coupon. Check their website and Facebook page for deals.
(4)
BC S.
Look like lots of new staff (our waiter Chris) was great but like other staff had not been there long). Miss the old staff (heard there were some policy changes that many of the old staff didn't agree with so the left). Also the jeans vs black slacks makes it look less upscale and miss the name tags (I could remember good waiter names and ask for them again). Talked with floor manager (very friendly). He said name tags are coming back and at least one of the old staff has returned. The food is good as always ( been coming to this location regularly since '98). Still miss some of the old items (shrimp roles, ti pasta) but change always comes I guess.
(3)
Johnny B.
Had the Habanero Carnitas pizza. Man it was a spicy time! Great spinach dip and awesome atmospher and staff.
(5)
Amber S.
I love this restaurant! They have gluten free options, which is a plus for me. Sometimes the gluten free pizza can be a little tough, but other than that I love this place. They also deliver during m-f. They have always had friendly staff. I've never been when it is too crowded.
(4)
Chris S.
A whole restaurant devoted to pizza from Cali... womp. The menu invites you to several types of pizza's but they're sub par every time. I've been here w/ a group of friends and this place let us all down. Worst of all you pay more for what you get. These places look nyce, staff is friendly as they should be, but they're quite inflated b/c the food isn't tasty. This kitchen ain't too hot, & i'm getting out of it anyway. I thought Chicago & NY owned the American pizza? Cali should sit this one out & stick to wine.
(2)
Chris C.
This place used to be the bomb back its heyday when trendy pizza toppings were the newest thing. Now it's taken a back seat to actually pizza places that have perfected their craft. It's still cool for teenagers, families (upper middle class and higher), and tourists staying in the Galleria area. Me? No thanks. They even discontinued their BBQ chicken pizza, as that was the reason my friend kept dragging me out here. The prices are fairly high, as you're definitely paying for the ambiance and location. Do yourself a favor and try some specialty pizza places and leave the chains alone.
(2)
James H.
Their pastas and Chicken Alfredo are amazing!!! Love it. We can never get enough of it whenever we visit. The food is always great and servers are always friendly and attentive. When we visit, we usually gauge into a decent conversation with the server. The best thing about it is that they have a gluten free part of the menu for health nuts like myself. I've never tried their pizza; however, but I assume it's just as good as the rest of the menu. This was my first time visiting but was not my last. We visit several times and will continue to dine in as long as they have the great service and food.
(4)
Devra G.
Miserable experience! Terrible service. Negligent when you need them, or want to ask questions, bothersome once you are finally eating. Tried to ask a question about a soup and our waiter shrugged off our question and ran off while we were still talking. We didn't see him for at least another 15 min, and had been otherwise ready to order. We were shoved in the very back corner of the restaurant, despite the very numerous open tables elsewhere. Apparently this was the undesirable section, as we were seated only near large families with screaming kids. We were the only two in the back section not dining with children. I'm assuming this is because we have unnaturally colored hair (though otherwise dressed nicely), and this is a rather upscale neighborhood. There's a bit more, but we're still here waiting for our check, so we can get the hell out of here. Never coming back.
(1)
Angela S.
After a long day spent "stimulating the economy" at the Galleria, I stopped by CPK on Post Oak for a quick nosh & rest for my poor tired toe-sies. Post-dinner rush, the dining room was full but there wasn't a wait - we were immediately seated in a cozy booth by the windows. Our server immediately stopped by with waters and we decided to partake in the white sangria as reward for a successful shopping excursion Our sangria arrived moments later - a nice fruity blend, not too sweet and filled with large slices of pineapple. Next came the seasonal white corn & black bean guacamole served with yellow and blue corn tortilla chips: delicious! The sweet white corn was a welcome addition to the usual guacamole. We followed our tasty starter with the spicy chipotle chicken pizza on honey wheat crust: in all it was a very spanish-themed night. The pizza sauce was perfectly spicy and tangy, with a slightly BBQ-esque consistency, and the corn & black bean salsa atop the perfectly baked crust was fabulous. I have one hands-down requirement for pizza: the crust absolutely MUST be cooked all the way. Thankfully, no dough-y crust to be found here. And don't let me forget - the dipping sauce was a frothy, cilantro ranch perfect for the tangy crust. Service was top-notch as well, never overbearing but always present and helpful at exactly the right time. To top off a delightful meal, our server stopped by with a gift: Turns out, the bartender made too many white sangrias, so there we were - one more sangria to share! Fantastic end to a lovely meal.
(3)
Teri Y.
Not impressed. Prices are a bit outrageous for pizza. Hopefully the taste and wait is worth it. If not I'm sticking with Fuzzys.
(3)
Arada H.
Took 6 girl scouts for a tour + pizza making (they do these for kids' groups). Our hostess was Clara, and she was great with the kids. The girls had seen a commercial kitchen before (culinary dept at local high school) so the freezer, etc., weren't highlights. They LOVED getting behind the prep area and making their own pizzas wit whatever ingredients they wanted --even scallions. The GM even talked with them and tossed dough ball at one of them as part of his spiel. It was 11 am on a Sunday so the store wasn't yet crowded, but started getting so when we were leaving a little over 1 hr later (took time to eat their pizzas & ice cream. Would highly recommend for kids' groups.
(4)
Bryan B.
The food was great, but our first trip to this branded restaurant was more than memorable for two simple reasons.. The service, and the staff. I cannot remember when I've felt more welcome in a restaurant.
(5)
Jennifer H.
I love love love CPK! My first time to this location, it's very nice, great atmosphere (better than the Memorial City location, too many kids. It's a more adult place than the other. Wait staff was nice (equally nice looking), he made a recommendation to my SO and told him hey just try it and if you don't like it I get you what you want. Needless to say he didn't care for it at the time and we sent it back, no prob. I stick to what I know, thin crust Sicilian pizza, oh yeah with the avocado egg rolls for an app. Never disappoints, only wish they would make their food fresh and not from frozen. If you can't have an ingredient? They can't remove it, bummer!
(4)
K S.
This was the first time at this particular restaurant and the second time at a California Pizza Kitchen anywhere. The pizza was good but the service was awful! An abundance of wait staff should not equate to an abundance of wait. After being seated, a waiter passed by us 5 times and never once acknowledged us. We sat for almost 10 minutes before a different waiter finally asked if we'd been helped. After finally getting our drinks, we noticed that everyone around us was getting a small plate of bread but that we did not. We figured it must come with something they ordered but we didn't ask. Overall, the restaurant on this particular night was filled with staff who were paying more attention to each other than to their customers. The manager seemed to be joining in the fun and was not managing at all. We won't be returning to any CPK after this experience.
(2)
Corey M.
Once again truly terrible food from this location, making their frozen pizza line seem that much more appealing. Service is good, someone met me at the door, opened the door, food was ready, person who processed my order was fast and efficient, but that's where it from good to abysmal. Crust tasted like yeast and cardboard, you can taste the fact the sauce is obviously canned - metallic tasting, cheese is of extremely poor quality and no where near enough of it. Meat tasted off, possibly old, quite possibly the worst tasting italian sausage I've ever had. I have NO idea why so many people like this place, nor why the dining room is always full, maybe it's hype because the food is the worst, I mean the absolute worst excuse for pizza ever. Barring catering for our clients, I would NEVER eat here under any circumstance I'd rather go hungry.
(1)
Lauren T.
Been here a handful of times, always excellent food :)! Staff is friendly, only reason it didn't get five stars was the last time I was in the waiter disappeared. We didn't see him for large spans of time.
(4)
Anthony B.
I, Mason, the culinary dachshund announce that I am very disappointed in Anthony in his several visits to California Pizza Kitchen. What does the name say? PIZZA. What does Anthony order? SALAD. Does it say California Salad Kitchen? NOOO! Ok, I like the occasional cold juicy lettuce heart piece, but why go to CPK and graze on arugula and garbanzo beans when you can get BACON on a pizza!! Or BBQ Chicken. Or Salmon. Or Pepperoni. But NOOO, Anthony gets a salad *rolls eyes*. Ok, on to the review. I actually had some snacks of salad leftover Anthony brought home. They do make nice salads, some of the nicest around, with fresh ingredients, nice toppings, and will accommodate any adjustments to the offering. Anthony does follow my instructions on bacon - when available, order it, whether a salad, a burger, cheesecake or used to stir a bloody Mary. But I digress. Nice dressings. Crisp. He actually had a pizza a couple times. Chicken Chipotle adobo sauce, fire-roasted poblanos and Monterrey Jack with corn, beans and salsa. Now, Doxies are German and we prefer some nice knock wurst, but damn that chicken was tasty. Not only did I get a .5 nanoseconds' worth of a slice but I got to lick the plate. The BBQ chicken was delicious, thin crust so my lithe, lean figure isn't compromised. With all this goodness, he went back and got SALAD again. I'm not allowed in the CPK due to those archaic laws not allowing dogs in restaurants. OK, so I lick the occasional ankle but Anthony had me tutored at the vets and I don't hump ankles. But I digress again. Anthony says the people are nice, the place is clean, service is attentive although it's a crap shoot who shows up to take your order, deliver food and the bill. They are willing to box up leftovers for me, it isn't called a doggie bag for a damn cat, right? Well, folks, I have to close out this review as dinner time is approaching. Should I look malnourished, or exceptionally cute? Ahh, the difficult decisions a doxie faces in life. But it's clear that CPK is a dependable, a-ok place to go. If only they'd let me in....
(3)
Tim R.
Love the Jamaican Jerk chicken pizza.
(4)
Kelly S.
For a pizza place, this spot has HUGE salads. Though we didnt get the traditional pizza, the atmosphere was decent (chain-y), the service pretty quick and the food was spot on. Though everyone else was getting gigantor pizzas, we felt chubby enough to get salads. Full of lettuce, bits, bites, fruits, nuts and veggies, this is one time where you walk away fat and happy... yet full of calories/fats that are actually good for you. I had 45 diet cokes and a healthy meal... and didnt gaze longingly like a sad eyed puppy at every restaurant we passed. And that's saying something.
(4)
Sami A.
Here is my recipe for CPK success: skip the pizza and order a Waldorf salad. Be careful though, dear friend, because you should ask for the vinaigrette on the side unless you want a salad that is 95% dressing and 5% salad.
(3)
Jessie D.
I'm a BIG fan of places with real wood pizza ovens. There's something about the cracker like crispy crust that I LOVE. I guess that's one of the big reasons I like this place. They have a crazy selection of wacky and "gourmet" pizzas. There are tons of vegetarian selections, and they even have the pizzas available with whole wheat crust. On our most recent trip the hubby and I split a small salad (which was plenty big for two as an appetizer). He had the sicilian pizza (basic Italian meaty pizza), and I had the tostada pizza (black beans, lettuce, chipotle dress) on whole wheat. We had a good meal. It's a little on the pricey side though, and our waitress was a little surly. Not rude, just didn't seem to happy to be at work.
(4)
Nikita P.
This location is a lot more worse than the one in the River Oaks Shopping Center. The pizza is not as crispy and the food, in all, just does not taste as good/fresh as the one at the other location in Houston. Also, the service at this location is not good. I've had bad waiters/waitresses that forgot to bring my entire order. There is also a wait at this location compared to the other. I always go to the other location because of all these issues and because they are only 5 minutes away from each other. Unfortunately, however, the food quality has tremendously gone down and service is poor now and that has affected my rating. I wouldn't go back unless they changed up their menu or returned to their old ways.
(2)
Stephen G.
Good place for an informal meal out. Good hand made tasty pizzas, average cocktails though and average service. Hence 4 out of 5.
(4)
Mariel W.
More hype than anything else. Just stop in for a quick bite. Had the bbq chicken salad and pepperoni pizza. Edible but nothing to write home about. Decent enough, but the frozen box suits me well.
(3)
Camille P.
Food is good...not too shabby for a chain. I would stick with the pizzas and salads. Don't bother with the soups bc they are chockfull of sodium and fillers....eck. Their salads are freshly made and taste pretty good. I've had their grilled vegetable salad which is super good...you cannot go wrong with that! I also had a BLT salad or something like that a while back....it was good. For the pizzas, I've had the asian chicken bbq and a traditional tomato and basil pie. YUM!!
(3)
Dhanvi S.
What's the deal? The food at this place is not even made well... Not as we'll as other CPK's at least. Ever seen the commercial "Shards of Glass" where they relate shards of glass to cigarettes? Well I found shards of glass in my smoothie... TWICE. The first time I sent it back, they brought "a newly made smoothie" and I drank out of it again and thought maybe I was chewing on a seed... Nope just another shard of glass. Pathetic... You do realize that I know you didn't make a new smoothie right? I can clearly tell by the way the juice settled and melted to the bottom while the yogurt settled at the top. Also, the smoothie wasn't even good. Save yourself or you may just cut your esophagus.
(2)
Laura L.
We used CPK as an emergency bar stop. Russell the bar tender was awesome. Solid top shelf margarita. Thank you Russell.
(4)
Hina M.
We're all friends here, right? So I'm going to be brutally honest. I haven't been to California Pizza Kitchen or heard of anyone going to California Pizza Kitchen in probably 10 years. However, my dad had a gift card for this place so we decided to give it a shot again. Surprisingly, it's pretty good!! Here's what we got and a short review of each item: -spicy chicken quesadillas small plate: when they say small, they aren't joking. It was like 4 pieces total. However, they were delicious! They came with a really yummy dipping sauce too. I saw online that if you sign up for some point card you get a small plate free, so this ended up being free for us. Otherwise I probably wouldn't want to pay $7 for 4 small pieces. -tortilla soup bowl: so yummy and great portion! Would probably get this again. -chipotle chicken pizza: fantastic! Everyone in my family loved this. It came with a sauce that you drizzle on top which was really tasty too (we ended up asking for more). Would definitely recommend this. -jerk chicken pizza: ew. That's really the most appropriate way to describe this dish. It was way too sweet for my taste and I couldn't eat more than a few bites. No one in my family liked it. Overall, a good ish experience. Would probably come here again if I was in the mood for some good chipotle pizza and soup.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
Pizza is a famous Italian dish savored around the world. The entire credit for the popularity of Pizza in the United States goes to the chain of pizzerias all over the country. While the base and the texture of Pizza remains same across the globe, it's the toppings that differs from country to country. In the United States, you will find the top pizzerias serving pizzas with the toppings of mainly beef, bacon, chicken, ham, and sausage for the non-vegetarians. Other than these famous meat options, Pizzas with veg toppings such as mushrooms, pepperonis, garlic, tomatoes, spinach, etc. are also famous in most restaurants in the United States.
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Ashley R.
Between a 3 and a 4 on this one as well. I do really like this location, but sometimes the servers can be a little spacey. Service generally is good, but sometimes can be a little slow. I love their Thai Crunch Salad (actually I'm kind of obsessed with it-I don't even eat pizza at CPK because of this salad). Their barbecue chicken pizza is good as well-if you want pizza. Decent location near the Galleria; a good lunch choice when shopping in the area. Prices are so so; maybe a little expensive for what they are serving, but I've never been disappointed.
(4)Shari S.
CPK has decent but not stellar food, in my opinion. It is a good spot to know about if you: are in the Galleria area, want a meal for $15-20/pp, and don't like to wait for a table. So far, I have enjoyed their Asian Chicken Salad the best. One thing that I wish CPK would change is for their staff to be less aggressive in pushing their "specials".
(3)V C.
Came here for dinner tonight. We got seated right away and our waitress was great. Everything came out quick. Food as usual is yummy.
(4)Ken B.
I ate here about a month ago for the first time. I thought it was great! Fast service, tasty food, great presentation, reasonalble prices. I had the Thai Crunch salad and it was delicious. I went back this week two times and ordered the same dish. Love it!
(5)Anne B.
The pizza is not ideal, nor are the sandwiches. I find the food overly salty, and I feel poorly after I have eaten food from here. Don't bother. I could do far better on my own at home with a bowl of cereal.
(1)Laura W.
I should actually give this restaurant a 2-star rating but I'll be nice... My boyfriend calls it, "CPK." Ehh...it's not that great in my opinion. Appetizers? What appetizers?! There isn't much to offer in that section of the menu. The overall taste of their pizzas are just odd to me. I'm beginning to realize that "hole-in-wall" pizza joints are much better than chains like Star Pizza, Milano's (off of Beltway 8 and West Rd.) and you get my drift. Too overpriced for what your taste buds are actually wanting. For those who are interested, here are the links to Star Pizza and Milano's: yelp.com/biz/star-pizza-… yelp.com/biz/milanos-piz…
(3)Margaret M.
I was not very pleased with CPK I was indecisive and trying to decide rather or not to just split a pizza with my 5 year old daughter or just get her a kids pizza and me something else. Which I decided to do and I specifically ordered a "kids" cheese pizza. I ordered an appetizer of mini wraps for myself. The service sucked, the wraps were not very impressive and the waitress brought us a large cheese pizza. WTH??? I will maybe try it again sometime in the next 3 years which is about how long its been since I tried it last.
(2)Franklin J.
Not my first time here and not my last. We detoured from Galeria tonite...bet its a mad house there. Tried a few new items today. Margherita pizza was ok only. They had some new quick bites, korean bbq taco was ok only, crispy mac cheese wasnt good...wasnt what i was expecting. Wife had the bbq chicken pizza and she enjoyed it. On my past visits, i did enjoy the thai pizza and the jerk pizza.
(3)Nick N.
Food: 5/5 Service: 4/5 Cleanliness: 5/5 Decor & Style: 5/5 Pizza is great here, its the only thing I get. I usually get the barbecue chicken pizza or the Italian one. The Cucumber Martini was gross, but I'm sure other drinks are great (I hope). Good pricing for portions. Nice modern style in Uptown Houston. Had the window seating. The layout was awesome! i'd give it an overall of 5/5!
(5)Roshni P.
Let me just say that my family lives in Sugar Land and we drive all the way to the Galleria to get our CPK fix - even on work/school days! We love the Tostada pizza (like every other Indian family apparently) and we finish every piece. But every now and then I'll branch out and order something different along with it and I like those too. The pasta is decent and always finished at the table. I've tried the quinoa salad and it was interesting to try but I don't think I'd get it again.
(4)Susan W.
Should've stayed away. Hadn't been to CPK on Post Oak in quite a long time. The service is very uneven and, other than the Tiny Bites menu, it always seems that everything is overpriced i.e. half a salad for $10 - really? So I was in the neighborhood late afternoon today and hadn't eaten all day, so I was hungry. I arrived at 4:50, was seated and in 5 minutes someone came by to take my drink order and tell me my waiter would be by shortly (found out later, that OUR waiter didn't even begin his shift until 5:00 - 10 minutes after I was seated). So, I'm still waiting and flagged down a waiter and asked if I could order a couple of Tiny Bites. NP. Looked around a few minutes later, saw a waiter waiting on a party that came in after me. Still not sure who the heck my waiter is. After waiting 20 minutes, I approached the manager and explained to him that I didn't think my waiter knew I was his table. He agreed to find my waiter and I waited some more. Eventually the waiter came over and explained the whole thing - that my waiter didn't even start his shift til 10 minutes after I was seated and he had no idea which party came in first - like there's a really good explanation for your not being waited on. Was that supposed to make me feel better about their level of service? I told the manager if he'd been walking around the restaurant instead of holed up behind the bar talking to waiters (who were not waiting on me), he would have found out pretty quickly that my waiter was AWOL. My biggest problem was that the overall impression I got from all the CPK staff - from the manager on down - was that this seemed kind of like business as usual w/them - no big deal. This CPK needs to learn about service. No one here has a clue they are in the service business, and also their food is overpriced IMHO. Note to self: stay away longer (as in forever), and I will!
(1)Nicole S.
I stopped by for I hadn't been in awhile and was looking forward to my goat cheese and pepper pizza. Was disappointed to see they got rid of so many of the menu items I had loved from them in the past. The Japanese eggplant, the said goat cheese and pepper, pear, and many other pizzas are off the menu. Actually, even with their name containing pizza in the title there didn't seem to have as many pizzas to choose from as they once did. However, they did have a smaller apps menu, which had two salads on it which would make a good personal starter. I opted for the asparagus one, and it was tasty. The other was a wedge salad. The pea soup my beau order was good enough for me to probably order it next time myself. The mushroom pizza while good wont be my favorite either. I will have to try another next time or ask if I can make a pizza from the ingredients they have listed. Make sure to sign up for their rewards card if you frequent to add up points and get a free appetizer. I just wish they hadn't gotten rid of my favorite pizzas of the past.
(3)Mike F.
Recently went here after a long sabbatical from this place because I've found much better places to sate my pizza craving. Granted we came a little later in the night on a weekend - but the most of the wait staff just looked like they didn't want to be there and you can feel it! The pizza was WORSE than I had remembered last time I came a couple of years ago. It was undercooked and the pizza bread for the humus was hard. Not a big fan of national chain restaurants here in Houston anymore because of this experience...
(2)Miguel R.
Who doesn't like a good CPK pizza, or sandwich? It's a Chain, so I"m not going to write a review like it's the most unique thing in the world, nay, I shall elaborate upon the service. The line was packed in like cattle within the lobby. The rush crowd of Millionaire wives and business men filled this Gallaria CPK. Armani suits and Mont Blanc pens cloaked the men - Designer purses accented the women... you would assume with this normal type of cliental that the service was 5 star. That the food would be warm when you get it . That the bus boy wouldn't bump into me every time he walked by.... you would think. Not impressed.
(3)April M.
When I'm in the mood for unusual pizza and not in a hurry for lunch I come here. Is it the best pizza in the world? I dare not make that claim but they do have my favorite version of Hawaiian pizza. The price sometimes seems high if you think of yourself as just eating pizza but when you pick one of their specialty pizzas you would have to add so many extra toppings at other chains/places at an extra charge you get a better deal here. The other aspect is that the ingredients certainly taste fresh. It gets so packed during lunch during the work week that expect a hefty wait.
(3)Ashley E.
And the fifth star goes to the Split Pea soup And the Tortilla soup yummyyy
(4)Am'e C.
its good, but totally overpriced. i paid $17.50 for a freaking Chic salad... WTF. no thanks.
(2)Peter C.
I was expecting some real delicious pizza but all I got was hard ravioli and hard to eat pizza. My friend got the portabella mushroom ravioli and the shell was still a little hard to chew, the sauce was bland and the portions are small. I got the Meat Craver's pizza and it was okay. It was hard to eat cause the toppings kept falling off every time I picked it up. I had to resort to using a fork and knife. WHO EATS PIZZA WITH FORK AND KNIFE?! I felt like kicking my own ass.. The big plus was the ranch sauce. I like eating my pizza with ranch so I got some and it came with Gorgonzola cheese in it and it was delicious..
(2)Tara A.
My personal thought is this chain is incredibly overpriced. However that's again a personal opinion. I don't believe that I've ever had the pizza in the three times I've been here, so I'm curious since it's a Pizza Kitchen if it would be any good. The last time I was there I ordered the field of greens and ordered the half portion. I still found the price to be excessive, especially for the small amount of food received. But I know that I've had pasta dishes here before that were better portioned and much tastier. I should have known not to order a salad with candied nuts. Just not something I'm interested in.
(3)Shawn P.
This chain, in general is sort of hit or miss. I like their pizzas, and sometimes you have a really good experience, and other times it's less so. A lot of what factors in is the wait staff. They have some really friendly, helpful waiters who check up on you a lot. Sometimes you don't. Another variable is the quality of their alcoholic drinks. Sometimes they are good, sometimes they aren't. My most recent visit was one of those mediocre times. My waiter seemed almost scared or overwhelmed with his job, and was too distracted to do a good job serving us. The drinks were so watered down that I will never order alcohol here again. Paying nearly $8 for a glass of ice with a little bit of flavoring and very minuscule amount of alcohol was disappointing. I could more easily get drunk off of eating a rum cake than I could drinking an alcoholic beverage from here. There are better restaurants in the area, and I'd rather go to several other pizza places over here. While it's true that their unique flavors of pizza are interesting, I could do without the other issues. I'll probably go back to this place again some time, but it will have to be with someone else who is really set on going.
(3)Geoffrey A.
Didn't seat me. I got there right after 11am, pretty empty. Maybe two tables of people. I saw maybe 5 waiters preparing napkins while the manager was telling them something. Maybe he was giving a really sweet pep talk about dealing with the lunch rush? Well I got sick of waiting for 5 minutes while they stood there prepping for lunch so left and went to Lubys. Lubys was good and they probably have gained a bi-weekly customer! California Kitchen probably would have won my regular business since I always eat out and I like their food at other locations! This is my first Yelp review, hope you liked it!
(1)Ellen C.
I haven't been here lately, but I used to love getting the Vegetarian with Japanese Eggplant - sans cheese. It's actually a pizza that is fantastic without the cheese - I am assuming they season some of the veggies because they have a nice sauteed slight flavoring. I love how some of the veggies retain their crispness with a slight oven broiling. So yummy! The whole wheat crust is possibly one of my favorite pizza crusts in the whole wide world, but then I found out it contained honey (I'm vegan, so I try to NOT eat that stuff), so I started ordering my pizza with the pansy unbleached flour crush. Still good, but not as good, sigh. The Dakota Smashed Pea and Barley Soup is actually not that fantastic, but I used to order it from time to time because it is vegan and sometimes I'm just not feeling very pizza-y. I'm sure a great deal of the salads can be veganized, but I've never bothered. As for my omnivore friends - most of them have had fairly good experiences here. It's reliable food, but it doesn't completely bowl them over, so we don't really come here all that much anymore. Granted, yes, this is more expensive than Domino's or Pizza Hut, but the higher quality is discernible in the hand-crafted, sometimes very creative pizzas. I haven't been here in years, but I do remember the service being mostly good. Even when I sometimes dined with larger groups, we did all receive our orders in due time. I can't say I would go out of my way to go to CPK, but I wouldn't mind eating here again if a companion wanted to. One of the better chain restaurants I've ever been to, that's for sure.
(3)Caroline L.
Now that our youngest is 3, this is a great restaurant to go to and the kids menu is healthier than just fried chicken tenders, which is a huge plus. I also love that the wine comes in 3 oz. portions too. Woohoo!! A great place for families. Sometimes service can be a little slow, but I think that's because we always go on the weekends.
(4)David S.
What can I say, CPK is CPK. As national chains go, they serve a relatively health menu with fresh vegetables and salads incorporated into many of the dishes. I hesitate to say "pizza" because it is stretching the definition considerably to serve it with lettuce, uncooked tomatoes and avocado on top. On the other hand, it made for an interesting dish. I find the pasta dishes heavy on the pasta and the soups salty and over starched. If you are watching your carbs, you are going to have to watch carefully here. Light and airy atmosphere. Sitting at a CPK in Houston on a sunny day in March, it almost feels like San Diego. I am not a big fan of team waitressing. Maybe we just hit them at shift change, but one person took our order, a second delivered the food and a third brought the bill. They were all cheery in that corporate sort of way, they got the job done and my ice tea was refilled as needed so I guess I should not complain, but who am I tipping?
(3)Maury M.
My wife and eat here quite often, and we have yet to have a bad experience here. Wait service is attentive, prices are fair, and the food is consistently good -- as is the menu selection. I mainly stick with their pizza, but their pasta and appetizers are great, too. So are the crab cakes! =) All in all, I highly recommend CPK to anyone that wants a good meal at a fair price while out and about shopping in Houston.
(4)Emerson F.
I was reading the other reviews and I picked up a new term I hadn't heard before.. "Designer Pizza's". I really need to get out more. I love this place. The bbq chicken pizza is my absolute fav. So much so, I order 2, one for there, and one to go for later. The place is clean, and they keep great hours. Plus they sell alcohol. Nice. Can't wait to go back.
(5)Esther L.
I've gotta say...I probably could walk to this place from my office but haven't yet. Walking anywhere during the day in this weather is not fun! CPK is in quite a convenient location and there's plenty of parking. It's pretty popular during lunch, my fellow interns and I went at around 1:15 PM one day thinking we wouldn't have to wait...but we did. For 15 minutes! Not bad I guess but 1 hour lunches are short.. Likes: Online ordering. Super quick, efficient, and easy! Spinach Artichoke Dip, Wild Mushroom Pizza w/ Chicken, Honey-Wheat Dough! Dislikes: The tomatoes used for the Italian Tomato & Basil Pizza...and it's kinda Pricey (however, I was able to make 2 meals out of 1 pizza, so I guess it's okay to pay $14-15/pizza) Next time I want: Adobe Chicken Chowder - my friend got this last time and it looked so yummy!
(3)Theo C.
It's a bit on the expensive side, but HOT DAMN that carne asada pizza is amazing. I've had a few other pizzas which are very good, but I can never pull myself away from ordering the carne asada pizza anymore. gotta love the crust too, the right thickness and crunchiness It's definitely hits the spot whenever I go.
(4)Shawn C.
Yes, it's a chain and yes it's a little over-priced (but not much), but damn they's got some yummy pizzas! Is this a pizza place for true pizza lovers? Probably not. If you want a good traditional pizza, then don't go here. But if you want a Thai Chicken pizza or a Carne Asada pizza then step up to CPK and let your taste buds revel.
(4)Albert N.
Executive Summary: Designer pizza done pretty darn well CPK personifies everything I don't like about a pizza place: It's a chain, it's upscale, and it's focus is on nontraditional pizzas. Despite this, I love the place. When I'm in the mood for a designer pizza, CPK delivers a very good rendition: A perfect cracker crust (slightly sweet) with a medley of toppings that harmonizes better than one would expect. And CPK pulls it off better than other places that have more cred (Star Pizza comes to mind, and whatever happened to Wolfgang Puck's spot on Westheimer?) The pizzas are largeish for one person, and smallish for two; the best thing to do is to go in a small group and nosh on a few different choices. The Uptown location is bright and airy, with lots of windows, and the service is generally quick, friendly and competent.
(4)Greg K.
Great pizza, good variety of salads and other stuff, love the atmosphere, but I am knocking a star off for them not having Fat Tire on tap the last time I was there!
(4)Joe S.
I was pleasantly surprised with the food here. We were packed in about 30 deep for a birthday party and the waitstaff was on the ball. Impressive. Lettuce wrap appetizer - awesome. I'm pretty sure we tried all of the pizzas, which were great, and there was some decent pasta floating around as well. For dessert we tried a boring caramel sundae which they turned into something beautiful even after stuffing our faces all night.
(4)Marcus H.
Love it! My first time to CPK was in Las Vegas and it was awesome! I knew this one was here but had never gone in. Now that I have all I can say is Love it! Great pies that won't disappoint! Large variety of dishes.
(4)Reed G.
I would stick with the pizza and don't try anything outside you taste buds because you will pay for it!
(2)David N.
I've been to this location a couple of times. There is more parking here than at the location at memorial city mall. The food is what you expect from CPK. Specialty pizzas with prices to match. I've tried many of the other pizzas but their best is still the BBQ chicken pizza. What makes CPK so good is their crust.
(4)Bianca K.
yummy tasty food - just be warned the 'healthy' salad that you've ordered may has as much fat and calories as one of those delish pizzas the person next to you is nushing on...
(3)Megan V.
Like it! Love it! Go here all the time. Always get the lettuce wraps and the chipotle pizza. Yum!!!
(5)Vanessa R.
Just went here a couple of days ago for lunch and I actually liked it...which is funny cuz I'm not really too crazy about chain restaurants ('cept Chili's! I LOVE Chili's!) Anyway we ordered the egg rolls for an appetizers..and they come with 2 sauces that are really yummy. I ordered the Chicken Chili Chowder and a Field of Greens salad with goat cheese instead of Gorgonzola (they have half orders which is great. Lee ordered the a pizza..i can't remember which one it was but it had chicken and it was good..real thin just like i like it. the service was great. Our server was very attentive and tolerant of our loud laughing lol. All in all, it 's a great place in a good location. Thumbs up from me.
(4)Irene F.
I love CPK with such an undying passion. From the thai chicken pizza to the tandoori chicken pizza to the miso salad with crab and shrimp and on and on...yum. This one is a great location, and the staff was really nice about us sitting there laughing like lunatics until past 11 pm, when they close at 10pm. Thanks dudes.
(4)George F.
Horrible food, I came and had the chicken dumplings. The sauce tasted really bad. The raspberry iced tea tasted like I was drinking overly sweetened kool-aid. I definitely won't be coming back. Prices are too high for what they offer.
(1)Sudy S.
I've been so APPALLED, UPSET and FURIOUS that it has taken me this long to be able to write this review! I don't care if their food is any good (haven't been there in a long time and will NEVER EVER go back again), they REALLY need to either get out this business or get a HEART and become much MUCH more compassionate!!! My sister, my friend and I were stranded in our car in front of the restaurant with ABSOLUTELY NOWHERE TO GO at the night of the one of the BIGGEST FLOOD STORMS in decades, on MEMORIAL DAY night (yes, the same SRORM that killed SEVERAL people that night) for 5 LONG hours with water raising rapidly to our car doors and HORRIFIC THUNDER AND LIGHTNING above our heads, and NOT ONLY they wouldn't give us shelter, they wouldn't even let us in to use their restrooms!!!! They said it was for liability reasons because we hadn't dined there that night!!!!! WHAT???? REALLY??!! Maybe they could learn some HUMANITY from their kind neighbors POST OAK GRILL and BERRYHILL who had apparently left their doors open all night long, with wide open arms, to EVERYONE!!!
(1)Chad N.
We ate here with our son last night and I was struck with how well-run this location is. The General Manager visited our table twice and I noticed that he interacted with every aspect of the staff - that is a great sign in these days where service in restaurants is typically the first thing to suffer. The food was typical, but the service was spectacular.
(4)Enrique H.
Completely in awe! The atmosphere here is excellent. The Manager Josh made us feel as pampered guests. He brought us this awesome appetizer for first time customers on the house! Our server Chris was just great with the best waiter service possible! What more can I say, but this restaurant is a have to! Once again, thank you California Pizza for a great time and the butter cake dessert!!!
(5)S O.
LOVE this place. Very friendly and attentive staff Delicious hot food Good price Clean serving areas and bathrooms Even got a free dessert..just because. Yeh, I will be back.
(4)Elizabeth J.
Not too bad! I have had pasta and pizza here and they both have been really good. Gets busy at lunch so make sure to get there and beat the lunch crowd during the week.
(4)Danny L.
I took my family here yesterday and had a really good time. Our waiter was very friendly and funny which brighten the mood during our meal. As far as the food, not too bad. I honestly still prefer papa johns pizza (even though its not gourmet), but where else do you find fancy pizza like "pear and cheese..." or a pizza with like five different types of mushrooms in it. The only downside is the price. One pizza is usually about $13 and it comes with six thin slices. I think I can finish an entire pizza myself, or 1.5 kids can eat an entire pizza. If you take an entire group of kids, be prepared to spend some money! I signed up for their rewards program and got a small free plate. Sure feels good to save a few bucks!
(4)Maria S.
I hadn't been here in years and attended this week for a birthday dinner. I remember I wasn't crazy about the food here. I'm still not that fond but the waiter and the service is what encouraged me to give this place four stars. My receipt says "Whelvin" was my server. We were a party of between 15 and 20 and Whelvin gave each of us separate checks. You still don't see that in some places. He also proceeded to not add to our checks an 18 or 20 percent tip. That's another plus for Whelvin. I didn't like my pasta that much and asked him if he might give me marinara sauce on the side. I wasn't charged for it. I've been to places where you will be charged for extra marinara sauce. One of the guests in our party brought two cakes. We were each given a small plate and a fork for this. Some places will charge you for a cake fee. I was amazed with CPK's server. My dining neighbors (friends) seemed to love their margaritas too. I also got to try this Thai appetizer with chicken and peanut sauce. It was delicious.
(4)Bradley B.
The food is so good here--pizza, salad, drinks, etc. But beyond that, the staff is always so nice and efficient. I am part of a large group who goes once a year to a nearby event, and a dinner at CPK is always on the schedule. Consistently excellent.
(5)Raven G.
I went here for the first time yesterday, and it was pretty good. Parking around lunchtime was actual hell, but that's to be expected. I liked that even though it was crowded, we weren't terribly close to the ther parties, and somehow, the noise level wasn't outrageous either. The wait staff was incredibly friendly and attentive. I had the bacon and avocado egg rolls to start; in so many words, I am still dreaming about these little morsels. Perfect blend of smooth and chewy textures, and the flavor was phenomenal. My roasted artichoke and spinach pizza was nothing to brag about, but it wasn't bad! I'd definitely go back to try another pizza ( and about 20 more of those egg rolls).
(3)Bhoumin M.
Excellent food and would highly recommend it to some one else!!!!!
(5)Stefanie H.
Food was fine. The ceiling leaked from A/C condensation and when we pointed it out we were told it was no big deal. I was told to download the CPK App for a free small plate -- but it turns out you have to sign up online and so I received the wrong small plate first and them was charged for it despite being told it was free. Next it took more than 25 minutes for the manager to fix my check and when I checked my bank account I was overcharged by $5. I had to call and send the manager a picture of my receipt to get it fixed. Basically there appear to training and management issues.
(2)Daneen J.
I went to this location for curbside pickup of a Moroccan Chicken Salad. When I got back to my office I discovered there was NO chicken at all on my salad. I called and asked to speak with a manager, but I was informed that he was very busy and would have to call me back. That was at 12:30pm, and 3 hours later still no return call. Although my curbside experience was very pleasant, I will bring my business elsewhere for lunch.
(2)Karina P.
I love California Pizza Kitchen, not only because of their innovative and elaborately creative menu items, but also their fresh ingredients. They're very accommodating to those with food allergies, and I always enjoy a good meal when I come here. The servers are very attentive and pay special care to their customers. Their menu denotes which items are gluten-free with a GF symbol and unlike most restaurants, the options are actually great and not just limited to boring salads. Even the salads here are a work of art though, so don't shy away from them! The roasted vegetable salad with Dijon balsamic vinaigrette and the original BBQ chicken chopped salads are superb, and two my top favorites. The white corn guacamole + chips small plate features the best guacamole I've ever had... and as a Latina, that's saying a lot. It is complex with a unique sweetness from the corn. Absolutely fantastic. Overall, this is a great place to come for lunch or dinner!
(5)Mariah D.
What I love about CPK is the infinite options for pizzas/pastas/salads/insert-delicious-food-item-Âhere. The staff is always so great about doing a half and half pizza and 86ing one ingredient while adding another. The thin, crispy pizza crust is great while still standing up to heaping ingredients. I hate tomatoes, but I love pizza, and this is truly THE pizza place for anti-tomato persons, like myself. It's a little on the pricey side, but the ingredients are fresh and the combinations are original so I don't mind the price tag. The flavored lemonades WITH FREE REFILLS are another draw of CPK. I'll start with a Kiwi Lemonade, then enjoy a Mango Lemonade, and finish my meal with a Strawberry Lemonade. Yeah, they let you do that. All for one low price. They also offer great coupons regularly. So regularly, in fact, that I will not go in without a coupon. Check their website and Facebook page for deals.
(4)BC S.
Look like lots of new staff (our waiter Chris) was great but like other staff had not been there long). Miss the old staff (heard there were some policy changes that many of the old staff didn't agree with so the left). Also the jeans vs black slacks makes it look less upscale and miss the name tags (I could remember good waiter names and ask for them again). Talked with floor manager (very friendly). He said name tags are coming back and at least one of the old staff has returned. The food is good as always ( been coming to this location regularly since '98). Still miss some of the old items (shrimp roles, ti pasta) but change always comes I guess.
(3)Johnny B.
Had the Habanero Carnitas pizza. Man it was a spicy time! Great spinach dip and awesome atmospher and staff.
(5)Amber S.
I love this restaurant! They have gluten free options, which is a plus for me. Sometimes the gluten free pizza can be a little tough, but other than that I love this place. They also deliver during m-f. They have always had friendly staff. I've never been when it is too crowded.
(4)Chris S.
A whole restaurant devoted to pizza from Cali... womp. The menu invites you to several types of pizza's but they're sub par every time. I've been here w/ a group of friends and this place let us all down. Worst of all you pay more for what you get. These places look nyce, staff is friendly as they should be, but they're quite inflated b/c the food isn't tasty. This kitchen ain't too hot, & i'm getting out of it anyway. I thought Chicago & NY owned the American pizza? Cali should sit this one out & stick to wine.
(2)Chris C.
This place used to be the bomb back its heyday when trendy pizza toppings were the newest thing. Now it's taken a back seat to actually pizza places that have perfected their craft. It's still cool for teenagers, families (upper middle class and higher), and tourists staying in the Galleria area. Me? No thanks. They even discontinued their BBQ chicken pizza, as that was the reason my friend kept dragging me out here. The prices are fairly high, as you're definitely paying for the ambiance and location. Do yourself a favor and try some specialty pizza places and leave the chains alone.
(2)James H.
Their pastas and Chicken Alfredo are amazing!!! Love it. We can never get enough of it whenever we visit. The food is always great and servers are always friendly and attentive. When we visit, we usually gauge into a decent conversation with the server. The best thing about it is that they have a gluten free part of the menu for health nuts like myself. I've never tried their pizza; however, but I assume it's just as good as the rest of the menu. This was my first time visiting but was not my last. We visit several times and will continue to dine in as long as they have the great service and food.
(4)Devra G.
Miserable experience! Terrible service. Negligent when you need them, or want to ask questions, bothersome once you are finally eating. Tried to ask a question about a soup and our waiter shrugged off our question and ran off while we were still talking. We didn't see him for at least another 15 min, and had been otherwise ready to order. We were shoved in the very back corner of the restaurant, despite the very numerous open tables elsewhere. Apparently this was the undesirable section, as we were seated only near large families with screaming kids. We were the only two in the back section not dining with children. I'm assuming this is because we have unnaturally colored hair (though otherwise dressed nicely), and this is a rather upscale neighborhood. There's a bit more, but we're still here waiting for our check, so we can get the hell out of here. Never coming back.
(1)Angela S.
After a long day spent "stimulating the economy" at the Galleria, I stopped by CPK on Post Oak for a quick nosh & rest for my poor tired toe-sies. Post-dinner rush, the dining room was full but there wasn't a wait - we were immediately seated in a cozy booth by the windows. Our server immediately stopped by with waters and we decided to partake in the white sangria as reward for a successful shopping excursion Our sangria arrived moments later - a nice fruity blend, not too sweet and filled with large slices of pineapple. Next came the seasonal white corn & black bean guacamole served with yellow and blue corn tortilla chips: delicious! The sweet white corn was a welcome addition to the usual guacamole. We followed our tasty starter with the spicy chipotle chicken pizza on honey wheat crust: in all it was a very spanish-themed night. The pizza sauce was perfectly spicy and tangy, with a slightly BBQ-esque consistency, and the corn & black bean salsa atop the perfectly baked crust was fabulous. I have one hands-down requirement for pizza: the crust absolutely MUST be cooked all the way. Thankfully, no dough-y crust to be found here. And don't let me forget - the dipping sauce was a frothy, cilantro ranch perfect for the tangy crust. Service was top-notch as well, never overbearing but always present and helpful at exactly the right time. To top off a delightful meal, our server stopped by with a gift: Turns out, the bartender made too many white sangrias, so there we were - one more sangria to share! Fantastic end to a lovely meal.
(3)Teri Y.
Not impressed. Prices are a bit outrageous for pizza. Hopefully the taste and wait is worth it. If not I'm sticking with Fuzzys.
(3)Arada H.
Took 6 girl scouts for a tour + pizza making (they do these for kids' groups). Our hostess was Clara, and she was great with the kids. The girls had seen a commercial kitchen before (culinary dept at local high school) so the freezer, etc., weren't highlights. They LOVED getting behind the prep area and making their own pizzas wit whatever ingredients they wanted --even scallions. The GM even talked with them and tossed dough ball at one of them as part of his spiel. It was 11 am on a Sunday so the store wasn't yet crowded, but started getting so when we were leaving a little over 1 hr later (took time to eat their pizzas & ice cream. Would highly recommend for kids' groups.
(4)Bryan B.
The food was great, but our first trip to this branded restaurant was more than memorable for two simple reasons.. The service, and the staff. I cannot remember when I've felt more welcome in a restaurant.
(5)Jennifer H.
I love love love CPK! My first time to this location, it's very nice, great atmosphere (better than the Memorial City location, too many kids. It's a more adult place than the other. Wait staff was nice (equally nice looking), he made a recommendation to my SO and told him hey just try it and if you don't like it I get you what you want. Needless to say he didn't care for it at the time and we sent it back, no prob. I stick to what I know, thin crust Sicilian pizza, oh yeah with the avocado egg rolls for an app. Never disappoints, only wish they would make their food fresh and not from frozen. If you can't have an ingredient? They can't remove it, bummer!
(4)K S.
This was the first time at this particular restaurant and the second time at a California Pizza Kitchen anywhere. The pizza was good but the service was awful! An abundance of wait staff should not equate to an abundance of wait. After being seated, a waiter passed by us 5 times and never once acknowledged us. We sat for almost 10 minutes before a different waiter finally asked if we'd been helped. After finally getting our drinks, we noticed that everyone around us was getting a small plate of bread but that we did not. We figured it must come with something they ordered but we didn't ask. Overall, the restaurant on this particular night was filled with staff who were paying more attention to each other than to their customers. The manager seemed to be joining in the fun and was not managing at all. We won't be returning to any CPK after this experience.
(2)Corey M.
Once again truly terrible food from this location, making their frozen pizza line seem that much more appealing. Service is good, someone met me at the door, opened the door, food was ready, person who processed my order was fast and efficient, but that's where it from good to abysmal. Crust tasted like yeast and cardboard, you can taste the fact the sauce is obviously canned - metallic tasting, cheese is of extremely poor quality and no where near enough of it. Meat tasted off, possibly old, quite possibly the worst tasting italian sausage I've ever had. I have NO idea why so many people like this place, nor why the dining room is always full, maybe it's hype because the food is the worst, I mean the absolute worst excuse for pizza ever. Barring catering for our clients, I would NEVER eat here under any circumstance I'd rather go hungry.
(1)Lauren T.
Been here a handful of times, always excellent food :)! Staff is friendly, only reason it didn't get five stars was the last time I was in the waiter disappeared. We didn't see him for large spans of time.
(4)Anthony B.
I, Mason, the culinary dachshund announce that I am very disappointed in Anthony in his several visits to California Pizza Kitchen. What does the name say? PIZZA. What does Anthony order? SALAD. Does it say California Salad Kitchen? NOOO! Ok, I like the occasional cold juicy lettuce heart piece, but why go to CPK and graze on arugula and garbanzo beans when you can get BACON on a pizza!! Or BBQ Chicken. Or Salmon. Or Pepperoni. But NOOO, Anthony gets a salad *rolls eyes*. Ok, on to the review. I actually had some snacks of salad leftover Anthony brought home. They do make nice salads, some of the nicest around, with fresh ingredients, nice toppings, and will accommodate any adjustments to the offering. Anthony does follow my instructions on bacon - when available, order it, whether a salad, a burger, cheesecake or used to stir a bloody Mary. But I digress. Nice dressings. Crisp. He actually had a pizza a couple times. Chicken Chipotle adobo sauce, fire-roasted poblanos and Monterrey Jack with corn, beans and salsa. Now, Doxies are German and we prefer some nice knock wurst, but damn that chicken was tasty. Not only did I get a .5 nanoseconds' worth of a slice but I got to lick the plate. The BBQ chicken was delicious, thin crust so my lithe, lean figure isn't compromised. With all this goodness, he went back and got SALAD again. I'm not allowed in the CPK due to those archaic laws not allowing dogs in restaurants. OK, so I lick the occasional ankle but Anthony had me tutored at the vets and I don't hump ankles. But I digress again. Anthony says the people are nice, the place is clean, service is attentive although it's a crap shoot who shows up to take your order, deliver food and the bill. They are willing to box up leftovers for me, it isn't called a doggie bag for a damn cat, right? Well, folks, I have to close out this review as dinner time is approaching. Should I look malnourished, or exceptionally cute? Ahh, the difficult decisions a doxie faces in life. But it's clear that CPK is a dependable, a-ok place to go. If only they'd let me in....
(3)Tim R.
Love the Jamaican Jerk chicken pizza.
(4)Kelly S.
For a pizza place, this spot has HUGE salads. Though we didnt get the traditional pizza, the atmosphere was decent (chain-y), the service pretty quick and the food was spot on. Though everyone else was getting gigantor pizzas, we felt chubby enough to get salads. Full of lettuce, bits, bites, fruits, nuts and veggies, this is one time where you walk away fat and happy... yet full of calories/fats that are actually good for you. I had 45 diet cokes and a healthy meal... and didnt gaze longingly like a sad eyed puppy at every restaurant we passed. And that's saying something.
(4)Sami A.
Here is my recipe for CPK success: skip the pizza and order a Waldorf salad. Be careful though, dear friend, because you should ask for the vinaigrette on the side unless you want a salad that is 95% dressing and 5% salad.
(3)Jessie D.
I'm a BIG fan of places with real wood pizza ovens. There's something about the cracker like crispy crust that I LOVE. I guess that's one of the big reasons I like this place. They have a crazy selection of wacky and "gourmet" pizzas. There are tons of vegetarian selections, and they even have the pizzas available with whole wheat crust. On our most recent trip the hubby and I split a small salad (which was plenty big for two as an appetizer). He had the sicilian pizza (basic Italian meaty pizza), and I had the tostada pizza (black beans, lettuce, chipotle dress) on whole wheat. We had a good meal. It's a little on the pricey side though, and our waitress was a little surly. Not rude, just didn't seem to happy to be at work.
(4)Nikita P.
This location is a lot more worse than the one in the River Oaks Shopping Center. The pizza is not as crispy and the food, in all, just does not taste as good/fresh as the one at the other location in Houston. Also, the service at this location is not good. I've had bad waiters/waitresses that forgot to bring my entire order. There is also a wait at this location compared to the other. I always go to the other location because of all these issues and because they are only 5 minutes away from each other. Unfortunately, however, the food quality has tremendously gone down and service is poor now and that has affected my rating. I wouldn't go back unless they changed up their menu or returned to their old ways.
(2)Stephen G.
Good place for an informal meal out. Good hand made tasty pizzas, average cocktails though and average service. Hence 4 out of 5.
(4)Mariel W.
More hype than anything else. Just stop in for a quick bite. Had the bbq chicken salad and pepperoni pizza. Edible but nothing to write home about. Decent enough, but the frozen box suits me well.
(3)Camille P.
Food is good...not too shabby for a chain. I would stick with the pizzas and salads. Don't bother with the soups bc they are chockfull of sodium and fillers....eck. Their salads are freshly made and taste pretty good. I've had their grilled vegetable salad which is super good...you cannot go wrong with that! I also had a BLT salad or something like that a while back....it was good. For the pizzas, I've had the asian chicken bbq and a traditional tomato and basil pie. YUM!!
(3)Dhanvi S.
What's the deal? The food at this place is not even made well... Not as we'll as other CPK's at least. Ever seen the commercial "Shards of Glass" where they relate shards of glass to cigarettes? Well I found shards of glass in my smoothie... TWICE. The first time I sent it back, they brought "a newly made smoothie" and I drank out of it again and thought maybe I was chewing on a seed... Nope just another shard of glass. Pathetic... You do realize that I know you didn't make a new smoothie right? I can clearly tell by the way the juice settled and melted to the bottom while the yogurt settled at the top. Also, the smoothie wasn't even good. Save yourself or you may just cut your esophagus.
(2)Laura L.
We used CPK as an emergency bar stop. Russell the bar tender was awesome. Solid top shelf margarita. Thank you Russell.
(4)Hina M.
We're all friends here, right? So I'm going to be brutally honest. I haven't been to California Pizza Kitchen or heard of anyone going to California Pizza Kitchen in probably 10 years. However, my dad had a gift card for this place so we decided to give it a shot again. Surprisingly, it's pretty good!! Here's what we got and a short review of each item: -spicy chicken quesadillas small plate: when they say small, they aren't joking. It was like 4 pieces total. However, they were delicious! They came with a really yummy dipping sauce too. I saw online that if you sign up for some point card you get a small plate free, so this ended up being free for us. Otherwise I probably wouldn't want to pay $7 for 4 small pieces. -tortilla soup bowl: so yummy and great portion! Would probably get this again. -chipotle chicken pizza: fantastic! Everyone in my family loved this. It came with a sauce that you drizzle on top which was really tasty too (we ended up asking for more). Would definitely recommend this. -jerk chicken pizza: ew. That's really the most appropriate way to describe this dish. It was way too sweet for my taste and I couldn't eat more than a few bites. No one in my family liked it. Overall, a good ish experience. Would probably come here again if I was in the mood for some good chipotle pizza and soup.
(4)