I remember how I used to want to get a job at this Panera Bread store like six years ago. Now I have a much better job and am just an ordinary customer here in the year 2014. But it still feels strange to see that "Now Hiring" sign for this place. I guess we'll never know what would have happened if they had hired me. But since I never worked here, that means I can write a fair, unbiased review! They have this thing going on where you can buy half of one item to receive certain other items at a discounted total. Yeah, it's kind of confusing. I took advantage of this deal to get half a roast turkey avocado BLT sandwich for $4.99 and a small chicken tortellini alfredo for $6.09. It's an interesting deal, but realistically it's still rather expensive. Luckily, the food is pretty good and makes up for the price. I don't know why some people consider Panera Bread a "fast casual" restaurant and even lump it with McDonald's. This is pretty close to restaurant-quality food coming from a store that is first and foremost a bakery, but you can get lunch here too and still have a pretty enjoyable experience. I haven't tried their other stuff, but I'd gladly come back to do so. Also, this store is bigger than I was expecting. It seats many people, and even though I spotted a fair number of customers, there were still a lot of empty chairs. The restaurant overall is clean and the people are cool. Plus, they have free Wi-Fi. I can definitely see this being a nice hangout spot for a group of friends, although I'm not sure I can afford such a pricey lunch all the time...
(4)
T C.
So our Panera is needing some help. The staff is slow and I didn't get a warm welcome when greeted. The restaurant it self is in need of some cleaning. The self service option was also a bit awkward balancing a soup and drink over to the dining area. Would have preferred it be brought to my table. I noticed about 6 other guests sitting and using the dining area as their office.(On their phones and computers) Felt more like a computer cafe which I wasn't expecting. I came to get away from the office and looking for quiet break. The soup I had was ok but on the salty side and the salad was good. Overall the service was poor, food overall ok but not making me want to come back. The prices were high for the quality. This is my third visit and would not recommend it because there are better options to eat in Redmond. Will not be returning.
(2)
Jonathan A.
This place is fine for a Panera. I have never found it overwhelmingly busy, but I seem to visit at odd hours of the day anyway. The staff is very friendly and helpful, and they actually bring the food to you when you have your buzzer, instead of having to go up when your buzzer is activated. I've never really seen this until recently, so I don't know if this is a new protocol for this location or if the buzzers are actually some gps devices of some sort. The food is the same level of quality for any Panera I've been to, and I really never have any complaints with the franchise. I think I went here once and the Wi-Fi seemed kind of slow, but i think this was an issue with my computer's power setting being set to save mode, so I cannot hold Panera accountable. They do have a little conference room type of area for group parties, and it would be nice for a big business lunch. I'm sure there has got to be some way to reserve that room.
(4)
Angie D.
Nice clean large location, plenty of tables. The staff was not as friendly, a little rude. However food came out on time and it was the correct orders. I love the out door seating option. Washington does not have nice sunny days very often so it is nice to get as much vitamin D as possible.
(4)
john t.
Love it Love it Love it Love it. I never ate here before until this morning , I had driven by several times but thought it was just some place that sold bread. I decided to stop in and see what they had and man oh man did they have it all... Loaves of bread , fresh made pastries and stuff , good coffee and the iced green tea which I had was delicious. I ordered the sausage and egg sandwich on ciabatta bread and it was good and hot and the bread was fresh . Um um um. I have normally been going to McDonalds every morning for my breakfast sandwich because I am not a diner type person and like to get my food quick and eat in car while listening to radio but NOT ANYMORE .. I think I found my new home. The place is clean and spacious , not crowded or loud , the staff were very friendly and helpful and I just can't praise it enough... All these years I never knew what this place was or cared and now I realize what I have been missing. Yeah it's a little more pricy than McDonalds but the quality is sooooo much better.
(5)
Alice H.
BOTH mine AND my husband's food was so cold that the cheese wasn't melted at all. The cashier was very rude because we didn't understand something about the pick 2 menu. Looked at us like we were completely stupid. My pastry was hard as hell. The prices are ridulous considering what we got. I could go on and on. Bottom line is I would not ever recommend the Redmond location to anyone. The Bellevue location is much better!!!
(2)
Soumya G.
I've been to this branch of Panera multiple times and the attention to detail is severely lacking. I am vegetarian and every time I place an order, I clearly state, "No meat." Of the times I've been to this location, over 50% of the time my order is messed up -- there's meat. It's frustrating to have to send back my food so frequently when other Panera locations have no problems with accommodating vegetarian requests. On the plus side, the staff is very nice and the food is decent.
(2)
Melissa F.
Super friendly service! Quality is on par with all the other Paneras, so I have no complaints, just an appetite for more. What I always love about the service here is that everyone greets you and is friendly, not just the cashier you interact with. People I walk past and the person who prepares the food behind the counter are all super nice. It's really the thing that makes up for what are sometimes long waits when there are a lot of people. Their tomato basil bread is to die for. Soft, with a perfect crust, and just a hint of sweetness. I'm a big fan of the chilled soba and shrimp salad. I haven not tried any soups or pastas, but I will one day. I'd give another star if they had a drive-thru. Why should icky fast food get all the drive-thru fun?
(4)
L Marie J.
I think it is about time that I write a review for this place, I have been going here for many years. The location is great and convenient to many other business in Redmond. If you go, be sure to call your order in or be there before noon or the line will be to the door, but it moves fairly quick. The customer service for take out and eat in are both always friendly and quick. My favorite is the broccoli cheddar soup, best ever. Also, if you don't already, get a Panera card and you earn rewards and will get free goodies! Yum! :) Try it!
(4)
Ben S.
Great place for breakfast as long as Pam is not working. She has the WORST customer service, very sour and unfriendly. She rolled her eyes at me when placing an order because I wasn't quite sure what I wanted. I asked for a cinnamon scone and she promptly said "no you can't have that" and I was puzzled then she said "I don't have any left" and I specifically could see 2 in the case which she then said oh yeah I've got two left. I would come here more often if I knew she wouldn't be here to ruin everyone's morning.
(1)
Ariel S.
TL;DR - DONT EAT BACON AT ANY PANERA. My experiences at this particular location are good. This Panera always has good service (to me). It always has nice cooks, nice managers, and nice staff in general. The food is good. I don't recommend certain foods if you say...don't have a gallbladder, because they are very greasy. I say this because there was a puddle below my "Pesto Blahblah" Pasta... something that doesn't bother me but might bother someone who has trouble consuming fats. I have always thought their chip bag was pretty droll. Half a bag of chips is one thing (for settling when manufacturers put it in the bag so the chips don't get crushed) but their bags seem REALY dire. Feels like no chips at all (I have counted 12 chips so far (I am almost done with the bag, maybe only crumbs left). THE BAGUETTES ARE SO GOOD. All of their bread is great usually! I don't really suggest pastries I usually suggest bread because BREAD IS DELICIOUS (ESPECIALLY this bread) if you have to cheat on a diet or whatever. Greek salad is pretty good. Since I got the 'Pick 2' each of my portions was big enough to fill me full. The salad is perfect and they give a good amount of dressing for this small box. It comes with a lot of cheese (I'm not sure hat type- Feta?) and the dressing itself if tasty. ---- VERY IMPORTANT ---- NEVER (in my experience) get anything with bacon on it here or at any other Panera. It is always chewy crap bacon. Today I didn't eat any bacon but in my experience eating the BLT or such, the bacon was ALWAYS CRAP. ^ This alone lowers the rating from 5 stars to 4 stars. BECAUSE IF YOU CAN'T TRUST A RESTAURANT'S BACON THEN WHAT CAN YOU TRUST?
(4)
Karen S.
I had the roasted turkey and avocado BLT. The bacon was undercooked. The avocado still had peel on it. There was too much mayo. The sandwich had very little flavor. The vegies were stacked on top of each other, not spread out on the sandwich, so I had to take it apart and rearrange it, otherwise half of my bites would have been only bread and mayo. Underwhelmed. I also find their menu confusing.
(2)
Kaitlin F.
This Panera was a super-duper help to me during my quarterly ridonculously early Saturday morning finals. This place has so much more space than the the Starbucks nearby, which is another one of the very few places in Redmond open in the wee-hours. And they've also got real food, as opposed to Starbucks, so you can get a legit breakfast and coffee! This place is clearly an early morning winner, but what about the rest of the time? Its pretty decent then too. They offer free refills on ice coffee in the summer, so they maybe offer free refills on drip coffee? Thats just a guess but Starbucks sure don't. The food is ok, but not bad, though a little pricey. The only thing i wouldn't recommend is the bagel, if you are a bagel fan it will make you sad. The parking can be kinda tough, but other than that good layout, friendly people, nice location, right next to a yogurtland and a Safeway, and across the parking lot from an Ulta and a ... TJ Max or Ross Dress for Less, I always merge the two in my head. But anyways, decent shopping location.
(4)
Sarah S.
What is there not to love about Panera? They have excellent soups, salads and sandwiches and everything is reasonably priced! I'm a huge fan of their seasonal autumn Butternut squash soup, I'm always delighted when that is on the menu. Service at this location has always been very kind and pleasant to me, and even during their peak lunch time hours I can always find a table. I'm a bit of a dessert snob so I'm not a huge fan of their pastries, they just don't do it for me. But that's just my own personal preference, I'm sure many would disagree with me and find their desserts to be high quality. All in all, love this location as a quick place to dash in and eat something relatively healthy and fresh. The parking lot can be very busy, but I'm happy they have such a big lot in the plaza and even if you have to park a bit back or circle the lot once, you can always find parking.
(4)
Pushpak K.
Ordered half sandwich and soup to-go. Food was fresh and great tasting! You can never go wrong with Panera.
(4)
Dorothy C.
Panera bread.. my boyfriend and my Sunday brunch turf (we're probably one of the youngest couples there during brunch hours lol). Always has good service! I order the greek salad and soup of the season. My favourite was the corn chowder, but that seems to have disappeared along with summer... and the sun in general. This place doesn't try to be super fancy; just simple, good food.
(4)
Maria G.
Staff is super friendly during my recent visit here. I think the guy who took my order was the manager since later on he walked around to make sure customers were happy. Sweet pastries/desserts are priced at around $3 or so. Certain items like the soup are overpriced. They give you a free sweet treat during your birthday month if you have a Panera card. It is a pretty sweet deal!
(5)
DAVID L.
Occasion: Dinner There is not a whole lot of healthy options in the Redmond area. I've been coming to Panera for a couple years now. They as a corporation continue to be innovative and change up the menu seasonally. I'm usually a sucker for their Brocolli Cheddar soup. All their food is good. It can be expensive depending on what you get, but Panera provides more healthier alternatives than most fast food or fast casual restaurants.
(5)
Terri B.
I have visited this Panera for years. For the past year (at least) it has gone downhill completely. You ALWAYS need to check to make sure your whole order is in your bag. 99% of every time I have visited they have forgotten something. I call and no help but oh so sorry... either prove it or next time we will give it to you. I have ordered and received OLD LUMPY soup and was told that they just rewarm the soup until they run out and so to ask at register which soups are from days before to make sure it is fresh. I had stopped visiting this store and drove out of my way to other Panera's after SO many bad experiences. Tonight I ordered online for first time, and only from them because I was right next door and it was too stormy to go elsewhere...when I went to pick up... no one knew where my order was (AND THERE WAS NO ONE IN THE RESTAURANT)... they were out of items... and then when i came home... I found that I was missing two of my main meals. When I called, after running around trying to figure out what happened... they told me they forgot to give me a one of my bags, they offered me vouchers! They said this is corporate policy and anything else is above and beyond. NEVER VISIT THIS PANERA. POOR FOOD, POOR CUSTOMER SERVICE, INABILITY TO FILL ORDERS, DIRTY TABLES ALWAYS, DOES NOT REPRESENT THE COMPANY OR MEET ANY BASIC NEEDS OF A SERVICE ESTABLISHMENT. I have NEVER posted a negative review and never thought I would. But Buyer and public beware. This place needs a serious evaluation by corporate headquarters.
(1)
Russell F.
This place has become a complete joke. Despite a light crowd in the mornings (after 9am), orders routinely take at least 10 minutes. The onsite manager is totally clueless and is just as listless as his staff. Employee body language is terrible. It's very apparent that everyone has a "why am I here?" attitude. The only thing that kept me coming back was the food, but I'm done. I've patronized Paneras all over the country, and this location is easily the worst I've experienced.
(2)
Carla C.
I like panera breads food and menu but this location is really slow. They usually only have one cashier so it takes forever to put your order in. The line doesn't expedite the best that they could. I once waited for over 15 minutes for a bowl of soup! I wish management would re think the amount of time they let customers wait.
(3)
V V.
Ordered one of the broth bowls with quinoa and lentils and chicken for to-go and opened it to find around 2 tablespoons of lentils and quinoa and 2 teensy pieces of chicken floating in a cup of broth.It looked nothing like the picture they are advertising.The amount wouldn't be filling for even a 3 yr old and they charged $9 (exc tax) for this.so frustrated and never going back!
(2)
Alice C.
The Redmond location has really gone down hill. The place is extremely dirty. Soup was lukewarm and tasted disgusting. The cups for water were greasy. This is the last time I will visit this location.
(1)
Naren V.
Busier for lunch. We have been there for Friday lunch. Service is very good. My friend got a coupon which he can use next time because there was a delay in serving his order. I like that.
(4)
Mary D.
Never an outstanding bad experience at this panera. The service is usually fast and if not they are apologetic and try their hardest to fix things. The staff is wonderful too! I love their food- especially the Mac and cheese, but I will say they need to be more careful with serving brown lettuce.
(4)
Kelsey F.
Continuing the hunt for a study place... Study buddy, who lives in Redmond, suggested this Panera to me. I hadn't quite hit on the cult following of Panera (unlike my husband, who is all about the bread) but I was promised big tables (needed when you have multiple books and multiple people) and good baked goods and a built-in lunch place. So I agreed and high-tailed it over there. Started with a non-fat mocha (REALLY tasty) and a bagel with cream cheese. Both were pretty good - the bagel was surprisingly large and surprisingly filling. For lunch later on, I had the mac and cheese (in my defense, I'd gone for a run that morning) and was given the option of a baguette, chips, or an apple to go with. I balanced my non-healthy meal with the apple. And a ginormous diet Pepsi. On my way out I also picked up a couple of sourdough rolls to go with the homemade soup I made for dinner that night and that was really tasty. Some of the better sourdough rolls I've had. Overall: lots of seating (unless you come at the lunch rush, in which case, good luck), good atmosphere. Pretty good food. I'm interested in trying their sandwiches next. I still don't think I'm in the cult but I do have a rewards card now. Which grants you a free pastry when you activate it. (So I'll update this after tomorrow's study session and let you all know how the cinnamon roll tastes. I'm absurdly excited about that because I do love a good cinnamon roll...)
(4)
C Y.
We wanted to try Clam Chowder Soup today, but they only have it Fridays My kids had their usual, Mac & Cheese, and I had Broccoli Cheddar Soup, and it was OK. We think this store is too cold inside even the fireplace turns on.
(4)
C. S.
After eating Panera for years in the Mid-West, I got so tired of it and stopped going. Went to the Redmond location and boy has it changed. The frustrating process of order/pickup has improved a lot! The breads and food are far better than any other fast-casual eatery. Eating a simple sandwich is always better than a burger or fried foods. My 8 year old loved it. So, now we have another option from burgers and pizza for him! In short, I'm a fan again!
(4)
Nebby S.
Almost ten dollars for a rock-hard steak Panini that was completely doused in disgusting horseradish and had hardly any meat on it. Food took forever to arrive, employees yelling from the kitchen. Other customers also awaiting their food, looking hungry and annoyed.The soup and bread are fantastic, they've always been a staple of the St. Louis Bread Company to me, but this location just... it needs to get better.
(2)
Deetya K.
Never disappoints when I need a quick breakfast bite or a humble lunch soup. I always got served with food quick.
(4)
Kim H.
The food is good but the prices are way too much for what you get. I have been to Panera twice and both times I have been blown away by the large bill. Last night dinner was over $50 for my family. For a fast service kind of place where you have to bus your own table I find that unacceptable. Bussing my own table I find disgusting, they expect you to scrape your plates into compost bins and then sort the trash....might be ok if they didn't use real plates and you could just dump the whole thing. I'd rather eat at home where I could wash my hands and not have to deal with an unsanitary garbage can and bussing station where who knows who has been dumping their half eaten food in there as well. Gross! Back to the food....the portions are tiny for almost $10/person. The kids meals are appropriate for a 2 year old. My kids were starving after they finished and needed to scavenge off of my place which left me wanting for more. The mac and cheese main course is in a tiny cup and the "side" item that comes with the kids meal is ridiculous: a GoGurt or a small apple (not cut into slices) or a bag of chips, certainly not enough to satisfy my 5, 7, and 8 year olds. We all left slightly hungry still. The wait for the food was almost as long as a sit down type of restaurant too. Although, I did like the food, the price and wait were enough that for a few bucks more we could have eaten at Red Robin and had way more food. Next time I will skip this place!
(2)
Sean S.
Terrible customer service. Bordering on RUDE. Person was put out she had to work. The franchise used to be great but obviously management is absent at this location.
(1)
Christine Y.
So this review is unfortunate...I usually enjoy panera but this visit was...different. I walked in a the cashier waves me over. he just kind of looks at me...no,"hi, how are you" or even a simple," what can I get for you?" He seemed incredibly lethargic and everything he did and said was delayed. I am a huge pasta fiend and since they added pastas to their menus I decided to try one. however they had a pesto sacchettini and I didn't know what that was so I asked; me: " I love pesto but I don't know what sacchettini is...what is that?" him: *blink blink blink...."umm...I don't know..." pause..."I should probably find out." he mumbled so much I could barely make out what he was saying. waiting... him: "it's...like a green sauce..." me: "umm...oki...well i'll just have the tortellini alfredo and a cup of soup." him: "oki...pasta...wait..umm...oki..." I felt like I aged 10 years just standing there...it was the longest order ever!! They used to always swipe my credit card for me and I didn't realize they had new card readers. When I handed him my card he didn't say anything...he just kind of looked at the machine. this guy really didn't want to be there. you know....I get it...we all have days where we just want to stay in bed and curl up into a blanket burrito and stay there...we all have off days, bad days, and everything in between...but when you walk through the doors of your job you leave that stuff behind, plaster that fake smile on your face, and pretend like you give a sh**. If not then just stay home. I'm not mad...I'm annoyed and in awe of the service that I got. Sadly, the pasta is just oki, but they still get a star because I do still like their soups, salads, and sandwiches but it may be a while before I return.
(2)
Keola S.
This was my first Panera experience, and I was really pleasantly surprised! The service was awesome! I asked about their veggie soup, and was given a fresh sample to help me make my choice. Our food came out very quickly, and everything was delicious!
(4)
Olivia J.
Pretty good. Their soups are always good in the fall. I'd suggest it to anyone looking for a fast, casual place to eat.
(4)
S L.
I eat here about once a week and find them very middle of the road for a Panera Bread. Their food is usually pretty good (to Panera Bread standard), but I find the service here pretty lacking recently: numerous times I've ordered my sandwich with a slight deviation from the norm and either it comes out wrong or they make the change I ask for but then forget to toast it or something (despite specifically ordering as toasted and it being on the receipt). Ambience of this particular Panera is better than some with plenty of booths and couches and they have a private room by the door which I guess can be booked for functions.
(3)
An T.
Crazy town during lunch. First time visit to a Panera Bread and seemed to pick a busy one. Being a first time I was a bit overwhelmed from the options and the hustle and bustle. Ended up going with the turkey and artichoke panini and a greek salad. The bread is delicious, the salad was ok seemed to be missing something... Maybe I am not used to this better quality of food but for the price I could have gotten 2 foot longs at subway. Just sayin.
(3)
Mirra M.
I love Panera....always have,always will. Please don't go expecting fancy food. It's fast food made healthier with more options. And it's delicious every time I go. I've never had anything bad here. Ever. I always have friendly service even if they're slightly dumb sometimes. I think panera is an affordable way to get healthier food quickly. Their salads are great and I love their tomato mozzarella panini. The soup is the only thing I find lacking at times but I still eat it.....the brocolli cheddar is always good. The vegetable soup needs a little help. I would eat here every day.
(5)
Jenny K.
This is my favorite Panera Bread location. The gal who took our order, Ally, was pleasant, fun and very patient with us while we placed a group order. I got the half-sandwich, half-soup with the tuna salad sandwich and Sonoma chicken stew with biscuit. In retrospect, I should've ordered just the stew in a bread bowl because it was that good! But the tuna salad sandwich did hold its own. I liked that the stew came with bread, which I eagerly dipped into the soup with every bite. I will be back soon for more stew!
(4)
Kristen B.
I decided to go to Panera Bread to pick up a baguette for dinner and ended up getting a cup of broccoli cheddar soup for lunch. I recalled earlier visits to Panera where the broccoli cheddar soup was exceptional. This trip, that was not the case. The soup was creamy and warm, but it was lacking in taste and broccoli. Well, and cheddar. Hmm... I'm shocked to be saying this, but the broccoli cheddar soup at QFC is a home run compared to the similar soup at Panera. My spaghetti dinner could have been better if I had decided not to choose a Panera Bread baguette as a side. Maybe they were just having an off day.. One can only hope.
(2)
Anna L.
This is not to be unfair but to warn customers that if you choose this location check your order, then check it again...and again. This is the THIRD time I have had an order screwed up in someway. Once no dressing for my salad, once a ham sandwich instead of turkey (totally different animal people) and the wrong soup order. Normally I would just ask for them to fix it, but as people in this location know most stop in for lunch and take it to go, like me. I'm not going to drive back and waste my time and even more money. Every time I say it's the last but this time I mean it. I eat at the location by my house in Federal Way but I won't be coming here again.
(1)
Scott S.
Great bread and free wifi. A bit pricy for lunch, relative to other options, but I do like most of their items. I could eat here nearly every day. This location has a lot of seating that can still fill up around lunch time. Consistently friendly staff. The biggest downside, chain-wide, is their portion control... After many visits, my half-salad has been either HUGE or unreasonably small, same goes with the portion of French bread that comes with your meal... half sandwiches too, are all over the place in terms of size. And as much as I like them, DON'T go for their ridiculously terrible $13.50 Mediterranean Cous-Cous Salmon Salad with some really gross vacuum-pouch salmon.
(4)
RONALD W.
Good hang out place (especially since I live a block away). Self-service free coffee refills and decent free WiFi. Basically an upscale sandwich and soup joint that also sells artisan bread. Good stuff and great service. They deserve community service kudos for letting groups reserve and use their small meeting room off the main dining room for free.
(4)
Girl D.
What I was served would have been perfect...if I'd been at the Bite of Seattle. For just under $12, what you get is a snack. I ordered a full-sized turkey with artichoke panini, and a full-sized bowl (not cup) of broccoli cheddar soup. After a hectic day at work, without a spare minute for lunch, I was ready to EAT, dammit. The portion sizes were skimpy and sad. I got a panini about the size of a beverage coaster, and about 10 oz. of soup. The panini contained about an ounce of turkey, a couple of spinach leaves, and some stray grilled onions, cemented by a thin grout of artichoke spread. The quality of the ingredients seemed good. The Thumbelina-sized turkey pile was thick-sliced, and seemed to have been cut from an actual bird, instead of one of those processed loaf turkeys that even the Audubon Society has never actually seen in the wild. The soup was a little on the lukewarm and congealed side, but was flavorful and loaded with soft, little broccoli florets. That meal should have been double the size it was. That's my opinion. Screw this pikerish, mean-spirited, passive-aggressive stinginess about portion sizes, and hand-wringing about the size of other people's bodies and what they're putting in their mouths. When you have guests come visit your home or restaurant, go generous or go piss up a rope. If you don't want to feed people a satisfying meal, do us a favor, and don't run a restaurant or invite people to your home.
(3)
Charisma Y.
Limited wifi between the hours of 11 am - 2 pm equals an unhappy me. But it's okay because their chicken salad sandwiches make up for it.. with bowl of tomato soup. I guess that makes up for it, right? This place is usually swarming with people on their lunch break/having meetings. At least seating is easier than the one in Northgate.
(3)
Jason C.
As usual all tables are dirty. Saw an employee talking to a guy friend with towel in her hand asked her if someone could clean table for us and she handed me her towel so we are seated and she is still talking to her guy friends.
(1)
Fred G.
I visited Panera Bread several times during trips to the Bellevue area for work. The usual Asian Sesame Chicken Salad was always made well wish fresh lettuce, as expected. I was always satisfied with the experience and meal that I received from Panera Bread. This location is in the center of a busy area, so there is usually a line and it can also be hard to find a table at times.
(4)
Jessica B.
Normal Panera bread. Decent chain if you're in a hurry. It all tastes pretty much the same no matter what you get there, but it's an all right taste. Given that, I wouldn't go out of my way to eat here. They could have more vegetarian options, but there are a few.
(3)
Cheryl R.
For a chain bakery/cafe, I was fairly impressed with this Panera Bread. I had a tuna salad sandwich on a croissant, some iced coffee and a cookie. The food was fresh, tasted delicious and the staff was great. The dining room space is HUGE, with bright and cheery decor, clean restrooms, and a seemingly limitless choices of breads and other yummies to choose from. My only complaint was that their menu items are pretty expensive (average sandwich was about $8 or more). Side Note: they have a nice sized conference room for private meetings, free wi-fi and lots of parking in their huge lot.
(4)
Terry C.
The Chipotle Chicken sandwich and black bean soup was amazing. I look forward to trying many more sandwiches from there! Also had a bite of the Steak and White Cheddar sandwich which melted in my mouth.
(5)
Debra B.
Consistent food and service. An excellent choice for a chain restaurant. I like that they are offering more low-fat, healthy menu items. This is always my go-to place for their take two combos. This location gets very crowded on weekends when it's rainy (like, when is it NOT rainy?) so you may not always find a table right away. However it seems to rotate the crowd pretty often, so it's never more than a 10 min wait. If you're luck you can score a table by the fireplace, which seems to make the chicken noodle soup taste even better!
(3)
Aaditya P.
I love Panera bread. I've been trying to find the bread they use in their panini's but I've come to the conclusion that the only place you can find that bread is at Panera itself. Their panini's and their green iced tea are the best. Great place for hangouts and they have free wifi. Any place that has free wifi is my favorite.
(4)
Karen B.
I have been here a few times, not my choice at all when asked where I want to eat near work. The last time I was here the cashier did not pay attention to what I wanted and I received the wrong order. What he charged me for was more than what I originally wanted, and it took me complaining before they adjusted my receipt. I have never had anything to eat here that I thought was "good". More like..filled my stomach and the immediate need. I think it's ridicuously overpriced, and again, not somewhere I choose to go when given the option. I also agree with a previous poster, the line thing is unorganized. You have to be pretty assertive about where you are standing and your place in line.
(2)
Jon L.
Panera Bread is like the national chain equivalent of Specialty's Cafe & Bakery. Very similar with a selection of pastries, soups, sandwiches and salads. Though as evidence of the chain's moniker, there is a good selection of breads offered here. Pretty much the cafe selections takes place at Panera. Decor at this location seems like eating in a hotel lobby. I am not sure if that is good or bad though it is cozy. Most recently, I got their pick 2 offering of a choice of a soup, salad or sandwich. I got a half Sierra Turkey sandwich, a cup of French onion soup and a bag of potato chips for a little under $8. Kind of pricey I think. The Sierra Turkey sandwich is great though. It certainly helps that they use an asiago cheese bread loaf. I don't think you can go wrong with this sandwich selection. Was not as pleased with the French onion. It was okay, but it felt like soup made by a chain. What does that mean? I guess that is like an American Idol judge calling a performance as very karaoke. Kind of tasted this before. I wanted a different take. Also picked up a coffee and a cinnamon roll. Coffee is your choice as there are several dispensers of coffee selections to choose from. I like the hazelnut. As for the cinnamon roll, like my description of the French onion soup, it felt very familiar but unexciting. And not worth the calories. I think the baked goods offered at Panera are okay, but not outstanding. Kind of blah I guess. Service here was good. The pick 2 offering can be tricky to decipher, so I appreciated the patience from the cashier taking my order. Panera offers a decent cafe menu, but I am not too sold on the baked offerings unfortunately. Well except for the bread. That was good.
(3)
Yumiko K.
Since I don't like any meat on my sandwich, I usually get a veggie kind no matter where I go. Here at Panera, I usually order Mediterranean Veggie, which I think is delicious. Their baked goods are not too bad, but not too great. (Their strawberry cream scone was good but could have been less sweet.) Everything does look good until you see the calories listed on the name/price tag. I think it is a wonderful place for friends/co-workers to hang out during the lunch/coffee break. The food isn't too bad (except for some menu items with obnoxiously gut-busting number of calories...) FYI: If you join My Panera
(3)
Jennifer H.
The bread was mushy (like it was somehow wet?), they put onion on it despite me requesting no onion and the onions were limp and tasted old and completely overbearing. The cheese was flavorless and very sparse. I go to Jimmy John's, I'm not some sandwich snob who expects a cheap sandwich to be amazing, but I'd rather eat at Subway than here and Subway isn't even actual food. Gross. Similar to the experience I had eating here 2 years ago. My husband said the soup was fine. I'm never coming back here again.
(1)
Riley B.
Good sandwiches, fast service. The place is a little crowded sometimes and the parking lot can be difficult to get around with all the cars. Aside from that, I like the food and have eaten there several times for lunch.
(3)
Jenny B.
Getting to know the area around work and wandered in here because I needed lunch and I've generally had decent fare at other Panera stores (in other states). I ordered a chicken chipotle sandwich & a cup of creamy tomato soup (no drink). Almost didn't get to order because there was no "line forms here" signs or anything. People ahead of me just sort of congregated in front of cash registers & gave their order to whoever got to them. Not very organized at all. The soup was ok - somewhat flavorful. The sandwich, not so much. Not warm, but edible. Sort of sat like a rock in my stomach. Picked a table near the entrance since the tables in the actual dining area were all full (naturally, as it was 12.30pm). Unfortunately, the table hadn't been bussed (nor had much else in the place) -- crumbs everywhere, dirty napkin, and some sticky spots. Because there was nowhere else for me to sit, I wiped it down myself with a handful of napkins and water. I also noticed that the floor hadn't been swept recently. Some pluses: * The cashier who took my order was sweet. Almost too sweet, which made me think that the past complaints about rudeness have been heard. * The server who brought my order to my table was able to find me even though my table was situated behind a big promo display sign, effectively hiding me from view of anyone passing by. (Really? Who puts a sign right in front of a table?) * The table tracker enabled the server to actually find me. However, I would have appreciated some sort of overview from the cashier on why she was giving it to me & what I was expected to do when my order was ready. Past experiences at Paneras in other states have used vibrating discs & I was expected to pick up my order at another counter. Yes, I'm old because I needed to be hipped to the store's locator beacon. Whatever. Unfortunately, the pluses do not justify the outrageous price I paid for what I ordered ($15). I've paid less for food I was happier with. Upshot: I won't be back. Instead, I'll bring lunch instead. Even if I make soup from scratch, it costs a heck of a lot less than the middling fare I got here. Avoid if you can help it.
(2)
David W.
I like eating there because the bagels taste so good. I eat soup when im sick, just feelsgoid.
(3)
Jessi H.
Very good food -- lots of room and a great atmosphere.
(4)
Yee Gan O.
Panera Bread does more than just bread and light lunches, including salads are available. I found this a good place to hang out with a drink and snack as there's free wifi
(4)
Hiroyuki T.
I ordered for a soup in a bread bowl but for some reason, I got a large bowl of soup. This type of mistake happened a lot lately with this Panera restaurant. Hope they will take the order correctly. Also, their coffee is run out very frequently so that customers have to wait till they refill. I think there is a room for improvement.
(3)
John J.
Had the clam chowder in the sourdough bread bowl. The bread was great, but the clam chowder was lacking. It didn't have clams, potatoes, or really anything. Really more like a clam bisk with no flavor. I had to scrape the sides to give it any texture at all. Combine that with that you have to pay before you eat, wait in line before you pay, and then wait to be served makes me give it two stars. If the bread wasn't as good as it was I would have only given it one.
(2)
Jovana F.
Very friendly staff. The food quality is better during the busy times, maybe due to the quick turnover. Great place to study during the off hours: they have free wifi, comfy seats, quiet corners, and a fireplace. They get packed during lunch, so plan an extra 5-10 minutes (even for pickup/takeout).
(3)
Kristin C.
I have been to this location a few times over the last few years, and now that I live in Redmond, its the closest fast food place to me. So I know I will be here a lot. Overall, I like it. I love Panera's food, and this place is no exception. Everyone is pretty nice, but I didn't feel like anyone went above any beyond in the customer service department. The food was good, but I felt that the bread portion was smaller than it should be. I don't know if this is a problem at this location, or if its a change across all Paneras' I used to work at the Lynnwood location, and I know for a fact we gave out bigger portions. Maybe its a cost-saving measure, but that seems kinda lame because the bread is cheap. But delicious! The French baguette at Panera is one of my guilty pleasures. Overall, while I don't love this location. I can't really find anything wrong with it, and I am glad I live so close so I can come here more often for some of their delicious soups and sandwiches. I am on a diet though, so I am avoiding their pastries. Those things are so full of calories, its disgusting!
(4)
Gorman E.
Short and sweet, I not feeling so good today so I came here for some soup. Average customer service and the bowl of soup is okay. I do sometimes like their bake goods but it is little pricey for so little amount. I do like the feel of the decor, more a feel of a hotel lobby and I can see it a great place to bring your business meetings here with free wifi. I rather spend my money on Blazing Bagels with better baked goods but if I am a meeting someone, not a bad spot to do a business meeting here.
(3)
Carrie H.
My young family really enjoyed this place. Its an awesome place to go on a rainy cold night when you are looking for the kind of food that sticks to you ribs and warms ya up. It makes me not miss Jason's Deli in Texas so much.
(4)
Chevelle A.
This is more a 2.5 star. I think this place is ok. Good sandwiches sure...but geezus expensive. Nearly $20 for two sandwiches and mediocre chips. I was starving...but I didn't even want to finish it...I dunno. I guess I'm more of a sub sandwich kind of girl, or I make it myself for a lot less, lol. I wish there were some outlets, free wifi is great but my computer doesn't last too long. I dunno, the place seems overhyped and overpriced. And it seems like you have to be in the mood for it too. Don't know how often I'd go here, if at all.
(3)
Mike L.
Never had a problem with any Panera Bread location I've dined in. This one was no exception. My Fontega Chicken panini with Caesar salad was delicious. Great lunch spot!
(4)
Link P.
Stopped in for quick lunch. Ordered quickly and the food arrived like in seven minutes. The food is great, I just love their soups. The place is always very clean. Everything is always freshly prepared. The staff always friendly.
(5)
Amy L.
I think this mainly ends up in the "Yay! I'm a fan" category because there are so few healthy lunch options that the office can agree on. It's hard to stay fit when your office provides lunch every day, that usually means teriyaki twice a week. This location is just like any other Panera. They are super fast and have some tasty food. If you read their nutrition information you can get some healthy filling food. If you want to pig out on cookies and bread and sugary bagels those options are also delicious. The only negative is that when we order for a large group they often miss some items or mess something up. Nothing too bad but if you order lunch for the office every day this can get annoying when places don't get your orders right.
(4)
Mw C.
Came here on a Saturday afternoon. The ladies were nice taking my order...I ordered the combo, tomato soup grilled sandwich, a chicken sandwich, a bottle of water, chips, coffee. For the price I paid we didn't get full at all. Food was good but the quantity was not much for me.
(3)
jay m.
I've gone to Paneras in the past a number of times. I usually would just get a bagle and coffee. This time out, I got a sandwich, one of their new featured "turkey and cranberry on Panini" ones. It was a premium price of $8.97 plus tax. I got it, and was blown away at how little meat (approx. 1 oz), and they really splurged with the slight schmere of cranberry sauce and the three spinach leaves. For $9, I'd expected more. I ran into a friend there who had to send his (same) sandwich back twice. I forget what he asked for, but when they brought it back the first time, it had barely 1 tiny piece of meat, no spinach leaves, and the sauces looked like they'd been scraped off. The place was mobbed, so against my better judgement, I didn't send it back. However seeing my friend's experience, I don't think I would have fared better. Whoever was cooking that day obviously never eats out, or, if this is the store's policy, it killed my taste for this place.
(1)
Grace L.
I love Panera and was overcome with excitement when I saw the first store in the area. The French Onion Soup is the best I've ever tasted, they have a great selection of PROPER bagels (hard to find in this town), and their sourdough bread is great. I have several favorite dishes here: try the Asiago Roast Beef sandwich, or the Grilled Salmon salad with the Meyer lemon dressing. Yum! The Crispani (their version of a thin-crust pizza) is just okay in my estimation, but my husband loved it. I acknowledge that the food is a little on the pricy side (thus 4 stars instead of 5) I will continue to eat here at any opportunity.
(4)
Jason K.
If you want a sandwich served on some passable bread, Panera is your place. It is essentially a grilled cheese shop that adds some meat and other ingredients between bread, grills it, and serves it to you on a cheap plate with a side of your choice (bagged chips, an apple). Don't bother with a panini -- what panini means to these people is that they've slapped in on a panini grill long enough to make it warm, not to achieve the delicious crunchy bread that is iconic to this style of sandwich. The soups -- all of them tasted as though they were loaded with preservatives and came from a vacuum sealed bag. This is one classic example of where you should always favor your local sandwich shop.
(2)
Jackie M.
Normally, I'd give Panera a 5! It's one of my favorite fast food places...but like others have said, they are constantly out of bread bowls :( Imagine the disappointment when you've been craving a bread bowl all day, get in to order it only to be told that they are out...we've been here maybe 6 times and for over half of our trips, they have been out of bread bowls. My husband is a really laid back guy and he just calmly orders something else. Me? I can't help but feel unsatisfied. If this happened once or twice, I'd totally understand (like when Starbucks runs out of vanilla syrup at the end of the night lol) but they seriously need to order more bread bowls. I'm sure the manager would rather throw away 10 extra than have numerous customers unsatisfied or have them go elsewhere for lunch because they don't want to waste their time waiting in line only to find out that Panera is out of what they want...AGAIN! Now on to the good!!! -Soups! I have never had a soup I didn't like here at Panera. The chicken noodle is by far my all time favorite! Cream of chicken with wild rice is a close 2nd! -Coffee! Hazelnut coffee with non-fat milk and a little sugar = heaven! They have great lattes and blended drinks as well! -Macaroni and cheese! I didn't see it on the menu the last time I was there, but that was so good. I had it once a week when I was pregnant. The cravings for that mac and cheese were so strong, I'd go in there, order a large bowl of it and sit in the restaurant by myself eating! I never sit by myself in restaurants and eat, but that was my 1 exception. It never stayed warm enough if I took it to go. -Sierra Turkey Sandwich! I love that sandwich! However, I was less than thrilled to learn that it had like 900 calories. Now I only get the half size with some low fat low cal chicken noodle soup... -TUNA! -Bacon Turkey Bravo ( I don't even like bacon, and this is to die for!)
(4)
Brad R.
I love Panera but will no longer be a patron at this location. I don't know what it is about to-go orders but each of the 5 times I have ordered out they have messed up an order. 4/5 times they forgot the salad dressing. 2/5 they've given me the wrong side. It is essential you check your order before leaving and even so when asked about a missing or wrong item the employees come of as cold and hostile.
(2)
Jennie W.
The man at the front was so nice, we were new to the area and so he gave us each a complimentary cookie! OMG the cookies are so good, it was chocolate chip. I got a caesar salad which was great, it came with chips which was weird. I would omit the chips next time. I took them home anyhow, good car snack.
(4)
Nate W.
Great for meetings. Coffee was acceptable, service was solid and the food is manufactured franchise food at its worst. I had an onion soup that tasted like day-old aus jus with a bucket of salt. Rancid to say the least. WiFi was fairly solid though, and as I said before .... great for meetings, just don't order food.
(3)
Eli K.
My friend and I came here trying to find a healthy lunch option post gym workout. The misdirection of this place is everywhere. The sign says Panera Bread, making it seem like they are focusing on developing a bread bakery (like Great Harvest Bread Co.), then you walk in and see tons of pastries and baked goods, which are very enticing but not the main service of the restaurant to serve soup, salads, sandwiches, and other mainstays. Regardless of their poor marketing, they offer healthy fare for a fair price. The food still resembled food w/o taking out the enjoyment of our healthy options. Some people might be miffed that the only salad dressing option seems to be an italian dressing of some sort. Otherwise, I like it. Will be back. And also I enjoy the 1/2 and 1/2 special as well.
(4)
Ayesha C.
I love Panera! The broccoli cheddar soup is my favorite. I usually get the pick 2 and get a drink with that resulting in my pastry costing only $1. A huge cinnamon roll for a buck; you can't beat that! I wish there was one in Kirkland.
(5)
Charles B.
Great place to eat. Fast service, friendly cashiers, and table tracker. If you are looking for a quick sit down place this is it.
(5)
Kate J.
Recently I held a breakfast business mixer. Panera Bread in Redmond has a wonderful conference room available for Free! My guests checked in then ordered their breakfast and joined me in our room. The room holds 12- 18 comfortably seated around a series of tables pushed together. We had double glass doors to allow us privacy and a quiet setting. The food was great. I bought a cinnamon coffee cake to take home. The menu offers a wide variety so everyone found their favorite food and beverages at a reasonable price. Jim Llewellyn, Joint Venture General Manager, was very helpful in arranging my reservations. The staff was all very helpful and friendly! If you are looking for good food, a clean restaurant and a friendly atmosphere try Panera Bread in Redmond!
(5)
Megan H.
Thank you Panera, for having a nice place that I can plant my behind at for hours, and use your free wifi, partaking in your delicious soy lattes and yummy treats of course. Love it. Beats paying for internet.
(5)
Melissa V.
I've been to this Panera probably a couple of dozen times in the last year before I finally gave up. I kept giving them a chance to get better, but I'm done with them. First off, they are very expensive. But mostly, they are SLOOOOOW. It doesn't matter if they are packed or if there are two people in the whole joint, it takes FOREVER to get food. The past few visits I had issues with my food quality. I ordered a Bacon Turkey Bravo sandwich and after a few bites, I kept thinking how odd it tasted, when I took the sandwich apart, there was tuna fish smeared all over with the mayo. I think they used the same knife for my mayo as they did the tuna salad. I HATE seafood. Disgusting and made me think they cross contaminate their food on a regular basis. I will never come here again and haven't in several months. Overpriced wannabe high end food. It's really just fast food with a pretty face and fancy words.
(1)
Anna E.
My iphone4 was stolen by one of your employees yesterday, after I had lunch with my group. I know this because I tracked it with my iCloud , 15 minutes after I left, on my laptop and it stayed at the same location- your store- for over 4 hrs! I showed one of your employees -- yes , I came back-my laptop and told her " someone here has it!" and she kept saying she didn't understand. She went back to get a manager then came back and said they were busy but would call if it turned up. Hello , it was not lost.. It was stolen! Shortly after 3pm, when your thief employee got off work, I watched helplessly as my iPhone travelled up I405 NB. I sent messages and texts that pop up on the screen to no avail. If your thief employee will steal from customers, they will steal from you! It's now totally worthless to them.. Wiped clean locked down and reported as stolen. Again no help from manager.. I will not be back!
(1)
Bill W.
The Panera Bread chain sells delicious soups in fantastic bread bowls. Unfortunately, this particular location constantly runs out of bread bowls, sometimes for days at a time. If they're in such demand that they constantly run out, I don't understand why they can't make more. After all, isn't Panera Bread running out of bread bowls as ridiculous as Burger King running out of burgers? Really disappointing and I've just about given up on patronising this location because of this.
(2)
Launa B.
What I mostly love about this place is the location and the layout of the tables. There is always a little tucked away corner where I can enjoy a quiet cup of coffee and breakfast. The pick 2 for lunch isn't a bad option either for a cup of soup and 1/2 sandwich. There are only a few options for Veggie, so I tire of it all pretty quickly. The service has always been fast and polite. It's one of those places that you go to just because you have nowhere better to be.
(3)
Alyson L.
My name is Alyson. I am a bagelaholic. If I'm hungover - bagels will save me. If I have a meeting - bagels will make it tolerable. If I want a snack - it just might be a bagel that I'm craving. On the morning of July 4th, I wanted a bagel to satiate my hunger and addiction before we started our road trip over the pass, knowing that there would be no more bagels for a number of DAYS. Oy vey. Enter Panera Bread - just a short trip from the bf's apartment. 2 stars for being open on July 4th 2 stars for having an INCREDIBLY friendly staff 2 stars for the sweet, sweet bagel love -2 stars for the somewhat disappointing and surprisingly small breakfast sandwich (crispy ciabatta, fresh eggs, maple bacon and the weirdest tasting cheddar I've ever tasted) 4 stars, baby, and keep those 12 Steps away from me and my Panera.
(4)
Alpha C.
I'm a big fan of Panera, especially for eating out in a group. The food's good, about what you'd expect for your typical bread/soup/sandwich place. Not amazing, but not too shabby either. I especially like it because the portions aren't out of control; I can grab as little (or as much) as I want.
(4)
Jane T.
My experiences at Panera have been disappointing to say the least. On my first visit, someone forgot to put the bacon in my breakfast sandwich. On another visit, my husband's sandwich was put on the wrong kind of bagel and they were out of decaf coffee at 8 a.m. We had to wait for a new pot to be brewed. We sat at a small table, not realizing it was wobbly. When the young lady brought our breakfast and put the plates down, the table was so wobbly, my coffee spilled everywhere. She said, "Oh, it's wobbly" and walked off without offering to help clean up the mess. I dabbed up what I could with a napkin and we moved to booth table. I noticed the backrest was filthy, which led me to to look around and I noticed drip marks and food on other furnishings. My last visit was today. After a bit of a wait, I was told they were out of sesame bagels at 3 p.m. These are very nice people who need some lessons on how to run a food establishment.
(2)
Happy M.
The bread & the pastry section is not the most impressive but the food section is very nice. I love the Hot Panini sandwiches. My colleague went with me once and now she's addicted to the paninis, too. I love the half & half combos for lunch which you can get half sandwich with a cup of soup or salad. I love the new cobb salad but don't understand why it is "seasonal"?? I think they should have cobb salad available everyday.
(4)
Tim L.
I spent many nights here slurping up free coke refills while studying (which is really a euphemism for surfing the internet, damn you free wi-fi!!). I can't say the food ever really impressed me, it's typical sandwich/soup stuff, nothing too groundbreaking. Their espresso drinks are lovingly made though and I like their cookies. This location is far, far better than the Issaquah one that brings the worst of soccer moms and their 5 little screaming kids and the freshman high schoolers there to get away from that oppressive mom and dad. Great place to study or get work done, but I'd never stop for lunch without a laptop.
(4)
Todd S.
Greats sandwitches and much more! Love the pick two - ussually get a half sandwitch and cup of soup. Very quick service!
(4)
C. C.
Best soups.....love it. Sometimes if you go during lunch they get busy but well worth the wait. xoxox
(4)
Matthew H.
I have been to this location many times in the past and I have never had a bad experience. Food is awesome,service is good. The only downside to this place is the amount of food you get for the price. You won't get full and ur wallet will be empty. The taste makes up for that I guess :)
(4)
Lorry O.
Simply the BEST freshly made bagels in Redmond. Everything else is great too, but I have to say, moms, if you get freshly made bagels for your kids (and their friends, team, etc.) this is the place to go. Hands down, it beats Mikies Bagels and Blazing Bagels. (Yes, Blazing is good, but soooooo expensive.) Panera offers full service. They box your bagels, give you freezer bags, and even slice your bagels! I got a baker's dozen and two tubs of cream cheese for $13.99 (plus tax). That beats both the other bagel places and my kids say these are simply the best.
(5)
Randee B.
This panera sucks. Ordering is a chore because the staff are all just a little off. Once the transaction is finally complete, there's a 50% chance I will be told five minutes later that they ran out of what I ordered. And it's impossible to find their hours of operation! Someone who cares should probably add this info to yelp. I couldn't find it on the panera website and it wasn't given in the recorded message that plays when you call the store. In fact, when I managed to connect to a live person on the phone (hint: press '0' - of course they don't officially announce this option), he was very rude to me, insisting the hours are given in the recorded message after I specifically said they weren't. I don't need the 'tude. I'm just looking for a bowl of soup when I'm stuck working late on the east side.
(1)
Abhijeet G.
Lovely place to eat lunch or brunch on weekends. They have free wi-fi, great selection of beverages and some decent vegetarian fare. I love coming here to sit down for a while and enjoy my food.
(3)
Harper H.
I was excited to come here and eat but was disapointed. My order was screwed up and than when I got my plate, there was a big hair on my plate. The tables were dirty and the ground had crumbs all over it. I probably won't be back.
(2)
Mark O.
First timer. Stopped in for sandwiches to go. Took them home and enjoyed them. Good and fresh!
(4)
William M.
I think Panera bread is one of those places that are fun, sweet, and salty enough for a bunch of people until they realize that they are overpaying for regular stuff. I had a bacon asiago breakfast sandwich which was salty, cheesy, and greasy but good for a fun breakfast. It was like $4 and the smoothy was also. If I want a better experience, I'll go to Starbucks for a bagel and drip coffee for $4 total.
(2)
Amani R.
Really liked. Nice atmosphere and great food.
(4)
Becky B.
My mom loves this place. I went there once and was overwhelmed... first of all, the lines are forever long. The menu is above the registers, and when you're far away, it's REALLY hard to read. I couldn't even see it until it was time to order. Then, when I did order, the girl behind the counter was a huge and total bitchy highschool girl. She didn't smile once, acted like she had so many other better places to be (which granted, was probably true, but I never want to work either- I still smile). When the food came out, though, my mouth was extremely pleased. I had the chicken tomesto panini, and the grilled salmon salad... omg. SO GOOD. I'm hungry.
(3)
Thach N.
I love the iced green tea, great place to meet up with a friend or do some work they have free wifi. Stacia has a great meetup that meets there every Monday's. She tells me that the manager Jim is really cool and also has provided contribution to non-profits.
(4)
Silva S.
they have the best ICED green tea!!! they only allow half hour of complimentary WI-FI however...
(5)
Molly W.
Although the employees here are prone to talk about somewhat personal things in a loud manner, I really like the environment. This is the only restaurant where I feel comfortable enough to sit and chat for a prolonged period with friends. And did I mention, FIREPLACE?! Any place with a fire place immediately deserving of cool in my book. As for folks who say it's crowded -- when I go there (I'm a night owl, so I frequent it during evenings) it's always got ample seating. I ABSOLUTELY *LOOOVE* their broccoli cheddar in a bread bowl. Yum yum yum yum YUM. Please try their soups. :D For those who have never been here before: I get the idea that the employees want us to bus our own tables. There are bussing stations near the soda fountain, so please do your part for the next customer and bus your own table. :) Good food - 1 star Comfy environment - 1 star Sometimes messy tables - 0 star Open late - 1 star Fireplace! - 1 star
(4)
Bryan S.
Very good food, healthy food, great people and fine prices. FREE WiFi!!!
(5)
Dan L.
I love this place. I've come here for lunch more than any other single establishment. Everything always tastes soooo good.
(4)
Aaron B.
I love Panera and frequent this location as well as the Lynnwood location. Usually they are not crowded when I go (on weekends). Today, however, I went at lunch time and ran into a traffic jam of Microsoft employees. Word to the wise, stay away during peak hours if you can - visit during off peak hours. Let me say it again, I love Panera but I had a so so experience today - and I attribute it to the amount of people that they were trying to get through the door.
(3)
Sim M.
Recommendation : MEDITERRANEAN Veggie Sandwich. Better than any other place I have tried including Specialty's Cafe in Bellevue square.
(4)
Peter U.
Went here with a nice lady friend. The soup was ok, the bread was good, service was quick, but other then that it wasn't very memorable for me. Price was high for the quality of food in my opinion.
(3)
Lauren C.
Best sandwiches, soups, salads, pastry's...! You cant go wrong a panera!! love love love! plus free wifi
(5)
mandar j.
i am regular to this place the bagels are good .. chiken salad sandwitch is as good as it can be ... light roast coffee is my favourite and place nice cozy to sit for long time ... all the things a coffee /bkfast joint should have .....
(4)
Carly L.
Wow, I came at the right time. :) No crowds to speak of, but then again it was about 8pm on a Friday night, post gym meal. (god, I am lame). Anyways, ordered the chicken frontera panini with broccoli cheddar soup to go, was rang up by a fellow Carly who was nice as can be, and while waiting for it, saw fellow yelper Nuri G. We chatted while waiting for our food, and mine took a while, but the guy behind the counter was nice as can be and apologetic. There is lots of choices on what to eat and I will definitely be back. My food was tasty.
(4)
Joolie T.
cousin: let's go to Panera!! *droooooools* me: what the eff is a Panera?! cousin: you guys don't have Panera in NYC?? me: wtf? is it a bakery or something? cousin: wow, and i thought you guys had everything. me: well, apparently not. now "educamackate" me. cousin: trust me. it's insane. me: like "pop a cap in my head" insane? or yummy? cousin: ummm. what?! yummy, you dorkus! me: fine, fine, fine. i love carbs. *we pull up to Panera* me: oh!!! we have PAX and Cosi's in NYC. pffft. cousin: oh, i figured. well, it's hella good here. so i ordered a Hot Turkey Artichoke Sandwich: smoked turkey spinach artichoke spread Asiago-Parmesan cheese tomatoes & caramelized onions on a Basil Pesto Focaccia. sounds simple, right? this is where i almost fainted of erotica. *taking a bite.... i exclaim* me: OOoOooh My GaAAaaAawd (in a New York accent) cousin: good, huh? me: good? this is freakin' mind-blowing. i can see clearly now the the rain has gone. it's gonna be a bright... bright... sun shining day. cousin: ...... huh? me: i think i just had an orgasm. their chunky Vegetable soup is out of this world, too. i disagree that the ambiance sucks. i particularly liked it a lot. the spacing and booths are comfortable and separated enough for an individual to get work done on their laptop or chat it up with friends without feeling suffocated. NYC totally needs one of these. i have completely fallen head over heels for this chain. yup.
(5)
Sam H.
Stick with the name here. Get the bread. I had a hard time deciding between 3 and 4 stars for Panera. It's hit or miss, either extraordinary or lackluster... so I went with four since the good things outnumber the less good. Let's start with what I don't like: First, the parking. I frigging hate the parking lot here. It's really hard to get in and out of. If you remember where the Gateway store used to be, that's where Panera is now. Second, breakfast pastries are just OK. I'd go to Belle Pastry if you want some decent pastry on the eastside. Bagels are good, but not amazing. Hit Blazin Bagels yelp.com/biz/x4aGywfPJgj… down the street instead. Ok, that's the bad. Here's the good: Bread... anything in loaf form. We got a couple loaves for Thanksgiving last year and everyone raved (it was just plain ol french bread). Also, I really really like the sandwiches here. My favorite is Turkey Artichoke Panini with Smoked turkey, spinach artichoke spread, Asiago-Parmesan cheese, tomatoes and caramelized onions, grilled hot on our Basil Pesto focaccia. There are plenty of other fancy or plain choices as well. Again, I think it's the freshly-baked bread that makes the sandwich. Also, they have a nice soup selection, but I've never gotten past the sandwiches to try soup. Also, if I didn't have kids, this would be a nice place to sit in the morning and have some (average) coffee with a pasty. They've set up the dining room in such a way as to maximize quiet little corners. It's hard to find a bad seat. It's very very busy on Saturday's during lunch time, but I think you should try Panera if you're near one.
(4)
Josh F.
Talk about crowded. Don't go anywhere near this place during lunch on a weekday. Sadly the dearth of good, free wifi hotspots on the east side has required me to visit several times over the lunch hour, which means ordering decent-but-overpriced food, waiting a very long time for it, having trouble finding seating, and enduring an ever increasing volume of conversations all trying to be heard above each other. It wouldn't be so bad if they could cut down on the wait for the food because this simply increases the amount of time people have to take up space at the tables and effectively reduces the restaurant capacity. And it makes the kids scream louder. Skip this chain for better, cheaper, quieter fare.
(2)
Kyle F.
what a joke, portions are very small. I stopped in for Lunch and paid $7 for soup/ half-sandwich. Turned out to be a very basic sandwich with what appeared to be some white wonder bread and a very small portion of soup. The chicken noodle soup I got hardly had any noodles it turned into a chicken broth soup after 2 or 3 bites. I could eat two of these lunches and I'm a light eater. I'll be making the walk over to Safeway, much better deal.
(2)
Aaron M.
The bread , sandwhiches and soup are good. The prices are ridiculous though. There is also no mom and pop bread company feel that I think would do them good. It feels like a yuppy chain in there. Like starbucks but with bread.
(3)
Megan M.
Delicious food, bread, desserts. Crappy ambience. Get your food to go!
(4)
Heidi B.
This place is getting on my nerves. The have a Chicken Bacon Dijon sandwich. I have attempted to get it 4 times. 2 of the 4 times they have been out of the chicken to make it. GET A CLUE PEOPLE!! Obviously its a good sandwich so order more chicken. And I love the Potato soup but I have only been lucky enough to catch it once.
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : No Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : No Waiter Service : No Caters : Yes
Kevin W.
I remember how I used to want to get a job at this Panera Bread store like six years ago. Now I have a much better job and am just an ordinary customer here in the year 2014. But it still feels strange to see that "Now Hiring" sign for this place. I guess we'll never know what would have happened if they had hired me. But since I never worked here, that means I can write a fair, unbiased review! They have this thing going on where you can buy half of one item to receive certain other items at a discounted total. Yeah, it's kind of confusing. I took advantage of this deal to get half a roast turkey avocado BLT sandwich for $4.99 and a small chicken tortellini alfredo for $6.09. It's an interesting deal, but realistically it's still rather expensive. Luckily, the food is pretty good and makes up for the price. I don't know why some people consider Panera Bread a "fast casual" restaurant and even lump it with McDonald's. This is pretty close to restaurant-quality food coming from a store that is first and foremost a bakery, but you can get lunch here too and still have a pretty enjoyable experience. I haven't tried their other stuff, but I'd gladly come back to do so. Also, this store is bigger than I was expecting. It seats many people, and even though I spotted a fair number of customers, there were still a lot of empty chairs. The restaurant overall is clean and the people are cool. Plus, they have free Wi-Fi. I can definitely see this being a nice hangout spot for a group of friends, although I'm not sure I can afford such a pricey lunch all the time...
(4)T C.
So our Panera is needing some help. The staff is slow and I didn't get a warm welcome when greeted. The restaurant it self is in need of some cleaning. The self service option was also a bit awkward balancing a soup and drink over to the dining area. Would have preferred it be brought to my table. I noticed about 6 other guests sitting and using the dining area as their office.(On their phones and computers) Felt more like a computer cafe which I wasn't expecting. I came to get away from the office and looking for quiet break. The soup I had was ok but on the salty side and the salad was good. Overall the service was poor, food overall ok but not making me want to come back. The prices were high for the quality. This is my third visit and would not recommend it because there are better options to eat in Redmond. Will not be returning.
(2)Jonathan A.
This place is fine for a Panera. I have never found it overwhelmingly busy, but I seem to visit at odd hours of the day anyway. The staff is very friendly and helpful, and they actually bring the food to you when you have your buzzer, instead of having to go up when your buzzer is activated. I've never really seen this until recently, so I don't know if this is a new protocol for this location or if the buzzers are actually some gps devices of some sort. The food is the same level of quality for any Panera I've been to, and I really never have any complaints with the franchise. I think I went here once and the Wi-Fi seemed kind of slow, but i think this was an issue with my computer's power setting being set to save mode, so I cannot hold Panera accountable. They do have a little conference room type of area for group parties, and it would be nice for a big business lunch. I'm sure there has got to be some way to reserve that room.
(4)Angie D.
Nice clean large location, plenty of tables. The staff was not as friendly, a little rude. However food came out on time and it was the correct orders. I love the out door seating option. Washington does not have nice sunny days very often so it is nice to get as much vitamin D as possible.
(4)john t.
Love it Love it Love it Love it. I never ate here before until this morning , I had driven by several times but thought it was just some place that sold bread. I decided to stop in and see what they had and man oh man did they have it all... Loaves of bread , fresh made pastries and stuff , good coffee and the iced green tea which I had was delicious. I ordered the sausage and egg sandwich on ciabatta bread and it was good and hot and the bread was fresh . Um um um. I have normally been going to McDonalds every morning for my breakfast sandwich because I am not a diner type person and like to get my food quick and eat in car while listening to radio but NOT ANYMORE .. I think I found my new home. The place is clean and spacious , not crowded or loud , the staff were very friendly and helpful and I just can't praise it enough... All these years I never knew what this place was or cared and now I realize what I have been missing. Yeah it's a little more pricy than McDonalds but the quality is sooooo much better.
(5)Alice H.
BOTH mine AND my husband's food was so cold that the cheese wasn't melted at all. The cashier was very rude because we didn't understand something about the pick 2 menu. Looked at us like we were completely stupid. My pastry was hard as hell. The prices are ridulous considering what we got. I could go on and on. Bottom line is I would not ever recommend the Redmond location to anyone. The Bellevue location is much better!!!
(2)Soumya G.
I've been to this branch of Panera multiple times and the attention to detail is severely lacking. I am vegetarian and every time I place an order, I clearly state, "No meat." Of the times I've been to this location, over 50% of the time my order is messed up -- there's meat. It's frustrating to have to send back my food so frequently when other Panera locations have no problems with accommodating vegetarian requests. On the plus side, the staff is very nice and the food is decent.
(2)Melissa F.
Super friendly service! Quality is on par with all the other Paneras, so I have no complaints, just an appetite for more. What I always love about the service here is that everyone greets you and is friendly, not just the cashier you interact with. People I walk past and the person who prepares the food behind the counter are all super nice. It's really the thing that makes up for what are sometimes long waits when there are a lot of people. Their tomato basil bread is to die for. Soft, with a perfect crust, and just a hint of sweetness. I'm a big fan of the chilled soba and shrimp salad. I haven not tried any soups or pastas, but I will one day. I'd give another star if they had a drive-thru. Why should icky fast food get all the drive-thru fun?
(4)L Marie J.
I think it is about time that I write a review for this place, I have been going here for many years. The location is great and convenient to many other business in Redmond. If you go, be sure to call your order in or be there before noon or the line will be to the door, but it moves fairly quick. The customer service for take out and eat in are both always friendly and quick. My favorite is the broccoli cheddar soup, best ever. Also, if you don't already, get a Panera card and you earn rewards and will get free goodies! Yum! :) Try it!
(4)Ben S.
Great place for breakfast as long as Pam is not working. She has the WORST customer service, very sour and unfriendly. She rolled her eyes at me when placing an order because I wasn't quite sure what I wanted. I asked for a cinnamon scone and she promptly said "no you can't have that" and I was puzzled then she said "I don't have any left" and I specifically could see 2 in the case which she then said oh yeah I've got two left. I would come here more often if I knew she wouldn't be here to ruin everyone's morning.
(1)Ariel S.
TL;DR - DONT EAT BACON AT ANY PANERA. My experiences at this particular location are good. This Panera always has good service (to me). It always has nice cooks, nice managers, and nice staff in general. The food is good. I don't recommend certain foods if you say...don't have a gallbladder, because they are very greasy. I say this because there was a puddle below my "Pesto Blahblah" Pasta... something that doesn't bother me but might bother someone who has trouble consuming fats. I have always thought their chip bag was pretty droll. Half a bag of chips is one thing (for settling when manufacturers put it in the bag so the chips don't get crushed) but their bags seem REALY dire. Feels like no chips at all (I have counted 12 chips so far (I am almost done with the bag, maybe only crumbs left). THE BAGUETTES ARE SO GOOD. All of their bread is great usually! I don't really suggest pastries I usually suggest bread because BREAD IS DELICIOUS (ESPECIALLY this bread) if you have to cheat on a diet or whatever. Greek salad is pretty good. Since I got the 'Pick 2' each of my portions was big enough to fill me full. The salad is perfect and they give a good amount of dressing for this small box. It comes with a lot of cheese (I'm not sure hat type- Feta?) and the dressing itself if tasty. ---- VERY IMPORTANT ---- NEVER (in my experience) get anything with bacon on it here or at any other Panera. It is always chewy crap bacon. Today I didn't eat any bacon but in my experience eating the BLT or such, the bacon was ALWAYS CRAP. ^ This alone lowers the rating from 5 stars to 4 stars. BECAUSE IF YOU CAN'T TRUST A RESTAURANT'S BACON THEN WHAT CAN YOU TRUST?
(4)Karen S.
I had the roasted turkey and avocado BLT. The bacon was undercooked. The avocado still had peel on it. There was too much mayo. The sandwich had very little flavor. The vegies were stacked on top of each other, not spread out on the sandwich, so I had to take it apart and rearrange it, otherwise half of my bites would have been only bread and mayo. Underwhelmed. I also find their menu confusing.
(2)Kaitlin F.
This Panera was a super-duper help to me during my quarterly ridonculously early Saturday morning finals. This place has so much more space than the the Starbucks nearby, which is another one of the very few places in Redmond open in the wee-hours. And they've also got real food, as opposed to Starbucks, so you can get a legit breakfast and coffee! This place is clearly an early morning winner, but what about the rest of the time? Its pretty decent then too. They offer free refills on ice coffee in the summer, so they maybe offer free refills on drip coffee? Thats just a guess but Starbucks sure don't. The food is ok, but not bad, though a little pricey. The only thing i wouldn't recommend is the bagel, if you are a bagel fan it will make you sad. The parking can be kinda tough, but other than that good layout, friendly people, nice location, right next to a yogurtland and a Safeway, and across the parking lot from an Ulta and a ... TJ Max or Ross Dress for Less, I always merge the two in my head. But anyways, decent shopping location.
(4)Sarah S.
What is there not to love about Panera? They have excellent soups, salads and sandwiches and everything is reasonably priced! I'm a huge fan of their seasonal autumn Butternut squash soup, I'm always delighted when that is on the menu. Service at this location has always been very kind and pleasant to me, and even during their peak lunch time hours I can always find a table. I'm a bit of a dessert snob so I'm not a huge fan of their pastries, they just don't do it for me. But that's just my own personal preference, I'm sure many would disagree with me and find their desserts to be high quality. All in all, love this location as a quick place to dash in and eat something relatively healthy and fresh. The parking lot can be very busy, but I'm happy they have such a big lot in the plaza and even if you have to park a bit back or circle the lot once, you can always find parking.
(4)Pushpak K.
Ordered half sandwich and soup to-go. Food was fresh and great tasting! You can never go wrong with Panera.
(4)Dorothy C.
Panera bread.. my boyfriend and my Sunday brunch turf (we're probably one of the youngest couples there during brunch hours lol). Always has good service! I order the greek salad and soup of the season. My favourite was the corn chowder, but that seems to have disappeared along with summer... and the sun in general. This place doesn't try to be super fancy; just simple, good food.
(4)Maria G.
Staff is super friendly during my recent visit here. I think the guy who took my order was the manager since later on he walked around to make sure customers were happy. Sweet pastries/desserts are priced at around $3 or so. Certain items like the soup are overpriced. They give you a free sweet treat during your birthday month if you have a Panera card. It is a pretty sweet deal!
(5)DAVID L.
Occasion: Dinner There is not a whole lot of healthy options in the Redmond area. I've been coming to Panera for a couple years now. They as a corporation continue to be innovative and change up the menu seasonally. I'm usually a sucker for their Brocolli Cheddar soup. All their food is good. It can be expensive depending on what you get, but Panera provides more healthier alternatives than most fast food or fast casual restaurants.
(5)Terri B.
I have visited this Panera for years. For the past year (at least) it has gone downhill completely. You ALWAYS need to check to make sure your whole order is in your bag. 99% of every time I have visited they have forgotten something. I call and no help but oh so sorry... either prove it or next time we will give it to you. I have ordered and received OLD LUMPY soup and was told that they just rewarm the soup until they run out and so to ask at register which soups are from days before to make sure it is fresh. I had stopped visiting this store and drove out of my way to other Panera's after SO many bad experiences. Tonight I ordered online for first time, and only from them because I was right next door and it was too stormy to go elsewhere...when I went to pick up... no one knew where my order was (AND THERE WAS NO ONE IN THE RESTAURANT)... they were out of items... and then when i came home... I found that I was missing two of my main meals. When I called, after running around trying to figure out what happened... they told me they forgot to give me a one of my bags, they offered me vouchers! They said this is corporate policy and anything else is above and beyond. NEVER VISIT THIS PANERA. POOR FOOD, POOR CUSTOMER SERVICE, INABILITY TO FILL ORDERS, DIRTY TABLES ALWAYS, DOES NOT REPRESENT THE COMPANY OR MEET ANY BASIC NEEDS OF A SERVICE ESTABLISHMENT. I have NEVER posted a negative review and never thought I would. But Buyer and public beware. This place needs a serious evaluation by corporate headquarters.
(1)Russell F.
This place has become a complete joke. Despite a light crowd in the mornings (after 9am), orders routinely take at least 10 minutes. The onsite manager is totally clueless and is just as listless as his staff. Employee body language is terrible. It's very apparent that everyone has a "why am I here?" attitude. The only thing that kept me coming back was the food, but I'm done. I've patronized Paneras all over the country, and this location is easily the worst I've experienced.
(2)Carla C.
I like panera breads food and menu but this location is really slow. They usually only have one cashier so it takes forever to put your order in. The line doesn't expedite the best that they could. I once waited for over 15 minutes for a bowl of soup! I wish management would re think the amount of time they let customers wait.
(3)V V.
Ordered one of the broth bowls with quinoa and lentils and chicken for to-go and opened it to find around 2 tablespoons of lentils and quinoa and 2 teensy pieces of chicken floating in a cup of broth.It looked nothing like the picture they are advertising.The amount wouldn't be filling for even a 3 yr old and they charged $9 (exc tax) for this.so frustrated and never going back!
(2)Alice C.
The Redmond location has really gone down hill. The place is extremely dirty. Soup was lukewarm and tasted disgusting. The cups for water were greasy. This is the last time I will visit this location.
(1)Naren V.
Busier for lunch. We have been there for Friday lunch. Service is very good. My friend got a coupon which he can use next time because there was a delay in serving his order. I like that.
(4)Mary D.
Never an outstanding bad experience at this panera. The service is usually fast and if not they are apologetic and try their hardest to fix things. The staff is wonderful too! I love their food- especially the Mac and cheese, but I will say they need to be more careful with serving brown lettuce.
(4)Kelsey F.
Continuing the hunt for a study place... Study buddy, who lives in Redmond, suggested this Panera to me. I hadn't quite hit on the cult following of Panera (unlike my husband, who is all about the bread) but I was promised big tables (needed when you have multiple books and multiple people) and good baked goods and a built-in lunch place. So I agreed and high-tailed it over there. Started with a non-fat mocha (REALLY tasty) and a bagel with cream cheese. Both were pretty good - the bagel was surprisingly large and surprisingly filling. For lunch later on, I had the mac and cheese (in my defense, I'd gone for a run that morning) and was given the option of a baguette, chips, or an apple to go with. I balanced my non-healthy meal with the apple. And a ginormous diet Pepsi. On my way out I also picked up a couple of sourdough rolls to go with the homemade soup I made for dinner that night and that was really tasty. Some of the better sourdough rolls I've had. Overall: lots of seating (unless you come at the lunch rush, in which case, good luck), good atmosphere. Pretty good food. I'm interested in trying their sandwiches next. I still don't think I'm in the cult but I do have a rewards card now. Which grants you a free pastry when you activate it. (So I'll update this after tomorrow's study session and let you all know how the cinnamon roll tastes. I'm absurdly excited about that because I do love a good cinnamon roll...)
(4)C Y.
We wanted to try Clam Chowder Soup today, but they only have it Fridays My kids had their usual, Mac & Cheese, and I had Broccoli Cheddar Soup, and it was OK. We think this store is too cold inside even the fireplace turns on.
(4)C. S.
After eating Panera for years in the Mid-West, I got so tired of it and stopped going. Went to the Redmond location and boy has it changed. The frustrating process of order/pickup has improved a lot! The breads and food are far better than any other fast-casual eatery. Eating a simple sandwich is always better than a burger or fried foods. My 8 year old loved it. So, now we have another option from burgers and pizza for him! In short, I'm a fan again!
(4)Nebby S.
Almost ten dollars for a rock-hard steak Panini that was completely doused in disgusting horseradish and had hardly any meat on it. Food took forever to arrive, employees yelling from the kitchen. Other customers also awaiting their food, looking hungry and annoyed.The soup and bread are fantastic, they've always been a staple of the St. Louis Bread Company to me, but this location just... it needs to get better.
(2)Deetya K.
Never disappoints when I need a quick breakfast bite or a humble lunch soup. I always got served with food quick.
(4)Kim H.
The food is good but the prices are way too much for what you get. I have been to Panera twice and both times I have been blown away by the large bill. Last night dinner was over $50 for my family. For a fast service kind of place where you have to bus your own table I find that unacceptable. Bussing my own table I find disgusting, they expect you to scrape your plates into compost bins and then sort the trash....might be ok if they didn't use real plates and you could just dump the whole thing. I'd rather eat at home where I could wash my hands and not have to deal with an unsanitary garbage can and bussing station where who knows who has been dumping their half eaten food in there as well. Gross! Back to the food....the portions are tiny for almost $10/person. The kids meals are appropriate for a 2 year old. My kids were starving after they finished and needed to scavenge off of my place which left me wanting for more. The mac and cheese main course is in a tiny cup and the "side" item that comes with the kids meal is ridiculous: a GoGurt or a small apple (not cut into slices) or a bag of chips, certainly not enough to satisfy my 5, 7, and 8 year olds. We all left slightly hungry still. The wait for the food was almost as long as a sit down type of restaurant too. Although, I did like the food, the price and wait were enough that for a few bucks more we could have eaten at Red Robin and had way more food. Next time I will skip this place!
(2)Sean S.
Terrible customer service. Bordering on RUDE. Person was put out she had to work. The franchise used to be great but obviously management is absent at this location.
(1)Christine Y.
So this review is unfortunate...I usually enjoy panera but this visit was...different. I walked in a the cashier waves me over. he just kind of looks at me...no,"hi, how are you" or even a simple," what can I get for you?" He seemed incredibly lethargic and everything he did and said was delayed. I am a huge pasta fiend and since they added pastas to their menus I decided to try one. however they had a pesto sacchettini and I didn't know what that was so I asked; me: " I love pesto but I don't know what sacchettini is...what is that?" him: *blink blink blink...."umm...I don't know..." pause..."I should probably find out." he mumbled so much I could barely make out what he was saying. waiting... him: "it's...like a green sauce..." me: "umm...oki...well i'll just have the tortellini alfredo and a cup of soup." him: "oki...pasta...wait..umm...oki..." I felt like I aged 10 years just standing there...it was the longest order ever!! They used to always swipe my credit card for me and I didn't realize they had new card readers. When I handed him my card he didn't say anything...he just kind of looked at the machine. this guy really didn't want to be there. you know....I get it...we all have days where we just want to stay in bed and curl up into a blanket burrito and stay there...we all have off days, bad days, and everything in between...but when you walk through the doors of your job you leave that stuff behind, plaster that fake smile on your face, and pretend like you give a sh**. If not then just stay home. I'm not mad...I'm annoyed and in awe of the service that I got. Sadly, the pasta is just oki, but they still get a star because I do still like their soups, salads, and sandwiches but it may be a while before I return.
(2)Keola S.
This was my first Panera experience, and I was really pleasantly surprised! The service was awesome! I asked about their veggie soup, and was given a fresh sample to help me make my choice. Our food came out very quickly, and everything was delicious!
(4)Olivia J.
Pretty good. Their soups are always good in the fall. I'd suggest it to anyone looking for a fast, casual place to eat.
(4)S L.
I eat here about once a week and find them very middle of the road for a Panera Bread. Their food is usually pretty good (to Panera Bread standard), but I find the service here pretty lacking recently: numerous times I've ordered my sandwich with a slight deviation from the norm and either it comes out wrong or they make the change I ask for but then forget to toast it or something (despite specifically ordering as toasted and it being on the receipt). Ambience of this particular Panera is better than some with plenty of booths and couches and they have a private room by the door which I guess can be booked for functions.
(3)An T.
Crazy town during lunch. First time visit to a Panera Bread and seemed to pick a busy one. Being a first time I was a bit overwhelmed from the options and the hustle and bustle. Ended up going with the turkey and artichoke panini and a greek salad. The bread is delicious, the salad was ok seemed to be missing something... Maybe I am not used to this better quality of food but for the price I could have gotten 2 foot longs at subway. Just sayin.
(3)Mirra M.
I love Panera....always have,always will. Please don't go expecting fancy food. It's fast food made healthier with more options. And it's delicious every time I go. I've never had anything bad here. Ever. I always have friendly service even if they're slightly dumb sometimes. I think panera is an affordable way to get healthier food quickly. Their salads are great and I love their tomato mozzarella panini. The soup is the only thing I find lacking at times but I still eat it.....the brocolli cheddar is always good. The vegetable soup needs a little help. I would eat here every day.
(5)Jenny K.
This is my favorite Panera Bread location. The gal who took our order, Ally, was pleasant, fun and very patient with us while we placed a group order. I got the half-sandwich, half-soup with the tuna salad sandwich and Sonoma chicken stew with biscuit. In retrospect, I should've ordered just the stew in a bread bowl because it was that good! But the tuna salad sandwich did hold its own. I liked that the stew came with bread, which I eagerly dipped into the soup with every bite. I will be back soon for more stew!
(4)Kristen B.
I decided to go to Panera Bread to pick up a baguette for dinner and ended up getting a cup of broccoli cheddar soup for lunch. I recalled earlier visits to Panera where the broccoli cheddar soup was exceptional. This trip, that was not the case. The soup was creamy and warm, but it was lacking in taste and broccoli. Well, and cheddar. Hmm... I'm shocked to be saying this, but the broccoli cheddar soup at QFC is a home run compared to the similar soup at Panera. My spaghetti dinner could have been better if I had decided not to choose a Panera Bread baguette as a side. Maybe they were just having an off day.. One can only hope.
(2)Anna L.
This is not to be unfair but to warn customers that if you choose this location check your order, then check it again...and again. This is the THIRD time I have had an order screwed up in someway. Once no dressing for my salad, once a ham sandwich instead of turkey (totally different animal people) and the wrong soup order. Normally I would just ask for them to fix it, but as people in this location know most stop in for lunch and take it to go, like me. I'm not going to drive back and waste my time and even more money. Every time I say it's the last but this time I mean it. I eat at the location by my house in Federal Way but I won't be coming here again.
(1)Scott S.
Great bread and free wifi. A bit pricy for lunch, relative to other options, but I do like most of their items. I could eat here nearly every day. This location has a lot of seating that can still fill up around lunch time. Consistently friendly staff. The biggest downside, chain-wide, is their portion control... After many visits, my half-salad has been either HUGE or unreasonably small, same goes with the portion of French bread that comes with your meal... half sandwiches too, are all over the place in terms of size. And as much as I like them, DON'T go for their ridiculously terrible $13.50 Mediterranean Cous-Cous Salmon Salad with some really gross vacuum-pouch salmon.
(4)RONALD W.
Good hang out place (especially since I live a block away). Self-service free coffee refills and decent free WiFi. Basically an upscale sandwich and soup joint that also sells artisan bread. Good stuff and great service. They deserve community service kudos for letting groups reserve and use their small meeting room off the main dining room for free.
(4)Girl D.
What I was served would have been perfect...if I'd been at the Bite of Seattle. For just under $12, what you get is a snack. I ordered a full-sized turkey with artichoke panini, and a full-sized bowl (not cup) of broccoli cheddar soup. After a hectic day at work, without a spare minute for lunch, I was ready to EAT, dammit. The portion sizes were skimpy and sad. I got a panini about the size of a beverage coaster, and about 10 oz. of soup. The panini contained about an ounce of turkey, a couple of spinach leaves, and some stray grilled onions, cemented by a thin grout of artichoke spread. The quality of the ingredients seemed good. The Thumbelina-sized turkey pile was thick-sliced, and seemed to have been cut from an actual bird, instead of one of those processed loaf turkeys that even the Audubon Society has never actually seen in the wild. The soup was a little on the lukewarm and congealed side, but was flavorful and loaded with soft, little broccoli florets. That meal should have been double the size it was. That's my opinion. Screw this pikerish, mean-spirited, passive-aggressive stinginess about portion sizes, and hand-wringing about the size of other people's bodies and what they're putting in their mouths. When you have guests come visit your home or restaurant, go generous or go piss up a rope. If you don't want to feed people a satisfying meal, do us a favor, and don't run a restaurant or invite people to your home.
(3)Charisma Y.
Limited wifi between the hours of 11 am - 2 pm equals an unhappy me. But it's okay because their chicken salad sandwiches make up for it.. with bowl of tomato soup. I guess that makes up for it, right? This place is usually swarming with people on their lunch break/having meetings. At least seating is easier than the one in Northgate.
(3)Jason C.
As usual all tables are dirty. Saw an employee talking to a guy friend with towel in her hand asked her if someone could clean table for us and she handed me her towel so we are seated and she is still talking to her guy friends.
(1)Fred G.
I visited Panera Bread several times during trips to the Bellevue area for work. The usual Asian Sesame Chicken Salad was always made well wish fresh lettuce, as expected. I was always satisfied with the experience and meal that I received from Panera Bread. This location is in the center of a busy area, so there is usually a line and it can also be hard to find a table at times.
(4)Jessica B.
Normal Panera bread. Decent chain if you're in a hurry. It all tastes pretty much the same no matter what you get there, but it's an all right taste. Given that, I wouldn't go out of my way to eat here. They could have more vegetarian options, but there are a few.
(3)Cheryl R.
For a chain bakery/cafe, I was fairly impressed with this Panera Bread. I had a tuna salad sandwich on a croissant, some iced coffee and a cookie. The food was fresh, tasted delicious and the staff was great. The dining room space is HUGE, with bright and cheery decor, clean restrooms, and a seemingly limitless choices of breads and other yummies to choose from. My only complaint was that their menu items are pretty expensive (average sandwich was about $8 or more). Side Note: they have a nice sized conference room for private meetings, free wi-fi and lots of parking in their huge lot.
(4)Terry C.
The Chipotle Chicken sandwich and black bean soup was amazing. I look forward to trying many more sandwiches from there! Also had a bite of the Steak and White Cheddar sandwich which melted in my mouth.
(5)Debra B.
Consistent food and service. An excellent choice for a chain restaurant. I like that they are offering more low-fat, healthy menu items. This is always my go-to place for their take two combos. This location gets very crowded on weekends when it's rainy (like, when is it NOT rainy?) so you may not always find a table right away. However it seems to rotate the crowd pretty often, so it's never more than a 10 min wait. If you're luck you can score a table by the fireplace, which seems to make the chicken noodle soup taste even better!
(3)Aaditya P.
I love Panera bread. I've been trying to find the bread they use in their panini's but I've come to the conclusion that the only place you can find that bread is at Panera itself. Their panini's and their green iced tea are the best. Great place for hangouts and they have free wifi. Any place that has free wifi is my favorite.
(4)Karen B.
I have been here a few times, not my choice at all when asked where I want to eat near work. The last time I was here the cashier did not pay attention to what I wanted and I received the wrong order. What he charged me for was more than what I originally wanted, and it took me complaining before they adjusted my receipt. I have never had anything to eat here that I thought was "good". More like..filled my stomach and the immediate need. I think it's ridicuously overpriced, and again, not somewhere I choose to go when given the option. I also agree with a previous poster, the line thing is unorganized. You have to be pretty assertive about where you are standing and your place in line.
(2)Jon L.
Panera Bread is like the national chain equivalent of Specialty's Cafe & Bakery. Very similar with a selection of pastries, soups, sandwiches and salads. Though as evidence of the chain's moniker, there is a good selection of breads offered here. Pretty much the cafe selections takes place at Panera. Decor at this location seems like eating in a hotel lobby. I am not sure if that is good or bad though it is cozy. Most recently, I got their pick 2 offering of a choice of a soup, salad or sandwich. I got a half Sierra Turkey sandwich, a cup of French onion soup and a bag of potato chips for a little under $8. Kind of pricey I think. The Sierra Turkey sandwich is great though. It certainly helps that they use an asiago cheese bread loaf. I don't think you can go wrong with this sandwich selection. Was not as pleased with the French onion. It was okay, but it felt like soup made by a chain. What does that mean? I guess that is like an American Idol judge calling a performance as very karaoke. Kind of tasted this before. I wanted a different take. Also picked up a coffee and a cinnamon roll. Coffee is your choice as there are several dispensers of coffee selections to choose from. I like the hazelnut. As for the cinnamon roll, like my description of the French onion soup, it felt very familiar but unexciting. And not worth the calories. I think the baked goods offered at Panera are okay, but not outstanding. Kind of blah I guess. Service here was good. The pick 2 offering can be tricky to decipher, so I appreciated the patience from the cashier taking my order. Panera offers a decent cafe menu, but I am not too sold on the baked offerings unfortunately. Well except for the bread. That was good.
(3)Yumiko K.
Since I don't like any meat on my sandwich, I usually get a veggie kind no matter where I go. Here at Panera, I usually order Mediterranean Veggie, which I think is delicious. Their baked goods are not too bad, but not too great. (Their strawberry cream scone was good but could have been less sweet.) Everything does look good until you see the calories listed on the name/price tag. I think it is a wonderful place for friends/co-workers to hang out during the lunch/coffee break. The food isn't too bad (except for some menu items with obnoxiously gut-busting number of calories...) FYI: If you join My Panera
(3)Jennifer H.
The bread was mushy (like it was somehow wet?), they put onion on it despite me requesting no onion and the onions were limp and tasted old and completely overbearing. The cheese was flavorless and very sparse. I go to Jimmy John's, I'm not some sandwich snob who expects a cheap sandwich to be amazing, but I'd rather eat at Subway than here and Subway isn't even actual food. Gross. Similar to the experience I had eating here 2 years ago. My husband said the soup was fine. I'm never coming back here again.
(1)Riley B.
Good sandwiches, fast service. The place is a little crowded sometimes and the parking lot can be difficult to get around with all the cars. Aside from that, I like the food and have eaten there several times for lunch.
(3)Jenny B.
Getting to know the area around work and wandered in here because I needed lunch and I've generally had decent fare at other Panera stores (in other states). I ordered a chicken chipotle sandwich & a cup of creamy tomato soup (no drink). Almost didn't get to order because there was no "line forms here" signs or anything. People ahead of me just sort of congregated in front of cash registers & gave their order to whoever got to them. Not very organized at all. The soup was ok - somewhat flavorful. The sandwich, not so much. Not warm, but edible. Sort of sat like a rock in my stomach. Picked a table near the entrance since the tables in the actual dining area were all full (naturally, as it was 12.30pm). Unfortunately, the table hadn't been bussed (nor had much else in the place) -- crumbs everywhere, dirty napkin, and some sticky spots. Because there was nowhere else for me to sit, I wiped it down myself with a handful of napkins and water. I also noticed that the floor hadn't been swept recently. Some pluses: * The cashier who took my order was sweet. Almost too sweet, which made me think that the past complaints about rudeness have been heard. * The server who brought my order to my table was able to find me even though my table was situated behind a big promo display sign, effectively hiding me from view of anyone passing by. (Really? Who puts a sign right in front of a table?) * The table tracker enabled the server to actually find me. However, I would have appreciated some sort of overview from the cashier on why she was giving it to me & what I was expected to do when my order was ready. Past experiences at Paneras in other states have used vibrating discs & I was expected to pick up my order at another counter. Yes, I'm old because I needed to be hipped to the store's locator beacon. Whatever. Unfortunately, the pluses do not justify the outrageous price I paid for what I ordered ($15). I've paid less for food I was happier with. Upshot: I won't be back. Instead, I'll bring lunch instead. Even if I make soup from scratch, it costs a heck of a lot less than the middling fare I got here. Avoid if you can help it.
(2)David W.
I like eating there because the bagels taste so good. I eat soup when im sick, just feelsgoid.
(3)Jessi H.
Very good food -- lots of room and a great atmosphere.
(4)Yee Gan O.
Panera Bread does more than just bread and light lunches, including salads are available. I found this a good place to hang out with a drink and snack as there's free wifi
(4)Hiroyuki T.
I ordered for a soup in a bread bowl but for some reason, I got a large bowl of soup. This type of mistake happened a lot lately with this Panera restaurant. Hope they will take the order correctly. Also, their coffee is run out very frequently so that customers have to wait till they refill. I think there is a room for improvement.
(3)John J.
Had the clam chowder in the sourdough bread bowl. The bread was great, but the clam chowder was lacking. It didn't have clams, potatoes, or really anything. Really more like a clam bisk with no flavor. I had to scrape the sides to give it any texture at all. Combine that with that you have to pay before you eat, wait in line before you pay, and then wait to be served makes me give it two stars. If the bread wasn't as good as it was I would have only given it one.
(2)Jovana F.
Very friendly staff. The food quality is better during the busy times, maybe due to the quick turnover. Great place to study during the off hours: they have free wifi, comfy seats, quiet corners, and a fireplace. They get packed during lunch, so plan an extra 5-10 minutes (even for pickup/takeout).
(3)Kristin C.
I have been to this location a few times over the last few years, and now that I live in Redmond, its the closest fast food place to me. So I know I will be here a lot. Overall, I like it. I love Panera's food, and this place is no exception. Everyone is pretty nice, but I didn't feel like anyone went above any beyond in the customer service department. The food was good, but I felt that the bread portion was smaller than it should be. I don't know if this is a problem at this location, or if its a change across all Paneras' I used to work at the Lynnwood location, and I know for a fact we gave out bigger portions. Maybe its a cost-saving measure, but that seems kinda lame because the bread is cheap. But delicious! The French baguette at Panera is one of my guilty pleasures. Overall, while I don't love this location. I can't really find anything wrong with it, and I am glad I live so close so I can come here more often for some of their delicious soups and sandwiches. I am on a diet though, so I am avoiding their pastries. Those things are so full of calories, its disgusting!
(4)Gorman E.
Short and sweet, I not feeling so good today so I came here for some soup. Average customer service and the bowl of soup is okay. I do sometimes like their bake goods but it is little pricey for so little amount. I do like the feel of the decor, more a feel of a hotel lobby and I can see it a great place to bring your business meetings here with free wifi. I rather spend my money on Blazing Bagels with better baked goods but if I am a meeting someone, not a bad spot to do a business meeting here.
(3)Carrie H.
My young family really enjoyed this place. Its an awesome place to go on a rainy cold night when you are looking for the kind of food that sticks to you ribs and warms ya up. It makes me not miss Jason's Deli in Texas so much.
(4)Chevelle A.
This is more a 2.5 star. I think this place is ok. Good sandwiches sure...but geezus expensive. Nearly $20 for two sandwiches and mediocre chips. I was starving...but I didn't even want to finish it...I dunno. I guess I'm more of a sub sandwich kind of girl, or I make it myself for a lot less, lol. I wish there were some outlets, free wifi is great but my computer doesn't last too long. I dunno, the place seems overhyped and overpriced. And it seems like you have to be in the mood for it too. Don't know how often I'd go here, if at all.
(3)Mike L.
Never had a problem with any Panera Bread location I've dined in. This one was no exception. My Fontega Chicken panini with Caesar salad was delicious. Great lunch spot!
(4)Link P.
Stopped in for quick lunch. Ordered quickly and the food arrived like in seven minutes. The food is great, I just love their soups. The place is always very clean. Everything is always freshly prepared. The staff always friendly.
(5)Amy L.
I think this mainly ends up in the "Yay! I'm a fan" category because there are so few healthy lunch options that the office can agree on. It's hard to stay fit when your office provides lunch every day, that usually means teriyaki twice a week. This location is just like any other Panera. They are super fast and have some tasty food. If you read their nutrition information you can get some healthy filling food. If you want to pig out on cookies and bread and sugary bagels those options are also delicious. The only negative is that when we order for a large group they often miss some items or mess something up. Nothing too bad but if you order lunch for the office every day this can get annoying when places don't get your orders right.
(4)Mw C.
Came here on a Saturday afternoon. The ladies were nice taking my order...I ordered the combo, tomato soup grilled sandwich, a chicken sandwich, a bottle of water, chips, coffee. For the price I paid we didn't get full at all. Food was good but the quantity was not much for me.
(3)jay m.
I've gone to Paneras in the past a number of times. I usually would just get a bagle and coffee. This time out, I got a sandwich, one of their new featured "turkey and cranberry on Panini" ones. It was a premium price of $8.97 plus tax. I got it, and was blown away at how little meat (approx. 1 oz), and they really splurged with the slight schmere of cranberry sauce and the three spinach leaves. For $9, I'd expected more. I ran into a friend there who had to send his (same) sandwich back twice. I forget what he asked for, but when they brought it back the first time, it had barely 1 tiny piece of meat, no spinach leaves, and the sauces looked like they'd been scraped off. The place was mobbed, so against my better judgement, I didn't send it back. However seeing my friend's experience, I don't think I would have fared better. Whoever was cooking that day obviously never eats out, or, if this is the store's policy, it killed my taste for this place.
(1)Grace L.
I love Panera and was overcome with excitement when I saw the first store in the area. The French Onion Soup is the best I've ever tasted, they have a great selection of PROPER bagels (hard to find in this town), and their sourdough bread is great. I have several favorite dishes here: try the Asiago Roast Beef sandwich, or the Grilled Salmon salad with the Meyer lemon dressing. Yum! The Crispani (their version of a thin-crust pizza) is just okay in my estimation, but my husband loved it. I acknowledge that the food is a little on the pricy side (thus 4 stars instead of 5) I will continue to eat here at any opportunity.
(4)Jason K.
If you want a sandwich served on some passable bread, Panera is your place. It is essentially a grilled cheese shop that adds some meat and other ingredients between bread, grills it, and serves it to you on a cheap plate with a side of your choice (bagged chips, an apple). Don't bother with a panini -- what panini means to these people is that they've slapped in on a panini grill long enough to make it warm, not to achieve the delicious crunchy bread that is iconic to this style of sandwich. The soups -- all of them tasted as though they were loaded with preservatives and came from a vacuum sealed bag. This is one classic example of where you should always favor your local sandwich shop.
(2)Jackie M.
Normally, I'd give Panera a 5! It's one of my favorite fast food places...but like others have said, they are constantly out of bread bowls :( Imagine the disappointment when you've been craving a bread bowl all day, get in to order it only to be told that they are out...we've been here maybe 6 times and for over half of our trips, they have been out of bread bowls. My husband is a really laid back guy and he just calmly orders something else. Me? I can't help but feel unsatisfied. If this happened once or twice, I'd totally understand (like when Starbucks runs out of vanilla syrup at the end of the night lol) but they seriously need to order more bread bowls. I'm sure the manager would rather throw away 10 extra than have numerous customers unsatisfied or have them go elsewhere for lunch because they don't want to waste their time waiting in line only to find out that Panera is out of what they want...AGAIN! Now on to the good!!! -Soups! I have never had a soup I didn't like here at Panera. The chicken noodle is by far my all time favorite! Cream of chicken with wild rice is a close 2nd! -Coffee! Hazelnut coffee with non-fat milk and a little sugar = heaven! They have great lattes and blended drinks as well! -Macaroni and cheese! I didn't see it on the menu the last time I was there, but that was so good. I had it once a week when I was pregnant. The cravings for that mac and cheese were so strong, I'd go in there, order a large bowl of it and sit in the restaurant by myself eating! I never sit by myself in restaurants and eat, but that was my 1 exception. It never stayed warm enough if I took it to go. -Sierra Turkey Sandwich! I love that sandwich! However, I was less than thrilled to learn that it had like 900 calories. Now I only get the half size with some low fat low cal chicken noodle soup... -TUNA! -Bacon Turkey Bravo ( I don't even like bacon, and this is to die for!)
(4)Brad R.
I love Panera but will no longer be a patron at this location. I don't know what it is about to-go orders but each of the 5 times I have ordered out they have messed up an order. 4/5 times they forgot the salad dressing. 2/5 they've given me the wrong side. It is essential you check your order before leaving and even so when asked about a missing or wrong item the employees come of as cold and hostile.
(2)Jennie W.
The man at the front was so nice, we were new to the area and so he gave us each a complimentary cookie! OMG the cookies are so good, it was chocolate chip. I got a caesar salad which was great, it came with chips which was weird. I would omit the chips next time. I took them home anyhow, good car snack.
(4)Nate W.
Great for meetings. Coffee was acceptable, service was solid and the food is manufactured franchise food at its worst. I had an onion soup that tasted like day-old aus jus with a bucket of salt. Rancid to say the least. WiFi was fairly solid though, and as I said before .... great for meetings, just don't order food.
(3)Eli K.
My friend and I came here trying to find a healthy lunch option post gym workout. The misdirection of this place is everywhere. The sign says Panera Bread, making it seem like they are focusing on developing a bread bakery (like Great Harvest Bread Co.), then you walk in and see tons of pastries and baked goods, which are very enticing but not the main service of the restaurant to serve soup, salads, sandwiches, and other mainstays. Regardless of their poor marketing, they offer healthy fare for a fair price. The food still resembled food w/o taking out the enjoyment of our healthy options. Some people might be miffed that the only salad dressing option seems to be an italian dressing of some sort. Otherwise, I like it. Will be back. And also I enjoy the 1/2 and 1/2 special as well.
(4)Ayesha C.
I love Panera! The broccoli cheddar soup is my favorite. I usually get the pick 2 and get a drink with that resulting in my pastry costing only $1. A huge cinnamon roll for a buck; you can't beat that! I wish there was one in Kirkland.
(5)Charles B.
Great place to eat. Fast service, friendly cashiers, and table tracker. If you are looking for a quick sit down place this is it.
(5)Kate J.
Recently I held a breakfast business mixer. Panera Bread in Redmond has a wonderful conference room available for Free! My guests checked in then ordered their breakfast and joined me in our room. The room holds 12- 18 comfortably seated around a series of tables pushed together. We had double glass doors to allow us privacy and a quiet setting. The food was great. I bought a cinnamon coffee cake to take home. The menu offers a wide variety so everyone found their favorite food and beverages at a reasonable price. Jim Llewellyn, Joint Venture General Manager, was very helpful in arranging my reservations. The staff was all very helpful and friendly! If you are looking for good food, a clean restaurant and a friendly atmosphere try Panera Bread in Redmond!
(5)Megan H.
Thank you Panera, for having a nice place that I can plant my behind at for hours, and use your free wifi, partaking in your delicious soy lattes and yummy treats of course. Love it. Beats paying for internet.
(5)Melissa V.
I've been to this Panera probably a couple of dozen times in the last year before I finally gave up. I kept giving them a chance to get better, but I'm done with them. First off, they are very expensive. But mostly, they are SLOOOOOW. It doesn't matter if they are packed or if there are two people in the whole joint, it takes FOREVER to get food. The past few visits I had issues with my food quality. I ordered a Bacon Turkey Bravo sandwich and after a few bites, I kept thinking how odd it tasted, when I took the sandwich apart, there was tuna fish smeared all over with the mayo. I think they used the same knife for my mayo as they did the tuna salad. I HATE seafood. Disgusting and made me think they cross contaminate their food on a regular basis. I will never come here again and haven't in several months. Overpriced wannabe high end food. It's really just fast food with a pretty face and fancy words.
(1)Anna E.
My iphone4 was stolen by one of your employees yesterday, after I had lunch with my group. I know this because I tracked it with my iCloud , 15 minutes after I left, on my laptop and it stayed at the same location- your store- for over 4 hrs! I showed one of your employees -- yes , I came back-my laptop and told her " someone here has it!" and she kept saying she didn't understand. She went back to get a manager then came back and said they were busy but would call if it turned up. Hello , it was not lost.. It was stolen! Shortly after 3pm, when your thief employee got off work, I watched helplessly as my iPhone travelled up I405 NB. I sent messages and texts that pop up on the screen to no avail. If your thief employee will steal from customers, they will steal from you! It's now totally worthless to them.. Wiped clean locked down and reported as stolen. Again no help from manager.. I will not be back!
(1)Bill W.
The Panera Bread chain sells delicious soups in fantastic bread bowls. Unfortunately, this particular location constantly runs out of bread bowls, sometimes for days at a time. If they're in such demand that they constantly run out, I don't understand why they can't make more. After all, isn't Panera Bread running out of bread bowls as ridiculous as Burger King running out of burgers? Really disappointing and I've just about given up on patronising this location because of this.
(2)Launa B.
What I mostly love about this place is the location and the layout of the tables. There is always a little tucked away corner where I can enjoy a quiet cup of coffee and breakfast. The pick 2 for lunch isn't a bad option either for a cup of soup and 1/2 sandwich. There are only a few options for Veggie, so I tire of it all pretty quickly. The service has always been fast and polite. It's one of those places that you go to just because you have nowhere better to be.
(3)Alyson L.
My name is Alyson. I am a bagelaholic. If I'm hungover - bagels will save me. If I have a meeting - bagels will make it tolerable. If I want a snack - it just might be a bagel that I'm craving. On the morning of July 4th, I wanted a bagel to satiate my hunger and addiction before we started our road trip over the pass, knowing that there would be no more bagels for a number of DAYS. Oy vey. Enter Panera Bread - just a short trip from the bf's apartment. 2 stars for being open on July 4th 2 stars for having an INCREDIBLY friendly staff 2 stars for the sweet, sweet bagel love -2 stars for the somewhat disappointing and surprisingly small breakfast sandwich (crispy ciabatta, fresh eggs, maple bacon and the weirdest tasting cheddar I've ever tasted) 4 stars, baby, and keep those 12 Steps away from me and my Panera.
(4)Alpha C.
I'm a big fan of Panera, especially for eating out in a group. The food's good, about what you'd expect for your typical bread/soup/sandwich place. Not amazing, but not too shabby either. I especially like it because the portions aren't out of control; I can grab as little (or as much) as I want.
(4)Jane T.
My experiences at Panera have been disappointing to say the least. On my first visit, someone forgot to put the bacon in my breakfast sandwich. On another visit, my husband's sandwich was put on the wrong kind of bagel and they were out of decaf coffee at 8 a.m. We had to wait for a new pot to be brewed. We sat at a small table, not realizing it was wobbly. When the young lady brought our breakfast and put the plates down, the table was so wobbly, my coffee spilled everywhere. She said, "Oh, it's wobbly" and walked off without offering to help clean up the mess. I dabbed up what I could with a napkin and we moved to booth table. I noticed the backrest was filthy, which led me to to look around and I noticed drip marks and food on other furnishings. My last visit was today. After a bit of a wait, I was told they were out of sesame bagels at 3 p.m. These are very nice people who need some lessons on how to run a food establishment.
(2)Happy M.
The bread & the pastry section is not the most impressive but the food section is very nice. I love the Hot Panini sandwiches. My colleague went with me once and now she's addicted to the paninis, too. I love the half & half combos for lunch which you can get half sandwich with a cup of soup or salad. I love the new cobb salad but don't understand why it is "seasonal"?? I think they should have cobb salad available everyday.
(4)Tim L.
I spent many nights here slurping up free coke refills while studying (which is really a euphemism for surfing the internet, damn you free wi-fi!!). I can't say the food ever really impressed me, it's typical sandwich/soup stuff, nothing too groundbreaking. Their espresso drinks are lovingly made though and I like their cookies. This location is far, far better than the Issaquah one that brings the worst of soccer moms and their 5 little screaming kids and the freshman high schoolers there to get away from that oppressive mom and dad. Great place to study or get work done, but I'd never stop for lunch without a laptop.
(4)Todd S.
Greats sandwitches and much more! Love the pick two - ussually get a half sandwitch and cup of soup. Very quick service!
(4)C. C.
Best soups.....love it. Sometimes if you go during lunch they get busy but well worth the wait. xoxox
(4)Matthew H.
I have been to this location many times in the past and I have never had a bad experience. Food is awesome,service is good. The only downside to this place is the amount of food you get for the price. You won't get full and ur wallet will be empty. The taste makes up for that I guess :)
(4)Lorry O.
Simply the BEST freshly made bagels in Redmond. Everything else is great too, but I have to say, moms, if you get freshly made bagels for your kids (and their friends, team, etc.) this is the place to go. Hands down, it beats Mikies Bagels and Blazing Bagels. (Yes, Blazing is good, but soooooo expensive.) Panera offers full service. They box your bagels, give you freezer bags, and even slice your bagels! I got a baker's dozen and two tubs of cream cheese for $13.99 (plus tax). That beats both the other bagel places and my kids say these are simply the best.
(5)Randee B.
This panera sucks. Ordering is a chore because the staff are all just a little off. Once the transaction is finally complete, there's a 50% chance I will be told five minutes later that they ran out of what I ordered. And it's impossible to find their hours of operation! Someone who cares should probably add this info to yelp. I couldn't find it on the panera website and it wasn't given in the recorded message that plays when you call the store. In fact, when I managed to connect to a live person on the phone (hint: press '0' - of course they don't officially announce this option), he was very rude to me, insisting the hours are given in the recorded message after I specifically said they weren't. I don't need the 'tude. I'm just looking for a bowl of soup when I'm stuck working late on the east side.
(1)Abhijeet G.
Lovely place to eat lunch or brunch on weekends. They have free wi-fi, great selection of beverages and some decent vegetarian fare. I love coming here to sit down for a while and enjoy my food.
(3)Harper H.
I was excited to come here and eat but was disapointed. My order was screwed up and than when I got my plate, there was a big hair on my plate. The tables were dirty and the ground had crumbs all over it. I probably won't be back.
(2)Mark O.
First timer. Stopped in for sandwiches to go. Took them home and enjoyed them. Good and fresh!
(4)William M.
I think Panera bread is one of those places that are fun, sweet, and salty enough for a bunch of people until they realize that they are overpaying for regular stuff. I had a bacon asiago breakfast sandwich which was salty, cheesy, and greasy but good for a fun breakfast. It was like $4 and the smoothy was also. If I want a better experience, I'll go to Starbucks for a bagel and drip coffee for $4 total.
(2)Amani R.
Really liked. Nice atmosphere and great food.
(4)Becky B.
My mom loves this place. I went there once and was overwhelmed... first of all, the lines are forever long. The menu is above the registers, and when you're far away, it's REALLY hard to read. I couldn't even see it until it was time to order. Then, when I did order, the girl behind the counter was a huge and total bitchy highschool girl. She didn't smile once, acted like she had so many other better places to be (which granted, was probably true, but I never want to work either- I still smile). When the food came out, though, my mouth was extremely pleased. I had the chicken tomesto panini, and the grilled salmon salad... omg. SO GOOD. I'm hungry.
(3)Thach N.
I love the iced green tea, great place to meet up with a friend or do some work they have free wifi. Stacia has a great meetup that meets there every Monday's. She tells me that the manager Jim is really cool and also has provided contribution to non-profits.
(4)Silva S.
they have the best ICED green tea!!! they only allow half hour of complimentary WI-FI however...
(5)Molly W.
Although the employees here are prone to talk about somewhat personal things in a loud manner, I really like the environment. This is the only restaurant where I feel comfortable enough to sit and chat for a prolonged period with friends. And did I mention, FIREPLACE?! Any place with a fire place immediately deserving of cool in my book. As for folks who say it's crowded -- when I go there (I'm a night owl, so I frequent it during evenings) it's always got ample seating. I ABSOLUTELY *LOOOVE* their broccoli cheddar in a bread bowl. Yum yum yum yum YUM. Please try their soups. :D For those who have never been here before: I get the idea that the employees want us to bus our own tables. There are bussing stations near the soda fountain, so please do your part for the next customer and bus your own table. :) Good food - 1 star Comfy environment - 1 star Sometimes messy tables - 0 star Open late - 1 star Fireplace! - 1 star
(4)Bryan S.
Very good food, healthy food, great people and fine prices. FREE WiFi!!!
(5)Dan L.
I love this place. I've come here for lunch more than any other single establishment. Everything always tastes soooo good.
(4)Aaron B.
I love Panera and frequent this location as well as the Lynnwood location. Usually they are not crowded when I go (on weekends). Today, however, I went at lunch time and ran into a traffic jam of Microsoft employees. Word to the wise, stay away during peak hours if you can - visit during off peak hours. Let me say it again, I love Panera but I had a so so experience today - and I attribute it to the amount of people that they were trying to get through the door.
(3)Sim M.
Recommendation : MEDITERRANEAN Veggie Sandwich. Better than any other place I have tried including Specialty's Cafe in Bellevue square.
(4)Peter U.
Went here with a nice lady friend. The soup was ok, the bread was good, service was quick, but other then that it wasn't very memorable for me. Price was high for the quality of food in my opinion.
(3)Lauren C.
Best sandwiches, soups, salads, pastry's...! You cant go wrong a panera!! love love love! plus free wifi
(5)mandar j.
i am regular to this place the bagels are good .. chiken salad sandwitch is as good as it can be ... light roast coffee is my favourite and place nice cozy to sit for long time ... all the things a coffee /bkfast joint should have .....
(4)Carly L.
Wow, I came at the right time. :) No crowds to speak of, but then again it was about 8pm on a Friday night, post gym meal. (god, I am lame). Anyways, ordered the chicken frontera panini with broccoli cheddar soup to go, was rang up by a fellow Carly who was nice as can be, and while waiting for it, saw fellow yelper Nuri G. We chatted while waiting for our food, and mine took a while, but the guy behind the counter was nice as can be and apologetic. There is lots of choices on what to eat and I will definitely be back. My food was tasty.
(4)Joolie T.
cousin: let's go to Panera!! *droooooools* me: what the eff is a Panera?! cousin: you guys don't have Panera in NYC?? me: wtf? is it a bakery or something? cousin: wow, and i thought you guys had everything. me: well, apparently not. now "educamackate" me. cousin: trust me. it's insane. me: like "pop a cap in my head" insane? or yummy? cousin: ummm. what?! yummy, you dorkus! me: fine, fine, fine. i love carbs. *we pull up to Panera* me: oh!!! we have PAX and Cosi's in NYC. pffft. cousin: oh, i figured. well, it's hella good here. so i ordered a Hot Turkey Artichoke Sandwich: smoked turkey spinach artichoke spread Asiago-Parmesan cheese tomatoes & caramelized onions on a Basil Pesto Focaccia. sounds simple, right? this is where i almost fainted of erotica. *taking a bite.... i exclaim* me: OOoOooh My GaAAaaAawd (in a New York accent) cousin: good, huh? me: good? this is freakin' mind-blowing. i can see clearly now the the rain has gone. it's gonna be a bright... bright... sun shining day. cousin: ...... huh? me: i think i just had an orgasm. their chunky Vegetable soup is out of this world, too. i disagree that the ambiance sucks. i particularly liked it a lot. the spacing and booths are comfortable and separated enough for an individual to get work done on their laptop or chat it up with friends without feeling suffocated. NYC totally needs one of these. i have completely fallen head over heels for this chain. yup.
(5)Sam H.
Stick with the name here. Get the bread. I had a hard time deciding between 3 and 4 stars for Panera. It's hit or miss, either extraordinary or lackluster... so I went with four since the good things outnumber the less good. Let's start with what I don't like: First, the parking. I frigging hate the parking lot here. It's really hard to get in and out of. If you remember where the Gateway store used to be, that's where Panera is now. Second, breakfast pastries are just OK. I'd go to Belle Pastry if you want some decent pastry on the eastside. Bagels are good, but not amazing. Hit Blazin Bagels yelp.com/biz/x4aGywfPJgj… down the street instead. Ok, that's the bad. Here's the good: Bread... anything in loaf form. We got a couple loaves for Thanksgiving last year and everyone raved (it was just plain ol french bread). Also, I really really like the sandwiches here. My favorite is Turkey Artichoke Panini with Smoked turkey, spinach artichoke spread, Asiago-Parmesan cheese, tomatoes and caramelized onions, grilled hot on our Basil Pesto focaccia. There are plenty of other fancy or plain choices as well. Again, I think it's the freshly-baked bread that makes the sandwich. Also, they have a nice soup selection, but I've never gotten past the sandwiches to try soup. Also, if I didn't have kids, this would be a nice place to sit in the morning and have some (average) coffee with a pasty. They've set up the dining room in such a way as to maximize quiet little corners. It's hard to find a bad seat. It's very very busy on Saturday's during lunch time, but I think you should try Panera if you're near one.
(4)Josh F.
Talk about crowded. Don't go anywhere near this place during lunch on a weekday. Sadly the dearth of good, free wifi hotspots on the east side has required me to visit several times over the lunch hour, which means ordering decent-but-overpriced food, waiting a very long time for it, having trouble finding seating, and enduring an ever increasing volume of conversations all trying to be heard above each other. It wouldn't be so bad if they could cut down on the wait for the food because this simply increases the amount of time people have to take up space at the tables and effectively reduces the restaurant capacity. And it makes the kids scream louder. Skip this chain for better, cheaper, quieter fare.
(2)Kyle F.
what a joke, portions are very small. I stopped in for Lunch and paid $7 for soup/ half-sandwich. Turned out to be a very basic sandwich with what appeared to be some white wonder bread and a very small portion of soup. The chicken noodle soup I got hardly had any noodles it turned into a chicken broth soup after 2 or 3 bites. I could eat two of these lunches and I'm a light eater. I'll be making the walk over to Safeway, much better deal.
(2)Aaron M.
The bread , sandwhiches and soup are good. The prices are ridiculous though. There is also no mom and pop bread company feel that I think would do them good. It feels like a yuppy chain in there. Like starbucks but with bread.
(3)Megan M.
Delicious food, bread, desserts. Crappy ambience. Get your food to go!
(4)Heidi B.
This place is getting on my nerves. The have a Chicken Bacon Dijon sandwich. I have attempted to get it 4 times. 2 of the 4 times they have been out of the chicken to make it. GET A CLUE PEOPLE!! Obviously its a good sandwich so order more chicken. And I love the Potato soup but I have only been lucky enough to catch it once.
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