I cannot express how happy I was to discover this Panera near our place in Annandale. Â I had thought the closest was at Bailey's Crossroads. Â But here is this one sitting somewhat isolated in front of an apartment complex and next to an industrial/commercial area.
What I like most about this location is that it just seems bright. Â It might be because it is at the top of a hill, but there is just something about the location that makes me feel relaxed, even with my little guy trying to run amok. Â
The food is about the same as it is at every Panera. Â The staff is generally friendly. Â And the place is clean.
The main drawbacks are parking and crowds. Â There are only a few parking spaces next to the restaurant. Â If they're filled, you have to find a place in the garage under the apartment building. Â The crowds on the other hand, there is nothing you can do about. Â It just get to be super crowded midday on weekends. Â Plan you trip accordingly.
I live close by so I am always frequenting this place for their hazelnut coffee. Â I usually stay way from their lunch/dinner fares (I got food poisoning from their cheddar broccoli soup) and get their pastries, breads, bagels, and quiches (these run out quickly in the morning).
Lines can be atrociously long during peak hours. Â The cashiers often don't ask for your panera card so be sure to give it to them. Â
Yes, the parking is problematic but you can park in the tenant garage.
If I ever decide to patronize this Panera again, please shoot me. I have gone here twice in the past two weeks - once on a Friday night at around 8 PM, then last night at around 8 PM (what can I say? I needs my mediterranean salmon salad at 8 PM apparently).
Visit #1: Â Atrociously long line. Took 20 minutes from start to actual food delivery. Â Dude taking my order screwed it up and overcharged me. Â Gave me a free cookie to even it out. Eh, whatevs - I can be somewhat swayed by a shortbread. Â While waiting for my salad to come up, I witness all manner of disgruntlement with customers vs employees and manager vs employees. Â Manager was working the line to get food out and there were four girls behind the counter helping her, but they were apparently going to slow for the manager's tastes. Â She made a comment to the effect of "Can someone else come replace XXXXX because I need someone who'll work a little faster?" in a very rude way. Allllllrighty then! Apparently attitude comes with my salad instead of a whole grain baguette (which they were out of, so I got white...which I can't eat). While still waiting, I got to witness a mother complain about how burnt the grilled cheese sammich was for her son which, to her credit, was the truth since it was extra crispy cheese and slopped all over the place. Â The manager was like 'Look, this is how we cook all the grilled cheese sammies" and the mom was like riiiiiiiiiiiiiiight. Â She settled with mac and cheese. Finally got my salad and all was tasty except for the baguette #firstworldbreadproblem
Last night's visit: Â Only a group of 3 people in front of me getting coffee. Yesssssss. Same dude from last time at the cashier. Womp womp. I gave him my order: lg. mediterranean salmon salad, no olives, no almonds, extra feta, 3 dressings, whole grain baguette, small chicken tortilla soup. By the time I fill up my drink cup, my order's bagged up and ready to go. Â I drive 10 minutes home to find out that my order was pretty much ignored. Â The extra feta was actually a light sprinkling of feta, even less than what I'd get normally. Â The three dressings I requested was translated into one dressing. Who can eat a salad with only one tiny cup of that delicious honey tangerine dressing?! Blasphemy. Â Then, to top it all of, I got a whole grain baguette AND a white baguette.
For the damn near $20 I have spent each time on these orders, I expect far better. Nasty gram sent. Â If they want to give me a gallon of honey tangerine dressing to soothe my anger, I might let it go.
First time at this Panera Bread or any actually. I spent about $11 and wasn't very impressed. The line was very long and moved very slowly even though there were 4 people at the registers. The menu was confusing. When I got up to the register I explained to the employee I had never been here before and she did an awesome job helping me decipher the menu so I could decide on what I wanted. Â I ended up ordering a 1/2 sandwich of the smokehouse turkey, broccoli and cheese bread bowl of soup and a drink. Like I had previously mentioned it is a little pricey. The food was decent, I wasn't a fan of the sandwich when i ordered it I had only waited about 3 minutes until my food was done and the sandwich seemed to suffer because it tasted like it was a day old. The soup was hot and creamy with HUGE pieces of broccoli in it. I was very impressed with he soup. The sourdough bread was delicious, the crust we very crisp and I could not get enough of it.
So all in all, the food was okay the experience was OK. I don't think I will be going to a Panera Bread again!
Parking at this particular location is a pain in the neck. Â There's a garage, but people can't figure out to go drive in it. Â The restaurant is located right smack in the middle of a condo/apartment complex that was recently constructed.
You walk in to a long line with one or two cashiers who are very quick. Â The bill isn't cheap compared to what you can get from a non-chain but at least the food is decent.
I can't bring myself to give this place 3 stars.
I've never really had a problem with this Panera, inside anyway. Â The service is good, food is standard Panera-fare, good amount of seating and wall jacks for laptops (even at booths).
Parking is tight outside, but you can park in the apartment complex's garage right next door (it's allowed). Â The line at lunch time can get very long too, so plan accordingly.
I mostly go here because it is near my house and they let me hang out for hours on end. They've gotten my order wrong more than they've gotten it right and most of the friendly people who work there have left, leaving this curmudgeon to sweep the floors who walks around talking to himself and pushing the furniture around like its his stepkids. Mayeb I'm projecting, but I go here because it is better than nothing.
Review Source:Parking is pretty busy and small. Go to the adjacent multi-level parking for easier access. This place gets busy during lunch time. The line moves pretty fast. Staff is courteous, my orders have always been accurate. The food is a bit overpriced but tasty. You can always find a good place to sit. The soda machine/iced tea area gets a little crowded sometimes. Overall, this place is fine and I keep going back.
Review Source:I lived at the Sullivan Place apartments, and my window was facing the Panera bread front entrance. When I moved in I was like Panera is outside my door AWESOME.
The people around breakfast and lunch who played destruction derby in the parking made me want to fight everyday. Bagels and pre-made soup from a bag aren't tasty enough to wreck my car or push an old lady, but I guess to some people they are.
Panera Bread is overpriced for food that aside from some of the bread is delivered frozen (at 2 friggin AM) in ziplock bags
Why, why do you give me the wrong order!...I just wanted 1/2 soup and 1/2 salad to go! in-out-scan my card for points and GO!. My order was simple. I also pointed at the featured Salmon salad when placing the order! does MEDITERRANEAN SALMON SALAD sound like COBB SALAD???... It was just such a waste. With anticipation I had the french onion soup ...tossed the croutons...who wants to add more calories to the mix!....ate it quickly....I needed to warm up from this freaking long and cold winter!!!! and then went...what the heck? BACON and EGGS on my salad??? (I have an egg allergy!!! I would NEVER order a cobb salad!) so I could not eat the DARN thing! I have gone to this location so many times...had your delicious Apple Fuji salad, the super fattening paninnis and your heavy soups. Why? why? Is our secret relationship going through a rough spot? is it me?
UPDATE: I filled out a survey on <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2FPanera.com&s=c693d66bd091b11f4bc73729e12b9b822d3dda47027982e2c1871aa90a833ae9" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://Panera.com</a> and the manager of this branch emailed me within 24hrs. She apologized and offered a meal on the house. I returned a week later (2/13 @ 6:15PM) and placed an order of 1/2 sandwich, 1/2 MEDITERRANEAN SALAD. I decided NOT to contact the manager and pay for my meal. Obviously a careless mistake the first time!. I mentioned to the girl that I wanted to try the new MEDITERRANEAN salad. I drove off with my carry out bag looked inside the bag already 20+ miles later and to my disappointment I got a CAESAR Salmon salad. I emailed the manager back....once again apologetic and offered to mail me discount coupons. I will certainly use them, but is unfortunate that from now on I will have to inspect every item I get from this location!
I went back here for a quick bite before climbing. Â They were playing jazz...a big plus for me. Â I had the black bean soup which tasted good, but could have benefited from a little more flavor. Â Their turkey sandwich is very good. Â I still don't care for their coffee. Â It's just bland. Â Even the dark roast wasn't very strong.
Review Source:Had breakfast here this morning - medium cup of dark roast coffee and a blueberry muffin.
Cons: Â Long line with only two folks working six register positions - took almost 10 minutes to get up to the register to place my order. I also attempted to include a bottle of water with my order - but they were out of stock.
Coffee and muffin were tasty. The service issues and lack of water dragged my rating down...
I have a client that I visit weekly around the corner from this panera location, so I swing in here once a month or so. Like all other paneras the food and service is great. I always get my food quickly. It does get busy around lunchtime and the outside parking is cramped but there is a parking garage within feet that always seems to have spots open. Bathrooms are clean, and the ice tea was full! I love tomato-basil bread, I highly suggest it with your next sandwich.
Review Source:The food........ just like all the other Panera locations.1/2 and 1/2 deal is sooooo easy and makes the percfect fast food lunch after a day of anything. The bugbear at this location is the service. Piss poor.  I do not usually blast a place- if you look at all my reviews, most are positive. This Panera, however, rankles my good nature. The four times I have been there, my blood pressure has shot thru the roof. The assembly line is a staff of nit wits, who must not be able to read the orders as they come back. Every order I have ever gotten there has been WRONG......... wrong sauces,  wrong breads, sandwiches not toasted, no chicken on chicken salads, soup that made my son sick, and nonsuch. I don't mind having to check my order, but to have to go over it EVERY SINGLE TIME........ and STILL have them getting it wrong, well, thats when the little vein in my temple begins to twitch.  The lines are always long too- and rather than expeditiously opening up new registers as they see lines forming, I swear the staff just vaccuously stare at the patrons and get off on the ensuing chaos of irritated , milling people.  Watch out- I'm going postal. And one of the managers is a snobbish little prick who acts like the patrons are  the problem........ just too demanding. Oh well, I'll be boycotting this one from now on. In adition to the ridiculous parking (which I'd deal w/ if it were the only problem) the long lines and crappy attitudes inside make this a deal breaker.
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