California Pizza Kitchen

 

58

51

Marlo V.

Pacific Palisades, CA

CPK gets a star for being kid friendly.Kids get crayons and an activity book.
We have eatten here on Many occasions with friends.
The food is perfect for kids. There is a huge variety of food for everyone. Adults they serve beer and wine.Smile. They get another star for that.
Why is it that most of the time (some servers are EXCELLENT) service is HORRIBLE. Simple things like having straws with drinks or even bringing  the correct drink, plates, and utensils are all necessites to eat. Mangement we know you are all about volume so FOCUS. The sooner people get fed the next bunch gets to be seated.
Last star for being on the promenande near shops and parking

Bookmark   Send to a Friend Link to This Review

 

13

159

Ali P.

Upland, CA

I normally abstain from reviewing chain places unless they stand out for a particular reason.

In this case, I must say that this is one of the worst CPK locations in southern California. I've been here a few times, and each time, there's a certain odor in the air that I finally realized could be either urine or body odor, or both. To top it off, I came here once during a typical SoCal heat wave and the air conditioning was broken! We ordered some drinks (water, beer, mixed drinks) that took for ever to bring. We didn't even bother ordering any food.

In general, I like CPK but I have to say that this particular location could use some new management and an upgrade in utilities. Considering its location near the beach and 3rd Street, they should pay extra attention to ensure that everything functions smoothly. When it's 90 degrees out on a summer Saturday and the place is only half-filled at the height of the day, it speaks volumes on the quality of service one can expect...

Bookmark   Send to a Friend Link to This Review

 

2

24

mary l.

Santa Monica, CA

One star for the consistency of the food.  

There are no more stars, people!  

This is the worst restaurant service I've ever experienced.  The service is almost non-existent.  It's so bad that I've had to wait 30 mins for someone to even come to our table to take drink orders, over 30mins for cold food that must have been sitting somewhere, and 20 mins to get our check, over 10 mins waiting on the phone for someone to take a takeout order, and over 15 mins waiting for someone to acknowledge customers' presence when they are picking up an order.  

Keep in mind that these are all separate occasions.  I've started conversions with other customers who were also waiting about how terrible the service is. Today was the last straw.  I called in an order and had to repeatedly call back before I was not on hold. When I told them that I have been on hold for over 10mins for someone to take my order, the person on the other end said something within the lines of "We're really busy. Maybe you can call back later." and then hung up.  

The ONLY reason I have gone back for take out is because I love their salads and sometimes I just crave them.  

Now, I understand that they are near the Promenade and they are busy.  But, guess what?!  Almost every restaurant in Boston and New York gets busy during the lunch rush.  In fact, they are even busier than this one.  The difference is that other places don't seem to be chaotic or disorganized.  Who is managing this place?  

I will be venturing to Marina Del Rey from now on if I really need my CPK salad.

Bookmark   Send to a Friend Link to This Review

 

142

470

Poochie M.

San Francisco, CA

Who do I gotta cough up a hairball on to get some real dinner plates?  The service was terrible but the food was surpisingly mediocre.  First we got the deep fried avocado egg roll things.  I asked how many you get and the waitress said '4' but it was really 2 cut in half and made to look like 4.  Then we got the lettuce wraps.  Guess how many leaves of iceberg lettuce they gave us?  3...  yes 3!  Frigging weak!  Isn't iceberg lettuce like the cheapest thing on the planet?  Cobb salad was probably the most popular thing on our table though the Milan pizza was tasty with the sausage, sausage, mushrooms, and cheese.  Susan liked it and she said the wine glasses were 'good sized.'  The portobello mushroom raviolis were swimming in cream sauce and rounded out the meal!  Not bad for a first time CPK adventure.  Stella on Tap!!!

Note to self:  P.F. Chang's right up the street!

Bookmark   Send to a Friend Link to This Review

Elite '08

85

91

Eric H.

Arcadia, CA

CPK is CPK.  If you've tried it, you know what to expect.  If you haven't tried it, think more "California" than "Pizza".  It is a step above fast food, but it's not fine dining.

My favorite entree is the goat cheese and roasted bell pepper pizza.  Welcome to California.

This CPK location near the Promenade was able to seat 9 people on short notice for a ThursdayLunch when nearby restaurants had long waits.

Bookmark   Send to a Friend Link to This Review

Elite '08

94

376

Tiffany W.

San Jose, CA

There's something about CPK that I love.  Kit mentions that their dishes are boring and plain.  Personally, I don't think their dishes are boring. Plain, yes. But not boring.  Their salads, pastas, and sandwiches are actually pretty darn good.  I actually don't like their appetizers and pizzas, which is ironic since it's called California "Pizza" Kitchen and not California "Pasta" Kitchen.

Anyhow, although the dishes are plain, I actually prefer that for lunch.  I don't usually go to CPK for dinner, but for lunch, plainer pastas are a bit better.  I'll wait till dinner to get my elaborate sauced/spiced/seafood pasta.

The only problem I have with this place is the service.. I have never actually received good service at a CPK.  Most of the time, the service is bad and snooty.  I actually have a friend who used to work at a CPK and she told me about the rigorous classes/tests that they make all of the servers go through before they get the job 100%.  And all of this other stuff.. It just surprises me that they make their employees go through so much and yet, I don't get good service ever.  I rather have a server who is nice compared to a server who knows what every ingredient is in a pasta.

Bookmark   Send to a Friend Link to This Review

Elite '08

261

236

Ken N.

Venice, CA

One star for the nice decor, one star for the nice friendly service.  But WTF happened to the pizza and salads in this place?  It was always kind of expensive for pizza and salad, but now - 11.99 for a really blah, bland, boring Cobb salad that really wouldn't have been out of place in a dorm cafeteria.  I haven't been to one of these places in a while, so maybe it was just sticker shock, but it was never that great (points for taking the whole California Pizza idea - that is, put just about any kind of cuisine on top of some thin crust, and it'll be good - running with it, and franchising it), and now - wildly overpriced.  

If you've got stock in CPK, I think I'd sell now, if I were you - I think they might have priced themselves right out of their market.

Bookmark   Send to a Friend Link to This Review

 

8

24

kit w.

Los Angeles, CA

This CPK or all CPKs overall are so over-rated.  It is a family-friendly environment but come on, their dishes are boring, plain, over or under-cooked, and expansive.  $12 to $15 for a mediocre salad or pizza for one person just not gonna work.  You can spend that kind of money for a salad at any really good restaurant.  Anyway, I am not a big fan of chain restaurants like chilli's, TGI or all that.  I found them lack of characteristic and profit-oriented.

Bookmark   Send to a Friend Link to This Review

 

2

2

Gagan R.

Los Angeles, CA

CPK in Santa Monica (aka paradise) is one of my favorite eating establishments in the world. What can I say, I am a simple man with simple needs - give me bread, goat cheese, a Newcastle and some Tapatio sauce and I am in my version of heaven.

I am a big fan of california style pizza and I think that CPK does it best. In fact, having eaten at the restaurant that invented the California style of pizza, Spago's in Beverly Hills, I can knowledgably (is that a word - if not, I will pull the "I was not born in this country card") say that CPK, a corporate chain, out-does the original. Please note that the preceding paragraph was written to highlight that I have been to Spago's, which, to the best of my knowledge, makes me automatically cooler than you.

I agree with Jehan (AKA the 40 year old virgin) that the spokes radiating from the kitchen were a pretty amazing feature of the restautant; good attention to details.

Recommendations:
1. Best meals depending on dietary restrictions:
BBQ Chicken or Carne Asada pizza for non-vegs
Goat Cheese for vegetarians
Bread for vegans
2. Avoid anything on the menu that does not have the word "pizza" in it i.e. the Jambalaya and pastas are marginal at best
3. The Italian sodas taste quite good, have multiple flavors, and come with free refills
4. Ask for "complimentary bread" - it's, as the name suggests,  free

Bookmark   Send to a Friend Link to This Review

 

1

31

Tamar v.

Santa Monica, CA

the irony of salad on pizza is enough to get me to come back here. the so called diet friendly greens on one of the most notorious fatyy foods, i just keep imaging a development meeting with an executive asking "how can we get girls to order the higher priced items" answer "well maybe if we take the stable of their diet, the salad and apply it to other dishes..." anyhow the main reason this place gets 4 stars is that its close to the promenade without being on it. that way you have the option to go further into the crowd infested area or just a quick visit to the arch/art bookstore next door. the staff is friendly, although many of them are highly skilled in rushing you. Wednesday nights are packed full (a lot of child custody settlement these days result in guys getting their kids on wed nights and sundays and well the place is kid friendly, bright and well light interior, and you can hear each other over the crowd) but i like quirky things like that.

Bookmark   Send to a Friend Link to This Review

 

0

6

Ian S.

Pacific Palisades, CA

salads are amazing pizza is terrible

Bookmark   Send to a Friend Link to This Review