Panini Cafe

Very friendly, food quality is very satisfying. I’ll go back again with my friends and family.

We go here a lot, probably at least once a week on average, almost always in the evening. They have a chicken Kabob Special in the evening which is $ 9.95 which is pretty good value, it’s $ 12.95 during the day which I think is way too high.
They used to really good at refilling your ice tea but last 2 or 3 visits that haven’t refilled it at all without being asked to and even then on one one of the visits they forgot even after we asked them, which is why you are down to 4 stars, I think overall they are probably 4.5 stars.
You can usually Park in the parking structure below building 450 and they can valid for up to 2 hours.
In Summary:
Food Quality: Excellent
Value for Money: Okay, a little bit pricey
Cleanliness: Good
Atmosphere: Good, you can either sit inside or on the Patio.
Décor: Pretty good

Ordered the hummus trio-​very tasty, came with whole wheat pitta bread-​delicious.
Then, the Greek salad, very good. Asked the waitress to bring some more feta cheese and she was very kind and brought some more. The salad-​again delicious.
Also, had the chicken soup. Out of this world-​sort of ethnic flavor-​lots of lemon juice with parsley and tons of chicken– WONDERFUL.
I would go back.

Call me crazy, but I’m the type of person who always orders the item that it is in a restaurant’s name. (Well, within reason. I don’t order wooden forks at Wooden Fork.) I previously just had a panini from this place and it was A-​OK, but I never really went back. Last week, after sort of forgetting about Panini Café (it’s just far enough from work that I never think to go there), our company had food catered from there. And wow! It was fantastic in every way. If I could roast vegetable the way they roast their broccoli I’d be a lot healthier. I also judge many mediterranean places by their baba ganoush and how tasty and fresh the grilled food is – checks off on all points. I will definitely stop in again for some delicious veggies. And probably a panini again.

This place should be called Stingy Café. I say that regarding this particular location in Glendale, as they are rather skimpy with the portions of meat. I’ve only patronized this place twice since they’ve come into the neighborhood. Their location on 3^rd Street is much better, but I was hoping the Glendale location will be just as good, since it’s in my neighborhood. On my last visit, I ordered take-​out for lunch. I ordered the Chicken Shish Kabob ($ 12.95), which comes with meat, veggies, rice, and a salad. Instead of a salad, I wanted extra rice. Much to my surprise, I realized that I received more veggies than meat. In addition, it’s as if they tried to make the tomatoes look similar to the meat, in terms of color. Actually, I thought I was about to eat a piece of meat until I realized it was a tomato. Anyway, I called the restaurant and talked with Alex, whom stated their «skewers are weighed». Alright, I can appreciate that, but anyone can make a skewer reach a certain weight if they put enough veggies on a skewer instead of meat. Alex informed me that the «morning Manager» had left already but, surprisingly, after I complained more, this «morning Manager» was still in the building and was put on the phone. Well, I talked with the «morning Manager» and she stated she’ll replace my food if I bring all the food back. Then, she told me I can call their corporate office and maybe they can handle the situation better. She gave me the corporate number and I talked with the General Manager’s assistant. Matters became worse, as «Irlanda» informed me they can give me a «free dessert» for my troubles, and requested I send a picture of my food. Really?! I asked to talk with the GM but, of course, he wasn’t available. So, a week later, and two emails later, I still haven’t received a response from Hansen, the GM, as listed on their website. Furthermore, I called the corporate office again, and «Irlanda» informed me that the GM is still busy, but she’ll remind him of my message. I’m assuming that «Irlanda» is deleting my emails to the GM, and didn’t tell him that I’ve called.
All in all, this is a poor way of doing business. To not follow-​up with a customer regarding a complaint is most unacceptable. Taking customers for granted is unacceptable, as well. Although their other location on 3^rd Street is much better, I think it’s best that I, and my friends, not patronize this business, for now, until I receive some feedback from the General Manager. In the interim, I’d suggest all customers check their to-​go orders before leaving this restaurant. When we go to the location on 3^rd Street, we dine-​in, so I’ve never experienced a situation of this kind before. At any rate, this is a horrible reflection on this business and there are too many other businesses with just as good food, and service in the L.A. area to choose from. So, if this restaurant wants to be «stingy», just know that consumers can be «stingy», as well, by taking our money to other restaurants that value their customers.

Never would I imagine writing a review for a restaurant that messed up an order. I ordered the chicken shish kabob plate and after my second bite into my chicken I noticed it was undercooked. I let my server know and she handled it. I had a salad brought to me to keep me occupied. And in ten minutes or less I had my chicken plate cooked to perfection. I always come here so I was surprised to have had this happen on the 10^th time I was here. Needless to say if anyone leaves a shitty comment they’re not having a good day because honestly this place is the best when it comes to service and food. I’ll be coming back

Yummm.
My friend and I went here one windy day recently to check this place out. I’ve driven past it a hundred times, but never stopped in. We had to sit inside because it was really cold (for LA) and windy (even for LA), even though I had originally desired to sit on their cute patio. Oh well, the inside was nice too. We both had the 1 skewer of beef luleh kabob and it was really delicious. One skewer was plenty, as it came with a very large salad (got the Caesar — it was great, amazing croutons), and a generous portion of rice or organic bulgar. I chose the latter, while my friend had the former. Neither were absolutely amazing, but they were just fine. I’d choose the rice next time because that kind of bulgar really didn’t go with my kabob, but oh well. Tried it once.
Anywho, the poor waiter was absolutely swamped, as he was the only one there that day, and had a good amount of tables. That’s why he couldn’t be super attentive (I honestly don’t blame him — he did a good job anyway), but service was still fine, nothing to complain about. Oh, forgot to mention that it also came with a little side of yogurt-​y dip-​y thingy, as well as a skewer of veggies (like broccoli) that were perfectly cooked to crunchy perfection. We really enjoyed ourselves here, and being Persian Armenian myself, I think I could vouch for their luleh kabob with confidence. I’ll definitely be going back there, likely someday soon. My meal came out to $ 14 including tip (no drink), but it was reasonable for the quantity (I didn’t finish) and the quality, as well as the atmosphere. The only bummer is there’s no parking lot as far as I saw, but I quickly found a spot on the street for free, anyway. Definitely go if you’re in the area.

So I’ve never sat down at this restaurant to eat (only delivery & takeout) You can’t imagine how fresh the food tastes here! My favorite dish is the lentil soup & hummus trio. Mouth watering food !!!
The reason I give 4 stars instead of 5 is because whenever I go pick up there is zero parking (start a valet service please) Oh & the cashier could be a little friendlier #customerserviceiseverything especially when your running a restaurant :)

First time I came here we stayed and ate here
My boyfriend and I shared Salmon Kebob and it was pretty good
We also got the Hummus Trio with the bread it comes with and it was good.
I would get it again definately
The second time we ordered for pick up and we got another order of the Salmon Kebob, Kobideh and the Chicken Kebob
Everything was full of flavor
I would definately go back and recommend this place to others
Next time I will try one of their famous Panini sandwiches

I have lived in ER for majority of my life and have spent alot of time in glendale and have always passed by this place but never tried it til tonight. Btw, when you first walk in there’s a sign that says there’s a free 90 min parking area but not sure where since I had already parked on the street.
I had only ordered the salmon and brie sandwich (which comes with either a salad or soup). Maybe I talked too much or ate my salad a little too long, but the sandwich cooled down pretty quickly. The flavors were amazing. The salmon was tender and well seasoned. I would definitely go back for lunch.
Half way through my sandwich, I wish I had ordered their kabob dinner meals because it looked so good. I was food envy. Anyway, I would definitely go back to try some other things on their menu.
Also, the staff were very friendly and helpful. They served the food pretty quickly and the staff always checked in on us.

Really enjoyed this adorable quaint café!
The chicken kabobs are to die for! Juicy tender and flavorful! You get a good bang for your buck you’ll leave full and the service is great as well! Oh, and while you’re here order the hummus trio! Its pretty bomb! Ask for cucumbers instead of pita if you don’t want to get to full before your entrée’.

Perfect ambiance and attentive staff very friendly. Their Salmon sandwich was definitely a must on top of the awesome lentil soup and tuna melt sandwich. I would recommend this place. I took my wife for a great calm relaxing dinner.

This place gets five stars 1^st for great service. Miguel did an excellent job. It was my first time here and he a big reason why I will return. I say outside mainly because I had no idea what the inside was like and it was a nice day out. Unfortunately the sunshine quickly turned on me and became way too hot and uncomfortable. He noticed that I had moved far from my table and made the choice to grab a large umbrella and shield me. This took a while and I’m sure he had better things to do. We always complain because our servers don’t come around often, we think they suck at their job and so on. Maybe they are helping someone like me to better enjoy their meal and time at the restaurant. I really appreciated the extra effort and the Peach Tea refill. I was able to stay out longer and enjoy life a little more.
The food was worth five stars as well. I had the kebabs with grilled broccoli instead of a salad. OMG! I would go there just for broccoli. Everything was delicious and reasonably priced. I never drink iced tea but the peach iced tea sounded refreshing and it was. They have Truvia and that melted into the glass nicely for a sweet treat.
My husband had the chicken kebabs and they were equally as tasty. His romaine salad was super yummy. If I was a vegetarian I’d probably order the broccoli and the salad with some bulgur wheat on the side for a balanced meal. Every bite was well seasoned, fresh and worth coming back for.

K, so… this place is pretty legit. As a Raffi’s die-​hard, I can assuredly say the fare at Panini Café delivers most on quality, flavor, and value. Sorry, Raffi’s.
I always get the Organic Tofu Kebab. It’s seriously sooooo good, I was quoted while eating, «This is the best tofu I’ve ever had in my life.» And, I’m not lying. Better than any other way, shape, or form. It’s sooo good and even resembles the texture of a succulent piece of chicken, without the ridiculous over processing of fake chicken products (that aren’t even good, anyway). Seasoned and grilled to absolute perfection with a myriad of delectable vegetables that go well beyond the standard tomato and onion (which are accompaniments as well). I get the bulgar pilaf and both the greek salad and romaine avocado salad are bomb. But, the Romaine avocado has the most delightful dressing, it goes so well with this platter (and, they are not stingy w the avo). It also comes with a single serving of hummus, which is wonderful.
If you’re conscious about eating organically, this is a great option in the neighborhood. The food is excellent and consistent. And, you will not leave hungry.
The hubby swears by the chicken kebab platter and he’s the one who convinced me to switch it up to the romaine avocado salad. Good call!
Outdoor, patio, and indoor seating available!
Note: the service was a bit disjointed the first few visits, but they seem to have streamlined it. Our last visit had impeccable service.
enjoy!
xo–
Andrea

Food: Delicious food! I had an iced tea and the Mousaka (Seasoned Ground Sirloin with side of rice. Topped with roasted egg plant. Served with Hummus, Tatziki and Pita with choice of Salad). Everything was fabuous, except for the Egg plant. It could have been cooked a bit longer as the center was still hard. The serving portion is huge, but as always i finished everything on my plate. From dipping the pita into the hummus, and then into the Tatziki back and forth. I didn’t even attempt to be healthy. Being a Friday night, I went with the white rice instead of the brown rice. :-)
Our waitress was great. She brought us several refills of iced tea. I also asked her for a recommendation and she was kind enough to help me out. I also left a comment card for her. The prices of all their dishes are fair, since you get so much food.
There’s indoor and outdoor seating. However, the outdoor area is still enclosed and they have heaters if needed. It’s a lovely, well lit place. A must try if you’re in glendale. They also have several locations around los angeles.
It’s street parking only. $.75 per hour on Brand Blvd. I’m not sure if there is additional street parking in the area. It’s a hit or miss in Glendale. Too many Apartments in the area, which forces tenants to park on the streets.

I’ve been to panini café multiple times and I can safely say I’ve never had a bad experience. I usually order the chicken kebab plate with rice pilaf and Greek salad no onions! The chicken is so tender and I love it. I’ve gotten the koobideh as well and both are super good! I probably have panini café twice a week! It’s a healthy option while eating out! Our waitress is always very nice too. Great service great food! Yum Yum!
Oh! If you want to order an appetizer definitely try the hummus trio! If you’re on a low carb diet, you can get cucumbers instead of the pita! Both ways are really good!!!
ENJOY!

I finally came here after passing by it many times. Came for lunch and it was super busy. Parking was difficult to find since there is no parking lot and only street parking. When we walked in, we got seated immediately. Everything is clean and modern.
The food was amazing. Comes in large portions and cheap. I had gotten the Chicken Brie and it was amazing! Got the sandwich with some Avocado Salad and it was delicious. Definitely coming back to try more plates!

Great location. Great friendly staff, hostess and waiters. Reasonable prices. It just that it gets so noisy during lunch… where the waiters can’t hear you, yeah it’s that noisy. It could be the marble walls or cement/​tiled floors, and sound is not absorbed anywhere.
Food was OK, not great, not bad but just different… Like the falafel should be called indian veggie patties because that’s the taste.
I like that they serve beer, and it was nice and cold. I had a little problem with my dish, but they were nice and didn’t charge me for it. We were a group of five and everyone else liked their food. Nothing exceptional, but nothing bad. A good option to have other than Panera and Porto’s since they’re right up the street from them.
Overall, the experience was OK, food was OK, but it was not like a WOW feeling… I definitely want to try more things on the menu, and perhaps try to go evening… And update review.

I decided to give this place a try yesterday and have lunch here with my friends. Parking is a bit of a hassle since they only have street parking and since it’s right across from a 24 hour fitness gym, finding street parking is a bit of a challenge. But luckily our parking karma came in handy and we found a spot near by.
As we walked in, someone greeted us and sat us down at a table outside. They had heaters so the cold breeze wasn’t bothering us much. We quickly ordered our iced teas and got the Hummus Trio Plater. After 5 minutes they brought the Plater out and it was very nicely displayed and the colors of the 3 Hummus were very bright and fresh. One was regular hummus, the other was edamame, and the last one was black bean. They also had some toasted pitta bread on the side. They were all delicious!
We then moved on to ordering our main dishes. I ordered the Roasted Red Pepper Panini with Caesar Salad (I replaced the blue cheese with mozzarella cheese), my sister ordered the Lentil Soup with the Vegetarian Pesto Panini with Caesar Salad, and my friend ordered the Chicken Pesto Soup with Chicken Soup. We went on nibbling on our hummuses and talking. After 10 minutes all of our dishes came out. They were all very nicely presented. We loved the way they were placed on the plates.
But right away I noticed that my sandwich did not have mozzarella, it had what it looks like to be Swiss cheese. I asked the waiter to please go replace it. She took my dish and came back out with it a few minutes later and said «no, this is actually mozzarella.» It was so odd that she would say that. I am a HUGE cheese lover. I know my cheeses from a mile away. And she kept insisting that no it is mozzarella. So I did not say anything and ate my panini. It was ok. Not the best I’ve had. My sister and friend said their paninies were okay as well.
Over all my experience here was okay. I wish they had better service and a bit of care towards their customers.

Wow… just wow. I came here for a dinner with a friend and I wasn’t expecting very much. I am Armenian therefore Kabob places don’t really impress me, most kabob places are basically the same, especially in Glendale. We asked to be seated outside in the patio area, which was decorated very nicely and you have a lot of privacy to sit behind a glass and people watch everyone walking by on Brand.
I ordered their Chicken Kabob, with a side of wheat bulgar and a side of Caesar salad. I am just blown away at how delicious the dish was and it was healthy so I left full but not overstuffed. Beyond that the service was impeccable we were constantly checked on throughout dinner and asked if we needed anything. I cannot wait to come back here again soon!