Croutons

The staff acts extremely inconvenienced by customers, you can tell they want you to leave as soon as possible so they can go back to talking to each other. The layout of this place is bizarre– you walk in, order, walk out of the building, and then pick up your order– this could be designed much better for the customer experience. The food is lackluster (Santa fe salad? NASTY) but the Pininis are ok– just ok. The only reason this place gets more than 1 star is because they’re the only spot in the food court that serves sandwiches!

I don’t know why I keep coming back to this place — this is the 4^th time they forgot something with my order… frustrating, especially when I get my order to go and find out stuff is missing like salad dressing, toppings — last time I go there…

Croûton’s disgusting standards need to be stopped.
I can only speak to their salad preparations but the fact that they mix every salad in the same bowls without cleaning them is VILE. There are three dirty bowls on display for their customers to see. As I waited for my salad, I watched each salad be prepared in these unwashed bowls over and over again. The standard should be to use clean or new utensils, as is with other salad places with sanitary practices. This is nothing short of gross not to mention dangerous for anyone with food allergies.

Great sandwiches i was surprised when i opened it up and got 2 sandwiches and paid 8 bucks and change. tasted great not greasy good balanced pesto to sundried tomato

The one in UTC closed :(I didn’t even know there was one so close to my house. Thank goodness! I love their salads. We would always eat here after a trip to la jolla.

Chicken pesto panini. ($ 8.05 with tax)
Bread: yummy
Chicken: dry dry dry
Pesto (mayo): non-​existent
There’s a very pale green bit next to the bread but you can’t taste it at all. Might as well not be there.
So… pricey for a bland dry panini. But at the very least it was a good portion.

The one thing that makes this place 4 stars for me is the short wait I experience when I go during prime lunch hours. I ordered a mandarin chicken salad and absolutely loved the chicken. It wasn’t over coated with sauce, and neither was the actual salad. Love the selections and healthier options that this Croutons provides in the midst of a food court serving tons of delicious junk food.
Great for call-​ahead orders, especially if you want to avoid the crowd and get back to work during workdays!

Overpriced salads and sandwiches and soups that are way overseasoned.

I work in the area, so this place is an excellent change of pace from home made lunch or food trucks (not that there’s anything wrong with those two options). If you’re at the Island, and looking for something outstanding, you’ve have several options to choose from, but I would suggest the turkey chili. Not being one for red meat due to dietary concerns, the chili is a definite and hearty go to for me!

Croutons is definitely my go-​to lunch option when I am in the mood for a yummy bowl of soup (and possibly accompanied with ½ a sandwich). I stopped in for lunch today and ordered a bowl of turkey chili (which was beyond amazing!!) and ½ a grilled cheese (which is not on the menu, but they so graciously made me one). I could have done without the grilled cheese, but the chili was delish! Especially when you top it off with their cornbread croutons– perfection.
The other soups I enjoy are the cuban black bean, and the tomato soup. I have also tried the chicken tortilla, and although it was good, it was not my favorite.
It is a little on the pricy side. My meal today cost $ 11 without a drink, but overall it is good quality and a great lunch option for the area.
During the noon lunch rush, it gets pretty busy, so either call ahead, or be prepared for a line.

Although this place is a tad on the expensive side ($ 8-​$ 11 on average for a meal and drink) I love the customer service and food here. The ingredients are always fresh and the salads are made per order. I have never had a salad or meal from here that I didn’t like. They also have soups and paninis.
They get pretty slammed between 12−1pm (line is usually out the door) but it is amazing how fast they go! The ladies that work the register are always so kind and remember names of their regular customers. When I was 8 months pregnant a couple summers ago one of them gave me a free drink cup once saying «You’re so beautiful and pregnant you need a free drink in this heat!» It made my day!
I have worked next door to the food court where Croutons is for almost 7 years and have never had a bad experience.
Definitely recommend!

Best lunch place ever! Love the Anna’s spring chicken salad or the franks spinach salad with chicken added to it! Also the chicken pesto sandwich is amazing!

This joint is within walking distance from where I work. The place is very small, which is fine, it is not meant to be a sit down type of eating establishment. The service has always been good and fairly quick. It can get very busy at lunch time, through no fault of theirs, but do plan for the extra time it may take. The food is pretty good. They offer sandwiches, paninnis (sp?), salads and soups. All, freshly made. It is a bit on the expensive side, but it beats the heck out of Subway.

I just started working in the area and this place was recommended my some co-​workers. I had the chicken and rice soup along with a margherita chicken sandwich. First, the soup was very good. It was hearty and not the «soupy» watered down type you can get other places. I would definitely get this again but maybe in a bowl instead of a cup. The sandwich was good as well. The flavor was good but my only issue is for a $ 12 meal, I would hope the chicken isn’t microwaved to be cooked. It was apparent that the chicken was cooked fully before and once you microwave it, it over cooks it and makes it a little rubbery. I don’t think I would get this again. Also, I would hope the cashier could be a little more friendly. I understand I got there right after they opened but I stated I have not been there before and no suggestions were made or attempts to be helpful were made. It was good and I would go back but try a different sandwich.

The soups and salads at Croutons are great and they’ve gotten quicker with service in the last year or so. I’ve worked in Carlsbad a few years now and it’s high on the list of dependable lunch spots. You should always ask for the dressing on the side, especially if you’re getting lunch to-​go. The best salad (my fave) is the albacore tuna and the best soup is chicken & wild rice.

My sandwich was not NEARLY as advertised. Processed chicken breast, tomatoes on the sandwich that are not clearly pointed out in the menu (and I am HIGHLY allergic to them). The sandwich looked dry and tasteless, as I had to toss it in the trash.
The next time the company offers to buy lunch, I’ll decline and go to 7 – 11 instead

If you’re craving a salad and work near by, Croutons will suffice. I appreciate that they have healthy options in a fast food environment.
I had the regular sized Berry Salad with chicken. I thought the regular size was a nice generous portion compared to what I would normally eat for lunch but I was extra hungry the day I was here. Given that, I also had chicken added to the salad but I could have used a better proportion of meat to lettuce. More meat please!
Service was friendly and despite being during the 12 noon lunch rush my salad was ready quickly. I appreciate that they didn’t over-​dress the salad. I actually could have used a teeny tiny bit more dressing.
My salad was good, but not great. I would return if I was meeting friends in this food court but this won’t ever be a destination for me.

My coworker took me here when I visited his office location for a quick lunch. The layout is kind of weird, with random lines everywhere and a big counter right in the middle of the room (super in the way!).
I got the chicken pesto sandwich with the buffalo chicken salad. The chicken pesto was under seasoned and didn’t taste like pesto at all. The buffalo chicken salad was very good! It comes with their cornbread croutons, yum! Their tomato basil soup was also very good. Perfect with their croutons too.
I wished they had indoor seating. Maybe take out that awkward counter to make some room for small tables.

This place is fantastic!
I have been eating here for many years now, the only downside is there operating hours (only open til 2? I crave their soup on cold days!)
Their entire menu is amazing and while it’s going to cost a few more dollars, the portions are very generous and they definitely don’t make it until you order it!
My favorite meal to order is the soup and sandwich combo; albacore tuna on fiocca bread with their wild rice soup — that is enough to feed me for lunch AND dinner!
I wish there were more Croûton’s locations and longer hours! :)

Everything I’ve ordered from Croutons has been delicious.
I love the chicken pesto panini (it’s better with no mayo, just pesto, in my opinion) and the buffalo chicken flatini. Each salad I’ve ordered has been fresh and tasty.
Sometimes they put their garlic croutons in weird places (like on the granny smith chicken salad salad, where garlic DOES NOT belong), and sometimes the half flatini seems pathetically small, but overall, this food is delish. The small salads that come with the combos are large and they’ve gotten my order right every time. I feel the prices are pretty reasonable for what you get.
The line out the door is a bitch, but call in your order and pay for it over the phone and you can just walk in, skip the line, and pick up your food. Easy-​peasy.