Nekter Juice Bar — Restaurant in California

This is hands down the most poorly managed juice bar I’ve ever visited. The first thing I noticed was how dirty the place was—tables had dried smoothie spills, used napkins, and general mess everywhere. While waiting in line, service suddenly came to a halt. An employee announced that all of the blenders had stopped working. When I asked what happened, I was told they had overheated and that this happens often because the equipment is outdated. We were informed it could take anywhere from 5 to 35 minutes for them to work again.

About 10 minutes later, one blender started working. When I finally went to order a bowl, I was told they were out of peanut butter, a key ingredient in the item I wanted. I asked to substitute almond butter, but the employee said she couldn’t. When I pressed for a reason, she claimed it would cost extra. So let me get this straight: they’re out of a listed ingredient, but I’m expected to pay more for a substitute they do have—after waiting 20 minutes for their broken equipment to cool down? Absurd.

Next, I asked about adding the protein waffle they have plastered all over their advertisements—only to be told they’ve never actually had it in stock. I then waited another 10 minutes for my bowl, despite being the first order in line. While waiting, I saw water flooding the dining area from a mopping job gone wrong. It looked like someone dumped a bucket of water on the floor. Even customers behind me were laughing at how sloppy it was.

I asked to use the bathroom and was told it was out of order too. When I finally got my bowl, I asked for a napkin. The staff pointed to a clearly empty dispenser, then made me wait two more minutes while they found more. As for the bowl? A disappointing 2 out of 10.

Absolutely nothing about this experience was acceptable. I wouldn’t recommend this place under any...

I've been here twice with two very different experiences. Both times I came because I got a coupon in the mail for a free 12oz drink. The place looks really nice and hip, and right when you walk in you smell fruits and vegetables.

My first experience: The employees were really friendly. I asked the girl at the register what drink she recommended for me, and she gave me four recommendations. I ended up going with the first smoothie on the menu - the berry banana burst. It was good! Just what you'd expect from the name, and you could tell it was healthier than typical smoothies, like those from Jamba Juice that have ice cream in them. I also tried a sample of toxin flush, as it was sitting there. THAT tasted healthy! I don't think I could have drank a whole 12 oz of it, but it was nice experiencing the sample-size cup.

My second experience: I got the Valentine's Day smoothie. It was alright, but I'd recommend the berry banana WAY more. My husband got Popeye's Acai. That was definitely NOT worth it. It's in the smoothie category, but it was so watery it should have been in the juice category. It tasted healthy, but had very little flavor to it. If I had only had this experience at Nektar and not another experience prior to it, I would never have gone back.

I do have to add: They're ridiculously overpriced. The 12 oz...

There are only a handful of dishes that haunt my dreams (in a good way)... Nekter supplied an item on that list.

Now, they don't.

If I am supposed to fully enjoy my summer without their Peanut Butter Chocolate bowl, then someone please send me a road map! As I stumbled into Nektar after buying an anonymous amount of "needed" items at Hobby Lobby, it was almost like the heavens came through the windows. I could hear angels singing as I glided myself to the checkout counter. The look of disappointment I had when the worker told me they took the Chocolate Peanut Butter bowls off the menu could have been in the history books. After pausing for what seemed like an agonizing 10 hours (actually 2 seconds), I ordered what I felt was second best... the Chocolate Peanut Butter smoothie. The sun shone a little less when I ate that delicacy. It felt like talking with a doppelgänger cousin of the departed at a close friend's funeral. It was good, but it was not Chocolate Peanut Butter bowl good.

If you have the power to bring back joy and happiness, please put that bowl flavor back on the menu.

It's missed. It's needed. It's meant to...