Banzai Bowls — Restaurant in Costa Mesa

I used to really RAVE about this place but I just had a horrible experience!!

My son wanted to get a Bonzai Bowl for the 1st time, so I was super excited to take him!! We were kind of limited on time, and I was worried it would be busy, but when we went in, it didn't seem to be, so we went ahead and ordered. We sat inside and waited for about 40 mins for two simple OG bowls!!! They would make call ahead orders for those not even there before our order. Two young girls who came in after us even got there's before us, and I asked them if they ordered ahead but they said they didn't, and the only girl working (who was pretty young) actually belted out, "pretty sure they were before you!!" They definitely were not! There were three other young guys working who were literally moving as slow as possible. It was so frustrating and completely rude, no apologies whatsoever from them either.

I don't mean to sound like a "Karen", but honestly, I was totally shocked how I watched a once thriving, busy place had turned almost opposite, probably because of the kids they have working there and their horrible, lack of, Customer Service!!

I will continue to get Acai Bowls from Juice It Up next to the new Target on 17th street where the girls working there (who are also young) have respect, work swiftly to get your order done, and give excellent, friendly service!!!

This is the last time we will ever return to this Bonzai Bowl location,...

I've been a loyal customer of Banzai Bowl for the past many years, but unfortunately, this location on 17th has really gone downhill in the last few years. My recent visit was quite a disappointment. First, the atmosphere was terrible. The employees were blasting loud trap music filled with explicit language, and one of them even yelled "F*" at the top of his lungs after dropping something. This kind of behavior is completely unprofessional and inappropriate.

Moreover, the staff here are unfriendly and seem disinterested in their jobs. The portions have gotten smaller, and they often make mistakes with orders. It's frustrating to pay for something and not get what you asked for.

The cleanliness of the place is another major issue. The ceilings are covered with brown and black mold, the tables are sticky, and the trashcans are always overflowing. It's gross and unsanitary.

The exterior isn't any better. The signage is rotting and looks awful. It's clear that there's no pride in maintaining the appearance of the store. In contrast, the Banzai Bowl on the Peninsula is so much nicer, cleaner, and has better portions and really friendly staff. Why would I ever choose to go to the 17th location again?

In conclusion, this place SUCKS now! I would not take my friends or family here anymore. It's really sad to see what happens when you hire incompetent staff who can't even manage a fruit bowl properly. This...

I love banzai bowls don't get me wrong. I don't even mind the long wait, but I wont ever I back to this location. I think they have someone fishing from the till, or they lied to not give us our proper change. Yesterday my bf and I went and paid a $10 charge with a $50 bill and only got a $10 bill back. The kid behind the counter was like "woah they still have these?" Referring to the $50 bill. And we proceeded to converse with him. Nice kid. When we realized (after we left) we were short, my bf called and we've been trying to get this taken care of all day. We called multiple times and never got a call back from the general manager (guess he wasn't in the store today?) but one of the employees told us we could get a $30 gift card but they couldn't give us the change, because the kid said it was a $20 bill and their drawer was actually SHORT last night. I'm furious. That was our gas money for the week, so, no, we're not driving all the way back from FV to get the gift card. And worse, it really sounded like they have someone fishing from the till. Which sucks because I love banzais but I refuse to feed a thieving hand. So I'll be sticking to the...