Panini Kabob Grill - Del Mar — Restaurant in San Diego

Disappointing Customer Service: A Review of Poor Management Response at Panini Del Mar.

My recent dining experience at Panini Del Mar location left much to be desired, particularly in terms of customer service provided by the restaurant's manager. Despite a substantial order totaling over $160, a simple request for extra dressing for my salad was met with a disappointing and unsatisfactory response from the manager.

Upon realizing my oversight in not requesting extra dressing for my salad, I approached the manager to inquire about obtaining additional dressing. Instead of acknowledging my request and seeking to accommodate it, the manager defended their employee's decision to offer extra dressing for an additional charge.

The manager's reaction was not only dismissive but also demonstrated a lack of empathy and understanding towards my situation as a customer. Rather than prioritizing customer satisfaction and striving to resolve the issue amicably, they chose to uphold a policy that prioritized profit over customer experience.

As a patron who had already spent a considerable amount on my order, I found the manager's refusal to provide a simple accommodation both disheartening and unacceptable. Their unwillingness to rectify the situation and their insistence on charging extra for a basic request left a sour taste in my mouth and overshadowed an otherwise enjoyable dining experience.

In addition to the disappointing response from the manager, I must also express my disappointment with the lack of flexibility and understanding displayed by the restaurant's staff. In a competitive industry where customer loyalty is paramount, such inflexibility and reluctance to accommodate reasonable requests are detrimental to the restaurant's reputation and long-term success.

Overall, my experience was marred by the poor customer service provided by the manager. Their failure to address my request in a satisfactory manner reflects poorly on the restaurant's commitment to customer satisfaction and tarnishes its reputation in my eyes.

I regret to say that I cannot in good conscience recommend Panini Del Mar ] to others based on my recent experience. Until the restaurant addresses its shortcomings in customer service and demonstrates a genuine commitment to prioritizing the needs and satisfaction of its patrons, I will be taking my business elsewhere.

Disappointed and...

My wife has gestational diabetes and I have high cholesterol (this is despite us both being pretty fit and clean eaters, but I digress). The two health diagnosis above are important because it’s tricky to eat out to accommodate such restrictions. We wanted to try this spot since a Mediterranean diet is within reason for us.

I got the avocado salad with added grilled salmon 🍣 kebob. The salad 🥗 itself wasn’t anything special - just a variety of 🥬, and about half an avocado. The dressing, as simple as it was (I think lemon 🍋 juice, and olive oil) was actually quite refreshing. But the salmon was REALLY good, and filling, which is important considering the salad is just water. It was about 5 oz of salmon. All combined, it was a very tasty salad that rang true to a healthy meal and was respectful to my dietary restrictions. 💪🏼

My wife got the chicken kebob plate. The 🐓 was very very tasty. The kebob made better because of the tomato 🍅 and white onion 🧅 that grilled along with the chicken - a seemingly clean version of a chicken parmigiana (no cheese here). There was a simple salad and some brown rice, both good complements but nothing like the kebob. It was 🤤.

For an appetizer, we had the caprese salad (fresh mozz with tomato 🍅 and pesto, with cucumber 🥒 instead of pita 🫓 ). The pesto was on point. Very flavorful. I’m sure it’d be a pinch better with the pita, but that’s on us for not trying it that way. With cucumbers, it was a very fresh app, good for a hot day.

And the service was very good too. Friendly and responsive. Kudos to the restaurant. A great experience. Especially on a...

Edit (Aug 2025): After years of being a loyal customer and writing the glowing review below, I was shocked and disappointed by how management handled a serious foodborne illness incident.

On Tuesday, Aug 19, both my son and I became sick after eating the Combo Split. My son even had to be picked up from school before 11 a.m. the next day after vomiting repeatedly. Other family members dining with us only had lentil soup and pita — they were completely fine. My son, however, finished my salad (which I barely touched), and he became much sicker than I did.

I called on Aug 20 simply to report the issue, not even demanding anything — but was met with a defensive, dismissive response from the representing manager (Paola). Instead of empathy or accountability, I was questioned and told that the kitchen used “fresh produce.” When I followed up, no refund was offered, and the tone grew argumentative. After years of loyalty, consistently hyping up this place, delivering constructive feedback, and recommending it widely, I am stunned that $30 and basic customer care were not offered.

It is incredibly disappointing to see a restaurant we considered a pillar of the community fail to appreciate loyal customers or take responsibility when something goes wrong. 👎

Original Review (5★): The food here is consistently delicious and nutritious! We really enjoy the combo special with a chicken and beef kabob. Also, their lentil soup is quite special. They also have some decent salads! Yum! One of our favorite...