Mendocino Farms

We met here with a group of 7. You queue in a line to place your order for a sandwich. A very happy, chipper girl greeted us and gave us the run down. Once we ordered with her then we kept moving through the line. Next is a salad case where you can taste the different salads (some were completely raw/​organic) and order a side for your sandwich or a full order to take home. Next, you order a drink and pay.
We all enjoyed the different sandwiches we ordered. My son’s sandwich was too spicy… seems most place these days use more spice than in the past. He had taken the sandwich on the recommendation of the staff. When our waiter came back to see if my son liked it, he gave him a coupon for a free sandwich because it had not been to his liking. That is great customer service!
All the staff were fun and personable. It seems a nice place to work and gave the restaurant a relaxed feel. The décor was really fun with a farm theme. Some of the tables had trippy grass seats. Definitely worth checking out.

Reviewers posted about the great customer service… I guess I came on an off day. Maybe Sunday carries their B staff. Wasn’t explained the menu very well about blue plates and sides. The fact that only some sandwiches are blue plate specials is beyond me. Ordered a lemonade that did not get served. They don’t accept Unite States currency of $ 100 bills. The hot sandwiches came out cold.
For these reasons I will choose another one of the 363 places in costa mesa that serve sandwiches.

A very cool upscale sandwich place on 17^th St. Free valet parking since the lot is tiny and shared with other businesses. Interesting concept of using hand held menus and ordering at a kiosk with the help of a very enthusiastic staff. Big selection of unique and traditional sandwiches, soups and salads. Very easy to get salad samples, too. Non-​traditional soda fountain, gourmet chips, baked goods, etc. Indoor and outdoor seating options. The sandwiches were just delicious. We split a ban mi and a prosciutto and cheese sandwich with a side of pasta salad with sun dried tomato. Great bread, high quality toppings and an upscale price. A little far from home/​office to make this a regular lunch spot but I sure get the appeal of this place.

Great customer service and delicious food! Take-​out and dine-​in, their catering is great too!
Faves:
Sophisticated Salad! YUM!!!
Kale Caesar
Pork Belly Banh Mi
Steak BLT
Tuna Melt
Curried Israeli Couscous
Almond Romesco Shells
The choc chip cookies are pretty dry, they need to work on that. That’s the only bad thing I’ve ever had there. Oh and the Vegan Banh Mi, mediocre. The bread was dry which didn’t help with a tofu sandwich…

Free refills on the lemonade… from the table. What kind hospitality. :)
Got the pork belly banhmi again… and again it held up as my fav. Also tried the short rib Sunday supper trencher. Also a delightful play with flavors but it was more gentle. The short rib was very nicely braised though, and blended nicely with the ricotta crema.
Couscous, drake family pesto, and potato. All great salads but the couscous hold their own. Hands down. Mmmmm…
Running the LA marathon tmw, and with such a rich meal I feel like flying.

As far as sandwiches go, this spot was alright. I’ll make the same complaint here I make for nearly every other sanwichery: not enough meat. I’m all for high quality ingredients, organic, free-​range, blah blah blah… but what matters most is that at the end of my meal I am fully sated. And here, I was not.
I ordered the Steak BLT. It’s got meat, bacon, lettuce, tomatoes, red wine onions and, if you wanna pay extra (which I did), blue cheese crumbles. What goes into the food here is all good stuff… there just isn’t enough of it. I get it. It’s a sandwich. They want patrons to enjoy their fresh, tasty bread.
But I don’t like bread to be the hero of my meals. If you do, then this is probably going to be a great spot for a bite. They’ve got a great menu, lots of good sides and they even offer up free samples of anything you want to try.
But for me, I could have used at least double meat, if not triple, and so far that reason it seems unlikely I’ll be making a return trip.

I just can’t sing my praises loud enough for Mendocino Farms! This unassuming sandwich eatery provides the epitome of fast food for foodies, high quality, organic meats and produce, and healthy salads. Everything they serve is made with an artisan’s attention detail, so that each and every time, you’re served far from the ordinary sandwich. Everything is made in house, from the pickled onions, to the side salads, to the delicious strawberry lemonade.
I have come here several times, and while I have tried the not so fried chicken sandwich, which was delicious. My ABSOLUTE favorite is the Three Little Piggies. It is aaaahhhhmaaaazing! Originally seasonal and still considered part of their «Secret Menu,» The Three Little Piggies boasts carnitas, pork belly, and bacon thickly sliced accompanied by pickled onions and avacado and stacked atop a grilled ciabatta bun. Word to the wise, this a large sandwich for a hearty appetite!
Apart from their yummy food, the service is top notch! There is always a friendly face awaiting you in every part of the restaurant, and they are very helpful and generous with their salad bar tastings. The only negative criticism I have is in regards to their cookies. Seriously sub par. Do not waste the money or calories on them. In all other regards, I definitely recommend Mendocino Farms as the perfect lunch spot!