Mix Cafe

My co-​workers recommended this joint for a good, cheap, healthy lunch. I walk into this place and immediately notice the menu was in Italian. I then noticed the workers were all Chinese. As i proceeded to order, I see a pure Italian guy come out from the back. Wanting to try my simple Italian that i know, i began to talk to him. We hit it off and he recommended to me his favorite sandwich. What great customer service! Still unsure of the the Chinese workers there, but I think he’s married to one of them. Either way, great place with great food. I highly recommend for a quick bite in the bustling dtown.

Mix Café offers some truly stellar sandwiches and when you are downtown, it is certainly a refreshing change of scene. The items very tasty, prices decent, however the service can take some time so do plan to allot a few extra minutes when you do go.
Now what makes a sandwich place stand out from the rest? Especially in a competitive environment like downtown where places to get a sandwich are dime a dozen. Well, stellar sandwiches are a good starting point. With sandwiches like the Italian which feature fantastic cured meats, mozarella and gouda cheese, what’s not to like? The steak sandwich is quite and stellar and on the polar opposite, the veggie panini was even quite tasty with just the right combination of peppers, tomatoes and other seasonings which meld in a great harmony of flavors.
Service can be a bit of a wait at times since the sandwiches are heated to order. So be prepared to wait right outside the door for a bit during peak meal hours. The staff aren’t exactly warm and friendly, however they certainly are efficient which is well appreciated downtown.
Parking is… well it’s downtown you should have some idea that it is virtually non-​existent, however you really want to make the trek, try the meter parking a few blocks over at the post office or at the Iolani Palace and quickly be on your way.
Prices are rather reasonable with the sandwiches generally under $ 10 with a small salad which I could have personally done with out or done with a better dressing choice.
So if the mood to appear to eat well should strike, check out Mix, its a pretty good offereing!

Mix Café is a great lunch spot. The sandwiches are delectable and come with either salad or roasted veggies. I really like their STEAK BAGUETTE SANDWICH, I normally eat half of it and save the other half as a mid-​afternoon meal. Like any typical steak sandwich there is some fat factor to it, but it’s not overly greasy so you won’t feel entirely guilty after eating it. Although I can’t imagine not being a little sluggish if you eat the entire thing in one sitting. The SPICY CRABMEAT PASTA is also delicious, creamy, very flavorful and has a little bit of heat to it, a decent portion for $ 9.
The meals are very simple, what makes them great is the high quality ingredients — very fresh, and you can’t go wrong with fresh baked bread, just think the movie Ratatouille by Pixar and the crackle sound of bread. :-) Music to my ears. Had their ACAI BOWL once and it was okay. It wasn’t something phenomal but I’d probably get it again if it’s a super hot day and I’m craving it.
Go early to avoid long lines and especially if you want a table. I never ordered take out before but I noticed they have them in these cool wax lined brown boxes, similar to what they have at the fresh deli at Whole Foods, so extra points for not using styrofoam containers. Service was quick and friendly, and the restaurant has a good flow feel to it.

If I could eat salami and cheese everyday, I would…
Here’s where Mix Café comes in. I was Downtown for an appointment and was famished! My usual favorite spot was already closed since it was after 2pm. My Attorney said there’s a place down the street called Mix Café where they have great paninis. In I walked into Mix Café… got a warm greeting by the owner.
Super clean café with deuce seating inside and outside.
With the rumble in my tummy and having to choose my panini, I was starting to get dizzy with excitement, but was having a hard time deciding. there’s even one called «Si-Si-Oui-Oui»…cute! It was already after 2 pm, so most of their sandwiches were pretty much out. I decided to order the «Italian»…fresh mozzarella cheese, swiss cheese, salami and pesto served on a warm, toasty whole wheat bread. Excellente! The panini was served with a small mixed green salad with shredded carrot and a balsamic vinaigrette. A nice meal for under $ 10. You can’t go wrong with that.
Lots of cool drinks that I haven’t seen before are served at the Café. I got a blueberry white tea in a can. Thirst quenching!
I read the other reviews for Mix Café while I was eating and realized I didn’t get any french fries :(Maybe I was missed the boat on that one. I guess the early bird does get the worm.

Costs too much for what they give you.
Sometimes it’s better to just bring your lunch from home.

For me, this is tough.
You need to understand, to begin with, that I am used to judging the quality of a sandwich on the basis of its girth. That is to say, if you pack a sandwich with a pound and a half of meat, you’re going to win my vote of confidence. Granted I won’t stand for slimy Oscar Meyer deli cuts, but volume used to be my major criteria for sandwich judgement.
Cut to last week when I dropped into Mix, which struck me as a quaint little café for lunch. I had passed by a few weeks earlier and liked their sign, their location (a little off the HPC-​beaten path, but still close to the action of downtown), and the fact they had free WiFi.
I ordered the Portabello/​Mozzarella sandwich on the basis of a few Unilocal reviews. Great, friendly service. And when they brought me the sandwich, I was impressed with the salad and thought the side of baked potato fries were fun. I opened the sandwich, which came on nice looking few inches of baguette. .. and there wasn’t much in there: three thin slices of mushroom, a few thin slices of mozzarella, and some tomato. No lie, I actually considered taking it back and asking if they were serious with the mushroom content.
And then I bit into the sandwich.
And pretty much my entire conception of what a good sandwich should be changed. Rather than volume, these guys were focusing on balancing flavor and texture — and hitting it out of the park. The mushrooms pack a huge punch of marinated goodness, the bread is incredible and brushed with some kind of herb infused oil that takes it to the next level, and the mozzarella brings a solid creaminess to it all. Amazing.

So, overall, I sympathize with the folks who say there’s not enough volume to the filling in these sandwiches — I used to be one of you. To the more open minded, I say come here when you’re not starving and be prepared to be blown away by a mind altering, slightly filling sandwich experience.

This is one of my favorite places for a tasty lunch. Their bread and sandwiches are amazing as are their salads. Everything they serve is homemade, down to the fries. Crispy, crusty breads with fresh greens and mozarella with tomatoes and balsamic vinegar. need I say more? Their pastas are wonderful as well.
A great departure from the regular downtown plate lunch fare.

Mix Café = good breads + quality meats + fresh produce + specialty cheeses + herb oil/​vinaigrette = the best sandwiches in town!
The assortment is wide. The ingredients are fresh. Every reasonable protein can be found on the menu (chicken, beef, pork, fish, cheese and veggie). Much of the produce are local and/​or organic. The sandwiches are pre-​assembled each morning and proudly displayed for your selection. Once ordered, they are drizzled with herb oil/​vinaigrette and sent open-​faced to the oven for a good toasting. **Note: The sandwiches are not pressed.** Each one comes out perfectly browned, warm and fused (but never overdone to the point of cheese gone gooey). Each one also comes with a side salad of field greens and is topped off with a few pieces of fresh roasted vegetables (i.e., potato, baby carrot, green bean, brussel sprout). The price is unbelievably reasonable at $ 7 — $ 8!
My favorite sandwich to order is the VEGGIE. This is a soft, whole wheat roll filled with roasted cubes of kabocha pumpkin, eggplant, red bellpepper and cheese. Everything is cooked, nothing is raw. It’s a nice change from the usual cold, vegetarian sandwich and a good option on days when the tummy wants something veg but cozy.
My other favorite is the FISH, which features the best tuna nicoise ever!!! I repeat: The best tuna nicoise EVER. This is also the most generously packed of them all. A chewy baquette bursting with flavors and textures from string beans, hardboiled eggwhites, grape tomatoes, olives, and good tuna is what you can expect. I suspect there is also lemon zest in the mix.
My other, other favorite is the PORK. Whole wheat roll again, filled with freshly roasted sliced pork, grilled onion and blue cheese. The flavors are delicious and addictive!
You really can’t go wrong with any of the sandwiches. They’re all great. I’ve tried them all! Hawaii may not have many good sandwhich shops, but we do have one excellent sandwhich shop. Sometimes that’s all you can ask for. Thank You Bruno’s Mix Café!

Service was good. Homemade roasted chicken was awesome. Sauce was shoyui-​ish and left a good taste in my mouth. I heart their sandwhich! I seriously love going to HPU just a that much more knowing that I have Mix café just around the corner to feed my hunger fix. I don’t know what it is about their bread or their meats but it’s just so darn tasty. Even the fries are yummy. I dont even want ketchup with them! If you’re not into sandwiches, try them. I’m definitely a believer now and have converted my ways. Well, not really… but i sure am a fan of mix café’s.

Yum! I drove by this place on my way to work for over a year and finally decided to give it a try. (It’s hard to switch from a favorite lunch to something new and unknown, and being on Beretania this location is a little bit «out of sight out of mind» for the Fort Steet Mall crowd.)
I had the buffalo mozzarella, mushroom and tomato sandwich and it was delicious! I love grilled sandwiches to begin with and the cheese tasted really fresh. But the bread is what sold me on this place. Warm, crunchy on the outside, chewy in the middle. mmm :)
The side of greens was just that. Literally, a small side of leaves and a nice little oil/​vinegar dressing. They claim that it comes with «side of greens and roasted vegetables.» I don’t know about you — but 3 strips of potato (imitation french fries that were presumably baked) doesn’t cut it as «roasted vegetables» in my book. I could’ve gone without that part.
But the quality of the sandwich and nice greens makes it worth $ 7.33. After all, you will spend $ 7 for lunch almost anywhere downtown.
Next time I will try the pastas. They looked amazing! Oh and the flourless German chocolate cake… mmm chocolate.

This place is really quaint and feels like we’re not in Hawaii anymore Toto!
I love that the veggies are organic and that almost everything is natural and everything is homemade!
I would give this a 3.5 stars. It’s a pretty small place right across from HPU downtown, but luckily it wasn’t very crowded when I went there.
They take credit cards and for parking… either street, Mark’s, or the municipal.
I had the Italian sandwich, with Buffalo mozzarella, gouda cheese, and a variety of Italian meats. Now I don’t think this is a true «panini» style sandwich. It really does remind me of Subway because of the way it looks. It was pretty flavorful but I’ve definitely had better!
The salad was pretty good and the fries could’ve been crispier but I did like the rosemary flavor.
My friend had the spicy crab pasta. It was pretty spicy and I can take a lot of spice! The pasta could’ve been cooked more evenly, as some noodles were hard, and some were mushy. The flavor of the crab pasta was very good… I just wish it wasn’t as soupy.
All in all, I would come back and try more sandwiches and pasta, as it’s a good value for «homemade»…even though I wasn’t full after I devoured everything!

Mix Café offers nice lunches that are well paired and well thought out. It’s a nice change of pace VS just a normal plate lunch. I ordered a pork & sea salt sandwich with a side salad and lemonade. The pork sandwich was good, but there was very little filling and the cheese was non existent. I think they relied too much on herb oil then actually filling the sandwich with something. The side salad was very good, I just wish it was a little bigger. The dressing that came with the salad was a nice Balsamic Vinaigrette. So many places just offer Italian dressing or dressings loaded with mayo, so boring!
Their pricing structure is a little strange I feel. The majority of their menu items are well priced and very fair. However, if you look at some of their sides and drinks they are priced too high. I paid $ 3 dollars for a SMALL Lemonade! Maybe, I am being cheap, but I thought it was too expensive.
I would like to try Mix Café again because I feel some of their menu items looked unique and healthy. Service was fine and the restaurant was clean. Having a clean restaurant in downtown is always a plus…

I would drive by Mix Café often in Downtown and never knew who they were from their sign until a friend of mine informed me about this cute, hole in the wall in Downtown near Chinatown.
An associate and I dined for lunch over there and come 12p.m. the place is packed with wall to wall people. Inside is über small with a counter at which you order and the food is available to see.
Tables and chairs, only a handful, are available for dine in, however it appears that most people either call ahead and takeout or come in, order and leave.
Mix Café offers an assortment of ono-​licious sandwiches, salads and entrees for affordable prices.
The food is organic, healthy and fresh. I ordered the buffalo mozzarella sandwich which came with organic mixed greens, a smattering of veggies and my sandwich on a baguette.
To say the least, it was onolicious! I was pleasantly surprised as it is often difficult to find a really good sandwich joint in town let alone anywhere.
The place also provides takeout so I have steadily been using them for meetings and other small events where I need to order a small bunch of sandwiches at affordable pricing.
The staff is also always friendly, my orders are always done on time and ready for me to pickup.
The bread is addictive on the sandwiches and tastes even better when you dip it into the salad dressing! My only one complaint would be that the lettuce pieces need to be smaller in their salads and more bite size, but that’s about it.
In our office the orders range between the buffalo mozzarella sandwich and the roast turkey, however it appears hands down that the Buffalo mozzarella is the ultimo fave for my coworkers and I.

I love this place. I go here whenever I don’t have lunch meetings. I try to cater from here when I hold my own meetings. :) Something about the combination of ingredients that make their sandwiches addictive. And, the price is right… only $ 7.33 for a big sandwich!
I usually alternate between the Turkey and Roast Pork. Although I prefer turkey breast, they use dark meat, but the way they prepare it, I don’t care. The meal includes a salad, which I wish the lettuce pieces were smaller, topped with strings of potatoes and occasionally sweet peas and tomatoes. It also comes with a balsamic and vinegar dressing, however, I don’t use it for the salad but as a dip for my sandwich. It gives a kick to the sandwich. Yum! One day I’ll be adventurous and try different sandwiches, such as the steak.
The pasta is supposedly awesome. My hubby got the homemade sausage one. As he was eating it, he gave a hearty thumbs up. He can be picky at times, especially with pasta dishes.
I like this location better than the Alakea. More flexible. I prefer my sandwich on wheat and this location will make the substitution whereas the other will not unless you call early in the morning. The staff is friendly, too. Jenn is awesome.
Can’t wait to go back tomorrow!

Mix Café, what would I do without you?
Love your service.
Love your food.
Love your aesthetic.
Love. Love. Love!
I can’t wait to try Bruno’s Forno, the newest eatery by restauranteur genius Bruno Iezzi.

A dental appointment took me downtown today, and I decided to try out Mix Café, about a block from my dentist office. It’s a small place, with maybe about 10 tables total, and when I came it was full to capacity. Turnaround for a table is pretty quick, though. Most people come for take-​out orders.
I ordered the pasta with eggplant, which was acceptable — the pasta was al dente, the eggplant firm and tender, but the sauce could have used a bit more tomato flavor. For $ 7.50, though, it was a good meal. The service was friendly and quick.
Of course, plus points in my book for free wi-​fi, on which I’m writing this review. I’ll probably come back here for lunch on my next dental appointment, or whenever I have the chance to head downtown.

I love everything on the menu. EVERYTHING.
I don’t think the restaurant seats more than 25 total. I went at noon on a Monday and was able to snag a table for two.
The service is generally great. My lunch partner got her order quickly (Mix Greens with Roast Pork — $ 7.50). However, my order (Creamy Portebello Pasta — $ 7.50) was overlooked. When I checked-​in on my order the staff was apologetic and a server promptly brought me a Mix Green Salad ($ 5.50) to eat while I waited for my pasta dish. The perfect peace offering — more food! The salad dressing is light and tasty. It’s decorated with a tomato slice, a couple peas in a pod and a sprinkle of thin, cold, shoe-​string potatoes.
The pasta was heaven. I usually always regret creamy white pasta sauces but never at Mix Café because the sauce isn’t heavy.
I deducted a star only because the restaurant seating is a little two close for comfort for my taste and the tables are wobbly. My friend and I were spilling work and personal secrets since we hadn’t hung out in months and it’s hard to do there because you’re sitting an arms-​length away from the next table. Sitting that close to someone while eating makes me feel weird too. Like they’re breathing on my food. I’m weird like that though.

The service was friendly at this small café on Alakea Street. I had a tuna sandwich on a baguette; it was basically like a Salad Nicoise on bread. It was good, but I craved a bit more flavor; maybe pepper? Balsamic vinegar? I’m not sure, but I will definitely go back and try some of their other things, because everything looked very appetizing. I walked from my office, but if you don’t work near downtown, you might want to park in the metered parking lot bordering the post office and Richards Street; it’s just a short walk from there.

A favorite spot for meeting friends. It’s a small space with maybe five tables, and parking can be tricky (hint: the underground municipal lot off Beretania just past Nuuanu is perfect), but the food is homestyle simple and tasty. I love how the kitchen is right there, where you can watch them prepare their great dishes.
You can’t go wrong with any pasta dish here, the eggplant pasta being my constant fall-​back. But the sandwiches are fantastic — perfectly toasted bread and a great mix of fillings (including roasted vegetables for the meat-​averse). Even though the turkey sandwich is usually the most boring item on any menu, it’s outstanding, here. I like the salads, too… though my most recent one had french fries in it, which seemed like an odd choice.
No soft drinks, but cool drinks, from lemonade’s to Jones soda in a bottle.

SUCH a cute little place! I love the décor and the way the steam from the kitchen mingles with the giant red ball decorations hanging from the ceiling of the dining area.
Food is good: creative (spicy crab pasta — mmm…), tasty and reasonably priced. The spicy crab pasta wasn’t really that spicy (only by Japanese standards), but it was yummy and nicely done, with finely shredded crab meat delicately balanced with bowtie pasta. The cookies, while moderately priced ($ 2.50 each), are substantial and full of interesting ingredients, including chocolate chips and an assortment of nuts.
The people who work at Mix Café are super friendly. Not only will they smile at you and make friendly conversation while you make your order and check out their sandwich counter — they’ll also ply you with large samples of their delicious cookies. What more could you want?
No free parking here, but Mix Café is near Chinatown, which means you can park at any of a number of affordably priced municipal lots in the area.