Mendocino Farms

Had the pork belly banh mi. Was really good and well seasoned pork belly. Will be getting that again!

Downtown LA lunch spot. Outstanding food choices, the sandwiches were great. This is in a weird location downstairs that can be hard to find, but just look for the long lunch line. The sandwiches are fantastic. They have many, many options, and quite a number of vegan choices.

Mendocino Farms is an excellent place to get a quality sandwich if your lunch budget is $ 10 to $ 13 without drink or sides. A side is 2.99. So a sandwich and side will be about $ 15 with the 9% tax added in. Add a drink and you are over $ 15.00.
If you are getting it to go, check it before leaving the store. I have caught an error or two, and they rewarded me with a free side each time because I had to wait for the re-​make.
I usually get the make your own sandwich with chicken and you build it up by picking the ingredients OR one of their pre-​designed chicken sandwiches on the menu.
They are not known for going heavy on the protein (chicken), but it taste good every time.
Again, it’s a fine place to dine if it is within your budget. If it is not in your budget – try to make it over to Ralphs for their Boar’s Head build your own sandwich at $ 7.00 is second best.
Forget about eating at Subway – it’s dog food compared to Ralphs or Mendocino.
Good luck.

Usually enormous lines but yesterday we lucked out. Barely 4 people outside staring at the menu. I’ve heard great things and finally got a chance to try it for the first time.
Split the pork belly bahn mi and «study of heat» sandwiches. Both were delicious. The breads were artistinal style, full, robust, and crunchy. The ingredients were obviously fresh. IT was delicious all the way around and no more expensive than any average sandwich shop. Amazing the quality and value. I expected to pay more and was pleasantly surprised. Around $ 9 – 11 per sandwich.
The only gripe I have is the so called «study of heat» is nothing but a avocado and turkey sandwich. Fresh ingredients but nothing to do with heat at all.

Mendocino has taken a good chunk of my paycheck since I used to come here ALL the time when I interned at the US Bank Tower. It’s really one of the best lunch options that’s close by.
I’m loyal to getting the tuna melt (~$ 9) every single time because it’s my favorite. It’s pretty filling and can easily be split into two small meals.
During lunchtime on workdays this place is overwhelmingly packed. I’ve experienced a line that stretches a good amount out the door so I would highly highly recommend calling in to place your order to zip through the line. Not to worry though, since the ordering system is super efficient, so even when it’s crowded you won’t be waiting too long.
The sides never disappoint either and my personal favorites are the potato salad and tomato pasta shells. The sandwiches are really creative and coming here is a really good choice for a quick, healthy lunch.

I really love mendocino farms its one of my favorite places to go to. From their food to costumer service everything is on point. I have had my ups and downs with mendocino but the 2 things that keep making me come back is the delicious food and the costumer service. I put in a complaint with matt the manager over at the flower location. He was awsome and super friendly. He addressed the issue with his staff and let me know that he would try his best to solve the problem.
Now to the food. I love love love the food that mendo offers. The torta bun is my favorite. Get the falafel on the torta and call it a day. The sandwiches here are just on another level… nothing compares. If i had to desribe this place i would say that Mendo is subway on steroids.
The atmosphere is great. Most people here are health conscious and friendly. The lines are long but move really fast.
The guy at the cash register with the nose piercing is also really cool very friendly. If you havent been here yet you are an idiot. Thank you guys for all the great food.

Hard to add much more.
Awesome sandwiches… the sides come in a huge, ridiculous serving size that’s more fit for two or three to share. Pure cane local sodas instead of the HFCS crap, and veggie options abound.
Go.

Nice location if you are staying at Westin St. Boneventure. A bit crowded for lunch. Raining so no seats outside.

Wow!
i should of been coming here all along. The quality of these sandwiches is awesome.
I may NEVER go back to subway with their FAKE meats, quiznos, togos or jimmy Johns (overpriced)
I tried about 3 different sandwiches over the weeks and loved them all. the bahn mi, the roast beef with bacon the chicken with prescuitto and a few of the sides.
Friendly staff

For healthy, organic salads, this place is amazing! I tried the Dave salad – a lovely combination of goat cheese, thinly-​sliced Granny Smith apples, red onion, kale and chicken. I could totally eat here every day!

Mendocino Farms is arguably one of the best sandwich places in LA. All of their sandwiches are brilliantly crafted and unique in their concepts. The ingredients are always fresh and high quality. The size of the sandwiches is adequate for the price (~$ 11).
They have a weekly menu of special sandwiches which are always worth trying out. Today I ordered the El Presidente, a chicken sandwich with al pastor seasoning, pickled onions, and avocado. The chicken had a great zesty flavor and a noticeable heat. The pickled onions added a nice sweet contrast to the savory chicken, and the generous amount of avocado added richness and creaminess to the sandwich. The bread was very soft, and the sandwich was delicious overall.
The Pork Belly Banh Mi is another favorite. Although it’s not necessarily totally authentic, the combination of spiciness, refreshing pickled vegetables, and super rich pork belly is executed perfectly.
I also love the Study in Heat, a turkey and avocado sandwich accented with jalapenos. The heat from the peppers adds a nice twist to what would otherwise be a more typical sandwich.
It’s tough to go wrong with anything on their menu, and the healthy side options are good as well. Always an excellent option for lunch.

Always quite the crowd to combat during lunch, but the staff is so quick and friendly, it’s actually a lot less daunting than it seems. They leverage technology well to help ameliorate the wait as well, anticipating the line and handing out small buzzers to let you know when your order is ready.
I think I’ve realized ‘A Study of Heat’ is probably my favorite sandwich. And of course it’s hard to not grab a side of Drake Family pasta salad.

Unexpected lunch at this popular spot on a weekday. Our group of 3, met here to grab lunch. It was prior to noon, but there was already a line out the door. No worries, the line moves quickly. You place your order at an iPad and then you are given a buzzer. You can try their sides while waiting, but there was a ton of people milling around and I figured the sandwich was sufficient.
Drink?
Ordered the lemonade off the menu. However, the lemonade flavor changes and that day it was Grape Lemonade. Not my thing, so didn’t drink much of it.
Sandwich?
I ordered the Kurobuta Pork Belly Banh Mi, given all the rave reviews. I thought the sandwich was average. The ciabatta was fresh, as was the pickled carrots. Although there were jalapeño slivers, there was very little kick. The fried pork belly had a bit too much fat for me and was Very Salty. I’ve had much better Banh Mi. I saw an LA Weekly article that likened the sandwich to Taylor Swift saying, «more for popularity than greatness.» haha!
Service is excellent; everyone was friendly and working hard. I could see myself coming back and upping my rating. Just need to find my sandwich.

I am in love with Mendocino Farms. I previously had their famous pork belly sandwich at another location and didn’t find it all that great (don’t get me wrong… it was good but it is not something I would order again). This time I decided to have one of their salads.
I had Save Drake’s Farm salad and it was amazing! It came with lots of range free chicken and nuts, a big scoop of cheese, and pretty pink beets. The citrus dressing went great with the salad and was also refreshing. Vegan tortilla was also great. The portion is big and definitely worth every penny.
Most of all, kudos to all the workers at Mendocino Farms. You guys are super nice and helpful, have great spirits and give me a smile every time.

After hearing about bug infestations in my office building’s foodcourt, I’ve sought out other options and last Thursday, I just needed to take a break from a marathon of meetings. I looked on my Unilocal application for the closest restaurant that I could walk to other than the usuals and found, Mendocino Farms. What I remember about this place was getting a sandwich to go and not being disappointed. Because it had almost close to 5 stars and boasted about having fresh food, I decided I’d take a walk over.
I loved that it was less than a 10 minute walk from my building. I was trying to decide between two items and the host/​server (the first person that greeted me in line) was able to help me make a decision between the two because my starving stomach just couldn’t do it. I was already light-​headed from the one banana I had in my stomach to push me to 2pm. He was able to explain to me why I should order their Kurobata pork belly sandwich instead of their pork bbq sandwich, along with their butternut squash soup over their cream of mushroom. My dizziness overtook me and I said «done!» Thank god, I made the right decision because I wasn’t disappointed and my wait seemed less than 10 minutes.
I was thankful with each bite of my sandwich and had enough room for my butternut squash soup. The pork belly was a little fatty but not as fatty as other places that I’ve eaten it at. Overall, my starving self left satisfied and ready to work the couple of hours I had left on the clock.
I’m glad to know that Mendocino Farms is another viable option close to work when I forget to bring in my lunch.

Mendocino Farms is where I get my Kale-​ories. The Kale-​Caesar salad is amazing. with wheat berries, avocado, cheese, and other goodness. I love the iced teas too… and really really wish they were also in NYC.
This location apparently gets super busy during lunch, so I would aim to go when they open before the lunch rush, or after it… as the wait can be fairly long. I went in the late afternoon on a weekday around 2:45 PM, and it wasn’t busy at all.

SERVICE
How are all the employee here so darn nice?! Every person I talk to is always super kind and enthusiastic — from the person who takes your order, to the person who gives you your food, to the person who takes your money. The employees really make me smile (genuinely) and laugh (genuinely). Hands down, the service is my favorite thing about Mendocino Farms.
FOOD
* Pork Belly Banh Mi (⁴⁄₅) Really, really good, flavorful, and juicy. But it’s also very heavy and will make you very tired.
* Prosciutto & Free Range Chicken Panini (⁵⁄₅) Copy pasted from the website: «Creminelli prosciutto & roasted free range chicken breast with local Gioia fresh mozzarella, crushed honey roasted almonds, basil pesto, balsamic vinegar, tomatoes on panini-​pressed ciabatta.» Yes it is as good as it sounds, and yes it will exceed your expectations.
STUDY
I know, the most random place to study. But there are outlets, comfortable seats, and Wifi. Plus really good food. Not much else you can ask for.

I transferred from my firm’s LA office to OC office. Although I don’t miss the traffic, the two things I do miss are my LA co-​workers and Mendocino Farms being downstairs.
As pretty much everyone has mentioned, this place has amazing food. Although I usually try to pack my lunch, this is one of the few places I’d go out to. Between going there and catered lunch events, I’ve had most of their menu. I can’t recall ever having anything that I haven’t liked, which is a good thing considering you’re paying ~$ 10 for a sandwich or salad.
Here are a few bonus tips:
–You can call in orders. Especially helpful if you’re ordering for a group and you have your boss’ credit card :)
–If you’re in a rush, you can bypass the sandwich line and go directly to the soup and sides. Warning, the curried cous cous is extremely addicting.
–Once you order your sandwich or salad, pay and then get samples. It’s kind of chaotic and first timers don’t realize you can pay right away.
–If you’re ever having a hard day, come here. The staff is always so incredibly friendly, their good moods are contagious.
–Any sandwich with BBQ sauce (i.e. pulled pork or not so fried chicken) is delicious but can get really messy. Pick up extra napkins.
–This one is only open until 7pm (which fortunately was late enough for me). I think there’s another location open later.

The best part of being in charge of ordering lunch for the office is that you get to pick what YOU want to eat. Mendocino Farms is my go to spot.
Foodie packages are the way to go. Love love love the red beet and quinoa salad! The wide variety of sammies are fresh and delicious and the presentation is very nice. Dealing with the staff was a breeze.
Thanks, guys, for making a task so easy! Very reliable and a big hit with the colleagues!

This is the place for good sandwiches!
I have been coming to Mendocino for years now. Definitely one of the top sandwich (and other items) spots around. Now normally you will see most of these places have a rush during lunch so avoid lunch rush and coming here late if possible. The earlier before noon the better. Either way I think its worth a little wait if you cant come before noon.
The sandwiches here are top quality and most of the time well made. My favorite is the Study of Heat which is chicken and comes with a mild chipotle dressing. Its always fresh and perfectly toasted. They have their own brand of sodas which have flavors like orange-​cream, blackberry, and many others. I would definitely also recommend getting one of their sides which are always tasty. They also have an outstanding Lentil soup.
The interior of this place has plenty of seating inside and outside. Again, it gets crowded but they are organized and it gets the line moving quickly.
I will be back to this place soon!