The OC Mix

Good variety of restaurants to choose from. Prior to or after dinner a variety of shops to wander through. Or visit wine bar or coffee stand.

The OC Mix Mart is a low key hipster location with various restaurants and shops. It definitely attracts a younger crowd, but it’s an open location to enjoy with friends and family. Additionally, on Saturday mornings they host a small farmers market.

The place is visually very cute, and I really wanted to like it. There were also a lot of options, a little on the pricier side just FYI, but I don’t mind that for quality.
The downside: I stood at the Bistro counter for a while (no employees in sight), then I moved to the Coffee bar line, and waited patiently– When I got to the front I asked if someone could seat me at the Bistro, and the employees seemed confused. I had to walk around myself and look for someone that could seat me. When I finally sat down, I ordered. My meal was never brought to me– the chef dropped it at the Bistro counter and called it out (like a fast-​food place). I had to get up, leaving my valuables at the table, and bring my meal to my table. Then when I attempted to connect my laptop to the wifi to get some work done, the internet was extremely weak and spotty. So all in all, it was a total waste of time.
The juice bar had really good beet juice though– I took it to-​go and went somewhere else with actual functioning wifi.

Was not expecting this place to be like a small shopping/​eating place the inside kinda reminded me of the Anaheim Packing District with all the different eating/​drinking places next to each other a little bit of the wooden structure look etc. It’s in a pretty big lot surrounding with other businesses so there is a good amount parking and there is also a valet in front. Overall not a bad place.

The original packing district. I have no other way to describe this place besides the word hipster. They have Portola coffee, Birdie (for acai bowls), and other small hipster boutiques. It’s a cute place to go for a date, but it’s relatively small. Unless you’re planning to eat there, don’t expect to spend more than 20 minutes walking around.
P. S. There’s a small farmer’s market that is held here every Saturday morning. I suggest going to this and then visiting the OC Mix. It may be more worth the drive out there.

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Pros:
— Very Hipster, lots of sitting
Cons:
— Expensive
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THE BASICS
Time/​Date Attended:
— 10÷25÷15
Atmosphere:
— Hipster
Line:
— It’s like a small mall
Level of Busyness:
— medium
Food Type:
— They have an oyster bar, coffee bar, small sandwich places
Fullness level:
— n/​a
Cost:
— $$$
Would I Come Back?:
— yes
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HOW WAS THE VISIT?
— I don’t picture myself buying anything from here. It’s like south coast plaza. But it’s a nice place to bring a date. Lots of restaurants outside of the complex. A few inside. Lots of seating everywhere. The last time I came, everyone brought their macbooks to do homework or something. Overall, a nice place to walk and browse.
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I like this place because of the easy parking (big complex) and number of shops, which is mainly interior. It’s rare to see a hip interior shops in one place. My fave area is definitely around the food center area, nice for chilling and people watching. This is a shopping mecca for those who are looking for vintage — inspired interior and furniture at high prices :). I personally still prefer to shop at CB2, West elm or Pottery Barn but it’s nice to do window shopping here.

This is such a coooooooooooool place. Seriously. While I came here with the intent of visiting one store to see what they had to offer, I ended up spending several hours walking around, investigating the ultra eclectic mix (there’s a reason they use the word «mix» in the title of this place) of shops and eateries (and still not seeing all of it). Fun, funky, urban, chic, retro, probably historic somewhere in all this, contemporary, and good gawd, whatever else you can think of… it’s HERE. Stuff for the home, stuff to drink, stuff to eat, stuff for the body… inside and out. Mostly one-​of-​a-​kind shops, not found elsewhere… or let me just say, I’ve never heard of these places. It could just be that I’m not otherwise worldly. I can live with that. Regardless of my level of being in the know, this place is super fun to check out, and super chill. I love it. I don’t live near here, but I’m chompin’ at the bit to get back here and see the rest of what they have to offer, let alone return to some of the more memorable, favorite places I had the pleasure of investigating.
Places I visited and loved… ST Patisserie, UNI, Local Fare, Mixing Glass, Greenleaf Chopshop, SusieCakes… UNI and Local Fare were my favorites. I truly love those kinds of stores.

The OC Mix provides a bit of something for everyone and appeals to all ages. From food to the small boutique shops, I’ve made my way over to the OC Mix more times than I can recall haha. It’s a neat little space that really brings the community together through farmers markets, movie nights or special events held in the plaza.
It truly is a mixture of OC’s finest. The home furniture goods are on the outskirts of the plaza, while the market at the center houses local eats, boutique shops, specialty goods and refreshments (Portola coffee or Birdie Juicery).
Some of my favorite haunts are We Olive, Arc Restaurant (amazing handcrafted cocktails btw + the bacon — to die for!!) and Shuck Oyster Bar for one of the best cioppinos (seafood stew) I’ve had.
Aside from the shops, the OC Mix is a great place to study or do some work. There’s plenty of chairs and tables, but I don’t know about availability of open outlets though. Regardless, you can spend a whole day here if you want to.

I absolutely love this place! There are all kinds of great places to eat, shop and just hang out. My favorites are the wine bar at We Olive, Taco Maria, Greenleaf and Susies Cakes (All my favorites happen to be food places). But there are so many other cool places here too! There’s a Cheese shop across from the wine bar (…convenient right?) and they make grilled cheese. There is a spice shop, a few women’s clothing and accessory stores, one really cool men’s clothing store, a record store and some home décor stores as well.
Granted, some of the places are a bit pricey but they’re all worth it.
Aaannnnd… they have a farmer’s market on Saturdays from 9am to 2pm which I have yet to go to but it is definitely on my radar to check out!

Cute spot with lots of little shops. There’s more shopping than eating. I bought truffle oil and pesto at the olive oil place. The truffle oil for $ 20 was pricey. I’m not sure if it was worth it. We ate at the greens place. I got the mushroom pizza and my husband got the breakfast pizza. He was more happy with his dish than I was. We’ll be back for the cheese shop and farmer’s market.

The OC Mix reminds me a little of Packing House– but smaller and a little more swanky. Less food options obviously. It’s basically a collective of indoor specialty shops. On the smallish side. The first time I visited was a Saturday so I didn’t get to wander around. We ate at Shucked. For our second visit, my husband and I thought it would be better to try a Sunday. It was less busy because a lot of the shops around The Mix closed early or were not even open at all. I. e Suzie Cakes
You can get coffee (which btw was super SUPER busy on a hot Sunday afternoon), spices, liquor, baby clothes (2 stores) women’s apparel, gifts… Sweets. Yup. There’s a lot of nick nackery to look at, especially with all the interior design places within the same shopping center. Oh, and the bathrooms are pretty cool too!

Small open mall with a nature flair shopping center hidden away on a street facing the 405 freeway. There are a few boutiques, gourmet foods, drinks, restaurants and desserts. On weekends, they have a organic farmer’s market. This is a good place to grab a cup of gourmet coffee at Portolo’s Coffee Lab, gelato at Nice Ice Cream or have a light lunch at Iron Press Restaurant for waffle sandwiches or waffle desserts during the week. Good size parking lot. Worth checking out this small hidden gem.

What a fun shopping area! Never saw anything like it in the OC. It’s a big wherehouse with different little shops set up inside. All of them are unique little independent shops, or so it seems.
You have everything from gelato to Olive oil. I actually bought the sample pack from We Olive for bridal shower gifts and they were a huge hit!
There is a coffee shop inside called Portola and I have heard their coffee is amazing. Will have to check it out soon!
There is also a lot of trendy clothing shops including shoes and handbags, pretty much everything you need all in one stop.
I work on Saturdays but I heard the farmer’s market Saturday morning is pretty good. Very enjoyable for families.
There is a Chuck Jones are gallery with beautiful artwork by Chuck himself. It’s always nice to browse the area a little.

The OC Mix is a great place to shop and eat. I’m more into the eating over shopping at cool boutiques.
Shuck Oysters has a fantastic grilled cheese and of course oysters. Portola Coffee is one of the best places to grab a brew. The Iron Press has beer and waffle sandwiches are a superb combination. The OC mix just keeps getting better with every year. Talk to the vendors and try out all the eateries. The OC mix has something for everyone.

As far as I can tell The OC Mix kicked off the eclectic boutique mall with gourmet eatery scene and is still best in class.
With the 4^th Street Market and The Anaheim Packing District all within 5 miles now, The OC Mix is now a bonafide trendsetter. I love all 3 for different reasons but The OC Mix is the OG and with it’s constantly updating roster of restaurants, it remains the market to beat. The space is wide open and airy. The feeling is cool but not pretentious and you can find a great drink or craft beer seemingly anywhere. This is my kind of spot.
Portola Coffee Lab, Taco Maria, ARC, Shuck Oyster Bar and now Pueblo… That alone is pretty impressive list and there are countless other eaters, markets, art galleries, furniture boutiques and even a Farmer’s Market on the weekends.
There is only one single criticism I can come up with and that is the restroom situation. There are simply not enough stalls and waiting in line can be a harrowing experience. By raising = the amount of available lavatories by just a few The OC Mix would be in my in 5 star territory instantly.

There are so many stores and eateries to try at OC Mix. I might come back for the farmers market they got too. I came through at first on Saturday to try Shuck Oyster Bar and Susie’s Cakes. There are plenty of parking. Upon entrance I noticed how carefully crafted the place is. Its definitely unique as all the stores have their own corner. I got lost locating a couple of places when I came back on Sunday but the people working there were kind enough to guide me to where I wanted to go. I tried N’Ice Cream and Birdie Bowl on Sunday. Eventually I wanna hit the wine place they got, the ironpress, and I’ll return very often for Susie’s Cakes.
The outside area is absolutely stunning. There are plenty of outdoor seatings for people to gather and mingle. The view is really awesome. Its a cool place to hang out, go on dates, or even study. It appears to be dog friendly too as I saw lots and lots of dog owners. There is just so many places to try here. I’ve been going for the past two days and I still need another 2 more days to hit all the places I want. Its definitely a gem in Costa Mesa.

When I was younger South Coast was the only place to loiter and hang out. OC Mix brings a lot of interesting food and drink into the area that im surprised to see, since ive not been back here in a few years. I guess you could go down to Fashion Island too but this to be a good middle ground. Eateries, retail food and drink, and a fairly chill vibe. Was getting ready to hit the airport and decided dinner was a good option. So We set in for Taco Maria and some caffeine on the way out. Definitely coming back to what other cool things lurk beneath the folds

This shopping center has so much to offer! I was brought here by a friend who discovered it while looking for Portola Coffee Lab (very common). It has a great hipster and urban vibe to it. Ranging from boutiques, coffee, tea, cheese shops, restaurants, and a wine bar.
The OC Mix has many things to offer for every kind of personality. Whether you are there to hangout with some friends, a casual date, dinner, snack after a workout, or even study (be aware that all passwords are protected with limited use).
Highly recommended place to visit more than once, window shop, and explore because there are constantly new upcoming shops!

I love the mix of eclectic boutiques, shops and restaurants that are nestled in the heart of surrounding high end furniture and home goods stores. Its a great little hub for stimulating creative juju, meeting up with friends or clients, and just hanging out with the cool kids.
Don’t think you’ll find the typical types of treats, here you’ll experience anything from serious coffee connoisseurs, a wide array of wines, handcrafted cheeses, oyster bar and other delicious delights. Pick up some flowers or plants, cute goodies or spices to add to your home or give as a gift and of course, some stylish digs for yourself too.
I can’t wait to spend more time here and explore the many stores. Check it out, you surely won’t be disappointed.

OMG. I CAN’T BELIEVE I’VE NEVER BEEN HERE BEFORE. ABSOLUTELY LOVE THIS PLACE.
Super awesome variety of stores, restaurants, neat places to check out. The infamous Portola Coffee is here, along with some of my other bookmarks such as Birdie Juice Bar and N’ice Cream. They also have a cheese shop, a wine bar, a spice shop, oyster restaurant, and many others!
Great place to meet up with friends, enjoy a coffee /​tea /​acai bowl /​juice /​food /​ice cream /​the list goes on and on. After you’re done sitting and eating, there’s shopping to be done, or awesome furniture /​deco stores! Plenty of seating inside and outside, with lots of succulents around!
This place is super super cute and worth a check-​out (or two or three or four or more)

This place reminds me if Vancouver’s Granville Island! Which is a good thing because I loved that place.
Anyway, The OC Mix is basically a shopping center /​plaza but its filled with cool stores, restaurants, and coffee shops. It really is a nice «Mix» of things here and the environment is very welcoming. This place is done just right. It doesn’t feel too much like a generic mall, nor does it feel tacky like some shopping centers. *ahem. The Grove*.
Its not necessarily a large place to walk or go shopping, but its nice if you kind of already know what you want at a specific store here. Plus its a great place to go grab food, coffee, or even a drink, as there are plenty of trees, benches and tables along the way.