Mike’s Cafe

Ordered two breakfast burritos from here and they were pretty good. Nothing to rave home about but my main issue was that I asked for one of them to be vegetarian and they still managed to put bacon bits in it. I would’ve gone back but by the time my friend had noticed we weren’t at a reasonable distance to make the trip back.

Stopped in this morning for breakfast and will definitely be back. Had the western omelette, which was perfect and a bargain at under $ 5. The staff were friendly and even comped a coffee.

Love this place. Mike always has a smile on his face. I typically go for breakfast so can’t speak to the lunch menu but their breakfast sandwiches are fantastic and reasonably priced. Would recommend to anyone especially if they are in a rush — lines move quickly.

I tried a beef bibimbap bowl after reading the good reviews and was disappointed. The meat was cold and tough, and the rest of the bowl was filled with a somewhat odd variety of vegetables. The best part was the quick and friendly service and the sauces included on a table outside the ordering booth which made the meal tastier.

Mike’s is right across the street from my job. They roast their own meats, turkey, beef, ham, etc. vs. using processed meats. Their sandwiches are the best! My fav is the Turkey Melt.

The unique part of this place was a walk up window to get a super quick Bulgolgi bibimbap bowl. It was just under $ 10 with tax, a pretty large portion, and came with a good variety of vegetables (zucchini and lettuce salad), meat, pineapple, fried egg, and sweet potato noodles. The meat wasn’t the most flavorful and parts were a bit tough to chew, but overall I liked the variety in the bowl. The staff was also very friendly and welcoming and kept the lid off to remind me to try their different sauces. Overall, I would recommend it if you’re craving a quick asian-​style lunch and it’s a good deal.

I came to Mike’s Café in pursuit of a cup of coffee with a friend. In my usual fashion, I looked up the menu beforehand to get a feel for the café. Obviously you’ll see breakfast fare (served until 10:30, I believe) and your typical sandwiches but I was pleasantly surprised to find Korean bibimbap on the menu!
I can’t speak for the food just yet but the coffee service was decent. The coffee bar had a full bottle of Coffee Mate creamer and a carton of h&h, as opposed to standard carafes. Another thing that impressed me was the cleanliness of the café. After the steady stream of regular breakfast customers trickled down, one of the workers would wipe down all the surfaces that customers come into contact with.
I’ll definitely be coming back soon to try breakfast and lunch. Tip: if you work in Ballston and leave from the Ballston-​MU station, skip the Dunkin and Starbucks cup o’ joe and check out Mike’s sometime.

Tried this place on a whim after the snow storm. I’ve seen the solid reviews and everything looks so good. We were the first ones there on Tuesday morning, mainly because the snow storm kept people crammed indoors. I got a bagel sandwich with scrambled eggs, bacon and cheese. The boyfriend got breakfast burrito with sausage. Both were delicious! The home fries are super tasty as well. Big potatoes instead of little hash browns like some other places.
The lady behind the counter was super friendly and didn’t take long at all for the food. I want to try coming for lunch as I have heard /​seen people really enjoy their lunch options.
Definitely a solid breakfast place. Wide menu and you can cater to what you like exactly.

I’ve tried about 5 sandwiches now and they all have been really tasty. My favorite is breakfast bagel sandwich and Reuben sandwich.(and chicken noodle soup) You can choose your own bread. The deli is maintained very clean. Staffs and Mike are super friendly. I would like to try all menu there a one day. I know I wouldn’t be disappointed!

Best turkey melt I’ve ever had. I’m not really a sandwich person and try to avoid starchy carbs but if I’m going to indulge in it I go straight to Mike’s. They make a fresh turkey daily for these sandwiches which is awesome. So no nasty turkey cold cuts here. The breads are super fresh and tasty. The sandwich has avocado which I love and two types of cheese. The probably wouldn’t really notice this place on the side street. Find it, come inside and you will be happy. The folks that work there are super sweet as well.

I work at the NSF and this place is right across the street. Mike is super friendly and the sandwiches are really good. The turkey melt is delicious, and so is the carved roast beef. It’s important to tell the carver at the front of the line to not put the ends of the roast beef in your sandwich — or else you’d have a really chewy sandwich.
The bibimbap here is also pretty good, but the composition changed recently (I’m guessing to save money) and you’ll have to add your sauce separately — they used to come in little cups. The combo is still delicious with the pepper sauce.
I’ve only had breakfast here a handful of times, and it was ok. Not great like the sandwiches, but ok.

Be careful when you are there during lunch rush hours. They charge extra for cheese and avocado. This was the second time when me or my colleagues ordered just a sandwich without Cheese or Avocado and we were still charged the extra cost for them. Its usually very busy, and you never pay attention to what was charged, just a little heads up for the regulars. I didnt notice til months later.

Highly recommended for a quick, casual breakfast.
I started coming to Mike’s Café for their breakfast a few years ago — it had good food and was within walking distance. Now that I live in another part of Arlington, I still find myself driving over every once in a while for their sausage breakfast burrito (my favorite!). Service is efficient, especially during weekdays. Also, the owner, who is usually at the register, is super friendly. Definitely worth a try!

I would give 3.5 stars. Mike is super nice and the food is good, but nothing very special.
Disclaimer: I’ve only ever tried their breakfast food. The menu is fairly standard (for breakfast) and it’s all delicious — but again, nothing is very distinct either. Definitely come for the convenience and price.

I love this place and I love Mike.
Go here for two things: Bibimbap and/​or Turkey Melt.
Turkey Melt — They carve the meat off the bird right in front of you. Not your typical deli, I know (in a good way). I like to get it on a toasted croissant (fatty) but I have no regrets. They put turkey on the grill with some melted Swiss and American cheese. Then the plop that right in your sandwich while adding in mayo, lettuce, sprouts, avocado, bacon, and whatever else you want to add. It is perfection but maybe have some coffee if you don’t want that 2pm crash.
Bibimbap — Mike is Korean so he has someone (maybe his daughter?) running the separate bibimbap stand. I am Korean and even though it is not my mom’s homemade bibimbap, it stays pretty true to what authentic Korean bibimbap should be. Definitely will leave you full as well.
Please be advised that if you go during peak lunch hours there will usually be a line outside the door (moves quickly though).

For a grab and go lunch, this is the spot! Just outside of all the other food trucks parked on the street, this place at least offers a place to sit, inside or out. And of course, great food!
The clean Deli shop offers hot prepared sandwiches with fresh sides, fountain soda, bottled drinks, chips and a Korean corner! This shop may be offering you the all-​American lunch but for those that want something different like a bibimbap for lunch, he has another line/​window for those hungry ones.
Quite impressive for $ 10 at a deli shop. Plenty of choices of different meat for your bibimbap, a drink, and a side of kimchi.
4 stars for cleanliness, taste of food, quick and friendly service, and many choices offered for lunch.

Unsanitary food preparation!!!
The cook was handling raw meat and then immediately handling bagels, bread, produce, and other things that don’t get cooked or had already been prepared. We brought this to the attention of the owner, who gave us a cheery smile and a «no problem! have a good day!» As we were walking out the door, the cook asked the owner what happened, and his reply was «oh, they didn’t want their bagel.» WHAT?

Back when I had a lot of health and weight problems I used to make sandwiches just like Mike’s Café’s sausage, egg, and cheese bagel except I would take the entire sandwich and fry it in butter. Mike’s doesn’t fry their sandwich in butter but it’s still pretty good. I guess.

How I heard of this place: We moved in. We smelled bacon and eggs. We decided to try it.
Type of cuisine: Deli style fare with breakfast burritos, sandwiches, and a mini-​mart of potato chips, snacks and a range of beverages to boot!
Ambiance: Simple, clean, casual, gas station mini mart with open spaces, windows along two sides between yellow-​painted walls, recessed lighting, black, wrought iron patio charis and tables (indoors and out), and a small barquette for additional seating.
What I ordered: On this lazy Saturday morning, Chris selected the Western Omelette ($ 4.85) with ham, cheese, peppers, mushroom, and onions. We decided I would order Mike’s Burrito ($ 4.85) with bacon, egg, salsa, sour cream, onion, green peppers, tomato, and hot sauce.
What I loved: Between the two, we decided that the small breakfast burrito won by way of taste.
Why I loved it: No fuss. No muss. No frills. Cheap.
Cost: Low ($ 4.50 — $ 5 per breakfast selection)

Fridays used to be synonomous with bibimbap, as my favorite food truck Seoul Food would come to Ballston for lunch and my Friday would be that much better. Alas, Seoul Food shut down its truck a few months ago to focus on their store in Wheaton, and the collective weeping of its loyal fans could be heard throughout Northern Virginia.
Luckily, good olé’ Mike realized this lack of bibimbap in Ballston needed to be remedied, and he opened up a (cash-​only) window right next door to the café. Mike, also known as the friendliest man in the world, I thank you.
We already know they make a mean breakfast sandwich and now I can add a tasty, filling bibimbap to that list. Is it the most authentic? No. Mine was the most «Korean» with beef bulgogi, but other options included honey ham, pastrami, turkey breast, among others. Those options frightened me a bit. The bulgogi was perfectly tender and flavorfull, and much better than I have had in a while. The bowl came with: rice topped with sesame seeds, mushrooms, bean sprouts, shredded carrots, scallions, a half of a hard-​boiled egg, lettuce (?), and pineapple (??). Pineapple was a little weird, but I will admit, also quite tasty. As for sauces, you have a choice between vinaigrette (???), soy sauce, and gochujang. Obviously I settled for the latter.
Overall, it was a very good meal. There were a few things I would change, mainly having a runny egg instead of a hard-​boiled one, but it far exceeded my expectations. Plus, for exactly $ 10 I got a large bowl of bibimbap, a little side of (very delicioud) kimchi, a package of korean seaweed snacks, a bottle of water, and a free orange that they were giving away! The bibimbap was so filling, I had my seaweed and orange for an afternoon snack.
A must try!