The new location.
| Location |
| 610 2nd Street #100 (between E & F Streets) |
| Hours |
| Mon-Tues: 7:30AM-6:00PM |
| Wed-Sat: 7:30AM-8:00PM |
| Sun: 8:00AM-6:00PM |
| Phone |
| (530)759-0811 |
| Website |
| http://www.mishkascafe.com/ |
Mishka's Cafe Coffees, Teas & Roastery was founded in 1995 by UC Davis graduate student Sinisa Novakovic (whose name is pronounced more like "Sin-ee-sha," and who bears more than just a passing resemblance to Morrissey) and his former wife, Bobbi Bohart and is named after one of Sinisa's cats. It is a café founded "in the Old World tradition: a cozy place to meet a friend, converse, read, and relax." Mishka's is home to one of the three coffee roasters in Davis (Cloud Forest Cafe and The Pepper Peddler are the others). Mishka's usually refers to the town, in jest, as The People's Republic of Davis), and they serve only organic and fair trade beans. Mishka's buys only Fair Trade Organic beans and roasts them in-house to create coffee that is considered one of the best in town. Overall, the café has a warm and earthy atmosphere due to the orange walls, wood furniture, black accents, and soft lights.
They serve cappuccino, espresso and all the other usual coffee drinks. Try one of Mishka's signature drinks, the Dark Balkan Night - a 16 oz. triple shot mocha! They have also, began serving fresh whipped cream again, rather than a brand name, canned whipped cream. Make sure to order whipped cream, if desired, while at the register, because there is a small charge and it is a hassle to pay for it after you've already paid for your drink if you forgot to tell the cashier in the first place.
In addition to drinks, Mishka's also has a nice selection of pastries and confections such as croissants, macaroons, baklava, and chocolate truffles. When purchasing pastries, inspect carefully to see if they have been sitting out for a long time, as they do get dried out after a while if no one has ordered much lately. If you do receive a dried out or otherwise distasteful pastry, you can take it back (provided you haven't eaten half of it already) and ask for a different item. Many might consider the truffles to be the best in town, better than the ones at Ciocolat, a chocolate-dessert-centered business. The truffles are made by a local outfit called Vevey Confections. You can also find them at Common Grounds.
Mishka's has wireless access. Access used to be free/unlimited, but now you have to ask for an access code and password when you make a purchase. Each purchase earns you 2 hours of internet. Sometimes the modem/router needs to be reset. Mishka's regulars include undergraduates, graduate/professional students, professors, and business people. Mishka's has a high proportion of laptop-using customers, and outlets are plentiful (although they can be tricky to find, since most of them are hidden under the back edge of the tables lining the walls).
Beware if you are short on cash: Mishka's has now started accepting credit cards, however, the menu prices are the cash discounted prices, and are 20 cents lower than the full price paid with a card. The nearest ATM is down 2nd Street a block west at the Golden 1 Credit Union on the corner of D Street.
The music selection at Mishka's has grown over the years, from a "rather limited" playlist (consisting of Manu Chau, the Amelie soundtrack, Buena Vista Social Club, Gypsy Kings, etc) to over 5400 songs consisting of 400-500 various artists as of September 2012. The music list is set to shuffle by album at random. Mishka's claims that every corner of the Mother Earth is represented in the selection.
Here are some general tips for finding the right time to study at Mishka's: it seems to be quieter during the day and gets progressively louder at night. Some find focus impossible when the coffee roaster is running (Tuesday mornings), while others welcome a droning background noise to drown out chatter (which is less often a problem at Mishka's, per the etiquette below). If you are more sensitive to noise levels and wouldn't deign to use an iPod or earplugs, shuffling around until you settle on a more quiet spot can sometimes be difficult.
The following view, it should be noted, is not held by everyone, and although non-students rarely flout Mishka's unstated etiquette, the interplay between the initiated and uninitiated can sometimes lead to unnecessary conflict. So, when frustrated by distracting neighbors who fail to understand that their voices carry beyond the narrow radius of their chairs, do be kind in manner towards them, for they may not understand that there is, or ought to be, any etiquette peculiar to Mishka's.
Unspoken, unofficial etiquette for students: after spending significant time at Mishka's, students develop a tacitly shared 'student-specific' etiquette, an understanding that, unlike many cafés where talking without concern for distracting one's neighbors may be winced at but accepted all the same, Mishka's is an exception. Because this venue is primarily frequented by researchers of all sorts, predominantly graduate students, a premium is placed on quiescence for the sake of studious focus. Implicit acceptance of this etiquette is seen whenever cellular calls or quiet conversations that rise to a distracting pitch are, out of politeness, moved outside. Chatting boisterously with a friend is a happy sight at Mishka's, where studiousness more often reigns, but if one wishes to remain mindful of the (unofficial) etiquette adopted by students, the front room or the tables outside are viewed as more appropriate locales for high-volume chatter.
The Rule
The Rule
The Rule explained: Mishka's is such a popular studying place that by the late nineties it became impossible for casual cafe-goers to find a table. In response, Mishka's management declared some tables "study-free zones". Attached only to the tables at the front of the café is The Rule. Nowadays there's almost always a place to sit and flip through the day's San Francisco Chronicle, New York Times, Sacramento Bee, or California Aggie. As of the summer of 2005, The Rule had been updated to be much funnier and fluffier, but retained the same meaning. Additionally, some time in 2005 they constructed a bench to divide the studying section and the casual section of the cafe.
Many customers are "flustered" about the rule. The rule prohibits laptops and studying, complete with piles of books, binders and highlighters. It welcomes newspapers, magazines, book-reading, game playing and friendly conversation. Basically if you are hiding in your laptop or are cramming for a midterm, go sit in the back.
The Move
In early 2011, Mishka's moved to a new, solar powered, greener location. The previous location (514 2nd St. #B) is now occupied by a seafood restaurant called the Dot Island Grill. Mishka's is powered by 41 high-efficiency solar panels. Virtually all of the lightbulbs in the cafe are LEDs. The walls of the new building were constructed following the principles of The Perfect Wall.
Pictures of Previous Location
Outside the original location of Mishka's Cafe, May 2006. 
Innovative Ventilation
Older Reviews
More Current Reviews
One of the very few places that I could go and stay for more than 2-3 hours studying, writing reports, papers, thesis,... very effectively since almost all surrounding people are also doing the same thing. More importantly customers used to have access to wifi for as long as they could stay. However, just very recently they changed their policy to issue wireless password for 2 hours per purchase, which is sort of not very pleasant at least for someone like me. Perhaps, I start moving to other places to do my school work such as Peet's.
Read Below For most recent 2012 Reviews
2010-01-24 15:17:58 Good coffee, came in to study found a one-person table and have been sitting here for a few hours now. Lots of people, but studiers are coming and going so its only a matter of a few minutes to find a seat in the back, or as I saw today twice, a person moved to a one-seater to allow groups of people to find a seat. Nice vibe, a little noisy due to the constant clientele, the studiers and just the front people having a nice chat over a cup of coffee. The employees are indeed busy but help you courteously. Recommendable place.
Its true, there isn't much place infront for those on the lookout for a cup of coffee and a newspaper, but there is seating outside as well. —elliotgoethe
2010-02-03 18:39:07 I have a cyclical relationship with Mishka's. When I get tired of my office or working from home, I often set up shop at Mishka's because they are locally owned, have great coffee, often play good music, and have a great WiFi connection. When I'm feeling guilty about spending too much money on my triple-shot mochas (without a doubt, the best and most consistent mocha in town), I give up my seat amongst the other mac-using cool kids and head back to the office for a couple of weeks. For those of you who complain about the service, the patrons or The Rule, I have a few words for you.
Service: if you're polite to the staff, they'll be polite to you... but seriously, don't expect Starbucks-style fake smiles and carefully scripted greetings. You shouldn't want that, and nobody should be forced to behave that way... it's unnatural behavior in a coffee shop. I think the staff is, generally speaking, fantastic.
Other patrons: Don't be afraid of the mac-using cool kids. If you think that more room could be made for another chair, OR you'd like to share a table, OR you'd like to wrap your charger cord under another table, around someone's leg and over another person's shoulder, WELL, in my experience if you just ask a direct question with a "please" and a polite smile, you'll probably get what you want. Often, just an "excuse me", proper hand gesture and a smile will work as well. People want to spread out, but they will share if you ask. On the other hand, if an obnoxious smelly person likes to talk loudly on the phone in the midst of a bunch of quiet productive people, I'll support you if you ask them to please take it outside.
The Rule: is perfect.
Go to Mishka's and support one of the places that makes The People's Republic of Davis. —KemblePope
2010-02-03 18:54:19 The last time I was here and used the wireless internet, someone with Windows seemed to have Internet Connection Sharing turned on and was advertising itself as an IPv6 router without any global prefix, so it was very useless. There seemed to be 12 other computers, mostly Apple, also (not) using IPv6. Its not Mishka's fault because they don't control customers broken computers, but it was kind of annoying and also interesting to see how IPv6 is starting to appear but not work all the time. Hopefully Mishka's will get proper IPv6 soon and the user with Windows will manage to turn off ICS. —NickSchmalenberger
2010-03-23 10:27:17 Mishka's coffee is THE BEST! My husband and I are frequent visitors. When we are not drinking the coffee there, we are brewing it at home. I buy beans on Tuesdays after they are roasted. The staff is super friendly; Desiree know our names and our order. It is a cozy and inviting environment and one of my favorite things about Davis. —MandyButler
2010-03-23 10:27:59 When I was a sophomore in college, my big-big sis in my sorority who had already graduated and was then working on her masters took me out to dinner downtown and we passed by this curious little cafe on our journey to the dinner destination. In those days, I didn't care much about studying but she said to me, "if you need a place to study where you won't know many people who will distract you, go to Mishka's Cafe. Its full of graduating seniors and grad students serious about getting their work done."
I didn't visit Mishka's till my 4th year in Davis. Yes, that was when I decided to start getting SERIOUS about graduating. That's when I began to spend countless days at Mishka's writing essays, reading books, studying, or just escaping from the craziness of the world outside of my now FAVORITE cafe in Davis. The atmosphere Mishka's offers is most conducive to studying, I have found. There is free hi-speed wifi, unlike other places where signal is shit and/or you would need to pay for wifi. I would choose to study at Mishka's over studying at the library, home or any other place in Davis any day! And in terms of coffee breaks or little coffee dates, Mishka's is the best place to go because they reserve a small area where no laptops are allowed, the section is for good ol reading or having a talk over a cup of coffee. They also seem to have great taste in the music they play.
I'm a fan of teas, and Mishka's has a variety of green, black and white teas. My favorite is the genmaicha, also known as the Tea of Inquiry. It combines green tea with toasted rice, producing a very tranquil tea experience. This or coffee, paired with a good book, a homework assignment and the environment of Mishka's = A+ grade in your classes.
I'm now a graduate of UC Davis. I think I owe this to you, Mishka's Cafe!!!! I love you Mishka, whoever you are!!!!! Thanks for opening up your cafe!!! :) —AnniieRose
2010-03-23 10:53:39 I heard from somewhere that Mishka's cafe has a list of people who have met there and gotten married. Super interesting. Does anyone know if this list really exists and if public, where I can find it? —AnniieRose
2010-05-08 00:33:09 I enjoy studying at Mishka's. For some reason I find it better than Shields library, probably because there's just a nice drone of regular talk that evens out after awhile, and people are actually serious about working. They have great tea and the little chocolate-covered espresso bean you get with hot drinks rock. I find that the rudeness factor depends on the day. Sometimes the staff can be quite rude, except for the brown-straight-haired girl who is always super cheerful and sweet. Once they were out of scones and she offered to make a new batch! I've had some bad experiences with the others, nothing extreme but I just get the feeling they'd rather not be there, or they'd rather *I* not be there. I don't need them to be saccharin sweet, but I've been ignored a number of times after asking a direct question, and it really wouldn't hurt to crack a smile every once in awhile. I asked for an espresso bean once because I got an iced coffee drink... the sweet girl smiled and said "Sure, no problem!" The next time I asked, someone else, I was told in a sharp voice, "You know, we don't give espresso beans with cold drinks" and she handed it to me as though she were doing me a favor. The students that study there are also in-between. Sometimes students will leave their stuff scattered all over two tables on a busy day and go and get lunch or take a walk—who knows, except for more than 1/2 hour their stuff sits there while other people who want to study are s.o.l. This isn't Mishka's fault but the student's, of course. But I'd rather end on a positive note because I really do love this café. Overall they've got good coffee, I love the fact that it's served in ceramic cups if it's for-here and I've seen "The Rule" handled very politely each time someone unknowingly sat there. —lunelectronique
2010-05-11 11:24:24 I've returned here a few times since my first visit because they make a decent soy latte. The atmosphere is also more conducive to studying than, say, starbucks. But after an unfortunate encounter with the "customer service" they have to offer at this establishment, I will seriously reconsider coming back here any time soon. And yes, this does concern the absurd RULE.
Why this cafe blatantly discriminates amongst its different types of patrons is truly beyond me. Why should I essentially be refused a place to sit when I pay the same $3.30 for my latte as a non-student? A note to Mishka's management: You operate your business in a UNIVERSITY-centered community. Turning away paying student customers, to anyone with a basic understanding of economics, is an IDIOTIC mistake. And not only that, but the staff is incredibly rude about it.
Yes, I was sitting in the "study-free zone". Yes, i was on my laptop. But there were absolutely NO seats in the "student" section, whereas EVERY SINGLE seat in the front of the cafe was open. When the barista rudely approached me and told me that I needed to relocate immediately, I easily explained that I was waiting for a seat in the student section to open up. I had made the mistake of assuming this individual had a soul. Wrong. She told me, and I quote, "There are plenty of spaces available; you'll just have to tell someone to move. Otherwise, you'll have to leave." Honestly? I mean, really? This is what I get for trying to support local businesses?
I know I am hardly the only person to have experienced this ridiculous treatment at the hands of the intolerable staff. I urge you to reconsider your choice of Mishka's, a busniess that has honestly lost sight of how paying customers deserve to be treated. —ElaineK
2010-06-11 10:42:30 In my opinion Mishka's has the best coffee in town. However, its a shame that Mishka's Cafe has turned out to be a study lounge for students. Every time I walk into their place there is no where to sit besides "The Rule" tables, which in my opinion they should switch the "Non-Rule" tables to Rule tables and the Rule tables to Non-Rule tables. First and foremost its a CAFE! NOT a lounge for smug ass students writing their worthless papers on meaningless topics that contribute nothing to humanity. Its ridiculous how some people justify being there for 5+ hours. Its fortunate that their coffee is so good or else there would be no reason t return, unless your a douche of course. —MarioM
2010-06-24 11:17:11 I had a latte and a slice of cake, of some kind. Latte was extremely watered down and the cake was completely solid in the middle (frozen, I presume). Not good at all. Only visit, last visit. —advogt
2010-09-17 22:22:12 The barista burned the milk in the latte, the scone was tasteless and the chocolate was sub-par. No complaints about the people or the service, but it's expensive food and drink that isn't very good. —Mbrowne
2010-10-29 14:25:27 Mishka's is more than a cafe´, it is an international experience!
Unfortunately, I stayed away from Mishka's my first couple of years in Davis. The large orange sign did not attract me as much as the "name brand" coffee shops in town. Boy, did I miss out. One day, on a whim, I thought that I would give Mishka's a try. I was first impressed by the international feel of the cafe´. From the rustic decor, to the music playing, to the "worn in" (could have been here for 100 years) character, Mishka's to me is an excursion to anywhere in Europe, South America, and beyond. Beyond the ambience, the service is fantastic. More often than not, the baristas are friendly, knowledgeable, and obviously take pride in what they do. I believe that is a reflection of the owner. I love his "in and out" presence. He will drop in and out to see how things are going. He is not just in this to make money, it is clear that he has a vision for providing the best coffee and teas, along with adding culture to the People's Republic of Davis. Mishka's is a Davis landmark. The new location is about to open soon, and I am excited and anxious. I am excited because it will be much bigger (sometimes it is hard to find a seat). I am anxious because I hope that it does not lose any of it's "old world" charm. It seems that Mishka's attracts students (and on-students) from all over the world. There is not a day that I do not here at least two or three non-English languages spoken in the store. Is is special and unique, even for an international town like Davis. I wish the best for the future of Mishka's! —JonPage
2010-11-13 23:06:03 I was in Davis for a visit today and dropped by Mishka for coffee. I noticed near the sugar/milk station area they have a sign saying they are moving in January to a new location near the Varsity Theater. Also posted was a floor plan for the new location. It will be 2 stories and have a balcony as well. —SimonFung
2010-12-05 11:06:52 I've lived in Davis for 9 years and come to Mishka's every once and a while to work. What I love about Mishka's is the interior design, art on the wall, many outlets and tables, and the music - a lot of jazz and world music. But often when I come, I get a little irritated with the prices and sometimes the people who work here. I just paid $2.95 for a medium hot chocolate and that includes an extra .25 for the whip cream. Even in today's economy that seems a little petty and steep especially for a thriving cafe. Fortunately I usually don't order hot chocolates. The other issue is the people who work here. Over the last nine years there have been some very nice people working here but I've also experienced people, like the two women today, who come off as a little snotty. Makes me wonder if they enjoy working here and if the owner treats them well. So for me, coming to Mishka's is sometimes a mixed bag. —TomHinds
2010-12-07 06:41:09 been drinking the Mishka's white Mocha for 10 years...best white mocha anywhere ever. —jsbmeb
2010-12-20 12:17:35 Downgraded to C+ (forget the coffee, just order tea). Where have all the good baristas gone? —CoffeeSnobDavis
2011-02-25 09:17:40 I have recently come to enjoy Mishka's laid-back ambiance and the new Mishka's accommodates many more patrons while maintaining the same atmosphere. Mishka's, if you're listening, please add a lactose-free option for the considerable population of lactose intolerant patrons. Thanks! —ZElliott
Practically all espresso shops have soy milk. Are you thinking of something else? —BruceHansen
2011-03-03 07:14:44 Mishka's, dear Mishka's; your new Mcbuilding hasn't improved you at all.
2011-03-09 19:09:10 There appears to be a problem at the new location with cell phone reception. I had no indication of signal strength on a Verizon phone, even when I stepped out the front door. I seemed that the Varsity Theater next door was blocking the signal. —BruceHansen
2011-03-25 14:04:29 The new location is really great. I like to stop in and have a tea and am a huge fan of "the rule" because I can usually find a seat up front for a quick 20 minute break near the window. The tea selection is great and the choice of mugs to serve it in is really nice. I was hoping the upper deck would be part of Mishka's for outdoor seating, but I guess it will be used for another purpose. Oh well- still a great place to get a tea. —LucyB
2011-05-16 19:07:44 There really should be a rule against saving extra seats for your friends — especially when they aren't even at Mishka's. I spied two open seats in the corner and bought a coffee, assuming the seats were available. After I made my way over and tried to put my bag down, the student next to me shoved her bag in and said she was saving the seats for her friends, but that she wasn't sure if they were even going to show up at all. I ended up taking my coffee to go because there were no seats left. The place is already ridiculously crowded without imaginary customers sitting there. —DanAlcantara
2011-05-29 23:43:03 The new building is nice and has a great location with an excellent view. But, I do miss the smaller old location — it seemed more personal. Also, I wish they would bring back the artist of the month and get enough chairs to fill the increased number of tables.
—RMS
2011-06-27 21:45:49 A REAL cafe. A breath of fresh air from the paper cup moch chocka caramel chai double pump with soy kinds of places. Coming from a European background it is fantastic to find a place that can make great coffee and offer a relaxing atmosphere to talk, read or study. The bulk coffee is very nice. I buy the medium roast espresso ground for my own espresso maker and you can really tell it's quality. The new location is nice with more natural light and the service is always good. —BobJames
2011-06-29 19:56:44 Love the new space! Great coffee, as always :-). —EmilyHughes
2011-09-07 07:32:44 I used to love Mishka's. The environment was great, the baristas were relaxed and friendly, and they could make one mean mocha. However, since they've moved to the new location I've visited about 5 times, and each time has been a bad experience. The coffee doesn't seem as good (The mochas have declined in quality for sure), the new location does not seem as friendly and welcoming as the old, and worst of all, the baristas! These girls need a huge lesson in customer service...they barely greet you, just stare at you and wait for your order, they will roll their eyes right in front of a customer, try to rush you through your order without answering any questions, and are not helpful at all about helping you find a lid or napkin or whatever else you might need. The final straw was this past week. My boyfriend wanted to stop in and get a coffee, so I went in with him. The experience was pretty typical of Mishka's lately, and as we were walking away we discovered his "Mishkachinno" (Mishka's version of a frappuchino from Starbucks, or a spinner from Barista) tasted like it was made out of a mix and not stirred right. It was powdery and gritty. We went to ask for a refund, which in my experience, coffee shops are always more than happy to provide. The barista at the counter said that she didn't think she could do refunds, and asked her co-worker who agreed that she did not think they could. We asked them to please call the manager and confirm, because it seemed odd that they were not allowed to do refunds. The barista went away for a few moments, and when she came back she said that her manager told her that refunds are not allowed but she could do it this one time, but also said that if a customer didn't like a certain drink "maybe they shouldn't order it". I'm done with Mishka's for now...I'll check in in a few months and see if the situation has improved any. —KianaFreitas
I agree 100% -EricPaoli
2011-11-05 12:12:49 i like to come here and study.. pricey but arent they all? —roxygirl55
2011-11-16 20:59:56 Yummy coffee, delicious Thai iced tea, good atmosphere, and THE BEST CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES IN TOWN!!!! —gurglemeow
2012-02-01 11:55:28 Horrible Experience! I was just treated very rudely at one of your Davis downtown business and felt obligated to write you. I have never felt obligated to try and correct bad business practices until today when I was publicly harassed in front of a full cafe. The store manager was the only employee's behavior which I am writing to complain to you about. Here is a brief description of what happened. I purchased a gift certificate from http://www.campuscred.com/ucdavis . The offer was pay $3 for a $6 credit to Mishkas cafe. The gift certificate had recently expired. The gift certificate which I presented to the manager clearly states "This voucher has EXPIRED and is only valid for the purchase price." The manager read me the line in a loud and condescending manner twice then finishing with it clearly says it is expired and worth no money. She proceeded to yell at me in front of the entire store that the certificate says expired and that it is worth no money. She was very hostile and was using her position of authority to try and insult me in-front of the other customers. This experience was extremely embarrassing for me. If she had simply apologized for not being able to accept the certificate at this time and she would ask the owner to look at it ASAP I would have been fine with that. But she insisted I get something from the company I bought it from that states it was worth money. This is exactly what I was giving her! So frustrating I would not support this business until the manager is fired and the business culture is changed. —EricPaoli
LOL wow... in addition to being extremely rude, it sounds (if the quote is correct) like she was very much wrong, too. "Only valid for the purchase price" sounds an awful lot like it's worth $3. —TomGarberson
******Thanks TomGarberson!-EricPaoli ***Owner just called me to "apologize". He defiantly took the side of his employee, which is understandable I guess. The story he believes is I was unreasonable and would not leave for I think he said 8 minutes. The whole process could not have been longer than 2 minutes. Some regulars told the story to him and how his employee was in the right. I appreciate the call, but be warned the workers here can be mean!
2012-02-01 19:28:40 Sadly this doesn't surprise me at all. I've been to Mishka's several times and am usually "greeted" by a very impatient staff. This doesn't surprise me considering what I've heard from some of the former employees; they hated their job and the management. —TimJ
2012-03-27 17:03:55 Used to love it here but not a fan of the new staff, all college-age girls. They're very :| —gurglemeow
2012-07-05 16:55:07 I've been coming to Mishka's for over four years, spent hundreds, if not thousands, with my at least tri-weekly visits. Today when I went into the store, I had with me a half-empty coffee cup from Peet's. A short while later, a male employee approached me and told me about the store policy regarding no-outside-beverage and that I should trash the cup as soon as I'm done. I said I understand. Not long after that, the actual manager came up to me and proceeded to tell me that having such cup "is an insult". I politely told him how frequently I come in and made purchases there, yet he insisted that he doesn't care. Apparently years worth of loyalty means less than what a single outside cup represents. Well, manager who only sees the customers as sources of immediate revenue, I will from now on cease my "insult" and take my business elsewhere. —NigelS
2012-08-22 21:13:16 It's not about revenue, it's about insult. Just because you feel like you're some sort of patron does not mean you are better than another human, while using up space that a PAYING CUSTOMER could sit in, while displaying and consuming another businesses product. Would you buy food from mikuni's, and eat it in Sophia's and EXPECT to eat it there while merely taking up space and OUTRIGHT DISRESPECTING another business. Before complaining about staff, you should consider how you treat the staff. Also, as a mishkas regular, I can't tell you how many countless times I've felt embarrassed at how you guys order. You bark ridiculous drinks at the overworked barista and can be pretty damn rude! Treat others how you'd like to be treated....
this place is great, but it is definitely hard to find a seat! free water, free wifi, and honestly people park here for 3+ hours studying and the staff is pretty chill with it —CatLady
@CatLady: How does drinking a bit of leftover from another cafe before making a purchase equal to a superiority complex and assumed general rudeness towards the baristas? Textbook straw man fallacy.
@ - it was in response to the above previous reviews regarding other comments. Don't assume an automatic correlation to help present your illogical complaint in a negative light ...
2013-04-30 07:27:10 I will never visit Mishka's again. The owner of Mishka's lives in my neighborhood (A St. neighborhood, right next to campus) and he has been incredibly rude to the students that live in our neighborhood on multiple occasions. I understand finding the student lifestyle difficult to live with, but it's a simple solution: don't live right next to campus. He has told my landlords that they shouldn't rent to students, and that students shouldn't live in this neighborhood, which is simply ridiculous. The part that bothers me the most about his attitude is that his business is highly reliant on students, especially those who live in the downtown area. He constantly calls the police if he hears any amount of noise, and he has called the police on the sorority house on our block during their philanthropy events. This weekend while we were playing music in our backyard at 2:30 in the afternoon, he stormed INTO our house and screamed at us, calling us "fucking ghetto".
Just to reiterate—this man's business consists largely of students and yet he openly hates the students and has no tolerance for any sort of noise in the neighborhood. Being a Davis local as well as a student, I understand that students can be irksome, however, if someone is easily bothered by noise there are plenty of quiet neighborhoods in Davis that are not populated by students. My roommates and I, as well as many of the other people in our neighborhood, will no longer be giving our business to Mishka's. —ValerieBrown
2014-01-29 16:19:55 As a Russian, I like teas. As a Russian, I am used to curt service. But what the **** is up with the 2 hour wifi password thing? Seriously? —MatveiVevitsis
2014-05-03 22:10:29 Arrgh. What bothers me most about this place is that on the wall board describing Mishka's Bulk Coffee, Medium is spelled Meduim. This execrable gaffe vexes me to no end—an offensive solecism preening mockingly over the assembled crowd—from whose rebarbative glare, I can find no peace. —MichaelPlotkin
2014-06-20 17:26:37 If nothing else a place pretending to be a "Cafe" should always display some measure of CLASS and some semblance of sophistication. For all its superficial style this place displays the exact opposite in tasteless vulgarity with graceless ease!
And for a "Cafe" offering even no delicatessen-style sandwiches or small meals this little coffee-and-sparse-pastry DUMP has absolutely NOTHING to act PRECIOUS about! Let's face it: the Twilight Zone town of Davis isn't very big at all on coffee shops and "downtown" Mishka's is just about all that's available. So Davis denizens have virtually no place else to go for a decent brew—except around the corner at a tiny, ubiquitous Starbucks, which closes three hours earlier than Mishka's, which has a lock on the service hours monopoly as well!
When it comes to CUSTOMER SERVICE though we'll take Starbucks over Mishka's anytime as the pseudo-baristas at this "cafe" for the eccentric locals(like the one who comes regularly to stretch his legs up tree trunks!)and study-hall students have yet to master even an approximation of that simple concept: polite-and-cheerful courtesy!
So we get the boot from Starbucks at closing time and promptly relocate(as is our habit)to Mishka's, taking just as promptly an outdoor table. As we had just got settled we had yet to pack away our "Venti" personal plastic Starbucks cups, mostly empty of beverage. We're nighttime regulars, you see, and boast the marked "buy ten coffee and tea drinks, get one FREE" card to prove it!
No sooner were we seated with the EXTRA LARGE blackberry Italian Soda we just bought at Mishka's did this crazed, chubby, pale and rabid creature sporting a shock of bluish dyed hair make a beeline from the inside to the outside to very RUDELY accost us in her apparent trademark OBNOXIOUS manner:
"I'm sorry," she snaps, hovering directly over us, "but outside drinks are not allowed here!"
Apparently the large buttered popcorn we just bought(and brought)from that "Varsity" cinema theatre next door was quite acceptable...
"We haven't drunk a drop from those cups," I assure her.
"They CAN'T BE HERE! They're advertising for STARBUCKS!!" she froths at the mouth!
At this point I was most tempted to say then we couldn't be there and wouldn't be back, either, and to take your overpriced, watered-down soda and SHOVE IT!!...but restrained myself for the sake of my guest...
"We can pack the cups in our bags," I suggest simply, "no problem."
"Just as long as they're OUT OF SIGHT!" Ms. Blue-Head froths further before whirling away in a frenetic frenzy something akin to the Loony Toon's Tazmanian devil...
All that was called for here, really, was just a little tact and CIVILITY...not a near belligerent confrontation practically accusing us of committing the most atrocious mortal sin since Cain killed Abel!
Besides, it's rather unsightly for any customer to be forced to witness up close and personal the very sad spectacle of a rather unlovely barista making herself even more hideous by her ugly attitude to the job!
Get over yourself, Mishka's, your dumpy little pastry joint just isn't that "special"...AT ALL!! —JosephCovinoJr
2014-10-17 23:22:21 In contrast to some of the reviews above mine, I actually really enjoy this cafe. I started coming here about a year ago, and I've found the service to be great, the coffee good, and the pastries pretty yummy as well. I usually hang out and read while my partner does whatever she does on the computer, and the atmosphere is perfect for it- not too loud, but not deathly silent either. —aquacaelum
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