Driving by The Mixx Bar & Grill after first noticing the sign on Piikoi Street across from Ala Moana Center, I couldn’t get a read on the place. Was it a hipster habitat? A classic “Mad Men” watering hole? A locals-only hangout?

I’ll admit to feeling a little disappointed when first entering the dark, windowless space: The Mixx looked to be just a straight-up dive bar. But first impressions can be deceiving.

The experience

The decor is underwhelming, lacking warmth or character. Bright yellow seemed an unusual color choice for the largely unadorned walls, with mirrors in one corner and a drop ceiling like the one at the office. The cheap tables and stackable chairs were placed in rows, with the option of banquette seating in a couple of spots. Several flat-screen TVs were turned to sports, and for additional entertainment there were four electronic dart boards and karaoke.

So far, so meh.

Most of the tables had “reserved” signs on them. That seemed puzzling, considering it was 6 p.m. on a Friday and there were only five other patrons in the bar, two of whom turned out to be the entertainment. But then we were greeted by one of the owners, Sheila English, who invited us to sit at one of the two unreserved tables.

English and our server were genuinely friendly and attentive to our needs, going so far as to change the channel on one of the TVs to a game of our choosing. As more people began showing up, it was clear The Mixx attracts a loyal core of (mostly middle-age) regulars, and although we weren’t part of the gang, we were made to feel comfortable and welcome.

As we were preparing to leave around 7:30 p.m., those reserved tables were starting to fill up. It looked like it was going to be a merry night.

As indicated by its name, The Mixx enjoys a mixed following, with a younger crowd dropping by later in the evening. Live entertainment of the lounge variety is offered most Thursdays and Saturdays, and there’s a darts tourney on Fridays.

Look for street parking or try your luck in the small lot behind the bar, but be warned: You might get blocked in by later-arriving patrons.

And I just have to mention another surprise: The clean and well-stocked ladies room has festive bright-pink walls adorned with dozens of life-size, three-dimensional butterflies. Unexpected and fun.

The drinks

The Mixx offers an impressive array of bottled beers, with two on tap: Stella Artois and Big Wave. Happy-hour prices apply to bottles only.

In addition to the regular happy-hour discounts, there are daily bartender’s-choice drink specials for $4 to $6 all day. On this night Jameson, Fireball and Serpent’s Bite were being served for $5. Not normally a whiskey drinker, I ordered up a Fireball with ginger ale, served in a bucket with ice. Yes, I will have another.

Other promotions include $2 Tuesdays ($1.50 domestic, $2 imported, $2.50 for 16-ounce aluminum bottles from 2 to 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. to 2 a.m.) and Well/Wine Wednesdays ($3 well/$3 wine all day).

The food

This is where it gets good. Following English’s recommendation, we ordered The Mixx Crispy Chicken ($14), Pulehu Steak ($14) with the garlic mushroom sauce, and kim chee fried rice ($12).

Everything was made fresh. The food was delivered within 10 minutes, in portions large enough to feed three or four. The boneless chicken bites, drizzled with a mild aioli, had a light crunchy coating and were surprisingly tender, not dry and chewy as is often the case. The perfectly pink steak, served pupu style, didn’t have that greasy-grill taste, and the mushrooms were spongy and fresh, not slimy and overcooked.

A mound of fried rice that seemed molded from a 6-cup pot contained liberal shares of diced Spam and Portuguese sausage.

I can say without hesitation that the dishes were as generous and tasty as at Side Street Inn — and maybe better.

Other choices on the limited menu included loco moco, chopped steak, burgers, noodles, saimin and pork chops for $16 and under, plus lesser bar fare such as fries, chicken wings, mozzarella strips and Cajun Tater Tots in the $5-to-$8 range.

We would have loved to have tried more dishes, but couldn’t come close to finishing what we’d ordered.

The verdict

Whatever The Mixx Bar & Grill lacks in decor is easily forgiven with the friendly service and great food. The crowd is cheery and inclusive. However, happy hour might not be the best time to go for a lively night out. Either way, we’ll be back.