Marina Mac-And-Cheese Joint 'Mac'd' Set To Open July 13th

Marina Mac-And-Cheese Joint 'Mac'd' Set To Open July 13thPhoto: Mac'D/Facebook
Jessica Park
Published on July 03, 2017

Comfort food is enjoying a renaissance, and Bay Area natives Jason Brown and Chen-Chen Huo are offering their take with Mac'd, a fast-casual restaurant at 3347 Fillmore St. in the Marina, where customers can build their own macaroni-and-cheese bowls. 

Set to launch July 13th—with a grand opening on the 14th—National Mac and Cheese Day—the restaurant has been in the works for more than six years.

Photo: Mac'd

Huo initially came up with the idea after Pieology Pizzeria opened near UC Berkeley six years ago. The eatery allows customers to select an assortment of sauces, cheeses, meats and vegetables and create their own pizzas. 

Inspired, Huo told a friend about his idea for a similar mac and cheese joint, but he was shut down. Undeterred, Huo let the idea simmer for years before sharing his notion with his current business partner.

Last year, Huo and Brown partners started bringing their idea to life, spending five to six months testing recipes on friends.

Macaroni and cheese are a natural fit, but the two owners are very different. "We're very push and pull, yin and yang, oil and water," said Brown. "[Chen-Chen's] a classic entrepreneur and I'm the more cautious one.


Business owners Jason Brown (left) and Chen-Chen Huo (right). | Photo: Jessica Park/Hoodline

Once they were ready, Brown and Huo—now working together as Mix & Mac—began participating in pop-up events in the Castro and Noe Valley. They also reached out to beer festivals and local breweries, including Harmonic Brewing in the Dogpatch and Black Hammer Brewing in SoMa, to serve food on site.

Following their pop-up success, they decided to open their first brick-and-mortar spot at 3347 Fillmore Street. 

"We wanted to go into the mac and cheese industry because it's a comfort food that is pretty accessible," Brown said. "We have a lot of respect for restaurants like Homeroom and Mac Daddy that have elevated what mac and cheese could be." 

Photo: Jessica Park/Hoodline

Mac'd customers will first choose a sauce and pasta, add on "mixins" (which include bacon, kimchi and mushrooms), and finish with toppings that range from hot cheetos to truffle oil.

Both owners emphasize that an order of mac and cheese will cost $10 before tax and tip. There are also premium toppings available (tri-tip steak, lobster, shrimp and crab), which will push the cost of a bowl up to $13–$16.

While they are raising funds, Brown and Huo are also waiting for a Type 41 liquor license. Once it's approved, they'll offer wine and beer from the local breweries they've previously worked with.

For the final push, the owners are currently holding a fundraiser until July 10th. As of this writing, 98 people have donated $6,079 out of the $10,000 the pair is seeking. 

Once open, Mac'd will be open Sunday to Wednesday, 11am-9pm, and Thursday to Saturday, 11am-2am.