A classical three-field mixed variational formulation of frictionless contact is extended to the frictional regime. The construction of the variational framework with respect to a curvilinear coordinate system naturally induces projected mortar counterparts of tangential kinetic and kinematic quantities while automatically satisfying incremental objectivity of the associated discrete penalty-regularized mortar constraints. Mixed contact variables that contribute to the boundary value problem are then obtained through unconstrained, lumped or constrained recovery approaches, complemented by Uzawa augmentations. Patch tests and surface locking studies are presented together with local and global quality monitors of the contact interactions in two- and three-dimensional settings at the infinitesimal and finite deformation regimes. © 2012 Elsevier B.V.