The Finch Is The Luxury Concept Mockingbird Station Has Needed For Years

An elegant new dining experience has landed in Mockingbird Station. Milkshake Concepts, which created Stirr and Harper’s, has opened The Finch, a modern American restaurant. Like most of Milkshake’s restaurants, The Finch is a sophisticated establishment where guests can arrive dressed to the nines, enjoy crafty spins on traditional plates and bond over well-designed cocktails.

After several pandemic-related closures in Mockingbird Station, as well as some restaurants just not lasting long, The Finch is the upscale concept the shopping center has needed for years.

The interior design of The Finch has hardwood floors, blue and white seating and wood tables. A long, marble bar area is staffed by skilled, attentive bartenders who give much attention to their uniquely mixed cocktails.

One of those cocktails is the brown sugar old-fashioned, which, as its name suggests, is a sweet upgrade of the traditional old-fashioned. It’s made with Angel’s Envy Bourbon, a brown sugar reduction and bitters ($15). It’s rich enough to satisfy the old-fashioned aficionado but with a touch of sweetness.

Perhaps a lighter choice is the blackberry lavender lemonade, made with Belvedere blackberry and lemongrass vodka, lavender and blackberries ($14). A light waft of lavender allows for a relaxed mood, as one slowly sips this refreshing beverage.

But if you really want to spice things up a notch, try the paloma, which is unlike the typical one found in Dallas. The Finch’s version uses grapefruit-flavored White Claw as a base and contains grapefruit cordial, touches of lime, and Tanteo jalapeño tequila ($15). The jalapeño gives this cocktail a hot, flavorful kick, emphasizing its Latin roots.

Milkshake Concepts is largely known for taking bar food — like tacos, burgers and fries — and plating them in an elegant manner. So to start off, we tried the Finch Wagyu Sliders, a plate of three Wagyu mini burgers with slices of American cheese, tomato, pickles, lettuce, The Finch’s signature sauce and soft, buttery brioche buns ($15). When ordered medium rare, these sliders cut and chew fairly easily and contain a hearty flavor with a slightly sweet maple aftertaste. Plus, they don’t sit too heavily, which is a good thing because there are so many promising mains.

Many of The Finch’s main courses are based around lean meats, including the roasted herb chicken, which is set atop a bed of poblano and white cheddar polenta, grilled broccolini and citrus herb jus ($20). Another standout is the crispy striped bass, served over Parmesan risotto, grilled asparagus, eggplant caponata and lemon butter ($23).

If you really want to splurge, some of the heartier plates include the center-cut filet mignon, with red wine jus, compound butter and baby arugula ($42 for six ounces/$52 for eight ounces).

We decide to try the pan-seared Ora King Salmon served with grilled carrots and cauliflower rice with a charred tomato vinaigrette. The pairing of the tomato vinaigrette and the citrus salmon is perfect.

On our list to try next time is The Finch’s selection of regional oysters ($4 each), including Butter and Brine oysters, inspired by Rhode Island, and Ichabod oysters, inspired by Massachusetts.

What we like about The Finch is that while many of the plates are protein-centered, they don’t feel heavy, nor do they seem overpriced. So it’s ideal for a good post-workout mea, or a lovely spot to have dinner before going to see a movie at the Angelika.

Opening a lush concept in Mockingbird Station, a shopping center with a history of restaurant closures (e.g., Edith’s, Agu Ramen, Brined and Trinity Hall) is a big risk, but with various signature cocktails, lavish-yet-approachable plates and a solid team behind it, The Finch may just be the one to stay. And perhaps it can give Mockingbird Station back its groove.

The Finch. 5307 E. Mockingbird Lane, No. 150 (Mockingbird Station). Monday – Thursday, 11 a.m. – midnight; Friday, 11 a.m. – 1 a.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. – 1 a.m.; Sunday, 10 a.m. – 10 p.m.