The Mockingbird Reviews

Great selection of comfort food. Abundant side dishes like butter beans, sweet potato's and Mac and cheese. Awesome desserts. Great service. Aesthetically pleasing facilities.

Food was good and the service was attentive and friendly (to this East Coaster). Chilaquiles were yummy and sweet tea quenched my thirst. It was a fabulous, non-chain, choice for this hungry traveler. Recommend.

Stopped in this morning for a breakfast on my way to a business meeting near Love Field. I had been here last summer for lunch and thought it was ok, so I assumed breakfast would be at least as good. Well I was wrong. It’s a “grab a tray & get in line” afffair for breakfast. Just like the high school cafeteria. Pans of scrambled eggs, pancakes, bacon, etc.... sitting in there in a hot water bath. I had stopped in hoping to order an omelette. Not an option. So I ordered the “breakfast tacos” which consisted of 2 smaller size tacos that they assembled right there on the line with “stiff” flour tortillas, scrambled eggs and bacon. They were very average at best, and that’s really trying to be kind.. I ordered a side of hash browns which were nice and crispy and tasted pretty good. If your looking for a nice sit down breakfast, made to order, this is not your place.

This diner is a great lunch and breakfast place right at the entrance of Love Field. Meatloaf, hush puppies, veggies, and that Mockingbirger were all stars. We didn't indulge in dessert, but the carrot cake looked fab.

Very close to the Dallas Love Field airport, modern decor and right next to the Tesla car dealership. Food is not bad, it was crowded and noisy. Our waitress was helpful and friendly. Portion of the food is decent but not huge. Would return, there are some homeless roaming around the street near by.

Wife and I drove mom to Love and decided to try this cafe rather than fast food. We all got homestyle plates and shared vegetables from all 3 orders. The servings were large and the taste was as I put in the title. I did travel for 20 years for work and have been to a zillion places from one end of the scale to the other. Pie was okay, not great to me. Service was sufficient and place appeared full of clients.

we went there for lunch on a Saturday. we were quite surprised about how empty the place was regarding the fact of how promising the place and menu looked. the style of the diner is pretty cool. old, cushioned church benches in a very minimalistic, church-like but modern setting. a large window front across the entire side with wonderful, natural light filling the space. that is about the only cool thing about this diner, though. everything else is genuinely austere: the waiters must have been advised that smiling is a no-go and having fun at work is strictly prohibited. the negative, unenthusiastic energy was absolutely palpable. people do not seem to enjoy working there, not at all. as this was noticeable throughout pretty much the entire team, I definitely believe the management is to blame. regarding the food, you should order some bread. absolutely yummy. the rest of the food we had ordered was okay, but needed some more seasoning. so keep the salt and pepper ready. this place has potential, for sure, but especially regarding front of the house things really need to change. otherwise the place is gonna stay as empty as it did that Saturday. we will for sure not be back again soon.

So amazing!!! The creations here are all so tasty and wonderful. All the employees are so kind and they definitely cook everything with love, we love it here!

I had the meatloaf, mash potatoes, and squash. I would have taken a picture but it was all gone before I thought about it. Everything was delicious! I would highly recommend this place!

Placed directly across the street on the south side of Love Field airport, The Mockingbird, sometimes also called Mockingbird Diner, is fairly new to the area. They have a few kinks to get worked out and once done, this place can shine. Until then, it’s a bit overpriced for what you get. The food is good, but the a la cart menu is pretty annoying. Once there’s a little more competition around, it should get better.

We ate lunch here last week and ordered the chicken fried steak. Two steaks come on the order along with two choices of sides. Easy to split. The steak was average, but the veggies really stole the show. Wish they served rolls or cornbread with the meal, but you have to order bread separately. We each ordered a piece of pie, but we didn't care for either one. What a shame to end the meal with bad desserts. They really need to improve them! Service was ok. We were seated at the counter and had to ask for refills of tea. We will probably go again and try something different next time or get a vegetable plate. We will not end with a dessert.

Enjoyed great home cooking with all the staples. Great option in this area. Staff very pleasant with good service. Great food and experience. Keep up the great work Jack. Can’t wait to come try dinner with your new hours.

No. Just no! I wrote about the Mockingbird with such love and depth and when I finally get to visit again, it’s been revamped and is totally disappointing. I live a hundred miles away! I stop every single time I fly from Love Field. I can’t adequately express how disappointed I am with the change to cafeteria style service. Why?! Why ruin a beautiful thing? And there was no pie. The ceiling is still breath-taking but I’m sorry to say “you lost me”. 😭

Right where Herb Kelleher Way meets the main cross street outside DFW/Love Field you'll find a cafe that bears the street's name. We had a quick turnaround trip to Dallas and were underwhelmed by the complimentary breakfast our hotel had to offer. So, we popped into The Mockingbird on our way to return our rental car. Bright, airy and bustling for place that has only been open 4 months from this review, service was prompt, the owner, Jack Perkins, is back there hustlin' with his staff, bringing out plate after fragrant plate of mouth-watering goodness. There is a case of baked goods that every patron cannot help but stop in front of and pay homage to. The down southern sweets tempt before you even have a menu in hand. For $30 we got 2 breakfasts, coffee, an oatmeal cream pie AND a slice of Dallas Sheet Cake! Whether a local, a LOVE Airport employee, on a layover or just passing through, you owe it to yourself to try The Mockingbird. Like our waitress said, "You won't be disappointed."

Hearing good reviews, we decided to try Mockingbird Diner, as it was across the street from Love Field, and I had more than an hour before I had to check in to catch a flight. We arrived before 11 am on Sunday, the restaurant was busy & noisy ( probably due to large, barn-like interior). We were told our party of 5, would have to wait for a table, and that the breakfast menu closed at 11am. Fifteen minutes later we were seated, and were promptly served our preferences of water, tea and soft drinks. Knowing we had more than 45 minutes, we ordered sandwiches & salads to expedite our order. Thirty minutes later, the tables next to us and behind us, which had been seated AFTER us, were served. Our waiter had to be flagged down twice re the status of our order. No refills for any of our drinks—He was very evasive. Tables around us emptied and were not bussed, and still our food did not arrive. The little girls become more restless and hungry and the time was closer to the flight. Finally, we caught our server’s attention & asked for 2 orders “to go”, thinking we could at least eat while waiting for the plane. After 15 more minutes, still no food, and 2 of us left to go to the airport. My daughter, who stayed w/ her children, said the orders arrived after 15 minutes (one HOUR) after we sat down, and wasn’t anything special. We won’t be back.

Lovely meal on a Thursday evening, as a guest at the nearby Hilton Doubletree. It’s a short walk to The Mockingbird and a beautiful evening so I walked over from the hotel. As a single diner, I felt bad for taking up a large booth but they weren’t extremely busy so I accepted it. I enjoyed the chicken fried steak—it was fried to golden but not overdone (a common error) and is served appropriately with a real fork and steak knife. I look for the little touches that set a diner experience apart from fast food—real silverware, glass glasses and cloth napkins are all telling signs. Love that! Food was good and hearty. Took a piece of Buttermilk pie for dessert back at the hotel—the server wrapped it nicely in a small box. Classy. Service was attentive and my tea glass was refilled promptly. The meal was very satisfying but I must say That Buttermilk Pie with the buttery crust...that will be what makes me come back *every* time I stay at the Hilton Doubletree. I would walk through the rain for that! Excellent!! And PS the ambiance of the diner with the vaulted ceiling, accented w beams and wood...brought the word comfortable and beautiful to mind. Definitely not like any other diner around! �

Actually, that's more of a rhetorical question--the owner's reasons have been published extensively. However, it has not been a change for the good. With table service, the food was much better, the choices were more extensive, and the ambiance justified the prices. Now, diners are met with a display of food that has been sitting under heat lamps for who knows how long, the entrees all look the same, and the dining area has less appeal than a high school lunch room. The ceiling is still nice, though. I encourage the owner to reconsider this ill-conceived service switch and re-institute table service. I won't be back until they do (for what that's worth). On a wholly unrelated point, another recent reviewer bemoaned the absence of vegetarian choices, using the word "veggie" upwards of four times in one sentence. Really, please stop. Your virtue signalling is annoying. You know what's on the menu before you order. If you don't like the choices, go somewhere else. The restaurant is not the problem--you are. And stop saying and writing "veggie"--I assume that you are an adult.

chicken fried steak and eggs!! seems like jack perkins knew every customer , that or he treats everybody like family, easy access to love field airport, before or after your flight

We recently visited The Mockingbird Diner on a Sunday at lunch to celebrate a friend’s birthday. Since there were 12 of us, we were able to make reservations. The restaurant is fairly new and has an industrial feel to it. Lots of windows bring light in and the atmosphere is young and vibrant. We were seated immediately and walked past a case which had delicious looking pastries, cakes and pies on display making me start thinking about dessert before even seeing the menu! The lunch selections included salads, burgers, veggies, chicken fried steak, ham steak, chicken tenders, etc., very much a “home cooking” type of restaurant. I don’t think anyone at the table ordered the same item, so we had a large sampling of their foods. My husband ordered the chicken fried steak which was huge, covered in white gravy and delicious. I ordered a veggie plate with greens, green beans, squash and glazed carrots. Others ordered catfish, ham steak, a burger and salads with different sides all around. Most of the items were well flavored and reminded me of eating my mom and grandmother’s cooking; however, I will say that the macaroni and cheese and the glazed carrots were a disappointment. The macaroni and cheese had a taste of powered cheese to it and the glazed carrots were overcooked and mushy. Some of the group also ordered pie for dessert and the coconut cream, chocolate cream and banana cream all received high praises. I would think that as the restaurant filled up the noise level would be at a level to make conversation difficult, there are no “soft” decorations to help absorb some of the sounds. All in all, the food and the service were good, but in a city the size of Dallas they are going to have to up their game with the presentation and flavor of home cooking to keep people coming back.

This stylish, slightly spartan restaurant features excellent comfort food. It’s a new twist on the old “meat and two” formula and it works. I’ve eaten here a couple of times and both times the food was good. Sunday we all had chicken fried steaks and eggs for brunch and it didn’t disappoint. Sometimes there is a slight wait, but usually getting a table is no problem.

My family and I were excited to visit The Mockingbird. I read the reviews here on Trip Advisor. The restaurant had taken over the former Grandpa Tony’s location. The fact that very few patrons were dining should have been a clue. The interior was clean and updated. The menu is sparse and overpriced. The do offer limited “Little Bird” servings for kids, however, no kid hamburger and no kid friendly veggies. I truly believe that the owners have no idea what children eat. When I asked if the Mac and cheese was good, the server grimaced. There are no appetizers. We ordered the double hamburger (the only option) plain and dry for our son. It came with cheese. Meatloaf and potatoes were dry and had no gravy. The green beans were under cooked string beans with lots of chopped onion and bacon. Drinks were obviously empty, yet we needed to ask for refills. We will not be returning to this establishment. It’s not worth $55+ for two adults and two kids. Save your money.

Been seeing this place going to the airport and today we stopped by after our flight. Cool place and good service. Great selection to choose from. I was little bummed that they had taken the fried chicken off the menu but still was able to get my CFS steak on.

I am really trying to like this place. The food is good but I am underwhelmed. I was in this past Saturday and I think you are nickel and dimed here. And if you do not ask for something you will not get it when you think it would just come. I had the omelet, was good but no toast or biscuit unless you buy it ala cart. The biscuit was great, came with no butter or jam. You are not offered anything extra, it seems like management/owner is like if they don't ask for butter/jelly or a straw DON'T offer it. If you order something that usually has syrup you get a little amount in a glass container that is only half full, if you look around every container that comes out is only half full. I understand trying to make a profit but when you notice that they are so obvious in it it takes away from the experience.

Well, Jack has done it again. GREAT home cooking. Cool atmosphere. Everything on our table was very good!! Beef tips, Mockingburger, filet and hamburger steak. Sides were also wonderful. The only thing, I didn’t see overly happy staff. They weren’t mad but just not very outgoing. I do realize they have only been open at nights for a month. Looking forward to bringing rest of family here as well as coming for some great breakfast. Well done Jack!! (Sorry I don’t know the lady from Good to Go)

The menu has a variety of options - the burgers are great. I have only been in for lunch, but the breakfast selection looks good. Food and service were top notch - but they get very busy. I'd suggest planning your lunch visit for early or late, but right at noon is going to be standing in line for a table.

The food is okay, but served cafeteria style. It was warm at best by the time I sat down to eat it. The cakes and pies looked great, and my friend said they were awesome. This place is not worth the hype. The prices are extreme, considering the food you get. I paid almost 20 dollars for a hamburger steak, two sides and a drink.

We were seated immediately, greeted immediately by our server Devin, and given plenty of time to look over the menu and decide between Devin's top 5 recommendations. (We tried three of those five). The beef over rice was tasty and hot. The Chinese chicken salad was flavorful and crunchy. The meatloaf was nicely seasoned and tasted like steak. The vegetable sides were hard to choose from -- we enjoyed the squash and onions, french fries and broccoli cheese rice. Desserts were offered and we chose the Texas Sheath Cake and Coconut Cream Pie - OH MY! Sooooo good, I will be remembering this meal until I go again. Each server and the manager were very friendly and made our first time, a truly memorable one!

We arrived 15min before breakfast was supposed to be over and lunch menu was on. We ordered 3 cheeseburgers and it took over 45mins for the kitchen to service us. I'm not sure why it's not possible to serve eggs and burgers are same time. Doesn't feel overly complicated. The manager told us after 15 min that they were trying to get thru breakfast tickets first and he apologized for the delay and graciously comp'd our meal, but we were needing to catch a flight and the additional time was becoming a problem. When the food did come it was good, but not great. The breakfast menu looked good but unfortunately we couldn't order off it to know how it tasted. I'd probably give this place a second chance, but would say this experience was a fail.

Veggie plate was good, but it would have been really nice to have a veggie burger or veggie lasagne or some other veggie entree. $13 for 4 veggies, cornbread & a glass of iced tea. Will I come back? Maybe, they are right next to the Tesla service center and Love Field. But my expectations will have been adjusted accordingly

It's conveniently located near the airport so it was an obvious choice when meeting up with someone from out of town. There's also ample easy parking so it's convenient too. The menu has good entrees for hungry ones as well as a wide selection of sides for lighter fare. The service is fast & friendly so you can dine quickly, if necessary.

I have been to dinner several times at Mockingbird and enjoyed it. I decided to stop by for breakfast before my flight. Sadly, this was a bad choice. Breakfast service is a bit if a hybrid - buffet items served from a steam table and items ordered from the menu delivered to your table. I ordered an omelette with grits (and that’s all I received. No one bothered to explain I needed to order toast, etc). The omelette looked like a yellow plastic mold as it was made from food service liquid eggs vs fresh eggs. The grits were a goopy mess. I couldn’t eat any of it. Gave those to the busboy and returned to the line for biscuits and gravy and sausage (both were lukewarm, served from steam table). The biscuit was fine but the gravy lacked flavor. Again disappointed. Even the coffee was weak and lukewarm, self serve from an urn. The most disappointing was the staff who witnessed my unhappiness but failed to reach out with an apology or suggestions that would have improved the experience. Total lack of care from the front door throughout the kitchen, buffet line, cashier, etc. Inexcusable really. And a total waste of $25. (Yes, I paid for both rounds). There are plenty of other choices nearby. I suggest you find one of those.

Came here for lunch with friends. Food is amazing, staff are extremely friendly and welcoming, atmosphere is great, and prices are not terribly expensive by any means. There are no bad choices on the menu - we wound up trying each others dishes and no one disliked anything they had. Will definitely be back!

Well. Second visit. First review ... my burger was AMAZING.... of course the owner has Maple and Motor so it better be... My dining partner had the green beans with bacon. He decided it should be called “bacon with green beans”. So salty. Not too appealing . His chicken tenders. Average at best . The tator tots were extremely greasy and really bad. The Mac and cheese ? Our server suggested. It tasted like it was leftover from lunch . The cornbread and the bread were awful. I felt as if they took them out of a package and laid them on a plate. They weren’t warm at all, and the rolls were dry. Service was okay....on a $30 tab she seemed disappointed I was going to leave $6. So I left $7. Even though she wasn’t worth it. She seemed annoyed and walked away with the cash . Wouldn’t go back.

We had a great breakfast. The waffles were very good. We also had the chilaquiles and they were the best we've had in a long time. The staff was so friendly and accommodating. We will return to this restaurant for sure.

We were looking for a place to have breakfast close to Dallas Love Field. I found The Mockingbird online. What a great find! They’ve been open for 2 1/2 months and at this time they’re open for breakfast and lunch. Great location for travelers; great food; clean restaurant; clean restrooms; roomy and comfortable booths; great service; light and airy. I recommend highly and will always look forward to returning for breakfast or lunch. Looking forward to when they’re open for dinner, too.

Stopped in to grab a bite before picking up family arriving after us at Love field. We were served quickly and food was very good. Checked out my neighbors food too and it looked and smelled delicious. All in all a good quick stop for yummy food

On occasion really greats service can overcome mediocre food, and rare occasions great food can overcome poor service. Neither was the case in this instance. According to an article the Dallas Observer the owner's goal was for everyone to go through the line and have there food within 5 minutes. We waited for 20 minutes to get our food after we had already paid. Besides being completely self serve. Refills on coffee and other drinks are not easily accessible because of the flow of the restaurant. When we got our food it didn't come at the same time. It was Not hot, Luke warm at best. We paid for cold food. The eggs were cold, the breakfast potatoes were overcooked and cold, the bacon tasted okay but was luke warm. The biscuit was so hard it think I could have cracked the concrete with it. The gravy had no flavor. To make our first time experience at this diner even more memorable the guy cleaning off tables comes to our table while we were still eating and starts reaching over my food to clear the table. It was on par for the rest of our meal. We left and won't be back. Horrible value for the money.

I really wanted to like this place: the location, the outside look and the chef's reputation made it a must try, Our party of three placed our name on the list at 10:36am for Sunday brunch (or what we thought would be brunch) and were told there'd be a 30 minute wait - we were also told that a lunch menu would be available at 11am. We now entered a land of no eye contact by anyone associated with The Mockingbird. There were 5 seats available at the counter, 8 seats available at the high tops in the back, and an additional 3 tables capable of seating 6 people each in the dining room. We asked if we could be seated at the counter or high tops but were told those were not on the morning "rotation". I have no problem waiting for a table when no seats are available but there were 31 available seats in the diner. At 11:19am, 49 minutes after checking in, we were seated. The lunch menu was placed in front of us and we were told breakfast was over. Now, to be fair, the host did say that lunch would be available at 11am - he DID NOT say that breakfast would end....on a Sunday....at a diner...when it was obvious we were there for brunch/breakfast at 10:35am. We got up and left. I do hope The Mockingbird will create an atmosphere where the host, manager, and serving staff acknowledge the people who are waiting whether they are recognized as a friend of the owner or not.

Lunch today. This is a great little place that offers solid dependable food. Our waiter, Chris, provided excellent service. Food is delivered in a timely manner and made with fresh ingredients.

My son and I stopped in at the mockingbird to grab some lunch. Right across from Love Field, it was busy for Saturday but we were seated right away. A lovely diner, complete with counter service and cake/pie/roll display case! My son ordered the meatloaf sandwich which came complete with mashed potatoes on a sesame seed bun! It was tasty and gone in minutes! I ordered the fried catfish. The batter was light and the fish was flaky and fresh! My son was eyeing the desserts, so he ordered a piece of carrot cake. Although a bit pricey (6.95), it was worth every penny. Did I mention that it has 4 layers, and so moist and delicious it tasted just like homemade (if not better)! I would definitely visit this establishment again (need to try that German chocolate cake!)!

The fine print is that the new restaurant is outside the airport. Across the street from the airport entrance on Mockingbird Lane is a brand new architectural gem that provides a convenient apres and depues travel refueling stop. Called The Mockingbird, this attractive eatery promises an alternative to airport food. And to its credit, they call themselves a diner. The food was just ok. For diner food it was good. For a sit down destination, you would never hanker for their fixins. We had egg white omelettes which were wet with cooking oil and bland. The coffee was weak and flavorless. The fact that the cup was infrequently refilled was a good thing. We can hope that the cooking improves as Love Field Traveler’s need this alternative. But for now, I will eat at the airport or before I leave home.