Brunch at The Finch Uncovers Some Classy Gems

It was a recent Sunday like many others, with errands to be completed before the start of the work week. But we need fuel to function, so we popped into The Finch in Mockingbird Station for brunch.

As we've written previously, The Finch is one of the restaurants under the Milkshake Concepts banner, and when it opened in 2022, we hoped it would be the kind of restaurant that Mockingbird Station desperately craved. Happily, The Finch is still churning along in 2024, and a second location opened in the EpicCentral development in Grand Prairie last year. However, it appears that Dallas diners may be sleeping on perhaps their best meal service of the day.

We counted two occupied tables when we walked into The Finch, as well as a wide open bar where we decided to sit. Admittedly we had gotten a late start, and maybe we completely missed the regular brunch crowd. But one of the appeals of brunch is the ability to stretch a meal (and maybe some drinks) well longer than usual, so we still couldn't help but wonder why The Finch wasn't busier.
It's not for a lack of great options. If a brunch cocktail sounds appealing, The Finch has you covered with mules, micheladas and mimosas. We needed a little caffeine boost, so an Irish coffee ($13) was right up our alley. When it arrived, the drink was mesmerizing: the cream slowly drizzled down the inside of the glass in gossamer threads, and we honestly didn't touch the drink for several minutes just to watch the show. Words and a still picture don't do it justice.

With a bit of caffeine on board, we dove into the food options, and found a lot of the brunch classics, often paired with delicious twists. A short rib hash ($16) was a savory and tasty option, with Demi-glazed short rib chunks, cubes of potatoes, mushrooms and poblanos topped with a sunny side egg and horseradish creme. Served up in a plate-sized cast iron dish, it's a delicious blend of beefy and spicy flavors that should satiate you until the dinner hour arrives.

We also ordered a wagyu pastrami Benedict served with de rigueur poached eggs, topped with greens and a chipotle béarnaise sauce for extra zing. Instead of an English muffin, the tender slices of pastrami were nestled atop discs of crispy hash browns. We found the twists on the common Benedict a delight, and quickly plowed through our plate. Sadly, as this story went to press, the Benedict has been nixed from the menu, although a wagyu chicken fried steak ($24) looks like another hearty option to try on our next visit.

And visit again, we will. Several options from The Finch's regular menu make appearances on the brunch menu; we can personally vouch for The Finch's burger ($16) and the Szechuan popcorn chicken ($12) as solid picks. The rest of the brunch menu presents several options we'd love to try, like hot honey chicken and waffles, steak and eggs or a classic shrimp and grits.

Perhaps we were just lucky with our timing, but brunch at The Finch is also easy to get in to, as though the rest of the brunching public has other options in mind. We can't imagine any reason why The Finch wouldn't be in the rotation when deciding on a brunch spot with friends. It's almost as if the Finch's brunch service is our own little secret, but it's a secret we're happy to share.

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