Chose this restaurant for a Mother's Day dinner and it was a hit. The place is hip and inviting. Happy hour till 6 on a Sunday was an unexpected surprise. The service was excellent and the food was incredible. We had a full meal from drinks to appetizer to desert and it was all fabulous. I'd love to go back again and again to try everything on the menu. They also had beautiful outdoor seating which is mostly covered and looked really cool as well. read more

Mockingbird came highly recommended, so we arrived expecting a special dining experience for our daughter's 20th birthday. We even drove 3.5 hours to meet her there. We had 5:30pm reservations and were seated immediately. The host was warm, acknowledged the occasion, and honored my request for a quieter table by placing us in a bay-window nook. Unfortunately, that's where the positives ended. The space echoed so badly we could barely hear each other, and the setting sun combined with the AC being accidentally turned off made the area feel like a sauna. Our water glasses were filled within minutes, so we thought service would be smooth. Instead, we sat for another 15 minutes before anyone greeted us--while a table seated after us was helped promptly and served at a noticeably faster pace. I understand large parties require attention (there was a group of 10-12 nearby), but as a former server myself, I've never allowed smaller tables to feel forgotten. When our server, Lucian (sp?), finally arrived, we immediately placed drink and appetizer orders because we were already starving. The appetizers came out about 20 minutes later--still before our drinks. The brussels sprouts were excellent and worth the wait. The biscuit basket was good, though the butter-to-biscuit ratio felt off, and the apple butter was surprisingly delicious. Our entrées didn't arrive until at least 45 minutes after that. The pacing was simply poor, and we consistently felt like an afterthought. While our server was polite, he didn't initiate conversation, offer suggestions, mention happy hour, or acknowledge our daughter's birthday. He didn't even suggest dessert. Meanwhile, the six-top behind us--seated well after we were--was wrapping up their meal as ours was just being served. The food presentation was beautiful. The pot roast, however, was underwhelming. It lacked seasoning and sauce, and the vegetables were forgettable--very few potatoes, no carrots. "Not your normal pot roast" was accurate, but not in a good way. The shrimp and grits were excellent, with great seasoning and a flavorful sauce. The salmon was moist and well-prepared, though it still had a few scales on the end of the filet. Once we finished eating, we again waited for our server to return. We eventually had to wave him down for boxes and again to request the check. Parking in the back was convenient early in the evening, though I imagine it becomes difficult later. Would we return? Unfortunately, probably not. We've been treated better, served more efficiently, and appreciated more fully at other restaurants--including one almost directly across the street. What we hoped would be a memorable celebration ended up feeling ho-hum at a high price--too high for the experience we received. read more

Visited Charlottesville VA last week for a quick getaway and decided to go to the Mockingbird Restaurant for dinner. Received a friendly welcoming and was seated promptly at a table. Our server, Tanya, was courteous and was quick to bring our drinks and food to us in a timely fashion. I had the salmon entree and hubby had the pot roast entree. Both dishes were plentiful and delicious. Will definitely return and high recommend the Mockingbird Restaurant. read more

Absolutely delicious and well done! The ambiance is sweet and southern and the food is awesome! There is a variety of apps you could fill up on alone, or dine on the delicious entrees. Craft cocktails are done by the bartenders and the service is top notch. We made a reservation, but there was plenty of space at the bar around 5:30 that we didn't need the reservation to get a good seat. It was a great experience and we'll be back! read more

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First time here and it was very tasty. Started with the cocktail, bees knees. Then for dinner I had bison, i ordered it med rare but it was slightly overcooked but it didn't take away from the taste. The steak was very tender and flavored well. I switched the green beans side with the shaved Brussels but the quantity was lacking but tasted well. read more

Mockingbird - Local Bison Hanger Steak - Southern Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

The ambiance was extremely noisy. There was a large bachelorette party near us plus music so we couldn't hear ourselves at all. The decor isn't conducive to limiting sound either. The biscuits were yummy as was the soup if the day (potato & leek) and Mac n cheese. I like the vegetable platter option. Service was good. We had a new young kid who needed a little help (like getting us spoons for the soup) but everyone needs to start somewhere. read more

Loved a Sunday night dinner here. I ordered the hanger steak (medium rare) and it was delicious. Wonderful service, food, and atmosphere. Thank you! read more

Mockingbird - Hidden tchotchkes - Southern Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

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Ate here for my wedding anniversary dinner. We were early for our reservation and got seated immediately inside. I order the Cajun Caesar salad and Bison hanger steak for my entree. My wife got the Honey-glazed Salmon. Both meals were served relatively quickly, came out hot, and were full of flavor. Just excellent. My server took my fork when she cleared my salad plate and forgot to replace it so I had to ask for another one when the entrees arrived. Other than minor mistake, the service was friendly, fast, and helpful. Mockingbird was a good find, and we will be back next time we are visiting Charlottesville again. read more

Fried Green tomatoes- perfectly fried Pork belly- perfectly fried pork belly and the dressing from the salad pairs well. This dish was my favorite out of all items. More pieces of pork belly for the order would be nice Biscuits and honey butter- soft biscuit pairs well with the sweet butter Baked Mac and cheese- I like the noodle chosen for this dish but the dish was bland with a semi crunchy topping Not-so-classic pot roast- I chose this restaurant because I had the taste for pot roast. Presentation was beautiful and I loved the textures from the medium chunks of potatoes in the mashed potatoes to the tender fresh haricot verts. However, the beef was bland which was disappointing as the plate was priced at $28 Banana pudding- typical banana pudding Mississippi mud pie- too sweet for my liking but perfect for those who have a sweet tooth and love chocolate read more

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Bartender was attentive, food was cooked perfectly with homely vibes. Restaurant has extensive outdoor seating.

Great curb appeal. I would love to host an outdoor event here...the space is just warm and super inviting. The southern cuisine options drew us in, but the surprising real vegan keilbasa was a no-brainer for me & my vegan-eating foodie bae. I loved the bison steak, but it definitely could've used more salt to bring out that natural flavor. The corn muffins were unfortunately dry, but I love that the veggies had some fully vegan options. Just make sure you specific if thats what you want. The service was great. I'd go back and give them another chance; but there a quite a few good restaurants in Charlottesville so we'll see. read more

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i don't eat american cuisine very often but this was yummy. very hearty and portion size was perfect imo the texture and flavors were toooo good would be a nice date night place! read more

Mockingbird - crab rangoon - Southern Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

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We had a great dinner before a concert at JPJ Arena. The staff were very friendly and were a nice balance of attentive and giving us space to enjoy our meal. I had the bison hanger steak which was perfectly cooked medium rare. My Dad had the shrimp and grits and our server was kind enough to quickly bring an extra order of grits when asked. The dessert I ordered was okay but I could have gone without. Would try their homemade ice cream instead if I go back. read more

Mockingbird - Bison Hanger Steak with Mashed Potatoes and Okra - Southern Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

We visited The Mockingbird for the first time and unfortunately left extremely disappointed especially for a $160 meal. The service was the best part of the experience. Our waitress was attentive, kept our water filled, checked on us often, and did a great job throughout the meal. She could clearly tell we weren't enjoying the food and kept trying to make sure everything was okay. We also left a completely honest review on the comment card because the kitchen genuinely needs to hear this feedback. The food, however, was honestly some of the most overcomplicated and least enjoyable "Southern" food we've ever had. It felt like the kitchen was trying so hard to be artistic, elevated, and trendy that they forgot the food actually needs to taste good. This felt very far removed from authentic Southern comfort food and honestly bordered on false advertising. My entrée was over $30 and came with only a few strips of meat buried under piles of onions and caramelized onions. There was way too much going on, and none of the flavors worked together. The mashed potatoes were so bad I actually spit them out into a napkin, and even our kids refused to eat them. My wife's salmon came covered in mango salsa, onions, corn rice, and asparagus all stacked together like the chef was trying to throw as many ingredients on the plate as possible to make it look elevated. None of it complemented each other. It was just frilly, overdone, and honestly gross. We barely touched it. The desserts were probably the biggest disappointment because they completely missed the mark on what Southern desserts are supposed to be. The banana pudding which we heard was a bestseller didn't even taste like banana pudding. Honestly, I don't know what they put in it or how they made it, but it was gross. Instead of making a classic Southern banana pudding, they added banana chips and caramel on top like it was supposed to "elevate" the dessert, but it completely ruined it. It tasted artificial and unpleasant. The ice cream was another example of trying way too hard. It was basically plain vanilla ice cream covered in peach gummy candy pieces that felt cheap and random instead of thoughtful or flavorful. It seemed like the kitchen kept adding unnecessary toppings and gimmicks to make everything look fancy rather than making it actually taste good. I also ordered the pecan pie, and even that didn't feel Southern at all. The dark chocolate and bourbon flavors completely overpowered what pecan pie is supposed to be. By the end of the meal, we were still hungry, felt sick afterward, and actually stopped somewhere else to get food because we barely ate what was served to us. Honestly, we didn't even want to pay for most of it because almost none of it was edible to us. The best way I can describe the food is: more artistic than edible. I'm leaving this review because I genuinely think the chef should understand that throwing together bold ingredients, fancy presentation, and random "elevated" twists does not automatically create good Southern cuisine. It honestly felt like someone watched too much Hell's Kitchen and decided to throw as many trendy ingredients and dramatic presentations together as possible without understanding balance, comfort, or authenticity. Simpler can absolutely be better. Good Southern food is comforting, flavorful, balanced, and satisfying and unfortunately this meal was none of those things. For a restaurant claiming to serve Southern cuisine, almost nothing we were served actually felt authentic or true to Southern food. We wanted to love this place, but we won't be returning. read more

We visited The Mockingbird for the first time and unfortunately left extremely disappointed especially for a $160 meal. The service was the best part of the experience. Our waitress was attentive, kept our water filled, checked on us often, and did a great job throughout the meal. She could clearly tell we weren't enjoying the food and kept trying to make sure everything was okay. We also left a completely honest review on the comic card because the kitchen genuinely needs to hear this feedback. The food, however, was honestly some of the most overcomplicated and least enjoyable "Southern" food we've ever had. It felt like the kitchen was trying so hard to be artistic, elevated, and trendy that they forgot the food actually needs to taste good. This felt very far removed from authentic Southern comfort food and honestly bordered on false advertising. My entrée was over $30 and came with only a few strips of meat buried under piles of onions and caramelized onions. There was way too much going on, and none of the flavors worked together. The mashed potatoes were so bad I actually spit them out into a napkin, and even our kids refused to eat them. My wife's salmon came covered in mango salsa, onions, corn rice, and asparagus all stacked together like the chef was trying to throw as many ingredients on the plate as possible to make it look elevated. None of it complemented each other. It was just frilly, overdone, and honestly gross. We barely touched it. The desserts were probably the biggest disappointment because they completely missed the mark on what Southern desserts are supposed to be. The banana pudding which we heard was a bestseller didn't even taste like banana pudding. Honestly, I don't know what they put in it or how they made it, but it was gross. Instead of making a classic Southern banana pudding, they added banana chips and caramel on top like it was supposed to "elevate" the dessert, but it completely ruined it. It tasted artificial and unpleasant. The ice cream was another example of trying way too hard. It was basically plain vanilla ice cream covered in peach gummy candy pieces that felt cheap and random instead of thoughtful or flavorful. It seemed like the kitchen kept adding unnecessary toppings and gimmicks to make everything look fancy rather than making it actually taste good. I also ordered the pecan pie, and even that didn't feel Southern at all. The dark chocolate and bourbon flavors completely overpowered what pecan pie is supposed to be. By the end of the meal, we were still hungry, felt sick afterward, and actually stopped somewhere else to get food because we barely ate what was served to us. Honestly, we didn't even want to pay for most of it because almost none of it was edible to us. The best way I can describe the food is: more artistic than edible. I'm leaving this review because I genuinely think the chef should understand that throwing together bold ingredients, fancy presentation, and random "elevated" twists does not automatically create good Southern cuisine. It honestly felt like someone watched too much Hell's Kitchen and decided to throw as many trendy ingredients and dramatic presentations together as possible without understanding balance, comfort, or authenticity. Simpler can absolutely be better. Good Southern food is comforting, flavorful, balanced, and satisfying -- and unfortunately this meal was none of those things. For a restaurant claiming to serve Southern cuisine, almost nothing we were served actually felt authentic or true to Southern food." We wanted to love this place, but we won't be returning. read more

We chose to dine at Mockingbird the night prior to Valentine's Day. Staff was extremely pleasant and gave wonderful advice. The beer/wine selection was fabulous. We each had 2 beers which were very tasty. We ordered a biscuit basket with 5 biscuits and three toppings. We each ate one biscuit and really enjoyed it. We each had the flank steak special. My boyfriend's was cooked perfectly and he thoroughly enjoyed everything. Mine, unfortunately was a tad under the medium rare I ordered. Also the accompanied veggies were not warm. However I am not complaining because I should have mentioned it and did not. I am sure they would gladly have taken care of it. We also ordered dessert. We chose the apple raspberry crisp. It was a beautiful blend of flavors. I would recommend a different serving dish for this. It was served in a small footed dish with a plate under it. We had a hard time trying to eat it out of the dish so we poured it into the plate and enjoyed every bite. The decor and structure itself were gorgeous. The lighting and plants added a nice ambience. We would definitely visit again. Mockingbird again. read more

Mockingbird - Flank steak with lime cilantro rice - Southern Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

Happened upon this place on a road trip. Thoroughly enjoyed the food, and the service was prompt, friendly, and welcoming. I'll go back next time I'm in town. read more

Our table wasn't ready when we arrived inexplicably on time. So we went to the bar where the bartender pretended to be nice but wasn't really. We had to order our drinks twice despite being hilariously funny the first time we ordered. We then decided to just stay at the bar because they wouldn't tell us where our table was so we could stare menacingly at the people fucking up our reservation. By the time we ordered our food and it actually arrived, lifetimes had passed and my once young looking friend had suddenly gained 30 pounds and her hair had turned gray. It was very strange because she used to be so young and pretty. We took the food to go at that point because we had shit to do. We ate the food drunkenly at home many hours later - except for the overpriced steak. That we fed to the dog - and inadvertently the baby when she found a chunk of it on the side table. 4/10, won't go back. read more

Mockingbird - Southern Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

Fabulous food! Sweet potato puree to die for, fried green tomatoes were wonderful. Hubby had bison hanger steak and loved it while daughter ate the salmon. Everything was so good, highly recommend! read more

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I was in Charlottesville for a work trip and a co-worker brought us here. The food, service, and ambiance were all great. It's a nice old building with very unique decor, both inside and outside dining. I had the pork belly appetizer to start. It was some of the best smoked pork belly I've had. Very high quality. For my entree I tried the bone-in pork chop with collard greens and mashed potatoes. It was excellent. The pork was grilled perfectly and the greens were cooked just right. One the best parts is that happy hour offered $4 glasses of wine that were very decent wines. I'd definitely go back! read more

I went there with a few friends. Two of us ordered gin & tonic cocktails. Both of us thought they were so weak & watered down we weren't sure they even put the gin in the drink. The biscuit plate was good, but the entrees left a bad impression. I had the shrimp & grits. Although the sauce was delicious and the grits were perfect, the shrimps were overcooked so badly they tutti rubbed. Two others in my group also had the shrimp & grits felt the same. One had the salmon & said it was also overcooked & dry. The only member of our group who was satisfied with their entree had the black eyed pea falafel. This was my second visit to Mockingbird. The first time also left me unimpressed. There won't be a third. read more

Mockingbird was an amazing dining experience. It is in the Belmont area which is great for avoiding the crowds of downtown Charlottesville and the corner but heads up is that you usually still need a reservation on busy weekends! I also love that they have their own private parking lot. Last time I was here the biscuits were recommended to me. The biscuits are so soft and the spreads are amazing. I believe you can order as many biscuits as you want to order the spreads too. It's a great deal! Mockingbird is a nice dining experience that serves other southern US food as well. The jackfruit BBQ was amazing and I also loved the crawfish pi boy. I had never had one of these before and it was well done! Portion size varies so be sure to ask your wait staff if you are concerned about this. They even gave us a birthday dessert and we're so accommodating for our large group. The bathrooms are super clean and the bar is beautiful. You can't go wrong sitting inside or outside. read more

Mockingbird - jackfruit BBQ - Southern Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

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First timer's here. We went on a Thursday evening. This place is located in the Belmont district. Bring your wallet. No reservations are required but recommended. The place has charm. We were seated promptly. Service was excellent. My wife got the Salmon. I got the Bison Hanger Steak. Everything was excellent. We both cleaned our plate. Not one compliant. I would definitely go again. I bet this place is rocking on Friday or Saturday evening. read more

Mockingbird - Bison Hanger Steak with mash potato's and green beans - Southern Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

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Went to Mockingbird for a celebration. It was sour if the moment and I found them on Yelp. The reviews were interesting and very good, so why not. I drove there on Thursday and parked in the lot behind he restaurant. Ironically, it is across the street from on of the other restaurants I reviewed the last time I had this exact same celebration. When I arrived, the place was packed and the hostess asked if I had reservations. Obviously, I didn't and she told me the wait for a table was like 45 minutes. She asked if I wanted to have a seat at the bar and simply eat there. I live at the bar meals when they are done right. Mockingbird did it right!!! The bartender made us a couple of there featured cocktails. They were really good. We ordered the fried green tomatoes as an app. There were very good....not great....but very good. But they paired well with our drinks and we were happy. We ordered: I got the shrimp and grits, she got the veggie pot pie. I am a shrimp and frost snob...and mine are very good. So I have very high standards. This dish delivered!!!!! Shrimp we're perfectly cooked. The sauce was cRaZy GoOd!!! One of the best shrimp and grits meals I have ever had. She ordered the veggie pot pie. It was a little heavy on peas, so it could have been better but it was still an amazing dish. The owner, Melissa, was at the bar and we had a great convo with her!!! On top of it all, I heard two Prince songs in the background music. The restaurant scene in Philly is competitive and ever-changing. But this one should be in your rotation. Enjoy! read more

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I'm we needed a new place to try and we're able to get in last Saturday evening. We had a great table right in the front window. Service was fast and efficient. Food was great. read more

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Stopped here on a whim. We ate at the bar. Service was friendly and fast. The food was delicious and they had a nice selection big wines and mixed drinks. The restaurant is quaint, old brick, rustic, cozy and clean and fresh. Will definitely be returning. read more

Mockingbird - Local Bison Hanger Steak--it was so tender and delicious!! I can't wait to have it again! - Southern Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

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The New Year's Eve dinner at Mockingbird was awesome!! They had a prix fixe menu with wine pairings. It was all so delicious! One of the members of our group has several food allergies, and the chef made some substitutions to the prix fixe menu to accommodate them. We really appreciated it! Thank you for a great meal!! read more

Mockingbird - Amuse - Hoppin' John Fritter - Southern Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

My fiancé and I stopped in last night for dinner. The power was out on the opposite side of Monticello so it was fairly busy for a Wednesday night. We were greeted by the staff as soon as we walked in the door, and everyone was extremely welcoming. It's beautifully decorated too!! We were hungry, so decided to sit at to open seats at the bar and the service was phenomenal and the food was equally as wonderful! Definitely a local staple and I'm so excited. We finally tried it! Will definitely be coming back regularly and bringing our guests read more

Mockingbird - Maple Bourbon Glazed Salmon, Cauliflower Puree, & Micro greens + Glazed NY Strip w/ Mashed Potatoes, & Broccolini - Southern Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

We went here on a whim and got to meet the chef who was an absolute angel of a woman. Originally from Mobile, she was not joking when she said she made phenomenal shrimp and grits. The ambiance was unparalleled and we had the best waiter. They also make their own ice cream and it was unbeatable. Would make any lactose intolerant question if they want the evening on the toilet (they would). We also had the brussel sprouts, bees knees, and a tequila mockingbird and loved those as well. Mel (chef) and Allie (our waitress) we love y'all, thank you! read more

Mockingbird - Shrimp and grits fit for a Cajun- from a Cajun - Southern Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

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We had a really delicious meal here. We had heard good things from friends, but decided to check it out ourselves. The fried green tomatoes were sooo good! My drink and entre (veg pot pie) were absolutely delicious. Highly recommend. read more

Great service, fun atmosphere and the food was spot on. The grits are creamy, the greens had the sweet tang of pork fat and vinegar. The shrimp are plump and juicy. Next time I'm in town I will definitely be stopping by again. read more

Mockingbird - Southern Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

Came here with friends on a Wednesday evening for dinner... We made reservations earlier in the day, not knowing if they would be busy or not. Parking was tough to find out on the street; fortunately, they have a parking lot in the back. They weren't too busy when we arrived. Our server was excellent! He was friendly and knowledgeable with the menu and very accommodating. The menu is interesting as it's mostly an updated version of southern comfort food, but with a slightly more refined twist. The décor is beautiful and matches the menu perfectly! I started with a wedge salad and it was great! Fresh ingredients and an incredible jalapeño ranch dressing, that I had to get extra of to douse my salad! But the lardons, perfectly-ripened cherry tomatoes, and bleu cheese were perfect, even without the extra dressing I added. Their biscuit basket is a must get! The butter was incredible and the biscuits were great! My entrée was from their daily menu - I opted for the Chesapeake catfish. I'm not generally a fan of catfish, but the preparation looked really enticing. Once it came, it was beautifully plated and tasted great! The creole rice I got with it was very tasty too. But save room for dessert! I tried their chocolate bourbon pecan pie and it was nice, slightly sweet, but nice. Overall, great experience! I can see coming back! read more

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We really enjoyed our first visit to Mockingbird. Great vibe, decor, service, menu, and tastes. Dishes were very flavorful and colorful. Hope to go back if we're in town again. Recommend a reservation. read more

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Parking is always a pain in Belmont! We had reservations and were greeted and sat right away. We ordered drinks that were gorgeous but small. I had the strawberry fields cocktail which was A bit bitter for me but good. They priced a glass of sparkling wine to my parents since our reservations mentioned it was their 50th anniversary. What a nice touch and it tasted really good! We had the pork belly app and biscuit tray with honey butter, apple butter and pepper jelly. The biscuits were amazing! Our service was great and main dishes came out with perfect timing. I had the salmon which was nice and crispy on the outside but tender in the inside. Nice ambiance as usual but music was strange as it was 80s rock which didn't fit the ambiance at all. Look forward to sitting outside on a cooler night next time since they have a nice patio. read more

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Went for graduation weekend, food was below average and service was rushed. It is our families final trip and meal in Charlottesville, and was disappointing. Service: The employees were rushing us (unusual since we were only there for 1.5 hours on graduation day which is normal). It felt like they were operating some sort of fast-service burger joint service-wise, but were serving $65 per person fixed meals. The service and price were not aligning at all. Food: 3 of us ordered the southern fried chicken and all were cold in the center. Tasted like they fried it earlier and failed to reheat it all the way. For the beef tenderloin (which supposedly was to come cooked medium), it came bleeding red. We sent it back to the kitchen, it received a new piece that was black on the outside but still pretty bloody on the inside. They forgot to make the requested substitutions for another meal and had to fix that too. Really disappointing that they require a mandatory 20% tip, which I think gives employees zero incentive to go above and beyond since they get paid the same regardless. Their tip was around $100 and nothing we could do about it. 2 stars are for the ambiance, the nice college students who worked there, and for the parking behind the restaurant. read more

Very good service for a large group like ours. They had delicious chicken with a great sauce. Their sides were all solid too but nothing to write home about. Felt like a graduation dinner as we ate under the tent outside. Kind servers which were very prepared and organized in bringing out the food. I recommend for a solid dinner. read more

I really don't have anything bad to say about this wonderful addition to the Belmont food scene. Solid and homey comfort Southern food served by friendly staff! Tried a few different things including the biscuit basket (a must), a special of pork belly and mac and cheese egg rolls with hot honey, okra, and the pot roast. Everything was so delicious! I personally loved all the butters/jams that came with the biscuits - which were baked beautifully - super flaky, warm, and soft. The eggrolls will hopefully be a more regular part of their menu - so much flavor packed into these! I was recommended to get the pot roast and it did not disappoint - I felt like I was being fed a home cooked meal that had been slaved over for hours on end. The portion was huge, hearty, and I loved how the meat just fell apart without using any knife. Come here for your southern cooking fix! read more

The ambiance was very nice. Loved the rustic feel and overall we had a nice time. The owner/manager called us ahead of time to see if we wanted to sit inside or outside and very friendly upon arrival. The pork belly appetizer was amazing, but our entrées fell a little short. My wife had the mahi-mahi, which was very dry and overcooked, and I had the bison steak, that was not a very fresh cut in my opinion. The worst part was our waitress who was very flat and rushed us throughout the time we were there. We weren't even halfway done with our meal when she asked if we wanted a box and then came back twice asking if we were ready for the check. We planned to have another drink, but she was getting impatient so we decided to leave and have a cocktail somewhere else. Overall the meal was ok and I am sure with another waiter it would have been a better experience. Will probably try again, but it is pricey and expect more from what I was hoping this place would/could be. read more

Mockingbird - Pork Belly App - Southern Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

As far as Southern food goes, this was a delight for a former New Yorker, so I can't really speak to authenticity. However, we did have a picky eater in our group and they LOVED the apricot chicken. I myself had the shrimp and grits, which were delicious. The biscuits are an excellent starter option. Other members of our party enjoyed the salmon. Our server was very attentive. They have a great happy hour menu. Their cocktails are also amazing! Ambiance is cozy with exposed brick. Cute spot for a date night or night out with family and friends. read more

Mockingbird nails the ambiance, experience and presentation, but unfortunately the food itself could do with a bit more flavor. I came the other night with some friends from work and the drinks were very good. This was perhaps the best part of the night. I ordered some kind of white fish over "cajun" rice and collard greens. The greens had virtually no flavor, rice was plain, and the "slaw" on top had a slightly pickled flavor. That was the only flavor in my dish. Bland. Cooked very well though. Again, quality seems high and the presentation was beautiful, but the flavor itself was just average. We had Brussels as an app and macaroni as an accompaniment to the entree. Brussels were nothing to write home about, and the mac and cheese was swimming in grease. It still tasted pretty good, but was a bit hard to eat. Everyone at the table enjoyed their food, so I'm not sure if it was just mine or I'm just pickier. Probably a mix of both. It was a good meal, but not a memorable one. Their desserts look AMAZING so I may give it another shot to try something else. My personal opinion is the Ridley on main does almost the exact same options but more flavor, so I'd probably head there instead. read more