The Mockingbird Restaurant

3 different items tried have had a plastic aftertaste, chocolate lava cake and the rice on the Thai scallop dish. Very odd.  Nice menu items but the plastic taste thing is scaring me away. Key lime Martini with graham cracker rim was replaced with cinnamon. Ick. I returned it.

My girlfriend and I have been driving by this place for years so we finally decided to check it out.  The inside is amazing it has the upscale look with the casual feel.  You can go there in a suit or shorts and sandals and feel just as equally comfortable.  The Mockingbird is known for having the largest martini menu on the South Shore and they aren't kidding when they say its large, there are 90 different house martinis. My girlfriend is the martini drinker of the two of us so I had her order whatever she thought I would like and her drink as well.  I had the smelly cat martini and she had a mango cosmopolitan.  They were both delicious and perfectly pink in color, I did enjoy hers more than mine but they were both delicious.

   We started our meal off with the blue crab and cheese dip appetizer with homemade tortilla chips.  Our extremely friendly waitress brings it over and the look of the dish is great except for the over cooked white tortilla chips, they were brown and had the over cooked taste to them but the blue chips were fantastic.  The dip is delicious but it was kind of luke warm not piping hot like I would expect a cheese dip to be when it comes to the table.  No big deal we ate it no complaints because the flavor of it was outstanding.

   Time for the entrees;  I always base my American casual restaurants from their burgers so with 1 burger on the menu thats what I ordered.  My girlfriend ordered the mango salmon special.  While we wait for our meals we both order another martini this time the Satin Manhattan.  If you are a Manhattan drinker I would definitely recommend this particular Manhattan. DELICIOUS!!!!  Our food shortly comes to the table and I instantly cut into the middle of it for 2 reasons, 1 to see how it is cooked and 2 to make it easier to eat instead of being classless and stuffing a burger into my mouth in a more upscale place as this.  The second I cut into it I see that it is well done, I ordered it medium rare, obviously a problem.  My girlfriend dives into her salmon and it is over cooked as well and the vegetables are ice cold.  We flag down the waitress tell her our grievances and she  politely and attentively brought that back to the kitchen for a re-cook.  This is when we met manager Tom.  Tom comes over to  the table apologetic and probably one of the friendliest managers I have ever met. Especially being a table that sent back both entrees.  Tom personally brings the re cooks out at a haste pace and we have take 2 with the food.  My girlfriends salmon was perfectly cooked and the veg was of proper temperature and everything is happy in the land of the mango salmon special.  I of course cut right into the middle of the burger with Tom still at the table and low and behold its well done.  Tom then tells us he is going to leave my plate so I have something to still pick at and eat and he is going to personally get into the kitchen and over see the cooking of the burger.  My girlfriend eats and I pick at my delicious steak fries as I wait for my 3rd burger.  Tom brings the burger out a short time later I cut into it and it is cooked perfectly.  Finally I can eat my medium rare burger and we can continue enjoying our night.  The burger was a tad bland and was nothing special, I would assume that the burgers are frozen even if they are cooked right because it was just solid and nothing special.  I would suggest trying something else maybe ask for the mango salmon because my girlfriend was in heaven eating it.  

Tom then brings us out two slices of cheesecake for the re cooked food and the aggravation of everything.  They were amazing, we had the key lime raspberry cheesecake and a smores cheesecake and both were amazing, I would suggest either or both of those if you visit this establishment.

I was originally going to give this place a 3 star rating just based off of the overcooked food and the send backs but I can't.  Tom is the reason this place has 4 stars and the reason why I will be back.  He made it his personal mission to make sure we had an enjoyable night and he went out of his way to make sure everything was perfect.  He can hold a great conversation and makes me want to come back just knowing they have excellent people like him managing the restaurant.  The ride home was a nice long discussion about how we will go back just to see Tom and have a casual conversation with him.  

JUST A LITTLE FYI AT THE END 3 MARTINI LIMIT!! Makes sense but it isn't stated anywhere on the menu so it just kind of feels degrading when the waitress says "oh its a 3 martini limit" after you order your third.  I just don't like the feeling of being parented when I am very responsible and would never drink and the drive intoxicated.  Great policy just state it somewhere on the menu or have the servers state it at the beginning of the night so I don't feel like a kid drinking too much soda!!  Def a must go though!!

First time to Mockingbird, we had an overall great experience.  
Seated immediately and it was a quiet night so we had plenty of space.  
Waitress very personable and attentive.
Calamari was boring, but the hot pepper relish it came with, although small, was great.  The calamari is what's keeping this review from getting a 5 star rating.  It was essentially the only thing I didn't like about the evening.  I mean it was edible and we ate all of it, but any bar could have deep fried this and thrown it on a plate.
Meals were good.  Chicken parm was as expected, and my wife had the butternut squash app and beet salad as her entree.  She lilked it, I'm happy.  
Manager came over, talked to us for a few minutes.  Nice touch.  Walking by the bar, bartenders also very friendly and talkative.  
Martini list is extensive and expensive but if I want a cheap drink I should stay home, right?!?  I would recommend this place.  The decor is very unique and needs to be seen.
They have a VIP thing that is free to sign up to.  They want to keep you coming back by offering coupons, deals, etc.  Yes we signed up.
Oh yeah, they have KENO for gambling nuts as well if you are into that.

We will definitely be headed back as we both had a great time.