Mockingbird Café
Bay St. Louis, MS
A restored 1868 storefront in Old Town serving stacked chicken and waffles, buttermilk biscuits, and strong coffee to a line that starts before 8 a.m.
Atmosphere
The building is the draw as much as the food: a white clapboard storefront raised in 1868, its tin roof and rare three-sided gallery still wrapping the porch the way they did when Second Street was unpaved. Mockingbird opened here in 2006, not long after Katrina flooded most of Old Town, and locals still call it the Living Room of the Bay for the part it played getting the neighborhood back on its feet. Inside, it runs small and a little cluttered in a good way — mismatched chairs, string lights along the porch rafters, local art crowding the walls. Order at the counter, grab a number, and claim a spot on the porch if the weather cooperates.
What to Order
Biscuits are the reason regulars keep coming back — made from scratch every morning, split open with butter and whatever jam is on hand that week, and served alongside a plate of biscuits and gravy that reviewers describe as worth the wait on its own. The chicken and waffles get ordered as often as anything on the board, crispy chicken over a waffle that holds up under syrup. For something less classic, try the 2nd Street sandwich or the meat breakfast burrito, both regulars on repeat visits, or the Wonderland salad if you want lunch instead of breakfast. Omelets come built to order, and the avocado toast arrives with a fried egg on top.
Good to Know
Mockingbird is open every day, 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., and it doesn't take reservations — you order and pay at the counter, get a number, and find your own table, porch seat included. That system moves fast on a weekday morning but backs up on weekends; plan on a real line by 8:30 and up to 45 minutes on a busy Saturday. Parking is the other thing to plan around — Old Town's streets are narrow and spots near the café fill early. Kids are welcome and the menu has options for them, but a fussy toddler and a 40-minute wait don't always mix, so weekday mornings are the easier bet with young kids.
Our Take
Mockingbird earns its reputation — the biscuits alone are worth crossing the bridge from Bay St. Louis's beach side for, and eating breakfast on a wraparound porch built in 1868 is the kind of thing that makes a Gulf Coast trip feel unhurried. The catch is the wait: this isn't the place to land at 9 a.m. on a Saturday if you're hungry and impatient, or traveling with a toddler who's already over it. Go early, go on a weekday, or go prepared to browse Old Town's shops while your number gets called.
Details last verified August 2026. Always confirm current hours and menu directly with the restaurant.