The finch

A casual fine dining restaurant serving seasonal American plates in the parlor of an iconic Clinton Hill townhouse with a deep wine list.

This restaurant was a true gem. I teamed up with Chef / Owner Gabe McMackin and Operations Director Amy Flynn to transform a battered former tattoo parlor into an elegant, modern fine-dining restaurant and bar. Providing creative direction for a talented team, I created branding and graphic design for menus, website and branding collateral; designed and implemented front of house operational systems; assisted in directing the interior design and buildout project *Michelin Star awarded 2015 to 2019

Selected Press

“...if you’re willing to expand your definition of salad to “a usually incongruous mixture” (via Merriam-Webster), you’ll find that most of the items at the Clinton Hill eatery fabulously fit the bill."

Sarah Zorn, Brooklyn Magazine

“Among the restaurants that earned stars in this year’s Michelin guide, there was one big surprise among the expected heavyweights. Gabe McMackin’s the Finch, a Clinton Hill restaurant that quietly opened ten months ago, was awarded a single star, a major get for the ambitious neighborhood spot that had so far flown pretty far under the radar."

Chris Crowley, Grub Street

“Jonathan Wu of Fung Tu... likes the simple steak at the Finch, his neighborhood joint in Clinton Hill, Brooklyn. 'I like that the cut is not one of the big three (filet, rib-eye, or sirloin),' he explains. 'It shows some creativity to choose a cut like flatiron, from the shoulder. Also, for me, the portion is perfect at six or seven ounces.'"

Tejal Rao, Bloomberg News

“Hidden away on the ground level of an updated brownstone, the Finch is a romantic New American spot. The airy, open space, which seats 74 and is bisected by an expansive white-marble bar, offers seating areas both bustling (up front and overlooking Greene Street) and intimate (out of sight in the back)"

Lauren Leibowitz, New York Magazine

“...Brooklyn has only recently begun to register on Michelin’s radar, so a local spot getting starred in its very first year is practically unheard of. But evidently, the guides were as won over as we were by Gabe McMackin’s highly imaginative salads, followed by unexpectedly user-friendly mains..."

Sarah Zorn, Brooklyn Magazine

“Clinton Hill restaurant The Finch is giving us some green to add to Bison Grass vodka, including Pear Williams eau de vie, lime and chamomile; sounds relaxing."

Nell Casey, Gothamist, March 2016

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