Dunleavy Drive is in a peculiar part of Cardiff Bay, overlooking other retail estates I can't quite see the appeal of setting out to come here. However since we were hungry and happened to drive in the park by accident we decided 'why the hell not' I actually hadn't been in one prior to this so wasn't sure what to expect. Now if I thought TGI's with a better menu than I would of guessed correctly. It's pretty much the same but with a far more wide ranging menu that delves in to American big boy platters and more delicate Italian staples. We went big boy platter and my oh my was it a biggy. Chicken, loaded potato skins, chicken, breadsticks, chicken, BBQ sauce and some more chicken. It was very filling and very tasty I thought. Service was pretty good and food came very quickly. I was pretty chuffed coming out as I was thinking I was going to go into a style over substance restaurant and came out pretty with the opposite opinion. read more

Frankie & Benny's - American Near Me - Cardiff, CRF

This is my mum and brothers favourite restaurant. I have been to Frankie & Benny's all over the country, many, many times, and despite the fact that I nearly always have the same thing (Meatball Siciliana Calzone is AMAZING) I'm not sick of it yet. While all Frankie & Benny's are pretty much the same, and all look awesome, have great music and do fantastic birthdays, this Frankie & Benny's is not quite as lovely as others that I've been to, and I was a tad disappointed. For one, the staff aren't as upbeat as they are in others where I've had waiters go to all kinds of lengths to make my brother's birthday as special as possible. And even when it's not that busy, it doesn't seem to run very efficiently. The other thing that saddens me about this place (and it's only a really minor point) is the layout. It's smaller than most F&B's so the bar isn't as separated from the rest of the restaurant, and one of the things I love about Frankie & Benny's is being able to watch the kitchen, which it's not possible to do from the tables by the windows here. Regardless of these things, Cardiff F&B's is still fantastic and I'd recommend it to anyone going for a group meal or a birthday, and their Christmas meals are great too- perfect for the office party. read more

This type of restaurant isn't really my cup of tea, and before I went there I assumed it would be jam packed with big groups, children's birthday parties, and over-friendly staff with grins like a Cheshire cat. That preconception isn't entirely inaccurate, but the place isn't as bad as I expected. It's an out of town restaurant in uninspiring surrounds, so there is parking right outside. The food was tasty, the waiting staff were friendly without being cheesey, and the service was efficient. There's still no getting away from the fact it's a chain, of course, and I wouldn't say the food was particularly authentically Italian. Nor would I suggest going there for a romantic date, but for birthdays or fun family meals it wouldn't be a bad choice! read more

Hmmm I am not a fan of this restaurant. Everytime I have been there I have had something to complain about... whether it be dirty cutlery, cold mash or poor service. ;-( The food SEEMS to be frozen then cooked to order.... It tastes that way anyhow! The atmosphere is A-OK, Last Halloween was good as all the waiting staff dressed up for the occasion. On a positive note this restaurant really is good for children. The staff seem to make lots of fuss over the kids weather it is just a freindly chat or handing out ballons and crayons! If your going here for a burthday celebration it is worth telling them when you arrive as they bring out a cake with candles and get the rest of the diners to join in by singing Happy Birthday! read more

Located in the fairly bleak setting of Cardiff Bay's 'retail park', this is never going to provide the venue for a romantic meal for two, nor will it offer a wholly authentic Italian experience. Billed as more of an American style Italian restaurant, this is the type of place young families, those with young children in particular, will enjoy. With a typical evening or lunch time at Frankie & Benny's providing a lively and vibrant atmosphere, it's a good place for large groups as well as families. The food is of a respectable standard, although it really isn't anything special. It's tasty enough, but it's unlikely entirely fresh ingredients and hours of preparation are put into the food. Regardless of that though, there is a range of nice pizza, pasta, meats and risotto on offer, with delicious starts and puddings also available. The decent food is probably fairly priced in today's market. read more

As soon as you enter it you know you are on a franchise, despite all the efforts they went through to make it feel personal and as if it was genuine they just can't achieve it. Everything feels fake. The food was average (not really Italian), I did enjoy it but it wasn't out of this world for the money it was. It is a great place to go with friends though! Or if you are having a birthday party you get balloons and the lights dim just for you! It does get irritating after the third time Would suggest this for a friends night out or a fun date. Food is ok, facilities are good and the speed of service is ok, they did take a little bit but nothing that long read more

This out-of-town eatery seems to be the sole reserve of children's birthday parties, with staff singing "happy birthday!" to young teens while their struggling mothers discreetly sip another cocktail from the bar. However, it wasn't all bad at all when we popped in there on a whim. The calzone in particular was very nice, and huge and packed full. The service (on a quiet night) was very friendly and cheerful without being intrusive. We'd pop back in if we were passing, but it's probably not worth a special trip- unless it's your birthday and you want to be the centre of attention with a bunch of people you've never met singing a half-baked "happy birthday!" at you while you get a cake with a candle in it. Woo-hoo-hoo. There's good parking though. read more

went there a few months ago, had to wait over an hour for my food and it wasnt that busy early evening on a weekday , all my friends had allready arrived and mostly been eaten. i had the mediterenean vegi burger which cost £8.25 and was tiny and had a smidgeon of sauce. Its all hype and i wont be revisiting read more

Frankie & Benny's - American Near Me - Cardiff, CRF

I visited on a Saturday lunch time and it was extremely busy with numerous children's parties in full swing! Now you don't go to this type of place for fine dining and with this in mind, it wasn't half bad. Our waiter was extremely informative and friendly, the service was commendable considering how busy it was and the food was not bad at all. I always judge places like this on their fries and they were pretty damn good! Wouldn't rush back there, but it does what it says on the tin! read more

The theme of this restaurant is New York Italian. It is not the place to go if you are looking for a quite romantic dinner for two. It can be very noisy and busy. It is a good choice for a family birthday party. They dim the lights when they carry in the birthday cake and Happy Birthday is played over the loudspeaker and staff and diners also join in. This is followed by Cliff singing Congratulations. There is music over the loudspeakers all the time - so there is never just a mumour. There is a separate bar area where you could enjoy a drink before sitting at your table. The menu is large and has all the classic italian dishes. There is often a lunchtime special which offers good value. The Italian beers are good. Staff have been friendly but they seem to be overworked and you wait longer than you would like. They do try and serve you quickly with a drink and then give you time to digest the menu. Parking is easy, there is a large free car park adjacent to the restaurant. read more

I visited on a Saturday lunch time and it was extremely busy with numerous children's parties in full swing! Now you don't go to this type of place for fine dining and with this in mind, it wasn't half bad. Our waiter was extremely informative and friendly, the service was commendable considering how busy it was and the food was not bad at all. I always judge places like this on their fries and they were pretty damn good! Wouldn't rush back there, but it does what it says on the tin! read more

Have been to many of these chains, but the staff here really stood out. Had an amazing lady called Carla as my waitress who really made us feel at home and as if nothing was too much trouble. The dough sticks were too die for we also loved the garlic dip and the rest of our meal was wonderful. Have been to this branch a few times, and always had lovely food and the best service, which is why we always come back read more

We pre-booked a table for 13 people (including 4 children, aged 6 to 11) for Sunday Lunch for 1:30. We arrived on time, the table was ready and we were seated straight away. Cheryl was our waitress, who it must be said, tried her best to look after us and at least 5 other parties of more than 6 people, and quite frankly she was run ragged. Mean while,another waiter saw to a clutch of tables which seated 2-3 people at a time. The place was not busy. The manageress busied herself inflating balloons. The deputy manager busied himself sauntering around the place trying to look occupied. 2 cooks were in the cooking area. We ordered drinks which were delivered quickly. We subsequently ordered our meals, then the big wait started. We had another round of drinks. The tables with couples got their meals and left, more people came in and had their meals. At 3pm, almost 80 minutes after ordering, our meals turned up. 2 meals were over cooked, the childrens meals had evidently been chucked onto the plates judging by the mess and were cold. I happened to notice that the manageress managed to get her pizza takeaway on time for her to knock off work! It also transpired that we only got our meals because two other cooks turned up having completed 'a stock check'. Ironically, all the time we waited I couldnt help but notice that there was a McDonalds about 200yds away, I could have been served in a fraction of the time and to arguably a better standard/quality. Lessons learnt - 1st and lastime in a F&B, secondly start checking up on the status of your order sooner. Note to F&B bosses, letter of complaint in the post. read more

Thsi place has nice food, good portions and a great atmosphere. it's great for a birthday. Not the place to go for a romantic meal.

Plenty of car parking close by. The food and drinks are nice. The lunch menu has long hours and is really good value for money. Service can be a bit slow but the staff are nice and friendly. As mentioned, the atmosphere is not one of romance, but it's good fun for a family birthday. read more