What a delightful place. Cozy and dark inside, bright and comfy outside. They were clearly a little understaffed (as pretty much everyone is), but we never felt neglected. Our server (dark-haired, headed off to college) was a ray of solicitous, warm sunshine; she was never intrusive, but always helpful. The bartender made me the cocktail I wanted (not on the menu) and executed possibly the most perfect version I've had. We shared a salad and the hangar steak and both were simple and perfectly executed. The kitchen thoughtfully split each serving onto two plates, not leaving us to do it as most restaurants would have. A minor touch, but emblematic of our experience here. I think I'll dream about that hangar steak. Medium rare, a little bleu cheese on top, served with hot, crunchy skinny fries. So yes, if you're wondering whether to step inside, do. read more

My fave spot for great late night food and drinks. Ambiance, service, quality ingredients and a friendly staff. Go !!!

One star review comes from the manager calling a my friend "fat and horrible" while belligerent. The drinks as food were solid. Terrible management read more

Fun times! Very lovely hosts and overall a great neighborhood spot. I'd come back again.

After Franklin's manager invited us back we did indeed had a great dinner with an attentive server and no issues. Thank you, Amelia

I've been coming here for two decades. Never had anything less than stellar food, drinks and service. Everyone in the restaurant industry flocks here. That should tell you something and if it doesn't, you're an idiot with the wrong priorities. One of the things that I love about the kitchen here is that they never hire young "rock star" chefs. They hire old-school professionals. That means that you get everything cooked to perfection. It doesn't mean old and stodgy menu ideas, rather you get great classics with a new and thoughtful twist, respect for vegetables, and impeccable technique. Take tonight's meal. Grilled calamari (perfectly cooked) over the most exquisitely cooked white beans I've ever had anywhere (Michelin three stars included), and a little salad of fresh lettuces tossed in a beautifully balanced lemon vinaigrette. My twenty clove garlic chicken had super crispy skin, succulent meat, delicious Sherry jus and was served over the best baked sweet potato ever. It melted in my mouth. My husband's hanger steak was exactly medium rare as ordered with a yummy port Demi-glaze and Roquefort butter and a plethora of very good French fries. I understand the chef's name is John. Take a bow, John! I'm giving you a standing ovation and, judging from the happy faces I saw all over the dining room, everyone else was feeling the same. I also had the most perfectly balanced Manhattan I've ever had. Make that two of the most perfectly balanced Manhattans. And can I tell you about our server? So genuinely sweet and real as well as so knowledgeable and professional. Honestly? EVERYTHING tonight was five stars. Move over trendy, let the grownups show you how it's done. read more

I actually love this place, they have great food and drinks, this is more about our waitress. When the waitress asked my girlfriend what she wanted to drink, she said a glass of Chardonnay (ended up having two glasses). We paid our bill without looking at the receipt but when I looked this morning I noticed two glasses of $26 per glass Chardonnay. I'm not usually one to complain but I have never had a waiter pick a super expensive glass on wine for a customer without asking them first. When you ask for a glass of wine without asking for a specific brand, I would think they would go with a house wine or something on the less expensive side. I've been here numerous times and have always had a great experience but this really irritated me. Maybe I'm crazy but I don't think that is standard practice anywhere. read more

I just love this place. The menu is eclectic, food is exceptionally good, service is friendly, and prices have remained reasonable. If you get there early (this is important for old people), it is quiet, and if you get there REALLY early (before me), you can sit at one of the window tables and feel as though you are in a private dining room. Big surprise last evening: they have a dessert (cheesecake); it was delicious. read more

OMG. Shelby is AMAZING!! This is my first time to Boston and it was recommended by a friend and I couldn't be happier. We attended this restaurant for my best fiends birthday and she went above and beyond! Not only did she attended to our every request, but she recommend drinks. I can definitely say without a doubt, this night would not be complete without out Shelby. I will definitely be visiting again read more

Franklin Cafe - Bar - Lounges Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Came on recommendation of the folks down at Coppa while we waited for a dinner res. It is just a short walk down Shawmut and a beautiful design. Everyone was very friendly and polite. My cocktail was some sort of gin delight with an edible flower for decor. I'm a sucker for a well decorated craft cocktail. It was delicious and well poured, something hard to come by in Boston these days. We only came by for drinks, which were very good! Service was a little slow at the bar, but we are hoping to come by and give Franklin another try. read more

Franklin Cafe - Berry white cocktail - Lounges Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

The atmosphere was great here, my boyfriend and I got a little booth in the corner for our date and had a view of the streets. It was a bit loud but it wasn't anything the restaurant can be faulted on. We had the star crossed spritz cocktail which was delicious. I got the wild Chesapeake blue catfish which was delicious and very smooth to cut through and tasted great with the mash potatoes that it came on top of. My boyfriend got the Franklin burger that he enjoyed very much. Will definitely come back to try out their other drinks and food! read more

Franklin Cafe - Star crossed spritz - Lounges Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

See all

At 6pm on a Saturday (they opened for dinner at 5:30pm) we had our choice of four booths. It is a rather dark establishment, so we decided to sit near the front by the windows. Water was brought chilled in a bottle and freshly poured into glasses of ice at the table for us. Bread was perhaps a sour dough burnt a bit on the bottom, but tasty nontheless with the chickpea spread. I only have good things to say about the Garlic Grilled Calamari, Baby White Beans, Citron Blanc $8 appetizer. There were five pocket shaped bodies (one quite a bit smaller than the rest), tender and easy to cut. Even the beans, the sauce, and the lightly dressed greens were good! I would have appreciated more bread to use in sopping up the sauce. For the entrees we selected the two pasta dishes from the menu. The Sweet Corn Ravioli $17 handily beat the House-made Farfalle, Blistered Grape Tomatoes, Fresh Peas, Basil, Pecorino $18, despite being only 4 pieces to the order. The bowtie pasta dish was fine, just nothing special. The chicken accompanying the ravioli was a bit dry and the pancetta a bit hard in its diced form; it was mainly the sweet corn kernels hiding in the pasta that led the way. The side of chive mashed potato $4 was really rich and buttery and good. My DC left considering how to recreate it at home... The food was quite good, but not only was this place dark, but also rather noisy. The two unisex individual bathrooms are hiding in the back behind nondescript doors. Credit cards accepted, including American Express. read more

See all

This is a bad news, good news story! Before the pandemic, we dined at the Franklin Café. To be honest, we were disappointed. The inside of the restaurant was tired, and the food wasn't as good as expected. Fast forward to August, 2021. We gave The Franklin another try because their new outdoor patio looked inviting and attractive. Once we sat down, we learned that the entire inside of the restaurant had also been remodeled, complete with a new menu. We had a wonderful evening with great food and very attentive service. We recommend the neighborhood give The Franklin another try. You won't be disappointed! read more

Solid place for drinks and food! The lighting here is dim and the vibes are chill. They serve sophisticated drinks and food without an attitude. I recommend this place without hesitation. One time I left my credit card here and they remembered I mentioned I was going across the street for dinner, so they came and found me! Only annoying thing is that it can get crowded at the bar but they don't let you sit at tables/booths unless you're ordering food read more

This place is INCREDIBLY easy to miss. Take my experience for instance, I walked by it only 5 times.... totally not embarrassing. The ambience is so great - dim lit, great drinks, fantastic food! Best part: their kitchen is open till 1:30 AM even during the week. Truly a gem in the South End. Do yourself a favor, go in. We ordered the squid, wings and many drinks. Unfortunately, I only took one photo of the wings but trust me - GO! read more

Franklin Cafe - Lounges Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

This was one of my better meals in a long time! Although they do not take reservations, we walked in around 6:45, and we were seated in 10-15 minutes. The host was very kind, and we just got drinks at the bar. We ordered drinks and before they were ready, we were seated where the host brought the drinks to our table. My fiancé got the "Mo cocktail" which I and she enjoyed very much. I got a martini that was good, but I switched the order up after that. Our waiter was great. He was informative, and he gave us some great tips on what his favorite dishes were. He told us that his favorite dishes were the mussels, shrimp-pasta, meatloaf and salmon. We ended up ordering the turkey meatloaf and the salmon (really just splitting them). After we ordered our waiter brought us some bread and humus that is made right in the kitchen. It was simply delicious. A couple of minutes later our food came out. The meatloaf was so delicious. It was sitting on top of chive mashed potatoes, and the kicker for me was the dog sauce. It was all so good. The salmon was very good as well. Although I don't love lentils, the fish made up for it. I can't wait to go back to Franklin Cafe and order more food and drinks! read more

Franklin Cafe - Turkey meatloaf - Lounges Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Franklin knows the recipe for South End success: offer a neighbor-friendly dark and cozy with solid cocktails, affordable wines, comfortable entrees and warm, crusty bread with a white bean dip. The latter is paramount. I've been a handful of times and always seem drawn to the grits dish. Shrimp and grits, catfish and grits, steak frites with Roquefort butter while looking at my dining companion's grits - it resonates. Sizable servings will nary a square inch of room for dessert, which is a shame because Franklin doesn't do anything poorly and I'd really love it if I could go one meal without licking the plate clean. Impossible to not like. Pop in with a close friend or a third date. read more

Franklin Cafe - Catfish - Lounges Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Bummed. We have had so many good meals and service on our trip to Boston. When I read that this place was an industry and neighborhood favorite I was like sign me up! The place was loud. The service was lousy. The food was ok. Not planning on going back. Looking at the reviews I wonder if it was a bad night or what...... I had to update this review because there are many restaurants that deserve a three because they are good but I don't need to seek it out again and by giving this restaurant a 38 gives those threes a bad name. So because of the lousy experience, I had it this place I have to downgraded to a two star. read more

We came to this place reading it was the industry place to go.... Boy were they wrong.. or confused? Terrible service, less than par food.. drinks?.. Don't get the cucumber Collins. I never leave bad reviews but this one was worth it! Don't go unless you're a local I guess. Not worth your time or money. Would never go back. read more

5 I was a customer this evening with one of my daughters. We sat at the bar And had the pleasure of Blue being our server and of course bar tender. My daughter ordered the cod.. outstanding and sooo unbelievably delicious. Dinner ,drinks and Blue was friendly, efficient and a fabulous bartender..she was great and our night was delicious and fun. Thanks, Blue! We definitely will be back... Fabulous outstanding food and Bartender Blue! read more

Double burger comes with a large portion of fries. Also had the chicken wings. Delicious drinks. Service is fantastic. read more

Franklin Cafe - Menu, burger and wings. - Lounges Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

I've been to Franklin Cafe on a couple occasions and I cannot recommend this place enough, the bartenders and wait staff are attentive, the food and drinks are delicious, and it has a nice upscale neighborhood bar atmosphere. 10/10. read more

The food was amazing both times I have gone however if you not going to sit at the bar I would recommend sitting outside as the inside gets very busy and loud. read more

Such a wonderful neighborhood restaurant! I was so excited to see them reopen after COVID. It's a small restaurant but only adds to its vibe. It's a great spot for dinner and drinks after work. There are a great variety of drinks and not just a place that focuses on one or two spirits. The ideal Manhattan is fantastic. Staff are super friendly and the food is outstanding. My favorite is the beef tartare and salt and pepper chicken wings. The wings are crispy on the outside and cooked to perfection on the inside. They come with a side of sweet chili sauce which is tasty but honestly the wings are great even without the sauce! If you're in the south end and looking for a great dinner or drink spot you have to check them out. read more

I honestly adore this place. It is an amazing first date place. Unpretenious, cool vibe, cozy comfortable private booth seating. I must have eaten here in its early years because I have never had an issue getting a seat. I suppose the news spread quickly! I love the complimentary garlic hummus and toasties they start you with. You won't find fresher, un-pureed-similar-to-babyfood hummus here. I've had the pork chop (fabulous) and filet mignon. Gorgeous food for under $20 an entree. I have eaten at restaurants at this caliber in NYC, Chicago, and downtown Boston and it doesn't come cheaper than this. Great atmosphere, food, reasonably priced, attentive service. This is one of my most favorite places to dine. (Get there early 5-6pm) read more

Had the pleasure of going to Franklin Cafe after the Taste of the South End event taking place nearby. Still tipsy from the wonderful Maker's Mark and Eastern Standard cocktails, I was in the lovely company of both Erick H. and Jen H. We briskly walked over there, famished and were immediately seated; It was a good thing that their kitchen is open until 1:30AM, because it was already nearing 11PM by the time we ordered our dinners. After much debate I decided to go for a very simple, classic steak frites which come moments later, cooked medium and I dug right in. It hit the spot, it was affordable and I left Franklin Cafe happy. Convenient, no frills, decently priced food with pretty good service. Me likey! read more

Franklin Cafe - Steak frites - Lounges Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

A friend saw that the Franklin Cafe was open late, via a Google search, so we decided to try it at 11pm. Entering through heavy drapes was interesting. Be sure to veer towards the right, or you'll run into people seated at the bar on the left. I ordered the Beef & Tomato Sogu. It was a tasty pasta dish with ground meat. I only hit a few cold pieces, but mostly the food was hot. One of the other people in my party experienced a cold spot in the same dish, go figure. I liked how it was seasoned, but the portion could have been larger for the price being charged $17. Similar dishes at the Cheesecake Factory cost less and come with more, but they aren't open this late. The bowl maybe could have been warmed, but that's a minor detail. The service was good and attentive. Though, there was almost an altercation with the waiter and a patron seated at a table next to me. The other waiter was quick to diffuse that situation. Who knows what the deal was, because Boston? Dinner and a show? Possibly both. Looking to use the restroom? You may need to perform Cirque du Soleil level acrobatics to be able to fit inside the secondary WC, but once inside, it was clean. If you are even more than a little disabled, these bathrooms won't be accessible. There are two restrooms, but neither door is marked, so choose one already. Per typical big city, there's no available parking outside to speak of, so Uber over and save time trying to figure that out. Late night options are hard to come by, so the Franklin Cafe is a good option for food and drinks. The bar was busy with many types of lifestyle choices represented. Enjoy! read more

See all

Liz L and I had been talking about where we were going to dinner for weeks and weeks. She decided on Franklin Cafe for the "yummy drinks and food." Depending on how you looked at it, this was either a tiny restaurant with a large attached bar or a big bar with an afterthought of a restaurant with 5 or 6 booths against one wall and one large booth by the kitchen. They don't take reservations so we waited over an hour for a table. We knocked back about three drinks a piece before sitting down for a meal. I tried: Franklin Sidecar- good, but left my hands super sticky Boston Bog- I took a sip of Liz's drink and thought it was light. It's very popular here and the overworked bartender was making them by the dozen. Black Current Old Fashioned- apparently not a popular drink as the bartender had to consult the menu for the ingredients. It was okay. Jack Rose- this was my favorite drink but unfortunately the first one I started out with. I kept trying new drinks hoping for the magic of this one. Simply, it was apple brandy, house-made grenadine and a little lime juice. It was similar to to my fave Ward 8 cocktail. All cocktails are $9. The gay boyfriend loved his Irish Stout. I was astonished to find all the draft beers to be between $3- $6 including Allagash White at $5. After consulting with the server, I went with the miso cod. I also got mussels as an appetizer and a side of brussel sprouts. I really enjoyed the grilled mussels. The smokiness was quite different and exciting. Plus at $8, I got what seemed like 2 dozen mussels. Great deal! The brussel sprouts ($5) were a great portion and quite likeable. All three of us ordered fish. The gay boyfriend had salmon ($18). Liz had the catfish with rice ($18) and I got the miso cod ($19) which came with pickled ginger and bok choy. All the fish dishes were served on the colder side leaving me to believe they had they sitting out for a while. I really wish the food was hotter. My miso cod was delicious but I probably shouldn't have ordered the mussels or just the mussels with a small salad because I became unbelievably full. The gay boyfriend had ordered the pear salad ($8) but it was really more of a cheese plate with this gorgeous pear. And Liz's grilled octopus ($8) was a strong contender for great grilled octopus (but I give Mare's an edge on that). Overall, we loved our drinks and apps but the mains could have been served more quickly. read more

See all

I have dined here quite a few times w/ my SE friends and we have been very pleased with our experiences. This place can be busy so come early or later....that is another great thing is that the Franklin is OPEN LATE (1:00am!!!) as most other Boston restaurants close at say 10:00 or 11:00. The menu is diverse as the clientele. The martinis are FABULOUS! Hope to see you there! read more

I really did not expect to enjoy this place as much as I did. My friend told me that he had an amazing place to take me and I didn't think much of it, but sure, I went along anyways. We were assisted as soon as we came in which was great cuz we were both starving. Shortly after, a bread basket with hummus was served to us and I've never felt so much relief. I was incredibly hungry and the bread they served tasted amazing. The hummus was fresh and creamy and tasty. My goodness, I've never raved this much about the free bread at a restaurant ever before. We ordered mussels to start and the steak frites as an entree. The mussels were to DIE FOR. They slipped right out of the shell and slid into my tummy. They were cooked in a lobster broth which gave them this unique flavor and garnished with scallions. I couldn't help it so I dunked a huge wedge of bread into the broth and it was amazing, let me tell you. If you go, don't be embarrassed to do this. I don't know if it's looked down upon but it tastes so good so...who cares? We polished off that baby right when the steak frites came. *drool* Yummy steak topped a huge mound of shoestrings, crisp and hot right out the fryer. The fries soaked up all of the port demi glaze that was drizzled over the steak. I haven't enjoyed steak and fries so much...EVER. I'm an incredibly slow eater, but I wolfed the whole plate down in 25 minutes which may seem like a long time, but hey, it's better than 55 minutes. The atmosphere was nice and relaxing that I didn't even want to get up after the meal was over. I was comfortable that I wish I could just snap my fingers and be automatically changed and in bed. (Sigh...if only...) It's been a long time since I've had a five star meal and let me tell ya, I definitely did. read more

Went here tonight for dinner with my girlfriends. We live close by and always wanted to stop in because it looked so cozy. The food and the service was phenomenal!! Drinks and food came out quickly and everything was delicious. We got the steak frites, burger, and the shrimp pasta. Highly recommend- fair prices and good atmosphere! read more

First stop on my Boston/Maine trip! Finally got into Logan @ 10pm so this was a great spot to hit up because it is a bar/restaurant! Serves food until 1:30am everyday! I got the Minted Pea Soup and Butter Leaf Salad, other members of my party got the Clams and Calamari. The bread and hummus they serve you is way delish. Dishes were fresh and tasty. Great ingredients. We also had a ScoutMob coupon so the meal was super tasty and affordable!! Check out ScoutMob here: www.scoutmob.com/revel/auzzie31 :) read more

This place is the bomb. Located on the South End of Boston, this place is considered a local's joint. Small and intimate, this place has fantastic food. I definitely loved the chicken I ordered and the grilled calamari. The calamari wasn't rubbery like you'd typically get from other places. When I go back to Boston, I'll be sure to schedule dinner here again. read more

See all

The wait is at least 30-40 minutes...but the bar is big enough to pass your time... The food is great, especially the steak frites - one of the most reasonably priced steak frites I've had! It's such a fun little restaurant with lots of other bars and watering holes in the area. Judging by the other reviews, apparently I'm not the only person who has been on a first date here...and there are probably many more. When I was at Franklin Cafe and my date was in the restroom, the waiter asked, is this your first or second date? I asked, how could you tell? He said, I can always tell. But I know why there are so many dates going on at Franklin Cafe - it's a great, reasonably-priced spot with consistently good food. How could you go wrong?? read more

Delicious combo of sophisticated American cuisine and comfort food. Warm and intimate New York city type of atmosphere. Casual but sophisticated crowd. "Ann" was our bright, genuine, and skilled waitress. Fast friendly service. Server made us feel special and helped rock our birthday celebration. Check it out. read more

I haven't been back to Franklin in quite some time for obvious reasons and recently was delighted to see the renovation and one of my all-time favorite neighborhood bars! And with that one of my new favorite people who is a great bartender there, Shelby is a delight and a breath of fresh air! She is swift , makes beautiful drinks and Incredibly friendly and she is hilarious! I know that time has passed and some of my favorite bartenders are no longer at this Franklin. I am so glad for this perfect new addition as long as she is there I will continue to come! read more

I will always come back for the calamari and mussels. Ask for B.J. The owner, that is. read more

They still got it! I've been a fan of the Franklin for over 15 years. I hadn't been in a while, but went last night and it's clear that they still are on top of their game. Drama free report is: Food: very good. The pasta dish would have been hard to improve and the steak is still a great choice. Space: Comfortable, cozy and full of character. OK.. a few spots could use a refresh, but we're talking small potatoes here. Service: Excellent. Still a neighborhood gem. read more

Franklin has great food (the burger, ravioli, chicken wings and steak frites are some staples), atmosphere and a friendly staff. Their Sunday brunch is new but is absolutely fantastic, which includes a world class Bloody Mary made by Patrick behind the bar! read more

I had the spicy Diablo cocktail and a glass of Pinot Grigio, and my fiancée had a martini and a draft beer. The drinks were great and nicely priced. For food we had the ciabatta and hummus, mussels, and hanger steak frites. The bread and hummus were good, but the mussels were really dry - no broth or bread to accompany them, which was odd. Seemed quite overpriced for what it was. The hanger steak frites was okay. The atmosphere was loud and nothing special. Wasn't great, wasn't completely awful. We might come back, but only for drinks - definitely not food. read more

Franklin Cafe - Lounges Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts