We had our 23rd anniversary dinner there last night. Had a 7 PM reservation. Arrived 10 minutes early and were seated instantly. Our server, Nino, came to our table within minutes of our seating. We weren't sure which red wine selection we are going to go with. He recommended a medium priced bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon. That was just what the doctor ordered. We started with the Burrata on Nino's recommendation also as we were looking to not fill up on a big appetizer and it was amazing, so fresh. I had the 10 ounce fillet and my wife had a 6 ounce fillet both ordered medium rare and both delivered cooked perfectly. For sides we did the roasted garlic potato purée, steakhouse mac & cheese, and the roasted wild mushroom. All of the sides were excellent and good portions. We ended up bringing home half of the mushrooms and 3/4 of the steakhouse mac & cheese. We were seated on the main floor at a four top, I love the seating arrangement as there's plenty of room you're not bumping into each other at different tables. The ambience is very nice. It's well lit but not so bright that it's not an intimate dining experience. I'm normally a person that takes pictures of my food but absolutely forgot to just because we were caught up in the moment read more

Always a special treat at Franko's! We love coming here whenever we can snag a spot. It's our go-to when we want to treat ourselves to a nice night out. The indoor seating has a fantastic ambiance--it feels quaint and intimate, but you never feel like you're sitting on top of other guests. It's one of the few places where you can actually talk freely without feeling like the neighboring tables are part of your conversation. When the weather cooperates, the outside patio is a lovely spot to enjoy a meal. As for the food, the steaks are excellent and we haven't had a single bad experience yet. My wife is also a huge fan of the chopped Caesar salad. Definitely make a reservation ahead of time and enjoy! read more

Just celebrated our 38th wedding anniversary tonight & as usual Franko's hit it out of the park! Matthew was our server and he made our visit absolutely perfect! From the lemon drop martini to the calamari, wedge salad, filet & salmon....everything was wonderful! We finished our perfect dinner with the chocolate mouse cake which was delicious! This is our 9th time dining at Franko's and it just keeps getting better & better! It's our new go to when we have company in town or celebrating a special occasion! Thank you Matthew & your support staff! Everyone made us feel like family! read more

Firstly, the location and what they've done in developing the area is very nice. This restaurant has kept the historic vibe of the building while still making it modern and appealing. Our server was just excellent. She was funny, friendly, and knew her stuff. She even surprised us with a birthday dessert to take home when she overheard it was my birthday. We weren't going to make a big deal about it. That was the perfect way to handle the situation and she made me feel special. Food: wow. The starter focaccia was amazing, served with olive oil and whipped ricotta. I got the penne - sauce was super good and it was all cooked and seasoned perfectly. It's worth the trip to check this place out! read more

Frankos Italian Steakhouse - Chicken parmigiana - Italian Near Me - Franklinton, North Carolina

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This place is such a gem! The food is exquisite and you'll definitely have enough to take home. Medium rare steak comes exactly as you ask with the service being unmatched! The manager and waiters are all fantastic and we will be sure to check out their Raleigh location in north hills once it's open. I mentioned that we were celebrating my husband's new job and they brought us a cannoli to celebrate! We will definitely come back soon! read more

Frankos Italian Steakhouse - Meatball app - Italian Near Me - Franklinton, North Carolina

We did not make reservation and came on a Tuesday around 5:30pm . It was not too busy but they said reservations were full downstairs and they could serve us upstairs. The upstairs was very beautiful rustic with abstract paintings and a very aesthetic atmosphere. The waiter brought out colors for my kids and waters right away he also asked about any food allergies. The food was good . The waiter was friendly and we will definitely be coming back . read more

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It's not every day you get served by tom holland.... our server looked just like him. He was so sweet. The ambiance was very nice. Lots of white brick, thick dark woods, very masculine, yet romantic. We decided to start with some bread. Menu said it came with whipped ricotta. Well we got cold focaccia with ricotta dumped in olive oil. Weird. I would serve the hot bread with seasoned olive oil and ricotta in the side. We ordered the ribeye with garlic potato puree. You could not taste the garlic. We ordered the brocollini, it was too vinegary. The steak was phenomenal, well cooked. Not sure if the prices are worth it. The service is great, every one is nice. read more

My hubby and I went the 1st time a few months ago and it was amazing. The steaks were juicy and cooked perfectly. The staff was knowledgeable and helpful. We will be back soon read more

We've heard great things about this restaurant and I wanted somewhere special to bring my uncle for dinner. The service is exceptional and the restaurant is fancy but relaxed and comfortable too. I ordered the bone in ribeye which I've had before at other steakhouses but this one was a MONSTER and cooked to perfection. The sides were good too but we barely touched them. We all had different steaks and sides were asparagus and potatoes. They brought my uncle a special dessert too which he devoured Highly recommend this place. Enjoy read more

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Totally amazing. From the bread to the lasagna, this is the best Italian restaurant i have visited since i moved to North Carolina. Simply fantastic food and excellent service. read more

Once a really good restaurant is now below average. This restaurant used to have really good food and good atmosphere. I have been going here for years and the quality of the food and atmosphere has gone way downhill the past year. It's very unfortunate, it was nice to have a good quality place to eat and good atmosphere in Franklinton. I hope they can find the personnel to be better again. read more

Really good dinner, really average service. First timer with no reservation but encouraged to come on a Friday. Hung out upstairs in a vibey bar area, love the feel of the place Twenty minute wait, you walk down to get your table and then straight back upstairs. They should fix that Ordered Focaccia (excellent) wedge (tasty but way too small for the price) filet done as ordered and nice smoke to it, and a huge and excellent chicken parm. Drinks reasonable and well made Service was a miss. Forgetting things, long waits, refills sparse etc, I'd come back, seems like an oasis in a small town read more

My strip was really good. It was cooked right and I would order it again. It came with really delish creamed potatoes. The server took a long time to get our order and when we asked for bread she said we had to pay for it which sucks considering the prices one is already paying. The coconut cake was really very good too. read more

This evening was my second time dining at Franko's and I am impressed yet again. Service was excellent (thank you, magician Danielle ) and food was excellent! We got meatballs, focaccia, hot honey pepperoni pizza and tiramisu. Delicious! read more

Frankos Italian Steakhouse - Hot honey pepperoni pizza - Italian Near Me - Franklinton, North Carolina

This is my 2nd review of Frankos and I have to say it did not disappoint. Consistent service and food quality. We sat on the first floor with a view of the 2nd floor area and had a great rustic look. Our server, Danielle was excellent. Very friendly and attentive without being overbearing. I won't bore you with all the details but we had appetizers,salads, pastas, steaks and dessert. The only item that was average to me was the lasagna. It was my bad but not as wow as the other dishes. When you come to a steakhouse have the steak. They are all well made. Put it on your go to list. read more

We are big fans of Franko's Italian Steakhouse, (my husband's Italian), and had the urge to go again -- there was just "one "road block", we were watching our grandson and he's sometimes a little wild. So we thought going early would be the best choice, and we made the reservation, arrived and the restaurant was half full, the hostesses assured us they had the perfect table and seated us in a corner by the window, and the server, Danielle, brought crayons and paper and a snack of bread for the child and water while we looked at the menu. I knew what I was going to have, spouse had raved about the Chicken Parmesan last trip, and I also ordered a fantastic Clark and Telephone Red Wine, spouse had "Clams and Spaghetti", he forgot what it was called, but he ate every bite. (The grandson grabbed all the clam shells to take home, but he was very good while we were there) The General Manager, Rick (He introduced himself, welcoming and considerate) -- we met up with him later, while getting our 4 year old into the car, the GM had my cell phone I'd left on the table ((after the hostess had brought out the leftover Chicken Parmesan I really couldn't eat all of it)) -- what a great team, we'll be back, did I mention the Tiramisu was the best I've ever had? And we owned a restaurant once, talked my husband into it, years ago, in California, while our kids were in high school... Thank you, Franco's, for a wonderful evening! read more

We have been trying to get a reservation here for months and finally got one!! We booked a table for upstairs, which we ended up really liking! It's quieter and has nice decor. We got to the restaurant early but were able to wait at the bar and get a drink while we waited for our reservation time! Drinks were nice and strong! We got the focaccia and hot peppers for apps. Both so good!! Our group of 4 got the penne alla vodka, chicken parm, flounder special, and the 50 layer lasagne. Everyone loved their meals! The lasagne is a massive portion!! It was my birthday dinner so they gave me a cannoli with a candle in it. We had also ordered the crème brulee (special) and chocolate cake. Creme brulee melted in our mouths, chocolate cake was decadent, and cannoli was great too! HIGHLY recommend this place!!! read more

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I would love to review their food, as I was incredibly excited to try them, but I can't. We were treated like we were unworthy of breathing the same air as the staff, let alone other patrons, when we went in one afternoon. We were asked if we had a reservation, after the hostess looked at us, dressed casually in jeans and sleeveless shirts, as if we were dirty or something. When we said we didn't have a reservation (at 4:15, so not long after they opened), we were looked at like "yeah, right, nice try". We weren't offered to sit at the bar, or try to accommodate us in any way. She just shrugged and stared at us as though we were stupid, and it wasn't until we said okay, we won't be back, that someone in a position of authority (I presume) stepped in to try to stop us. If you have a dress code, or reservation only policy, it should be made clear outside the restaurant and on any websites. We checked, and found it listed as "casual" everywhere. I'm disappointed, as we love frequenting small, local businesses. read more

An excellent meal in up-and-coming downtown Franklinton. It's an old building, carefully restored to a new purpose. Lots of exposed brick and old timber. The main room is rectangular, with the bar in the center. There are a few tables outside on a covered patio as well. Upstairs is their pizzeria (Pizzeria Franko); downstairs the steakhouse. It's an upscale and cool style. Sound level muted for easy conversation. Beware the table closest to the kitchen though - the harsh light and server traffic take away from the atmosphere. Our server, Martina, was charming and friendly. She orchestrated the meal perfectly - courses came out in order and nicely paced. Thank you! The menu is diverse, from pasta to steaks. Not a 10-pager, but something for everyone. We started with focaccia, meatballs and caesar salad as an appetizer. Focaccia is delicious, crispy crust, moist and firm inside. The whipped ricotta/olive oil is a great spread. Meatballs are golf ball sized, impeccably spiced and served in sweet san marzano sauce with a dollop of ricotta. In a more casual environment, these would make a GREAT meatball hero! Salad is whole leaf romaine, well doused in classic caesar dressing, topped with shaved parmesan and focaccia croutons. Good! On to entrees. When you come to a place called a steakhouse - ya gotta order... STEAK! Filet mignon is offered in 6 and 10 oz. Opted for the 6. It is an outstanding medallion of beef - fork tender and juicy, with a subtle set of spices that highlight the taste of the meat without overpowering. One nit is that the temperature of the filet wasn't exact. Mine was medium rather than medium rare, so a little bit more cooked that I would have preferred. Others at the table had a similar experience - temps weren't right. Still - the beef was excellent. Also tried chicken parmigiana. A half breast is pounded thin, breaded and fried, then broiled to melt a thick slice of fresh mozzarella on top. No out-of-the-freezer pre-cooked chicken here - this was perfect. Crust nice and crunchy and well seasoned, inside juicy and tender, with a scoop of sweet and hearty house marinara. A minor miss here is that this entree was ordered with penne instead of spaghetti. But spaghetti is what was served. The spaghetti was perfect - just al dente and pan seared with the sauce to absorb the flavor. But it wasn't penne. :-( Couldn't decide on dessert so ordered all 3 that were offered. The winner is tiramisu. A 4" square of rum soaked heaven, with layers of mascarpone, lady fingers and a dusting of cinnamon. A really REALLY good rendition of this classic. Next up is 7 layer chocolate cake. Each layer is separated by a thin slathering of light and fluffy chocolate mouse. The cake is super fresh, moist and decadent. Least favorite were cannoli. These are freshly filled in-house, but the filling here is chocolate ricotta. I'm a traditionalist - my cannoli need to be unadulterated ricotta. That said, the shells were fresh, the filling creamy and lightly sweetened and dipped in chocolate chips at each end. Delicious, just not my favorite. Cost was $266 for 4, including wine. Very reasonable for a meal of this quality in a spot this cool. This place spot definitely makes it into the regular rotation. Go! read more

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We had to move our anniversary dinner to a day earlier due to pending snow. We were welcomed immediately and sat in the main dining room and had Danielle as our server. She was amazing with suggestions without being pushy. I had the filet mignon while my husband had the New York strip. Both were tender and very favorable. Couldn't have asked for a better experience! We will be back read more

We've dined at Franko's half a dozen times or so over the last year, and are fans. The ambiance is great, service is generally quite good, and the steaks are top notch. If you're a seafood lover, the swordfish is excellent. Friends have raved about the lasagna; perhaps I chose it on an off night, but for me it was mid at best. As for appetizers, the focaccia is decadent, and we've always enjoyed the calamari. Dinner for four on a recent night included the calamari, focaccia, half a dozen cocktails, a Tomahawk steak (for two), and two NY strips. Total ex tip was $290. A++ read more

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This place was recommended to us by a local and wow!!! She did not steer us wrong! My hubs had the chicken parm, the sauce was ! I had the small filet and it was tender, juicy and so flavorful!! My son had the meatball and spaghetti and loved every bite! Speaking of bites...from the focaccia bread to our entrees, nothing was left over...we want to come back before we leave town! Ps We sat upstairs and our server was excellent as well! read more

Frankos is awesome! Been many times now. You really cannot go wrong with whatever you order because Frankos is doing it right! I've had several ribeyes, and every time I'm stunned why I eat steaks out other places. I've been to ALL the major steakhouses (Perry's, Ruth's Chris, the Oak, etc...) None of them consistently deliver the quality and value of Frankos - and it's NOT CLOSE. Also the ricotta gnocchi is LIGHTS OUT, off the charts good. Added a couple meatballs to make it a proper meal - BOOM. Apps - the burrata is outstanding and the sausage and peppers are thee best sausage and peppers I've ever eaten, period! You really can't go wrong at Frankos read more

Franko's won out last Thursday when we were looking for a nicer eatery in Granville County- kind of bored with the same two choices, we made the not-so-bad sacrifice of driving ten more minutes to downtown Franklinton. And we'd been hearing about Franko's, and decided we'd give it a try. It didn't let us down. Franko's put itself forward as an "Italian Steakhouse," but I'd just call it an Italian restaurant. Everything is laid out to start with the pasta, end with the meat course. I'm totally on board. We started off perusing the wine list, made some cocktail choices, but also the house Lugano, from somewhere in the Veneto (delicious, and I'm going back for the house Amarone and a steak sometime soon). We started with an appetizer- burrata with a mountain of prosciutto, spiced figs, and focaccia. This was simply creamy, salty and figtastic all at once. The pasta courses was pretty great- I had a generous portion of a spaghetti with clams (more like a bucatini, but I'm not complaining) which was well sauced, almost broth-like and tossed with littleneck clams. The Mrs. Has the lobster spaghetti, with generous chunks of poached lobster and a lobster-infused cream sauce. We skipped dessert, but maybe next time. Franko's in Franklinton is legit Italian food in a lovely renovated space in downtown Franklinton- delicious finer dining that makes it one the best restaurants in the Triangle. It's real Italian food with great service and a cozy dining space surrounding a full bar, made to spend some time enjoying good company with the benefit of great food and drink rolled in. read more

This was our 3rd visit to Frankos and it was nothing short of amazing. We sat downstairs at a table near the bar and our server was Bri. She was so friendly and perfectly attentive while also working the bar. I had the 6oz filet mignon, with broccolini and potato puree. The steak was cooked to perfection and litterally melts in your mouth. My husband had the garlic cream sauce pasta and added a chicken cutlet and it was to die for. Our drinks were delicious, the homade focaccia and we finished with tiramisu. We have loved every visit to Frankos and can't wait to dine again ! read more

Frankos Italian Steakhouse - Stuffed Hungarian peppers - Italian Near Me - Franklinton, North Carolina

The food is absolutely amazing. Fantastic rib eye, cooked perfectly to temp. I added the truffle butter to the top, delectable. Great wine selection, as well as the service was stellar. Would recommend and will be coming back multiple times in the future. read more

To start out our waitress was great, the food not so much we were both served raw pork chops.... Yes actually they were very pink and near red... the kitchen took them back and threw them back on the grill one was fine it was kind of dark inside but after looking the other was still pink, thy did give us an extra side for free but not a discount or anything on the main course that was raw twice so overall I'm not pleased with them this was my second time here and disappointed twice I'm a franklinton local and will not be returning. read more

Service was excellent. Atmosphere was great. Only reason to give it a 4 is the meat quality doesn't warrant a 5.

Great service, Sabrina B was exceptional and provided great advice on what to order! Great food, we got the Lasagna (WOW!) and Ribeye ( perfect temp)...after the Focaccia & Bruschetta! The 7 layer chocolate mousse cake was the perfect ending!! Great experience & I recommend all the above!!! We will be back! read more

This was our first and probably only visit as it was very disappointing, especially for the price. First the good; service and ambiance were very good. We started with the calamari with red cherry peppers. What arrived was good calamari however almost half the dish was large jalapeños. This would have been acceptable if there ratio of calamari was higher and cut the number of peppers significantly. The chicken parmigiana came over spaghetti and was tasty but too small of a serving in both . The prime ribeye was a boneless, which was disappointing and while cooked perfectly had absolutely no seasoning other than the butter on top and therefore lacked flavor. When I asked for salt and pepper the salt shaker was apparently filled with kosher salt or another large crystal salt. It was impossible to get any out of the shaker. The puréed garlic potatoes were over whipped and pasty. Maybe I caught them on an off night? However for the price they charge it's not worth another visit to find out. Sorry to leave a poor review for a place that appears to be so highly rated. This was simply my experience here and it was very disappointing. read more

The food is very good. The service was outstanding and callout should be to our waiter Sabrina! Ambience is very nice and you've never believe that such cuisine could be cooked in the middle of nowhere North Carolina. The town is very quaint and it's a perfect setting for just a delightful evening out And Franko's makes it the best evening out. We highly recommend. And you can be assured it's you're not going to be disappointed. read more

we've been once before. Good food. Good looking place and the staff was great. We will definitely go back. read more

We ate here on our wedding anniversary. I must say we were very impressed. Food and service were excellent. Steaks are some of the best we ever had. Don't skip the chocolate cake. We will definitely go again. I highly recommend! read more

We love Danielle our waitress I would give her five stars, but the food was just mediocre. Put potato wedges needed seasoning badly, but focaccia bread was just OK and the meatballs were very tough and cold. Danielle on the other hand was a true Gem and she made the dinner all worthwhile. But I say I will not return. read more

went for a special birthday and honestly was terrible, the food was good but the service was so bad I just wanted to leave , sat around and waited forever for everything and our waitress seem to be serving everyone. if theiy don't have the staff to treat people well , don't take their reservations . Kinda ruined our night.It was very expensive for the type of no service we received. Sooo dissappointed ! read more

Very happy with our first visit here. Worth the short trip up to Franklinton! Attractive interior with exposed brick walls and a working fireplace. Meatball appetizer very tasty as is the focaccia bread with olive oil/ricotta spread. I enjoyed my swordfish and my wife was very happy with the Filet Mignon. Sides are big portions to share, no way our friends and us were going to finish all those yummy mashed potatoes or mushrooms. We will definitely be back! read more

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Food was amazing. Especially the cannoli. I can't wait to go back again! Service was super friendly!! read more

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Food was amazing but service was not. Our waitress had 10 tables when another waiter had 2. It was very odd how the tables were split because the waiter with 2 tables ended up waiting on us because he didn't like seeing us wait so long... read more

Great food and service in a comfortable and nice environment with good ambiance. Good variety of apps and meals.

We had a great experience celebrating a week after our wedding on a Friday night. I made a reservation for 5:30, but it wasn't too busy at this time. We waited a few minutes to be greeted at our table, but no problem for us-we are patient. The appetizers (focaccia and meatballs) came out quickly and we're delicious! Our meals were tasty, but honestly the ribeye wasn't anything special for that price tag. Honorable mention for the JUMBO asparagus- DELICIOUS! I would return to this restaurant to try the other items on their menu! read more

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