I love dive bars, especially one's with iconic views, fantastic service and reasonable prices. What makes it even better is the seafood which is quite good. Stopped here on a Sunday afternoon right after visiting one of my favorite breweries in the area. Had never been here before and didn't know what to expect. Looks can be deceiving, because from the outside the place didn't look inviting. In fact as I was entering the patrons who were leaving were jokingly asking if I was afraid to go in. Well, challenge accepted. The place wasn't as diverse as I'd like, but there was a good mix of people. There was a guitarist playing live and once I was seated the servers, both of the whom were outside, made me feel more than welcome. In fact, it was the best service I have had in quite a while. I was expecting much less and I got way more than I could have imagined. We sat outside. When you enter, there is a bar right there to you right and as you walk in and around there are tables on the outside deck. Once you get to the back, that is where the entrance is to the inside bar. And just as a footnote, the bathrooms were clean which was an awesome surprise. Ordered oysters, 12 dressed and steamed, can't remember what they called them, but there is definitely a picture and 1/2 dozen raw. They were very good. Also ordered some wings, which were both breaded and fatty. Didn't like them and they were gracious enough to remove them from the bill. Also ordered steamed shrimp which were awesome. For drinks we had a blue martini special drink and I had $1 Narragansett specials which is a really great beer. I had 2 and felt really guilty about having a great beer at such a cheap price. I know why it was on special, because it tasted like it was almost ready to go, but it wasn't gone and it really hit the spot. Suffice to say, I will be returning. There are too many great things happening at Old Man Frank's for me to not be craving this experience again. read more

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This was a spectacular experience. Our server Fuzzy was so fantastic! With her recommendation, we got the warm peel and eat shrimp and the smoked fish dip. It was sooo delicious! To top it off, we had the Fuzzy Old Fashioned! It was a top ten day and we hardily recommend this place!!! read more

First time here came for $1.50 taco night and $3.50 margaritas. The place is nothing to write home about it's an older establishment, but it's on the water. You can see a beautiful sunsets The margarita was excellent and so were the tacos. They did have live music, which we also missed, but then they had a disc jockey . My only feeling was that the music was way too loud for the amount of space occupied by customers. Not a bad deal at all, though we will probably try again on a Wednesday. read more

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Not great by a longshot. Lunch on a weekday on the deck and the waitress should probably figure out what she wants to do in life because this ain't it, borderline rude. Cheeseburger was a mystery meat, got through a couple bites, kinda grey and weird, she never even acknowledged the full basket when she asked if I was done. None of the other food was much better, mediocre at best. Tough to enjoy anything when you feel like you're bothering someone, then have to pay $125 on top of that for 3 people and a kid. Too bad Tanners was closed for lunch. Wouldn't recommend. read more

I sure do miss the oysters and the view. The people are so nice too. It was my first time and can't wait to return. read more

Old Man Frank's - Oysters - Dive Bars Near Me - Winter Haven, Florida

This is a fun place. They have music outside sometimes inside too. If you wanna get a drink, you have to wait in line sometimes. The fries are good. It's on a lake people stop by on their boats. Fun atmosphere! read more

This a gem on a small part of town , really nice local bar where locals hang out, good music and super relax place . The staff very friendly and food was served really fast , and when it comes to the food really super fresh oysters and shrimp, they have really good appetizers and prices are very comfortable and perfect place to be near the water ... definitely you must try this place , no disappointments at all .... Great place read more

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So we drove up to Winter Haven to see the kids . We decided to go to old man Franks . Great place on the water ( Lake Howard) . Live music with Ryan Joyce singing a ton of different tunes . Nice low key atmosphere exactly what we needed on a Sunday afternoon . We started off with a pound of shrimp and a bucket of beer and a couple Margaritas. . Then came the Mahi Tacos which were fantastic. Followed up by another bucket of beer and Two Dozen baked Herb crusted oysters . Real good . Great day on the lake nice relaxed environment with great service and good food. . If you're in the area go visit old man franks . I know we're coming back !! read more

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Great ambience nice scenery a nice acoustic singer but man do you wait and wait for service- island time great but when we had to ask again for our cc back as we had already checked out and the attitude well I'm out Not a Karen we are on vacation this was exception we have had awesome service the whole time m I think this was a one off- there was another worker that had a lot more giddy up in his step Plus- it is inexpensive for it's location read more

We came here on a Friday evening / early night, recommended by others, for some drinks and to listen to live music. We sat out on the back porch, where a solo guitarist / musician was playing, and after about 15 minutes realized there was not going to be any wait service; so headed into the bar to order up. There were only 3 other occupied tables out there, but they are set up for what appeared to be 15 or 20 tables. Once inside there may have been a dozen customers hanging out, so it was easy to get service at the bar. I ordered a couple of rum & cokes and headed back out. These were some pathetically made drinks, to say the least. The coke tasted syrupy and not a hint of liquor (and I watched her make them). Maybe the syrupy coke overtook the liquor, but I can't say it gave us even a slight buzz. I went back in a couple more times to order at the bar, but stuck to beers and sealed Ol' Smokey moonshine shots (at least we knew what we were getting with those items). The only reason we hung around for a couple hours, to be honest, was because the solo musician played well and had a good singing voice. His presence may even get us to try the place out again. We heard the overall food is mediocre, but the chicken wings are really good. This place has so much potential, especially with the location, size and view from the back porch. Makes me wonder what happened, since it has been around for decades apparently. read more

If you're coming off a boat day and need the perfect spot, Old Man Frank's is it. The vibes are laid-back, fun, and right on the water. Their spinach artichoke dip is absolutely banging and there was a live band! Cold drinks, good food, great music, and a view? It's basically everything you want after a day on the water. read more

The service was terrible the last 2 times we went there. Tonight we waited almost a half hour just to get a drink. My husband and son had a bucket but she never asked if I wanted another drink. The scenery is great but I could go somewhere else for get scenery. read more

No different that our other favorite places for a beer Friday night. The view is great! The beers are great! The Oysters are great. The food is just okay. 1) Place is clean and welcoming. 2) The outside-bar tender was our table server. He was good but FORGOT to put my to go burger and crawfish with the rest of my to go order in the container and bag and I too forgot to check before I left. Did not figure it out until, of course, got home and saw that there was no burger and crawfish which were both paid for. Very disappointing!!! 3) Aside from the above, great place for a beer and Karaoke on a Friday night. I would return. Please give them a try! read more

Tipped $40 and was charged $110 as a tip. I talked to the owner she was dismissive. "Fuzzy" and "Jr" were our servers. I tipped over 20% on my card then some cash. Its been over a week since I talked to the owner and my visit was 3/13. I loved this place. I'd always bring my out of town friends here. I guess just pay cash if you come. I am Just so disappointed. read more

Very casual, friendly, low key place. Ate outside right over the water. It was cold and breezy and we brought our two dogs. Waitress suggested a more enclosed area outside and it was very cozy. The crab cakes were very good! Would absolutely come there again...good food and very friendly, helpful staff read more

We've been trying to get to this hiddden gem for a couple years. It was worth the wait. Spectacular view of Lake Howard (I think). You'll find mainly seafood on the menu, as well as a full bar. We had oysters, boiled shrimp, and fish tacos. We had no issues or complaints. It was all delicious. We sat at the outside bar. The bartenders were helpful and attentive. I recommend sitting outside, weather permitting. Inside is a little dark. More suited for nighttime dining or cocktails. Old Man Frank's was a fun and tasty experience. The next time we're in the area we'll go back. read more

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Absolutely disgusting experience. We came in Monday night, and before we could even sit and grab menus we were immediately approached and informed that the kitchen was closed and that the bar was "closing" meanwhile there were about 7 others by the bar. We were then escorted out. I asked why the man was following us out and he said "to make sure the door is locked behind us." Mind you my partner is black and I'm Spanish. Everyone in the bar was white and so was the man who escorted us. I felt very unsafe and I can't believe things like this still happen. We could understand the vibe, and why it was happening. It was obvious. SHAME ON THIS ESTABLISHMENT! read more

i went with my family. it was 6 of us and they accommodated us easily, the food and service was amazing. the owners were working and checking on people. our server was jessie and she was so nice and attentive. we had hot wings, oysters, and crab cakes. very good!! perfect experience!!!! highly recommend read more

This place always amazes me. Food is terrific! Crowds are heavy most evenings but worth the wait. Prices very appropriate. One issue is the noise - it's a very noisy space and they play odd music way too loud over the sound system - almost like they turn it up so customers can hear it over the chatter. Turn it down! I didn't come to listen to your playlist! read more

Today is 6-28-24. A great location on the lake where you dock and eat and drink and sing country music. They also have live music. Lots of fun inside and outside. Tons of fans to keep you cool. Inside is nice AC with games and music. The baked herb crusted oysters ($25 per dozen) had bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, and butter, and garlic were wonderful. It came w a whole bag of crackers. Monday to Friday 11am to 7pm it's $2.50 a draft (Bud Light, Avalanche, LandShark, Michelin Ultra). You can see alligators circling the area but don't feed them bc they might get aggressive. It's a great experience. The mahi mahi tacos were good too. The only thing is I didn't care for the salad much bc there weren't much greens or vegetables in there. But there was a lot of shredded cheese. All said it's a great down to earth place where you can relax and kick back and snack and drink. read more

Great food for good prices. Don't expect more than a rustic Florida Cracker Fish Camp bar. Cold beer. Lake front Cracker casual atmosphere. Daisy Dukes and a white t-shirt, cut offs and a tank top or your favorite jeans and tube top will be just fine for your kicked back dining experience. Burgers, fries, tots, jumbo chicken wings, oysters were all perfect for our group. Fast service on food to tabletop during a late Saturday lunch. It's worth a try, but don't expect to dine at the Ritz. read more

Old Man Frank's - Dive Bars Near Me - Winter Haven, Florida

All of the above! Great service, great food, all around great place to eat! Close to our home too!

Service from one server was not even adequate. Second server was very attentive. We order the same thing every time we go. Not sure what happened but the two dozen herb baked oysters were so crusted they were hard to eat. Should have sent them back. We powered through, breaking the plastic forks they gave us to eat with. By the way, at $25.99 a dozen I expected to be able to enjoy my dinner, not just manage to eat it read more

Very tasty food, friendly service, and nice view of the lake. I had the Mahi Taco, and my wife had the Crab Cake Po-boy, both excellent. Casual and very relaxing view of the lake. read more

Old Man Frank's - Crab cake Po'boy with coleslaw - Dive Bars Near Me - Winter Haven, Florida

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We came here for the first time ever when a friend who took us out on a boat on the Chain of Lakes stopped here. We loved the environment, the music, the food, the drinks, all of it! You can tell this is definitely a favorite among the locals and rightfully so based on our experience there! While I do not eat Oysters, several people in our party got them and said that they were very yummy! We will definitely be back in the future! read more

Got off boat, instantly got a cloud of marijuana, went into this place, very busy. Was highly recommended by my friend. Sat at a table, over 15min, no waitress appeared. Went to bar and got seats after people left, very disgruntled. Bartender ignored us until we asked her to get us drinks. My friends ordered food, she didn't bother to ask us. I finally asked her. They gave our food away, TWICE! These people have no clue how to run a restaurant. Bartender never came back to ask if we wanted another round, apologize for food. We finally asked her where our food was, brought out three of our lunch but not one of my friends food. She put in another order and he told her not to bother. Food was not good either. So not sure where the big recommendations are. I definitely would never go back. Gross. read more

This establishment REFUSED to seat a customer with a service dog!!!! Complete violation of ADA. The blonde that works there claimed that the area they allow dogs in is closed for renovations. There is a large outdoor area where she could have seated us. We had all of the necessary documentation, but the employee was extremely rude and disrespectful. She insisted on asking, even though we had the documentation, what the dog was trained for. I was forced to answer by telling her what the disability is. This was a invasion of privacy, because by stating that the dog is trained to detect seizures, she forced me to tell her what the disability is. I told her he detects seizures, and she still refused to seat us. THIS ESTABLISHMENT DISCRIMINATES AGAINST THE DISABLED...who else do they discriminate against????? read more

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This is dive bar with a nice view of the lake and a big covered deck. The oysters were very fresh and the beer cold. We had them raw and herb crusted and both were very good. Some in our party I had the chicken wings and said they were good too. Service was on the slow side and server seemed annoyed and impatient when asked about beer selections. $58 before tip for 2 dozen oysters + 2 beers. read more

A few things. We waited 45-50 minutes before our order was even taken. Then they brought out a single portion of the order we wanted it to go but received it one hour before the others came out to the table. Of coarse one order of the five was totally forgotten. So and additional 15-20 minutes before I got my meal. Needless to say the were not fresh boneless chicken wings. Only frozen store bought and too much breading. Was our first time there and definitely our last. I definitely would not recommend or even rate this place called old man franks. People were also rude. I guess if you were a beer person you'd probably like the place. read more

One of my favorite places to visit when in Florida. I swear they consistently have the best oysters, and oysters are my favorite food. Four of us had 7 dozen today and each one was as good as the next. Love the lake vibe too! Such a chill place to be. read more

I'm a dive bar aficionado and this place makes my Hall of fame! It's really a dive bar "+" and read on to discover the pluses. Atmosphere- How may times can you say a place has been around since the 1950's? That's right, it's been sitting on beautiful Lake Norman and serving folks since 1953! Inside, are all the accoutrements that are required of an excellent dive bar. You've got your TouchTunes jukebox with and amazing Bose sound system. You've got electronic darts, a pool table and an ATM if you are cash challenged. Of course, there are plenty of TVs. Outside is the first "+" and that's a killer deck/dock. That's right, boaters tie up and listen to the live music and have a great time. Let's not forget all the fish and turtles and of course gaters. An additional plus is killer sunsets! Food- Many dive bars don't have food put these folks have fresh oysters along with your typical burgers fries etc. This of course is another "+." I passed on the oysters as my lady friends say my stamina is through the roof already and went with a cheeseburger and tots. The tots were a $1.25 upcharge and worth every penny. This meal would hold its own at any of the surrounding casual places. A juicy burger on a toasted bun with a nice pile of seasoned and piping hot tots. This is definitely not your typical dive bar food. Check out my pic. Customer Service- My bartender/server was just fine with no problems at all. So check out the band that is playing, and head out on the dock for a wonderful evening. Who knows, maybe you'll need the oysters! read more

Old Man Frank's - Dive bar food at it's best with incredible Tots! - Dive Bars Near Me - Winter Haven, Florida

They have great service and food and live music so we can go wrong with that. I always enjoy my trip to old Man Frank's.

Usually go for oysters. Did not disappoint. Nice atmosphere good music. Staff seemed a little overwhelmed but they hustled.

Been going there for 5 years every Sunday. Always 10-15 minutes before opening and going in just to sit and enjoy the quiet time before opening. Went today and some leatherfaced gal watering plants was hell on us because they dont open till 12. We said fine, we're always happy to just sit. Wait to short with us. And an employee in the parking lot apologized to us as she knew we came every week and knew what we ordered. Went over to Twisted Prop at 10 minutes till opening and welcomed us in as they had boating customers as well. Sorry Old Man Franks. You take care of someone, they tell 3. Piss them off, they'll tell ten read more

Great Service and ambiance on the water. Live Music was the best and all around place to stop in and have a drink. read more

Crab cakes were pretty good but the oysters with the jalapenos and cheese were amazing! The ladies behind the bar were so nice, and I truly mean that! They kept us hydrated, made perfect recommendations for the oysters, and kept us smiling! First time here but won't be the last! read more

Old Man Frank's - Crab Cakes - Dive Bars Near Me - Winter Haven, Florida

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Cool dive bar with surprisingly delicious food. Great atmosphere with live music regularly right on the lake!! Must visit!

Good place to watch the sunset and eat yummy oysters. Service is quick and friendly. read more

Old Man Frank's - Love raw oysters!!! - Dive Bars Near Me - Winter Haven, Florida

What a cool throwback Florida joint. It like I was a kid again. The lake, the boiled peanuts, nostalgic for us. Definitely recommend it

BEWARE!!! I guess I went on a "locals" night. I live in the area, but don't frequent the place. I've been here multiple times and never had a issue. TONIGHT however, I was over charged by about four drinks. I sat alone, and definitely paid attention to my count. The bartender (small older lady with blonde hair) had to be the one tagging other peoples' drinks on my tab. I didn't make a scene, I just let the issue reflect in my tip. Had she just been honest, she would have received a 50% tip on my tab. I'll probably go back here and there because I like the place... but next time I won't leave without calling them out if they pull that crap again. read more