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    RFD Franklin

    3.9 (83 reviews)
    Closed Closed

    RFD Franklin Photos

    RFD FRANKLIN ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - RFD Franklin

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    Reviews With Photos

    Pork Chop... so good!
    Marc H.

    Had a wonderful dinner at the RFD in Franklin. Cool place, former post office, they kept a lot of the decor. It was Christmas time, so it was nice seeing their decorations. I ordered the pork chop, it was amazing! My wife ordered the chicken parm tortellini, it was good too. I also had the soup of the day, crab and tomato... yummy!! We even splurged for a carrot cake for dessert. My wife said that was the best! Overall had a lovely evening meal, sure it's expensive, just be prepared for it. We will be back!

    Pork chop
    Patti S.

    Recommended by Kim from the Ashley-Drake Inn. Beautiful building! We got to eat in the vault which was very quaint and private. Enjoyed our calamari appetizer and split a delicious wedge salad. For our main course, we split the pork chop with apple chutney and horseradish mashed potatoes. The pork chop was perfectly done and the horseradish mashed potatoes divine! Excellent and attentive service. We'll be back.

    Beer and cocktails.
    Todd B.

    My wife learned of this through a friend's social media post. Weekday lunch, so wasn't busy at all. Very nice restoration of the old post office, PO Boxes, vault, post master's vault, and Big Band music playing. We had a nice Spanish moscato, shrimp cocktail (my wife did feel the shrimp were a little raw---I like it). She had a wonderful chicken parmesan and I had the seafood pasta. Finished with a very nice creme brûlée. Will be back!

    Robert O.

    This place sucked. Sorry. 35 min wait for a hamburger. When it arrived it was so crispy I wouldn't give to my dog. No manager on site. The poor waitress comp the bill 50% First of all this is not a troll. I have my copy of our receipt. Second you did not have a manager on duty. We were informed by two different waitresses that there was no manager and that they couldn't do much to help as they had no clearance. I find it insulting and unpthat instead of a simple apology you accuse me trolling.

    Menu
    Elaine G.

    I was really excited to try this place. My boyfriend had picked it out and since we only see each other once a week i was looking forward to trying somewhere new. I drove down from Westfield and made my way to Franklin. Walked in and were told there was no outdoor seating even though i saw plenty of open tables outside. We were sat inside and noticed the menu had changed quite a bit from the one posted online. Understandable since it's a new place even though the prices went up on almost every item. The place was very loud, distracting even. Perhaps it's the high ceilings or the table of 10 men we were sat next to even when there were other open more private tables available. We waiting for someone, anyone to greet us, offer us water. We decided on what drinks, starters, and entrees we wanted. Then kept waiting, and waiting while other tables were offered water and food orders were taken. 4 other tables had given there order and had drinks and we had not yet been greeted. We waited 15+ minutes and due to a movie we were seeing in an hour we decided to leave without anyone ever speaking to us. I have never left a one start review or felt the need to leave and establishment due to service, but i feel this is deserved. Hope this was the first and only terrible experience you have. We had a wonderful time at The Mint down the street. We got our delicious drinks and food quickly. Highly recommend!!

    exterior from the west
    Ken N.

    Having dined at over 1000 food and beverage places in Central Indiana, I was thrilled to finally get a chance to participate in a "soft opening" of RFD Franklin the week prior to their official opening. As a bit of a history buff, I've been following the transformation of this historic building (built 1936) that has had several functions in the past. Glad to see how much love and attention went into preserving what they could and adding complementary touches to bring modern convenience to the place. Because it was a soft opening, I'll share with you what I caught them doing right. There are quite a few of those. I shared with the owners my honest opinions of what I would like to see changed or improved. Hopefully, my feedback will help them dial in their dining experience presentation as they go live. Although the restaurant only has a small private parking area, there is a city lot with many spaces that aren't reserved (though I wonder if the reserved ones are available after business hours. That would be helpful!) There is also free street parking in the area too. Though the building faces north, I chose to enter from the east side where a nice sized patio sits. At the time of my visit, there wasn't any outdoor seating, but it does have potential for that. I also noticed a ramp to assist physically challenged people make it from the parking lot up to the east side entrance. At first, you will enter a beautiful lobby filled with tile that comes up from the floor onto the walls like a wainscoting. The interior is a buttery yellow and there is rich dark wood trim along with a freestanding booth near the hostess counter. Once checked in, the staff will escort you into the spacious dining room with 14' ceilings and more dark wood at the bar and the wall of postal boxes that has the kitchen behind it. The walls are a mint green above the wood and the ceiling has two open areas that rise up to windows that can be opened for additional ventilation. The flooring is hardwood and the chairs are aluminum with coasters that make it easy to scoot forward and back. There are a variety of tables, some small and square, others larger and round. There is also a vault room that can be reserved for a small dining party and another room for a somewhat larger group. Throughout the evening, my service was excellent! Everyone was upbeat and if I had a question, they found answers. Although a water container was available on my table, I didn't even have to fill my glass. The cocktail I tried was tasty and when I had a question, the bartender came over and answered my questions. The owners stopped by and we discussed the history of the building and the extra details they've added. I can't say enough about how well everyone listened and was upbeat about the place. They are still tweaking their menu, so let me tell you what I was impressed with so far. The Pan Seared Blue Crab Cakes were excellent! Large chunks of crab meat with just enough sear to bring out more flavor, topped with shaved celery and a wedge of lemon. The sauce they had on the side was creamy and rich and paired extremely well. May be my favorite thing I had all night. For my entree, I got 6 oz filet WITH a baked potato for only $19! Wow! A Steak house would charge double for that. They have some toppings for those interested in them, but I went with the standard dark sear with a medium rare interior. The baked potato had a salted (large sea salt crystals) skin which is great for those of us who eat the whole potato. A flavored butter and sour cream were available. The potato was normal person size, not one of those monsters that only the most hearty eaters can manage. Good choices. I would like to see them tinker with the seasoning of the steak just a bit more. It wasn't my absolute favorite, but it was still quite good. I finished off with a Vanilla Creme Brulee that had berries on the side. The brulee had a crisp crackling top that makes the dessert special (otherwise it's just pudding!) There was a slight hint of char to the top, but that should get better with experience and the berries blended with the char taste so that it was minimal. Great experience for me in general and I will definitely be bringing my wife and friends with me once they open. I would call it upscale dining with a moderate price (actually it was a bargain compared to downtown Indy pricing) dependent upon how much you order. Check it out! Review #2607

    Lyn M.

    We heard about RFD Franklin from a friend and decided to head in at 4 p.m. for an early dinner. Took a moment to take the place in, which I must say, is very neat. Love that they left the old mailboxes and the safe and we thought the rolling desk/dining chairs were very cool (at least until you've had a few drinks)! For our appetizer, we ordered the Pan Seared Blue Crab Cakes ($13), they were very good, loved the Caper Remoulade. For the main course I ordered the Pan Seared Scallops ($22), the better half and DD1 had the Classico Marinara ($13). The scallops were served over roasted potatoes, a bit like home fries if you will. Personally I would have liked to have seen some more green on the plate, perhaps a small spring mix, cucumber or seaweed salad to round it out but the scallops were cooked to perfection, tender and very tasty. The Classico Marinara on the otherhand, at $13, just didn't do it for me. It certainly did not have enough personality to make it stand out as a menu staple, nor do I think it garnered the $13 price tag, but the better half and DD1 seemed to enjoy it. My only real complaint (and the reason for only 4 stars) was with our server. She made our dinner feel hurried. She made little eye contact, limited conversation and she dashed to and from our table as if she were extremely busy. There were a total of three couples by the time we left and there was another server, so we know she wasn't busy serving customers. I believe in the restaurant industry, service is a large part of the dining experience, in a more upscale dining establishment with such a refined menu with premium prices, the service should reflect the same. I believe RFD will do very well with a few adjustments and once they become a bit more established. I hope they can last long enough to develop a foothold. We will be back!

    Seas scallops spinach with asparagus and bacon.

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    6 years ago

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    7 years ago

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    7 years ago

    Great food! Good service. Beautiful and unique ambiance. Acoustics aren't the best for conversation when crowded, however.

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    Ask the Community - RFD Franklin

    Is RFD Franklin still open?

    Yes! We are open for dinner from Tuesdays through Saturdays

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    We drove a long distance to get to Franklin with the sole purpose of finding dinner. After stopping…read moreoff a a couple of bars with limited food and very noisy guests, we were pointed towards Shale Creek. It's near the main square so isn't a far walk. It's a beautiful place with interesting history. The burgers were really good. Service was excellent and she was very helpful in finding the right beer for our tastes.

    We met some friends here on a cold sunny Sunday afternoon at 1:00. The atmosphere inside is kind of…read moreindustrial with some big machines greeting you as you first walk in. The staff was super friendly and were eager to help us, especially since it wasn't very busy. We shared the stuffed onion rings and the mozzarella cheese sticks. Both were unique and very good. The onion ring "hole" was filled with spicy cheese sauce and the cheese sticks were lighter and fluffy in a way.The food was all good, I had a chef special of 3 chicken legs with macaroni and cheese (the cheesiest I have ever had). My wife had the smoked turkey Reuben Wrap - it was fat, good and juicy! She loved it, but the french fries were just too salty to eat. Our friends agreed they were salty, but took them all home in a to go box anyway. The beer selection seemed good, I had the Scottish ale which was real smooth but a little heavy for me at 8.4%. I also had the Downtown cocoa brown which was creamy good. Can't wait to come back for some more!

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    Main seating area.
    Main seating area.
    Bar and beer
    Bar and beer
    List of beers they serve on tap.

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    Big Woods

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    Was t impressed but we did show up a little late , the street tacos was overpowered by what lime…read morethey are very watery I dripped sauce all on my shirt it just leaked all over before I even picked it up, the chili was the same way it was like they tried to hide the taste of the meat with over seasoning, my drink was served 2x with brown colored limes which was just not what I wanted to see in my drink, the pizza was so so but it was the highlight to the dinner. Late night just isn't the right time to go in and sit and eat...

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    Pulled pork nachos
    Pulled pork nachos
    Busted Knuckle on Draft!!!
    Busted Knuckle on Draft!!!
    Bar options!!!

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    Ten Cuts

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    The service and hospitality is always first class with a very friendly atmosphere. Sebastian and…read moreBryan are the best management team in the restaurant industry!! Gabriel is the best server, we've had. Always attentive and very friendly!! All of the servers and staff that we have encountered have been excellent!! The food is always perfect and perfectly cooked to the perfect temperature and doneness. My favorite restaurant to visit in my 65 years of experience!! Thank you Ten Cuts for the "Full Experience"!!

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    Blue Cactus Tacos & Tequila Bar

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    Stopped here on a Monday afternoon for lunch and had a wonderful time!…read more Margaritas were full. The flight was a great way to try multiple flavors. I loved the octopus (with sangria). The lunch specials are also great - got a spicy chimichanga. A ton of food for $11! Service was great too. We'll be back!

    Yesterday at lunch time we visited the Blue Cactus. We had heard wonderful things and wanted to…read morefind out for ourselves. The town square was popping on a Saturday morning so parking was tough, but did not deter us! The restaurant at first glance is small but it is much bigger on the inside with a pretty outside section. My girlfriend got a Spicy Cilantro Margarita to drink. Which was not her favorite drink she has had. Mentioned it was strong alcohol taste so if that's for you then it's great but for her it wasn't her vibe. As for food we got Queso of course which paired with the complimentary chips and salsa. The salsa was very flavorful with a solid spice level. For our main we went with the Taco Tray. 10 tacos, 2 of whichever 5 you choose and 3 sides. We chose Carne Azada, Birria, Corner (Chorizo & Potato), BBQ Pork and Ensenada (Fried Chicken) tacos along with the side choices of Re-fried beans, Mexican Rice and Spicy Veggies with Quinoa. The tacos also come with cilantro, onion and tomatillo salsa. All 3 sides were nice to pair with all tacos. It was nice to mix and match all the various toppings on the tacos to find the best flavor. Taco Rankings for us were as follows. 1 Birria (Great Flavor overall) 2 Ensenada (Surprise of the meal but a great one) 3 Azada (Hard to mess up, great baseline) 4 Corner (Dry and Bland alone but with sides and toppings was tasty) 5 BBQ Pork (Pineapple in the meat did not work with anything other than the meat itself.) Overall the service was good despite being very busy it seemed. We will be back to try more tacos and other items. The only items we do not plan to get again are the margarita and the BBQ pork tacos. We will most likely pass on the Corner tacos as well in favor of trying another taco. Suggestion is Birria and Ensenada tacos are must gets!!

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    The bar
    The bar
    Chorizo appetizer - yum!
    Chorizo appetizer - yum!
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    Margarita Flight

    RFD Franklin - steak - Updated July 2026

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