We drove a long distance to get to Franklin with the sole purpose of finding dinner. After stopping off 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. [[HIGHLIGHT]]It's a beautiful place with interesting history.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The burgers were really good. Service was excellent and she was very helpful in finding the right beer for our tastes. read more

See all

We met some friends here on a cold sunny Sunday afternoon at 1:00. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The atmosphere inside is kind of industrial with some big machines greeting you as you first walk in.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] 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! read more

We have been going for years and the food and drinks are great! The staff is nice and always friendly too. Great local spot

We went down to Franklin to pick a Marketplace find and stayed for sight seeing. Lunch was the first thing on our minds, smoked meat and beers are always good. Shale Creek Brewing was the place to go. First off, walking in it smells great. We sat at the bar and our tender told us all about the beers. We sampled a few and settled on a stout and an IPA. We put in an order of wings. The wings were out hot and fast. Perfectly smoked. My husband got the special brisket sandwich and onion rings. I got the Cobb salad that featured their smoked turkey. My salad was good. The rings were great! I didn't get to taste the brisket.... We would definitely go again. The bartender was amazing: friendly, knowledgeable. The restaurant is super clean. The meats are smokin delicious. Finally, the beers are very well crafted and smooth. Franklin is a great town and Shale Creek Brewing is worth the visit! read more

Shale Creek Brewing - The coolest sink ever! - Breweries Near Me - Franklin, Indiana

See all

Not Really hungry but wings sounded good and my wife wanted a beer so we chanced coming in here. Service was amazing and extremely helpful to navigate the beers menu. My wife needed up blending the vanilla ale and the Nessie scotch ale. We ordered the smoked wings and they were served quickly and the flavor came through and were these apart from many other wings. Will definitely return after dry January and make my own mix. Want to try several other things on the menu read more

Shale Creek Brewing - Smoked bone in wings. - Breweries Near Me - Franklin, Indiana

1 st time visit on A Saturday at 12 Noon. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Greeted and seated at a comfortable table.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The server was helpful and friendly. He took are drink and appetizer orders as we waited on additional people to arrive. Fried Pickles and Cheese sticks were fantastic. Server took everyone's order without writing anything. Food was delivered quickly and as ordered. Chicken fingers, chicken wings, Fish N chips and a chicken wrap was ordered by my guests. No complaints. I had the pulled pork street tacos which were fantastic. I was able to maneuver around with my cane. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The rest rooms were clean and handicap accessible.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] We lucked out and had a parking spot on street in front of business. Public parking is across street from location. Will definitely stop in again when in the area. Excellent food and service. read more

The food was good. The beer was good. The service was poor. I felt sorry for our server. She was constantly waiting on the bartender who was in no hurry to pour beers for anybody. She (bartender) was preoccupied with her friends sitting at the bar. I saw a table of four get up and leave because it took so long. My observation was, had the bartender been more attentive to the servers, everyone in the building would have purchased more beer. I know our table would have. 10/16/25. read more

I went with a large party and we had great service. We got a variety of appetizers, but the jalapeño stuffed onion rings were my favorite. I ordered the Brisket Street tacos and they were amazing! The slaw on the tacos was unlike any slaw I've ever had and it was delicious. I also ordered a side of Beer Mac and it was very good as well. read more

Shale Creek Brewing - Brisket Street Tacos & side of Beer Mac - Breweries Near Me - Franklin, Indiana

See all

Good food, great location and atmosphere and even when busy, good service. We really enjoyed our first visit and will be back. The blood orange IPA was yummy!! read more

See all

Stopped in while visiting Franklin for the first time. Staff was super friendly and let us taste a few beers before choosing a pint. Both of our IPAs were good. We didn't eat here but the menu was extensive. I heard the BBQ dishes are good. The bartender recommended the brisket for our next visit! read more

Shale Creek Brewing - Inside - Breweries Near Me - Franklin, Indiana

See all

Beer is delicious. Bartender was pleasant enough but distant, and did not ask one time how the food was after the food came out.

The food is decent... however.. we waited an hour and 20 minutes for our food. We put in an order for onion rings as an appetizer. The onion rings didn't come out for 45 minutes. When we said something to the waitress, the manager came up and said "sorry folks, onion rings are one of those items that take a while. I'll discount them for you". First of all, onion rings take 10 minutes. What happened was the waitress forgot to put the order in and you're covering for her. Had you been honest with me I would've been more understanding. The food was fine once we got it. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The environment was interesting.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]All of the servers were running around like chickens with their head cut off and the place was only half full.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] When the check finally came(which also took forever) they didn't even discount the onion rings. I used to go to shale creek all the time but I hadn't been in a while.. needless to say I will definitely not be returning. read more

Best restaurant in town. Their food is awesome. Best wings you will have in a restaurant. The shale creek burger is totally underrated. Nice local feel with great service. It's lively and can be noisy but fun place to dine. Ben and Jayne and the staff are great! read more

Shale Creek Brewing - Main seating area. - Breweries Near Me - Franklin, Indiana

See all

This is a great little spot near downtown Franklin. It has a list of beers made in house. Their menu is full of wraps, salads and burgers and traditional American cuisine. I got the Buffalo Chicken Mac n Cheese and it was delicious! The chicken was juicy and perfectly spicy. Those around me at the time got their chicken tenders, nachos and Cobb salad and all had great things to say. You can tell the ingredients are fresh. I will say, if you don't like beer your drink options are extremely limited so keep that in mind. Our service was great and I will be back! read more

Was visiting a friend in Franklin and stopped here for dinner-they have a wonderful selection of craft brews and incorporate their beer into their tasty menu. Had a good tenderloin sandwich and onion rings! Service was efficient and [[HIGHLIGHT]]vibes were comfortable[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

Herlfeweisen served with an orange slice. Pulled Pork Nachos are always on point here. I got the three amigos, great as well. Like everyone else, struggling with Staffing. Good place though read more

Barbie Hackett and I had a wonderful dinner last night with Bruce Dowler and Frieda Dowler in Franklin at a lovely local brewhouse cafe called Shale Creek Brewing. Since we don't drink they didn't get any brew from us, but the food was fantastic! Lots of choices to order and our server... wow... over the top good! She was one of those lucky people that doesn't have to write anything down and she got it all right! I ordered the breaded tenderloin, oh yes! Barbie asked her what she recommended, and she got the hand rolled, made to order chicken tenders, which were delicious! I ordered us all pretzel rolls and chips and salsa for appetizers too. Great service, good price, fantastic food and lots of free parking. We highly recommend going to this local gem. Great company too with the Dowler's and I bought Frieda's latest book that she even signed! read more

See all

I cannot day enough good things about Shale Creek. It is a wonderful, local restaurant and brewery. We eat here about once a month. Our favorites are the chicken tenders, the cheeseburger, and the beer Mac and cheese. I love the fun nilla beer as well. The service is always good and it's a wonderful laid back place to eat. It is family friendly also. read more

See all

Great food! We really enjoyed our visit here @ Shale Creek. Food was amazing & service was too. These are hard working people. Would recommend giving this place a try. read more

See all

Food was great and the staff was super friendly and helpful . [[HIGHLIGHT]]Cool vibe in a great town[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]].

Had the fried pickles and the brew burger. Both were delicious! The pickles are thin sliced lengthwise and lightly breaded and fried. The burger was juicy and the bacon was really crispy. My only complaint was that there wasn't a lot of the beer cheese on the burger so I really couldn't taste it. read more

See all

We went last night for dinner. Food was okay. French fries were great!! We sat in the bar. The bartender was not attentive or paid attention. The owner had to tell her to take our order and the couple next to us. I asked for sprite, she gave me club soda. I then asked for water...waited and waited and my husband had to ask her again for my water. We asked for ranch with the cheese sticks and French fries but no luck. We had to ask for that as well and it took some time to get it. Disappointing! We probably won't go back. read more

Wow, just waited 1 1/2 hours for shitty bar food. We first ordered the pork nachos as an appetizer. Our waitress came back 20 minutes later to tell us they had no pork. We then ordered the homemade potato chip appetizer that came out with no flavor and burnt. Hell we were hungry so we attempted to eat anyways. Did I mention it took another 20 minutes to come out? We finally received our order a full hour and 15 minutes after we arrived, chili and a turkey wrap. Both of our meals were awful and lacked any flavor. Strange, the turkey wrap was greasy! The only plus, the 2 star rating, was their cream ale was excellent. This was our first time and will be our last, should have went to the Blue Cactus. read more

Shale Creek Brewing - Burnt Chips - Breweries Near Me - Franklin, Indiana

Please Try Brisket tacos and kicking Carmel cake with a Jameson and sprite you be loving right

Prices up, service down, and mediocre food to top it off. It would be a nice location for the cantina next door to expand. At this rate, it won't be long before the space is vacant. read more

Really enjoyed my visit on a Thursday evening. Wasn't sure what to expect because the website wasn't updated. Wasn't even sure if kids were allowed. They are. We ordered the fried ravioli with marinara sauce. Delicious. My favorite item. Came on skewers. 8 total. Also ordered the mac and added bacon. It was good but needed more seasoning or something. Would add buffalo chicken next time. My husband and I shared and had leftovers. For dessert we ordered the apple cinnamon bread pudding. It was good and moist. Would be a perfect fall dish. They obviously have lots of beer on rotation. read more

First visit with two other diners. I ordered cheeseburger and side salad. The other two diners also ordered cheeseburger. They were served and I was told mine would be out soon. However I did not get mine until they had eaten and we sat waiting 15 more minutes for mine to arrive. When it arrived the server said they reduced cost by $3.00 for my wait. The burger was very burnt and tasted bad. When we received the ticket they charged me 3.00 more for same item as other diners ordered and took off $3.00 off the higher price. Definitely would not return. read more

Awesome beer and food. Even better people! Recommend the IPAs and stouts but never had a bad beer. Can't go wrong with the burger or tenderloin either! read more

Shale Creek Brewing - Blood orange IPA mixed with Funnilla Cream Ale for me, Hazy Train IPA for him, house chips with ranch and beer cheese to share - Breweries Near Me - Franklin, Indiana

This is a little gem I am so happy we found!! The beer was great and the tins were awesome as well! Not a huge menu but what we had was good! Fries were nothing to write home about. I like their chips and their salsa was tasty. Staff was great!! We were confused when we first walked in because we were not sure where to go. The owner finally came up to us to tell us they are connected to a bbq place next door. There was a unique outdoor seating area with a larger enu but we decided to sit in the air conditioning. This is a place we will for sure return to when we are in the area! read more

See all

Quick stop in Franklin today, and we really enjoyed Shale Creek. We started with fried brussel sprouts, which were topped with an addictive aioli. Our kids had tortilla soup and kids chicken fingers- both of which were good. My husband had the trio of sliders- buffalo chicken, a smoked chicken topped with an onion ring, and a tenderloin. He liked them all, and it was a ton of food. I enjoyed my burger- it tasted fresh off a charcoal grill. The real star was the sauces I tried on the side- especially the honey sriracha based sauce. It has a nice kick too it, which I didn't expect. The carolina mustard based bbq sauce was also tasty. There were some unavailable menu options, but that's okay, given the supply chain issues many restaurants are experiencing right now. Next time we'll have to come by without the kids- there's a cool cornhole area towards the back of the restaurant that looks fun. read more

See all

Just had amazing mahi tacos and a flight at Shale Creek Brewing. I enjoyed all 5 of the IPA's and the Mahi tacos were AMAZING ! I would highly recommend them to any of my friends . read more

Great place in downtown Franklin. The beer, cran-ritas, and food were all amazing. Highly recommend the buffalo chicken Mac n cheese and the brussel sprouts! read more

We went this evening for dinner with friends. We had a young man for a server, not sure if he was new, off his game or just not into his job or what. It took forever for him to come back to the table or check on us. Finally I got tired of waiting on a drink (3 of us were out) I got up and took them all up to the bar were they filled them. Didnt apologize or anything, the gal said shed bring them to us. She brought back 2 while one just sat on the bar... I went back and got it. We had to ask for napkins over and over again. The service was a not what it should have been. I had a grilled chicken salad it was like almost 10.00 iceburg lettuce, a sliced cherry tomato and 1 slice of cucumber sliced in half and obviously the chicken. Buffalo wings... decent. Hotter than most buffalo sauce I've had. My husband had the Tenderloin fried, he loved it! I tasted as well, it was good. Decent crunch or overly hard and not skimpy on the inside meat like a lot of places. Fries... just ok! The beer cheese mac n cheese... now that's great if you eat it hot... if you wait it gets gross. Eat it first! Love the corkscrew pasta! So. If they'd have better service I'd go. And I'm sure we will go again because our friends like the place and they have decent food. However if the owners read this please take into consideration that you need better servers, training etc. Not being rude... just being honest. read more

Good Beer, Good Food, Good Service. Probably the best onion rings I have had in a long time. The Sunday Bartender was very friendly and efficient. Will continue coming here on a regular basis as I have been for the last several years. read more

Didn't realize this little gem was there .... happened to be driving by trying to find a place late on a Thursday - w a friend that was visiting from out of town.... The wings, fried pickles and tenderloin were sooo good!!!! and the beer! You have to try the beer! I love dark beer and there's was absolutely great .... I'll be back for sure! read more

We had a great experience! Beer was amazing - My husband is an IPA man and I'm an anything-but-IPA girl. Loved multiple options, but the Nessie option was amazing. Food was very good too! Worth the trip from Columbus! read more

What a great stop for a pint! Bartender was super friendly and answered all of our "out-of-towner"questions. Had the Cream Ale and Blood Orange after a few samples. The perfect stop after shopping all the stores in town. read more

Definitely order the turkey Ruben wrap! We also had the wings, fries, Mac n cheese, and wedge salad for the table to share. Everything was timely and quick service. Will definitely go back. read more

Location - (5/5) : This location is perfect as it is directly downtown Franklin AND immediately off of U.S. 31. There is easily accessible parking in front of the building and a large parking lot across the street. Service - (4/5) : Our server was very friendly and efficient. Our wings were out in less than 10 minutes. I also never had an empty glass which is a major plus. The only negative report I have on Shale's is that they were out of two beers that I wanted to order. I cannot put that on our server obviously but more of a knock on management. Food/Drink - (5/5) : The wings were simply incredible. We ordered the Sweet Honey Sriracha. The way that the cook smoked the wings were perfect. I'm typically a buffalo only guy but I am so glad that I branched out and go something a little sweeter. The sauce was unforgettable. I ordered the Peach IPA which was delicious but my favorite was the Without a Paddle. It was so good that I had to bring home a growler :). Atmosphere - (3/5) : I honestly could careless that this place wasn't busy but I was surprised that for a Saturday night it was fairly empty. The folks coming in were nice and I wouldn't hesitate to bring a family. However, with Franklin being a college town I was surprised I didn't see more young people. Price - (4/5) : The prices were about average, not high and not low. Beers were typically $6 dollar give or take. The wings were $8. The growler was $7 + $12 for the Without a Paddle. Overall - (4/5) : I would absolutely come back. We just came in for a quick snack and a couple of brews. The atmosphere did not blow me away but the service, beers and wings were absolutely incredible. read more

Beer was not so good at all . Slow service we dont think we will go back . I did find 1 beer that was ok