Great vibe. amazing craft cocktails. They're lame was phenomenal and we always go there for oysters

My fiance and I stopped in for dinner on a whim over the weekend and we had such a great experience I had to write a review. We were burning some time before our plans so we sat at the bar and leisurely ordered starting with drinks (Whiskey Boy for him and some bubbly for me) before deciding on our meal. The focaccia bread was delish and the perfect start to dinner. We ended up ordering the short rib & a NY strip with asparagus... I want to go back just for the meal. Highly recommend both. What made the experience so great though was the bartender, Luis. His recommendations were on point, he never rushed us or made us feel like we were hogging the space and he was entertaining to watch as he created drinks for other customers. He made the entire night! If you are with a whiskey/bourbon lover and are looking for dinner plans, I highly recommend checking out The Franklin Room. We will definitely be back! read more

This review is for the oyster special. ordered: vieux carre, $1 oysters DRINKS: Extensive drink selection. I ordered the vieux carre, which was a rye/ cognac cocktail with vermouth, bitters, and an absinthe rinse. Great cocktail with attention to balance. Definitely a bit sweeter/ citrusy than I thought it would be, but it maintained a heavy booziness. ATMOSPHERE: Hipster vibe, with old fashioned touches. Dimly lit with modern, pop/r&b playing. (JayZ, Big Sean, arianra OYSTERS: The oysters were East Coasters from VA. They were large oysters with a soft meat. A pretty beau real taste, with an ocean finish. Served with Cucumber, scallions, pickled onion, and a Japanese sauce. On the side was a lemon flavored snow and a spicy cocktail sauce. The cocktail sauce had a wonderful sweetness. This has moved up to one of my favorite oyster places. Here, Union Sushi, and Roka Akor might just be my New trinity for oysters. I think Frontier moved off the list, but those oysters are still pretty good. I just like places that incorporate their own flavor profiles into the order. SERVICE: Bartenders were attentive and clearly cared about the quality of their products, making sure to check in for my opinion. read more

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Dined at this establishment on a Saturday night - booked a reservation for 5 and we arrived a bit early and grabbed drinks. We were sat in the bar area after they pulled chairs over to a high top table. I should have requested to be moved because the location seemed to be a bit in the way of traffic, but I obliged. The food was great - had the cauliflower tots and Bourbon Burger - so good!!! Devon our server was very attentive and kind - pretty good service. This place would have been a 4 star but 10 minutes before we left, I overheard the host complaining about us sitting in the area we were in and that he was waiting for us to leave. He seemed annoyed so which immediately made me uncomfortable as well as my girls, so we got up to leave. We informed the host of our discomfort and he apologized, but the damage was already done. When I dine at a restaurant, especially one where I am paying a premium, I expect to be treated with respect and not become a nuisance to the staff. I'll think twice about going back to Franklin again. read more

We have a new mission! Next few months we'll be visiting every Oyster bar / happy hour in Chicago. Join us or keep in touch to share this journey with us thru Yelp!!! 1st stop No. 20 The Franklin Room Specials: daily $1 oysters from 5:00 p.m. until 6:30 p.m (p.s we hit no. 20 purposeful to avoid high expectations). ------in short----- What's Missing??: not enough oyster liquor, and I enjoy them brinier! Didid it well!!: lemon ice, and scallions! ------- Well here goes for full journey with Franklin Room-- We arrived sharp at 4:38pm on Saturday afternoon/evening! We should have know that restaurant like Franklin Room would be punctual and open doors at 5pm. No worries we walked over to (Cafe Iberico) my favorite and as you would know one drink led to another at (The Boarding House). Those two for later! Back to our mission! We arrived back at 5:45pm and surprisingly there were plenty seats available. Hostesses looked bored and made it a point to inform us they are expecting more guests under reservations; we had our eyes on bar seats anyway!! Keeping with our mission only Oysters... && Oysters... only!! Got our beers and 6 of $1 specials for our first order! on my first shot/gulp/slurp I was disappointed! :( We thought it's probably a good idea to order Rockefeller (not offered with $1 special) but we have a mission so we didid it! Oysters cooked like pizza 'hummm' I wasn't a fan but he was! We decided he will eat rest of Rockfeller and I'll have the original! I got creative with some hot sauce and lime. Interesting fact they have special lemon ice you can add that instead of lemon. All in all---worth $1 Oysters not the $16 regular price. Enjoy! Till we meet again.... happy yelping! read more

The Franklin Room - See that lemon ice in a bowl?? How cool is that? - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I like the layout of this bar. Once you go through the door, you walk down a set of stairs into the basement, which is a relatively small area with a bar, tables, and booths. I went on a Friday night, which was a pretty bad idea since the place was completely packed. The bartenders did a good job of taking our drink orders even though we were forced to stand behind the people sitting at the bar. After about an hour and a half, a couple finally left which allowed us to sit down. As for the drinks, there are more than I knew what to do with. It took me forever to look through them all and pick one out. The first one I got was the Lost 'N Paradise, which was a bit too sweet too sweet for my taste. Unfortunately, all the drinks on the menu looked the same way, so I ordered a regular Old Fashioned next, which was much better. After that we ordered one of the MANY whiskeys on the menu, Bruichladdich 20 Cadenhead, which is a single malt scotch from the Islay region. For food, we ordered calamari, which was fried perfectly and came with tartar sauce. I would definitely order it again. My recommendation would be to only come here on weeknights or maybe early in the evening on weekends so you can actually get a seat. But if you are a fan of whiskey, this is definitely a great choice with a huge selection. read more

As an Oyster lover, I can't be happier with their daily special. $1 Oyster/ea from 5-6:30pm. I went there for that and I enjoyed those fresh Oysters, they were so sweet and delicious. Great sized, I loved that they sprinkled the scallion on top, they tasted better with it and gave a nice touch of great aroma. The spicy sauce was a perfect combo. I would say this place is my new favorite place for fresh Oyster so far. The service was excellent. I had a great table by the Whiskey bar, it's connected to the cocktail bar. I was so impressed with this gorgeous place. Well decorated booths, combined with some bistro tables and lower seats. Cool ceiling with their art design. Very modern and so elegant. Beautiful leather menu ( big) that was full of their well known fine Whiskey and their signature cocktails. I tried one of their "untouchables" The Long Train To Fresno and it was so amazing, spicy & delicious, it woke me up with a nice kick of Fresno chili. well-blended with Tequila and some fresh ingredients, it went so well with the Oyster. I couldn't be happier and I'm going back again soon :) read more

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Am I the only one who has to go back to work after lunch on weekdays? It bums me out that every time I have a midday meal at the Franklin Room; all the other tables seem to be enjoying the $3 martinis and $1 wines/beers. What do these people do that permits lunchtime drinking? I know imbibing is encouraged in advertising, I watched Mad Men, but surely they can't all be working in that industry. Speaking of imbibing, the Franklin Room is a heaven for whiskey lovers. The underground space is decorated with myriad of whiskey bottles; a multitude of brands with a multitude of price tags. If you find the large spirits menu too intimidating, the bar tenders are always happy to guide you. There's even a special Whiskey Keep program where you can purchase a bottle and have it stored for you to enjoy at your leisure. The food menu offers burgers, sandwiches, smaller fare, and large plates. I have had the surf and turf burger (a burger topped with a soft-shell crab), cheeseburger, albacore tuna melt, steak salad, seared tuna salad, and cauliflower parmesan tots. Probably because the albacore tuna melt and salads are much healthier options, I lean more towards the burgers - if it's bad for me, I want it. The cauliflower parmesan tots, the Franklin Room's take on gobi manchurian, have been popular with my dining companions. I may need to take a day off work to visit the Franklin Room and sample their lunchtime drink specials. Either that or find myself a job in advertising. I wonder if Sterling Cooper is hiring. read more

The Franklin Room - Seared tuna salad - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Definitely could become a regular here if you like salt. And I do. I rather expect it on a smoked fish plate, as well as in a burger that boasts a sheet of bacon. The surf-n-turf burger takes up prime real estate on the plate. It's enormous. That stated, our portion of soft shell crab was deficient compared to a comp I just spied. At $18.00, it's at the higher end of price points I've paid for a burger outside of a resort, but, even crab-sparse, it was wagyu, delicious and otherwise ample. It comes with fresh waffle fries - again high on your salt-o-meter. Cauliflower tots are the best new way I know to "get your veggies." So lightly and expertly battered but again, theme rich. Quite salty! A little surprising. Not that one needs any inspiration for the Whisky Boy to go down, but the tots certainly motivate you to the glass. Downstairs and intimately lit, I can't slap "speakeasy" on it- especially when music is cranking and there's the radiating glow of a flat screen over the bar. The interior has modern lines combined with an old school charm. As you may expect, not an abundance of natural light though the wide stairs and wrought iron railing nicely showcase what light you do have at the entrance. Service was prompt and friendly. Don't let yourself get seated at the entrance to the kitchen. Terrible feng shui there; I imagine could screw up your chi for the rest of your life. Almost had to pull out of the deal when hostess went that direction. Wonderfully inviting interior, save for those couple of tables. The food menu covers a wide range (keen on trying mushroom soup and shrimp bisque next time!) and you surely won't be disappointed by the fine and vast selection of imbibables. Cheers! read more

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So the atmosphere id give a 3.5, but the food itself id have to give a 4.5. We went here on a Friday after work (I don't want to say Happy Hour since there were no specials). With no reservations we were lucky to get the last table as there was no room at the bar or anywhere else. Crowd seemed stuffy, but staff was super sweet. My friends are huge whiskey drinkers and they were very impressed with the offerings. One tried the international whiskey flight and he LOVED it and tried to educate me on the flavors. I think it was from France. My girl didn't like her whiskey selection recommended by the waiter. (Actually she said he recommended the exact opposite of what she was going for. Myself im not a huge drinker and got the Derby Day Mule cocktail. It wasn't bad but I've had better and bigger for $12. Now we all agreed the Surf and Turf burger was EXCELLENT! Soft shell crab, fried egg, tender meat...how can you go wrong?!? The waffle fries were just okay, but my friend replaced hers with the fried cauliflower and it was delicious!! I'll be back to try there larger fare items and to experiment with the cocktails. read more

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I will dream about the homemade truffled burrata, and will definitely be back with my boyfriend to make him try it too. It's delicious melted homemade cheese over two fried tomatoes, with a whiskey-balsamic drizzle and pickled radish on the plate. SO good. I also ordered the Pancetta salad which was good, but didn't blow me away. To be fair, I for some reason thought I'd ordered Panzanella salad, so maybe it was just partially order disappointment on my end. The salad had yummy quail eggs which I'd never had before, and was dressed well. The Derby Day Mule was good, although I'm a mixed drink baby and it was definitely strong on the bourbon. I love that it came in the classic Mule copper mug. I'm not a whiskey fan, although our waitress was describing that they have over 300 kinds here. All of my girlfriends seemed to enjoy their meals as well, and our waitress (whose name I can't remember) was AWESOME! Loved the atmosphere overall. I definitely want to come back to try the Surf & Turf burger, and some of the other interesting sounding menu choices and cocktails. Also will be back in the area to try Union Sushi soon since it is right next door :) read more

The Franklin Room - Pancetta salad & homemade truffled burrata - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Everything tonight was phenomenal. From the 3 varieties of Rye cocktails I had, to the $1 happy hour oysters, to the sweet chili drumettes! I will now be back here every time I stay downtown...which is about every 6 weeks or so. And my bartender was super attentive, even with a packed bar the entire time I was there...which was a while. Maybe 2+ hours. Managed to chat with my about rye while still not seeming like he was rushing to get the the next customer waiting for a drink. Well done guys...I WILL BE BACK SOON! read more

The Franklin Room - Chicken Drumettes and Pancetta salad. Both amazing! - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This was such a good spot, which is exactly what I expected after reading the reviews. The waiter, Dan, was very attentive. Atmosphere is clean, with a retro-whiskey vibe of a clean, urban basement. It isn't that large of a space, so I would definitely recommend making reservations before attending. I had the spicy bourbon burger with fries as well as a local beer and I could not be happy enough with the outcome. My partner had the Alaskan halibut which he loved and I tasted a bite (I am not a seafood dude) and it was great. Overall, I will be back for sure. And to check out their happy hour which appears to be a hot spot for this place. Definitely commend and five stars! read more

Nestled under the "el" The Franklin Room is quite the proper tavern in River North. Opening the large dark wood door and descending down the lit staircase immediately sets the mood for something truly unique. To your left is a wall of whisk(e)y kept behind lock and key which also draws you to investigate. The ambiance of these lit cabinets flows through the establishment. The lighting throughout sets a relaxed mood and you want to cozy up with a cocktail. I sampled the Whiskey Boy as well as ordered a manhattan. The Whiskey Boy is full of citrus and is quite smooth. The manhattan had a hint of spice, cinnamon perhaps? I also love that they are using Luxardo candied cherries. My favorite in a manhattan. Of the small plates I tried the burrata, 'shrooms & cheese and cauliflower pieces. All of them were a hit. I also had the pancetta salad with quail eggs - another delicious dish. I love the bacon vinaigrette that gave me the bacon taste without the heavy bacon. For the sandwiches and large fare we sampled the Ruben, fried chicken and 1 pound ribeye. The Ruben and ribeye were over seasoned with salt. The ribeye was a nice piece of meat but overshadowed by the saltiness. The sides OH THE SIDES! The sweet potato mash was fantastic and so was the pancetta grits. I'll take either one of these when the Polar Vortex hits again. YUM! The fried chicken was the hit of our main courses. Perfectly breaded and fried. Not too much or too little and still juicy. The house made biscuits were good - albeit a little on the dry side and would have been better with a little pat of butter. If you are in the mood for sweets the desert menu does not disappoint. We had the waffles & ice cream as well as a chocolate and BOURBON carmel shake. The waffles were the hit though. There are bits of apple and bacon (again can't go wrong with bacon) baked into the waffles and the ice cream has a hint of coconut. I would go back just for this alone. All in all no detail was over looked in crafting The Franklin Room. Cheers! read more

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Now how did I miss this little basement joint? Fashioned after a turn of the century speakeasy, wander down these stairs and you will find yourself in a cute bar with tons of charm and enough drink specials to make this your regular "go to" spot! First of all- if you go, make a reservation. Every time I have been here, it has been packed! You don't want to spend your entire lunch or dinner time waiting to sit at one of the cute tables, no matter how good the drink specials are. On my last visit, I went for lunch. Now here is a great deal . . .martini's are $3, and beer and wine are only $1! Where else can you get that kind of a deal? Now like any other deal there are a couple of caveats like you have to spend $12 at lunch to get the deal and it's only between 11:30 and 2, but other than that, have at it! We shared a couple of starters like the beef tartar and the duck liver pate which both were very good and certainly shareable. On the downside, our entree salads were really just okay. They were on the smaller side for entree salads and really had way too much frisee lettuce in them for my liking. I think when I go back, and I will, I will get the sandwich and soup combo. Everyone around us had it and all the variations looked great! For dessert, we had a bourbon caramel milkshake (totally not on my diet but certainly calorie worthy!) Save room as this (and my martini) were the highlight of my meal! Plenty of food and drinks specials which is what makes this place so popluar! Especially since you get to enjoy them in such a cute environment. Check out the Franklin Room. For once you do, I know you'll be back! read more

Delightful ambiance, and service. Food was excellent. Highly recommend. Great place to have great conversation while enjoying a superb meal.

A cozy yet hip addition to River North (opened by the Union Sushi folks) that I'm looking forward to trying again for lunch and dinner. My boyfriend and I went on a Friday night shortly after it opened to the public (we had reservations, which I would recommend). It was crowded but not unpleasantly so, and the bar area in which you can wait for a table is pretty nice, indeed. We had a wonderful waitress (Jessie), who took the time to provide excellent recommendations despite having lots of customers to serve. We started with two appetizers: the truffled burrata and the duck pate. Both were delicious, and the portions were so generous that I regretted ordering two starters. He raved about the venison chops, while I had the black rice mushroom risotto, which was probably my least favorite course of the evening. There was nothing wrong with it; it just didn't blow me away. I got a late-harvest wine for my "dessert," while the bf got the bourbon-caramel milkshake, which was absolutely incredible! The whiskey list is quite impressive, and they have a nice selection for beer and wine drinkers as well. I'm anxious to try lots of other things on the menu (entrees for dinner, sandwiches at lunch), and the pimped-out basement location makes this new spot an ideal place in which to hunker down during the long Chicago winter. Note: they take reservations for lunch as well read more

The Franklin Room - The 42nd Ward cocktail. Rich and delicious! - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I found this place a little late but since my first visit I have been thinking of the surf and turf burger!! It was so soft, juicy, flavorful! The drinks were amazing too. I definitely recommend. read more

The Franklin Room - Surf & Turf Burger - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Excellent food. The wild mushroom tart was amazing. Ugna was our bartender - if you are lucky he will be your bartender too. We described what we like and his suggestions were spot on. The sauce for the spicy bourbon mussels was perfect. We kept ordering more toasted bread because we could not let any of that sauce go to waste. A wonderful evening. read more

Had a great dinner and our server, Andrew was terrific. I did, however, not appreciate my hostess telling us we had to leave after an hour and 45 minutes. I found it a bit off putting. Greg ps we were out the door in 50 minutes read more

I'm torn on The Franklin Room, but I'm erring on my positive side, and here's why... CONS: * Very hipster atmosphere, and not in the classy way, but in the snooty, snobby, trust-fund baby whiner kind of way. * Pricey for certain items, though others seems fairly listed. * They were out of two of the Orphan Barrel bourbons that I was hoping to try. PROS: * The whiskey list was astonishing! I was very surprised to see Pappy on the shelves, and that was just the start of their amazing collection. It was a whiskey lover's nirvana. * The food was simply amazing. I had the duck noodle soup, and it was heavenly. The noodles were homemade and very luscious, but not as meaty-silky-tasty as the duck broth, with accompanying legs. This was a perfectly crafted and thought out dish, and I would be hard pressed not to order it again every single time (maybe it's good that I don't live near there!). * The server was very knowledgeable and helpful. She was also friendly and approachable, though she still kept the hipster vibe going. Just not in an offending sort of way. * The apps were also very good. I was there with a group and we shared a bunch of them. The meat and cheese board was excellent, as were the cauliflower tots. I would definitely stop back here if and when I'm in town next. This was a tremendous find that rivals the traditional "hot down, pizza, and Italian beef" joints that the city is famous for. If The Franklin Room isn't on your radar, it should be... it might be because they are below ground. read more

This review is only for the happy hour: We'd been wanting to try this place for awhile and finally got a chance to on Friday. We got here around 6 and the place was packed! We weren't able to get a table but found a spot on the side that had enough room for us to eat our 3 dozen oysters. At $1 a piece, the oysters were delicious and fresh. My husband had some bourbon and said the pour was generous. We will be back. We had no idea this place was so popular. Hopefully if we come at 5 next time we will be able to get a spot and try other items on the menu as well. read more

I am so torn between 2-3 stars. The space was a total bar like space that is down underground. It actually really looks like a GREAT bar. They have a million cocktails, whiskeys, beers, etc. Although I will say that my husband was really impressed with the whiskey list. And it was BUMPING on a Tuesday night. If we had been going out for drinks, my review would be much different. Alas, we were looking for a great meal...and truly this place was an epic fail in the food department. Shrooms and Cheese-string-y mushrooms that were bland, not cheesy and tasted like it had the same sweet potato gravy as another dish, but this was not in the description at all. I was expecting chunks and hunks of mushrooms with a cheesy, salty rich base...this was not what was delivered. It was slime-y string-y blandness. Surf and Turf burg-although it was a pretty decent burg...it was swimming in grease and it was just a little over the top...crab, bacon, fried egg, burger...it just took away from what it was. Also, there was literally 4 waffle fries that was served with it. Shrimp Pot Pie-two thumbs down. This had two large shrimp on the SIDE wrapped in a croissant...there was NO shrimp in the pot pie. Also, it had the same bland sweet potato gravy base...there was a flaky crust that was on top and wrapped around a small soup bowl...it wasnt like a pot pie at ALL :( WHHHHAaaaaa Tuna Melt went with the same general theme...bland and could use some salt. Overall it was pretty good...just missing salt...and of course, none at our disposal. Another pet peeve is they use paper napkins...and they only give you one...small paper napkin...meh. If you are going to do paper, dont have weird brown paper napkins that you serve at a picnic. Use the sturdy, thick paper ones. Service was good. He actually did a good job. The food was such a disappointment for me, I couldnt really see anything else. I think this place would be great for cocktails, whiskey, beer, etc. Just skip the food. read more

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I went here for a friend's birthday and it was the perfect restaurant for the event. The Franklin Room has a great atmosphere and wonderful servers. During the day they have a great tap and during the night they're known for the cocktails so if you can enjoy those, I would highly recommend it. When I was there I got the calamari and squid ink pasta and I most definitely get this dish again. The dish had great texture and flavor and it the plating was also very visually appealing. read more

The Franklin Room - Squid ink and calamari pasta - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

HELLO!!... $1 oysters, does it get any better than that!? these were so fresh, and with a little lemon squeezed on top i was OBSESSED. i would've been there all night but i had to refrain. for a quick appetizer we got the crab dip which was outta this world. i didn't expect it to be so good, the taste of the crab is definitely prominent with the creamy cheese base that was to die for. i also got the lost n paradise cocktail which was strong and tasty. had a little crouton that was lit up and set inside of a lime for a common tiki effect. my main dish was a fried fish sandwich with a side of waffle fries. couldn't get over how delicious this was. the piece of fish was huge, so you're not left with 1/2 bun and no fish halfway through eating. this place is such a gem, 5/5 stars isn't even enough. not only was the food spectacular, the ambience of The Franklin Room was classy and cozy. our server (dana) was a sweetheart and personable, as well as the other employees that came to take our dishes out of our way and fill our drinks. LOVE!! read more

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Grat bartender and top-notch whiskey list. Pastrami sandwich was one of the best I've had in. Chicago. For reals. Annoying managers sit at the bar at lunchtime watching YouTube and taking up the best lunch spots at the bar. TV plays commercial over and over. read more

The Franklin Room - Kick ass house pastrami and mushroom soup - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Stopped in for the 50% off Pappy Van Winkle promo. I knew the experience would be a good one when upon walking in and seeing all the rare/harder to find bottles stocked within their cabinets. Bourbon selection was top notch. Tried the Pappy 15 year, William Larue Weller,and Micter's 10. Grace was my bartender and she was delightful to talk Whiskey to. She knows her shit. #respect. Ordered a side of Rosemary nuts which were delightful. It's a large order of nuts you get. Definitely enough for 4 people. Get those damn things away from me. Didn't get a chance to try the other food but the menu looks enticing. I would come back if another promo were going on or if I was in the area. #RefereEats "I call it like I eat it." read more

Finally went out to see what The Franklin Room was all about this past weekend. Here's my executive summary: come for the drinks, especially if you are a bourbon and/or whiskey drinker, and maybe order a couple of apps/sides. But generally, avoid the entrees and milkshakes here. Detail--my group of six came by to check out the space, and the lounge atmosphere is the best asset of this bar. Good-looking people, fairly tight confines, a great bar to sit at without the large space of some of the other bars at nice restaurants in River North, with great service at the bar and at my table. Tried a number of cocktails, including the Madame Chareau and the Derby Day Mule, plus the $4 malt liquor on the beer menu. We also had a few people order whiskey by the 1.5 ounce, plus the three women in our group split a bottle of wine. Although the wine-by-the-glass prices are too high, there's something for everyone at this place in the drink category. Apps: we tried the cauliflower parmesan tots and the brussels sprouts. Both were tasty but not extraordinary, but as we learned later, this was the best food portion we tried. My wife and I split the fried chicken and the reuben; both were average to below-average. One of the guys in our party tried the venison and it seemed like he was pretty happy with the meat. Two of us wanted to order the shrimp pot pie but that was out of stock when we tried to order it; hard to know if that would have really been a gamechanger or not. Tried the chocolate and bourbon caramel shake; the bourbon one was a bit too boozy, and the chocolate shake was just fine. Will definitely come back to drink here, but the food was a minor bust! read more

Versatile comes to mind when trying to describe Franklin Room. The bartenders are craft experts, the chef's understand balance and the service is attentive without being annoying. The vibe is very chill, yet sexy enough for a date night. I've tried at least 10 dishes and have enjoyed everything so far. I'll continue to be a repeat customer. read more

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Going down the stairs of the Franklin Room and you'll encounter an intimate yet modern environment -- cases of cabinets stocked with whiskey, pipes running above your head, wine cellar-like round corners mark the Franklin room as a speakeasy. Not only do they have a huge selection of whiskey and other liquors, they also have amazing food. Smoked Fish Board - Salmon & ginger whipped cream cheese, albacore tuna, trout pate (4.5/5): The smoked fish was delicate and fresh, but I wish they could upgrade their bread instead of using petit baguette. Lamb Shank - Creamy grits, house pesto, whiskey-balsamic (5/5): The grits were surprisingly smooth-it resembled the texture of a thick porridge (with rice removed). With the acid from the balsamic, the lamb was umami and could be easily pulled apart. Small portion for an entree compare to other restaurants in Chicago, but just enough for it to be a fulfilling meal. Waffles & Ice Cream - Strawberry & caramel waffle, honey, vanilla ice cream, whipped cream (4/5): Their waffle has a light crust of caramel, making it crispy on the outside and soft inside. You get a huge jar of ice cream with chocolate fudge drizzled in between, so for every spoon of ice cream you will get a bit of crunch - a brilliant idea. friendly and fast service. I want to come back for $1 oyster and whisky sometimes. read more

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Stumbled in here on a whim late Saturday night with a friend. (By stumble, I don't mean drunk, ha!). It was pretty late, around 11:15pm and we were happy to hear that the kitchen was still open for a little bit and we could be seated! Upon entry, you walk down a small flight of stairs, to the dark and moody interior. They play great music, and the whole ambience is seamless. Whoever designed it, did well, and deserves a raise. We were given the menu with the late night snacks on it. We decided on the Cauliflower Tots & the Steak Tartare. Both of these were a 10/10 from both of us! Surprisingly, the portions were a large format. Typically, at a higher end place with good food, the portions are smaller. But we were satisfied with these! Lots of tots and a good amount of steak. I guess my only critique would be that the tartare needed more toast points! I'd totally come back here, late night or not. The service was good, prompt, and friendly. No BS here, which I appreciate. read more

We came here twice during our weekend getaway! First was for the $1 oyster special (5-630pm daily). Oysters are served w cucumber balls and green onion slices (see photo) and w a chili paste sauce! Wow! So interesting!!! We ordered twelve and stood in the bar. The place was jam packed! The second time we came for late night cocktails that the mixologist recommended. They have an extensive cocktail list. Cool vibe. Great food. Friendly staff. read more

The Franklin Room - $1 oysters during Happy Hour - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

My first meal after I moved to Chicago was at the Franklin Room. This city has a lot to live up to after that first go round. This place is kick-ass. I ordered the lamb shank and it was heavenly. Fall-off-the-bone delicious. Tender and juicy and just the right size. Not massive and not skimpy. Really good portions and taste. This might also be my go to spot for sipping a bourbon at the bar solo. The bartenders are all cool and quick with a recommendation and a shot or two. Great qualities in a spot like this. This appears to be great date spot too. If you look around there are a ton of couples, a few tables of business folks, some bros (dont hate on the bros, they like their bourbon), some solo bourbon drinks (heres looking at you) and small groups here and there. $1 oysters from 5-6:30!! Gonna have to make this happen soon! Mr. Franklin. So far. So good. read more

With a lunch deal that features $1 beer and wine and $3 martinis (with $12 food purchase, limit two per person) you can't NOT check it out. They had some good craft beers to choose from, and for food I got the half soup/sandwich combo with shrimp bisque and fried bologna, both were good though there were only like 2 shrimp in my soup, but wevs, cool decor, you go downstairs so the sun won't get in anyone's eyes, waitress was nice, I'd def be down to come back read more

The Franklin Room - Shrimp bisque and half bologna sandwich - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I have been to Franklin Room several times and had a so-so experience. The most recent trip was fantastic though. We snagged seats at the bar which is KEY. Our bartender Peter was amazing - friendly, helpful and genuinely seemed to love being there. He also happened to make the most delicious dirty martini I've had in a long time. The food was delicious. Their fish sandwich was made with flounder and was so fresh. I would compare it to the comforting McDo sandwich but with all fresh top notch ingredients. Probably one of the best fish sandwiches I've ever had. I swapped fries for the cauliflower tots - definitely the right choice. The truffled burrata with fried tomatoes was also amazing. I'm officially a fan now and can't wait to go back. read more

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I've come here for happy hour about once a month. Easily one of my favorite spots in chicago. Service is always top notch. I came straight from the airport and they checked my luggage for me at the door no problem. I also enjoy how at the bar you have hooks for your bags so you don't have to sling it over your seat or put in on the ground l. They stopped adding the fire cube to the Lost N Paradise cocktail. There have been liability issues with certain patrons. I really wanted my friend to get that full experience so the bartender was a true bro and torched a cinnamon stick for the cocktail to add in that essential aromatic touch. The happy hour deal is very good. The oysters are just a buck and have not made me hug a toilet yet. They have some rather unique accompaniments with the oyster. The lightly pickled green onion on the oysters makes the flavor of each one pop. Also I really like the seasoning that comes in snow/ice form. Whiskey boys are a must. You can tell it's good stuff since they don't spell it "boi". They are an extremely good value at 5 bucks. Most recently got the burrata too. Almost all the food I've had here is delicious and portion sizes are not tiny. read more

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This place is always soooo good. The ambiance is really nice and the staff there is really friendly. I highly recommend this place for a date night or if you like whiskey. read more

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When I first heard about this place I could not wait for it to open. I want to give this place 5-stars but there are a few things holding me back. But let's start at the beginning... Upon entering you are immediately greeted by a staircase leading down. The first thing to catch your eye will be the bar and a wall of whiskey. The place is cozy, much smaller than I expected. I started my dinning experience with the Jitterbug Perfume to drink. The name had me afraid it would be flowery tasting but it was not at all, it was very good. As for food, my group and I had the Cauliflower Parmesan Tots. The tots were basically breaded cauliflower but coated in a light batter similar to tempura. For my entree I had the Pulled Pork Sandwich. The sandwich is really rich and the bbq is sweet. During my first few bites I thought to myself that this was the best pulled pork I've ever had but once I had finished 1/3 of the sandwich I was already sick of it. This sandwich would be much better if they offered it under their smaller fare as a slider. Now why did I knock off 1-star you ask? It was for two reasons. 1. Both the hostesses and our waitress came off as snooty 2. All the food was really salty. Overall, I enjoyed the ambience and the food was good but next time I would try something else. read more

The Franklin Room - Jitterbug Perfume - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Nice place tucked under the L has a great vibe and cozy atmosphere. Drinks were interesting and the beer list extensive. This was my second time the first time the place was super packed the second was a only a few customers I liked it with less people. The food was good and the service was excellent April my waitress was very attentive and made the experience one I'll be back for read more

Hubby and I went here for lunch and it was excellent. The lunch specials are where it's at! Had the short rib French dip sandwich and the $1 wine off the lunch special menu and was completely satisfied, but still found room for the warm chocolate chip cookie and ice cream dessert. An absolute must for people in the city looking for a chill low key spot with a full bar, tasty afternoon drinks and food that won't disappoint. read more

The Franklin Room - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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