We were looking for a restaurant that was serving late night food and while searching we stumbled across Franklin Cafe. We called to ensure that they were in fact serving and the staff who answered was polite. Located right in the South End is this cozy cafe with so many options of food and drinks. My friend ordered an old fashioned and the Franklin burger. I ordered the Franklin burger with a Shirley Temple. Our server was friendly and answered all of my questions about the menu. Though it was busy we didn't have to wait long for our meals. Food was fresh, hot and just the way we ordered it. I love the burger sauce, it gives the burger a nice touch. It was so good, I asked for a side of it to dip my fries. Good food, good service and great portions! read more

Franklin Cafe - Lounges Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

We were a little concerned when we sat down that the menu has maybe a dozen brunch items on the bottom of one page then 1.5 pages of drinks. However we found that those items were excellent! I had the burger and added an egg. Unlike so many places these days, when you order medium rare you get some red! A couple ladies served us and were top notch- super insightful and fun to chat with. We'll be back! read more

One of the more iconic spots for south end locals. Kitchen is open late but it isn't your typical late night fried food. Despite being a tiny spot, menu includes creative takes on both meat and seafood options. Even the salads are updated with seasonal and not commonly seen ingredients. I love the spicy green beans, the grilled squid, and the mussels. Plenty of interesting drink options. They keep some staples but also update seasonally. Service is fast and the staff is the kind of people you'll get to know if you come often enough. One of the few by locals, for locals spots that feels like home whenever you come back. read more

Franklin Cafe - GRILLED CALAMARI* SMOKY SKILLET ROASTED MUSSLES - Lounges Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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Favorite bar in the area. Drinks are good, and the food is really solid and reasonably priced. Lots of south end locals frequent Franklin Cafe, and it's easy to see why. read more

The place has a neighborhood casual vibe. It was lower light and a little noisy. Service is good and food came out relatively fast. We got the calamari, mussels, and burger for food. For drinks we got the lychee margarita and black fizz (special cocktail of the night). The calamari was a little chewy but tasted great especially with the white beans and greens. The mussels and burger were also really good with the portion of mussels a good size. The only let down really was the lychee margarita which didn't taste much like lychee or margarita, just vodka with ice. Overall recommend stopping by (especially for the calamari). 3.5/5 read more

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I had a great brunch with friends here this past weekend. The young man that was our server was extremely personable and very attentive. In addition the food was great! I had the corned beef hash, which would've used more salt, but otherwise very tasty. All ten dishes were also a great portion. My friends really enjoyed the omelet, French toast, and chicken fried steak. Some standouts were the mashed potatoes that came with the steak and the omelet. We will definitely be back. read more

Franklin Cafe - CORNED BEEF HASH & EGGS* - Lounges Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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If I could give this spot 10 stars, I would. Service is always on point, and the dishes are always inventive. Highlight is the whipped ricotta, a must for us every time we're at Franklin's. read more

Franklin Cafe - SALT & PEPPER CHICKEN WINGS are bomb - Lounges Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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This spot has a great menu! I got a pear cocktail that I enjoyed and a duck quesadilla which tasted delicious. The outside is beautifully decorated, but the inside looks like any other pub. This is a great spot if you value how things taste and less so if you value presentation. read more

Sincerely the best burger I've ever had. 10/10 every time. This place is great!! I get the burger every time I go read more

I my bartender was amazing. I came in on May 6 around 11 PM. He was the only bartender, the bar was pretty empty when I got there and quickly filled up due to a nearby corporate party. Our bartender was fantastic at accommodating the new arrivals and helped me quickly close my tab and get my food to go. The food was amazing! Also, the bartender made an off menu cocktail for me so I'm very grateful! Will recommend people to go see him at Franklin Cafe read more

We happened into this cafe on our last day in Boston. Wasn't planning on having a cocktail or even brunch as it was just past noon, but the Dark Manhattan was excellent as was the chicken fried steak and eggs. We came in starving and left full and happy. Beautiful little spot, hope to come back someday. read more

Franklin Cafe - Lounges Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Great food. Great service. We love a local restaurant. It was the perfect spot for our first night in Boston.

This is one of my go-to local favorites! The menu is perfection; it's not very big, but everything is incredible. It's one of the few spots where the quality matches the price! Whether you're trying to grab a good burger, an entree, or something in between, they have it and it's fantastic. My personal favorite is the whipped ricotta... they always have a nice tap list along with signature cocktails (full bar). This place is open late and you can get a real entrée until 2:00 am, as long as you out the order in before 1:30 am. This has become a great night cap and meal place for me. The brunch is just as good! Since this place has a large clientele within the service industry, you're not necessarily going to be coddled by the staff, but everyone there is an expert in the menu. You can go here on a date, after work, with some friends, before going somewhere else or even after. It's elegant, but not stuffy. To me it just feels "city". Simple and elegant seating and decor. It is a small space so it tends to get loud sometimes but people are just having a good time. You won't regret checking this place out in the South End. read more

Franklin Cafe - Lounges Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

I like this place but have had mixed experiences. Some times the food is great, others too salty. My favorite item is the whipped ricotta, so good! However I've tried the ravioli and wish I hadn't. There was a strange spice blend on top which was over salted. The burger was fine. However the steak frites were great! The bar is fun to sit at and I've seen they have a small patio out front as well. Service has been super friendly at the bar, but other times lack luster at the table. read more

A small restaurant in South End with no sign name just their icon at the entrance. I came here for brunch with a few friends and had a hard time choosing which dish to get. I opted for the eggs Benedict that came in puff pastry instead of an English muffin and thought it was a perfect swap. The eggs were cooked nicely with a runny center and went well with the crispy puff pastry. The service was good and we enjoyed our meal. There are also two single stall bathrooms that are super tiny. Overall, a nice place to grab brunch on the weekends in South End. read more

Franklin Cafe - Eggs Benedict - Lounges Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Obsessed with Franklin cafe the energy late night is off the charts and their espresso martinis are amazing. Tip your bartenders!

They quoted us 1:30 wait and we didn't get a call until 2 hours and 10 minutes later. Also had to deal with a group of obnoxious regulars occupying the entire bar / suffocating everyone else. 2 stars instead of zero because (1) the food was solid and (2) the bartender was great. Overall, this place isn't worth the hype. read more

Really enjoyed my crostini and risotto. A nice tucked away neighborhood spot for Al fresco dining, although the occasional loud car will still pass by. Friendly service. Able to walk in for Sunday dinner without reservation. read more

Franklin Cafe - HOUSEMADE RICOTTA CROSTINI - Lounges Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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Beyond horrible experience with this place. I was in Boston with a friend to see a play a few nights ago, we got back to our hotel around 10:30 and decided to DoorDash some food. We settled on Franklin cafe because they had good reviews and a lot of options to choose from. My friend got a burger and I got the tomato soup grilled cheese combo. The burger my friend received was okay, slightly undercooked but still safe to eat. However, I could not even eat the grilled cheese they decided to package. It was charred beyond belief on the side pictured and the other side was barely better. I'm not sure how it's possible to screw up a grilled cheese this much, but I'm also not sure why someone in the kitchen didn't throw it out and decided to package it. Why not say this is horrible, I'll throw it out and make a new one? Not to mention this was about 1/4 of the size of the one pictured..... At least I know next time I'm in the area to avoid this dump. read more

Franklin Cafe - What they advertised I would get - Lounges Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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I'm not sure I'm even allowed to review this spot. All I'll say is that once I first walked in and saw everyone drinking High Lifes I knew WTF was goin' on. This spot is industry to the bone. Open til it's closed. Great drinks with no fuss. Late night kitchen serving GOOD food. And this is a spot for friends old and new. There is music strictly by the legal sense. All of the conversation drowns it out. You're here to take in life for real and that involves talking to your neighbors and making human connections. I don't know Franklin, but thanks for bringing us this bar, my guy! read more

Went back the other night after a bad experience, one of the managers reached out and invited me back for dinner. I gave it another shot and for apps ordered the grilled calamari and wings which were very good. Dinner entrees consisted of the salmon and the sole fish plates. The salmon was my favorites and it was cooked perfectly, also the mango mai tai is a must try Service and food was on point and I thank your for the great night and make it a better experience. read more

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Absolutely love this place in the south end. We're introduced to it when we moved here about two years ago and it is our night time go to for either takeout or eat in. Very comfortable vibe, food is excellent, especially the Franklin burger and they are open late so you can get your eats after a show or if you have any midnight munchies. Highly recommend. read more

It's always a tragedy when a place you have known and loved for over a decade changes for the worse, but such is the Franklin on Shawmut. I've brought dozens and dozens of friends to this after hours "hidden gem" over the years and they felt they died and went to heaven after eating the Franklin's signature mussels dish. So imagine my disappointment when I brought some theatre friends to the restaurant after Hadestown in April only to have two plates of mussels come to our table that in no way shape or form resembled their time tested dish that was salty, buttery, smokey and just sheer perfection. I asked the waitperson to please ask if they could just make us their original recipe and was told "the menu has changed." Really? The "new" mussels were coated in onion, in a weak brothy sauce, and were flabby and just plain awful. No bread with hummus, no little extras that made it special. So why would the Franklin mess with one of their signature dishes? Offer a different version in addition, but don't take away a favorite of your long standing customers. Watch, next they will get rid of their equally famous steak frites. We have long loved this place for the atmosphere, the feeling of community, and it's like losing an old friend. We have spent birthdays and New Years there, when the snow has flown down outside the windows or on a warm summer night. But we will not be returning. I feel like a person without a country. Oh well. read more

The last time we dined here was 2015 when my husband and I were dating and we loved it si we decided to revisit and celebrate our anniversary. We were not disappointed. (We made an early dinner res, day of, on a Sunday) The bartender was excellent. Made great dirty martinis and concocted a delicious mocktail for me (I've had v bad mocktails...). We ordered the steak frites, ricotta ravioli and the farm salad. All tasted great. The salad could have been more flavorful on the dressing though.Then we received a cheesecake slice on the house for our celebratory dinner. Our waitress was so sweet! They also only charged $4 for the mocktail when most restaurants would've charged it as much as a regular cocktail. Now that we moved so close we can't wait to bring our soon to be little one to frequent this spot. read more

Franklin Cafe - Lounges Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Came here and had the steak frites and calamari. So good!!!! For drinks, we ordered the Purple Rain-- super light and refreshing. Excellent service (Greg was so kind and had good recommendations!) read more

Used to be so good but the quality has gone down. My last few orders were way too salty, and lacking any other flavors. The quesadilla was mushy somehow and the pepper pasta was... doughy? Just not great. The shrimp was cooked fine and generously portioned, so that's good. The drinks are also good and they have non-alcoholic cocktail options. The food though - maybe they changed chefs or something? read more

I visited Franklin Cafe for a solo dinner and ordered the Rosemary Paloma cocktail, Smoky Skillet Roasted Mussels, and the Slow Braised Lamb & Mint Risotto. Everything that I ordered was perfectly paired and delicious. Maybe a bit too filling for one, but I enjoyed every bite. The restaurant ambiance was dimmed and intimate, great for a first date, anniversary, or to catch up with a friend or two. The service was also excellent and quick. I'd definitely return if I am in the area again to try their other entrees and drinks. read more

I haven't been here in more than twenty years, mostly because I've lived out of state for most of that time. My husband and I went to the Franklin Saturday night for dinner and drinks. We were greeted by Sophie, who couldn't have been more pleasant. After she seated us we were told that the other server called out for the night, which left her as the only server for inside and the four or five outside tables as well. Somehow she managed since we got our drinks and appetizers pretty timely. And I should I add the place was quite busy. I'm not sure how she managed all the tables. For drinks he had the Ideal Manhattan. I'm not a fan of the Manhattan but had a taste and found it to be smooth and tasty. I had the Mo Cocktail and felt it to be a perfect blend of the Kettle One with Chambord and lemon juice. For dinner my husband had the hanger steak with Roquefort butter. It was tasty and cooked to his order. I had the 20 clove chicken that was prepared Statler style. It was delicious! And it was served hot. I've been to restaurants so many times in which the food served was barely warm by the time it was served. Not this place. Clearly they have seasoned staff in the back of the house as well as the front. And for these reasons I can't wait to go back for dinner again! read more

I came here after a negative experience finding a table for one at another restaurant near by. Love The waitress (Emma) was incredibly kind in finding me a space and checking in. Additionally the food was great, I ordered the Corn Ravioli and Harvest salad and can only say I was sad to end finish every piece off my plate only because it meant it was my last bite! The atmosphere inside too looked homey and welcoming! For sure if you aren't from here or a local check it out :) read more

Franklin Cafe - Lounges Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

I ordered food through a delivery service and this photo, alone, should say it all!!! It's unconscionable that any establishment would allow this to leave their kitchen, let alone their restaurant. Franklin Cafe, this is REALLY bad. read more

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So update, I ordered a couple times during this week and it was good but today (Sunday) I ordered the Burrata Ravioli and it was the probably the best I've ever had made from Franklin's cafe ever and especially during the weekend since before it was not as good. Very happy with them. read more

Franklin Cafe - During the week BURRATA RAVIOLI - Lounges Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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Always a favorite spot. The food is great and always consistent. Many of the portions are sharable...fyi. The drinks are great, too. Check out this little, longstanding gem in the Southend. read more

Bar tender seemed to have taken a few shots and was aggressive towards the patrons. I think his name was Tyler

Absolutely Dissatisfied This is the second time I visit this restaurant in the past few months..This use to be one of my favorite neighborhood restaurants, with great atmosphere. Unfortunately Food was fair. Had the pork schnitzel which was dry and should have some sort of starch for a 23 dollar plate with slaw and two pieces of apple slices just doesn't do it .. I have been coming to Franklin since it first opened.. Biggest disappointment and I will say disappointment again was the waiter very big guy with cap absolutely not interested in doing his job unfortunately same guy like the last time. He spent more time watching the Saturday night football and running to the bathroom several times using his cellphone and really neglecting to attend to our table. When attempting to take our order with absolutely no warmth and terrible personality.. Our food order was messed up instead of the giving our friend what he had ordered he looked at my friend and say do you just want to take this instead NOT COOL. No apology for his mistake.. never coming by to check in on us to see how the food was or seeing if we wanted another beverage., Unfortunately the place has gone downhill and not the same place we expected like we have had many times in the pass..They can't blame it on the restaurant being busy it was very quiet. My honest option is that if the service continues to be like what we experience people will stop coming. Update: My friend that got the wrong meal quotes Finally feeling better. That spicy Lamb entree WRECKED my system yesterday. I should have sent that thing back :( I barely made it into my house from the drive up. It was rough He agreed with me on the server commenting Yeah, that server needs to find a new line of work read more

This has been my late night spot for over a decade. It may be a different vibe but still amazing. The food was tasty and employees all pleasant. Thanks for a great night. read more

We came here on a whim after dinner and it was definitely a pleasant surprise! We had to order food to sit at a table so we got hummus and some fries which were great! The service was a bit slow since there was only one waitress for all the tables on our side, so no fault to her. The stars of the show were definitely the drinks, which tasted great and were very reasonably priced! Would definitely come back :) read more

Franklin Cafe - Lounges Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

I wanted to like this place more! It definitely has a cozy neighborhood spot feel which is nice. For a cafe I feel like they should have lattes or some sort of espresso/cappuccino option instead of just coffee. The food was good but not memorable for me (this is referring to brunch maybe their dinner service is better). read more

Limited menu, small portions, high prices, inattentive service, at-table pay portal while the waiter watches you enter a tip: these are NOT a few of my favorite things. read more

Love this place!!! A hidden gem with amazing food and great drinks! Never had a bad meal here and affordable :)

Andrea is the best. She slings a great beverage, while also having a great smile. Franklin Cafe is a gem.