If I could give less than one star I would. I mean I really would. This review is based solely on the experience, as I never tasted the food. Saw this place on DD&D and thought we would stop in for a bite, while on a road trip. We arrived at about 12:10 on Saturday 9/20 to a packed house. While I'm sure there greeting was intended to be a warm hello, it came out "wait in line." I get the line at that time in the morning, so no problem. After waiting about 10 minutes I saw an old friend sitting with his son at the counter. After a little chatting I asked "how's the food?". His answer was "a little slow, we placed our order at 10:20". About that time one of the staff grunted, "move up". Seems we were not packed tightly enough, in the line, for them. I heard my friend asked the person, who seemed to be in charge, to check on his order. He explained that he had not seen his waitress in over an hour, it was now about 12:30. No answer, no apology but 10 MINS later their food appeared. The time 12:41. That is two hours and twenty mins after they placed their order. Add the wait time to be seated, and another 10 MINS before the order was taken, three hours for eggs and hash browns. By this time we were next in line to be seated. Since we were on our way to Milwaukee to meet friends, I though I would ask, about how long after we are seated will it take to get our food. As I approached the counter I was greeted by a "where are you going, we will tell you when we have a seat". The woman behind the counter had the warmth of a prison guard. At this point, I'd had enough, and I answered simply "we are going out." There is no way I'm going to put up with this, in some dump in Kenosha. I don't care if Escoffier himself was flipping the eggs. Every single member of staff we encountered was rude to the point of being obnoxious. The woman on the grill muttering and cursing doesn't give the place atmosphere. I've felt more welcomed in a room full of IRS auditors, and I would recommend that experience over Frank's Diner. Save yourself the time and aggravation, if you think you want to go here, schedule a root canal, it will be more fun. The only good thing from experience is we found the "Coffee Pot" a few blocks away. read more

A gem. Get the garbage plate. Don't complain if it takes a while, limited space, always jam packed, because the wait is worth it.

Went for breakfast and it was the worst I have ever had in my life. I would rather eat caned dog food better yet cat food might be better

This place is so unique. The staff are all good-naturedly sassy and fun. The food is spectacular and I love having the full menu available for breakfast (mini corn dogs at 10:00? yes please)! The hash browns are my favorite - they're so flavorful on their own that they don't even need salt. The food here truly has a unique and iconic flavor that you won't be able to forget. read more

Check your watch.... see what time it is. If its between say 7am and 1pm you are in luck. Check your wallet! Check it now.. because you need cash as no credit cards accepted here. (TIP) There is an ATM downstairs by the restroom in case you forget to heed my advice. Now, get you hungry tummy over by the Kenosha Lakefront and have a one of a kind experience. Your experience can vary as seen in the many reviews for this place. Here is are my basic survival tips to get you the memory you will cherish forever. First, set you expectations to the proper level. This is a teeny tiny diner that seats, feeds and gets you out the door to make room for more people. Second, ask for what you want.. eat what you get! This is a small diner.. they wont have fois gras on the menu. Third, when you are standing in line, possibly on weekends, make sure you check out the specials board located by the register. They had a weekend special called Capt Crunch French Toast and would make anyones heart melt. The garbage plates are a staple. This place is fantastic and I will be back soon. read more

We are a breakfast famiy and was oretty excited to try this place out. We were pretty disappointed. The food was overcooked. My son and I got the "garbage meals" and my husband got the "stuffer". Food was burnt and potaoes were dry. We paid $60 (includes tip) for 3 of us. Was not worth it. read more

SLIDE SLIDE SLIPPITY SLIDE... Went on a fantastic voyage to Kenosha just to eat at Frank's. After figuring out how to get into front door (slide, don't pull), I was immediately struck by how packed this place was and quickly eyed possible escape routes in case of a fire (I'd suggest a window). People waiting in line stand behind patrons sitting at the bar creating a gauntlet of Midwesterners that you should be prepared to rub against as you make your way through the restaurant. Ok, so after rubbing up against some locals, I prepared myself for their famous Garbage plate which is basically hash browns, eggs, meat, onions, peppers, and cheese all mashed up. I ordered a 1/2 plate (more than enough food) with bacon, sausage, and pepper jack and all I can say is that it was freakin' delicious. I had a slight hangover and after a few bites I was at 100%. On top of the fact that everything here including the bread is home made, you gotta love the character of this place. Tattoos, piercings, whatever...everyone makes you feel like a local here. A fantastic voyage indeed. read more

Gotta love some Franks. I stop in whenever I am in town and get a bacon and spam half portion garbage plate. One of these days I will try some of their awesome looking pancakes. read more

If you're reading this, there's a good chance that you're from Chicago or Milwaukee or anywhere but Kenosha, and you plan on checking out this legendary diner that you heard about, perhaps on Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives. If that's the case, here's what you need to know before going: * There will likely be a wait. It may not be as bad as the wait experienced by some of the other reviewers (I was here on a Sunday around 11:00 a.m., prime post-hangover dining time, and only had a 15 min. wait for a table. There's also counter seating, which is also subject to standing in line). But the space is very small, and very popular, so be prepared. Once you're seated, the time for your food to appear can vary greatly, from what I saw. * Is it worth the wait? Look, it's very good but it's not worth waiting an hour for. It's diner food, not Alinea or even Hot Doug's. And while it's very good diner food, diner food is perhaps the most fungible cuisine in America. So yeah, it's very good, but you've likely had just as good somewhere else before. * There are some idiosyncrasies you should know about before going here. First, if there is a line, the line applies to both tables and counter space. The staff will seat you at a spot when the appropriately sized space becomes available. Second, it's cash only. Third, when you're done, you go the counter and pay. They don't bring you a check. * Unlike most diners, they have a full bar. * This is a very friendly place, and there's a high degree of interaction between the staff and customers, and among the customers. When I visited, there was a lot of good-natured trash talking between Packers fans and Bears fans (the allegiances were about 50/50, and there's a visible Cubs sticker in the kitchen). Since it was busy, the staff was seating different parties together, which can make for interesting conversation. Also, since it was busy, the staff was coming around with free tequila shots to help assuage the wait, which I assume is a sort of weekend tradition. That alone bumps this place up from 4 stars to 5. So if you've got the time, or if it's simply a bucket list must-do, definitely hit up Frank's -you won't be disappointed. But if you're in a hurry or simply don't want to wait an hour before eating something you could get elsewhere, don't feel at all bad about going elsewhere. read more

Franks is a Kenosha landmark. It's a must for any resident or visitor. It's a breakfast/lunch diner in a converted train car. The food is made from scratch and always good. The garbage plate is famous (scrambled eggs, hash-browns and your choice if add in grilled up and on your plate in a huge serving). Don't forget the morning screwdriver or bloody mary with breakfast. The service does their best to keep up with the crowd and some days they give you the old diner attitude for fun. All part of the charm. I have personally been given the coffee pot and told to go fill mugs at the tables. Tips: They get BUSY on the weekends and special days. The line forms against the wall behind the counter. The front of the line is all the way forward to the corner. Don't block the pass through from the counter and to the dining tables. Cash only, pay at the register - they don't bring you the check. You will smell like diner food when you leave and everyone will know where you have been. People will be jealous that they didn't go or you didn't invite them! read more

We drove up from Chicago to eat here. We were so sick of the snow and cold and just wanted to hit the road for a bit, so I went to my trusty bookmarks to pick out a potentially cool destination. Frank's Diner did not disappoint. Franks is located in a rather desolate area of Kenosha, not far from the lake. It's next door neighbor is the local VFW post, which only adds to the odd charm of the street. The diner is absolutely charming from the sliding doors to the paneled ceiling to the big Buddha statue on the way down the stairs to the bathroom. What is also charming (to me anyhow) is the laid back attitude of the place. They know they are in a small space, they know they can be very crowded at times and they let you know up front, if you don't have the patience to handle it, come back some other time. WTG!!! I found the service to be fine, perhaps a bit slow, but I was in no hurry to leave. The people were friendly and customers tend to talk to each other in a friendly small town fashion. Two ladies at the next table had also driven up from Chicago for the experience. I am sure they left as happy as we did. Christopher had a half a plate of garbage with 2 meats. I have no idea how anyone could eat a full plate, but I guess some are up to the challenge. His was very good and certainly plentiful. I had the Blue Shue Burger with tater tots and a cup of chili. The burger was massive, so much so that I had to take much of it home. The meat was of good quality and tasty, so I have no complaints. I also brought home a container of Cream of Asparagus soup for mom. She thought it was a bit too salty, I did not, but I added a little milk to hers and it worked out fine. If you are heading to the Kenosha area, Franks is a kitchy kool destination, but go early because they close by 2:00 PM. It is cash only, but they do have an ATM machine in the basement. Also please be aware that you are probably less than a mile from the home where Orson Welles was born. It is on 7th Ave. It is a private residence, but there is a cool bronze plaque in front . Heck as long as you've come this far, check it out!!! read more

Recently made a special trip to check this place out, and was definitely worth it. Other reviews I saw about this place(and especially Richie's review) say about all the good points about this diner that need to be said, but I'm surprised one point I ended up loving about this place wasn't mentioned on any, which was the great sense of humor that pervades this place. You notice it from the main guy that works the counter and has a fun sarcastic side he shares with the customers(wish I caught that guy's name), to also their menu. Check out the bottom paragraph on the back page of their menu as an example of what I mean, since I thought it was absolutely hilarious. Also loved their 'Eat here-diet at home' slogan! I definitely bet if I had ever grown up in Kenosha, this is definitely that type of place where you always have friendly or interesting encounters with people you knew from the past. As much of a Kenosha gem as Tenuta's is, and definitely see why Guy Fieri(as much as I hate that guy for his darn TGI Friday's commercials, lol) chose to profile this place for DD&D. read more

People rave about this place, I think it is quite average, I have had issues with wait times and burnt food. Good soup to go, and good biscuits and gravy. If you get a garbage plate, don't plan on eating the rest of the day. Service is OK at best and many signs that say "shut up and eat" are a deterrent for me. I would rather go somewhere less crowded that will accept credit cards. read more

Took the whole family there last Saturday. Luckily hit a good time and were able to secure counter seats for all six of us. Coffee was attended by a regular, not the actual staff, but was fun and accommodating. We ordered. While they worked the orders, folks were pilling up behind us. This is the way it works at Franks: first in, first out, but that usually means walking in front of and behind a dozen or more people who are still waiting and already sat. You don't mind. Food homemade and delicious. The sausage gravy is it's own food group. I had the "garbage plate" a great scramble of homemade beef hash, jalapeno, eggs, mushrooms, onion and cheddar. Half order was already two meals. $60 for the six of us, cash only so hit the ATM but you're in for an experience. Enjoy. read more

I think this place is overrated. The food is subpar and the service is not so good. If you want to overpay for so so food then this is the place for you. I have found that all the workers are rude. I will not be back read more

This is a must stop if your in the Kenosha area. Classic early American diner. The Garbage plate seems like the their claim to fame. Be careful because a full plate is a monster but very good. The home made toast was a nice surprise and not your typical generic diner toast. I went on a Monday morning because the weekends can have lines. This is a 2 thumbs up diner. read more

Great food and atmosphere, not enough staff. Promise of more coffee twice did not happen. Sorta mild chaos and again not enough staff to handle customers. read more

It occurs to me that if you have no sense of humor, and waiting makes you freak out like a spoiled child, you probably won't like it here. That being said... I dream about Franks. I went to college in Kenosha and lived there for a few more years after, and being without this place is literally causing me pain. Their garbage plate (it does not matter which one) is the best scramble anywhere, ever. The homemade bread is soft and sorta chewy and just generally made of magic. Coffee: Solid. Homemade Bread French Toast: Mana. Ambiance: fun and laid back with a hint of sass. I mean, come on... the place is an old train car. Hint: You will have to wait. It has limited hours. And frankly (ba-dum-ching), if you have to wait forever in pseudo-lame conditions for food, and other people are doing it with you... what does that tell you? It's good. Chill out, dude. read more

For the most part you can expect a wait when you come here. The guy at the door is super nice. Very much worth the wait! Tiny place. Looks a little bit like a train car when you go in because it's long and skinny. There is counter seating And tables. The restroom is downstairs. You need to be able to navigate steps to dine inside, and they have outdoor tables too. The portions are huge! The food is very yummy. I got what they are famous for which is potatoes and eggs mixed up with your choice of other ingredients. I highly recommend also getting their sausage gravy which amazingly is even better than mine which is delicious. One of the best things I ever had in my life is their pumpkin cinnamon roll. OMG! It's good that I live very far away otherwise I would be here every day just for that. The people who work here are delightful! The lady in the pirate costume was especially kind and one of the best people ever to take care of me at a restaurant. For sure, the best people work here. Outstanding experience! I look forward to bringing a friend here in the near future. read more

Anybody who reviews this diner poorly has got to be out of their MINDS. This was one of the best and most delicious breakfast experiences I have had in a long time! My husband and I were in Kenosha for a wedding, and we wanted to spend the day down there to make sure we were on time. So we got to Frank's diner at about 9 am on a Friday. There was a line of people about 6 deep. They got seated right away, and we were seated as soon as the table was cleared off. So our total wait was probably less than 15 minutes. Not bad! So once we sat down, we were greeted by one of the friendliest waitresses I have ever met. She was so sweet and sat down with us at our table. She seemed surprised when I asked her how HER day was going. I guess she's not used to people caring (sad, guys!) But anyway, my husband ordered their special of the day, which was a chorizo garbage plate, and I got another special, the pumpkin pancake, a cinnamon roll, and french toast. Yes, I was hungry! The waitress offered to bring the cinnamon roll out first--I thought that was a nice touch. And let me tell you, this cinnamon roll was amazing!! It put cinnabon to shame! My pumpkin pancake was pretty good, my french toast was delicious (I only got it by the slice $2, and I wish I had gotten SO much more!) and my husband's Chorizo skillet was to DIE for! It was so delicious! He took half of it home, and he only got the half order!! The hubs and I are definitely going to be come up here more often. We were discussing how nice it would be to take a leisurely drive up here on a fall day and bring the kids down to Frank's Diner! Great food, great atmosphere, great prices. I will definitely be back! read more

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So happy this turns out to be my 300th Yelp Review! So worthy. Awesome throwback diner that doesn't cash in on it's atmosphere alone. The food is awesome! Saw this place on the Food Network and knew we would be making the pilgrimage. Came here with my hubbie for breakfast last Saturday. It's quite a ways off the highway so you really need to be committed. It's basically at the lake and you go through this delapitated downtown that is sad to behold. This is the definition of a hidden gem. It's a little confusing at first and you have to be feeling a little adventurous. Leave your winter coat in the car because it's tight quarters and that grill is heating the place up big time. The woman barking orders at the staff and customers in equal cadence was both annoying and humourous simultaneously, which I think was her intent. You line up along the back of the counter and if you want to sit at the counter, with this line breathing down your neck, you get to sit quickly. So that's what we did. We each ordered the Half Garbage with toast and a bloody mary. I had sausage and bacon, light on the cheese, and couldn't finish it. It's basically an omelette with jalapenos and onions all mixed up with hash browns. Doesn't look pretty but it tasted fantastic. My neighbors French Toast also looked awesome. But the tv show said the Garbage was the thing to get, so that's what we got. Oh, but we will be back. Yes we will, yes we will. In fact, we spent our time digesting looking at lake front property. What great potential this town has and some beautful old homes too. Thank you Kenosha for keeping this restaurant alive. read more

I didn't see Frank's diner on TV, but saw it on Yelp. I was in the Kenosha area with my wife and thought we could have breakfast as a couple since the kids were in school. It was a long wait as many have stated, but I think it was worth it. I have to take into account that it was Harley Davidson anniversary weekend. Tons of bikes parked waiting for breakfast. Just so everyone knows, my wife and I aren't breakfast people. So we decided to share a half garbage plate with bacon and homemade corned beef. When we got our order, we thought our waitress made a mistake and made us two half orders. She split the half order for us and my wife still couldn't finish it. Overall, we really enjoyed our garbage plate. read more

Frank's Diner is not far from the Kenosha Harborside Farmers Market and has some history behind it. Sure it is not a big place and people may have to wait a while to get a seat; however, the atmosphere makes it all worth it. The food was pretty good and the drinks were not bad either. I would try the biscuits and gravy. I would recommend not going to this place if you don't have a little bit of a sense of humor and patience with people. read more

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It is a MUST visit when in Kenosha, a classic dining car with great food cooked right in the car in front of you with a sassy spirit and an atmosphere that just won't quit. Lunch is lack luster go for the breakfast if you are looking for great food.. Downsides are their short hours and with such a small location it can be crowded and have a wait. (There is no seating for those waiting, in case you cannot stand for a .5 hr wait) read more

Owners are really nice and like to have some joke. My husband really like the garbage plate. I like the homemade cinnamon roll. read more

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I first heard of Frank's Diner on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. I knew about the place because my husband is from Kenosha and when we planned our trip to visit his family, we made it a point to stop there. It was a decent visit, food was good, but I was disappointed because we were overcharged and the person at the counter chose to raise his voice and embarrass not only me but my husband. Needless to say, our next trip to Kenosha will avoid this place. Not worth getting yelled at. read more

It's a really tight space so take a xanax if you're claustrophobic because it will be a smushy wait. But it's worth it. I have woken up drooling dreaming about the homemade cinnamon raisin bread french toast. My bf scarfed down the garbage plate like he hadn't eaten in a week (he eats constantly so what I mean to say is that is was really really good). Please don't tell them, but I think they could get away with charging more because the food is top notch. Although the wait was long, everyone was patient and the service was friendly. The server even gave us a complimentary old menu as a souvenir. read more

Frank's Diner. What can I say in a review? It's a Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives featured restaurant. It's historical, it's legendary. On my recent trip to Wisconsin I decided that I had to visit Franks. This diner should be required visiting for anyone that makes it either to the Chicago or Milwaukee. It's located in Kenosha, WI, about half way between the two big cities. Franks is a blast from the past. Great service, playful atmosphere, and wonderful food. It takes you back to the time when people really didn't care about healthy food, or healthy portions... and that's perfect for a Yelper like me. Based on the DDD show, I decided that the only menu item for me was the "garbage plate". The "garbage plate" of the day contained potatoes, chorizo, green peppers, red peppers, onions and eggs. The plates come in 2 sizes, the small and the large which has a 5 eggs mixed into its goodness. The mix of all of the ingredients cooking on the hot top grille in butter is a site to behold. When you see that they handle 10 -12 of these monsters at one time on the grille, you realize what a job the cook has at Franks. Add a side of homemade toast to the mix and you have a great, complete, very filling breakfast. I have to confess that I really didn't eat anything the rest of the day after gorging myself on this monstrosity. Franks is popular. You will wait in line, but this gives you lots of time to admire the decorations on the walls and take in the comedy form the wait and cook staff. Frank's is a truly enjoyable experience and a required stop for any foodies that are passing near Kenosha. read more

Get there early if you want a seat. Also come hungry! Try the Irish coffee it's the bomb.

Living in Southeast Wisconsin, it's impossible not to have heard of Franks. Drive by on a weekend and it's so busy you would think they were giving food away. My husband and I finally were able to stop for lunch one day at sort of an off time and we actually made it inside and got a seat without a wait! The building itself is really cool. I loved all of the history. We both ordered the WOW burger. and split a malt. The malt was tasty...very traditional. I really enjoyed my burger, it was very flavorful and homemade tasting. My husband was a little underwhelmed considering the rave reviews Frank's gets. Next time I would really like to try a breakfast option, which I think they are more famous for. read more

Great, great food. The homemade toast is alone, worth the price of admission, not that you have to pay to get in. Never had a bad meal. It can get crowded, as it's small---it's a train car!--but if you can deal with that, I promise you'll enjoy your meal. read more

I don't like breakfast food but I genuinely enjoyed the breakfast I had here. The food is very cheap but the quality definitely isn't. There was also a waiter/line cook singing behind the counter and I would go here every day just to hear him. read more

"Order what you want, Eat what you get" Words to live by. This place is an icon, both for the food and the scenery. Expect to wait, expect to be shoved around a bit in the cramped confines, expect to be barked at by servers as they make room and move about. Expect to be wildly full from their awesome food. It's the total visual, auditory, and gastronomic experience one truly has to do at least once. Then, do it again. read more

Two words Garbage Plate, with homemade toasted bread so much goodness you can share it with someone and still walk away full! I love Franks we ate here after seeing them on Tripple-D and the wait to eat at this tiny little place was well worth it. Now that I no longer live in the Midwest I don't know if I will ever get back to Kenosha to dine at Franks Diner but if I am ever within 100 miles of this place I am going to try my best to get here. read more

HOLY COW!!! I was totally blown away by how AWESOME the food is here. I mean, it was the I-Had-To-Inhale-The-Plate-To-Keep-Up-With-My-Taste-Buds type of It's So Good. So picture a tiny Blue Collar Diner in the middle of ...umm...lovely Kenosha, Wisconsin...our group of 6 Asians walk in and immediately we stand out like a sore thumb in what must have been a Train Car converted into a diner type setting....it was THAT small!! Then the amusement starts....the wait staff is hilarious, incredibly sarcastic, and don't be suprised if they taunt you on ANYTHING...i mean, ALL customers will get a sarcastic remark thrown at them....anywhere from "Get Out of My Way You're Blocking the Door" to some non threatening joke about your ethnicity. (really, it's not insulting, its pretty funny!). THE FOOD: - Just like everyone says on Yelp, the Garbage Plate is DA BOMB. Three of us gals shared a Full Garbage Platter that was melting in Wisconsin butter, hash browns, veggies, cheese. Included in our group was two Yelp Elites - both of us kept smacking our lips and declaring this was the BEST breakfast mix!!! Nothing like it THIS GOOD. -Coffee ain't bad either- washes down the oils in our food and i'm VERY picky about coffee. -Pumpkin pancakes are HUGE, soft and scrumptious!!!! Between 3 of us girls, we finished only ONE of those pancakes. They are SO good - thick fluffy pancakes stuffed with pumpkin filling . Comfort food city. -Our other friends had the lobster omelette - that was also good but don't expect completely fresh tasting lobster - i mean, we're in the midwest, yo. Let me emphasize, when one leaves this place full and happy, one craves to return primarily because of the standout Garbage Plate. read more

What can I say about this place that hasn't been said already? If I had to sum up Frank's Diner in one word, it'd be.....amazing. If I could expand, I'd say it's an amazing experience for almost all of your senses. Taste, sight, and sound will surely get a workout at Frank's. A little word of advice. Bring your patience. If you've never been here before, it'll be good to know that they run a pretty tight ship, and it's not so much that there are rules to follow, but after 50+ years, they've got it figured out...just trust them. It's a tiny place, so when you walk in, and they tell you to move down the line behind other customers, just do it. If you stand anywhere else, it's going to be difficult for the servers to get around the tiny space. Don't get annoyed if you have to wait. They have one tiny grill, and make GINORMOUS dishes, it's gonna take a little bit, but trust me, it's worth it. There's nothing that can be said about the garbage plate that hasn't been mentioned 15 times already. It's ginormous, you can customize it to your liking, and you better bring an appetite, or you'll be bringing a box home. It's been a long damn time since I've had a breakfast entree at a restaurant that knocked my socks off.....and this one did exactly that. It was really fun to watch the staff work. They work with a sense of sarcasm that wouldn't be allowed at most places and that is awesome. I wish more places were like that. It's easy to tell they are having a good time, and they have to be sarcastic with each other because the place is non stop, if they weren't, they'd go crazy. As far as the food? Unreal. I had the full garbage plate, with sausage and bacon and onions, and it blew me away. Easily the best breakfast I've had in years. An unexpected surprise, the toast was incredible. These ladies know what they are doing. I can't wait to go back and try more! Short version: Bring your patience and an appetite, and you'll leave happy. read more

Franks is the best place in town!! Amazing food and quick service. You might read some reviews on here that talk about the bad adutudes of the employees but that is apart of the character of franks. I love every thing on the menu! read more

Female cooks in kitchen have terrible attitudes. They should have a friendlier, more personable staff if they're going to be cooking in front of guests. Especially considering the first sign you see is "BE NICE OR LEAVE" I also had a front row seat to watching the girls handle raw bacon and sausage with the same gloves as bread and other food... Never changing the gloves once the whole time we sat there. I ordered the Stuffer omelette and hash browns. It was better on my first visit there. The whole dish didn't seem thoroughly cooked. This place doesn't live up to its hype if it's meant to have that local feel. read more

We love Franks!! Delicious food made fresh, and you can't beat the diner car atmosphere and sassy waitstaff.

Great place I wish it was close to my house I have to drive forty minutes to get here but is really good and worth the drive read more

Franks Diner - Diners Near Me - Kenosha, Wisconsin