The Franklin Room
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Had the best tortellini of my life last night. Such a great night with wonderful service in an upscale cool underground spot.
The Franklin Room is one of our favorite restaurants in the city--and we're lucky enough to live just a few minutes' walk away! From the ambiance to the food to the service, you can tell they hold themselves to a high standard, and they consistently deliver. We love coming here for date nights and even celebrated our anniversary here. It's also one of our favorite places to bring friends and family when they visit. Great food, wonderful atmosphere, and consistently excellent service. A true hidden gem in Chicago!
Instagram sent me, not via an influencer, but a very alluring ad. If I were to book a reservation then and there, I could get an Old Fashioned made with Colonel E.H. Taylor for a lower price. Sold! I made a reservation and stopped in that week (if not that very day). The Old Fashioned was fantastic! It had strong whiskey notes without hitting you with a wall of spirit the way a Manhattan, for example, does. The other additions of bitters and syrup did a perfect job rounding the cocktail out, adding sweet and savory notes. As much as I love variety, I loved it so much, I ordered two! I can't lie and say this wasn't at least in part due to the reduced price, that notwithstanding, me ordering two of the same is some of the highest, non-verbal praise one could get from me. For a main, I had the opportunity to try the burger, a special only available 5:00 - 6:30, and mind you I eked in by the skin of my teeth. Before I attempt to break this down, though, I need to take a slight tangent: Do any of you remember the quote from The Menu where Anya Taylor-Joy says: "A real cheeseburger. Not some fancy, deconstructed, affluent b***s***, a *real* cheeseburger."? I am pleased to report the burger here was somewhere between Chef Slowik's "very traditional cheeseburger" and the one Taylor Joy describes! In other words, just fancy enough to feel like I am getting a unique, creative, well thought out dish, but without all the pomp and circumstance! There's just one little problem: as soon as I bit into it, the juices erupting from within soaked the bottom bun, and turned it into a fork and knife affair with an unseen level of precision and speed. Very regrettably, this was the burger's undoing. That first, heavenly bite that had angels singing showed what the burger was really made of (and I mean this figuratively and literally). The beef was of the highest quality, well-seasoned, cooked medium and juicy, with a perfect sear that would have Louis Camille Maillard crying tears of joy. Two types of cheese (one being crisp and airy, the other thoroughly gooey and savory), the perfect amount of bacon, moisture and flavor from a tempura tomato, and divine sauces! One of them was a little sweet, which elevated the flavor like no one's business. Together, all these flavors were a symphony that could give Beethoven a run for his money. However, that unfortunate fact that the thing fell apart so quickly meant that symphony was limited to one bite, the rest being encountered piecemeal. I would rather skip fries than skip dessert (which I did), and ordered the Mango cheesecake. Such velvety perfection! Neither the sweetness nor the mango notes were overpowering, and while it didn't have the crust of a traditional cheesecake, the more gentle variant here absolutely works. I also appreciated the tart sorbet to offer some contrast in flavor, temperature, and texture. Now, let me talk about the service. Given that the restaurant was at capacity, the bar service and speed to get my items was reasonable. Could it hypothetically have been just a touch faster/more attentive? Yes, but in practice, when you have a full house, this is as good as it can get before robots take over. Finally, there is the matter of prices. There is no doubt in my mind that the quality is up there, at the same time, the reason I skipped the side of fries was it would have set me back $11. I suppose the real question is whether or not the quality equals the price, and after some reflection, I think the answer is yes, but one must be prepared for the sticker shock ahead of time. That said, the final verdict: The Franklin Room absolutely delivers on an all-around fantastic meal. I think whatever you order will be in the 90th percentile, at worst! However, this comes at a cost. Therefore, I would love to return to the Franklin Room, but it would likely be more a very occasional treat than a place where I'd be a regular.
Awesome experience right in the neighborhood. Fabulous drinks (carrot, ginger vodka cocktail), rich & beautifully presented food, and vibey ambience. Never knew I needed lamb chops as an app but here we are and now I will expect them on the apps at other places! Perfect bite size and great cut. Mains were so good and everyone was so happy with their choices. Presentation was BEAUTIFUL and flavors were rich without being overbearing. Service was great and brought out a birthday dessert for my boyfriend! They have an awesome loyalty program, so definitely sign up for that to earn points/$! We just moved to the neighborhood and this will definitely be a neighborhood favorite, especially in winter months.
Always a great time catching up with friends at The Franklin Room. The ambiance and lighting is lovely, and I was able to snag a reservation for 3 on a Friday night pretty last minute. We enjoyed the Taro Fries and oysters for food, and the Healthy Habit and Malbec for drinks. The favorite for the whole group was definitely the desserts - the mango cheese cake is incredible and I would love to come back again for that. We also enjoyed the chocolate crunch dessert.
food: steak was good, wish there was more portions but the flavors are there, mango cheesecake was perfect balance of sweetness and tartness with the sherbert service: super nice staff, gave my friend a free dessert for birthday ambiance: good atmosphere, definitely gets busy so can be hard to hear at times
Delicious drinks and amazing service in a cozy, classy atmosphere! Our server was both friendly and knowledgeable and our drinks were great! I always love when I can get a great aviation and this is a good spot for that. On my list to come back to when I'm in town next!
1. Chocolate Crunch - Feuilletine, dark chocolate mousse, mascarpone, meringue, praline hazelnut, choco crumble 2. Marinated Butchers Steak - Chimichurri, fried plantain, bearnaise 3. FR Wagyu Burger - mishama reserve, wagyu beef bacon, cheese basque, tomato tempura, bourbon miso, pickle 4. Miso Salmon - Pickled cauliflower, salmon croquette, zucchini, miso beurre Blanc, ikura, red vein sorrel Experience was a mixed bag of good quality and confusing combo of ingredients but nothing bad. Butchers steak was very flavorful and lean but tender. The plantains and bearnaise 'foam-y sauce?' didn't complement the steak imo. I didn't try my brother's salmon but he didn't seem to dislike it. We shared the (limited time) Wagyu Burger. It was tasty but again, a confusing combo of ingredients that's lost on me. IMO, the chef is trying too hard to elevate his food but again, nothing was bad. Chocolate crunch was simple, perfectly executed, and my favorite dish of the night. I love a small menu. Waiter was friendly. I wish service included wiping down our table in-between courses. Classy interior design.
Very pretty and dark vibes inside. I got the tartare and thought it was pretty good and refreshing
My god the food is delicious here! Highly recommend!!! The salmon and the chicken were just unbelievable. Very tasty! Thank you to the chef and the staff for such an amazing dinner!
I went in solo (work travels). They require you sit at the bar if you're alone, even if you don't want to. That aside, food was amazing and I ended up having a wonderful chat about books with the bartender, who told me about a speakeasy around the corner I checked out! But seriously - give solo diners more options/dignity and not force us to have the bar as the only option. It wasn't busy...
Holy moly! This place is a bit of a hidden gem, but don't sleep on it! Came here with a friend for dinner and everything was impressive. We shared the tuna crudo, tortellini, branzino, and broccolini. The tortellini was by far my favorite (it literally just melts in your mouth!) but it was all good. The flavor on the tuna crudo was also incredible, and it was super light. On Mondays, they do 1/2 price bottles of wine. We really wanted to try their old fashioned, but once we discovered a bottle of Chateauneuf-du-Pape on the menu, we couldn't pass that up (you don't normally see those on restaurant wine menus)! Andrew, our server, was excellent. He was friendly and attentive without hovering, and gave us great advice on the menu. I would definitely request to sit in his section the next time I come. It does have a speakeasy vibe, but in a cozy way. It's lower lit, lots of candles, and not overly large inside. When we sat down it was pretty quiet, though it picked up a bit as we sat there. It never got overly loud, though. I will definitely be back, and soon!
We had a last-minute change in dinner plans and discovered The Franklin Room on Yelp! Even without a reservation, we got lucky and snagged a table. The place was fully booked, but someone didn't show up, and the host kindly seated us. The restaurant had an almost speakeasy feel, tucked away somewhat underground. We ordered the truffled tuna crudo, pasta al pesce, and marinated butcher's steak. There was a bit of a wait between the starters and mains. The truffled tuna crudo was incredible - rich and flavorful. Both of our main courses were delicious: the seafood pasta was full of flavor, and the steak was tender and juicy. Overall, we really enjoyed the elegant atmosphere and great food!
1 month ago
Really enjoyed our dinner at The Franklin Room! The downstairs setting gives the restaurant such a cozy, intimate atmosphere, and I loved how the menu pulls inspiration from different cuisines. The lamb chops and chicken roulade with masala butter sauce were standouts for me, and the Summer Wanderer cocktail completely surprised me......I wasn't sure how I felt about carrot in a cocktail, but it was delicious! The whiskey bottle keep is also such a cool touch. Service was great throughout the evening, and we finished with the mango and coconut tart. Definitely a unique River North dinner spot that's easy to walk right past if you don't know it's there. read more
We had such a great dinner at The Franklin Room! The space has a cozy, moody atmosphere that makes it perfect for a date night or dinner and drinks in River North. We started with the Healthy Habit and Lychee Martini, and for food we tried the Wagyu burger, coconut-marinated steak, and charred broccolini. Everything was delicious, but the burger was definitely one of our favorites. We finished with the Opera Cake for dessert, which was the perfect way to end the meal. Such a great spot if you're looking for somewhere that feels a little tucked away from the busier parts of River North. We'd definitely come back! read more
The vibes were nice. Lighting wasn't too bright, a dressier atmosphere, and definitely felt like a good spot for drinks and dinner. Service was fine. Our server was nice and water refills came at the right times. The burger was honestly pretty mid. It tasted fine, but our server said it was one of the best burgers in Chicago and I definitely wouldn't agree. 5/10. The salmon was tender and had a really interesting crust. It wasn't charred like I expected, almost had a rubbery texture, but I actually enjoyed it. The lemony miso sauce was delicious, the pickled cucumbers added a nice crunch. 7.5/10. The prime bone-in ribeye was fine. Good flavor, but nothing really stood out about it. 6.5/10. Dessert was the highlight of the meal. The chocolate crunch dessert was sooo good. Loved the marshmallow pieces and all the different textures from the crunchy mousse. 8/10. The salted caramel gelato had a great texture, but it was way too sweet for me. It tasted more like straight sugar than salted caramel. 6/10. Overall, a solid last-minute date night spot with good vibes, but the chocolate crunch dessert was definitely the standout. read more
7 days ago
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2 months ago
The Franklin Room is one of our favorite restaurants in the city--and we're lucky enough to live just a few minutes' walk away! From the ambiance to the food to the service, you can tell they hold themselves to a high standard, and they consistently deliver. We love coming here for date nights and even celebrated our anniversary here. It's also one of our favorite places to bring friends and family when they visit. Great food, wonderful atmosphere, and consistently excellent service. A true hidden gem in Chicago! read more
Instagram sent me, not via an influencer, but a very alluring ad. If I were to book a reservation then and there, I could get an Old Fashioned made with Colonel E.H. Taylor for a lower price. Sold! I made a reservation and stopped in that week (if not that very day). The Old Fashioned was fantastic! It had strong whiskey notes without hitting you with a wall of spirit the way a Manhattan, for example, does. The other additions of bitters and syrup did a perfect job rounding the cocktail out, adding sweet and savory notes. As much as I love variety, I loved it so much, I ordered two! I can't lie and say this wasn't at least in part due to the reduced price, that notwithstanding, me ordering two of the same is some of the highest, non-verbal praise one could get from me. For a main, I had the opportunity to try the burger, a special only available 5:00 - 6:30, and mind you I eked in by the skin of my teeth. Before I attempt to break this down, though, I need to take a slight tangent: Do any of you remember the quote from The Menu where Anya Taylor-Joy says: "A real cheeseburger. Not some fancy, deconstructed, affluent b***s***, a *real* cheeseburger."? I am pleased to report the burger here was somewhere between Chef Slowik's "very traditional cheeseburger" and the one Taylor Joy describes! In other words, just fancy enough to feel like I am getting a unique, creative, well thought out dish, but without all the pomp and circumstance! There's just one little problem: as soon as I bit into it, the juices erupting from within soaked the bottom bun, and turned it into a fork and knife affair with an unseen level of precision and speed. Very regrettably, this was the burger's undoing. That first, heavenly bite that had angels singing showed what the burger was really made of (and I mean this figuratively and literally). The beef was of the highest quality, well-seasoned, cooked medium and juicy, with a perfect sear that would have Louis Camille Maillard crying tears of joy. Two types of cheese (one being crisp and airy, the other thoroughly gooey and savory), the perfect amount of bacon, moisture and flavor from a tempura tomato, and divine sauces! One of them was a little sweet, which elevated the flavor like no one's business. Together, all these flavors were a symphony that could give Beethoven a run for his money. However, that unfortunate fact that the thing fell apart so quickly meant that symphony was limited to one bite, the rest being encountered piecemeal. I would rather skip fries than skip dessert (which I did), and ordered the Mango cheesecake. Such velvety perfection! Neither the sweetness nor the mango notes were overpowering, and while it didn't have the crust of a traditional cheesecake, the more gentle variant here absolutely works. I also appreciated the tart sorbet to offer some contrast in flavor, temperature, and texture. Now, let me talk about the service. Given that the restaurant was at capacity, the bar service and speed to get my items was reasonable. Could it hypothetically have been just a touch faster/more attentive? Yes, but in practice, when you have a full house, this is as good as it can get before robots take over. Finally, there is the matter of prices. There is no doubt in my mind that the quality is up there, at the same time, the reason I skipped the side of fries was it would have set me back $11. I suppose the real question is whether or not the quality equals the price, and after some reflection, I think the answer is yes, but one must be prepared for the sticker shock ahead of time. That said, the final verdict: The Franklin Room absolutely delivers on an all-around fantastic meal. I think whatever you order will be in the 90th percentile, at worst! However, this comes at a cost. Therefore, I would love to return to the Franklin Room, but it would likely be more a very occasional treat than a place where I'd be a regular. read more
1 year ago
Awesome experience right in the neighborhood. Fabulous drinks (carrot, ginger vodka cocktail), rich & beautifully presented food, and vibey ambience. Never knew I needed lamb chops as an app but here we are and now I will expect them on the apps at other places! Perfect bite size and great cut. Mains were so good and everyone was so happy with their choices. Presentation was BEAUTIFUL and flavors were rich without being overbearing. Service was great and brought out a birthday dessert for my boyfriend! They have an awesome loyalty program, so definitely sign up for that to earn points/$! We just moved to the neighborhood and this will definitely be a neighborhood favorite, especially in winter months. read more
7 months ago
Always a great time catching up with friends at The Franklin Room. The ambiance and lighting is lovely, and I was able to snag a reservation for 3 on a Friday night pretty last minute. We enjoyed the Taro Fries and oysters for food, and the Healthy Habit and Malbec for drinks. The favorite for the whole group was definitely the desserts - the mango cheese cake is incredible and I would love to come back again for that. We also enjoyed the chocolate crunch dessert. read more
food: steak was good, wish there was more portions but the flavors are there, mango cheesecake was perfect balance of sweetness and tartness with the sherbert service: super nice staff, gave my friend a free dessert for birthday ambiance: good atmosphere, definitely gets busy so can be hard to hear at times read more
1 year ago
Delicious drinks and amazing service in a cozy, classy atmosphere! Our server was both friendly and knowledgeable and our drinks were great! I always love when I can get a great aviation and this is a good spot for that. On my list to come back to when I'm in town next! read more
1. Chocolate Crunch - Feuilletine, dark chocolate mousse, mascarpone, meringue, praline hazelnut, choco crumble 2. Marinated Butchers Steak - Chimichurri, fried plantain, bearnaise 3. FR Wagyu Burger - mishama reserve, wagyu beef bacon, cheese basque, tomato tempura, bourbon miso, pickle 4. Miso Salmon - Pickled cauliflower, salmon croquette, zucchini, miso beurre Blanc, ikura, red vein sorrel Experience was a mixed bag of good quality and confusing combo of ingredients but nothing bad. Butchers steak was very flavorful and lean but tender. The plantains and bearnaise 'foam-y sauce?' didn't complement the steak imo. I didn't try my brother's salmon but he didn't seem to dislike it. We shared the (limited time) Wagyu Burger. It was tasty but again, a confusing combo of ingredients that's lost on me. IMO, the chef is trying too hard to elevate his food but again, nothing was bad. Chocolate crunch was simple, perfectly executed, and my favorite dish of the night. I love a small menu. Waiter was friendly. I wish service included wiping down our table in-between courses. Classy interior design. read more
5 months ago
My god the food is delicious here! Highly recommend!!! The salmon and the chicken were just unbelievable. Very tasty! Thank you to the chef and the staff for such an amazing dinner! read more
1 year ago
I went in solo (work travels). They require you sit at the bar if you're alone, even if you don't want to. That aside, food was amazing and I ended up having a wonderful chat about books with the bartender, who told me about a speakeasy around the corner I checked out! But seriously - give solo diners more options/dignity and not force us to have the bar as the only option. It wasn't busy... read more
25 days ago
Holy moly! This place is a bit of a hidden gem, but don't sleep on it! Came here with a friend for dinner and everything was impressive. We shared the tuna crudo, tortellini, branzino, and broccolini. The tortellini was by far my favorite (it literally just melts in your mouth!) but it was all good. The flavor on the tuna crudo was also incredible, and it was super light. On Mondays, they do 1/2 price bottles of wine. We really wanted to try their old fashioned, but once we discovered a bottle of Chateauneuf-du-Pape on the menu, we couldn't pass that up (you don't normally see those on restaurant wine menus)! Andrew, our server, was excellent. He was friendly and attentive without hovering, and gave us great advice on the menu. I would definitely request to sit in his section the next time I come. It does have a speakeasy vibe, but in a cozy way. It's lower lit, lots of candles, and not overly large inside. When we sat down it was pretty quiet, though it picked up a bit as we sat there. It never got overly loud, though. I will definitely be back, and soon! read more
We had a last-minute change in dinner plans and discovered The Franklin Room on Yelp! Even without a reservation, we got lucky and snagged a table. The place was fully booked, but someone didn't show up, and the host kindly seated us. The restaurant had an almost speakeasy feel, tucked away somewhat underground. We ordered the truffled tuna crudo, pasta al pesce, and marinated butcher's steak. There was a bit of a wait between the starters and mains. The truffled tuna crudo was incredible - rich and flavorful. Both of our main courses were delicious: the seafood pasta was full of flavor, and the steak was tender and juicy. Overall, we really enjoyed the elegant atmosphere and great food! read more
Came on NYE and had a lovely time! My husband and I shared the crab cake special, steak and broccolini and all were really incredible. Service was quick and friendly and the aesthetics were spot on for a somewhere in between casual and classy NYE. My only complaint is that tables in the high top area w a shared booth wall are VERY close together. When someone at the next table had to get up they were touching our table- we actually ended up chatting with them as they overheard our discussion about the menu. In our case this was not the end of the world, but not the best setup if you want any conversational privacy. read more
4 months ago
Went in for another solo date and still as great as the first one. The bar seats makes the slightly upscale interior less intimidating/more approachable going in alone The mixologist was a great conversationalist, he knew exactly when to check in / leave me be (to savor the truffle tortellini). The drink he made me was sensational (off menu so I can't even order it again ) and honestly why I love letting mixologists choose my drink/design a drink for me. The only reason I'm taking off a star here is the portion sizes for the food - definitely on the smaller size for an entree. read more
2 years ago
The food presentation, drinks, service, ambiance, and the flavor of everything were all great!! We celebrated a friend's birthday here, and the staff was incredibly accommodating. What we ordered: - Wagyu steak tartare: I'm usually not a fan of steak tartare, but this one was SO GOOD. I still remember the mustardy taste and the garnish. Perfection. Definitely ordering this again. - Spicy bourbon mussels: Delicious! The sauce was great, and we had plenty of bread on the side to dip in it. - Wild mushroom tartine: As a mushroom fan, I loved this dish. The mushrooms soaked up all the sauce, adding a good texture. - Bristol Bay scallops: These looked as good as they tasted I will definitely be coming back here. It's the perfect spot for celebrations and date nights. read more
Special wagyu burger from 5:00-6:30 pm only! Make sure you get your order in on time. Franklin Room has delicious food to pair with a dim, vintage ambience. If you have someone to impress, I highly recommend taking them here. Even our waiter seemed to have a sense of pride over how great their menu was. That PASTA AL PESCE... Delicious. - AT read more
11 months ago
Wow this place is really yummy! On a trip to Chicago eating at a bunch of spots, many of my party voted the Franklin Room as the best tasting. My personal favorite dish of the evening was the pasta al pesce, which came with a lot of seafood, great portions. My drink was also delicious and went well with the food. I saw that the bar tender can also personalize a cocktail based on your tastes, which is really cool. read more
The service was impeccable but the food was mediocre for the price. I probably won't go again. Whipped Formaggio: 9/10 this was my favorite dish. The mixed herbs and green peas gave the cheese a unique flavor. Prime Bone-In Ribeye: 5/10 the steak was very fatty. The roasted garlic that came with the steak made the edible amount of meat taste better. Roasted Butternut Squash: 5/10 would have been better if the squash was blended. read more
Tasty food, wonderful service, swanky ambiance, but hefty prices. Had dinner here with a friend and had an overall very positive experience. I can't say I'd return here often or at all because it was a bit of a splurge. Didn't have any drinks (which I hear are excellent) but my friend had the yuzu lavender mocktail which was great. We shared 2 appetizers and 2 entrees. Very delicious in general but I wished the portions were bigger for the price. - Wagyu Steak Tartare: 5/5. Excellent! Potentially the best I've had. Very fresh - the texture was great. Tasted like it was just chopped up! Comes on three little slices of toast. - Crab cakes: 3/5. They were advertised as jumbo lump but the pieces of crab themselves were small and so were the crab cakes. Never met a crab cake I didn't devour so I still enjoyed, but I had higher hopes. The winner was the sauce! Nutty, tangy, & a little sweet - not like any sauce I've had with crab cakes before. - Scallops: 4/5. Really fresh and tasty, and served on this warm edamame situation that was so delicious! You get 3 medium sized scallops. - Branzino: 4.5/5. Really lovely, light, and perfectly cooked Whole Branzio (fileted so no bones). No frills but that was perfect. Comes with a grilled lemon. Clearly they have a good menu! The ambiance is dim lit and vibey. Probably would be a good date spot. Service is top notch! Anthony took great care of us. read more
2 years ago
One of my favvvv places in Chicago, this place is fantastic. I had the salmon (which was delicious), my bf had the sea bass (which was even better), the mussels were so tasty with the yummy broth. Espresso martinis were also perfect and good cozy but elevated vibe! 10/10 will be back read more
1 year ago
I always wonder why this place has so many open reservations because it's really good! The wait staff is so friendly and always helpful with recommendations. They also have great drinks! My favorites this time we're the Wild Mushroom Tartine, the Truffled Ricotta Tortellini, and the ribeye. The mushroom Tartine we actually got by accident, but thank god because it was so good! Maybe a little hard to eat, but very tasty. The tortellini is a classic here and never seems the disappoint. Just enough truffle and cheese. As for the ribeye, I'm not usually a steak girl but wow, the sauce, the garlic, and the steak itself were all great! We also got the butternut squash which was my favorite dish last time I went but got upstaged this time. The steak tartare which I thought was just ok. The whipped formaggio which was too much greens. The taro fries which were great for snacking on the side. And the crab cakes which were a little flavorless to me. The chocolate cake was a great way to end the meal! read more
Came here on a Tuesday and was blown away by the great dinner that we had unexpectedly here. From beginning to end the meal was delightful. We made reservations and were seated right away and the restaurant was bustling and I am so happy that I did make reservations because they were turning away people at the door. I think we sat in the best seat of the house which is like all the way to the right and it's big comfy booth that sat all of my friends very comfortably with enough tablespace to fit all the dishes we were getting. This place gives me swanky lodge room vibes. Our waiter got us our drinks, posthaste. We ordered many appetizers one of which was the muscles and that was absolutely delicious and perfectly cooked that came with toast, points, finishing touch - our waiter even offered to bring more baguette for dipping after we finished ours. Lamb chops were phenomenal as well- so good infect, we ordered two! The mushroom tartine was yet another absolutely breathtaking appetizer that you should absolutely get if you're a mushroom fan. I got the steak and was not disappointed, perfectly cooked to a mid rare with roasted garlic and I squeezed that all over my steak. We all shared our meals just as good friends do and the scallops were perfection. The tortellini was fantastic. The cid was perfectly flaky and had be thinking of it as I type this. Sides were perfect for this fall - squash and charred broccolini! Franklin Room thank you for not having a super large and overwhelming menu, you're doing everything very well. I will return very soon. I highly suggest this place for great craft cocktails, good food and good service. read more
1 year ago
9 months ago
I was staying in a hotel nearby and wanted to get good dinner while in Chicago but did not want the hassle of calling an Uber or any other mode of transportation to get quality food so I headed to Yelp for some direction. The Franklin room was the first thing that popped up under the "you may like" section and from seeing the star rating and a quick look at pictures, I decided to come here. It was a last-minute decision because my hungry belly did not have time to deep dive through the reviews as I usually would. My colleague and I had reservations for 6:30p but arrived a little bit earlier and was seated promptly. Entering the restaurant and walking down the steps we did not know what to expect. It was a cute space! Definitely giving me speakeasy vibes & intimate, but not stuffy. Our waiter Anthony was an absolute gem and greeted us with an amazing smile and had bubbly personality. He was warm and made us out of towners feel welcomed immediately. The menu wasn't long, which I liked, but the description of the dishes on the menu was not your average so we definitely had questions. Anthony did not rush us and gave us great recommendations while answering our 1 million questions. In the meantime, he talked about the cocktail menu and the different kinds of whiskeys they offered as that is their specialty. I decided on the smoky old fashion, and it was smooth and delicious! We ordered our entrées and a few sides. The special of the evening was the Branzino dish so we opted to share that as well as the butcher steak. Our sides were the squash and the fingerling potatoes. When the dishes arrived to the table, not only was it visually stunning, but everything was delectable! Chef's kiss! I had to call Anthony over and tell him to please tell the Chef that whatever he did tonight to keep it going! Not only were the dishes delicious and gorgeous, they were so creative. Never in my life have I ever had fried artichoke, with toasted pepitas, sesame olive, oil, crispy sage, pickled onion, & caramelized onion cream in a roasted butternut squash dish. This is just one example of the ingenious that went into creating these dishes! I can go on and on about each dish we ate that night and how pleased we were, but I will say just go there and try it for yourself! Your tastebuds will thank you! read more
4 years ago
The Franklin Room is probably my #1 recommendation in Chicago. I took a friend here for a birthday and had the absolute most amazing experience. It checks all the boxes: ambiance, service, food, price, and experience. There seems to be a lot of street parking available even on a Friday night which was super convenient. I made a reservation weeks ahead and was checked in without a wait. My friend loves whiskey, which was why this was my first choice. It's such a classy speakeasy. We both loved the interior and atmosphere. There are whiskey bottles lining the exposed brick walls - it's beautiful. They have lots of whiskey and unique cocktail options. The food was exceptional. For the two of us, we ordered: -truffle ricotta tortellini -pasta Al pesce -marinated butchers steak -roasted butternut squash side and some drinks Everything was absolutely amazing.. PHENOMENAL in flavor and presentation and quality. I will definitely reorder the truffle tortellini and roasted butternut squash. So far - my absolute favorite place in Chicago. Our server was very nice and took very well care of us. We will definitely be back to try more off their menu!! read more
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More info about The Franklin Room
675 N Franklin St
Chicago, IL 60654
River North, Near North Side
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(312) 445-4686
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https://www.franklinroom.com
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Ask the Community - The Franklin Room
Can a child go there and eat early in the evening?
I don't think so, but there's a restaurant before you enter the speakeasy, more like a pool hall joint though.
It's a subterranean restaurant- do they have an elevator?
I enjoyed the grand entrance coming down the stairs but I'm sure an establishment like The Franklin Room would have accommodations for disabled. Don't miss out on the experience, call to check!! Enjoy!!
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