We stopped in recently to get something to eat before we went to a movie next door. I have been wanting to go and try this restaurant for awhile. What I didn't realize is that they don't have a hostess to seat you so you have to find your own table. This felt a little weird and awkward, because there were many people waiting when I got there so I didn't know who was there first. I don't do well in aggressive situations, so it was a good thing one of my friends in my group mine got their first and was already in the dining room scoping out a table. She stood there for 30 minutes, waiting on some people to leave. It was a Friday night so needless to say the place was pretty full and busy. When we finally sat down, our server showed up eventually, and he was nice enough. We all ordered our food and the food was just OK. I wasn't as satisfied with mine as a few of the others were with their food. I ordered the turkey reuben and some fried mushrooms . The fried mushrooms were nothing spectacular. They were just premade mushrooms that were probably frozen from a bag. They weren't even hot out of the fryer. The ratio of ingredients on my reuben was off as it could have used some more sauce and sauerkraut. I'm only giving them three stars based on my food, and the fact that we had to scramble for a table. It's an uncomfortable and primitive approach that I don't particularly care for. I'm on the bubble as to if I will ever eat there again. If I would, I'd try something else on the menu and I would definitely go when they were a bit slower and it wasn't so challenging and stressful to find a table. read more

The Willard - Chicken Wings Near Me - Franklin, Indiana

[late Nov 2023] Writing this in hindsight 3 months later... Couldn't bear to do it back then. I don't like leaving non-positive reviews, especially for my home town area. Hubby & I went for short-notice dinner reunion w group of 10-11 relatively quiet [mature] ppl, and we asked to move, to get everyone closer to each other, as more arrived, which was handled fine. We put 3 square tables together, as we ended up in a smallish, back-end? windowless room w 2 inaudible TV's, couldn't hear what anyone was saying in this 2nd dining area. It was a game night (that's not why we were there) but didn't hear team-cheering fans, it was just horribly loud w poor sound-control environment when full, I think, everyone talking at all the tables. We could hear each other once 2 other tables left the area much later, leaving 1-2 other tables besides us. Turned out the TV's did have soft audio output after all. The restaurant filled up completely, not long after arriving, and Willard obviously needed more wait-staff. Experienced _very_ long times to get orders taken (over 10 min) , get any drinks (timed at over 20 min), and when they did arrive some were incorrect. There were a couple meal goofs blazingly later, too, and by that time some group members so frustrated that they almost didn't wait for some corrections (one of which was wrong still). Another group arrived just after we did, and they got their orders taken and food placement before we did; we couldn't figure that out. I had "Chicken & Rice Dinner, Large bed of brown rice topped with grilled chicken, onions, green peppers & mushrooms". The chicken was ok, a plain chicken breast, over huge pile of boiled soft rice, but the veggies had to have been pizza toppings. They were tiny, cubed, and looked like what would appear on a cheap frozen pizza. Maybe it was too much to expect 'real' veggies like what might appear in a fajita (ie, slices of veggie). It required hefty dosings of salt, due to its minimal appreciable flavor. Interesting to note in hindsight now, that "Entrees" must not be their expertise, as there are only 2 listed online (the chicken-rice, and a breaded fish platter), see menu currently available at: https://thewillard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/The-Willard_MENU-PANELS_2021.pdf Yes, the building itself is beautiful inside, as many others have noted. Cool historical connections. Neat brick walls, fireplace, stair, etc but not very appreciable when the place is significantly crowded. Summary: [3 months ago] overworked/overwhelmed kitchen & table personnel, poor acoustics, entree food mediocre. Food not photo-worthy. read more

First, its looks ALOT better on the outside than the inside. Tables are super old, worn out and small; layout is odd; ambiance was OK. When we arrived, there were probably only 2 other tables with customers. Took forever for someone to just come over and get our drink order. Then when the waitress returned with our drinks, she handled EACH ONE ON THE RIM OF THE CUP as she set them down on the table. I mentioned to her that RIMS should never be touched with your hands! She said....'there's a straw'. Well, not everyone wants to use a straw, right? Just really unhygienic of her! Took a long time for her to come back and get our order and even more time to get our food. French fries were dried out (maybe from the day before? as we got there 1/2 hour after opening)- definitely NOT fresh; They served their coleslaw in a to-go container with the lid on. I ordered Fish/chips and they did not have any bottled malt vinegar...only packets and I had to ask for those. Very strange!! Prices were reasonable. Not sure I would be going back. They need to update their dining area. It just felt like I was going back in the 1800's with their accommodations----and NOT in a cozy way. read more

Food good. Frequently crowded. Go during off hours. Long time restaurant in Franklin.

I am happy to report we had a wonderful experience at The Willard this week. We were able to get an outside table and had a great waitress and a delicious tenderloin sandwich. So if you have a bad experience, please give another chance. read more

Very disappointing. We have eaten at The Willard before, but some years ago. Apparently this establishment now caters to the local college crowd, right down to the point of the waitress doing shots with the table full of loud, obnoxious, already drunk, frat boys. I certainly understand that for the restaurateur, there is money to be made in that "space", but I think a classy, historic building like The Willard deserves better. Can't comment on the food quality, as we didn't stay long enough to find out. read more

Excellent grilled and breaded tenderloins. The tenderloins have some body left in them 1/4 - 1/2 inch. The breading was lightly (not over) seasoned. the fresh fruit provided a refreshing compliment. We really appreciated that they were willing to wrap our carry out in aluminum foil which is recyclable instead of styrofoam which isn't. We've tried over 20 different tenderloins around the state and rate this among the best. There as good as the get and we'll go back when in the area. read more

The Willard - breaded and grilled tenderloin - Chicken Wings Near Me - Franklin, Indiana

Very family friendly, there is a bar but it's off to the side. Very cozy. Right next to a movie theatre in Franklin. I had the guacamole burger, and Austin had the tenderloin. Both so good! My grandpa had the ham and beans and he said they were great, definitely recommend that spot :) read more

Food was great we had teriyaki shrimp cheese sticks and a lrg build your own pizza everything from our server to cleanliness we sat out on the porch the heaters were nice just all around great experience read more

We got carry out from The Willard during quarantine. It was ok - fairly standard pub fare. I would have liked more sauce on the boneless wings and the fries weren't seasoned all that well. My husband got a tenderloin and said he's had better, which is what they're supposed to be known for. Glad to support a local business and will try again when places are open to full capacity as I know sometimes quality of food is lost when getting carry out. read more

The Willard - Chicken Wings Near Me - Franklin, Indiana

The Willard had a good selection of standard bar food. The service can be hit or miss. read more

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Group of 15 took a trip from Indy to eat here for lunch. We called ahead to reserve a spot and were placed in a room off of the bar complete with a big flat screen. Evin was our server and she was great with taking orders and getting them correct. She was attentive and made sure to keep the refills coming and fulfilling any additional requests. Food came out quickly and everyone was happy with their orders. One couple joined us late, but they were brought out some salsa and chips to snack on while we ate, until their food arrived, so they just wouldn't be sitting there watching us eat. Thoughtful. The staff was also kind enough to assist with a group photo at the end of our outing. We enjoyed our lunch due to good service and food. read more

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It's a town favorite and local legend. Just don't over expect on food or beverage quality. The pizza is good and the beer is fine but it stops there. Salad with store bought to go packs? Really? There are much better choices in town. Try them. It's worth a stop for lunch on the patio anyway. read more

Excellent breaded pork tenderloin sandwiches! The onion rings were good too. Great service. We'll be back.

We love coming to downtown Franklin to enjoy a leisurely walk and a hearty delicious meal at The Willard. We always eat outdoors on the patio so we can enjoy the fresh air and watch the people and traffic pass by. Service is top notch, food is tasty, portions are huge, and prices are fair. Highly recommend!! read more

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Neat place, they were crowded for a Tuesday. Service was decent, she kept our drinks filled. All of our food was good except for one, her burger was fried to a crisp; but she didn't say anything. read more

Patty Melt was terrible. Rueben was very good. Service was good. Place was clean and acceptable read more

Stopped in Thursday afternoon after bike ride. Decided to eat outside. Between the rust, food and nature the tables need to be covered! Tenderloin sandwich, pizza and my salad were delicious! read more

This is a very nice pub for lunch. We asked the waitress how big the pork tenderloins were and she immediately said they were big enough to share. We ordered one to split. She brought out two plates, each with a large portion of tenderloin on a bun and a side basket of toppings, (lettuce, tomato, pickles, onions, mustard, ketchup, and mayo). The tenderloin is less than $8.00 and this made a nice lunch for two. Of course we also got a basket of onion rings that really could have fed four people, but we finished them! The meat in the sandwich was still thick, 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch. Some tenderloins are so thin there is hardly anything holding the breading together. This is a great sandwich. We will be back. read more

They always have charismatic servers and the food is never a disappointment! The ambiance is always lively with the occasional live performance :) read more

We were there for an hour and 20 minutes and never got our food. Multiple tables around us that arrived later had been served, paid, and left. Tried to pay for the soft drinks and appetizer we had received instead of just leaving and instead of allowing us to do that, the waitress decided to argue with us about how long we had been there. Extremely poor experience, won't go back. read more

If you want food that is basically frozen first, then fried....this is the place for you!! What is wrong with salt & pepper, sugar/sweetener packets at the table?? Tables were bare so we had to wait forever for our waitress to bring these things to us!! Would not recommend eating here unless you have 2 hours to kill while waiting for your lunch of sandwiches!! read more

10/10 WOULD NOTTTTT RECOMMEND!!! Waited an hour and a half for our pizza.... One small 7 inch pizza.... They sent it to the wrong table and they never told us we over heard it. At least 30 minutes later she decided to come tell us that they sent out pizza to the wrong table... Finally got it and for the all the waiting they upgrade our pizza to a medium... we didnt want a bigger pizza we just wanted our pizza. The waitress was very rude and was obsessively avoiding us. read more

At one point I posted this as the best Bar in America. Sadly, it is no longer at that level but they are improving. I recommend the Queso with Chips and the Mexican pizza but they are known for their pizza. I will be back soon to give them another try. If I had my wish they would come up with a way to help you find a table and get your food to you in a reasonable time. If they accomplish that next time I'll be moving them back up to a 4. Give them a try! read more

Great place to stop when you are in Franklin. Pizzas and wings are excellent. Drinks tasty. Prices reasonable. Love sitting on the porch if the weather is nice. Service is very friendly. read more

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The staff are very rude and not a nice place to eat the food is very expensive and the food is not any good

Best pizza I've ever had! Fast free delivery during the quarantine. Very reasonably priced. It's huge!! read more

The Willard - 16" deluxe pizza - Chicken Wings Near Me - Franklin, Indiana

Great venue , clean, food decent but wish had more grilled items and fresh veggies Try it! read more

We have visited The Willard twice! It is a great little spot with a beautiful option to dine outside. It's full of history and character. We will be back again and again! Can I give The Willard 1,000 stars???? read more

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Great historial spot in Franklin. IT IS ALWAYS SLOW HERE SO THATS WHY YOU COME, to enjoy others company while you wait for food. We always like the pizza and wings and servers are friendly. Outdoor seating is an option which is always nice weather permitting. Gets busy after the farmers market on Saturday's and most weekends. read more

Don't bother with the slowest kitchen on Earth. Go someplace else and save the headache.

Mediocre food, poor service, overstimulating bar. I went with my fiancés family tonight and I was pretty disappointed in the service I received. My server was generally pretty unhelpful. Even when it was clear I had food allergies he made no effort to help me make a different selection or offer me any sort of allergen menu. When I asked him what he'd recommend that didn't have gluten he ignored me and there was a super awkward long silence until I prompted him again which he wasn't very helpful at all again. I'm not usually one to be upset if someone doesn't know but he didn't even try and I felt like he was simply annoyed by me. I can't change the fact that I have food allergies for someone else to be comfortable. I hate being made to feel like I'm an inconvenience. Of course it was loud because it was a sports bar so I didn't really dock it for that simply because the food was mediocre and the guy who was serving us was really rude. read more

The Willard - Same thing - Chicken Wings Near Me - Franklin, Indiana

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My wife and I seem to give this place a chance once a year. It was pretty cool when it opened in the late 80s, but the service sucks. We've been their when it's packed and been there when it's slow. It doesn't seem to matter. Last time we visited, a waitress threw a menu at my wife after she asked for one. We'd only sat there for 30 minutes before getting her attention. I know a lot of folks who smoke weed but function at their jobs. These folks can't seem to master that read more

Honestly have not been here ... BUT! My husband just had the absolute wildest phone call with a staff member at this restaurant - I'll give you a run down :) "Hi, I'm just calling to ask 2 questions. First, is there a full service bar here?" "I don't know what that is" "Like do you have things other than beer and wine" "I think so, I guess" "Okay... what are the daily specials today?" "I don't know, the kitchen is gonna close" "Oh, what time does the kitchen close?" "I don't know, it changes every day." "... what time does it close today?" "I don't know." "Okay..... thank you, bye" My husband is obviously stunned, like ... was this a prank? Or can you really just be that bad at a job lol? I'm honestly hoping for this places sake that it was a random person who picked up the phone cause that is ridiculous lol. read more

We stopped over at The Willard in between movies at the Artcraft theater next door for a quick bite. Overall it was pretty good. They had a Buffalo Chicken Dip listed as an appetizer so we were psyched to try it. Unfortunately they were out of it (womp.womp.) so we went with the Chicken Nachos instead. I decided to try their blue cheese burger (because I love me a good blue cheese burger) with a side of fries. Because they were unaware that they were out of the Buffalo dip until after we had placed our meal order the burgers came out first and the appetizer afterwards. Not really a big deal. It usually would annoy me but the waiter was very apologetic and really in the end it's whatever. The burger wasn't bad. I did have an issue with the bun. It was very bland. Just tasted like one you would get out of a processed bag of buns at a grocery store. It did the burger and the blue cheese no justice at all. A bad bun can really ruin a good sandwich. I was probably more annoyed at this than the late appetizer. The fries were pretty tasty. Thick cut and crunchy..just how I like them. Right when we were finishing up with our burgers the chicken nachos came out. They were HUGE. The waiter suggested having buffalo sauce on the side for dipping. He was so right. Their buffalo sauce was delicious. The perfect parts hot and sweet..very tangy. It actually made me upset because I can only imagine how good their buffalo dip is. Oh well..maybe next time. Anywho, the nachos were good. Tons of chicken on top. Enough cheese to cover everything. Tasted great dipped into the buffalo sauce. This place is very convenient if you're going to see a movie next door for before or after. The food was ok, the service was pretty nice. I can see going back and giving this place another shot next time we are in the area. Possibly bump the review up a bit once we get to try some of that Buffalo Chicken Dip. read more

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I love this place but do NOT recommend a salad unless you want a bowl of lettuce.... as for the other options... Everything is delicious, their prices are great, staff is helpful and we love the atmosphere! T The tenderlion was absolutely wonderful!!! We could get whatever we wanted on it. It was thicker than normal breaded tenderlions and very tasty!! It was enjoyed by all at the table since it was so huge. The fish sandwich was a bit small but because of the delicious fries but my son really didn't care. He is a high school swimmer and was full by the end of our meal. I highly recommend coming here for their pizzas, meals or a drink (we enjoyed our drinks including the long island and bloody mary!) read more

Good food, service and great patio seating. Drinks were very good too. This place has been in Franklin forever.

This is a staple in Franklin. However, if you come during a busy time be prepared to wait a while for a table or service. Today in particular, we waited over 20 minutes after we finished to get our check and boxes to leave. I'm giving them three stars still as their food is good and they have a wide drink selection read more

The Willard - Chicken Bacon Ranch Wrap - Chicken Wings Near Me - Franklin, Indiana

I really, really wanted to love this place because I'd heard amazing things. It started out stressful because it's a seat yourself place... which is usually great, but the dining room is a series of small rooms. If you're not familiar with the layout and it's crowded, it can be quite the stressful first few minutes. We found a high top table in a back room near a side door. Wait staff is kind, if overwhelmed. Decent beer selection, including a handful of local drafts. Our table shared a variety of things- pizza, wings, fries, a shrimp basket, and the nachos con queso. It was all good, but nothing special. The xtra hot wings are not especially hot, so I recommend "overshooting" your preferred heat level. All in all, I'm glad we went but probably won't go out of our way to return. read more

We have been here a few times and love the food and atmosphere. Very friendly hometown pub type of vibe. Great food, fun and laughs. Love the fish and chips and boneless wings!!! Great brews on tap! read more