The Franklin Grill

I really enjoy this place. It is in downtown Franklin. When you walk in you feel as if you are out of town, sort of like Traverse City area. There is a long bar with a few regulars. It is decorated sort of rustic chic. Even when the place is full it is not too noisy. The staff are super nice. The menu is really nice and they have daily specials. I had the most amazing mushroom soup here and also they had a crab cake Caesar salad as a special. Best crab cake I have ever eaten. The items on the regular menu are always delicious. I have only eaten here for lunch although many times. And I look forward to trying it for dinner.

Great little place. My mom and I visited the cider mill and were looking for a place to have a late lunch (yes, after yummy donuts and hot cider). I believe we had missed the lunch hour rush, so the place was nice and quiet. We both had the Soup and Sandwich (French Onion soup & Cornbeef Reuben/​Tomato Basil & Turkey) which were great. The waitress was friendly and attentive. For «dessert «we had coffee and Baileys which was yummy.
The dinner menu was up as we were leaving and I noticed the special was Braised Boneless Short ribs. I mentioned to the waitress that was my favorite dinner and wished I could come back for dinner. And she simply said: «take a carry out!» What a great suggestion! I took two orders and a salad, dinner is done.
Overall, I had a good experience for a first time at the Franklin Grill. Great food and excellent service.

This place is cozy inside. Great service and great food. My husband and I visited on labor day and they closed at 4pm. We came in at 3:30 and the hostess told us they were closing soon but we still could order. We ordered and enjoyed every bite. We had curry chicken salad. The staff didn’t rush us at all to leave. We even had dessert (chocolate bread pudding) and coffee… Loved it. We’re definitely going back.

THE FRANKLIN GRILL. I had an opportunity to eat at this boutique restaurant this weekend. I live very near by and I was very surprised that even though I drive by it all the time I have never gone in. I did this weekend. I found the total experience very delightful. The restaurant is very soft inside. Very personal and a neighborhood restaurant. The staff was very update and cool. The bartender was exceptional and welcoming. He also knew his stuff. I ordered an excellent glass of red wine. I ordered dinner. The menu is very open to many choices. Meet fish pasta etc. Everything was excellent. I was very impressed overall with the restaurant. Very nice place to go have dinner. If you wish a personal quaint privately owned restaurant to go, this is the place. Franklin has a lot of character and this restaurant does also. Whether you are a foodie or on a date or both, very positive experience.
Richard C. Rollins

I LOVE the Franklin Grill! And it doesn’t hurt that it’s steps away from my house :) The new outdoor patio makes it even better. I’ve dined here many times and have always left will a yummy full belly and happy with the outstanding service I receive.
They also have a great happy hour (4 – 6 M-​F) at the bar. Their bar is small, but you can call ahead and they’ll save you a seat!

My new outdoor patio dining favorite.
A wonderful brick patio w/​tree canopy and obscured from the roads.
Carol was our server. She was knowledgeable, prompt and attentive.
The wine & margarita pours were generous and the drinks were very good.
My filet was ~8 oz and cooked precisely as ordered; medium rare. My wife was very happy with her herb (half) chicken. Veggie sides were properly prepared. All food was served hot. Calamari appetizer was good.
WiFi? Yes. But do not use it for anything requiring a login
CCW friendly? Yes, if you are not drinking alcohol.
Reservations; while not strictly required … are essentially required. Otherwise, you’re gonna have a lengthy wait.
Price? Appetizer to share. Dinner for two. Two drinks for two. $ 110 before tip.
Will we return? Yes.

If you come for dinner and don’t order the Pow Pow Shrimp appetizer, you’re cheating yourself out of an incredible start to your meal.

This place is not for me. It was obviously under-​staffed when we went in for a quick dinner. There were several tables open… yet the hostess was running around like crazy. She kept telling us «just a second, just a second» After 10 minutes of waiting, we decided to walk out. The hostess got very upset… told us it would «just be a minute»
. When I responded that i didn’t want to wait anymore she yelled at me… told me how hard she was working and wagged her finger in my face and told me how rude and impatient i was. Excuse me for expecting to sit down at an open table… when the place was half full.
We walked out… I for one won’t be back.

We went here for a work celebration and had a great time. The upstairs is charming but a little chilly in the winter. They have good specials and the soup and sandwich combinations are great. I had the black bean soup with veggie sandwich which was very good and one of my friends had the French onion and sweet potato fries. Friendly service, wasn’t the fastest, but we had about eight or ten people.

I just had a very comforting evening at the Franklin Grill. It could be one of the warmest restaurants I’ve been to in quite a while. I came at happy hour and had the Chicken Satay that was intensely flavorful with all the ingredients spot on. Patrick could not have been more helpful as I went for the Chicken Carbonara. This is a dish you must have as it reflects the warmth of the restaurant.
A great eating experience not to be missed

Another great meal with friends. The menu is great with amazing specials. The bartender makes everyone feel like they belong and is very friendly. The restaurant is small and can get crowded at high dining moments.

Went here for a large work outing. Very pleased with the service, food, and atmosphere. The bartender is great too! Each of the attendees ate something different for dinner so we could all try each other’s, and then split dessert. There’s not one item anyone complained about.

This place was really quaint… it reminded me of the Prancing Pony from the Hobbit, inside. LOL. Dimly lit and a rustic cabin type feel, sort of. Tables can be a little cramped but service was tip top! Let me say that again… service was legit and I felt taken care of here.
I’ve had this place bookmarked for some time now and I was really excited to try it. We started with a small basket of rolls and butter. They were crispy and flaky and yum. Onto the calamari app with sweet peppers and onions and a creamy dipping sauce. The calamari was really tender which I appreciate but the fry on them was too light and they didn’t brown at all making them overly oily and a little soggy. The dipping sauce was vibrant but a little too sour for my liking. We did eat the entire plate though and rest assured it was tasty but a few more peppers would’ve been nice.
Next I tried the Tomato Basil soup. It was FANTASTIC! I highly recommend it. It was simple, creamy and had flecks of ground pepper and strings of fresh basil running throughout. I would eat this daily if I could. It was as good as my own.
For my entrée I was torn between the Veggie Risotto, the filet and the lamb chops. I asked the server to surprise me and he brought the lamb. Three lollipop chops with the bones nicely frenched and cooked, perhaps a tad under the requested temp, but still perfection in flavor and execution. The cherry reduction was nice but didn’t offer a lot of cherry flavor. I still mopped it up with the one remaining roll. My plate was spotless when it was removed, BTW. The mashed potatoes the chops sat on top of were really light and fluffy and they were delicious. The baby spinach was pretty standard but at least it wasn’t overcooked.
I also tried the perch special my friend ordered. It was a solid special and even though I’m not a fan of cooked fish I would’ve enjoyed it.
My girl had the veggie risotto.
Yikes!!! Gordon Ramsey would’ve had words! It was too al dente and it was not creamy or loose. The flavor was lax and that’s being politely generous. It was served in an acorn squash which didn’t really add to its allure. The chicken she had ordered to accompany the plate had a nice flavor and grill to the outside but it was really dry and thin. I have to admit that I ate quite a bit once she was done but it was a really bad rendition… sorry to be harsh but it was!
Onto dessert. The three of us split the Crème Brulee and a slice of apple pie.
The crème brulee was money. A perfect consistency and texture with the perfect amount of sweetness coupled with a great vanilla flavor and brulee presentation. The apple pie however, was a big disappointment for me. I should mention that they didn’t skimp on the slice… it was gigantic! The topping was a little soggy but it was the best part of the pie with flavors of cinnamon and allspice and plenty of brown sugariness. The apple filling though, was starchy and had a savory flavor that I’m pretty sure was Rosemary. If you’re going to tinker with apple pie you need to tell people before they order it. I didn’t like it… and the apples themselves were way undercooked. The vanilla bean ice cream that accompanied was good though.
Our tab was $ 175…subtract the cost of the wine at $ 34 and we’re at around $ 140 for the meal. Sorry to say but it just wasn’t worth the expense for a poorly attempted risotto, three small lamb chops and the perch. The best thing I had was the soup followed by the crème brullee, followed by the rolls.
For all intents and purposes I wanted to love this place and it should’ve tee’d up just fine but it fell really short, the bill aside. That said, I would give them another shot because this place seems hit or miss but has a ton of promise as shown by the menu and staff.

Very nice atmosphere. Excellent deals on happy hour apps. Spicy Thai wings for 3 bucks! Good selection of local beers. Bar top seating is comfortable and open. Nice surrounding area, good for a short walk in downtown franklin after your meal. Pasta is all made from scratch! Definitely recommend!

I am reviewing based on my second visit to Franklin Grill. The first and second visits cannot be compared. Both were entirely different yet both were impressive.
On my first visit, I was there for a private event on the 2^nd floor. It was a buffet style setup with an assortment of items that are not typically found on the menu. If you’re planning a private event at Franklin and aren’t sold on the menu offerings be sure to ask for additional options and/​or a special menu.
On my second visit, I enjoyed dinner at the bar. I started with a few happy hour items as well as a local Michigan beer. I also had the calamari and chicken carbonara. I was blown away by everything that evening.
There service was outstanding. I’ll definitely continue to be a returning patron!

Visit to the hometown & first time to Franklin Grill based on Unilocal reviews. Plenty of parking and quaint, New England feel — especially in the Fall.
Hubby is from Texas and was first to say the temp of the filet was perfect. My lamb chops were also on temp, try the cherry sauce. Artichoke app was light yet tasty. Bread pudding, perfection.
Most importantly, the staff was kind and accommodating. Tables were full so we sat at the bar to wait. We were so comfy that we stayed. The bartender Patrick was friendly and hardworking.
Loved the bar selection, including the bottle of Walnut City from Willamette.
Can I say more? It was a pleasant first impression for the area I grew up near but hadn’t seen in 20 yrs. Two thumbs up.

I recently moved back from California and my neighbor recommended this wonderful restaurant. The first time I came with a friend. Both of our lunches were delicious. We ordered the half sandwich and soup combo. Yummy! Fresh ingredients. Tasty soups, there is always a daily special soup. The sandwiches were the perfect size. The entire lunch was great!
I returned this evening with my husband, «date night «. We both ordered filets– cooked to perfection. Every bite was better than the last– the meat melted in your mouth. Along with mashed potatoes and asparagus our meal was complete.
The Franklin Grill has turned into one of my favorites.

Great place and atmosphere for an outdoor summer sit. Fresh seafood keeps me coming back and I recommend you lean on bartender Patrick for wine suggestions. My favorite appetizer on the menu is the crab cakes. Those things really work. I ordered the seared salmon salad tonight and it’s great. Get the dressing on the side, order some lemons and enjoy. Place is a low key gem in the low key «downtown» area of Franklin Village.

I like the space here, and I would suggest coming for drinks and maybe split a few apps on the patio. Also don’t come here if you are in a hurry.
I felt that our server would disappear for long periods of time. And it would take quite awhile to get drinks.
Steven ordered the lamp chops rare, they brought it out and said they tried their best to cook it rare but that’s as good as they could do. It was so off. The meat was really dry too.
I ordered chicken carbonara and the chicken was nothing special and was really dry as well.
Needless to say I wasn’t interested in trying dessert.
I gave it 2 stars for the ambience and the outdoor seating.

After driving past this place several times while going through the cute tiny downtown of Franklin, it was time to try it. They have have nice patio in the back to enjoy the afternoon or evening outside.
I tried their Salmon Salad, since I was in the mood for a dish on the lighter side. It had fresh greens and surprised by the inclusion of asparagus. It gave it a nice touch in flavor and crunch.
I usually order the dressing on the side, but neglected to ask. I was pleasantly surprised and thrilled to find they only placed a nice thin drizzle of dressing. The lettuce was not swimming in it. The dressing had a nice flavor and the salad also included roasted walnuts for that crunchy texture.
The disappointing element was the fish-​stick looking pieces of salmon. The way its cut, I would swear they were fish-​sticks. Fine, as long as it taste better than my childhood fish-​sticks. Well, if the salmon were seasoned, I would accept its poor looks. It just wasn’t flavorful. It was bland fishy salmon flavor. Thank goodness for the tasty dressing to help the fish, it couldn’t stand alone.
The salmon would have received two stars independently, but the rest of the elements helped it barely reach three stars.