Franklin's Restaurant Brewery & General Store

 

0

6

mar m.

Washington, DC

I've been several times and just got back from lunch today. I had the salmon special which had artichokes and eggplant. It was a little bland, but the ingredients were perfectly cooked. I would much rather spice and salt my own food anyway. I don't like salt, so I'm real unhappy if food is too salty. I added a little tobasco and it was quite good. The server was friendly and fast. I'm always pleased with their specials. There are some imaginative dishes and the price is reasonable. Also, as has been mentioned, it's funky, arty and has an old time general store attached that makes me yearn for penny candy.

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3

83

Patrick O.

Silver Spring, MD

Best beer and Hangar steak

I've had their Coconut curried chicken too many times, my next favorite is the Hangar steak, May even start a list for it, Allways done perfectly except for on "Valentines Day".  Rays is next, .

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0

27

Owen S.

Durham, NC

I love Franklin's and go there at least once any time I'm in the DC area.  I fell in love with this place a decade ago when it was a funky little general store with a lunch counter in the back.  It was one of those surprising finds, clearly an independent little business that had to be owned by someone following their heart and quirky passions; at that time the store had an *entire* wall devoted to hot sauces (seriously hundreds upon hundreds of little bottles), and the food choices included veggie and vegan items and there was a choice of  5 kinds of bread for a sandwich, which doesn't sound like much today, but a decade ago it was, especially in the outskirts of a college town in a store that was literally on the railroad tracks and surrounded by car lots, body shops, and bail bondsmen.

Well, skip to today... the area has gone through some major rehab and Franklin's was one of the businesses that led the effort.  And WOW, compared to the hole in the wall that it used to be, Franklin's is now HUGE, with two floors, and gleaming glass-enclosed beer vats towering above the large dining areas.  The country store and hippy vibe is gone, but not in a bad way, it just grew up.... but the funky store with an almost bizarre obsession for hot sauce grew up to be... a microbrewery!  And not just a microbrewery, but one with a funky gourmet-reaching menu, two floors of seating, *and* an also grown-up version of its general store with a surprisingly well chosen selection of wines and beers and quirky art, but still with a (more subdued) section of toys, gag gifts, and yes, hot sauces (though now only a bookcase-sized section.)

The current menu offerings are as mish-mashed as the merchandise available in the general store, but I like that the whole business maintained an eccentric vibe.  Um, I guess the main themes of the menu would be American bar meets fusion gourmet (especially Thai..?!) meets Maryland shore.  There's something for everyone, including vegetarians, and none of it is bad, all is at least passable, and most is pretty darn good.  It's not fine dining, but the dining is fine.

One absolute standout:  the mussels.  Wow!  Prepared simply with sea salt and garlic but presented with a bang on a red-hot and literally sizzling cast-iron flat skillet... they are always fresh, prepared perfectly and so delicious.

Prices are reasonable, the on-premise brewed beers are good, and if like me you're not big on beer, they have a decent wine selection and a full bar.  Service is friendly and tries hard.  My only real complaint is that it's noisy, mostly because they're often really busy (which is great 'cuz it means they'll still be there when I next travel to DC!) but because of the very open design, it's often still really noisy even when they aren't busy.  Definitely not a place to have an intimate conversation, but well, it IS a brew-pub-restaurant-general store, so, well, never mind, my complaint is silly.

A great place for a quick or leisurely meal, to pop in to buy a great (and very reasonably priced) bottle of wine, or to spend some time poking around the unusual items in the store.

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16

26

Ms. B.

Austin, TX

This is a cool place full of interesting people usually. Great beer and food and there is even a little store that feels a little nostalgic almost. The owner goes out of the way to make sure your visit is a good one.

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10

18

DC F.

Washington, DC

Having neighborhood places like this matters. There are few restaurants in this area and having a reliable place to go is nice.  

I always find they have good service, yummy beer, and a mostly strong menu.  Occasionally I find something less to my liking (e.g. meatloaf, taco salad) but have some favorites (thai ribs, burgers, veggie burger)

Recently, I've been trying the specials instead of sticking to the menu.  A generous pork chop was delicious as was a bowl of gumbo with blackened catfish.  

The store is a must visit.  

I have a little song about it. . .

Oh microbrews and licorice gum, lots of things to see
at Franklin's there's a special store for kids like you and me.
Fancy chocolates, unicorns, gummy candy frogs
at Franklin's you can eat and shop and grab some lincoln logs.

HEY!*

*optional to yell "Hey!"

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1

7

Jen R.

Arlington, VA

Good food, good beer (at least for DC-area micro brew). The onion rings (seasoned with Old Bay) are the size of your head and the rest of the food is just as plentiful. There's a wide selection of food--including vegetarian and is standard brew pub fare, as well as a healthy dose of Asian inspiration.

We had good table service, but the bar service while waiting for the table was AWFUL.

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6

30

Maria P.

Mount Rainier, MD

When I was in middle school, Franklin's General Store and Deli was a place the kids would go after school for a sandwich or ice cream and to poke around the store full of toys, gifts and novelties. The tiny deli was in the back of the store and it was a real mom-and-pop type deal.

A few years ago, Franklin's upgraded into a new addition with a brew pub and full-service restaurant. Since then it's become a fixture of the Route 1 Corridor. The beer is very good, and you can get a growler to take home, bring back and refill. They also make their own root beer. The barbecue and pub food are great. The daily specials are okay--I've had a couple that were pretty disappointing, although the last time I was there, I got salmon and colcannon and it was just right. The desserts are usually excellent.

Franklin's is good choice for a group because of the variety of both food and drinks on the menu. The general store is still in operation and sells a good variety of wine and microbrew six-packs in addition to the toys and gifts. I wouldn't call the food top-notch; it's the atmosphere, the location and the local ownership that make this place a neighborhood favorite.

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1

9

Sarah E.

Hyattsville, MD

Franklin's is really close to my house so I eat there all the time.  The beer is good and the atmosphere is fun, although super loud.  Franklin's has really improved over the past year.  It used to be hit-or-miss, especially with the specials - but now its mostly hits, including the specials.  My favorite dish is still the pulled pork.  The pizza is just so-so.

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0

9

Jessica C.

Bethesda, MD

Franklin's is great. Having graduated from UMD, which is right down the street from Franklin's, it was always a good place to go to when parents came into town or if you are looking for a somewhat "nicer" place to eat with friends while staying close by campus. Now, I am not saying this place is fancy AT ALL, but comparing the restaurants up and down Route 1, this place could be considered fine dining for undergrads.
They brew their own beer and I would suggest trying out their sampler. Another great menu item is their duck quesadilla with a mango dipping sauce....mmmmMmmm.
Their general/variety store is really fun to browse in after you eat. It reminds me of an old fashion mom and pop store that sells everything from plastic wind up kiddy toys to bottles of beer and wine.  I actually found the funniest towel in there one time which one side was labeled the "butt" side and the other labeled "face" side....BRILLIANT!

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Elite '08

9

81

Rachel C.

Arlington, VA

Franklin's has tasty food. I also enjoy browsing their store for gag gifts.

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5

11

Cherry L.

College Park, MD

This is my inaugural Yelp review!  Franklin's holds dear memories for me, as it was the first restaurant I ever went to in College Park.  It was part of school recruitment, blah blah blah...I was impressed by the menu selection, the food, and the cute quirky store next door.  You can order dishes from coconut curry to flatbread pizza to shephard's pie. Granted the coconut curry isn't as good as Siri's, the pizza isn't as good as Pasta Plus, and the shepard's pie isn't as good as what I used to make at the Downtown Women's Shelter in LA; however, you gotta give Franklin's props for attempting so many different cuisines, right?  

The food is definitely shy of spectacular.  But real draw is the beer, folks.  I'm a fan of the blonde ales.  Where else are you going to find a local brewery that isn't a disgusting chain?

Go for the beer, munch on some onion rings, and try to ignore the families with whining kids.  Really, I do like kids, just not when they're loud and messy and totally inappropriate in public spaces.

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76

73

Gemma W.

San Francisco, CA

I remember when it was this teeny-weeny store / restaurant...(single tear trickling down cheek)
Now it's a brewery!!!
But you could still buy hand-crafted jewelry, mad-libs, wrapping paper, cheese grater, candy galore (sugar-free and healthy), tinker toys,and TONS more....
Food and beer are great, too.
Franklin's make me proud of growing up in Hyattsville!!!

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Elite '08

101

237

Chang W.

Gaithersburg, MD

Settled in the heart of downtown Hyattsviile, Franklin's location is geographically undesirable. However, this microbrew keeps a lot of good beers on tap and also has more character than the corporate Rock Bottom. They brew all the counterparts to my favorite beers (e.g., Guinness, Sierra Nevada). In addition, Franklin's also carries some unique blends like the Anarchy Ale and the Mr. Whipple's Tripple. If you are in this neck of the woods...stop by for a pint or two.

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5

16

Carlen Lea L.

Washington, DC

There's just not much to eat in my neighborhood, so I'm glad that Franklins is just a short drive down RI Avenue to Hyattsville.  The beer is great, the food is decent and the atmosphere is dandy.  

I generally can't resist a quick run through the general store where you can find everything from good wine to silly magic tricks and gum.

I give it 3 stars as a neighborhood casual restaurant.

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Elite '08

278

504

angela n.

Washington, DC

My favorite thing about this place is the vegetarian McFranklins burger -- it has Thousand Island dressing and really hits the spot when you're craving a big mac but don't want the meat.   mmmm.

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29

202

Eric P.

Baltimore, MD

Looking for lunch? Paydoh for your nephew's birthday? Maybe a six pack of a beer you never heard of? If all of the above, Franklin's is the place to go. While you are waiting for a seat, check out the toystore, with an awesome selection for those young and old, along with a nice assortment of wine and beer.

The restaurant itself has a large menu with plenty of good food, and many vegetarian options to go with the fun atmosphere and friendly wait staff .

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Elite '08

86

469

Tu-Van L.

Falls Church, VA

One of the few places I know that's a restaurant, bar, and general store (Cracker Barrel is the only other place I know of, but this is special).  If there's a long wait, definitely worth your time wandering through their general store, filled with kitchy toys and knick nacks that are fun to play with.  

If you're a beer enthusiast you should definitely try their brews (they do it themselves).  For a bang for your buck get the sampler, where you get a dozen samples of their brews to try.  I can't vouch for the food but I'll definitely try it next time I'm there.

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